In Sermon Illustrations: "Light For My Path"

Genghis Khan's Hawk

Contributed by Ken Mckinley on Sep 20, 2008

Genghis Khan's Hawk Sometimes when The Lord spoils our personal plans, we think He's treating us as an enemy, when in truth, He's acting as our best friend. The legend says that Genghis Khan, the Mongol king of the 13th century, was out hunting one hot summer day with his favorite hawk perched on ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: God's Omniscience

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Twin Brothers And A Dollar

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

TWIN BROTHERS AND A DOLLAR In his book, The Preaching Event, John Claypool tells a poignant story about identical twin brothers who never married because they enjoyed each other’s company so much. When their father died, they took over his store and ran it together in a joyful collaboration. But ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Because One Gave

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

BECAUSE ONE GAVE Former seminary and pastor, George Gaston tells the following story that speaks to the value of attitude in giving. Years ago, I pastored a church that decided to build a worship center. The old building had suffered a major fire. Even so, our decision to build a new facility ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Salvation And Reprobation

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

SALVATION AND REPROBATION Someone may ask, "Of what use then is the doctrine of reprobation?" I am glad you asked! Let me suggest (from Dr. Boice) some useful aspects of the doctrine of reprobation. First, reprobation assures us that God’s purpose has not failed. God has determined the outcome ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:24-31

Tags: God's Judgment

The Golden Rule And The Holocaust  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2009

THE GOLDEN RULE AND THE HOLOCAUST Living the Golden Rule is pretty simple isn’t it? It’s just being considerate, mindful, and thoughtful but sometimes to live the Golden Rule requires great moral courage. It requires a willingness to sacrifice. In March of 1943, Bulgaria which had aligned with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

Tags: Christian Witness

Sinners Need Restoration Like Cast Sheep Need ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 22, 2009

Sinners Need Restoration like Cast Sheep Need Rescued One of the dangers facing a sheep is that it becomes ‘cast’ and one of the challenges facing a shepherd is to make sure that his sheep do not become cast. A cast sheep is one that has turned over on its back and is, become of it lack of agility ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Tags: Restoration

Everywhere I Look People Offer Me Rewards If I ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 29, 2010

Everywhere I look people offer me rewards if I buy this or shop at their store, or buy petrol at certain petrol stations. I am rewarded on my credit card if I buy a certain amount using their card. People at the Super Market ask me “Do you have a rewards Card?” Buy one get one free. We bought a ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Music To Raise The Dead

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on May 10, 2010

"MUSIC TO RAISE THE DEAD", an album from a Christian Rock group called Resurrection startled the Christian world with it's intensity in the 1970's. They did this in a day when many conservative pastors and evangelists actively thundered their warnings from the pulpit against the evils of rock music ...read more

Tags: Gifts Healing

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Making Your Life Count For Something

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2011

MAKING YOUR LIFE COUNT FOR SOMETHING Many years ago at a Presbyterian retreat center near Asheville, NC, the annual summer conference was being held. An elderly man with a neatly clipped white goatee and resonant voice rose to speak. He explained that he was a medical doctor and he had a story to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33

Tags: Missions

The Caddy  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 13, 2011

THE CADDY Two golfers stepped up to the first tee on the St. Andrews course in New York. The older golfer was a kindly man who played a thoughtful, deliberate game. The younger golfer was full of pride and impatience. On the first hole he sliced, lost his ball in the tall grass, hit another one, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Gratitude, New Year

Unusual People, Unexpected Places

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 8, 2011

UNUSUAL PEOPLE, UNEXPECTED PLACES Akiane Kramarik is only 12 years old, but she has abilities far beyond her years. Her mother chose to give birth to her underwater at the family home on July 9, 1994 in Mount Morris, Illinois. The family now lives in Idaho. Akiane speaks four languages, writes ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Christian Witness

Rejoicing In Pain  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

REJOICING IN PAIN Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision, visited a church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, nearly a year after the devastating earthquake. The church's building consisted of a tent made from white tarps and duct tape, pitched in the midst of a sprawling camp for thousands of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Gratitude

John Stott, A Humble Man

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2011

JOHN STOTT, A HUMBLE MAN I like the way Thomas Carlyle put it some time ago. He said, "One example is worth a thousand arguments." (Thomas Carlyle, quoted in Men of Integrity, July/August 2000; www.Preaching Today.com) In difficult times, we don't need dictators and arguments. We need leaders ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-4

Tags: Humility

You Can't Come In...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

"YOU CAN'T COME IN..." There was once a town drunk who gave his heart to Jesus Christ. He immediately stopped drinking and began to look for a church and had purposed in his heart that he would attend the first church he found. Determined to turn his life around he found a church and went in. He ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-13

Tags: Hypocrisy

A White Man Would Come

Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 12, 2011

A WHITE MAN WOULD COME At 2006 when the National Missionary Convention was held in Indianapolis, IN, the invited guest for the Bible study was a man named Mont Cox, a professor at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. He told a story I think I will never forget. As a young man growing up he ...read more

Tags: Prayer In The Spirit

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Tough Love  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 15, 2012

TOUGH LOVE "Living in this house is like living in hell," screamed the young girl as she stamped her feet on the way upstairs to her room. The mother stood looking at her daughter, a hint of tears forming in her eyes. She wanted to run up the stairs and hug her daughter but she knew the timing ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 13:24

Tags: Parenting

The Scariest Road  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 7, 2012

THE SCARIEST ROAD Yahoo! Travel has released an article titled America’s Scariest Drives, and the results are frightening. Here is a brief list of some of the roads: Highway One that travels off the Big Sur Coast in California is both beautiful and breath-taking. This 122 mile stretch travels ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Sermon On The Mount

Pressure, Heat And Agitation

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

PRESSURE, HEAT AND AGITATION Ever since the 1920s, Yoo-hoo has been making a permanent mark in the history of soft drinks. The story starts in the beginning of the 20th century, when the Olivieri family of New Jersey ran a small business producing Tru-Fruit flavors by squeezing fresh fruit. Mr. ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-3

Tags: Stress

Denomination: Christian Church

Lo Ruhamah

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 15, 2016

Lo-Ruhamah There is no Old Testament story more fascinating than that of the prophet Hosea, who at commands of the Lord, acted out a parallel of God’s love, yet severe warnings for his unfaithful people, the kingdom of Israel. Contrary to every healthy instinct and cautionary impulse, Hosea was ...read more

Tags: Hosea, Name, Pity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Only Thing Left Was The Sign

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 14, 2020

A number of years ago, I drove by a small shopping center in a Midwestern city. The display of signs stated there was everything from a bookstore to a pet shop to—my favorite—a hobby shop! I’ve been interested in model trains and aircraft for many years, and thought this would be a good place to ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:5

Tags: Forsaken Things, Closed Churches

Denomination: Baptist