In Sermon Illustrations: "Let Light Shine"

He'll Always Catch You

Contributed by Bryce Thorpe on May 17, 2012

HE'LL ALWAYS CATCH YOU I love to play with my kids. Even as they have gotten older, they bring me a great deal of joy. But, I confess, it was easier when they were young. Especially my daughter, now 21, used to love it when I threw her in the air. But, as you might guess, that wasn't always ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Baptist

God Gave Her A Flying Cat!  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 1, 2014

GOD GAVE HER A FLYING CAT! Have you heard the story about the pastor who had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc., but the kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Prayer, Miracles, Prayer Answered

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Turtle Tale  PRO

Contributed by Scott Reeves on Aug 26, 2014

It was near the end of the school year in LA (Lower Alabama) and the weather had turned unseasonably hot for mid-May. As I was driving home from the county school I’d substituted for that day I noticed a box turtle working to make his way across the hot pavement of the county road. I steered my car ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11, Jeremiah 23:11

Tags: Grace, Saving

Denomination: Methodist

Two Boys

Contributed by Ray Mckendry on Mar 12, 2019

Two Boys Two young boys are playing happily in the garden and are great companions for some time, but then something bad happens. One boy gets ill and is stunted and is never the same again, while the other one grows to full and healthy mature manhood even though he suffers far more than his sick ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:15, Ephesians 2:16

Tags: Reconciliation, Jesus' Cross

Denomination: Baptist

Searching For A Sunday School Teacher

Contributed by Doug Fannon on Mar 2, 2020

When I was the Sunday School director for the church I belonged to in New Mexico over 30 years ago, I remember asking one gentleman, an older, and supposedly a mature Christian, if he would teach a Sunday School class. I received the standard "churchy" answer I have heard time and time ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 5:12, Matthew 9:35-38, John 4:34-38, Luke 10:2

Tags: Outreach, Sunday School, Witnessing, Serving, Teachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Danger: Listen

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Aug 21, 2021

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE YOUNG GIRL CUTTING THROUGH THE WOODS TO TAKE HER GRANDMOTHER SOME FOOD? The weather had turned very cold. The snow was coming down. The cold north wind was blowing so hard. The young girl was walking through the field returning home. She heard someone calling to her. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 107:8-9, John 10:10, Judges 20:18

Tags: Listen, Danger, Ready

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Most Incredible Miracle!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 14, 2021

Four police officers who helped rescue a baby from an overturned car in a Utah river in March 2015 claim that they heard an unexplained voice calling from the car. The accident occurred after a car driven by Lynn Jennifer Groesbeck, 25, ran off the road and into the Spanish Fork River. Her ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-39

Tags: Healing, Angels, Miracles, God's Will, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

De-Evangelizing The Neighborhood

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2022

A few years ago I heard a story of a church that looked as though they were really thriving. They had about 500 people attending, had many outreach ministries reaching their community, and many people were coming to Christ and to church through their ministry. The problem was that the church was ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25

Tags: Fellowship, Community, Small Groups

God Is Bigger Than Our Box

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Mar 20, 2023

(Have 4 boxes of different sizes for illustration) Here is a box. Its a small one. For some people, what they think of God could fit in this box. They have few expectations and limited knowledge of who God is. Here is another box. It is a little larger. Many people would be comfortable ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:20-21

Tags: God Is Able, Power Of God, Limiting God, Bigness Of God

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When We Raise Our Hands, God Will Intervene

Contributed by Saumiman Saud on Feb 18, 2025

WHEN WE RAISE OUR HANDS, GOD WILL INTERVENE Heavenly Father, I have just realized how Almighty You are, even though I have known this for a long time. Forgive me, Father, for often facing various problems relying only on myself. It turns out that I am limited and have no strength of my own. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:11

Tags: God, Raised Hands

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Power Of Forgiveness

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 10, 2025

Our sins, transgressions, and iniquities can manifest in our physical bodies. In Matthew 9:2, Jesus tells a paralyzed man, "Your sins are forgiven. Take up your bed and go." He got up! In 30+ years of ministry, I have seen plenty of folks receive healing from physical problems caused ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:2, Ephesians 4:32

Tags: Forgiveness, Healing

Denomination: Methodist

How The Philippian Jailer Got Saved - Crisis

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Oct 2, 2025

How the Philippian jailer got saved - Crisis This Philippian jailer was saved! He was saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And if you have never trusted in the Lord, He wants to save you the same way. But let's take a closer look at how the Lord touched the jailer's ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:16-34

Tags: Crisis, Christian Service, Philippian Jailer, Demon Possession, Spiritual Transformation, Evangelism, Paul, Salvation, Missions, Silas  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Is It Time Yet!" Psalm 75: 1-10 Key Verse(S): 2: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 28, 2004

“Is It Time Yet!” Psalm 75: 1-10 Key verse(s): 2: “You say, ‘I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly.’” “Is it time yet?” I can’t tell you how often I have heard those words over the years after having raised four children who were always interested in knowing when the “time” was ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 75:1-10

Tags: Descriptions Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

Don't Sit On Me, Lord!  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 24, 2005

"DON'T SIT ON ME, LORD!" Romans 6:8-14 Key verse(s): 6: "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the bod of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin...” There are many things that a dog does not like. Chief among them for many dogs is the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:8-14

Tags: Disciplines, Holiness, Holy Spirit Attributes, Growth, Sanctification  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

Plots, Plans, Villains And Fools!" Ezra 6:13-18 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 10, 2005

“Plots, Plans, Villains and Fools!” Ezra 6:13-18 Key verse(s): 14:“So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 6:13-18

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Lutheran

When You're Dealing With Something As Valuable ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

When you’re dealing with something as valuable and as complex and as truly amazing as a human life, even small degrees matter. All Satan needs to do is tap you a few degrees off course and you end up lost. That’s why I’m so narrow-minded about the Bible. If Susan ever lets me learn to fly, I’ll be ...read more

Fasting Is Not Just About Giving Up Food, It Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Fasting is not just about giving up food, it is an attitude of repentance, of obedience and of humility before God. The best analogy for a fast that I know is something that happened to me while I was at work. I work as a police officer and one day, my sergeant asked a colleague and my self to go ...read more

Tags: Victory, Troubles, Triumph, Trial, Miracles Of Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

The Spirit Of Power That We Receive Is Not Like ...  PRO

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Oct 28, 2007

The Spirit of Power that we receive is not like the human power that we recognize as strong. It’s a power unlike anything we can do on our own. A young man growing up in the wrong part of Houston became a bully. He would get in fights in school, in the neighborhood, and began mugging people to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:49, Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 28:19, Luke 9:57-67, Zechariah 4:6, Psalm 33:16-18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Friend, Friendship

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Just How Bad Is It Out There? And What Really ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Mccormick on Feb 26, 2008

Just how bad is it out there? And what really are we up against? Well, let me share with you some of the information I gleaned from 17 pages of fairly up to date statistics. [SLIDE 4] I learned first of all that sex is the #1 topic searched on the internet. Now I wasn’t really surprised to ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Will, With God's Help

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Mar 5, 2009

I WILL, WITH GOD'S HELP I read a marvelous story remembered by Reverend Mary Moore Roberson. She writes: "Some years ago, I served on the lay staff of my home parish under the supervision of the priest charged with pastoral care. Barbara took to appearing, first at the door to his office and ...read more

Tags: Mercy

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed