In Sermon Illustrations: "Moving Forward"

The Hilarious Baptism Experience!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 2, 2014

I remember the time I came to the platform to officiate in a formal wedding. I had just come out of the bathroom and didn't realize until I was in front of all those people that stuck to my shoe and trailing behind was an eight-foot stream of toilet paper I remember the time I looked down in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Baptism, Easter, Humor, Pastors

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bobby Richardson - Witnessing In The World Series!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 17, 2017

Bobby Richardson is one of my spiritual heroes. What a blessing to meet this awesome witness for Christ who led Mickey Mantle to faith in Christ before he died. This story makes me love Bobby even more! It was the seventh game of the 1962 World Series between the New York Yankees and the San ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:1-20

Tags: Evangelism, Eternity, Gospel, Witnessing

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Silent Kindness

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 27, 2019

Sir Nicholas George Winton – “A Silent Kindness” Nicholas Winton’s parents were German Jews who had moved to London two years before his birth. The family name was Wertheim, but was changed to Winton, they also converted to Christianity, and had Nicholas baptised. Nicholas Winton became a banker ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:15-17

Tags: Love, Children, Compassion, Kindness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mercy In A World War 2 Battle

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 1, 2020

Here is a unique, moving story about "MERCY" from the Second World War: The American pilot glanced outside his cockpit and froze. He blinked hard and looked again, hoping it was just a mirage. But his co-pilot stared at the same horrible vision. “Dear God, this is a nightmare,” the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Hate, Ww2, Mercy, Beatitudes, War  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Never Surrender

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 28, 2020

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. When the 101st Airborne was surrounded in WWII the Germans asked them to surrender. General Anthony McAuliffe replied, "Nuts!" The Germans tried to figure what that meant and while they ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:29

Tags: Ministry, Victory, Surrender, Defeat, Calling  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Importance Of Children's Ministry

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 21, 2020

Children can surely come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as amply testified by the following well known believers... Polycarp, the great church father, was nine when he was saved. Matthew Henry was eleven. Jonathan Edwards, America’s greatest theologian, was seven. Hymn writer, Isaac Watts, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:14, 2 Timothy 3:14-16

Tags: Children, Salvation, Missions, Call Of God, Ministers, Evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Enticed By A False Prophet

Contributed by Richard Tow on Apr 26, 2021

Shortly after Jeanie and I were married, we were fresh out of Bible College and I was doing some teaching. The associate pastor of our church approached us in private with a very flattering word. He said that God had told him to gather an elite circle of you couples for him and his wife to mentor. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:29, 1 John 2:27

Tags: Prophecy, False Prophets, Deception

Denomination: Charismatic

Wrong Way Roy Riegels

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 13, 2022

In the 1929 Rose Bowl, Georgia Tech was playing the University of California when the ball popped out of the hands of a Georgia Tech back. Roy Riegels, the University of California center, scooped it up and cut across the field. Then, finding himself hemmed in, he reversed his field. It was at this ...read more

Tags: Grace, Repent, Legalism, False Teaching, Football, Sermon Introduction  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Have This Much Self Control?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2023

I heard a funny story about a stunt pilot who was selling rides in his single engine airplane. One day he got into an argument with a pastor who insisted on taking his wife along at no extra charge. Not wanting to miss out on a chance to make some cash, the pilot said, “I’ll take you both up for ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Marriage, Self Denial, Fruit Of The Spirit, Works Of The Flesh, Self Control, Character Of Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Tragedy On The Drawbridge

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 12, 2023

A man had the duty to raise a drawbridge to allow the steamboats to pass on the river below and to lower it again for trains to cross over on land. One day, this man's son visited him, desiring to watch his father at work. Quite curious, as most boys are, he peeked into a trapdoor that was ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, Romans 5:8

Tags: Salvation, Gospel, Cross, Calvary, Blood Of Jesus, Death Of Christ, Evangelism, Easter, Crucifixion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Shrewd And Smart

