In Sermon Illustrations: "Living For Jesus"

Covering Up A Hole

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Mar 18, 2010

COVERING UP A HOLE Katie and I had arrived in Oklahoma and were getting about the task of settling in. We were living in a cramped two-room apartment and desperately looking for a house to buy. We were looking to purchase our first house ever. As we looked at houses around town, there always ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Many Years Ago Now, A True Story Is Told Of Two ...

Contributed by Guy De Swardt on Apr 1, 2010

Many years ago now, a true story is told of two identical twins who were working for their father. They were so close they even dressed alike. When their father died they took over the family business as everybody expected them to do. Their relationship with each other was considered by the town ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness, Sermon On The Mount

Denomination: Baptist

Forgiveness And Reconciliation In South ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2010

Forgiveness and Reconciliation in South Africe Phillip Yancey stated in his book “Finding God In Unexpected Places”, “The job of a journalist is, simply, to see. We are professional eyes. As a Christian journalist, I have learned to look for traces of God. I have found those traces in unexpected ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Memorial Day In The Military, Medal Of Honor ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 2, 2010

Memorial Day in the Military, Medal of Honor Recipient It’s 3am on a cold winter day. Patchy snow covers the landscape as Loudspeakers overhead blare telling everyone to get to their places. Surrounded by sandbags, concrete barriers and roughly 10,000 soldier, sailors, airman and marines, Bagram ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13

Tags: Sacrifice, Holidays Civic

Not Talking To Me...or Is He?

Contributed by Ryan Davis on Oct 28, 2010

NOT TALKING TO ME...OR IS HE? So often those of us who have been coming to church and have been Christians for a long time sit and listen to sermons as if the preacher is talking to everyone else in the auditorium except us. We sit there during the sermon and take in what the preacher is saying, ...read more

Tags: Attitude General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bennie Demerchant: God In Our Desperate Places

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2011

BENNIE DEMERCHANT: GOD IN OUR DESPERATE PLACES Brother Bennie Demerchant tells the story of an incredibly desperate place in his book Full Throttle in the chapter called "Extinguished Candles." The work in Brazil had been very productive with churches being established and converts being won. But ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:13

Tags: God Brings Hope

All Because Of Angus

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 25, 2011

ALL BECAUSE OF ANGUS In Ernest Gordon’s true account of life in a World War II Japanese prison camp, Through the Valley of the Kwai, there is a story that never fails to move me. It is about a man who through giving it all away literally transformed a whole camp of soldiers. The man's name was ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13

Tags: Christian Witness

All In

Contributed by Tom Feola on Feb 6, 2012

ALL IN The New York Giants were just a handful of days from the Week 16 game against the New York Jets, with the Giants stuck at 7-7 and their season fast slipping away. Losers of four of their previous five games, it seemed as if the Giants were destined to finish second or even third in the NFC ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24-27, Matthew 16:13-20

Tags: Sports

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Running Past The Red Flags

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“Wisdom is the quality that keeps you from getting into situations where you need it.” - Doug Larson The house looked like a fairy tale come true. Though my friend had a nagging feeling about the owners, she ignored it and went to inspect the house. It was spacious and full of sunshine with a big ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5

Tags: Wisdom, Caution, Lack Wisdom

Denomination: Charismatic

Grandma's Hands

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Mar 23, 2016

Grandma’s Hands When I stand at the graveside for an elderly person, I think about the life they have lived, that dash between the birth date and date of death. I think about all they have seen, all they have experienced. And I think about this story that is told: Grandma, some 90+ years, sat ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:8

Tags: Hands, Graveside

Denomination: Baptist

Mary

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Sep 28, 2017

MARY Several years ago I learned that a friend had died. Mary Mott, a member of the church during the years we lived in Virginia, had passed away at about eighty years of age. Mary was a soft-spoken lady with a sweet and gentle manner. But apart from being a pleasant lady who was easy to like, ...read more

Tags: Baptized, Convert, Mary Mott, Correspondence, Mary, Conversion, Bible Study, Prison, Baptize, Murderer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

It’s Closer Than I Thought!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 7, 2020

My wife and her parents used a certain brand of ketchup for many things over a long period of time. They hadn’t had any of it, though, in maybe 30 years or so. They believed this brand wasn’t available, locally, so they never got around to finding any more of it. Now, I grew up in a different part ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: God's Will, Discovery, Sharing

Denomination: Baptist

Honor Your Father And Mother

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 13, 2020

Father’s Day 2020 is just a few days away as I write this. My dad left this world in 2018 but I still remember so many things about him. Some of course are too personal to share but there a good number of good memories I’ll always cherish. Dad was about five feet, ten inches in height—the smallest ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:2

Tags: Memories About Dad, Father's Day, Fathers

Denomination: Baptist

A Beginners Guide To Giving Thanks

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Nov 21, 2023

You would think giving thanks would come easily and naturally but, for me and I suppose others, it often times doesn’t. So, with the season of Thanksgiving upon us I thought I’d write this little guide for my benefit and hopefully for yours. Give thanks for the good things This is the easy one. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 106:1

Tags: Thanks, Gratitude, Thanksgiving

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Postman

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Dec 1, 2023

In the quiet routines of everyday life, a seemingly ordinary event unfolded – a postman knocking on a door, bearing a letter. A child-like voice responded from within the house, promising to come and receive the letter. However, minutes passed without any sign of the resident. The postman's ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:34

Tags: Mercy, Compassion

Denomination: Other

Ben Hooper

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 19, 2024

In Rising Above the Crowd, Brian Habour tells the story of Ben Hooper. When Ben was born in the foothills of East Tennessee, little boys and girls like Ben who were born to unwed mothers were ostracized and treated terribly. By the time he was three years old, the other children would scarcely play ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9

Tags: Christian, Encouragement

Leaving The City Of Regret

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 1, 2025

Leaving the City of Regret by Larry Harp I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant, and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it. I'm talking about my annual "Guilt ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16

Tags: Freedom, Regret

Denomination: Methodist

[035] A Message From A Poem – Beware The Fowler

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 25, 2025

[035] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BEWARE THE FOWLER GOTCHA! We hear that in children’s play and in some games. In fact I think there may have even been a board game in the 1950s with that title. Have you ever watched a spider on its web sitting there silently and an insect becomes ensnared in ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 124:7-8, Psalm 91:3

Tags: Pitcher Plant, Spider Web, God Delivers Us, Caught, Fowler, Trapper, Ensnared, Gotcha  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[082]. A Message From A Poem – For Men - The Three Gs

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 14, 2025

[082]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FOR MEN - THE THREE Gs There are 9 poems in this series. This poem is part of a Trilogy - three sets of three. The first set is addressed to MEN, the second to ALL CHRISTIANS and the third is SPECIFIC. This is the first one in the first set - FOR MEN. ALL ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:9-10, 1 John 2:16, Philippians 2:3

Tags: Glory, Gold, Strength, Poetry, Poem, Girls, Ensnare, For Men  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[307]. A Poem Message - This Poor, Sinful World – With God In Control

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 11, 2026

[307]. A POEM MESSAGE - THIS POOR, SINFUL WORLD – WITH GOD IN CONTROL God is in control. God always has the control and the whole of the universe one day will come together in the new heavens and the new earth and sin is gone forever. The poem begins with what I see as a fact. If there was ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 21:4-5, John 1:3

Tags: World, Sin, Judgment, Control, Meaningless, Coming Judgment, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Sinful Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational