In Sermon Illustrations: "New Ministry"

Slow And Steady

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2022

The power of the Holy Spirit is not just for salvation, but for sanctification, a process that is slow and gradual. The difference might look like this: You can take ten gallons of gasoline and release a tremendous amount of power and energy by just dropping a lighted match into it. It makes a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8

Tags: Holy Spirit, Energy, Fuel

The Brooklyn Bridge Scam

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 13, 2022

The greatest con artist in American history was George C. Parker. After the Brooklyn Bridge opened in NYC in 1883, George C. Parker saw a tourist admiring it, so he decided to try selling it to him. It was so easy, he decided to sell it again. Over a period of years he averaged selling the Brooklyn ...read more

Tags: Sin, Deception, Cheating, Fraud, Liars, Bewitched  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Do You Still Live As A Slave?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 15, 2023

On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln presented what came to be known as the Emancipation Proclamation, an official document condemning human slavery. Abraham Lincoln, realizing that slavery is completely against human dignity, officially abolished it from the United States on ...read more

Tags: Grace, Holy Spirit, Freedom, Legalism, Racism, Liberty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Moving Story Of A Godly Father

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 13, 2023

Hear our Lords Words: BIBLE Be merciful ... even as your Father (in Heaven) is merciful. END (Luke 6:36) Some time ago ... I heard a touching story .... about a humble, ... consecrated pastor ... whose young son had become.... Extremely ill. After the boy had undergone an exhaustive series of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:36, Proverbs 1:8, Matthew 6:1-18

Tags: Father, Father's Day, Salvation, Godly

Denomination: Anglican

The Worst Dad Joke Ever

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jul 17, 2023

I usually begin every one of my Sunday sermons with a funny story to get our congregation comfortable before I begin to dive in deeply to the Word of God. If you like dad jokes or puns (old name) and you want to make your congregation groan a little bit.........check this dad joke out! CHESS ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22, Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Happiness, Joy, Humor, Laughter, Medicine, Dad Jokes  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Encounters With Christ

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Oct 13, 2023

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon interprets part of Micah’s prophecy to refer to pre-New-Testament sightings of Jesus. He gives the examples of Abraham, Jacob, Joshua, and the three heroes of Babylonian Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Observe for a moment here, that each of these four great ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:24, Revelation 22:9, Daniel 3:25, Joshua 5:14, Genesis 18:22, Micah 2:13, Micah 5:2-4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Duty, Crisis, Courage

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Gift That Goes From Zero To 200 In Six Seconds!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 29, 2023

Here’s a funny story for a sermon introduction when you are preaching to your men about remembering special days for the wife and family. Bob forgot his wedding anniversary and his wife was really upset. She told him, “Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to ...read more

Tags: Jews, Holy Days, Husbands, Wives, Israel, Humor, Passover  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Pride Illustration

Contributed by Bruce Blythe on Dec 27, 2023

The Background My observation, after reading my Bible, Observing fellow Christians, And considering my own Christian life is: Pride is the biggest problem, For 99.9% plus of Christians! You could not tell it though. Christians don’t talk about it (much). Preachers don’t preach on it (much). But the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:18

Tags: Lesson, Pride

Denomination: Baptist

You Are Here To Live, Not To Just Make A Living.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 10, 2024

In 1923 a very important meeting was held at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. Attending this meeting were nine of the world's most successful financiers: Charles Schwab, steel magnate: Samuel Insull, president of the largest utility company: Howard Hopson , president of the largest gas ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10

Tags: Greed, Life, Riches, Suicide, Fame, Death, Money, Wealth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Basketball Theology

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 18, 2026

Basketball theology Center/forward — Where nobody usually sits on Sunday mornings. Free throw — A toddler's toss of toys. Timeout A sermon gone too long. On the bench — The organist (pia- nist). Three-point play The structure of any good sermon. Offensive foul — A newly discov- ered baby's ...read more

