In Sermon Illustrations: "Mary Wife Of Clopas"

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Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

HEALED Tony Campolo tells a story about being in a church in Oregon where he was asked to pray for a man who had cancer. Campolo prayed boldly for the man’s healing. That next week he got a telephone call from the man’s wife. She said, "You prayed for my husband. He had cancer." Campolo thought ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

Good Gifts

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

GOOD GIFTS Go to God--he is the source of our goodness on this earth. Matthew 7:11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! This story about Hudson Taylor, a well-known ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

The Nature Of Unbelief

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Jan 21, 2009

The Nature of Unbelief In Ernest Hemmingway’s Green Hills of Africa, he hunts for sable. He shoots a large chestnut-colored cow, and then sees an immense black bull, which he shoots but badly. He finds the cow, but he and his team of trackers and porters search all day for the bull. The language ...read more

Tags: Unbelief

Denomination: Mennonite

That's Just Denny.

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

"THAT'S JUST DENNY." John Ortberg tells of a man in a church he once pastored whom he called Denny. Denny was not a happy man. He had attended church his whole life, but he had never been happy. Even the expression on his face was perpetually negative - so much so that one day a deacon asked him, ...read more

Tags: Character

Impersonating A Christian

Contributed by Shawn Miller on Jan 16, 2015

In her recently published book “Dance with the Devil” Barbara Bentley shares her experience with former husband, John Perry, a mysterious man, whose father was supposedly portrayed by John Wayne in a World War II movie. She fell in love with him when He dazzled her and her friends with his heroic ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-23

Tags: Hypocrisy, Day Of Judgment, False Believer, Imposter

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fathers Who Talk To Themselves!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 26, 2023

There is a story about a man who stopped in the grocery store on the way home from work to pick up a couple of items for his wife. He wandered around aimlessly for a while searching out the needed groceries. As is often the case in the grocery store, he kept passing this same shopper in almost ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Dads, Children, Anger, Father's Day, Fruit Of The Spirit, Men, Parents, Patience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Sinner's Friend

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 6, 2023

There's the story told by Watchman Nee, the Chinese evangelist where he was talking to another Christian in his home. They were downstairs, as was his friend's son. The friend's wife and mother were in an upstairs room. All at once the little boy wanted something and called out to his ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-26, Luke 19:1-10, John 1:14

Tags: Evangelism, Friend Of Sinners, Incarnation

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Soul Food

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 8, 2025

A certain man who had been absent from church for a long time received an inquiring visit from the Pastor. The man told the Pastor, "I've attended nearly every Sunday for 30 years. In that time, I have heard something like 1,500 sermons. In all of those years, people were shouting ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:1-5, Isaiah 40:31, John 6:35

Tags: Worship, Faithfulness, Nourishment

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Letting Go Of The Branch!" Luke 1:5-15 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 31, 2005

“Letting Go of the Branch!” Luke 1:5-15 Key verse(s) 13“But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.” Trusting in God is fine, as long as it is something you believe He can do. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-15, 1 Kings 17:8-16

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

Lee Thomas On Praying For The Lost

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

LEE THOMAS ON PRAYING FOR THE LOST Prayer is really the starting place for all of our evangelistic efforts. We need to be like Paul in Romans 10:1, when he said: "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved." *Lee Thomas is a great teacher on praying for the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:1

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

How Can Salvation Be Free While Following Christ Demands Everything?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 31, 2022

I am often asked, "How can salvation be free, but, yet, Jesus said that we cannot by His disciple unless we forsake everything for Him?" (Luke 14). Let me explain the answer to this question in a story. Once there was a man who collected and traded in pearls. He had a fine collection ...read more

Tags: Obedience, Salvation, Grace, Commitment, Count The Cost, Discipleship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Trouble? Joe Was Trouble...

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 25, 2023

TROUBLE? JOE WAS TROUBLE! SOMEONE IS HURTING! I had taught school in Virginia several years. I was assistant principal. I often observed the kids in the younger classes and thought someday I will teach that child. There was a young boy named Joe. Joe was in the office pretty often in some kind ...read more

Scripture: Micah 6:8, Mark 12:29

Tags: Help, Ministry, Trouble

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Salvation Is Free, But It Will Cost Your Life

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2024

I am often asked, "How can salvation be free, but, yet, Jesus said that we cannot by His disciple unless we forsake everything for Him?" (Luke 14). Let me explain the answer to this question in a story. Once there was a man who collected and traded in pearls. He had a fine collection of ...read more

Tags: Sacrifice, Salvation, Mercy, Discipleship, Free, Eternal Life, Grace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Rich Fool

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Nov 22, 2008

THE RICH FOOL Ortberg writes (and I have abridged it and translated it into proper English) Once upon a time in the Silicon Valley, there lived a very important man.He routinely logged in 12-14 hours a day work and sometimes at weekends. He went to the Harvard School of Management, where he got ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-21

Tags: Fool, Use Of Time

Denomination: Anglican

What’s Pete Got To Do With Anything?

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 20, 2021

If there's anybody that can be conned, it's Yours Truly. It's not so much that I'm stupid; I'm just naïve. I believe when somebody says something, they mean exactly what they say. So, if you can't swindle me, you might as well hang it up and get a real job. I must ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:12-13

Tags: Blame, Accusations

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I’m So Poor I Can’t Pay Attention

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 25, 2023

Occasionally I go to my computer and search for the wealthiest preachers in America. I am curious to know who came up with this idea, but I check it out occasionally to see who they are. As often as I have checked this information, I have never found my name on that list. I so much wanted to see ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:9-10

Tags: Rich, Poor, Wealth

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Knowing Everything Is A Blessing And A Curse

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 5, 2023

If you ever spent more than five minutes with me, you would conclude that I do not know everything. I would agree 100%. It is not bad that I don't know everything. I know today more than I knew ten years ago, if that is any consolation. The thing that is surprising to me is that I do not ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5

Tags: Blessing, Curse

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Awl For The Good  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 25, 2002

AWL FOR THE GOOD In 1809, Simon Renee Braille and his wife Monique welcomed their fourth child into the world-- a lively boy named Louis. They lived in a small stone house near Paris where Braille was the local harness maker. Leather working tools are dangerous, so the toddler had been ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-41

Tags: Grace, God's Omniscience, God In The Hardships

Here Are Some Examples Of Some Mothers And What ...  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Chan on May 9, 2002

Here are some examples of some mothers and what they could have SAID: MONA LISA’S MOTHER: "After all that money your father and I spent on braces, Mona, that’s the biggest smile you can give us?" HUMPTY DUMPTY’S MOTHER: "Humpty, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times not to sit on ...read more

Tags: Mother's Day, Parenting

Denomination: Evangelical Free

On September 11, Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell (From ...  PRO

Contributed by Greg Burdine on Jun 12, 2002

On September 11, Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell (from U.S. Army Headquarters) had just stepped into a Pentagon hallway when the fireball from the hijacked plane hit him. After recovering from the initial shock, Birdwell realized he was on fire. "Jesus, I’m coming to see you," he remembers praying. When ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Baptist