In Sermon Illustrations: "Need A Friend"

Faith In The Colombian Jungle

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Aug 10, 2011

FAITH IN THE COLOMBIAN JUNGLE A man named Bruce Olson went to Colombia many years ago as a missionary to the headhunters in the far southern jungle, near the border with Brazil. The book that tells his story is Bruchko, the name the Indians called him since they couldn't wrap their tongues around ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Temptation Doesn't Always End In Failure

Contributed by Brad Henry on Sep 7, 2011

TEMPTATION DOESN'T ALWAYS END IN FAILURE The same Spirit that came down from heaven like a dove now led Jesus into the desert so He could be tempted by Satan. Why? Have you ever felt that you have been unjustly persecuted? Have you ever felt passed over, left behind, cast away or just can't seem ...read more

Tags: Temptation Of Christ

Millions Far From God

Contributed by Antonio Silveira on Sep 17, 2011

MILLIONS FAR FROM GOD In the latest global statistics, they say that the population of Earth is now 7 billion people. About 2 billion of these people claim to be Christian. Not everyone that claims to be a Christian is truly a Christian. Maybe there is about 1 billion that are true followers (I ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Baptist

What's The Demand?

Contributed by Scott Jensen on Feb 5, 2012

WHAT'S THE DEMAND? The magazine, Christianity Today, reported in its April 4, 1986 issue of a tool company that manufactured drill bits. Faced with financial losses, company executives gathered to discuss the problem: a declining demand for drill bits. The CEO challenged his men: "How can we ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:29-39

Tags: Truth

Denomination: Lutheran

We Are Here! We Are Here!

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 23, 2013

WE ARE HERE! WE ARE HERE! From movie, "Horton Hears a Who!" Clip from movie about 5 minutes. The "Who" people with the help of Horton shouted, proclaimed, cried out and made themselves heard -- it was life and death by the way -- they did this to let the rest of the world around them know that ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Going Beyond Our Teachers  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jul 9, 2013

A well-known Bible teacher gives this insight: "Someone on our staff informed me several months ago that a woman had called the ministry office to find out what my 'official position' was on a biblically gray area. When she was told that it's not my policy to make 'official' public statements ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23

Tags: Legalism, Opinion, Spiritual Growth, Debatable

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

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

I'm That Clown!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 1, 2016

I’M THAT CLOWN It is said that in a great city there was a physician famous for his wisdom. A man came to him one day and said, "Doctor, I want you to see what is wrong with me." The doctor checked him over and said, "Your heart is all right. Your lungs are all right. Your blood pressure is ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-12

Tags: Happiness, Joy, Emptiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Happiness Is Not Found In More Things....

Contributed by Garris Hudson on May 19, 2016

HAPPINESS IS NOT FOUND IN MORE THINGS... If having more would make us happy, we would never need the Tenth Commandment - "You shall not COVET.’ It is written especially for unhappy people who think that happiness is found in more things. Have you heard the story about the king who fell into a ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-17

Tags: Happiness, Materialism, Ten Commandments, Coveting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Five Facts About Valleys

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 17, 2017

God designs valleys for His sheep to grow and sometimes He has to "make us lie down" there to teach us how to trust Him. Here are 5 facts about valleys we need to remember: 1. Valleys are INEVITABLE. Jesus promised valleys would come in this world (John 16:33). 2. Valleys are UNPREDICTABLE. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-4

Tags: Character, Tests, Trials, Valleys Of Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fallen

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 23, 2019

Fallen I wanted to be the best you ever had. Now, I am a lonesome, loathsome cad. I once drank in Your holy truth. Now, I drown myself in gin and vermouth. I told others of the sacrifice you gave. Now, it is my soul You need to save. I sang the power of the Blood Then dragged you Name ...read more

Tags: Repentance, Sorrow

Denomination: Baptist

The One Thing That Really Matters

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 30, 2020

In just a short time, just like He did with the plagues of ancient Egypt, God has taken away everything that we worship as an idol in place of Him. It is as if God were screaming for a world to hear, You want to worship ATHLETES? I will shut down the stadiums. You want to worship MUSICIANS? ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Worship, Revival, Judgment, Repentance, Brokenness, Idolatry, Coronavirus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When Unity Comes

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Dec 17, 2020

Psalms 133:1 A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 133:1, Ephesians 4:3, Ephesians 4:13

Tags: Unity, Maturity

Denomination: Baptist

Never Despair (What A Hilarious Story!)

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 14, 2021

Robert Morgan has the following humorous illustration to encourage us to emulate Paul and "never despair". I read about a man whose route to work every day took him through a particular park in the city, and every day he saw an old fellow sitting on the park bench. This fellow was an ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Tags: Humor, Discouragement, Depression, Despair

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Let The Devil Hang A Nail On Your Door!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 8, 2022

A Haitian pastor illustrated to his congregation the need for total commitment to Christ by sharing this parable: A certain man wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn't afford the full price. After much bargaining, ...read more

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Prayer, Commitment To Christ, Strongholds, Satah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Can I Serve Your Sentence For You?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 10, 2022

Chuck Swindoll once told the story of a seminary student in Chicago who faced a forgiveness test. Although he preferred to work in some kind of ministry, the only job he could find was driving a bus on Chicago's south side. One day a gang of tough teens got on board and refused to pay the ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness, Forgiving Others

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Misunderstandings Can Be Hilarious

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 6, 2022

Misunderstandings happen all the time. Here are some: My toddler was about to hit her head on a bar at the playground, so I told her to duck. She quacked at me and then hit her head. A guy ran into a service station and said he needed some 710. They had no idea what he was talking about. So he ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-11

Tags: Humor, Literal, Misunderstanding, Too Literal, Miscommunication  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Overwhelming Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

A wonderful example of how to practice the lifestyle of grace comes from an incident in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on October 2, 2006, when a man entered an Amish schoolhouse and murdered 5 girls while wounding 5 others before killing himself. As horrific as this was, the greater story was the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 65:3

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

Busyness - Work Without Rest

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 25, 2026

The New Testament speaks to work: if a man will not work, he should not eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10) But too much work ... without rest ... is not a good thing. We should build into our lives ... a rhythm of working ... and resting. When God created the world, ... He wasn't giving us a law ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:10, Exodus 34:21, Matthew 11:28

Tags: Quiet, Busyness, Busy, Time, Rest, Resting, Sabbath  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

The Parable Of The Fig Tree  PRO

Contributed by Ty Tamasaka on Jul 26, 2011

THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE 6 "Then Jesus told this story: 'A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, 'I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:6-9

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Denomination: Other