In Sermon Illustrations: "Messed Up"

Previously In Bethlehem...

Contributed by Bob Gillchrest on Dec 29, 2008

PREVIOUSLY IN BETHLEHEM... In order to fix such a mess and to bring the presence of God back into the midst of His chosen people, you have to understand the back story. In the world of drama, every character in a play, or in a television show or movie, has a back story. This is what happened ...read more

Tags: Birth Of Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

The News Carried The Story This Week Of A ...

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Dec 10, 2006

The news carried the story this week of a faithful father. James Kim was an editor for CNET. CNN reports: “On November 25 the Kims had begun a drive home to San Francisco, California, after a Thanksgiving vacation in Oregon. They missed a turn and found themselves stranded in snow and lost on ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

The Brothers Grimm Tell A Story About A Father ...

Contributed by Darren Mccormick on Feb 26, 2008

The Brothers Grimm tell a story about a father and mother, their young son and the father’s very aged father that lived with them. The old man was feeble and his hands shook. His mealtimes were often noisy and messy because he would clatter the silverware together and he would spill his food or ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Golden Rule Of Family  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 9, 2002

THE GOLDEN RULE OF FAMILY One of Grimm’s fairy tales tells of an old man who lived with his son, the son’s wife, and the young couple’s four-year-old boy. The old man’s eyes blinked, and his hands shook. When he ate, the silverware rattled against the plate, and he often missed his mouth. Then ...read more

Tags: Relationships, Compassion, Family, Golden Rule

Imagine, If You Will, That You Work For A Company ...  PRO

Contributed by Dana Visneskie on Feb 5, 2004

Imagine, if you will, that you work for a company whose president found it necessary to travel out of the country and spend an extended period of time abroad. So he says to you and the other trusted employees, “Look, I’m going to leave. And while I’m gone, I want you to pay close attention to the ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Pentecostal

One Of Grimm's Fairy Tales Is About A Little Boy ...

Contributed by Jeremy Houck on Mar 20, 2005

One of Grimm’s fairy tales is about a little boy who lived with his father, his mother, and his elderly grandfather. The grandfather was feeble and his hands shook. When he ate, the silverware rattled against the plate, and he often missed his mouth. Then the food would dribble onto the tablecloth. ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

No One Is A Lost Cause

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

Ron Smith was in law enforcement for 20 years. After he retired, he was asked to join a prison ministry of his church. He scoffed at the idea, knowing he had put a lot of those guys in prison and he, above all, knew what types of peoplethey were. But eventually he broke down and joined and God ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Tags: Forgiveness, Compassion, Hope, Reconciliation

Denomination: Methodist

Beauty

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

Pastor Randy Kanipe tells the story of a Sabbath time away from his church while he was struggling with failure. He happened to be walking by a cow pasture and stopped to gaze over the fence, pondering the ’green pastures’ that he imagined God leading him through - my attention was drawn down to a ...read more

Scripture: James 3:2, John 1:5

Tags: Failure, Failures, Poop

Denomination: Methodist

Why Did God Become A Man?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

WHY DID GOD BECOME A MAN? Why would the Son of God want to become human? What would possess Him to leave His eternal home to enter this world plagued by pain and sorrow? Why would He give up the worship of angels to endure abuse at the hands of sinful man? Why did God become a man? Max Lucado in ...read more

Tags: Christmas

A Man Was Driving Home From Work One Evening When ...  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Chan on Apr 23, 2002

A man was driving home from work one evening when he suddenly realized that it was his daughter’s birthday and he hadn’t yet bought her a gift. So, the man rushed off to the nearest toy store and asked the sales clerk, "How much is that Barbie in the window?" The sales clerk replied in a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:3-6

Tags: Marriage Commitment, Divorce

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Listen To The Words Of This Poem Entitled, "The ...

Contributed by Lynn Malone on Sep 12, 2005

Listen to the words of this poem entitled, "The View." I don't know the author, but the words are striking. Jesus went upon the mount that day To begin his ministry. He gazed across the fertile ground, And what did he see? He looked upon the countless faces; He saw the pain of un-numbered ...read more

Tags: Parable General

Denomination: Methodist

Do Not Conform Any Longer To The Pattern Of This ...

Contributed by Doane Brubaker on Aug 28, 2007

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Rom 12:2, NIV) The word we translate “conform” is schema. We get from it words like ...read more

Denomination: Mennonite

Shane Claiborne Tells About How His Little ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Feb 4, 2008

Shane Claiborne tells about how his little community of faith received some money. First, they won a lawsuit against the police of New York for misconduct. Shane with several hundred people had protested the arresting of people for sleeiping outside by sleeping outside. They were arrested, charged, ...read more

Scripture: John 17:20-26

Denomination: Church Of God

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

New Your City Mayor Admits Mistake And Silences ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2009

New York City Mayor Admits Mistake and Silences Reporters Back in 1980 New York City Mayor Ed Koch appeared on a local news program in the middle of the city’s financial crisis. Koch had spent over a quarter of a million dollars to put up bike lanes in Manhattan, and they turned out to be a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:15-16

Tags: Mistakes

Some Fun Hearing What Kids Think About Husbands ...  PRO

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Sep 20, 2007

Some fun hearing what kids think about husbands and wives. HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY? Alan, age 10—You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. Kirsten, age 10—No person ...read more

Tags: Kids, Children, Marriage, Romantic Love

Denomination: Assembly Of God

I Recall One Sunny Afternoon When I Was 13 Years ...

Contributed by Chris Surber on Feb 5, 2009

I recall one sunny afternoon when I was 13 years old and had only recently moved to Butte, Montana where I lived for a couple of years during high school with my father and grandfather. One afternoon I was exploring a very old log cabin style garage on the back of the property where we lived. It ...read more

Tags: Purity

Denomination: Christian Church

The Insignificant Is Significant

Contributed by Peter Loughman on May 15, 2008

THE INSIGNIFICANT IS SIGNIFICANT To anyone who knows her, Joanne is not a significant person. Honestly, chances are, Joanne will never accomplish anything significant. In the town that she lives in, Joanne is never going to be someone who people in town will see as an important person. Joanne is ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ted Turner On Hell  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 6, 2002

TED TURNER ON HELL Ted Turner, founder of Turner Broadcasting (TBS,TNT,CNN) blasted the Christian faith at a speech to the National Press Club. "Remember, heaven is going to be perfect. And I don’t really want to be there... Those of us that go to hell, which will be most of us in this room, most ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Hell, Sin General

Self Evaluation  PRO

Contributed by Herman Abrahams on Jul 23, 2005

ILLUSTRATION - Self Evaluation -------------------------------- State employment officials in Tucson, Arizona, posted an interesting sign over a full-length mirror. Directed to all job hunters, it read, “Would you hire this person?” In another office a mirror and sign posed this question: “Are you ...read more

Tags: Lord's Supper

Denomination: Charismatic