In Sermon Illustrations: "New King"

The Wrong Target

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 31, 2021

Emmons loses gold medal after aiming at wrong target! 2004 Washington Post: Matt Emmons of the United States shoots at wrong target, finishes eighth. (Douglas C. Pizac -- AP) Matthew Emmons is an elite athlete ! He was an accounting major from Browns Mill, New Jersey. He was a four-year ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:26-30, 1 Corinthians 9:24, 2 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 12:1-3

Tags: Purpose, Priorities, Idolatry

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Gossip Test

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 1, 2021

Another basic concept – sin creates spiritual blindness. Let me illustrate with my favorite sin to talk about… GOSSIP. I’ll stop right here and make sure you know how I define gossip. Before you tell someone a story about another person (even disguised as a prayer request), it needs to pass all ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:37-45

Tags: Sin, Gossip, Spiritual Blindness

Denomination: Methodist

He's A Liar!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jul 2, 2023

A missionary to the American Indians was in Los Angeles with an Indian friend who was a new Christian. As they walked down the street, they passed a man on the corner who was preaching with a Bible in his hand. The missionary knew the man represented a cult, but the Indian saw only the Bible. He ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:1-5, John 17:17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Spirit Of Error, Satan, Discernment, Truth, False Teachers, False Teaching, Spirits, Holy Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Ice Storm Train (1917)

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Dec 4, 2025

In December 1917, a massive ice storm paralyzed New England. A passenger train froze on the tracks outside Hartford, leaving hundreds stranded in subzero temperatures. The passengers had no food, no heat, and no way home on Christmas Eve. Then something remarkable happened. Families living along ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:33-40

Tags: Christmas, Helping Others, Incarnation, Humanity, Trains  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Brethren

The Church Is Not Selfish - President Kennedy Quote

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 9, 2025

Our society ... the world in which we live ... is a self-first ... a self-oriented society. The big question ... often asks by those in the world is ... "What's in it for me?" or "How will I benefit from this?" However, ... we as followers of the Christ ... are a new ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:4, James 3:8-10, John 13:15, Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Body, Self, Selfish, Individual, Benefit, Caring, Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Knowing Everything Is A Blessing And A Curse

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 5, 2023

If you ever spent more than five minutes with me, you would conclude that I do not know everything. I would agree 100%. It is not bad that I don't know everything. I know today more than I knew ten years ago, if that is any consolation. The thing that is surprising to me is that I do not ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5

Tags: Blessing, Curse

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Mastering Fatherhood

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Jun 12, 2017

In 2001, I was serving as the youth pastor of Destiny Church and sitting at my office desk when I received a phone call from my mother. She called with sad news! My grandmother’s health had declined significantly and she was near death. She’d been suffering with Alzheimer’s for over seven years up ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:2

Tags: Parenting, Legacy, Fatherhood

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Think You've Seen Jesus.

Contributed by D Marion Clark on Nov 15, 2010

"I THINK YOU'VE SEEN JESUS." The real putting off and putting on is not so much about our determination to make improvements but about giving ourselves over to our Lord to do the real work in our lives. In the children's book The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, there is a particularly bad boy named ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Sully And Second Nature

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 30, 2011

"SULLY" AND SECOND NATURE Thursday, January 15, 2009, was another ordinary day in New York City. Or so it seemed. But by that evening people were talking of a miracle. They may have been right. But the full explanation is, if anything, even more interesting and exciting. And it strikes just the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Fruit Of The Spirit

Getting Old Is Not For Sissies

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 9, 2019

I will not admit to being old, but I am older than I was 10 years ago. Those 10 years have been filled with all kinds of things helping me to get older. I saw an article that said that 60 is the new 40. I have no idea what that means, but I think out in our culture there is an obsession about age. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 145:7

Tags: Memories, Growing Old

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Sure Miss My Old Typewriter

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 15, 2020

I was going through my office the other day looking for something, and then I saw it for the first time in many years. It was my old typewriter. Most people today have no idea what the typewriter is. I remember, however, my very first typewriter. I was so excited to get it and begin writing with ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Tags: Computer, Typewriter

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Wherever They Are I Will Find Them

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 12, 2022

Recently, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and her spouse took a short vacation that was long overdue. Vacations are very hard to organize and schedule when you have a busy life. But, thanks to the ingenuity of my wife, we were able to plan out a vacation. The motel we stay in is owned by ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 18:22

Tags: Thriftstore, Bargin

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[293]. A Message From A Poem – The Story Of William Shuttleworth

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 19, 2026

[293]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE STORY OF WILLIAM SHUTTLEWORTH Alternate title if you like - WITNESS ON THE PATH OF LIFE Just to begin – you may wonder why I use =========== to separate stanzas. It is because the simple formatting in Sermon Central puts all the lines together and does ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:9-10, John 3:3, 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Story Time, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Born Again, Saved, Crime, Coming To Christ, Converted, A Christian Story, Christ, Salvation, Testimony  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

From Chicago To Memphis  PRO

Contributed by Ray Pritchard on Aug 28, 2003

From Chicago to Memphis That’s always how it is in the life of faith. Many times you will be called to step out for God and you will be precisely where Abraham was—believing God but not knowing what the future holds. When I think of that principle, my mind goes back to a conversation I had ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-40

Tags: Examples Of Faith, Faith General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Once Upon A Time There Was A Young Boy Named ...

Contributed by Kent Kessler on Oct 14, 2010

Once upon a time there was a young boy named Philip. Philip was born with Downs Syndrome. He was a pleasant and happy as most Downs children are--but he grew increasingly aware of the difference between himself and other children. Philip went to Sunday School at a Methodist church. His teacher, ...read more

Tags: Resurrection, Passion Of Christ

Denomination: Methodist

One Saturday Afternoon A Father And His Six-Year ...  PRO

Contributed by Brent Zastrow on Apr 18, 2001

One Saturday afternoon a father and his six-year old son Mickey were fishing near a bridge by the Kokomo Reservoir when a woman lost control of her car, slid off the bridge and hit Mikey at a rate of about 50 mph. Sheriff Marr, the boys grandfather, had seen the results of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:10

Tags: Saint, Miracles Of Jesus, Jesus Christ, God's Provision

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Heard Recently Of A Business Owner Who, As A ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Chapman on May 2, 2001

I heard recently of a business owner who, as a seeker, had employed scores of Christians in his company. He watched them like a hawk. "You know, I was naturally drawn to God by observing Christian workers who were conscientious and kind and thorough and aggressive on the job," he said. "But I’ll ...read more

Tags: Holiness, Sharing My Testimony, Workplace Evangelism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sowing Seeds Of Peace  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Feb 11, 2002

SOWING SEEDS OF PEACE In Europe, 1934, Hitler’s plague of anti-Semitism was infecting a continent. Some would escape it. Some would die from it. But eleven-year-old Heinz would learn from it. He would learn the power of sowing seeds of peace. Heinz was a Jew. The Bavarian village of Fourth, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:11-15

Tags: God Brings Hope, Peace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

President Anwar Sadat's Address To The Israeli ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 3, 2002

President Anwar Sadat’s Address to the Israeli Knesset November 20, 1977 In the name of God, Mr. Speaker of the Knesset, ladies and gentlemen, allow me first to thank deeply the Speaker of the Knesset for affording me this opportunity to address you.... I come to you today on solid ground to ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Anglican

You Say You Will Never Forget Where You Were When ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 21, 2002

You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news On September 11, 2001. Neither will I. I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say "Good-Bye." I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, "Honey, I am not ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God, Hardship Of Life, God's Provision