In Sermon Illustrations: "Old Nature"

Waiting 20 Years For The End Of The Story

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 28, 2011

WAITING 20 YEARS FOR THE END OF THE STORY In her book The God Who Hung on the Cross, journalist Ellen Vaughn retells a gripping story of how the Gospel came to a small village in Cambodia. In September 1999, Pastor Tuy Seng (not his real name) traveled to Kampong Thom Province in northern ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:46-48

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Elijah Cadman

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

ELIJAH CADMAN Let me tell you about the six-year-old drunken chimney sweep who went on to become a great leader in our movement. Elijah Cadman was born in Coventry, the youngest of five children of a drunkard father who died when Cadman was three years old. Aged six, Cadman was unusually small ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Tags: Becoming A Christian

Hate The Politics, Not The Person

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 29, 2011

HATE THE POLITICS, NOT THE PERSON In his book, The Life God Blesses, Gordon MacDonald describes his encounter with a black South African, a high-ranking member of the African National Congress. He was profoundly impressed by the man's understanding of African history and politics and his insight ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Anglican

Napoleon On Christ

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Nov 18, 2011

NAPOLEON ON CHRIST Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor Napoleon I of France (1769-1821), was one of the greatest military commanders of all time. He conquered the larger part of Europe and did much to modernize the nations he ruled. What did Napoleon say about Jesus? "I know men and I tell you that ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Anglican

Man In A Hurry  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 7, 2014

MAN IN A HURRY On the Andy Griffith Show episode "Man in a Hurry"- Malcolm tucker is a wealthy businessman from Charlotte. One Sunday he happens to have car trouble a couple of miles outside of Mayberry. Malcolm walks the rest of the way to town and meets Andy coming out of Sunday morning ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Frustration, Trial, Unexpected, Hurry

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Second Chances

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

David Emory tells the story of baptizing a young father who had a 7 year old and 5 year old. They were close friends of his family and had never been a part of a church. But one Sunday, they came to worship, he gave his life to Christ and was baptized. At the end of the service, after everyone else ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8

Tags: Sin, Repentance, Woe, Second Chances

Denomination: Methodist

The Amazing Accuracy Of Scripture

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 28, 2020

Professor Emeritus of Science at Westmon College, Peter Stoner, has calculated the probability of one man fulfilling the major prophecies made concerning the Messiah. The estimates were worked out by twelve different classes of 600 college students. The students carefully weighed all the factors, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Word Of God, Inerrancy, Prophecies Fulfilled, Inspiration Of The Bible, Bible, Messiah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Kicking Rocks By Gary Williams (From Seniors ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on May 22, 2007

Kicking Rocks by Gary Williams (from Seniors Quiet Time Miscellany) One day a nine-year-old boy and a man began a walk to the beach. The man’s body was on vacation, many miles away from home and business, but his heart was still business-blinded. He thought his duty was to make sure that he and ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

At The Time Of This Writing, The Story ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

At the time of this writing, the story dominating the national news involves the execution of former Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein. On December 30, 2006 the gun-toting dictator, who ruled Iraq with an iron fist for 24 years, was taken to the gallows. This 69-year-old despot, who ruled in ...read more

Tags: Guilt

Law, Fulfilled In Christ

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Oct 13, 2007

Law, fulfilled in Christ The Little Flower A story is told about Fiorello LaGuardia, who, when he was mayor of New York City during the worst days of the Great Depression and all of WWII, was called by adoring New Yorkers ‘the Little Flower’ because he was only five foot four and always wore a ...read more

Denomination: Other

Your Disability

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Oct 8, 2022

I was asked, “What is Tharon’s greatest accomplishment”? That question really made me think hard. Tharon lost his memory at 14 years old. Every day when he woke up, he was like a 2 year old kid. I went with him to School every day and by the time we made it to Swim practice, he was 14. By the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Tags: Action, Disabilities

Denomination: Baptist

Ordinary Joe – An Unsung Hero

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 24, 2023

Ordinary Joe – An Unsung Hero There are many characters in the cast of the Christmas story that have gripped the Church’s imagination but there’s one that has rarely had a place in the spotlight. Joseph. There’s the Magi, exotic and somehow still gleaming in their silks after the long, dusty road ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:16-25, Matthew 2:14-21, Luke 1:27, Luke 3:23-30

Tags: Angel, Christmas, Angels, Joseph, Simeon, Genealogy, Mary And Joseph  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[177]. A Message From A Poem – Lord, Open My Eyes

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 26, 2025

[177]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LORD, OPEN MY EYES Opened eyes is truly a marvellous thing. The term “eyes opened” comes to mean understanding and awareness of what is reality or of what is happening. Only once in the whole bible are the words “open my eyes” found, and it is this verse – ...read more

Scripture: John 12:21, 2 Kings 6:17, Psalm 119:18

Tags: Open My Eyes, The Word Of God, The Bible, Eyes Opened, Christian Poems, Wonderful Things, Understanding  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Emperor Napoleon Said About Jesus

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

Emperor Napoleon I of France (1769-1821), was one of the greatest military commanders of all time. He conquered the larger part of Europe and did much to modernize the nations he ruled. What did Napoleon say about Jesus? "I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 5:1-15

Tags: Jesus, Napoleon

Denomination: Anglican

Whose Boy Are You?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2002

WHOSE BOY ARE YOU? One of the great preachers of our time is Dr. Fred Craddock. Craddock tells a story about vacationing with his wife one summer in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. One night they found a quiet little restaurant, where they looked forward to a private meal. While they were waiting for ...read more

Tags: Parenting, Child Of God, Adoption, Inheritance

I'm A Different Person  PRO

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Jul 27, 2003

I'M A DIFFERENT PERSON “…that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind…” When I still lived in California, and for a while was selling cars until I repented, I worked with a very lovely young woman named Sheri. We became good friends, because we were hired very close to the same time. She ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2, Colossians 3:12-17

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Disciplines Meditation

Denomination: Orthodox

I'll Go Back And Tell Them Again.

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 30, 2011

"I'LL GO BACK AND TELL THEM AGAIN." In a book entitled "Jungle Harvest," written by a missionary named Ruby Scott, she describes some of her experiences in reaching a people group known as the Tila Indians who lived in a remote village in the jungles of south Mexico, just north of the Guatemalan ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

The Parable Of The Dragonfly

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 23, 2011

THE PARABLE OF THE DRAGONFLY Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of water bugs. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice that every once in a while ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Tags: Heaven

The Cross Made The Difference

Contributed by David Simpson on Apr 20, 2020

I (David Simpson) grew up as part of the spiritual family of Hardwick Christian Church. Along with my parents and sisters, I learned about Jesus and Bible there. I don’t ever remember a Sunday throughout my childhood and into my teen years when I was not in that church building and doing life with ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:5, John 3:16

Tags: Good Friday, Cross, Lord's Supper, Blood Of Jesus, Cross Of Jesus, Sacrifice Of Jesus, Communion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Church

A Little Girl's Prayer  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Oct 15, 2001

A LITTLE GIRL’S PRAYER One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do she died, leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator (we had no electricity ...read more

Scripture: James 5:17, Hosea 6:2

Tags: Faith, Prayer General, Prayer Answered, Prayer

Denomination: Lutheran