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 22, 2025

3 Greeks and 3 Turks are traveling by train to a conference. At the station, the 3 Turks each buy tickets and watch as the 3 Greeks buy only a single ticket. “How are 3 people going to travel on only one ticket?” asks one Turk. “Watch and you’ll see,” answers one Greek. They all board the train. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:9-16, Matthew 10:16

Tags: Shrewd, Dishonest, Smart, Cheating, Trick, Enemies, Tricky, Tricking, Humiliating  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Finish The Race

Contributed by John Bright on Jul 11, 2025

“John Stephen Akhwari is an Olympic legend. Representing his country, Tanzania, he was a favorite to win the marathon at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Well-rested. Ready. His expectations were high. The Olympic marathon began in the afternoon of October 20, 1968. John Stephen Akhwari ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:1-3, 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Tags: Integrity, Finish Well, Cloud Of Witnesses, Run The Race

Denomination: Methodist

Why Be So Negative?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Dec 12, 2025

NEGATIVE: One young boy stood holding on to the poles behind me. He was a smart young man. During the trip the young boy talked how stupid his teachers were. The conversation turned about how bad the principal and the office staff was. Then he told me how our best Sunday School teacher was ignorant ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:22

Tags: Negative, Attitude

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Little Word That Changes Everything

Contributed by David Dunn on Dec 26, 2025

Opening (attention hook) (Hold up a big card with the word IF written on it) “Does anyone know this word?” (Let them shout: IF!) “This is a tiny word… but it can change what happens next.” >> The Story There was a little girl named Lily, and Lily loved to ask questions. One morning her ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15, James 1:22

Tags: Obedience, Choice

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Bring Back The Rotary Phone?" Acts 13:42-52 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 11, 2005

“Bring Back the Rotary Phone?” Acts 13:42-52 Key verse(s): 50:“But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.” There are three things you can do in life when ...read more

Scripture: Acts 13:42-52

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Tiger Breath!" Matthew 6:9-13 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 6, 2005

“Tiger Breath!” Matthew 6:9-13 Key verse(s): 13:“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” It has been foreordained that life is a temptation! Now that is a depressing thought if I ever heard one. Foreordained? That means that no matter what I do or how I do it, ultimately I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13, Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Risk Of Sin, Release, Sin Separates From God, Sin Exposed

Denomination: Lutheran

The Spirit Of Power That We Receive Is Not Like ...  PRO

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Oct 28, 2007

The Spirit of Power that we receive is not like the human power that we recognize as strong. It’s a power unlike anything we can do on our own. A young man growing up in the wrong part of Houston became a bully. He would get in fights in school, in the neighborhood, and began mugging people to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:49, Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 28:19, Luke 9:57-67, Zechariah 4:6, Psalm 33:16-18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Friend, Friendship

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Coolest Dad In The Universe  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

THE COOLEST DAD IN THE UNIVERSE He was 50 years old when I was born, and a "Mr. Mom" long before anyone had a name for it. I didn’t know why he was home instead of Mom, but I was young and the only one of my friends who had their dad around. I considered myself very lucky. Dad did so many things ...read more

Tags: Father's Day, Parenting

Musician Learns A Lesson By Following A Band ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2010

Musician Learns a Lesson by Following A Band Director’s Advice I would like to begin by sharing with you today an event in my life that at the time felt like the worst thing that had ever happened to me, but which in retrospect has proven to be a significant and defining point of my life. This ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10

On May 27, 1992, In Sarajevo, One Of The Few ...

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Sep 16, 2004

On May 27, 1992, in Sarajevo, one of the few bakeries that still had a supply of flour was making and distributing bread to the starving, war-shattered people. At 4 P.M. a long line stretched into the street. Suddenly, a mortar shell fell directly into the middle of the line, killing 22 people ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General, Endurance, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Pentecostal