In Sermon Illustrations: "Look Back"

Love Your Enemies

Contributed by David Simpson on Feb 19, 2018

After the horrific school shooting in Broward County, Florida on February 14, 2018, several prayer vigils were held in the community. The vigil on Thursday evening ended with a request for everyone to write one specific act of good that they would perform in the coming days and weeks as a way to ...read more

Tags: Persecution, Tragedy, Bitterness, Love Your Enemies

Denomination: Christian Church

Almost

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

Almost Story It started out with a low rumbling; then there was the sound of the explosion. It seemed like the whole world was rocking and reeling under the blow of Mother Nature. The sky was filled with smoke as dark as a midnight; the ashes from the eruption were falling like snow in a winter ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:17

Tags: Delay, Almost

Denomination: Pentecostal

Why Did You Throw The Old Man Out???

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 30, 2020

Mercy is giving them a piece of your heart, not a "piece of your mind". There's a legend about a rabbi who welcomed a weary traveler into his home for a night of rest. After learning that his guest was almost a hundred years old, the rabbi asked about his religious beliefs. The man ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Mercy, Endurance, Beatitudes, Patience

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Somebody’s Happy Somewhere.

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

A grumpy old man and his wife . . . While on a road trip, an elderly couple stopped at a roadside restaurant for lunch. After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant, and resumed their trip. When leaving, the elderly woman unknowingly left her glasses on the table, and she didn't miss ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Happy, Not Happy

Denomination: Independent/Bible

When George Washington Prayed For America

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 2, 2020

When George Washington was inaugurated in New York City in front of the Federal Hall, he walked to the St. Paul Church and prayed for our country in front of the church. He declared, "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14, Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Judgment, Repentance, George Washington, America, Prayer, Revival  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seizing Opportunities: -- A Lady Once Writing To ...

Contributed by Lonnie Erwin on Oct 26, 2007

Seizing opportunities: -- A lady once writing to a young man in the navy, who was almost a stranger, thought, "Shall I close this as anybody would, or shall I say a word for my Master?" and lifting up her heart for a moment, she wrote, telling him that his constant change of scene and place was an ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

A Light In Dark Places

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 1, 2008

A LIGHT IN DARK PLACES A young girl once consulted with her minister. "I cannot stick it out any longer. I am the only Christian in the factory where I work. I get nothing but taunts and sneers. It is more than I can stand. I am going to resign." "Will you tell me," asked the minister, "where ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

On June 18, 1956, A Freak Accident Happened On A ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 3, 2008

On June 18, 1956, a freak accident happened on a lake in New York. A speeding motorboat bounced on a wave and shot into the water two of its passengers, a 50-year old man and a little girl. To keep the girl from drowning, the man held her head above water while the boat circled back to pick them ...read more

My Brother-In-Law Brad Told Me A Story One Time, ...

Contributed by Brian Harvison on May 29, 2008

My brother-in-law Brad told me a story one time, and I just knew I would use it in a sermon one day. He served in the Marines and the Navy and has my greatest respect, and we should always be in prayer for our troops serving right now. Him and his friend were out shooting their new handgun, ...read more

Tags: Sin Separates From God

Denomination: Baptist

The Spirit Makes The Call

Contributed by John Boquist on Jul 18, 2008

THE SPIRIT MAKES THE CALL In Colossians 3:15 we're told to let the peace of God rule in our hearts. Incidentally, the Greek word for rule is the same one used in other writings for referee. In other words, it says to let Christ make the call. Now we know what a referee is and what he does. In ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Baptist

We Need Fixing

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

WE NEED FIXING There was a barber in a small local town who had been the only barber in town for years. Everyone went to this barber to get their hair cut. Then, one day a big hair salon franchise came to town and opened up shop. They advertised, "All Haircuts for $3.00" Slowly, the barber's ...read more

Tags: Character

Coming In Last

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Aug 27, 2008

Coming in Last Discouragement cramps our momentum; the heat-stroke of opposition can drain our stamina and motivation. Running into obstacles that drive our faces in the asphalt of reality make it hard to get back up. Our stories are not unlike Felicians Hopfner-Hibb's or Simon Whitfield's. Last ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Salvation Army

99% Is Not ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

99% IS NOT ENOUGH Back in the 90’s a California research firm considered the advertising slogan for a popular soap that was 99.4% pure. And they asked themselves the question: “What if everything in the world operated at 99% efficiency?” They discovered: - drinking water would be unsafe one hour ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:10-24

Tags: Purity

C.s. Lewis Certainly Recognized This, And In His ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2008

C.S. Lewis certainly recognized this, and in his essay "The Law of Human Nature", he built and established a very strong and incontrovertible argument for the case. In the middle of this short piece he says, "Whenever you find a man who says he does not believe in a real Right and Wrong, you will ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Light In Dark Places

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2008

Light in Dark Places A young girl once consulted with her minister. "I cannot stick it out any longer. I am the only Christian in the factory where I work. I get nothing but taunts and sneers. It is more than I can stand. I am going to resign." "Will you tell me," asked the minister, "where ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Evangelism How To

Macarthur Told About A Time That He And His ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2008

MacArthur told about a time that he and his family came back from vacation to find a large giant sunflower plant growing right in the middle of their garden, but he said they never even had the thought, that it came from any other seed than a giant sunflower seed. "You sow a thought and you reap ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Sowing The Flesh

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

SOWING THE FLESH MacArthur told about a time that he and his family came back from vacation to find a large giant sunflower plant growing right in the middle of their garden, but he said they never even had the thought, that it came from any other seed than a giant sunflower seed, "You sow a ...read more

Tags: God's Holiness

God Forgives Without Conditions

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Jan 26, 2009

GOD FORGIVES WITHOUT CONDITIONS I once heard a story about Camelot when King Arthur was away. Guinevere, his wife, was unfaithful with Sir Lancelot. When King Arthur returned, he found out about the affair and had his wife placed in a convent for life. Towards the end of the story in a beautiful ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Wesleyan

Our Topic Today Is Worship And Service. I'd Like ...

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Jan 29, 2009

Our topic today is worship and service. I’d like to begin by telling a true story that happened to Reverend Forrest I. Sears. He writes: Wilma had been a member of our church for many, many years. In her later years she needed the assistance of a cane to help in walking. As she was talking ...read more

Tags: Preaching

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

He Went To Hell For Me

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Mar 12, 2009

HE WENT TO HELL FOR ME Kay Arthur, well-known Christian author and speaker, has influenced tens of thousands. As a young girl, she went to church. She wrote, "I would listen to the messages, and go to Sunday School, but I never really committed my life to Jesus." She grew up and got married, ...read more

Tags: Grace