In Sermon Illustrations: "Old Christians"

Several Years Ago, I Was Working On Replacing An ...

Contributed by Todd Pugh on Jan 14, 2008

Several years ago, I was working on replacing an old, falling-over retaining wall on the side of my house. Some of the stones I replaced were too big for me to move and some were cemented together into “blobs” of rock and concrete. So I set out to bust them up with a sledge hammer. I struck ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Some Years Ago A Famous Actor Was Giving An After ...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Feb 1, 2008

Some years ago a famous actor was giving an after dinner speech. He asked his audience if there was any famous poem that they would like him to recite. There was a silence. Eventually an old vicar raised his hand and said: "Psalm 23 please." The actor agreed, on one condition: that the ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

What A Way To Go!

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 2, 2008

Two elderly gentlemen were talking together. "I guess you’re never too old," the first one boasted. "Why, just yesterday a pretty college girl said she’d be interested in dating me. But to be perfectly honest, I don’t quite understand it." "Well," his friend said, "you have to remember that ...read more

Rosanna P. Smith Said, After Picking Up Our ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on May 20, 2008

Rosanna P. Smith said, After picking up our three-year-old on her first day of nursery school, my husband left the following message on my voice mail at work: "Hi, honey. The good news is that Amanda got through her first day at school. The bad news is the teacher wants to meet with us. "The good ...read more

Tags: Mother's Day

Denomination: Pentecostal

I Was Reading An Article This Week About Some Of ...

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Jul 12, 2008

I was reading an article this week about some of the dangers that face our young people simply because they imitate what they see. The article told about the Reebok company pulling an ad which showed an athlete jumping over an oncoming car - because some teenagers in Kentucky were trying to do the ...read more

Tags: Youth

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Was Pretty Early In The Morning That ...

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 7, 2008

It was pretty early in the morning that September Tuesday. I was a brand-new principal; you all were about eight or nine years old, just about the age when long-term memories begin to stick in your head. I walked out into my assistant’s office; she was turning on the television to see what was ...read more

Tags: Prayer Supplication

Denomination: Catholic

A U.s. Soldier Shot By A Sniper In Iraq Back In ...

Contributed by Rev Dr Randall M Deal Sr on Mar 29, 2009

A U.S. soldier shot by a sniper in Iraq back in August 2007 said his pocket-sized Bible tucked in his shirt saved his life by stopping a bullet near his heart. 22 year old Pfc. Brendon Schweigart was helping retrieve a tank in Iraq when he was hit by a sniper’s bullet. Schweigart said the bullet ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Baptist

The Woman And Acts 2:38

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 1, 2014

THE WOMAN AND ACTS 2:38 An elderly woman had just returned to her home from a church service when she was startled by an intruder. As she caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables, she yelled, "Stop--Acts 2:38!" (..repent, turn from your sin..".). The burglar stopped dead ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:38

Tags: Prayer, Repent, Humor

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Talking About Heaven

Contributed by John Crowe on Jul 17, 2014

My 5-year-old great – grandson, Travis, and his mother had a conversation about heaven. “Mom, I don’t think I want to go to heaven.” “Sure you do.” “No. I don’t think so.” “But why not?” “I think I’ll be hungry.” “No, baby. Jesus will make sure to feed you.” “I know, but Jesus feeds everybody fish, ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 21:1-5

Tags: Children, Heavenly Things

Denomination: Baptist

Gold, Frankincense, & Myrrh

Contributed by Gerald Manning on Dec 21, 2015

The little boy was no more than seven years old. It was time for Church, and he wanted to take his teddy bear, whom he had always called Frank. His parents protested, but he insisted that he had to take Frank, today, and they finally relented. When the offering plates were passed, he put the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:11

Tags: Offering, Giving, Tithing

Denomination: Nazarene

Jesus, Hand Me That Can Of Tomato Soup!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 2, 2020

5-year old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn't want to go in alone. "It's dark in there and I'm scared." She asked again, and he persisted. Finally she said, "It's ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7, Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 43:1-2

Tags: Faith, Fear, Children, Humor, Presence Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Language Deficit

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 9, 2022

. As families become more dysfunctional, social skills decline. A number of school counselors are noting a rise in “language deficit.” Some parents rarely converse with their children but use the television as a nanny. The result: children recognize but do not grasp the meaning of COMMON words. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:29-32

Tags: Communication, Speech, Talking, Social Skills, Language Skills  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Funny Marriage Sermon-Starter

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 23, 2022

An 80 year-old woman was recently married to her 4th husband. A reporter questioned the occupation of her newly acquired husband. She replied that he owned a funeral home. Curious about the other husbands, the reporter also asked about their occupations. The woman paused for a while and stated ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-31

Tags: Death, Marriage, Humor, Husbands, Wives, Widows  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Works Of The Flesh Outlined

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 23, 2023

List of sins that are the works of the flesh: 1. Sexual sins (19-21) (1) Adultery (2) Fornication (3) Uncleanness (4) Lasciviousness (5) Drunken revellings (orgies) 2. Superstitious sins (20) (1) Idolatry (2) Witchcraft 3. Social sins (20-21) (1) Hatred (2) Emulations or jealousy (3) ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-23

Tags: Idolatry, Holy Spirit, Sin, Sex, Flesh, Witchcraft, Adultery  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Love Of Money

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 19, 2024

One day a certain old, rich man of a miserable disposition visited a rabbi, who took the rich man by the hand and lead him to a window. “Look out there,” he said. The rich man looked into the street. “What do you see?” asked the rabbi. “I see men, women and children,” answered the rich man. Again, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10

Tags: Money, Riches

I Will Change Your Name (Lyrics Of Song)

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Jan 20, 2026

There is a song that is often used at baptisms ...that seems so appropriate ... to help portray this new birth ... in Christ. I will change your name You shall no longer be called Wounded, outcast, lonely or afraid I will change your name Your new name shall be Confidence, joyfulness, overcoming ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7, John 1:42, Acts 5:29, Matthew 26:33, Philippians 4:13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Baptism, Creation, New, Name, Face, Change, New Creation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

[062b]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062B]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE SECOND PART THE INTRODUCTION FOR THE POEM IS IN PART 1. PART 2 SECTION B - PART 1 (THE CHRISTIAN ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Hurt, Pain, Love, Compassion, Comfort, Suffering, Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Moravian Brethren, 200 Years Ago, Formed One ...  PRO

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Oct 18, 2000

The Moravian Brethren, 200 years ago, formed one of the greatest missionary movements. Two of their members heard of a leper colony in Africa where no missionary was allowed to enter and then return home for fear that the disease might spread in Germany. They volunteered to go into that leper ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God In The Hardships, Descriptions Of God, Follower

Denomination: Baptist

A Car Is Made To Run On Petrol [gasoline], And It ...  PRO

Contributed by Clarence Crane on Feb 9, 2001

A car is made to run on petrol [gasoline], and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on himself. He himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence, God's Provision, God's Omnipotence

Denomination: Pentecostal

Jim Wallis Writes In The Call To Conversion ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Stokes on Mar 2, 2001

Jim Wallis writes in The Call to Conversion (HarperCollins, 1992, p. 108) his testimony: "When I was a university student, I was unsuccessfully evangelized by almost every Christian group on campus. My basic response to their preaching was, “How can I believe when I look at the way the church ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony, Sharing Your Faith, Apologetics General

Denomination: Holiness