In Sermon Illustrations: "Memories About Dad"

The Lonely Frog

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 8, 2014

You’ve heard the one, I ‘m sure, about the lonely frog who goes to see a fortune-teller. He’s told not to worry. She says, “You’re going to meet a beautiful young girl, and she will want to know everything about you.” “That’s great!” the excited frog says. “When will I meet her?” And the psychic ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 2:1-13

Tags: Fate, Providence

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Expectation Vs Experience little Israel Eh...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Nov 28, 2015

Expectation vs Experience Little Israel eh…Boy, it packs a punch in the spiritual realm!!! Do not we owe it a Saviour, Salvation and Scriptures!!! Add to this fact that one of it’s cities (Jerusalem) would be the future World capital and at once, there is a ring of sanctity about this Nation. Even ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:17

Tags: Symbol, Selection, Supremacy, Sign

Denomination: *other

Missing The Obvious!!!

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Dec 29, 2015

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson went on a camping trip. After sharing a good meal and a bottle of Petrie wine, they retire to their tent for the night. At about 3 AM, Holmes nudges Watson and asks, "Watson, look up into the sky and tell me what you see?" Watson said, "I see millions of ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Humility, Charity

Denomination: *other

Carry Your Cross

Contributed by Anitha Jabastion on Aug 3, 2020

A story is told about a boy who desperately wanted to meet Christ. He was praying hard about it. One day, the Lord told him to walk up the mountain carrying his cross. He took his cross and began his journey. In some time, he began to feel the heaviness of the cross. He cut out a small portion of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Following Jesus, Carrying The Cross, Denying Oneself

There Is The Enemy!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 4, 2021

Stedman illustrates this point noting that "As the Battle of Trafalgar was about to begin, Admiral Nelson came across two officers of his own flagship who were arguing hotly and about to take sword to each other. Nelson stepped between them and said, "Stop." Then, pointing to the ...read more

Tags: Church, Unity, Body Of Christ, Working Together, Division  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Better Get Your Bags Packed!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 2, 2022

One day a very wealthy, powerful king died. His servants spread the unbelievable news all over the palace. He had died in his bed of natural causes. "Where has he gone?", asked one of the king's wisest counselors "Why, to Heaven of course!", answered all the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism, Heaven, Salvation, Gospel, Excuses, Prepare, Procrastination, Fools  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What A Young Boy Saw In The Face Of A Missionary

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 2, 2023

Many years ago when the great missionary Adoniram Judson was home on furlough, he passed through the city of Stonington, Connecticut. A young boy playing about the wharves at the time of Judson’s arrival was struck by the man’s appearance. Never before had he seen such a light on any ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:19-23, Acts 1:8

Tags: Evangelism, Children, Missions, Testimony, Witnessing, Fruit Of The Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Inspect Versus Expect

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

There was a young boy who was notorious for cleaning according to what his parents would inspect, but not necessarily what they would expect. In other words, he would do things like fold and put away the dirty laundry, and put away the dirty dishes thinking they were clean. Things looked tidy on ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Tags: Expectations, Cover Up

Denomination: Baptist

Cast The First Stone

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 6, 2024

Marilyn Helleberg told about being a teenager at church camp. She said an ugly rumor got started there about two of the counselors and it quickly became the talk of the camp. The next day, at Morning Prayer, the minister read the story of the adulterous woman. He spoke of Jesus telling the crowd ...read more

Tags: Gossip, Division, Judging, Forgiveness, Confession, Criticism, Mouth, Words, Tongue, Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God With Us

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Dec 2, 2024

I started out by describing a song that I had been singing all week long. (I used Leaning on the Everlasting Arms but you can use any song). I spent about 5 - 7 minutes giving all the details of the song. The author, the beat, where it is used at, who sung the song, etc. I keep the title ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:23, Philippians 2:5-11

Tags: Emmanuel, Immanuel, God With Us

Denomination: Church Of God

Do It Scared

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 20, 2025

Let me share from an email I got from the Navigators about their summer outreach with college students: “This past summer, the students had over 700 gospel conversations with strangers. From those discussions, 22 people gave their lives to Christ and were connected with local churches. For one ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Scared, Outreach

Denomination: Methodist

Hope For The Return Of Christ

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 15, 2026

Hope is interesting because it depends on a person's circumstances. Around the world, there are literally millions of persecuted Christians. They often to the end of the Bible for hope: Revelation 22:20 “20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 22:20, 1 Corinthians 16:22

Tags: Hope, Rapture, Maranatha, Return Of Christ, Persecuted Christians  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Until Tuesdayseptember 11th, The Bloodiest Day In ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Hensley on Sep 14, 2001

Until TuesdaySeptember 11th, the bloodiest day in U.S. history was Sept. 17, 1862, when about 4,700 Union and Confederate soldiers died in the Civil War battle of Antietam. Pearl Harbor killed 2,388 Americans, and ...read more

Tags: Independence Day, Holidays Civic

Denomination: Baptist

A Boy Came Home From Sunday School And His Mother ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Nov 25, 2001

A boy came home from Sunday school and His Mother said, "What did you discuss at Church?" The boy said, "Marriage"! His Mother said inquisitively, "What did you learn about marriage?" The little boy thought for a moment and ...read more

Tags: Commitment, Communication, Conflict, Marriage General, Marriage Struggle, Romantic Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Nobody To Forgive Me  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on May 9, 2002

Nobody to Forgive Me Not long before she died in 1988, in a moment of surprising candor in television, Marghanita Laski, one of our best-known secular humanists and novelists, said, “What I envy most about you Christians is your ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Baptist

Willie Nelson Apparently At One Time Owned A Golf ...  PRO

Contributed by Rich Young on Jan 17, 2001

Willie Nelson apparently at one time owned a golf course. He said the great thing about owning a golf course was that he could decide what par for each hole was. He pointed at one hole and said, ...read more

Tags: Faith, Forgiveness General, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Some Of Us Love To Take The Simple And Make It ...  PRO

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 25, 2001

Some of us love to take the simple and make it complex. Some of us thrive on taking perfectly obvious matters and making them as obscure as possible. My neighbor’s car has on it a bumper sticker that says, “Eschew obfuscation”. After about ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:22-31

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Baptist

Warren Wiersbe Writes, "Our Values Determine Our ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 31, 2001

Warren Wiersbe writes, "Our values determine our evaluations. If we value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us. If we value the material and physical more than the spiritual, we will not be able to count it all joy! If we live only ...read more

Scripture: James 1:9-11, James 1:2-12, James 1:19-27

Tags: Endurance, Human Body, Joy, Prayer

Elton Trueblood Wrote, "It Used To Be That ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 26, 2001

Elton Trueblood wrote, "It used to be that Christianity was a revolutionary faith that turned the world upside down. But today Christians sit in Sunday morning church services looking at their watches, wondering what time dinner will be served, or thinking about the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To, Church Purpose Of, Book Of Revelation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

There Is A Story Of A Clergyman Who Pridefully ...

Contributed by Stanley Arnold on Jun 6, 2005

There is a story of a clergyman who pridefully was musing about what a fine preacher he had become. So he said to his wife, "How many really great preachers do you think there are?" She thought for a minute and ...read more

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Pentecostal