In Sermon Illustrations: "Me Focused"

How I Found Hope

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 7, 2023

HOW I FOUND HOPE By Danielle Strickland — I stole my first car when I was twelve years old. In family court, when my fate seemed to be incarceration, a leader from my church insisted I was going through a hard patch, but I could be sentenced to community service at a camp. The judge jumped at the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-9

Tags: Jesus, Hope

Denomination: Methodist

One Word  PRO

Contributed by Michael Brown on Mar 11, 2008

One Word I sat down one day and began to think about what word I would choose if I could only choose one word to describe myself; one word which would describe me better than any other word. Many words immediately began to pour into my mind. I could think of so many aspects of my life that I ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10, Matthew 27:42-54, Matthew 27:4, Matthew 27:1-4

Denomination: Pentecostal

Hell Is Real  PRO

Contributed by Frederick Baker Ii on Apr 5, 2008

Hell Is Real ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I went into my classroom Ready for another year at school. I didn’t want the work, Just wanted to hang and be cool. I had on new clothes, New sneaks on my feet. I was there for class on time Went to the back and took my seat. Yeah, I’m moving up. I’m ...read more

Denomination: *other

The Tea ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 21, 2009

The Tea Cup There was a couple who used to go England to shop in a beautiful store. This was their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery and especially tea-cups. They said, "May we see that? We’ve never seen one quite so beautiful." As the lady handed it to them, suddenly ...read more

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Baptist

The Story Of The Teacup

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Dec 5, 2011

THE STORY OF THE TEACUP There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores. They both liked antiques and pottery, especially teacups. This was their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. They were in this one shop when they saw a beautiful teacup. They said, "We’ve never ...read more

Tags: Change

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God Held My Hand  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2003

GOD HELD MY HAND As a child my parents took me to church You see for me they didn’t have to search. And when at my grandparents house we all went together. In rain, snow, heat and all kinds of weather. Growing up on a farm in rural Kentucky, work was all we knew Of the outside world we had no ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Love

I Think Of The Privilege I Had Of Having God Hear ...

Contributed by Bev Sesink on Feb 5, 2005

I think of the privilege I had of having God hear me. It was when I was living in South Africa and I was seeking God’s will as to my future. At the time I was a research forester. I was coming to the end of my government contract and I had been asked to become a permanent employee but I was ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will, Knowing God's Will

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

John Todd Was A Preacher Back In The Late ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Aug 14, 2001

ILL. John Todd was a preacher back in the late 1800’s. When he was 6 years old, both of his parents died. So a kind-hearted aunt raised him until he left home to study for the ministry. Years later, this aunt became seriously ill, & even though she was a Christian, she wrote him a letter ...read more

Tags: Government

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Went Out To Mcdonald's One Crisp March Morning. ...

Contributed by Sylvester Fergusson on Feb 11, 2007

I went out to McDonald’s one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not move an inch... an overwhelming ...read more

Denomination: Adventist

Pastor John R Ramsey Once Wrote, "For Some Time I ...

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Aug 1, 2008

Pastor John R Ramsey once wrote, “For some time I have had a person provide me with a rose boutonniere to pin on the lapel of my suit every Sunday. Because I always got a flower on Sunday morning, I really did not think much of it. It was a nice gesture that I appreciated, but it became routine. ...read more

Tags: Kindness

Denomination: Wesleyan

He Said What ?!?

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

He Said What ?!? Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, while walking on this earth, said some things that we must understand and accept if we will be His followers. Here are some challenging quotes recorded in The Bible, His perfect Word. Jesus said... "If anyone causes one of these little ones who ...read more

Scripture: John 1:12

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Forever Family

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

A FOREVER FAMILY Author Keith Miller tells of an outgoing 40-year-old woman who was part of a sharing group he led. Here is her story: "When I was a tiny little girl, my parents died and I was put in an orphanage. I was not pretty at all and no one seemed to want me. But I longed to be adopted ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: Adoption

The Preacher Stood On The Street Corner Preaching ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 2, 2005

The preacher stood on the street corner preaching to anyone who would listen. A man approached him who looked like he had lived on the street forever. "Can I help you" asked the preacher. "I think you can" said the bum. "Would you like me to tell you about Jesus?" "No." "Would you like me to ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Bible Influence

I Love The 23rd Psalms Where It Says "Surely ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles Hines on Jun 12, 2007

I love the 23rd Psalms where it says "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. all the days of my life." I imagine two angels, one named goodness and one named mercy, and everywhere I go they follow me, and protect me. I had the chance to experience this first hand. I was travelling to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-8

Denomination: Church Of God

Just Listen Please!

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2025

Could You Just Listen? When I ask you to listen to me and you start giving me advice, you have not done what I asked. When I ask you to listen to me and you begin to tell me why I shouldn’t feel that way, you are trampling on my feelings. When I ask you to listen to me and you feel you have to do ...read more

Scripture: Job 2:11-13, James 1:19

Tags: Quietness, Listening, Grieving

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Remember Years Ago That A Man Wrote A Nasty ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 4, 2010

I remember years ago that a man wrote a nasty letter to me and included in it a curse and all kinds of false accusations. To this day, I don’t know why he wrote it. It was so vicious and untrue, but he had built up a case against me and it all bubbled out in this letter. It included distorted views ...read more

Tags: Confrontation, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Preacher Charles Swindoll Recalled His Last ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Oct 5, 2001

Preacher Charles Swindoll recalled his last spanking when he turned thirteen years old. Chuck said, “Having just broken into the sophisticated ranks of the teen world, I thought I was something on a stick. My father wasn’t nearly as impressed as I was with my great importance and new-found ...read more

Tags: Grace, God's Provision

Denomination: Wesleyan

Footprints

Contributed by Matthew Koscielski on Jun 17, 2007

How I once truly felt: One night I had a dream-- I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord and across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints, one belonged to me and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life flashed before ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Single Man Named Jerry Had A Pet Cat That He ...

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Aug 2, 2008

single man named Jerry had a pet cat that he loved very much. One year, he decided to take a vacation to England, so he left his cat with his brother Dan. As soon as Jerry got to England, he called his brother Dan. “How is my cat?” he asked. “Your cat is dead,” Dan said. “Oh my!” he shouted. “I’m ...read more

Tags: Truth

Denomination: Baptist

Car Keys

Contributed by Nickolas Kooi on Sep 7, 2017

“You shall not steal,” the Seventh Commandment. Not only do we not take what is not ours, we actually help to improve and protect the possessions and income of other people. I had this done to me a few weeks. I was finishing up something at home on a Friday, and Dawn came to pick me up in the ...read more

Tags: Theft, Seventh Commandment

Denomination: Lutheran