In Sermon Illustrations: "Not Prepared"

A Missionary Had Arrived In A Small Chinese Town. ...

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Feb 20, 2008

A missionary had arrived in a small Chinese town. After she arrived, she soon noticed that a gang of bandits had just destroyed the little town and everything in it. Then a native Christian, showed the missionary the ruins of his home; a burnt roof and structure, and furniture, all turned to ashes. ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

When Charles Spurgeon Was Pastor At New Park ...

Contributed by Bruce Landry on Feb 25, 2008

When Charles Spurgeon was pastor at New Park Street in London, God used his words to bring about amazing changes in the lives of people. A man who was on his way to get some gin saw the crowd at the church door and pushed his way in to see what was going on. At that moment, Spurgeon turned and ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Just Worship God And Let Him Take Care Of The ...

Contributed by Scott Carroll on Mar 8, 2008

JUST WORSHIP GOD AND LET HIM TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEMS The citizens of Feldkirch, Austria, didn’t know what to do. Napoleon’s massive army was preparing to attack. Soldiers had been spotted on the heights above the little town, which was situated on the Austrian border. A council of citizens was ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Excuses, Excuses...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Feb 6, 2009

EXCUSES, EXCUSES... This is the time of year when we attempt to fulfill our New Year's excuses...oops, I mean resolutions. And speaking of resolutions...oops, I mean excuses, I found several good ones this week as I prepared for this morning. I make no excuse for any of them. This is one from a ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Church Of God

I Sat In A Courtroom As A Witness For The Motel ...

Contributed by Jerry Blaxton on Aug 27, 2009

I sat in a courtroom as a witness for the motel I was working for, and, we were waiting on our case to come up, and one of the cases that was presented, was a man who stole food from a grocery store, and the reason he gave was that he and his family were hungry. Now, it is a terrible thing that we ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Baptist

Civil War General Desires Baptism After Being ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 24, 2009

Civil War General Desires Baptism After being Mortally Wounded Gen. William Nelson, a Union general in the Civil War, was consumed with the battles in Kentucky when a brawl ended up in his being shot, mortally, in the chest. He had faced many battles, but the fatal blow came while he was relaxing ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:38

Tags: Baptism

When We Walk Into God's House To Worship We ...

Contributed by Hugh Laing on Feb 15, 2010

When we walk into God's House to worship we should leave ALL else behind. We should be here to commune with God only and if we are here for any other reason we should not be here. And I must say this also...we should have prepared to be here. How? On our knees praying for guidance. Why do I say ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Baptist

The Ant And The Grasshopper

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2010

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER In a field one summer’s day a grasshopper was hopping about, singing to its heart’s content. An ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. "Why not come and play with me," said the grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:1-23

Tags: Judgment

Major Osipovich, An Air Force Pilot For The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2011

Major Osipovich, an Air Force pilot for the former USSR, planned to give a talk at his children's school about peace. That meant he would have to take some time off during the day to give his talk, so he volunteered for night duty. That’s how Major Osipovich found himself patrolling the skies over ...read more

Scripture: John 14:27

Tags: Peace

Any Excuse Will Do

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2011

ANY EXCUSE WILL DO In one of the “Big Three” conferences during World War II, Roosevelt and Churchill were trying to get Stalin to agree with some proposed strategy. When Stalin gave his reason or excuse for not agreeing with them, they said, “That is no reason for your refusal!” Stalin replied ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:18-20

Tags: Lies

Which Do You Think He Believed?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

WHICH DO YOU THINK HE BELIEVED? A man sat down to supper with his family and said grace, thanking God for the food, for the hands which prepared it, and for the source of all life. But during the meal he complained about the freshness of the bread, the bitterness of the coffee, and the sharpness ...read more

Scripture: Acts 14:17

Tags: Hypocrisy

Death Steals From Us

Contributed by Jeffrey Rowe on Dec 29, 2012

Death steals from us in this life by suddenly separating us from the people and things we’ve come to care about. It robs us. A little while back, our church office building was broken into by thieves who took some of our equipment. Personally I’ve had my car broken into a couple of times. I’m ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Holiness

Sleeping When The Wind Blows

Contributed by Perry Greene on May 21, 2013

SLEEPING WHEN THE WIND BLOWS A young man applied for a job as a farmhand. When the farmer asked for his qualifications, he said, "I can sleep when the wind blows." This puzzled the farmer. But he liked the young man, and hired him. A few days later, the farmer and his wife were awakened in the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:21, Proverbs 12:27

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Albert Schweitzer

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 13, 2021

Dr. Albert Schweitzer was a famous musician, writer and teacher. He gave up all of this to become a medical doctor. When on October 13,1906, he sent letters to his parents and closest acquaintances announcing that he would enter Strasbourg University as a medical student to prepare for his ...read more

Scripture: John 12:24, John 12:27-28

Tags: Die, Live, Glory

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Do You Think God Knows What He Is Doing?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 4, 2022

A young woman prepared for missionary service on foreign fields. She had been appointed by the mission board and was ready to sail when she received a telegram saying that her sister had died in a western state. She cancelled her reservation and went home. The sister left four little children ...read more

Tags: Providence, Missions, Missionaries, Trusting God, Sovereignty Of God, Evangelism, Will Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Way Is The Best.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 31, 2022

I read the story about a young woman who had prepared for missionary service on foreign fields. She had been appointed by the mission board and was ready to sail when she received a telegram saying that her sister had died in a western state. She cancelled her reservation and went home. The ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Will Of God, Providence, Purpose, Obedience, Trust, Sovereignty Of God, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Busy Schedule

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2002

BUSY SCHEDULE Kim Larence, age 42, is a wife and a mother of three boys. She heads the math department at the private John Cooper School in The Woodlands, Texas. Here is her typical daily schedule. I wonder if it sounds anything like yours. 5:00 a.m. Wake Up 5:15 - 6:50 a.m. Wakes her three ...read more

Tags: Workplace Balance, Giving Yourself, Finding Fulfillment

I Sat Down With Our Senior High Kids Awhile Ago ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

I sat down with our senior high kids awhile ago to discuss our plans for youth activities for this year. I expected to get some ideas of fun things to do, lets go bowling and to laserquest and whitewater rafting yadda yadda yadda… You know what they decided? They asked me to find two Friday night ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Did You Ever Notice That There Are Certain ...

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Apr 28, 2008

Did you ever notice that there are certain things the Lord doesn't want us to miss? That's the way I feel about Randy Pausch's "Last Lecture." It was simply impossible to miss. I think the first person to email the link to me was Jim Turk, our music director. He sent it with the words, "This ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit Attributes

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

People Mark Off Times And Celebrations In ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Mar 2, 2009

People mark off times and celebrations in different ways. In Belgium (since 1394, in Binche), Brazil (a four-day celebration in Rio de Janeiro), Italy (in Venice, six months of celebrating in the 18th cent., now 12 days), Trinidad and Tobago (featuring a daylong competition among calypso bands), ...read more

Tags: Sexuality

Denomination: Other