In Sermon Illustrations: "Meeting Needs"

Forgiveness On A Kid's First Job

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 9, 2009

FORGIVENESS ON A KID’S FIRST JOB Forgiveness was the most important lesson best-selling author Tony Hillerman learned as a kid on his first job. His story goes... "I was 14 when Mr. Ingram knocked on our farmhouse door in Sacred Heart, Oklahoma (pop. 38). The old sharecropper lived about a mile ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:27-36

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Now You Know How To Treat Him

Contributed by Noel Atkinson on Aug 3, 2009

NOW YOU KNOW HOW TO TREAT HIM A true story, a friend of mine 'John' was new at a company. He was told be careful with the new photocopier it gets hot and can melt overheads when you put them through the photocopier. So treat it carefully. On his third week there he stayed back late and ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

My First Major Wall That I Went Through Came When ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 9, 2009

My first major wall that I went through came when I got sober. But along the way, I ran into walls that now I know were just small ones. One of these had to do with my expectations of those that supposedly loved. Through the years of drinking and using, I had developed some very unhealthy ...read more

Tags: Emotions, Trust God

Denomination: Church Of God

Ipod ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 14, 2009

iPod Religion This is right up there with what 10-year-old Joshua wrote to his pastor: “Dear Pastor, My father says I should learn the 10 Commandments. But I don’t think I want to because we have enough rules already in our house.” That’s not as bad as what 11-year-old Ralph wrote: “Dear Pastor, I ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:7-9

Tags: Youth

I Think God Gives Us Opportunities Like That To ...

Contributed by Sean Harder on Dec 4, 2009

I think God gives us opportunities like that to help us build our trust in Him. I used to go hiking and camping a lot by myself in the wilderness (not a good idea I know). But I remember getting lost once, and this was before I was even a Christian. I had literally no idea how to get back, and I ...read more

Tags: Trust

Integrity In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2009

Integrity in Sports Joseph’s family was certainly blessed because of his Integrity. And yours will be as well! In the end, the greatest success story of Joseph is certainly not his secular achievements as second in command in Egypt. His greatest achievement is his single-mindedness to follow, to ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 20:7

Tags: Character

Object Lesson: A Branch On A Tree Or A Stick In ...  PRO

Contributed by Alistair Wearring on Feb 27, 2010

OBJECT LESSON: A BRANCH ON A TREE OR A STICK IN THE MUD? ------------------------------------------- Theme: Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing Object: Two branches that has been broken from a tree -- one with leaves withering, the other without any leaves at all. Scripture: "I am the vine; you ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Daughter And Son-In-Law Once Lived In ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Mar 7, 2010

My daughter and son-in-law once lived in Parramatta in Sydney, Australia, quite near an old cemetery. It had historic significance for Sydney and was protected, I think, by the national trust. It angered me when it was vandalised. A part of our history destroyed! I could take the broken bottles and ...read more

Tags: Demons

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Martyrdom Of Missionary Doctor Paul ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 29, 2010

Martyrdom of Missionary Doctor Paul Carlson Don Carson has written a book which is also titled, “How Long O Lord: Reflections on Suffering & Evil.” At the beginning of the book, he recounted this real-life story. A pastor is cutting his front lawn. He looks up from his task just in time to see a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

Tags: Missions

Game Of Chance

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jul 9, 2010

GAME OF CHANCE A person recently said to me as they were dying that the Bible was just a series of myths and stories, and if I want to, I can choose to live my life assuming that it is. I can choose to treat heaven like a GAME OF CHANCE and the Bible as something less than a sure thing. I can ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Motley, Cross-Breed, Half-Baked Sheep  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Nov 12, 2010

MOTLEY, CROSS-BREED, HALF-BAKED SHEEP Before I went off to train for ministry, I used to live in an old house in Oamaru with an acre and a half of land. I had the usual garden and lawn, but I also had about an acre and a quarter of pretty rough hillside that was planted in a variety of trees and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:3, Numbers 6:22-27

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Bouquet Of Love

Contributed by Jimmy Haile on Nov 23, 2010

THE BOUQUET OF LOVE In A Second Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul, Rev. John R. Ramsey tells how in one church a certain person provided him with a rose boutonniere for the lapel of his suit every Sunday. At first he really appreciated it but then it sort of became routine. Then one Sunday it ...read more

Tags: Gratitude

Denomination: Baptist

The Throne Of Christmas

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 18, 2010

THE THRONE OF CHRISTMAS In the very centre of Christmas cheer, amidst the silver bells, coloured baubles and lights, enormous sparkling chandeliers, banners and wreathes and beside a gigantic Christmas tree, there in the middle of everything stands a huge throne that dominates the centre of the ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Response To Hurting People  PRO

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jan 3, 2011

RESPONSE TO HURTING PEOPLE In his book Soul Talk, Larry Crabb writes: "Which is worse? A church program to build community that doesn’t get off the ground or one person sitting every Sunday in the back of the church who remains unknown? A Sunday school class that once drew hundreds but has now ...read more

Tags: Unity

Denomination: Baptist

The Drinks Are On Me...?

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Jan 15, 2011

THE DRINKS ARE ON ME...? In the summer of 2010 I was hanging on every word of Steve Chalke as he preached at the New Wine Summer Conference. He was talking about Jesus being the one who transforms people and transforms situations; and he was calling the Church to once again become fully involved ...read more

Tags: Alcohol

Denomination: Anglican

Free Gas: God Knew

Contributed by Brad Henry on Sep 6, 2011

FREE GAS: GOD KNEW Yesterday we had an "event" at church. We were told to come with comfortable clothes and that was all the direction we received. When we got to church, the pastor said, "OK folks, today we are going to the gas station up the street. We are going to give $25.00 of gas to 150 cars ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

They Get An "A," You Get An "A," What's Wrong ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Oct 20, 2011

THEY GET AN "A," YOU GET AN "A," WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT? On the first day of class the professor says, "I have this very complicated Math problem, the solution of which shall constitute your grade for the entire semester. I'm giving you the problem now so you can start working immediately if you ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Golden Rule: Is It Original?

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 12, 2011

THE GOLDEN RULE: IS IT ORIGINAL? There are people in this world who think Jesus’ Golden Rule was nice but not original. They try to say that Jesus merely borrowed the idea from others. I once saw a poster that tried to say that. * Confucius (some 500 years before Jesus) said: "DO NOT unto ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Basis Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2012

THE BASIS OF ACCEPTANCE Oprah Winfrey said, “I discovered I didn’t feel worthy of love unless I was accomplishing something. I suddenly realized I have never felt I could be loved for just being.” Madonna said, “My drive in life is from this horrible fear of being mediocre. That’s always been ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:7

Tags: Fear And Worry

Treat Each Other Like The Answer To A Prayer  PRO

Contributed by Dave Clark on Dec 11, 2012

TREAT EACH OTHER LIKE THE ANSWER TO A PRAYER I can still see one of the great provokers in my life. I met her on a work trip to Kentucky. Our youth group was working on a woman’s house, but it wasn’t very much fun. We hated where we were. Porches and front yards littered with old cars, sofas ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:43-48, Acts 10:30-33

Tags: Prayer Of Faith

Denomination: Disciples Of Christ