In Sermon Illustrations: "Memories About Dad"

I Will Not Vex My Father

Contributed by C Jordan on Dec 5, 2009

I WILL NOT VEX MY FATHER "There is the story of half-a-dozen boys who had severe fathers, accustomed to beat them within an inch of their lives. Another boy was with them who was well beloved by his parents, and known to do so. These young boys met together to hold a council of war about robbing ...read more

Tags: God The Father

Denomination: *other

In 1986 We Moved From Kalamazoo To Grand Rapids. ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 24, 2009

In 1986 we moved from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids. Sometime later we wanted those slides and began to look for them. They were nowhere to be found. We looked in every box and closet in our house; we went back to Kalamazoo and looked in every closet in the parsonage and the church; we ran ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Hurt Vs. Harm

Contributed by Kerry O'neill on Mar 12, 2010

HURT VS. HARM There is a wonderful book entitled "Boundaries" in which the authors differentiate two words - Hurt and Harm. Think of these examples. If I were to eat an entire 2 pound bag of peanut M&M's (which I sadly am fully capable of doing!) would it hurt me? No, it would feel great! ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Holding On

Contributed by Sean Harder on Mar 18, 2010

HOLDING ON Let me share a story from Chuck Swindoll. "Four guys decided to go mountain climbing one weekend. In the middle of the climb, one fella slipped over a cliff, dropped about 60 feet and landed with a thud on the ledge below. The other three hoping to rescue him yelled, 'Joe, are you ...read more

Tags: Faith

Buried Chickens, Buried Sin

Contributed by Aaron Kilbourn on Jan 4, 2011

BURIED CHICKENS, BURIED SIN One of our youth, Andrew Plasier, shared this true story about an uncle of his in South Dakota and what happened a few summers ago. His uncle raised chickens, about 1200 of them, year round. In July the fans to the chickenhouse malfunctioned and stopped fanning the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:1-3

Tags: Sin Exposed

Denomination: Baptist

Victor, Not The Victim

Contributed by Bruce Ball on May 24, 2011

VICTOR, NOT THE VICTIM I used to work for the Post Office and when I became serious about the Lord, it must have really shown in my actions and words, because people all of a sudden began making fun of me and giving me snide comments. At times it was difficult, but I remained steadfast in my ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: *other

Who's Watching?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 7, 2011

WHO'S WATCHING? I remember the story of that man who wanted to steal a goat. He took his four children and said to them: "You hide there, you hide by my left, you hide at my back, you hide by my right. If you see anybody coming, give me a sign that I will quickly stop whatever I 'm doing." But as ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12-13

Tags: God's Omniscience

It

Contributed by Brad Henry on Dec 9, 2011

IT Each of us has an "IT" that is keeping us from joy and being free from worry. It isn't until we let go of that "IT" that we will be free. We can talk about all the steps to get out of addictions, the steps to curtail anger, animosity, jealousy, fear of death and a host of other worries and ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

One Thing

Contributed by Perry Greene on Jul 17, 2012

ONE THING In the movie "City Slickers," Billy Crystal plays a confused, dissatisfied thirty-something character with a vague sense that life is passing him by. Jack Palance- ancient, leathery, wise to the ways of the world ("a saddlebag with eyes") -- asks Crystal if he would like to know the ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When Prayer Isn't All You Need

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2012

WHEN PRAYER ISN’T ALL YOU NEED Tim Hansel, Holy Sweat, 1987, Word Books Publisher, p. 63. In my late twenties, a bunch of my friends and I decided to sail around the world. I have to admit, though, at the time I was a bit worried. I hadn’t even sailed before. I was uneasy and anxious. So I spent a ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7

Tags: Peace

Like A Child

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 17, 2012

LIKE A CHILD Yo-Yo Ma, one of the most famous cellists in our day, once said, "When people ask me how they should approach performance, I always tell them that the professional musician should aspire to the state of the beginner. In order to become a professional," he says, "you need to go through ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:4

Tags: Humility

Only By Sacrifice

Contributed by Perry Greene on Aug 29, 2012

ONLY BY SACRIFICE During World War II, a young paratrooper, David Webster of E Company, 101st Airborne wrote his mother, "Stop worrying about me. I joined the parachutists to fight. I intend to fight. If necessary, I shall die fighting, but don’t worry about this because no war can be won without ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bumper Stickers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2014

BUMPER STICKER CONSCIENCE This is a true story. I have a pastor friend in Alabama named Bill who was driving to speak at a church in another county and he was running late. He was driving about 20 miles over the speed limit, when suddenly he remembered he had a Christian bumper sticker on his car. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:1-7

Tags: Conscience, Obey Authorities

The Nfl...a Moral Compass?

Contributed by Robert Harmon on Oct 4, 2014

How would you like to have the NFL as your moral compass? Last week, we were hammered by reports about Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson and how the NFL was responding (or not responding) to the allegations of abuse. Tabloids, Social Media, and ESPN have been overloaded with their stories and many ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:24-27

Tags: Firm Foundation, Becoming Like Christ, Nfl

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When God Speaks

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 7, 2016

WHEN GOD SPEAKS Did you hear about the old golfer who was standing in front of the first tee, a hazardous hole with a green surrounded by water, and wondering if he should use his new golf ball? Deciding that the hole was too dangerous, he chose an old ball that he could afford to lose and placed ...read more

Scripture: John 10:28-30

Tags: The Good Shepherd, Voice Of God, Will Of God, Hearing God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ox And Mule

Contributed by Perry Greene on Jun 6, 2017

An old farmer plowed hard for many days with an ox and mule yoked together. The ox told the mule that they should play sick and rest. The mule declined saying, “No, we must get the work done for the season is short. But the ox played sick and the farmer brought him hay and corn and made him ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:5-9

Tags: Consequences, Integrity In Work

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Cloudy Days

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 18, 2021

My wife told me about a dream where she is looking up at a cloudy sky with two arms sticking through the clouds and says, I love you. The arms sign back to her, "I love you." I am cautious about dreams and interpretations because most are just our brains doing what we call in the IT ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5

Tags: Dark, Alone, Cloud, Silence, Sile, Arms, Love, Heart  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

He Declares That He Was An Eyewitness To The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

He declares that he was an eyewitness to the majesty of Jesus Christ. There is more to the word ‘eyewitness’ than the way we commonly use the word. Here is what William Barclay wrote about it. “In the Greek usage of Peter’s day this was a technical word. We have already spoken about the Mystery ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

There Is A Legend That Is Worth Telling Because ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

There is a legend that is worth telling because it contains an important truth: The devil held a passing out parade at the spiritual academy. During the day he questioned 3 of his evil spirits. To the first he said, "When you get out into the world what you are going to say to the people?" "Oh," ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

Helen Roseveare Is A British Medical Doctor Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Helen Roseveare is a British medical doctor who worked for many years as a missionary in Zaire. During the revolution of the 1960s, she often faced brutal beatings and other forms of physical torture. On one occasion, when she was about to be executed, she feared God had forsaken her. In that ...read more

Tags: Discipleship