In Sermon Illustrations: "Night Sky"

Shepherding In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 8, 2010

Shepherding in Israel H.V. Morton gives an account of this sort of thing: "Early one morning I saw an extraordinary sight not far from Bethlehem. Two shepherds had evidently spent the night with their flocks in a cave. The sheep were all mixed together and the time had come for the shepherds to go ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-21

Tags: Pastors

Sound Biblical Thinking

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

SOUND BIBLICAL THINKING There is no substitute for sound, biblical thinking. John Gardner: "An excellent plumber is infinitely more admirable than an incompetent theologian. The society which scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in theology ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1-2

Tags: Doctrine

The Battle Is Really Over

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 24, 2010

THE BATTLE IS REALLY OVER Theologians tell a story to illustrate how Christ’s triumph presently benefits our lives: Imagine a city under siege. The enemy that surrounds they city will not let anyone or anything leave. Supplies are running low, and the citizens are fearful. But in the dark of the ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Brethren

Burning Down Or Smoke Signals?

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 30, 2010

BURNING DOWN OR SMOKE SIGNALS? A shipwrecked man was once washed ashore on an uninhabited island. Using the few things he managed to salvage from the wreck and from whatever he could find on the island, he painstakingly built himself a hut. That little hut was the only protection he had from the ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Brethren

God Is Not A Genie

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 4, 2010

GOD IS NOT A GENIE She was ferocious and yet frail. When I told her that I was a Chaplain she took the opportunity to bombard me with accusations and questions. "What is the use of prayer if God is going to let those 29 miners die anyway? All those good people prayed around the clock for those ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Everyone's Problem

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 7, 2011

EVERYONE'S PROBLEM A mouse looked out through a crack in a farmhouse wall and was distraught to discover a mousetrap. When he went to tell his buddies, the chicken said, "Sorry, pal, not my problem." The pig said, "I'll pray for you." The cow was busy and said, "Come back later." Dejected, the ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Danger Of The Serpent

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 5, 2011

THE DANGER OF THE SERPENT There was a tragedy in Florida. I’m not sure if the baby BURMESE PYTHON came with a warning. If not, it should have. The Oxford, Florida family that brought the serpent home as a pet would live to regret allowing such a creature in the house. The snake, now 12 feet long, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Satan

Only One Test

Contributed by Brad Henry on Aug 19, 2011

ONLY ONE TEST For some crazy reason I have one of those migraine headaches this morning that started last night. I tried to pray this morning but couldn’t get past the pain. I spoke to God but more about MY pain instead of your pain. But I knew that I wanted to get this lesson out. Sometimes when ...read more

Tags: Tithes

Are You Missing Jesus?

Contributed by William Akehurst on Dec 18, 2011

ARE YOU MISSING JESUS? During the manger scene of the kids' Christmas presentation, one of the important pieces was missing on the set.  As everyone was looking around, I noticed the bag in which this important part was hidden and went up in the stage area and retrieved it for the part.  The ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Kyle Idleman On Tomorrow

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 19, 2013

When fans are asked about when they will get serious about their commitment to follow Jesus, the most common answer is tomorrow. There is a tendency to treat our relationship with Jesus like the diet we keep meaning to start. I'm going to start eating right, as soon as I finish off this chicken ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:59-60

Tags: Surrender, Jesus Christ, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Framed

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 11, 2019

A cow and a chicken were framed and thrown into prison. They knew they had to get out to bring the criminals to justice so they spent weeks designing escape plans. Finally, a month after they had been thrown in, they escaped in the middle of the night. However, they weren't silent enough and ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 39:1-23

Tags: Framed, Accused

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Not Loving The World

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Jul 30, 2021

It was very late Wed. Night of last week. I had only just finally gotten to relax after working on sermons all day and helping my friends a little with their move. So my plan was, while I was working some more on my sermons, to listen to a documentary about John Foxe, the author of Foxes Book of ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15, Romans 12:2

Tags: Obedience, Taking Up Your Cross, Not Loving The World

Denomination: Charismatic

Persecution Under Nero

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Aug 27, 2023

The Coliseum was not the first Roman Arena designed for the glorification of gore during the persecution of Christians and the bloodthirsty desires of Nero. Within walking distance of the Coliseum is the site where Nero’s circus once stood. It was here, just a few years before the construction of ...read more

Scripture: John 15:18-27

Tags: Coliseum, Persecution

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

It Happened At Work…

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Sep 3, 2023

Church chuckle: It Happened at work… Like the situation that a nurse shared which happened at the hospital where she works. One night a young intern came into the hospital ward shaking her head. "There’s an old man out there by the vending machines," she continued, "and he’s putting ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:23

Tags: Funny Stories, The Work Place, Vending Machines, Work, Humor, Labor Day  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Swallowed By A Whale - The Sign Of Jonah

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 13, 2025

Jonah was in the belly of a great fish for 3 days and 3 nights! A kayaker from Chile was in the mouth of a Humpback whale for about 3 seconds - before being spit out! The story was reported by CNN (February 13, 2025) A humpback whale briefly swallowed a 24-year-old kayaker last Saturday during ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:17, Matthew 12:39, Matthew 12:40

Tags: Bible, Jonah, Miracles, Rejection, Escape, Signs, Reliability Of Scripture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jesus Loves Me—and I Love Jesus!

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 8, 2025

Sociology professor Anthony Campolo recalls a deeply moving incident that happened in a Christian junior high camp where he served. One of the campers, a boy with spastic paralysis, was the object of heartless ridicule. When he would ask a question, the boys would deliberately answer in a halting, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Testimony

Denomination: Methodist

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

The New Guideposts Christmas Treasury (3) Tells ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The New Guideposts Christmas Treasury (3) tells a story of a little girl was wasn’t easy to love. Her name was Phyllis, and her Sunday School Teacher tells this story about her: "Phyllis wasn’t an easy child to love...sometimes I did wish she wasn’t in the particular Sunday School class that I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:46-55

Tags: Christmas, Children

How God Protected David Brainerd During ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 30, 2010

How God Protected David Brainerd During Missionary Work American history tells of missionary saints who interceded for those of this land too. In answer to the question, "What can be done to revive the work of God where it has decayed?" John Wesley once said, "Let every preacher read carefully ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 5:6-10

Tags: Missions

Misfired Twice!

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 19, 2024

Story from Bob Hostetler in Red Letter Prayer Life: Two of my dearest friends in the world, Dave and Becky, told me the amazing story of their mission trip some years ago to the mountain town of San Luis, Honduras. They traveled as part of a combined medical and evangelistic team that served the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:13

Tags: Protection, Deliverance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