In Sermon Illustrations: "Nothing"

Not A Voice, But A Life

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

NOT A VOICE, BUT A LIFE The late great Presbyterian clergyman and hymnist, Rev. Maltbie Davenport Babcock (1858 - 1901) once wrote: "Christianity is not a voice in the wilderness but a life in the world. It is not an idea in the air but feet on the ground, going [Almighty] God's way. It is not an ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

A Fine Lad Entered The Army. He Faced A Real ...

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Jan 22, 2009

A fine lad entered the Army. He faced a real test the first night he went to be in the barracks. He had formed the commendable habit of placing his Bible on his bed at home, and kneeling down to read a chapter while having his daily prayer time before retiring. Surrounded by scores of rough men ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Christian Church

Sex Is Like A ...

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Feb 19, 2009

Sex is Like a Maserati (Based on an illustration given by Pastor Ed Young Fellowship Church C3 conference February 19, 2009) Pastor Young was talking to a porn actress from Europe about salvation through Jesus Christ. She did not believe and questioned him. She wondered if she would have to ...read more

Tags: Sexuality

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Wrong Kind Of Loyalty

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 12, 2009

THE WRONG KIND OF LOYALTY There is a story of a Japanese soldier, Lt. Hiroo Onada, left on the island Lubang in the Philippines on December 25, 1944, with the command to "carry on the mission, even if Japan surrenders." Onada continued his war alone. All efforts to convince him to surrender or to ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Your Spirit Does Matter

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

YOUR SPIRIT DOES MATTER A preacher wrote: "Today we have people who claim to be Christians shouting ’God hates fags’ at the funerals of soldiers who have died in Iraq, because these ’Christians’ believe God is punishing America for its tolerance of homosexuals. A recent editorial in the paper ...read more

Tags: Anger

Jesus Is Watching You!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 18, 2020

A burglar broke into a house one night. He shone his flashlight around, looking for valuables, and when he picked up a CD player to place in his sack, a strange, disembodied voice echoed from the dark saying, "Jesus is watching you". He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Honesty, Jokes, Omnipresence Of God, Jesus Is Watching

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Never Surrender

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 28, 2020

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. When the 101st Airborne was surrounded in WWII the Germans asked them to surrender. General Anthony McAuliffe replied, "Nuts!" The Germans tried to figure what that meant and while they ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:29

Tags: Ministry, Victory, Surrender, Defeat, Calling  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

One Minute After You Die

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 19, 2022

One day I received a call from a distraught family who wanted a minister to do a quick funeral. I say “quick” because they asked me to speak for only a few minutes. “We don’t want anything religious,” the son told me, “and nothing you do will be too short.” I asked him why it was so important for ...read more

Tags: Truth, Judgment, Repentance, Lost, Evangelism, Hell, Death, Salvation, Gospel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stop Pushing Your Car And Step On The Gas!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 6, 2022

The Argentine evangelist, Santiago Garaballe, once gave an illustration of a man who bought a new car. He had never owned a car in his life. The car came with a powerful engine under the hood. What if the man then spent the rest of his life pushing it around! Come on family let's go for a ride! ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Holy Spirit, Resurrection, Victory, Flesh, Defeat, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Meekness: The Cutting Horse And The Mule

Contributed by Richard Tow on Mar 20, 2023

Meekness is strength under control. At one time in my life, I was heavily involved with horses. It is a beautiful thing to watch a well-trained cutting horse work. Just a gently touch of reign on his neck or a shift in the rider’s weight can ignite a quick turn in that powerful animal. He does ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5, 1 Timothy 6:11, Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Submission, Meekness, Meek, Teachable, Submitted  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Protect The Purity Of Your Marriage

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 21, 2023

I admire Queen Vashti. In the midst of an unsavory "scene she was brave enough to say no to that which was blatantly wrong, and in resisting this insulting act of indignity, she took a stand against the greatest power in her universe. Good for her! Submission does not mean that a wife is a ...read more

Tags: Submission, Character, Purity, Husbands, Wives, Vashti, Beauty, Esther, Marriage  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Calling - Story About Peter Marshall

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 7, 2023

In her book, ...A Man Called Peter, ...Catherine Marshall ...tells how her late preacher-husband ...felt a sense of destiny ... a sense of call ...in his life. (Pause) One dark night, ...Peter, ...then a young man, ...decided to take a Shortcut ...across the Scottish moors. Customize this ...read more

Scripture: John 1:43-51, 1 Samuel 3:1-20

Tags: Plan, Purpose, Master, Calling

Denomination: Anglican

Be Like The Llama And Face Your Enemy!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 8, 2024

Reports the DENVER POST: "Like many sheep ranchers in the West, Lexy Fowler has tried just about everything to stop crafty coyotes from killing her sheep. She has used odor sprays, electric fences, and 'scare-coyotes.' She has slept with her lambs during the summer and has placed ...read more

Scripture: James 1:10-15

Tags: Stand, Running, Spiritual Armor, Word, Battles, Lust, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Victory, Defeat, Fear  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Genuine Praise

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 6, 2025

A little old saint who came to church every Sabbath and sat right down front. The preacher was predictable. The sermons were steady, maybe a bit too steady. But every week, that dear lady found something to say “Amen!” about. Every time she did, it startled the whole congregation — because nobody ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:1, Philippians 4:4, Hebrews 13:15, Luke 19:37-40

Tags: Worship, Praise, Revival, Gratitude, Testimony  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Little Word That Changes Everything

Contributed by David Dunn on Dec 26, 2025

Opening (attention hook) (Hold up a big card with the word IF written on it) “Does anyone know this word?” (Let them shout: IF!) “This is a tiny word… but it can change what happens next.” >> The Story There was a little girl named Lily, and Lily loved to ask questions. One morning her ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15, James 1:22

Tags: Obedience, Choice

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Before You Hit Send

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

Think about the last text thread that went completely sideways. You typed something fast because you were frustrated. You hit send. And three seconds later your stomach dropped because you realized you said it wrong, or you said too much, or you said the exact thing that was going to make the ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19

Tags: Slow To Speak, Self Control

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Let God Do The Watering!" Mark 4: 1-20: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 4, 2004

“Let God Do the Watering!” Mark 4: 1-20: Key verse(s): 11-12 “He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and every hearing but never understanding; ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:10-20

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Lutheran

It Was An Unusually Cold Day For The Month Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Nov 1, 2004

It was an unusually cold day for the month of May. Spring had arrived and everything was alive with color. But a cold front from the north had brought winter’s chill back to Indiana. I sat with two friends in the picture window of a quaint restaurant just off the corner of the town squire. The food ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 107:5-7

Tags: Faith, Christian Disciplines, Choice, Consequences

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Listen To These Words Of A Taxicab Driver: ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 23, 2001

Listen to these words of a taxicab driver: Because I drive the night shift, my cab often becomes a moving confessional. Passengers climb in, sit behind me in total anonymity, & tell me about their lives. I encounter people whose lives amaze me, ennoble me, make me laugh & sometimes weep. But ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3-5

Tags: Character

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Like A Bird In The Hand!" Matthew 8:14-17 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 8, 2005

“Like A Bird in the Hand!” Matthew 8:14-17 Key verse(s): 16-17:“When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took up our infirmities and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:14-17

Tags: God's Provision, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Lutheran