Scripture: John 4:23-24

Tags: Worship, Sermon

Denomination: Methodist

The Pit

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 18, 2026

The Pit man fell into a pit and couldn't get himself out. A subjective person came along and said: "I feel for you down there." An objective person came along and said: "It's logical that someone would fall down there." A Pharisee said: "Only bad people fall into ...read more

Scripture: James 1:22-27

Tags: Jesus, Helping Others

Denomination: Methodist

The ‘holy Grail' Of Super Glues!" John 17:1-5 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 15, 2005

“The ‘Holy Grail’ of Super Glues!” John 17:1-5 Key verse(s) 4:“I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” It takes a special hand to deal with glue! Some are born to handle the sticky and others not. I am one of the latter lot. While, like most men, I find the ...read more

Scripture: John 17:1-5, Ephesians 4:1-6

Tags: Holy Spirit Attributes, Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Lutheran

Deepika And Discipline  PRO

Contributed by Bala Samson on Aug 27, 2013

DEEPIKA AND DISCIPLINE James 4:8 "Come near to God and He will come near to you..." She is just a doll! Fair, pretty with a smile that could steal anyone's heart; her name is Deepika, four year old daughter of a couple who pick up garbage from residential quarters. She was untamed, dirty, ...read more

Scripture: James 4:8

Tags: Intimacy With God, Drawing Near To God

Denomination: Pentecostal

[022] A Message From A Poem - At His Feet

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 3, 2024

[022] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - AT HIS FEET This poem looks at certain events focussed on being at the Lord’s feet. Those feet that today bear the scars of Calvary, walked this earth in ministry and teaching as God among us. The best known story about the feet of Jesus is this one – {{Luke ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:9-11, Luke 10:39-42, Luke 7:37-38

Tags: Worship, Feet, Devotion, Mary And Martha, At His Feet, Bow At His Feet, Wiping Jesus Feet  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[087]. A Message From A Poem – For All Christians - The Three Os

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 25, 2025

[087]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FOR ALL CHRISTIANS - THE THREE Os There are 9 poems in this Trilogy series. This poem is part of a Trilogy - three sets of three. The first set is addressed to MEN, the second to ALL CHRISTIANS and the third is SPECIFIC. This is the third one in the second set ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:45, James 4:6, 1 Samuel 15:22, Hebrews 5:8-9

Tags: Obedience, Oppose, For All Christians, Wrong, Obey, Opposition, Poetry, Open, Poem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Newton's Story

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 21, 2025

The story of John Newton and the hymn Amazing Grace. Newton’s hymn has grown so familiar to us that we sometimes forget the depth of the testimony behind it. Those lines were not crafted by a saint who lived an unblemished life. They were written by a man who walked through the same spiritual ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 33:12, Ephesians 2:8

Tags: Grace, Redemption

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Let’s Look At Two Scenarios About The ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 12, 2010

Let’s look at two scenarios about the importance of actions, or lack of actions and how we impact a person searching for the truth. T.S. - Let’s explore what the church should look like to people who are seeking a spiritual encounter with the Lord. Scenario 1: “The visitor” John and Amanda ...read more

Tags: Church, Church Practices

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Memories Of A Magnificent Man

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Jun 12, 2017

My father was born in 1911. His older brother, his only sibling, had already died. His father died two years later. In that era no government programs existed to provide for them, so his mother, an Irish immigrant, moved in with his paternal grandparents. His grandfather was a blacksmith, and his ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:3

Tags: Parenting, Legacy, Fatherhood

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Here Are Some More Mom -Ism’s You Could ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 14, 2010

Here are some more Mom -ism’s you could have heard your own mom teach you: From http://www.mothersdaycentral.com/mothers-day-fun/mother-isms/ Rules • “If everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you do it to?” • “I don’t care what [name of best friend]’s parents do, when you’re living in my house ...read more

Tags: Mothers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Can It Be True?  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Aug 2, 2002

HOW CAN IT BE TRUE? I had on brand new clothes, khaki shirt & pants, sent to me in Tibet by some church in the United States. I was 6 years old, and they were size 10. But they were new, and they were mine, and this was a very important event, so I wanted to wear them, and like little ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