In Sermon Illustrations: "Missing Out"

The Age Of The Temple

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jul 23, 2012

THE AGE OF THE TEMPLE A tourist is traveling with a guide through one of the thickest jungles in South America, when he comes across an ancient Mayan temple. The tourist is entranced by the temple, and asks the guide for details. To this, the guide states that archaeologists are carrying out ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Success Of John Inglefant

Contributed by Perry Greene on Jan 10, 2013

THE SUCCESS OF JOHN INGLEFANT Many years ago in England a book was published entitled, John Inglefant. The book was a flop. Only 100 copies could be disposed of, and 60 of those were given to the author. One day William Gladstone, Prime Minister of Britain, was to sit for a photograph. To make the ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Nicodemus Was Ready To Take His Relationship With ...  PRO

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Feb 18, 2013

Nicodemus was ready to take his relationship with Jesus to another level, but it wasn’t that easy. It never is. There would be much to lose if he went public as a follower of Jesus. What would people think if they found out that Nicodemus was an admirer of this homeless-carpenter-turned-rabbi ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-18

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

That's All I Want

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Mar 2, 2013

THAT'S ALL I WANT Here, I am prompted to share a humorous yet insightful Church story involving a Sunday school girl. Given the task of reciting the first verse of Psalm 23 before a huge Church crowd (including her anxious parents), this girl is said to have uttered unwittingly out of nervousness ...read more

Tags: Trust

Denomination: *other

Last Night I Had The Privilege Of Writing "paid ...

Contributed by David Tack on Jul 21, 2013

“Last night I had the privilege of writing "paid in full" on someone’s bill. It felt great to see them smile and walk out with no debt on their shoulders. I wondered if that’s how Jesus felt when He went to the Father on my behalf and took my debt that I could have never paid and put ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-10

Tags: Redemption, Remission

Denomination: Baptist

Max Lucado: Interlock Our Understandings  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Aug 6, 2013

In his book, “Imagine Your Life Without Fear” Max Lucado gives some significant insight when he says, "Questions can make hermits out of us, driving us into hiding. Yet the cave has no answers. Christ distributes courage through community; he dissipates doubts through fellowship. He never deposits ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-17, Hebrews 10:25, John 1:29-42, Luke 19:1-10

Tags: Fellowship, Discipleship

Denomination: Nazarene

Silence And Solitude: Jesus Example

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 16, 2016

Jesus made a habit of withdrawing to "the Hills" or "a lonely place" or "the wilderness" or "a high mountain" or the Garden of Gethsemane. He went to these places before he chose his disciples, after he heard of his cousin John's beheading, after feeding the 5000, after healing a leper, for the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:12, Luke 9:28

Tags: Solitude, Silence

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Pastor, Don't Get Too Excited Over Compliments!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 25, 2021

A NEW MAN AFTER THAT SERMON The minister’s sermon on this particular Sunday was considerably longer than normal. However, it was so well prepared and inspiring that he just knew it would be a big hit with the congregation. At the end of the service he stood shaking hands with the people as they ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Church Members, Compliments, Boring Sermons, Preaching, Humor, Pastors  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Compassion, Lack Of

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 11, 2022

Reading a book called Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian life and the book said, “Compassion is neither our central concern nor our primary stance in life. What we really desire is to make it in life, to get ahead, to be first, to be different. We want to forge our identifies by carving ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:35-38

Tags: Pain, Compassion, Suffering, Competitive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

We Died Before We Came Here

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

When James Calvert went as a missionary to the cannibals of the Fiji Islands, the captain of the ship sought to turn him back, crying out “You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages” Calvert only replied, “We died before we came here.” In ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:1-11

Tags: Discipleship, Missions, Christian Life, Dying To Self, Crucified With Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Too Busy To Die

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 13, 2022

Too busy to read the Bible, too busy to wait and pray; Too busy to speak out kindly, to someone who passes by the way! Too busy working and worrying, to think of the life to come; Too busy building earthly mansions, to plan for the Heaven above. Too busy to help a brother, who faces trials and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27

Tags: Hell, Death, Heaven, Salvation, Funerals  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pride Is Deceitful

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Oct 4, 2023

You can even have pride in the fact that you aren’t proud • An Amish farmer put on a new pair of overalls • Of course the Amish are famous for their simplicity • So, as he was shaving his mustache one morning he stepped back and admired his new clothes in the mirror • He said This will never do, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 11:12

Tags: Pride, Proud

Denomination: Baptist

Excuses

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 4, 2025

Police officers probably get more excuses than anybody (other than God). Here are some I found around the internet: “Sorry officer, I was throwing those beer cans out the window so my wife won’t see how much I drank tonight.” 😊 “If you are going to write me a ticket, please do it quickly ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:18-20

Tags: Excuses, Police

Denomination: Methodist

The Other Side Of The Road!" Luke 17: 1-4 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 18, 2005

“The Other Side of The Road!” Luke 17: 1-4 Key verse(s): 3:“So watch yourselves. ‘If you brother sin, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.’” There but by the grace of god go I! From youth on I was taught the valuable resource of this adage. Along with “Don’t pout or your face will stay ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:1-4

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Lutheran

The Discipline Of Delay!" 1 John 5:13-14 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 13, 2005

“The Discipline of Delay!” 1 John 5:13-14 Key verse(s): 14:“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will he hear us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.” I don’t have time for this now! There is not a day in my life when ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:13-14, Job 15:1-5

Tags: Peace

Denomination: Lutheran

Generations And The Bible  PRO

Contributed by Billy Nale on Oct 19, 2009

GENERATIONS AND THE BIBLE A new research report from the Barna Group examines recent nationwide studies on how different generations of American adults view and use the Bible. For the purposes of this research, the Mosaic generation refers to adults who are currently ages 18 to 25; Busters are ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Timothy 4:12-16

Tags: Bible Truth

Denomination: Baptist

No Jacket Required  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 27, 2004

NO JACKET REQUIRED I shook my head in disbelief. This couldn’t be the right place. After all, I couldn’t possibly be welcome here. I had been given an invitation several times, by several different people, and had finally decided to see what this place was all about. But, this just couldn’t be ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When Your Back Is Against The Wall, Pat Riley, ...  PRO

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Feb 19, 2005

WHEN YOUR BACK IS AGAINST THE WALL, PAT RILEY, NBA COACH The Los Angeles Lakers were dominating the Boston Celtics in the final round of the 1984 National Basketball Association championship. The Lakers beat Boston on their home floor in Game 1. They beat them by 33 points in Game 3. They were ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Pentecostal

John Powell, A Professor At Loyola University In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 9, 2002

John Powell, a professor at Loyola University in Chicago writes about a student named Tommy in his Theology of Faith class: Some twelve years ago, I stood watching my university students file into the classroom for our first session in the Theology of Faith. That was the day I first saw Tommy. ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

A Third Grader's Explanation Of God  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Apr 4, 2001

A THIRD GRADERS EXPLANATION OF GOD Written by Danny Dutton, age 8, from Chula Vista, California, for his third grade homework assignment to "Explain God." One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die so there will be enough people to take care of things on ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23, Galatians 5:1-26

Tags: God The Father, Children

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational