In Sermon Illustrations: "Making Excuses"

Make Room For The Tide!

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Mar 12, 2022

"Years ago, a wealthy businessman from London chartered a bus to carry a busload of urban children to the coast. There, the children spent a wonderful day at the ocean. Many of the children had never left the city. Most had never seen the ocean. For one blissful day, they ran unfettered over ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18

Tags: Make Room, Spirit Filled, Ocean, Full, Tide  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Patience Makes It Happen

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 12, 2023

"The history books are full of stories of gifted persons whose talents were overlooked by a procession of people until someone believed in them. To name a few ... "Einstein was four years old before he could speak and seven before he could read". Einstein became one of the greatest ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Long Suffering, Flesh Vs Spirit, Endurance, Patience, Fruit Of The Spirit, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fathers Make A Difference

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 15, 2023

According to the 2022 U.S. Census Bureau, 18.4 million children, 1 in 4, live without a biological, step, or adoptive father in the home. That’s enough children to fill New York City twice or Los Angeles four times over. Research shows that a father's absence affects children in numerous ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:21

Tags: Dad, Fathers Day, Reading

Denomination: Methodist

The Difference Christmas Makes

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 24, 2023

At Christmastime, we set up our Christmas trees and toy trains. We may even walk along singing carols, or we may preach a sermon, but these bits and pieces are barren if we are thinking only of them or even thinking only of being in heaven, and are not stopping to ask ourselves, “What difference ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Tags: Shepherds, Christmas, Glory, God's Glory, Ordinary People, Making A Difference  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Makes A Difference For That One

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2025

Thousands of star fish washed on the beach after a storm. One boy was busily throwing them back. A watching man said, “There’s thousands and thousands washed ashore. How can you make a difference.” Boy says, “You are ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:2

Tags: Discipleship, Personal, Individual, Mentoring, One At A Time, Reforming  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Making Up The Story

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

There's a famous photograph called "Grace." An old man at a simple table, head bowed, hands folded over a loaf of bread and an open book. Most people have seen it. Before I ever learned the actual story behind it, I made up my own. In my version, the man is newly retired. His kids ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:17-20

Tags: Communion, Missing The Point

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[015] A Message From A Poem - All About Me But What About The Lord?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2024

[015] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ALL ABOUT ME BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LORD? This is a very serious poem even though it is written in a partly informal way. The title says it all. “Everything revolves around me, and the Lord should be grateful for the time I give to Him.” Of course that attitude is ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:15-17, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Tags: Communion, Commitment, Study, Excuses, Selfish, The Bible  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

World Class Failures  PRO

Contributed by Kay Kurtz on Oct 26, 2006

World class failures: * There was a guy, a general, who lost two-thirds of all the battles he fought in the American Revolution. George Washington. He won the war. * There was another guy who graduated 42nd out of a class of 43. Then he went out and conquered Europe. Napoleon. * There’s a guy ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: Creation, Dominion, Earth, Father, Ecology  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Church Of God

Making It! (10.28.05--Making It!--Jeremiah ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 26, 2005

Making It! (10.28.05--Making It!--Jeremiah 52:34) He had a job most people despised. In fact, his job most often elicited laughs than it did applause. He lived alone since his wife died. There were times that he would go on long fasts, sitting in front of his humble home, drawing stares from his ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 52:34

Tags: Faith, Believe, Peace

Denomination: Lutheran

When You Have To Make A Choice And Don't Make ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 15, 2005

When you have to make a choice and don’t make it, that is in itself ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

If You Make Six Figures And Can't Make Ends ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"If you make six figures and can't make ends meet, maybe your ends are ...read more

Tags: Money

George Washington Carver Said, "Ninety-Nine ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jul 5, 2007

George Washington Carver said, "Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses." Carver was no stranger to adversity and could have easily made excuses for not succeeding. But that wasn’t his way. Despite being born into slavery, he rose above his ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

When You Have To Make A Choice And Don't Make It, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2006

When you have to make a choice and don’t make it, that is in itself a ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Duty Makes Us Do Things Well, But Love Makes Us ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Duty makes us do things well, but love makes us do ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

His Rightful Place

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Apr 11, 2022

I have a dog named Simba. I named him Simba because he is the color of a lion and he has the personality of a lion even though he is a chihuahua. One afternoon, we were really tired and I decided to take a quick nap with Simba. Simba has a certain place on the bed beside me where he always lays. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33, Luke 10:41

Tags: Putting God First, Resting, Making Room For God, Making Time For God

Denomination: Charismatic

The Next Time You Feel God Can't Use You....

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 4, 2014

Noah was a drunk. Abraham was too old. Isaac was a daydreamer. Jacob was a liar. Joseph was abused. Moses had a stuttering problem. Gideon was afraid. Sampson was a womanizer. Rahab was a prostitute. Jeremiah and Timothy were too young. David had an affair and was a murderer. Elijah was ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:1-11

Tags: Moses, Weakness, Failure, Excuses

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I’d Rather Kiss A Goat

Contributed by James Snyder on May 15, 2023

There are very few things in my life I regret; at least that I can remember. One of the good things about getting old is that you can forget many things. The important thing is to forget the right thing, which is a challenge. You can be sure I work on this all the time. It takes a really good ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:36-37

Tags: Kiss, Goat, Accountability, Excuses

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Making God-Hugs Possible! ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 10, 2005

Making God-Hugs Possible! (10.12.05--Sacrifice!--Matthew 19:21) Does God place limits on how far He wants us to go when it comes to committing to His will? If His will is our sacrifice, can there be any limits? Is our God reasonable when it comes to our ability to forbear or to bear? God, of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:21

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Lutheran

What Makes A Good Church?  PRO

Contributed by Al Edmonds on Dec 27, 2005

"WHAT MAKES A GOOD CHURCH?" If all the lazy folks will get up, And all the sleeping folks will wake up, And all the discouraged folks will cheer up, And all gossiping folks will shut up, And all the dishonest folks will confess up, And all the estranged folks will make up, And all the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:6

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Apostolic

Marriage Is Making A Comeback: According To The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2006

Marriage is Making a Comeback: According to the National Review, the health U.S. marriages is improving. Data from the National Center for health Statistics and the Census Bureau gives some hopeful signs: while the marriage rate is declining, so is the divorce rate, from 22.6 divorces per 1,000 ...read more

Tags: Marriage General