In Sermon Illustrations: "Old Leaven"

Picked From The Fire

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Feb 25, 2010

PICKED FROM THE FIRE John Wesley never forgot a terrible night of his childhood. He was only six years old at the time, and he had awakened in the family's old rectory to find it ablaze from top to bottom. Everyone else had been dragged from the building, but by some extraordinary oversight he ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Baptist

Prepared To ...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 6, 2010

Prepared to serve. Joshua died at 110 years old in 1380 B.C. He assumed leadership around 1406 B.C. Therefore, he was around 85 years old when he took command from Moses!Before Joshua ever took the reigns, he had been a servant, a soldier and a spy. Some feel that you can make a man by giving him ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Baptist

A Light That Lasts

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 30, 2011

A LIGHT THAT LASTS Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb in 1879. Twenty-two years later, in 1901, one of the newfangled gadgets was hung and turned on in the Livermore, Calif., Fire Department. It’s still there, and still on. The old bulb has almost never been turned off in 109 years. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-16

Tags: Promises Of God

Now She Understands  PRO

Contributed by Ken Henson on Jul 5, 2012

NOW SHE UNDERSTANDS A lady had two children. The older son was 7 years old and the little girl about 2½ years old. She heard this terrible scream upstairs and as she ran upstairs she found out that the little girl was pulling the hair of her brother. He was crying out in pain. The mother ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: *other

Homosexuality In First Century Greek Culture

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 24, 2019

Craig Keener writes, “Greek men were commonly bisexual; not only was homosexual behavior approved…but elements of the culture socialized boys in this direction. Men and women were segregated growing up, and male bonds became close. Apparently due to a deficiency in the number of women (which many ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:24-32

Tags: Gay, Homosexuality, Lesbian, Gender, Bisexuality  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Childlike Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

A few months ago, I was in El Paso holding an evangelistic meeting, and the young people were serving dinner to the mothers being that it was Mother’s Day. I was seating in a chair watching what was going on, and right in front, a four-year-old girl pushed a two-year-old boy, who fell on the floor ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:12

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

Home Coming  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 20, 2002

HOME COMING That reminds me of the old story about an elderly missionary returning to the United States to retire. He & his wife had spent over 40 years serving in Africa. But now he was alone. His wife & two children had long since found their final resting place in the soil of Africa. As he got ...read more

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

What's The Use  PRO

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

WHAT'S THE USE There was an old man that lived in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. The old man had a big family. One day one of the old man’s grandsons approached him with a problem. The Grandson said, "Pap, I read the Bible and I don’t understand it, and what I understand I forget as soon as I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:28, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Timothy 3:16-18

Tags: Scripture, Word Of God, Family, Disciplines, Bible, Bible Study  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Magic Of Three Days  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2004

THE MAGIC OF THREE DAYS It was a beautiful spring day, and a sense of peace stayed with me as I left the cathedral on Easter Monday morning. I paused for a moment on top of the steps leading to the avenue, now crowded with people rushing to their jobs. Sitting in her usual place inside a small ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection, Human Body

Tim Peck Is The Minister Of The Life Bible ...  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Aug 20, 2007

Tim Peck is the minister of the Life Bible Fellowship Church of Upland California. Listen to his thoughts about wasting opportunities: The older I get, the more I realize that there’s a lot of waste when you’re young. The young have so much idealism, but so little wisdom. They have boundless ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Edison: A Lovesick ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 27, 2009

EDISON: A LOVESICK FOOL When Thomas Edison was 38 years old, his wife died leaving him a very lonely man. Six months after her death, Edison began looking for a new mate. He would leave no stone unturned in a systematic search reflecting his scientific nature. Although he liked to be portrayed in ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love

My Own New Bike

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Dec 20, 2010

MY OWN NEW BIKE I remember when I was 8 years old I received what I had always wanted: I got a brand new Raleigh single speed bike, and it was blue with a white trim where the pipes were welded into the brackets, a black seat and chrome handles and painted blue mudguards that had a silver stripe ...read more

Tags: Gifts General

Denomination: Salvation Army

The New ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2012

THE NEW STUDENT Wendy has the typical dreams owned by the typical High School students. She wants to make friends, she wants to join some clubs, she wants to become a cheerleader, and ultimately wants to graduate and make a living for herself and her future family. There’s only one problem however. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Tags: Lies

No Runs, No Hits, No Errors  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 17, 2012

NO RUNS, NO HITS, NO ERRORS In one little Midwestern town, Miss Jones had the distinction of being the oldest resident in town. So when she died, the editor of the local paper wanted to print a little article remembering this dear old lady, except he couldn't think of anything to say when he sat ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14, Revelation 3:14-22

Tags: Race, Run, Lukewarm, Car

God's Ultimate Protection - Psalm 91

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 26, 2025

God's Ultimate Protection - Psalm 91 Judy Anderson grew up as a missionary kid in Zaire. As a little girl, she went to a day-long rally celebrating the 100th anniversary of Christian missionaries coming to that part of the country. After a full day of messages and music, an old man came ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-16

Tags: Eternal Life, Refuge, Cross Of Christ, Messiah Prophecies, Fear, Protection, Resurrection, Trust, Overcome, Fortress  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

One Of My Favorite Christmas Stories Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Nov 6, 2001

ILL. One of my favorite Christmas stories is about the old shoe cobbler who dreamed one Christmas Eve that Jesus would come to visit him the next day. The dream was so real that he was convinced it would come true. So the next morning he got up & went out & cut green boughs & decorated his ...read more

Tags: Christmas Advent, Christian Disciplines, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Stranger Came By The Other Day With An Offer ...  PRO

Contributed by Larry Brincefield on Aug 21, 2003

A stranger came by the other day with an offer that set me to thinking. He wanted to buy the old barn that sits out by the highway. I told him right off that he was crazy. He was a city type. You could tell by his clothes, his car, his hands, and the way he talked. He said he was driving by and saw ...read more

Tags: Fulfillment, God In The Hardships

Denomination: Nazarene

Don't Look Back  PRO

Contributed by Tylor Cates on Jan 24, 2004

DON'T LOOK BACK And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. - Luke 9:62 Text: Genesis 19:26; Luke 17:32,33 Summary: Once we start to follow Jesus we must never look back. We must give up our old way of life to find new life ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 19:26, Luke 17:32-33, Luke 9:62

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Desire

Denomination: Baptist

Built By Grace  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2004

BUILT BY GRACE Years ago, late on a stormy night in Philadelphia, an elderly couple walked wearily into a hotel. They approached the night clerk at the desk and practically begged him for a room. Apparently there were three conventions in town, and every hotel was filled to capacity. "Are there ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:12-24, Luke 19:11-26

Tags: Parable Great Banquet, Grace

Johnny Fulton Was Run Over By A Car At The Age Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 21, 2005

Johnny Fulton was run over by a car at the age of three. He suffered crushed hips, broken ribs, a fractured skull, and compound fractures in his legs. It did not look as if he would live. But he would not give up. In fact, he later ran the half-mile in less than two minutes. Walt Davis was totally ...read more

Tags: Endurance