In Sermon Illustrations: "Lover Of My Soul"

When I Was In Seminary, I Heard An Illustration ...

Contributed by Jim Kane on Mar 7, 2010

When I was in seminary, I heard an illustration that has stuck with me over the years. It began with a question, “Whose holding your trampoline?” The image there is of a group a people stationed around the sides of the trampoline to keep you from falling off. The purpose of the question was to have ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Church Of God

Dry Truth Or Dynamic Lies?

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 26, 2010

DRY TRUTH OR DYNAMIC LIES? During my first year of ministry here, I asked a hypothetical question: If you had the choice of attending a church where the pastor believed and taught the Bible but was dry and not a very good speaker, or a church where the pastor believed that the Bible contained many ...read more

Tags: Doctrine

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Don't Just Hang On...hang In

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

DON'T JUST HANG ON...HANG IN Decades ago, Oswald Chambers wrote about spiritual perseverance, defining it as... not to hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately, knowing with certainty that God will never be defeated. The Bible is full of examples of men and women who didn't "just-hang-on" ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Tags: Endurance

A Few Need To ...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 7, 2010

A Few Need to Die Warren Wiersbe, Be Strong. (p. 30) It is unfortunate but true that sometimes the only way a ministry can move forward is by conducting a few funerals. A pastor friend of mine pleaded with his church board to build a new educational [building] to house an exploding Sunday ...read more

Tags: Sin Punishment Of

Denomination: Baptist

A Message On Lying

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Aug 30, 2010

A MESSAGE ON LYING A minister, one Sunday morning, said to his congregation, "Next week I plan to preach about the sin of lying. In preparation for that message, I'm asking all of you to read Mark 17 this coming week." The following Sunday, he stood up to preach and asked, "How many of you took ...read more

Tags: Lies

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

10 Most Used Excuses

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Nov 20, 2010

10 MOST USED EXCUSES 1. I forgot. 2. No one told me to go ahead. 3. I didn't think it was that important. 4. Wait until the boss comes back and ask him. 5. I didn't know you were in a hurry for it. 6. That's the way we've always done it. 7. That's not in my department. 8. How was I to know ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: *other

Why Do You Ask?

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 24, 2010

WHY DO YOU ASK? A vicar was walking along the road when a lady stopped him and this question. "Vicar" she asked. "What do you think about cremation?" Without hesitation the vicar replied, "You know the scriptural principle don't you?" "No" the lady replied. "You bury treasure but you burn ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Brethren

Trials, Troubles, And Polished Gems

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2011

TRIALS, TROUBLES, AND POLISHED GEMS There is a Chinese proverb, "A gem is not polished without rubbing, nor a man made better without trials." Sure it doesn't feel good to go through abrasive moments of trials and problems. Sometimes they are recurring. Remember this, my Christian friend; life ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Baseball Justice

Contributed by Brad Henry on Jul 25, 2011

BASEBALL JUSTICE When I was 8 years old my parents took me to see the Pittsburgh Pirates play in Forbes Field. As you know with me nothing is normal. Well a foul ball came and hit me in the leg. I went down to pick it up and a big guy cam over and wrestled the ball from me. OK, there wasn’t much ...read more

Tags: Justice

After A Battle In The Civil War, A Chaplain Came ...

Contributed by Perry Greene on Oct 11, 2012

After a battle in the Civil War, a chaplain came to see a dying man. The chaplain took the soldier's hand and asked, "Brother, what can I do for you?" The soldier replied, "Chaplain, I want you to kneel down and return thanks to God for me." "Thanks for what?" asked the Chaplain. The man continued, ...read more

Tags: Mothers

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

That's All I Want

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Mar 2, 2013

THAT'S ALL I WANT Here, I am prompted to share a humorous yet insightful Church story involving a Sunday school girl. Given the task of reciting the first verse of Psalm 23 before a huge Church crowd (including her anxious parents), this girl is said to have uttered unwittingly out of nervousness ...read more

Tags: Trust

Denomination: *other

Just Like Marriage

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 9, 2013

JUST LIKE MARRIAGE My 7-year-old daughter wanted to take violin lessons, so I took her to a music store to rent an instrument. Hoping she would understand the importance of practicing, I explained that violin lessons were expensive so she would have to work hard. "There may be times when you ...read more

Tags: Marriage Struggle

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Spiritual Health Test

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 30, 2020

There are seven questions for self discovery that the great theologian A.W. Tozer encourages us to consider. These questions, if answered honestly, speak volumes about our spiritual health. They are: What do I want most? What do I think about most? How do I use the money that God has given ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Revival, Beatitudes, Spiritual Maturity, Spiritual Health

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Would Jesus Do?

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 15, 2020

One woman writes: Our fourth grader celebrated his birthday on crutches, so he couldn’t carry the cupcakes into school without help. I asked our sixth-grader, Noah, to help his brother carry them in. I could,” he said, but I’d prefer not to. ”Spotting a teaching moment, my husband asked Noah, What ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 4:2, Ephesians 4:31, Ephesians 3:17, Galatians 5:23

Tags: Kindness, Helpful, Christlike

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Let The Lion Out

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 23, 2023

Charles Spurgeon on preaching the Word: There seems to be to have been twice as much done in some ages in defending the Bible as in expounding it, but if the whole of our strength shall henceforth go to the exposition and spreading of it, we may leave it pretty much to defend itself. I do not ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 19:7-11, Deuteronomy 8:1-5

Tags: Bible, Gospel, Truth, Preaching

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Human Dignity

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Nov 28, 2024

Human Dignity Scripture: Matthew 6:5-6 I overheard my mum requesting salt from the neighbours. However, there was salt in the house. Why was she requesting salt from the neighbours? I questioned her. She responded to me by saying: Since our neighbours are not wealthy and frequently ask us for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-6

Tags: Human, Dignity

Denomination: Other

Excuses

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 4, 2025

Police officers probably get more excuses than anybody (other than God). Here are some I found around the internet: “Sorry officer, I was throwing those beer cans out the window so my wife won’t see how much I drank tonight.” 😊 “If you are going to write me a ticket, please do it quickly ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:18-20

Tags: Excuses, Police

Denomination: Methodist

Understanding Isn’t Faith

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 16, 2025

The universe is vast. God is infinitely wise. We will never master every “why.” Years ago, I told a friend how much the problem of evil troubled me. “I want to understand how God could permit it.” He listened, then asked—bluntly—“Why do you think you’ll solve what the greatest minds haven’t? Who ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 55:8-9

Tags: Trust, Mystery

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

From Roast Turkey To Reindeer

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 9, 2023

Nothing is more confusing than being in the middle of two holidays. I have just finished Thanksgiving, and now Christmas is before me. Each year, it gets more difficult to adjust to the next holiday. It’s hard for me to keep up. For months, the focus was on that roast turkey for Thanksgiving. And ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Turkey, Reindeer, Christmas, Thanksgiving

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Fresh ...

Contributed by Shawn Kelly on Oct 19, 2008

FRESH START Colossians 3:12 - 17 12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational