In Sermon Illustrations: "Missed Opportunity"

Waiting To Be Interviewed For A Job As A Wireless ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on Jul 11, 2001

Waiting to be interviewed for a job as a wireless operator, a group of applicants paid little attention to the sound of the dots and dashes which began coming over a loudspeaker. Suddenly one of them rushed into the employer’s office. Soon he returned smiling. "I got it!" he exclaimed."How did you ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-5

Tags: Listen To God

Denomination: Pentecostal

Thanksgiving List  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 12, 2002

THANKSGIVING LIST Here is a list of things housewives are most thankful for: "For automatic dishwashers because they make it possible for us to get out of the kitchen before the family comes back in for their after-dinner snacks. For husbands who attack small repair jobs around the house ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday, Joy

A Matter Of Building  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

A MATTER OF BUILDING Life is a matter of building. Each of us has the opportunity to build something -- a secure family, a good reputation, a career, a relationship to God. But some of those things can disappear almost overnight due to financial losses, natural disasters and other unforeseen ...read more

Tags: Christian Values, Finding Fulfillment, Leadership General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In 1269 Kublai Khan Sent A Request From Peking To ...  PRO

Contributed by Guy Glass on Aug 5, 2005

In 1269 Kublai Khan sent a request from Peking to Rome for "a hundred wise men of the Christian religion...And so I shall be baptized, and when I shall be baptized all my baron and great men will be baptized, and their subjects baptized, and so there will be more Christian here than there are in ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Baptist

Although 4 Of 5 Teens Claim They Are Christian, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 10, 2006

Although 4 of 5 teens claim they are Christian, only 1 in 4 also claims to be “absolutely committed” to the Christian faith.” That is only about half the percentage found among adults. Although an impressive 70% of all teens are engaged in some church-related effort in a typical week, only about ...read more

Tags: Children

Biblical Worldview Lacking: Only 4% Of Adults ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 3, 2006

Biblical Worldview Lacking: Only 4% of adults have a biblical worldview as the basis of their decision-making according to recent Barna Research findings. Most Americans have little idea how to integrate core biblical principles to form a unified and meaningful response to the challenges and ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

There Was An Incident That Occurred In Connection ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Humphrey on Mar 19, 2006

There was an incident that occurred in connection with an encampment of Shantung soldiers located at Shanghai. One day a dog came into their camp with some pages from a book in his mouth. The soldiers caught the dog and began to read the papers. They were pages from a Bible being printed in ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: United Methodist

Life Is A Matter Of Building. Each Of Us Has The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Life is a matter of building. Each of us has the opportunity to build something -- a secure family, a good reputation, a career, a relationship to God. But some of those things can disappear almost overnight due to financial losses, natural disasters and other unforeseen difficulties. What are we ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Have You Heard The Statement, "Conscience Gets A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Have you heard the statement, “Conscience gets a lot of credit that belongs to cold feet”? Think through the implications of that. There are many evil things that many people would do if they didn’t fear getting caught. Another expression of that says we are only one light bulb away from ...read more

Tags: Cults

An Organization In Montana Offered A Bounty Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

An organization in Montana offered a bounty of five thousand dollars for every wolf captured alive. Two hunters named Sam and Jed decided to head for the hills and make some money capturing wolves. Day and night they scoured the mountains and forests searching for their valuable prey. Exhausted ...read more

Tags: Salvation

The Vice Fund Was Set Up In 2002 To Invest Solely ...

Contributed by W F on Nov 4, 2007

The Vice Fund was set up in 2002 to invest solely in companies that … (Quote from their web site) “are engaged in the aerospace and defense industries, owners and operators of casinos and gaming facilities, manufacturers of gaming equipment such as slot machines, manufacturers of cigarettes and ...read more

Denomination: *other

Evil Is Still At Work. Not All Actions Are Of ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jun 2, 2009

Evil is still at work. Not all actions are of God. People often use “open door” theology to try to discern God’s will. We are presented with a choice and sometimes wait to see if one door closes. A new job opens up and we apply believing that if God wants me to have it then he will open up that ...read more

Tags: Satan, Temptation

Denomination: Church Of God

Let Us Love Them

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 25, 2011

LET US LOVE THEM Tony Campolo tells about some homeless teenagers from the Philadelphia streets who beat to death a Korean honor student doing graduate work in medicine at the U of PA. His parents came to the U.S. for the trial, and sat silently through his murderers’ entire trial. At the end, ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Vow Of Silence

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Dec 31, 2008

Vow of Silence A monk joined a monastery and took a vow of silence. After the first ten years his superior called him in and asked, "Do you have anything to say?" The monk replied, "Food bad." After another ten years, the monk again had opportunity to voice his thoughts. He said, "Bed ...read more

Tags: Complaining

Denomination: Baptist

The Story Is Told Of An Aspiring Artist Who Was ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jan 26, 2009

The story is told of an aspiring artist who was commissioned to do a large sculpture for a famous museum. At last he had the opportunity to create the masterpiece he had long dreamed of. After laboring over the work for many years, he saw it grow not only in shape but in beauty. But when it was ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Other

I Think It Was G. Campbell Morgan Who Said, "God ...

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 15, 2009

I think it was G. Campbell Morgan who said, “God puts you in a FIX to FIX you; and if you get out of the FIX before you get FIXED, God has to FIX another FIX to FIX you.” I usually use that in my Jonah sermon with regard to the belly of the great fish. It means that God will put us in circumstances ...read more

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: *other

A Flexible ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2012

A FLEXIBLE SERVANT All of his life, David Livingstone wanted to be a missionary to China. Even in his old age he longed to have the opportunity to go and minister there. But God sent him instead to Africa, where he worked and died opening up that large continent to missions work, much as William ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:9-13

Tags: Servanthood

Dead Or Alive?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2002

DEAD OR ALIVE? When elderly Adele Gaboury turned up missing four years ago, concerned neighbors in Worcester, Massachusetts, informed the police. A brother told police she had gone into a nursing home. Satisfied with that information, Gaboury’s neighbors began watching her property. Michael ...read more

Tags: Kingdom Of God, Holy Spirit Attributes, Growth In Christ

It Was Only A Nickel, But The Owner Was Able To ...

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jul 31, 2005

It was only a nickel, but the owner was able to retire on it. It is one of only five nickels like it, and Ed Lee of Merrimack, New Hampshire, sold the nickel for $4.15 million dollars. It is the second-highest price ever reported paid for a rare coin. Speaking for the coin dealership which ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Methodist

John 12:26...the Word (Diakoneo) Means To Wait ...

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Apr 3, 2006

John 12:26...The word (diakoneo) means to wait on. We get our English equivalent deacon, or servant from the word. The other word (servant) means literally union on the road. So Jesus is saying something like, Join me on the road of serving others. The world in which we live says, Grab on, ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: United Methodist