In Sermon Illustrations: "Missionary Work"

God Picks The Unlovable Ones

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

GOD PICKS THE UNLOVABLE ONES Anne Lamott described a time when a fellow church member told about adopting her son through an organization called A.S.K. -- Adopt Special Kids. Part of the adoption process included filling out a questionnaire checking "yes" or "no" for one's willingness to adopt ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-42

Tags: Adoption

Reactions Can Be Worse Than Actions  PRO

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Sep 12, 2011

REACTIONS CAN BE WORSE THAN ACTIONS While in seminary, I worked at a local Christian radio station. Part of my duties was to take hourly meter readings from the transmitter and place them on a log sheet that was subject to FCC review. The building featured indoor/outdoor green carpet, and the day ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Action

Denomination: Baptist

God's Greatness

Contributed by Ed Lu on Nov 26, 2011

GOD'S GREATNESS Today it doesn’t take wars or persecutions to challenge our Christian faith or religious practices. No spears, no swords, no fiery torches or saddled horses to combat our religiosity. Sadly, these so called wars and battles among Christians are domesticated within the surrounding ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23

Tags: Greatness

Denomination: Baptist

Smelly Collections

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 28, 2011

SMELLY COLLECTIONS He may dress like a skid-row bum and smell like a dead rat, but Andy Smulian is a hit among London businessmen plagued by those who won't pay their bills. Employed by the London-Manhattan Debt Collection Agency, the 20-years-old youth will stumble into a deadbeat's office for ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Independent/Bible

We Should Be Striving On A Daily Basis To Worship ...

Contributed by Mark Thometz on Aug 27, 2012

We should be striving on a daily basis to worship God in new, loving and exciting ways. It's very easy to become comfortable in our worship. We have that thing on Sunday and sometimes Wednesday and we may even dust off our Bible every now and then to read it. What about feeding the hungry as ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: Christian Church

Timanthes And The Do-Over

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Jan 5, 2013

TIMANTHES AND THE DO-OVER Over 2,000 years ago a young Greek artist named Timanthes (Tim-an-thes) painted this picture - The Sacrifice of Iphigenia. Before he painted this masterpiece when the artist Timanthes (Tim-an-thes) was a young man, he studied under a well-known and highly respected tutor. ...read more

Tags: Learning

Denomination: Brethren

On Shepherds  PRO

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

What do we know about the shepherd's life? It's a full time commitment. Sheep are helpless to defend themselves against attack from their natural enemies: lions, bears, wolves, hyenas and foxes which can come in both the day and night so there is never a moment a shepherd can relax. Sheep must be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Tags: Shepherd, Shepherd's Life

Denomination: Methodist

Trials

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 28, 2015

Sam Dixon was the General Secretary of the United Methodist Committee on Relief. He died under the rubble in the Montana Hotel of Haiti, serving God while meeting with other relief agencies to work together to better help the Haitian people. When one serves God so faithfully and suddenly is killed, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-16

Tags: God's Sovereignty, Serving, Choices, The Price To Follow

Denomination: Methodist

When Good Intentions Go Wrong

Contributed by Jeremiah Menyongai on Mar 15, 2016

Illustration 2: In Tanzania, two guys went for an interview. One was smarter than the other but they were good friends and willing to work together so the less smarter could pass. The educated one said if he went first, he would come back with the answers to the interview questions. It happens that ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 26:1-33

Tags: Examine, Follower, Repeat, Mess, Ignorant, Stupid, Independent, Intention, Dull, Dummy, Ax, Evaluate, Test  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

A Lesson In Hope

Contributed by Thomas Clawser on Apr 1, 2017

They still tell the story at William and Mary College of daffy, magnificent President Ewell. For a century and a half, this prestigious Virginia school had been a leader among American universities. Then came the Civil War. In the hard days of reconstruction that followed, William and Mary went ...read more

Scripture: John 11:38-44

Tags: Hope, New Life, Lent

Denomination: Other

Cast Your Net On The Right Side

Contributed by Herb Pulse on Jun 28, 2017

I come from a fishing family. When I became old enough to walk, I became old enough to experience the wonderful world of fishing. One of things I particularly love is throwing a shad net. Often times it becomes very draining work, and at the tender age of 12 I became the primary go-to-guy for ...read more

Scripture: John 21:6

Tags: Jesus, Net, Cast

Denomination: Christian Church

Ten Years Of Fact Checking

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

It’s an old stereotype that politicians are likely to “massage the truth” a little bit. That’s probably as generous as that can be said. With that in mind, I was intrigued recently when PolitiFact celebrated their tenth anniversary. PolitiFact is a non-partisan, independent organization that ...read more

Tags: Bible, Truth

Denomination: Baptist

Louis Braille And The Will Of God

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 15, 2019

I do not know if Louis Braille was a believer, but his life is an example of a sovereign God causing all things to work together for good - In the French Academy of Science there is a rather plain, old shoemaker's awl on display. The story behind the awl is quite extraordinary. To look at it, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Miracles, Testimony, Will Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Want To Play Beethoven's Piano?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 5, 2023

J Vernon McGee offers the following illustration of humility of mind and adds a practical application. The story is told of a group of people who went in to see Beethoven’s home in Germany. After the tour guide had showed them Beethoven’s piano and had finished his lecture, he asked if any of them ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-11, Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Humility, Spiritual Gifts, Position, Servants, Lowliness Of Mind, Service, Honor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Never Satisfied, More!

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 23, 2024

REMEMBER THE STORY ABOUT THE DOG AND HIS BONE? There was a real smart dog that had searched and searched for just the right bone. After several hours the dog found a real big wonderful bone. He picked the good bone up and started home with his prized bone. On the way home the dog had to pass over a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:18

Tags: Comparison, Satisfied

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Spiritual Zombies

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 2, 2025

Ephesians 2:1-3 “2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-5

Tags: Born Again, Zombies, Spiritually Dead

Denomination: Methodist

Long Process Of Crucifixion

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

Roman crucifixion was a long, drawn-out process that often lasted for several days. This was not the case for Jesus - "Pilate marveled that He was already dead…" Mark 15:44. What happens on that cross? • With weight on the wrists - the chest is stretched when the person is slumped ...read more

Scripture: Mark 15:44, John 19:33-34

Tags: Water, Blood, Crucifixion, Sermon

Denomination: Methodist

The Anchor That Holds

Contributed by Samuel Shamaun on Jan 20, 2026

A pastor once visited a small fishing village and noticed many boats tied securely at the shore. During a storm, the waves were strong, and the wind was fierce. Some boats drifted dangerously, but others remained steady and unmoved. Curious, the pastor asked a fisherman why some boats stayed safe ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 6:19

Tags: Faith, Hope

Denomination: Pentecostal

August 22, 1741, Was A Sweltering Day In The ...  PRO

Contributed by John Hamby on Mar 27, 2001

“August 22, 1741, was a sweltering day in the city of London. An elderly stooped-shouldered man wandered through the streets. His nightly aimless wandering through the streets of the city had become a familiar ritual. His angry mind raced back to the memories of great adulation and then looked at a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:1-31

Tags: Sacrifice, God In The Hardships, Endurance

Denomination: Baptist

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