In Sermon Illustrations: "Now Is The Time"

Tommy's Story  PRO

Contributed by Kent Wise on Mar 25, 2007

TOMMY'S STORY Father John Powell, professor at Loyola University in Chicago, writes about a student in his Theology of Faith class named Tommy: Some twelve years ago, I stood watching my university students file into the classroom for our first session in the Theology of Faith. That was the day ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-20, Acts 10:34-43, John 27:27

Tags: Home, Listen, Love, Joy, Humility, Memorial, Ministry, Money, Mothers, Mothers Day, Prayer, Mother's Day, Saved, Relationships, Root, Youthful, Trust, Success, Unconditional Love, Understanding, Untimely, Forgiveness, Fruit, Giving, Examples Of Faith, Faith, Discipleship, Death, Ascension, Appear, Acceptance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Often In Reflection, What We Have Feared Most ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles Trout on Mar 9, 2001

Often in reflection, what we have feared most wasn’t all that bad. Illustration: One of my all time favorite TV shows, for having good moral lessons as plot lines, was the "Andy Griffith Show." There was an episode where young Opie was having his "Milk nickel" bullied away from him and could not ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry, Endurance

Denomination: Baptist

I'm Not Growing Old  PRO

Contributed by Jay Patton on May 20, 2002

I’m Not Growing Old They say that I am growing old I’ve heard them say it times untold In language plain and bold But I’m not growing old This frail old shell in which I dwell Is growing old I know full well But I’m not growing old. What if my hair has turned gray Gray hair is honorable, they ...read more

Tags: Leader, Disciples, Giving Yourself, Follow, Fear And Worry, Family  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Obituary

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jun 6, 2002

OBITUARY His parent were leaders in the community. He received the best education money could buy. He married a beautiful wife, and had two wonderful kids. He avoided damp weather. He stayed in during flu weather. He brushed his teeth twice daily with a famous toothpaste. His primary care physician ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Erick Clapton, Arguably The Greatest Living Rock ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 26, 2002

Erick Clapton, arguably the greatest living rock guitarist, wrote a heart wrenching song about the death of his four year old son (March 20, 1991). He fell from a 53rd-story window. Clapton took nine months off and when he returned his music had changed. The hardship had made his music softer, more ...read more

Tags: Death

In A Letter From Mils And Sandy Becker, April, ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Simms on May 21, 2003

In a letter from Mils and Sandy Becker, April, 1995. “In the 1920’s Stalin ordered a purge of all Bibles and believers. In Stavropol, this order was carried out completely. Thousands of Bibles were taken and believers were sent to the gulags, where so many died for being enemies of the ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence, Faith General

Denomination: Baptist

Sin ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2009

SIN DEFINITIONS What is sin? Here are some suggestions: "Sin is like a kidney stone. No one likes a kidney stone, nor should anyone like sin." "Sin is like a rotten egg we try to cover up with spices." "Sin is like a cancer with a 0% survival rate." "Sin is like weeds in a garden; if not ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Stay Busy Until The Master's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2009

STAY BUSY UNTIL THE MASTER’S RETURN "The disciple is not called to eliminate his ignorance of the timing of the end, he is called to cope with it and respond to it appropriately." "How can a doorkeeper fulfill his duties if he spends his time calculating how long the delay will be?" In the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:36-51

Tags: Second Coming

A Brother And A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 14, 2009

A BROTHER AND A SINNER For more than 600 years, the Hapsburgs held great political power in Europe. When Franz-Josef I, the emperor of Austria, died in 1916, his was the last of the very extravagant imperial funerals. A processional of dignitaries and elegantly dressed members of the imperial ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 49:16-17

Tags: Humility

Lincoln: Keep Trying

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Sep 13, 2009

LINCOLN: KEEP TRYING Let me tell you about a man who made a disastrous first attempt in the world of business. He switched to politics but within only one year that did not work out either. He tried his hand for a second time at business, but failed again. That meant 3 failures in 3 years, (time ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Anglican

The Reason Behind An Unusual Hymn Singing ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 8, 2009

The Reason Behind an Unusual Hymn Singing Practice is Discovered Sometime in the last decade of twentieth century, a young pastor who was a fresh graduate from a renowned seminary was assigned to shepherd an old church in a remote village. The church was founded and built sometime in the late ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3-8

Tags: Church Practices

Gullible Eve  PRO

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 14, 2009

GULLIBLE EVE My sister was a great story teller. She still is. She would tell a story so convincingly that I would believe it. A number of times her stories would trick me into giving her my pocket money, and at other times she would bring me to the edge of tears with a story that was just pure ...read more

Tags: Sin Fall Of Man

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Foul Spirit To Freedom

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Mar 25, 2010

FOUL SPIRIT TO FREEDOM Several years ago, I used to visit a nursing home near central El Paso. There was one ornery lady who would growl like a tiger. She was mean! It was clear that she was sick in her mind. Along with others, I would constantly pray for her deliverance. But she would push our ...read more

Tags: Demons

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Stages Of Loss

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Nov 20, 2010

THE STAGES OF LOSS Several years ago a profound and dramatic research project began in Chicago's Billings Hospital. It was a seminar on death, in which psychiatists, chaplains, nurses, and medical doctors studied the ultimate human crisis of facing death. Basic findings is that the very ill ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: *other

A Chicken Story

Contributed by Ovidiu Radulescu on Apr 25, 2011

A CHICKEN STORY The story is told of Joe the Butcher who had crafty ways of selling his chickens. He had one chicken left, and he didn’t want to keep it over the weekend. The priest of his church came into the store. He said, "My wife sent me to buy a good size chicken to roast for dinner. We’re ...read more

Tags: Lies

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

God Will Lift Up Your Head

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 12, 2011

GOD WILL LIFT UP YOUR HEAD During the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century, German pastor Paul Gerhardt and his family were forced to flee from their home. One night as they stayed in a small village inn, homeless and afraid, his wife broke down and cried openly in despair. To comfort her, ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Nazarene

Tonsillitis: Growing With God

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Sep 8, 2011

TONSILLITIS: GROWING WITH GOD I remember when I was growing up as a small boy I had problems with my tonsils. During the winter months I would get tonsillitis and that would turn into strep throat. Mom and Dad would take me to Dr. Newsom in Pilot Mountain. He would always give me a shot of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 11:33-36

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Baptist

1 Peter 4:12 "Dear Friends, Do Not Be Surprised ...

Contributed by Brad Henry on Nov 11, 2011

1 Peter 4:12 “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.” I have a doctor’s appointment this morning to see what is going on. I am tried all the time, can hardly move with pain and a host of other ailments. OK so I ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Ownership Of The Gift  PRO

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 27, 2012

OWNERSHIP OF THE GIFT A humanitarian group in Africa, noticing the filthy water, sewage, and disease, built clean water and sewage system for a village. Months later, they visited the village, but it was back to square one with filthy water, sewage and disease. [from Pickthebrain.com] The chief ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 8:20

Tags: Stewardship

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Importance Of Family Meals

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 2, 2012

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY MEALS "Kids who dine with the folks are healthier, happier, and better students, which is why a dying tradition is coming back." That's what an in-depth study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University concluded after nearly a decade of ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:7

Tags: Family

Denomination: Baptist