In Sermon Illustrations: "Old Nature"

Charles Wesley Would Not Be Adopted  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

CHARLES WESLEY WOULD NOT BE ADOPTED In 1721, a wealthy Irishman offered to adopt Charles Wesley and make him his legal heir. The 13-year-old boy refused the offer, choosing to continue his way through school under very difficult circumstances. This turned out to be one of the most momentous ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:4-6, Ephesians 1:5-6

Tags: Adoption

So When That Adversary Learned Of The New Guy On ...

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 20, 2010

So when that Adversary learned of the new guy on the Jordan, whom John had baptized amid some sort of theophany, he did his own research. All these human messiahs had come and gone with a few carefully- placed temptation. Even the great King David had succumbed to a foreign woman bathing next ...read more

Tags: Temptation Of Christ

Denomination: Catholic

Cookie Ingredients And Kids

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 30, 2010

COOKIE INGREDIENTS AND KIDS One time a preacher had a minute with the children before the sermon. He called them up front and he spoke about the ingredients required to make up a church, using a chocolate chip cookie as an example. He explained to the children that, as with a cookie requiring ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3-8

Tags: Children

R ...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Jul 30, 2010

REVIVAL! A final note: I miss aspects of society in previous years. I miss the time when no one argued about what marriage was. I miss the time when lines were more clearly drawn. Sometimes, I wish I could just go back to the church of my childhood and hear my Old Pastor, Dr. Sightler, preach. ...read more

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Knocking

Contributed by Kent Kessler on Oct 14, 2010

JESUS KNOCKING A nurse on the Pediatric Ward before listening to the little ones' heart beat would plug the stethoscope into their ears and let them listen to their own hearts. Their eyes would always light up with awe, but she never got a response to equal four-year old David's comment. She ...read more

Tags: Heart

Denomination: Methodist

Believing The Ancient Record

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 27, 2010

BELIEVING THE ANCIENT RECORD On January 6, 1822, Heinrich Schliemann was born. He would one day achieve world renown and great wealth. When Heinrich Schliemann was seven years old, a picture of ancient Troy in flames captured his imagination. Contrary to what many people believed, Heinrich argued ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Brethren

They Didn't Live Happily Ever After

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Dec 4, 2010

THEY DIDN'T LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER For the first time in her life, four year-old Suzie had just been told the story of "Snow White." She could hardly wait to get home from nursery school to tell her mommy. With wide-eyed excitement, she retold the fairy tale to her mother that afternoon. After ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

Denomination: Brethren

About The Tongue

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2011

ABOUT THE TONGUE There's an old story that the Jewish rabbis tell. As the story goes, one day a rabbi asked his servant to go and buy some good food for him in the market. When the servant returned home, he presented the rabbi with a tongue. The next day, the rabbi told the servant to go the ...read more

Scripture: James 3:1-12

Tags: Tongue

A Naval Student Was Being Put Through The Paces ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 4, 2011

A naval student was being put through the paces by an old sea captain. "What would you do if a sudden storm sprang up on the starboard?" asked the captain. "Throw out an anchor, sir." replied the naval student. "What would you do if another storm sprang up aft?" asked the captain. "Throw out ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Ultimate

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Feb 1, 2012

THE ULTIMATE In the early 1970s the Dallas Cowboys had a star running back named Duane Thomas who was kind of a head case. One year the Cowboys made it to the Super Bowl and someone asked Duane Thomas what he thought about playing in the "ultimate game." He replied "If this is the Ultimate Game, ...read more

Scripture: John 19:30

Tags: Apologetics Jesus

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

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

Benjamin Franklin Hoped For A Resurrection

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 25, 2024

In one of his lighter moments, Benjamin Franklin penned his own epitaph. He didn't publicly profess to be a born-again Christian, but it seems he must have been influenced by Paul's teaching of the resurrection of the body. At least he had hopes of eternity. Here's what he wrote: ...read more

Tags: Faith, Death, Resurrection, Heaven, Hope, New Life, Glorified Body  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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

Tale Of Two Kings  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2002

TALE OF TWO KINGS Two of the greatest love stories ever told. The one, at Camelot; the other, at Calvary. Two of the noblest kings ever to live. The one, King Arthur; the other, King of the Jews. The one is adorned with a jeweled crown; the other, with a crown of thorns. The comparisons ...read more

Scripture: Mark 15:33-35, John 10:15-18

Tags: Cross, Crucifixion, Forgiveness In Jesus