In Sermon Illustrations: "Mission Work"

Plumb Luck

Contributed by Terry Blankenship on Jan 25, 2009

PLUMB LUCK Plumber recovers $78,000 diamond ring; Woman accidentally flushed 7-carat gem down restaurant toilet PHOENIX - Just a case of plumb luck. It took a plumber to retrieve a woman's 7-carat diamond ring after city workers failed in efforts to flush the gem out of the pipes of a restaurant ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:6-7

Tags: Anxiety

Denomination: Baptist

Forget The Cup--Enjoy The Hot ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

FORGET THE CUP--ENJOY THE HOT CHOCOLATE A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Let Me Hear You Play That Harmonica!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 4, 2022

Why do we need to pay attention to what is being said if it is the same old thing that we have heard before? Maybe we need practice in what we are hearing. A young American engineer named Billy was sent to Ireland by his company to work in a new electronics plant. It was a two-year assignment ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19

Tags: Hearing God, Listening, Hearers And Doers, Pay Attention, Paying Attention, Tests Of Faith, Tests Of Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We’re Not Always Headed In The Direction We Think We Are

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on May 30, 2022

Once while living in Dallas, I witnessed to someone I worked with who proceeded to tell me they believed they just needed to be a good person to go to Heaven. Though I explained what the Bible says about being saved, they rejected my witness and went on with their life. It was clear to me they were ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:17, Proverbs 3:6

Tags: Deception, Truth, Right Path, Wrong Doctrine

Denomination: Charismatic

Ukraine & God's Masterplan

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 28, 2022

Closed Doors - Open Doors My first trip to Ukraine was in 2000. We visited Kiev and L'viv to connect with ministry training institutions. In 2002 I made my first teaching trip to L'viv to teach at L'viv Theological Seminary (LTS). It was so rewarding to contribute to God's work in ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17, Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Direction, Obedience, Sovereignty Of God, Ukraine

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jingle Bells At A Funeral?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 22, 2022

Several years ago, a pretty well-known singing group made a monster mistake at a funeral service. This group traveled all around the USA singing and sharing Christ. One of the men in their home church back in Texas told them that he prayed for them, supported them greatly and loved to hear them ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:9

Tags: Christmas, Communication, Confession, Confusion, Embarrassment, Funerals  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Our Influence On Others

Contributed by Richard Tow on Feb 13, 2023

Evangelist Billy Sunday told a story about “a man who lived in east Tennessee. That man hunted rattlesnakes for a living. He would sell rattlesnakes. One particular time he caught a rattlesnake that had fourteen rattlers. It was a huge rattlesnake. He put that rattlesnake in a box and put a glass ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:12

Tags: Compromise, Influence, Example, Leadership, Alcohol  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Fathers Who Talk To Themselves!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 26, 2023

There is a story about a man who stopped in the grocery store on the way home from work to pick up a couple of items for his wife. He wandered around aimlessly for a while searching out the needed groceries. As is often the case in the grocery store, he kept passing this same shopper in almost ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Fruit Of The Spirit, Dads, Children, Parents, Father's Day, Men, Anger, Patience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Joy Of Hearing Your Name

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Apr 26, 2023

This week is the National Football League Draft, a day that thousands of young men have been anticipating for years. I love to watch as the player hears his name called. The smiles. The hugs. Going to the platform and being congratulated by the commissioner. And then donning the jersey and cap of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18

Tags: Heaven, Reward

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Fathers Make A Difference

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 15, 2023

According to the 2022 U.S. Census Bureau, 18.4 million children, 1 in 4, live without a biological, step, or adoptive father in the home. That’s enough children to fill New York City twice or Los Angeles four times over. Research shows that a father's absence affects children in numerous ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:21

Tags: Dad, Fathers Day, Reading

Denomination: Methodist

Soul Food

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 8, 2025

A certain man who had been absent from church for a long time received an inquiring visit from the Pastor. The man told the Pastor, "I've attended nearly every Sunday for 30 years. In that time, I have heard something like 1,500 sermons. In all of those years, people were shouting ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:1-5, Isaiah 40:31, John 6:35

Tags: Worship, Faithfulness, Nourishment

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

There Was A Young Man Who Grew Up In The ...

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Oct 16, 2004

There was a young man who grew up in the backwoods and as his years lengthened, he was sent to school. At first, school was fun to him. He enjoyed being around those children his own age and found great excitement on the playground. Little by little all of this soon was to change. This young ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Dr. Harry Ironside - When I Was A Boy, I Felt It ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Sep 1, 2009

Dr. Harry Ironside - When I was a boy, I felt it was both a duty and a privilege to help my widowed mother make ends meet by finding employment in vacation time, on Saturdays and other times when I did not have to be in school. For quite a while I worked for a Scottish shoemaker, or "cobbler," as ...read more

Tags: Workplace, Workplace Integrity

Denomination: Pentecostal

Dr. James Engel Gives Some Prophetic Advice On ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 22, 2009

Dr. James Engel gives some prophetic advice on building bridges from one generation to the next - the following insights are from the website (www.ChristianLeadershipAlliance.org): i. Don’t oppose this new generation! Don’t oppose each other’s generation. 1. They are not the enemy they are God’s ...read more

Tags: Stewardship, Future Generations

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Story Of Robert Dick Wilson

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Jul 11, 2010

THE STORY OF ROBERT DICK WILSON Robert Dick Wilson was truly a remarkable gentleman. Bible students are indebted to him for the masterful work he did in helping to confirm the credibility of the Old Testament. Robert Wilson was born in 1856; he graduated from Princeton University at the age of ...read more

Tags: Bible Truth

Denomination: Baptist

The "Broken" Sheepdog And The Shepherd  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2011

THE "BROKEN" SHEEPDOG AND THE SHEPHERD Philip Keller tells a story in his book, Lessons from a Sheep Dog, about how a bedraggled collie named Lassie came into his possession. One day he happened to notice an ad in the paper that simply said: "Border collie to good owner. Currently uncontrollable ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-18

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

The Meanest Man In Texas

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 5, 2012

THE MEANEST MAN IN TEXAS Let's finish with the true and amazing story of Clyde Thompson. Clyde's father was a Bible salesman, but when he was old enough to stay home alone, he began refusing to go to church with the rest of the family. Most Sundays, while his family was in church, Clyde was ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Tags: Bible Influence

Baseball - The Curious Case Of Scooter Gennett

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Dec 31, 2018

Baseball And The Curious Case Of Scooter Gennett Baseball is known for its surprises. It's a beautiful game that lets grown men play a kids game. For more than a century of baseball and thousands of games, only 16 men have homered four times in one game. The last was Josh Hamilton, five years ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-3, 1 Corinthians 13:13, Romans 5:1-4

Tags: Perseverance, Hope, Good News

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Moses' Stutter  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Moses’ Stutter The hallway is silent now except for the two wheels of the mop bucket and the shuffle of the old man’s feet. Both sound tired. Both know these floors. How many nights has Hank cleaned them? Always careful to get in the corners. Always careful to set up his yellow caution sign ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Illustration] Some Of You Are Aware That Robin ...

Contributed by Mark Opperman on Jan 3, 2008

-[Illustration] Some of you are aware that Robin and I are in the middle of a house hunt. We would like to buy a house, and live there for quite awhile, if the Lord is willing. We have wanted to buy a home all along, but I just always assumed that we did not really have the buying power to purchase ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God