In Sermon Illustrations: "Living For Jesus"

Help In The Garden  PRO

Contributed by John Herrmann on Nov 14, 2008

HELP IN THE GARDEN An old Italian lived alone in New Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament: Dear ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:12

Tags: Service, Honor, Father's Day, Help, Confidence  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

Faith Is An Adventure

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

FAITH IS AN ADVENTURE Some people feel as if living by faith is foolish. The truth is, it is a marvelous adventure. I was telling someone the other day about a Godly lady who was a member of a church I once served. This ladies husband had died leaving her with four small children. This happened ...read more

Tags: Faith

Joseph Was Despised Because Of His Birth. (Cf. V. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

Joseph was despised because of his Birth. (cf. V. 3) He was born a favored son when he was born to Rachel. It also was not Joseph’s fault that he was being despised because of who he was born to, and also when he was born. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: We are only born once, physically and all have the ...read more

Tags: Ot Characters

A Preacher's Little Girl Went To Bed Sick One ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

A preacher's little girl went to bed sick one evening. A few minutes later she got up and said to her mother, "Mama, I must see daddy right now." Her mama replied, "Honey, you can't talk to daddy right now. He's working on his sermon." She said, "Mother! I'm a sick woman and I must see my ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Paul And Kelly ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

PAUL AND KELLY BENITEZ In 1967, Paul Benitez and his fiancée Debra were married. In 1968, they had a baby boy and named him Kelly. Paul was drafted into the Army in 1969. While he was overseas, Debra moved away and changed her name. Paul was never able to find his wife nor his baby boy. He would ...read more

Tags: Sin Separates From God

Liberals Give Less Than ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

LIBERALS GIVE LESS THAN CONSERVATIVES A couple years ago, a Syracuse University professor named Arthur C. Brooks wrote a book called "Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism". He was not particularly excited about the outcome of the study he’d done (he’d been raised ...read more

Tags: Poverty

Come Hell Or High Water

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 2, 2009

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER Glen and Jo Ann live in Orange County, California in a low lying area. It flooded one year and the local newspaper sent a reporter, in a boat, out to Glen and Jo Ann’s neighborhood. The reporter found Jo Ann, sitting on their roof watching large objects floating by, so he ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Got You

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Oct 2, 2021

I like to take my dogs places with me. They have their own seats in the back seat of my pickup. I have a small elderly dog named Bambi who has always had anxiety, I think from having to survive on her own when she lived in the streets as a tiny little thing with no one to feed or care for her. A ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 54:4, 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Adversity, Assurance, Anxious

Denomination: Charismatic

A Great Thanksgiving Illustration

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 14, 2021

Back in 1860, an excursion boat on Lake Michigan collided with a freighter and began to sink less than a mile from the shore. Hundreds of passengers began screaming as they leaped into the icy water. Edward Spencer was a student at a nearby seminary, and he ran down to the beach to see what he ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving, Gratitude

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Who Is Praying For Me?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2022

Pastor Jim Cymbala's daughter had been running from God for a long time. Chrissy had rebelled against her family, had left home, and was living as far from God as she could. But one night, this teenager awoke with the distinct feeling that someone was praying for her. And someone was. The ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, James 4:1-2

Tags: Petition, Intercessory Prayer, Interceding For Sinners, Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Do So Few Christians Share Their Faith?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 4, 2022

What makes people hesitate to share their faith? Here are some of the fears that have been mentioned to me: "I am afraid I might do more harm than good." "I don't know what to say." "I may not be able to give snappy answers to tricky questions." "I may ...read more

Tags: Great Commission, Fear Of Man, Great Supper, Man Pleasing, Evangelism, Fear, Gospel, Parables, Excuses, Witnessing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Slow And Steady

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2022

The power of the Holy Spirit is not just for salvation, but for sanctification, a process that is slow and gradual. The difference might look like this: You can take ten gallons of gasoline and release a tremendous amount of power and energy by just dropping a lighted match into it. It makes a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8

Tags: Holy Spirit, Energy, Fuel

The Legacy Of Haddon Robinson

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Oct 7, 2022

Haddon Robinson wrote the classic book on preaching called, “Biblical Preaching.” It has sold more copies than any other preaching textbook. He taught and practised expository preaching to thousands. I had the privilege of being one of his students from 1996-1999 in the Doctor of Ministry program ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 90:12, 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Tags: Death, Family, Remember, Legacy

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's View Of People

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 16, 2022

Genesis 8:15-22 Devotional After the flood had dried up, God instructed Noah (v15) and Noah obeyed (v16). Isn’t it interesting that we note birds from the ark but not fish…. Noah, did you keep fish in the ark??? – either he kept fish in the ark or God kept fish in the clouds or God recreated ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 8:15-22

Tags: People, Love, Worship, Sin, God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

How Long Is Eternity?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 22, 2022

A young boy went up to his pastor after his sermon and said, "Pastor, how long is forever?" The pastor knelt down by the side of the boy and said, "Why would you ask me that question, Billy?" Billy said, "Well, Pastor, you said that we were going to live in one of two ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Hell, Eternity, Heaven, Time, Everlasting Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Meekness When Inconvenienced

Contributed by Richard Tow on Mar 20, 2023

Charles Spurgeon tells the story of an archbishop who lived in a small house in Scotland. He had only one employee, but the employee tended to be forgetful. One day the employee got up before the bishop and decided to go fishing. As he headed out, he locked his Archbishop Leighton in the house with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5, Matthew 11:28-29, 1 Timothy 6:11

Tags: Gentle, Humility, Meekness, Contentment, Meek, Gentleness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Sometimes I Feel A Little Tugging On The Line!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 20, 2023

A little boy was flying his kite in the windy city of Chicago, Illinois one day. He sent the kite up and let the line out as the wind took it away to the cloudy sky. About that time, an elderly man walked past the little boy and asked him a question. "What are you doing there, son?" he ...read more

Tags: Answers To Prayer, Prayer, Will Of God, Hearing God, God's Voice, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church That Voted God Out!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 28, 2024

The story is told about a poor woman who lived across the tracks and wanted to join a very fashionable church. She talked to the pastor about it, but he sought to discourage her. He suggested she go home and think about it carefully for a week. At the end of the week she came back. He said, “Go ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-12

Tags: Church, Revival, Favoritism, Pastors, Membership, Partiality  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Yesterday Today & Tomorrow

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 22, 2024

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is YESTERDAY with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. YESTERDAY has passed forever beyond our control. All the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:34

Tags: Worry, Tomorrow, Today, Yesterday, Trouble  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Contact With Another World

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 12, 2024

A group of scientists are directing their thoughts and needs into the heavens, but not to the God of the Bible. They have calculated that as many as fifty million civilizations may exist somewhere in space, and they believe that some of them may have found methods to improve our lives and control ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, Mark 11:24

Tags: Faith, Prayer, Intercession, Believing, Asking, Scientists  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational