In Sermon Illustrations: "Keeping"

There's A Story Of A Man Who Carried A Small Can ...

Contributed by Andy Anquoe on Feb 15, 2007

There’s a story of a man who carried a small can of oil with him wherever he went. He wanted to go through life lubricating all the hard places and make it easier for those who came behind him. Whenever he came a cross a squeaky door, he poured some oil on the hinges. Whenever he came across a gate ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Years Ago A Christian Church In Albuquerque Hired ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Apr 3, 2007

Years ago a Christian Church in Albuquerque hired a church growth expert from California. I remember his presentation to the church board while I was a Youth Minister there. He gave many suggestions, but his biggest recommendation was that the church was located in a part of town that had no ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Father Knelt Down Beside His Little Boy's Bed. ...  PRO

Contributed by David Rumley on Apr 7, 2007

A father knelt down beside his little boy’s bed. It was time for prayers, hugs and kisses, and tucking in. The little boy began the childhood prayer he had repeated so many times before: now I lay me down to sleep; I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake Pray the Lord, my ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-5

Denomination: Pentecostal

I Remember When I Saw A Program Showing How They ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Feb 20, 2005

I remember when I saw a program showing how they used to film Gunsmoke, one of my favorite TV shows as a kid. I learned that Dodge City was really just a place in the middle of nowhere not even close to the real one. There was no Longbranch Saloon, no stores or jail, it was all front with ...read more

Tags: Faith, Wisdom

Denomination: Methodist

The Yielded Life  PRO

Contributed by John White on Aug 15, 2005

The Yeilded Life Sometimes we allow sin to come into our lives and hinder the work of grace.  Paul cautions that the blessings of grace upon a yielded life can be hindered by sin.    "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." (Ro. 6:12)  Our ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:6, Luke 5:1-11

Tags: Fulfillment

Denomination: Baptist

Story Of Daddy's Gunfight W/O Clothes In Wwii. ...

Contributed by John Raulerson on Oct 15, 2005

Story of Daddy’s gunfight w/o clothes in WWII. My dad was in the Navy during WWII and he served on a small submarine chaser ship in the South Pacific. While on the ship one of their strict commands was to always be combat ready which meant even when you took a shower you must keep your gear ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Children & Marriage  PRO

Contributed by Brian Bolton on Nov 14, 2005

Children & Marriage “No person really decides before they grow up who they’re going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you’re stuck with.” Kirsten, age 10 “You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like sports, ...read more

Tags: Marriage General, Oneness, Faithfulness, Conflict, Communication  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Cast A Line For Yourself

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Feb 23, 2010

CAST A LINE FOR YOURSELF A poor, hungry man stood idly on a bridge watching some fishermen. Seeing one of them with a basket full of fish by his side, he said, "If I had a catch like that, I'd be happy. I'd sell it and buy some food and clothes." "I'll give you that many fish if you do a small ...read more

Tags: Action

Denomination: Pentecostal

Pastor Learns To Trust God When Displaced By ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2010

Pastor Learns to Trust God When Displaced by War During the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century, German pastor Paul Gerhardt and his family were forced to flee from their home. One night as they stayed in a small village inn, homeless and afraid, his wife broke down and cried openly in despair. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

Tags: Taxes, Trials

River Of God

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Jun 5, 2011

RIVER OF GOD Ever since moving to the valley, my eyes have been drawn to the mountains and the river. There’s days in the summer months when I ride my bike to the river, and gaze at the its powerful flow. It’s fascinating for me to watch the river at different stages. Sometimes it looks ...read more

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Lutheran

Get Busy And Cast A Line

Contributed by Keith Peters on Jul 5, 2011

GET BUSY AND CAST A LINE A poor, hungry man stood idly on a bridge watching some fishermen. Seeing one of them with a basket full of fish by his side, he said, "If I had a catch like that, I'd be happy. I'd sell it and buy some food and clothes." "I'll give you that many fish if you do a small ...read more

Tags: Workplace Unemployment

Denomination: Baptist

They Refused To Be Rescued  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

THEY REFUSED TO BE RESCUED On August 30, 2005 Coast Guard Lieutenant Iain McConnell was ordered to fly his H46 helicopter to New Orleans and to keep that machine flying around the clock for what would turn out to be a heroic rescue effort. None of his crew were prepared for what they were about to ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:3-4, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, Matthew 8:28-34, 2 Peter 3:7-10

Tags: Rejection, Heroism

Sometimes We Must Start Over

Contributed by Brad Henry on Oct 18, 2011

SOMETIMES WE MUST START OVER When Jonah was in the belly of the fish he didn't know he was going to Nineveh. He thought his life was over. So he tried to make things right with God. Jonah 2:8 "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." So what does this mean? ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Spiritual Acne

Contributed by Antonio Silveira on Feb 29, 2012

SPIRITUAL ACNE Have you seen ads for Clearsil, Proactiv, or other acne treatments? They usually exaggerate things and show the face before and aft the application of the "miraculous" product that makes you look good and perfect. They also make sure you get hooked to the remedy so they can bank on ...read more

Scripture: James 1:22-27

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Baptist

The Yanov Torah

Contributed by Perry Greene on Mar 13, 2013

THE YANOV TORAH During World War II, Jewish inmates of the Yanov labor camp in occupied Poland defied their Nazi guards, secretly conducting religious services inside their darkened barracks. To observe their ritual, the Jews had cut religious scrolls into sections, bound the parchment pieces ...read more

Tags: Bible Study, Scripture, The Word

Denomination: Independent/Bible

On Shepherds  PRO

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

What do we know about the shepherd's life? It's a full time commitment. Sheep are helpless to defend themselves against attack from their natural enemies: lions, bears, wolves, hyenas and foxes which can come in both the day and night so there is never a moment a shepherd can relax. Sheep must be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Tags: Shepherd, Shepherd's Life

Denomination: Methodist

Before You Can Know God's Will....

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jul 7, 2016

BEFORE YOU CAN KNOW GOD’S WILL.... When we are asked about knowing the will of God, we usually hurry to Romans 12:1-2 and give info about the "perfect will of God." But we may be missing something if that is the case. The New Testament was originally written in letters, not in chapter formats. ...read more

Tags: God's Will, Surrender, The Glory Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Room At The Cross For You

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 1, 2020

On the deck of a sinking ship stood an African slave- the last man on board. He was to be the last person to get on the last lifeboat. The life boat was loaded to the water line. The slave had something in his arms and the sailors refused to take him until he let that go. He pressed to his ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:12, John 3:16, John 15:13

Tags: Salvation, Cross, Eternal Life, Perish

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

High Seas

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Oct 13, 2020

The thunder roared like a waking dragon. As the water churned and the ship rocked wildly like a kite on a string. I watched helplessly as the splinter sized crack in the mast grew until I was sure it would snap. The crew on deck wallowed and struggled to move in the thigh deep water to try and keep ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Tags: Trust, Storms

Denomination: Independent/Bible

John Bunyan On Hell  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The great John Bunyan wrote, "In hell thou shalt have none but a company of damned souls, with an innumerable company of devils, to keep company with thee. While thou art in this world, the very thought of the devil’s appearing to thee, makes thy flesh to tremble, and thine hair ready to stand ...read more

Tags: Hell