In Sermon Illustrations: "Missing Out"

God's Detour

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 10, 2010

GOD'S DETOUR The year was 1920. The scene was the examining board for selecting missionaries. Standing before the board was a young man named Oswald Smith. One dream dominated his heart. He wanted to be a missionary. Over and over again, he prayed, "Lord, I want to go as a missionary for you. Open ...read more

Tags: Disappointment

Denomination: Brethren

St. Augustine On The Trinity

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 29, 2010

ST. AUGUSTINE ON THE TRINITY One day when St. Augustine was at his wits' end to understand and explain the Trinity, he went out for a walk. He kept turning over in his mind, "One God, but three Persons. Three Persons--not three Gods but one God. What does it mean? How can it be explained? How can ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-23

Tags: Trinity

Denomination: Brethren

Said Musa

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Mar 10, 2011

SAID MUSA I have recently been exchanging letters with our MP John Baron regarding a man named Said Musa. Some of you know about his situation. Said is an Afghan convert from Islam to Christianity. In May 2010 he was arrested during a crackdown on converts because under Islamic religious law it is ...read more

Tags: Islam

Denomination: Anglican

The Miracle Birth

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 17, 2011

THE MIRACLE BIRTH Mike Hermanstorfer was clutching his pregnant wife's hand in a Colorado hospital on Christmas Eve last year when she stopped breathing. Mike’s wife, Tracy, went into cardiac arrest during labor. Doctors told him, "We're going to take your son out now. We have been unable to ...read more

Tags: Miracles General

Denomination: Methodist

Beauty From What He Puts In

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Apr 15, 2011

BEAUTY FROM WHAT HE PUTS IN There once was a brier growing in a ditch when a gardener came along with his spade and dug it up. He dug around it and gently lifted it out of the ground, bringing the brier to ask itself, "What is he doing? Doesn’t he know I’m a worthless brier?" But the gardener ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

King Henry Ii's Anger

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 10, 2011

KING HENRY II'S ANGER King Henry II of England, back in around 1200, had a lot of power. He put an end to a long and bloody civil war, and ruled both England and a large chunk of France for many years. He was so famous that a movie was made about him, about 25 yrs ago, starring Richard Burton and ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Risk Of Defeating The Enemy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2012

THE RISK OF DEFEATING THE ENEMY During WWII in PNG as the Australian troops were involved in engaging the Japanese in Milne Bay and some of the regions along the North coast, the Australian troops began to realise that if they waited for all the artillery fire to cease that the Japanese in machine ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

Tags: War

Prayer Before Battle  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

PRAYER BEFORE BATTLE During the 1800s, the French General George Muller Massena who took orders from Napoleon, arrived at a quaint and militarily important Austrian town. His 18,000 soldiers were gearing up for their invasion, as the stunned Austrian citizens were lifeless and terrified. Knowing ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30

Tags: Prayer Supplication

A Thief And A Priest

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2012

A THIEF AND A PRIEST The story is told about a Catholic priest who was walking down an alley behind his church when a thief jumped out from behind some garbage cans and pressed the muzzle of his gun into the priest's ribs. The thief said, "Give me your wallet!" Without hesitation, the priest ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:1-23

Tags: Christian Values

Who Shot The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2013

WHO SHOT THE DEER? A lawyer, a doctor, and a preacher went deer hunting together when along came a big buck. The three of them all shot at the same time, and immediately the buck dropped to the ground. They all rushed up to examine the deer, but couldn't determine whose shot had actually killed ...read more

Scripture: John 8:42-47

Tags: Preaching

Covered Under His Wings  PRO

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 7, 2014

COVERED UNDER HIS WINGS It was a hot day in the dry old West. As the railroad came roaring down the tracks, sparks were flying everywhere because of the hot temperatures. When the sparks flew, often they would begin a fire that would destroy ranches, homes and livestock. One particular day, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Tags: Atonement, Forgiveness, Cross, Love Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I'll Take Hymn!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 26, 2016

One Sunday, a pastor told his congregation that the church needed some extra money. He asked the people to consider donating a little more than usual into the offering plate. He said that whoever gave the most would be able to pick out three hymns. After the offering plates were passed, the pastor ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:21-23

Tags: Marriage, Dating, Husbands And Wives, Singles

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Really Dumb Thief

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 17, 2017

A REALLY DUMB THIEF Any thief knows that the easiest way to steal gasoline from a car is to siphon it from the other guy’s tank into your own. Stick a rubber hose in his gas tank, suck on the other end of the rubber hose until you get a mouth full of the gas, then spit it out. From then on, the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7-8

Tags: Revenge, Wages Of Sin

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Trust God With The Splinter

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Apr 28, 2018

Trouble is inevitable. It has spawned the counseling ministry. Therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, support groups dedicate their lives to helping people deal with grief, addictions, abuse, and stress. There are many solutions offered. You can pop a pill or uncork a bottle or take a ...read more

Tags: Trust God, Comfort Of God

Denomination: Baptist

Almost

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

Almost Story It started out with a low rumbling; then there was the sound of the explosion. It seemed like the whole world was rocking and reeling under the blow of Mother Nature. The sky was filled with smoke as dark as a midnight; the ashes from the eruption were falling like snow in a winter ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:17

Tags: Almost, Delay

Denomination: Pentecostal

I Read About An Owner Of A Manufacturing Plant ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

I read about an owner of a manufacturing plant who decided to make a surprise tour of the shop. Walking through the warehouse he noticed a young man just lazily leaning up against some packing crates with his hands in his pocket doing nothing. The boss walked up to him and angrily said, "Just how ...read more

Tags: Apologetics General

Henry Moorhouse Preached One Evening On The Love ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Henry Moorhouse preached one evening on the love of God. In the meeting was a rough, wicked coal miner who had a vile temper, was a heavy drinker, and mistreated his wife and children when he’d been drinking. His name was Ike Miller. Moorhouse was told that Ike Miller was at the meeting and that ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

It Happened In The Jungle One Day. A Lion With A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

It happened in the jungle one day. A lion with a big ego went around asking the other animals who the king of the jungle was. “Who’s the king of the jungle?” the lion roared at a monkey. “Why you are, Mr. Lion,” said the monkey with fear in his voice. The lion went on and found a zebra. “Who’s ...read more

Tags: Divinity Of Christ

Young William Wilberforce Was Discouraged One ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Young William Wilberforce was discouraged one night in the early 1790s after another defeat in his ten-year battle against the slave trade. Tired and frustrated, he opened his Bible and began to leaf through it. A small piece of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor. It was a letter written by ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

There's A Story About A Local Fitness Center, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

There’s a story about a local fitness center, which was offering $1,000 to anyone who could demonstrate that they were stronger than the owner of the place. Here’s how it worked. This muscle man would squeeze a lemon until all the juice ran into a glass, and then hand the lemon to the next ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony