In Sermon Illustrations: "Night"

Dave Dravecky On The Impact Of Suffering On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 22, 2009

Dave Dravecky on the Impact of Suffering on Faith Again, it’s a reminder that following Christ is risky and that suffering will come. Jesus makes it very clear: there is no avoiding the cross. Peter couldn’t avoid it, and neither can we. Dave Dravecky was a professional baseball pitcher who lost ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Enduring Trials, Trials And Difficulties

Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell Injured During 9/11 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 1, 2009

Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell Injured during 9/11 Attack on Pentagon On September 11, Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell watched the television in his boss’ office as a second hijacked airplane slammed into the World Trade Center. The Army officer had no idea that minutes later madmen would ram a Boeing 757 into ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Tags: War

Shoes Pave The Way To The Kingdom

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

SHOES PAVE THE WAY TO THE KINGDOM Because Vance is an African American living in a predominately Hispanic neighborhood, he stands out. But what really sets Vance apart is that he is a servant-hearted father who cares not only for his own kids, but also for the many other kids who play in the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Evangelism How To

Baptism Of Paul ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

Baptism of Paul Harvey Paul Harvey wrote about his own baptism. He said that even though he had received almost every reward for his broadcasting ability that he still felt empty inside. One summer, however, he and his wife were vacationing in a place called Cave Creek, AZ. Sunday morning came and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:21-22

Tags: Baptism

Rene' Gets Lost

Contributed by Paul Kendall on Apr 23, 2010

RENE' GETS LOST In her freshman year of college, my daughter Rene’ agreed to take some friends to the Tampa airport as they returned home for Christmas break. They showed her the way there-—and to get back-—she would simply follow the same route backwards and then come on home to celebrate ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:8

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: *other

How Basketball Weighed In On Racial ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 30, 2010

How Basketball Weighed in on Racial Integration On Friday we watched the film, Glory Road, the 1966 story of how the integrated Texas Western basketball team defeated Adolph Rupp’s all-white Kentucky Wildcats. At a time when schools in the Southeastern Conference refused scholarships to black ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:26-29

Tags: Racism, New Years

Not Success But Faithfulness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 12, 2010

NOT SUCCESS BUT FAITHFULNESS Jordan was a man of unusual abilities and commitment. He had two Ph.D.s, one in agriculture and the other in Greek and Hebrew. He was so gifted he could have chosen to do anything he wanted. He chose to serve the poor. In the 1940s, he founded a farm in Americus, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3

Tags: Endurance

The In-Laws: "Are You A Praying Man?"

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Nov 19, 2010

THE IN-LAWS: "ARE YOU A PRAYING MAN?" Sheldon Kornpett was a quiet, reserved man with a successful dental practice in Manhattan, that is, until he met his future in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. Vince Ricardo. Sheldon’s daughter was soon to be married to their son, so Sheldon’s wife hosted a dinner party at ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

History Of "The Star Spangled Banner"

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2011

HISTORY OF "THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER" An American lawyer was dispatched to negotiate for the release of several prisoners, including a civilian named Dr. William Beanes. Although the negotiation for prisoner exchange was initially successful, Francis Scott Key and the American official, Colonel ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:51-58

Tags: Independence Day

Peale: A Simple Christmas In Africa

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 17, 2011

PEALE: A SIMPLE CHRISTMAS IN AFRICA Norman Vincent Peale writes of spending Christmas in Africa with his wife, children and grandchildren. He was hesitant but his wife told him he would love every minute of it. And yet, as Christmas day approached he was troubled because everything Christmas was ...read more

Tags: Christmas Eve

Denomination: Methodist

Making Your Life Count For Something

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2011

MAKING YOUR LIFE COUNT FOR SOMETHING Many years ago at a Presbyterian retreat center near Asheville, NC, the annual summer conference was being held. An elderly man with a neatly clipped white goatee and resonant voice rose to speak. He explained that he was a medical doctor and he had a story to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33

Tags: Missions

The City And Its Crosses

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 20, 2011

THE CITY AND ITS CROSSES Two water towers have always served as landmarks for travelers heading for their homes near Wauconda, Illinois. But especially at the holidays. More than 40 years ago, John Kuester, then village police chief, suggested mounting large twin crosses on the towers to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Christian Witness

The More Precious Gift

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2011

THE MORE PRECIOUS GIFT It is not easy always for people to understand the significance of a gift, or the sacrifices that went behind it. Two students shared a room in college. After returning from the Christmas' winter break, Andrew asked his roommate what presents he has received for ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Tags: Christmas

Hathcock's Heroism

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 19, 2011

HATHCOCK'S HEROISM Hathcock has one of the most impressive mission records of any sniper in the Marine corps. During the Vietnam War he amassed 93 confirmed kills, saving the lives of hundreds or even thousands of Marines. The Vietnam army put a $30,000 bounty on his life for killing so many of ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13

Tags: Heroism

Elijah Cadman

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

ELIJAH CADMAN Let me tell you about the six-year-old drunken chimney sweep who went on to become a great leader in our movement. Elijah Cadman was born in Coventry, the youngest of five children of a drunkard father who died when Cadman was three years old. Aged six, Cadman was unusually small ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Tags: Becoming A Christian

Daughter Of A Jew-Catcher

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 21, 2011

DAUGHTER OF A JEW-CATCHER I recently read an article by a minister who had been invited to preach to a church Congregation in Holland. His visit coincided with the Dutch Day of Remembrance, held each year on the anniversary of Holland’s liberation from the Nazis. His talk was preceded by several ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:28-33

Tags: Father's Day

John Stott, A Humble Man

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2011

JOHN STOTT, A HUMBLE MAN I like the way Thomas Carlyle put it some time ago. He said, "One example is worth a thousand arguments." (Thomas Carlyle, quoted in Men of Integrity, July/August 2000; www.Preaching Today.com) In difficult times, we don't need dictators and arguments. We need leaders ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-4

Tags: Humility

What Will You Do With Jesus This Christmas?

Contributed by David Tack on Dec 2, 2011

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS THIS CHRISTMAS? Many years ago in the countryside of Bethlehem the townsfolk prepared for just another day, though this day was quite extraordinary. The shepherds were out tending to their sheep and the Jewish nation was feeling the restraints of Roman oppression. ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

The "Regard For Others" Ethic

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Jan 24, 2012

THE "REGARD FOR OTHERS" ETHIC John Sommerville currently teaches history at the University of Florida. He has been carrying out an exercise with his students for years. He challenges his students with the following thought experiment. Imagine that you see a little old lady coming down the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Tags: Neighbor

Denomination: Baptist

Painlessness Is Your Enemy

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jan 31, 2012

PAINLESSNESS IS YOUR ENEMY Dr Paul Brand was born in India to missionary parents and spent most of his life caring for people who couldn’t feel pain - people with leprosy. He spent much of life studying pain. At one point he was given a grant to develop a system of warning that would protect ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Baptist