In Sermon Illustrations: "Missed Opportunity"

Maybe If You Listened...  PRO

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 4, 2011

"MAYBE IF YOU LISTENED..." In the middle of an argument, my Mum would say something like this - "Maybe if you LISTENED for a change, you would understand what I am trying to tell you!" So often I am not so much listening but simply waiting for the other person to finish so that I can get across my ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:13

Tags: Everyone, Parable Sower And Seed, Problem

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Reunited

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 23, 2011

REUNITED This week (1-11) an interesting story hit the presses: A woman who was kidnapped as a newborn 23 years ago says finding her real mother "felt like a dream." Carlina White was just 19 days old when she disappeared from Harlem Hospital in New York. She tells the New York Post that when ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Independent/Bible

It Was There All Along  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Mar 6, 2011

IT WAS THERE ALL ALONG I remember a time when I had misplaced my good pen and I was looking for it everywhere. I looked in drawers. I looked under things, behind things and in things. I looked on the floor, but it was nowhere. And then I found it. I was holding it in my mouth the whole time. ...read more

Tags: Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Methodist

Everything I Need To Know I Learned From Noah  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM NOAH In 1988, Robert Fulghum published his best-selling book, Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Recently, somebody suggested another book title: Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Noah. For example... * Don't miss the boat. * Plan ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:7

Tags: Noah

If We'd Only Joined Hands Sooner  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 30, 2011

IF WE'D ONLY JOINED HANDS SOONER A number of years ago in Canada, a little two-year-old girl wandered away from her neighborhood. It was a cold, winter day. Her parents alerted the neighbors and they saw some tracks in the snow, but there were a lot of other tracks, so for several hours the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:1-7

Tags: Unity

Lost And Found

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2012

LOST AND FOUND In London there is an official governmental office for lost and found items. It is the London Transports “Lost Property Office.” It is located on the side of the Baker’s Street Station, just across the street from the fictitious residence of Sherlock Holmes. It has been there since ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Tags: Parable Lost Coin

The Infinite Can Penetrate The Finite!!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 1, 2016

Herbert Spencer, one of the popularizes of agnosticism over a century ago, observed accurately that a bird has never been known to fly out of space. Therefore, he concluded by analogy that it is impossible for the finite to penetrate the infinite. Even if God does exist, we can never know Him ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14

Tags: Jesus, Creator, Infinite, Agnosticism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Mardi Gras Miracle

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Apr 17, 2021

“The Mardi Gras Miracle.” On Fat Tuesday of 1994 I was on my way to a meeting at Normal Presbyterian Church. I was listening to a basketball game. Kentucky was playing LSU at LSU and Kentucky was down 16 points at half time. I was concerned but to make things worse LSU started the second half ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-31

Tags: Doubt, Doubting Thomas

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Best Christmas Illustration Ever!  PRO

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

The brand new pastor and his wife were assigned to their first church in Brooklyn and were to reopen it. They arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw the church, it was run down and needed a lot of work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:1

Tags: Christmas Reunion, Christmas, Advent

Denomination: Methodist

Mother — Job Description  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2005

MOTHER - Job Description POSITION TITLE : Mom, Mama, Mommy, Mother JOB DESCRIPTION : Candidates must be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:1-31

Tags: Parenting, Mother's Day

Reports The Denver Post: "Like Many Sheep ...  PRO

Contributed by David Selleck on Nov 17, 2005

Reports the DENVER POST: "Like many sheep ranchers in the West, Lexy Fowler has tried just about everything to stop crafty coyotes from killing her sheep. She has used odor sprays, electric fences, and ’scare-coyotes.’ She has slept with her lambs during the summer and has placed battery-operated ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Methodist

New Rules Barna Research Group Has Identified The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 6, 2006

New Rules Barna Research Group has identified the following New Rules for the next generation. Some will encourage you, others will cause alarm. 1. Personal relationships count. Institutions don’t. 2. The process is more important than the product. 3. Aggressively pursue diversity among ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?

A Wealthy Man Before Leaving On An Extended ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kilson on May 6, 2006

A wealthy man before leaving on an extended vacation said to a contractor, "While I am away, I want you to build me a fine new home according to these plans. Be sure you work with extreme care, and use the best of everything. Tell me the cost as soon as you have it and I’ll send you a check." ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

Tags: Heaven, Foundation, Eternity, Building, Dishonesty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Phil Connors Is A Self-Centered Weather Reporter ...

Contributed by Timothy Smith on May 9, 2006

Phil Connors is a self-centered weather reporter who is experiencing one heck of a day. In fact, he’s reliving this one day over and over again, the same day repeating itself it’s - Groundhog day. Every day is exactly the same in the way it unfolds. Phil knows everything that’s going to happen ...read more

Tags: Emotions

Denomination: Christian Church

A Pastor Told Me His Testimony One Day When We ...

Contributed by Don Jones on Nov 6, 2006

A pastor told me his testimony one day when we both had some time to share. He told me that coming to Christ was absolutely wonderful. The weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders. The worry that had consumed him was gone. He was definitely a changed man on the inside. He and his 4 ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

My Accident

Contributed by Scott Epperson on Nov 11, 2006

My Accident My life was normal and unexpecting of tragedy when the bumper of a LTD came crashing into my back I had no time to repent like I always figured I would if I would have died it would have been at a moment that I was angry and frustrated and I can't say that I was as comfortable in my ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

This Is Not The Only Time The Philippian Brethren ...

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Feb 13, 2007

This is not the only time the Philippian Brethren saw Paul in JAIL and having his JOY TESTED by DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCE - Acts 16:22-25 What if we had the opportunity to INTERVIEW Paul while he was in this DUNGEON, what do you think he would tell us? Paul and Silas, are you in there? “Yes, we’re ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Professor And Speaker Tony Campolo Writes These ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2004

Professor and speaker Tony Campolo writes these challenging words: In December of 1987, I had the wonderful opportunity of speaking at the great Urbana missionary conference sponsored by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. In the course of my address to the more than eighteen thousand collegians ...read more

Leo Tolstoy Once Wrote A Story About A ...

Contributed by Sherry Proskine on Oct 3, 2007

Leo Tolstoy once wrote a story about a successful peasant farmer who was not satisfied with his lot. He wanted more of everything. One day he received a fantastic offer. For 1000 rubles, he could buy all the land he could walk around in one day. The only catch to the deal was that he had to be back ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

But We Must Focus On The ...

Contributed by Brian Harvison on May 29, 2008

But we must focus on the good Reminds me of a story about a newlywed farmer and his wife Mother-in-law visit demanding an inspection Genuinely tried to be friendly Hoping for non-antagonistic relationship To no avail, nagged at every opportunity Demanding changes, offering unwanted advice and ...read more

Tags: Possibilities

Denomination: Baptist