In Sermon Illustrations: "Now Is The Time"

My Daughter Elia Has Given Me Permission To Tell ...

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Jan 11, 2009

My daughter Elia has given me permission to tell this story. Elia faced a huge dilemma in high school when her best friends from junior high days started hanging out with a rough crowd, starting smoking and crossing all sorts of boundaries. In order to keep the friendships she would have to start ...read more

Tags: Book Of Revelation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pa Won't Like It  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

"PA WON’T LIKE IT" A farm boy accidentally overturned his wagonload of corn in the road. The farmer who lived nearby came to investigate. "Hey, Willis," he called out, "forget your troubles for a spell and come on in and have dinner with us. Then I’ll help you get the wagon up." "That’s mighty ...read more

Tags: Authority

Another Thing That Bothers Most People Is That ...

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Mar 5, 2009

Another thing that bothers most people is that when we pray, we seem to get distracted. That is especially true when we are trying to listen for God’s word. There is an old story about St. Bernard, who once had a friend who told him her never had any distractions. Bernard confessed to having ...read more

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Thomas Edison Shows Us How To Forgive

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 10, 2022

Thomas A. Edison was working on a crazy contraption called a "light bulb" and it took a whole team of men 24 straight hours to put just one together. The story goes that when Edison was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness, Forgiving Others

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If Marriage Is That Much Work....

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 23, 2022

Because of a shortage of maids, the minister’s wife advertised for a male servant to help around the house. The next morning, a nicely dressed young man came to the front door of the parsonage. The minister opened the door and jumped right into the conversation. "Can you start breakfast by 7 ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-31

Tags: Love, Marriage, Work, Humor, Engagement, Singles, Fiancee  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Does It Mean To Be Crucified With Christ?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

To participate in the life of Christ, we must first be identified with Him in His death. "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Ro 6:5-note). Those of us who now have eternal life have died in the person ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:1-11

Tags: Discipleship, Self, Dying To Self, Crucified Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seven Wonders Of Grace

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

SEVEN WONDERS OF GRACE. Text - Galatians 2:20.  There are seven spiritual wonders in this marvelous text: 1. That the Son of God should love a persecutor like Saul. "Who loved me." 2. That the Son of God should be crucified. "Crucified with Christ." 3. That Christ ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Faith, Grace, Discipleship, Christian Life, Death To Self  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I've Got To Get Grandma On One Of These Machines!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 29, 2022

Grandpa was way up in years before he ever had the opportunity to go to an airport. He also had never seen an escalator in his life. He stood in amazement watching the escalator go up and down for the longest tme. Then, just as he was about to leave, he saw a whole bus-load of ladies from the ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Love, Marriage, Agape, Humor, Spouses  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Moody's Attitude Toward Death

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 13, 2022

Thousands came to faith in Christ through Moody’s meetings. As he approached the end of his life, he viewed Heaven as something to anticipate. Moody wrote: “Some day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27

Tags: Death, Heaven, Salvation, Funerals

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Power In Holy Communion

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Apr 18, 2023

I've been thinking about holy moments, how Christ has surprised me by his presence. One of those moments came when I visited and had Communion with a member who was dying of cancer. Near the end of the visit I asked her how I could pray or for what she would like me to pray for. She expressed ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Tags: Power In Prayer, Power In Holy Communion

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Nowhere Else To Go  PRO

Contributed by Tom Lawson on Dec 22, 2000

Abraham Lincoln: "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 2:1-10

Tags: Faithfulness, Commitment, Prayer Adoration, Goals, God's Omniscience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Dusty Bibles  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 20, 2002

Dirty lifes grow from dusty Bibles. We buy tapes, CD’s, video’s and books to tell us how to live and we never invest time ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Assembly Of God

What Is 750,000 Miles Long, Reaches Around The ...  PRO

Contributed by Guy Glass on Jul 23, 2003

What is 750,000 miles long, reaches around the earth 30 times, and grows 20 miles longer each day? Give up? Here’s the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Baptist

Father Said To His Daughter, "What's Wrong, Judy? ...  PRO

Contributed by James Buchanan on Sep 21, 2003

Father said to his daughter, "What’s wrong, Judy? Usually you talk on the phone for hours. This time you only talked for 30 minutes. How ...read more

Tags: Children, Parenting

Denomination: Independent/Bible

40% Of Adults Read The Bible In A Typical Week ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 10, 2006

40% of adults read the Bible in a typical week and half of all adults claim to have a devotional or quiet time at least once a week. ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

18- To 34-Year-Old U.s. Males Are Watching Less ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2006

18- to 34-year-old U.S. males are watching less TV and spending more time playing video games than before. (Foster ...read more

Tags: Entertainment

48% Of Evangelical Protestant Couples Who Are ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

48% of Evangelical Protestant couples who are married with kids both work full time compared to just 40% of comparable couples in the overall ...read more

Tags: Children

We Have Got But One Life Here...it Pays, No ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

We have got but one life here...It pays, no matter what comes after it, to try and do things, to accomplish things in this life, and not merely to ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Getting Angry Can Sometimes Be Like Leaping Into ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

Getting angry can sometimes be like leaping into a wonderfully responsive sports car, gunning the motor, taking off at high speed and then discovering the brakes are ...read more

Tags: Anger

The Hardest Part Of Raising Children Is Teaching ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

The hardest part of raising children is teaching them to ride bicycles.A shaky child on a bicycle for the first time needs both support and freedom. The realization ...read more

Tags: Children