In Sermon Illustrations: "Old Wineskins"

Shout

Contributed by Arliss Beavers on May 12, 2008

SHOUT A church ran into difficulty when the elders decided that one man was shouting too much in church. They thought he might disturb the very distinguished guests the church was suddenly now having. So the elders called the pastor aside and notified him that this shouter must be refrained. The ...read more

Tags: Blessing

Denomination: Church Of God

The Bbc ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 5, 2009

The BBC (news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3157570.stm) did a study five years ago and published some interesting conclusions. According to the October 2, 2003 article, the happiest localities in the world are (in order): Nigeria, Mexico, Venezuela, El Salvador and Puerto Rico. What might surprise ...read more

Tags: Happiness

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Don't Just Count Them, Look Them In The Eye

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

DON’T JUST COUNT THEM, LOOK THEM IN THE EYE An item in Leadership magazine illustrates the importance of giving attention to needs, not just to numbers. "During World War II, economist E.F. Schumacher, then a young statistician, worked on a farm. Each day he would count the 32 head of cattle, then ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Sure ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

SURE DESTINATION I heard about an 83-year-old man who had lived his entire life as a bachelor. One day this man gathered his four nephews and announced that he was planning to be married. His nephews were in shock. One spoke up and said, "Uncle are you getting married because this woman is ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Staring At The Great Stone Face

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 2, 2023

Perhaps you remember Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story about the great stone face. A little lad lived in a village where there was a mountain with a rock formation which they called the great stone face. The people had a legend that someday someone would come to the village who would look like the ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4, Hebrews 12:1-3

Tags: Glory, Jesus, Worship, Vision, Focus, Looking To Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Make Sure Your Ax Is Sharpen

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Feb 16, 2023

When we were young we did not have central heating and air. As a matter of fact I do not remember us having a window unit. What we had was a fireplace in the winter time and a screen door in the summer. I remember that old fire place. If it was real cold we would put a blanket over the door ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 10:10

Tags: Holy Spirit, Sharpening Your Ax

Denomination: Church Of God

Thank You, God, For Rattlesnakes!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 26, 2023

There was a farmer who had three sons: Ron, Don and Little John. All had their names on the church roll, but none ever attended church or had time for God. Then one day Don was bitten by a rattlesnake. The doctor was called and did all he could to help Don, but the outlook for his recovery was very ...read more

Tags: Judgment, Repentance, Spiritual Fruit, Brokenness, Unfaithfulness, Backsliding, Revival  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Currency

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Mar 19, 2023

Jesus might have asked, when presented with the coin with Caesar's image on it: "Whose image do you bear, whose image is stamped on you?” And the answer would have been - or should - have been: "We are carrying God’s image, we are carrying God’s name.” He coined us in his image. He ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:34-40, Matthew 22:19-21

Tags: Coin, Image Of God, Jesus The Stranger, Circulation, Joseph G Donders  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Children Need To Be Loved

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jul 17, 2023

No more convincing evidence of the absence of parental affection exists than that compiled by Rene Spitz. In a South American orphanage, Spitz observed and recorded what happened to 97 children who were deprived of emotional and physical contact with others. Because of a lack of funds, there was ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-5

Tags: Nurture, Touching, Love, Children, Marriage, Parents, Family, Home  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Was Esther Taken Forcefully In Sex Trafficking?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 21, 2023

"So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to Susa the capital into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women". (Esther 2:8). I’m intrigued by ...read more

Tags: Esther, Rape, Force, Sexual Sins, Sex Trafficking  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Spiritual Maturity

Contributed by Barry O Johnson on Feb 5, 2024

1 Timothy 3:6 - "Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil." Recently, a father sat down with his four-year-old son and asked him if he would like the $10 in his right hand or the two Oreo cookies in his left hand. His son immediately chose ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:6

Tags: Talent, Maturity, Novice

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Doctrine Of Atonement

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 1, 2025

We need to have core beliefs that do not change over time – NO MATTER WHAT! The doctrine of atonement is under attack today. It is attacked by folks who look at humans and see each one as basically good who occasionally do bad things. They talk about each person’s freedom to become your ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:17

Tags: Scripture, Atonement, Authentic, Holy God, Fallen World  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Peter Cartright And President Andrew Jackson

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jan 12, 2026

President Andrew Jackson is going to hell There was a fiery old revival preacher named Peter Cartwright who was famous for telling it like it is. One day he was preaching near Washington D.C. And the people of the church heard that President Andrew Jackson was coming to visit them. So, they ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46, Mark 9:43-48, Matthew 5:22, Luke 16:19-31

Tags: Andrew Jackson, Peter Cartright

Denomination: Anglican

Your Last Meal?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 14, 2026

WHAT MEAL WOULD YOU ORDER IF YOU KNEW IT WAS YOUR LAST? WHAT TALE ARE YOU TELLING? SEVERAL YEARS AGO I WAS WITH A 38 YEAR OLD MAN ON DEATH ROW. At midnight we would take a walk to the death chamber. He was given his last request what to eat. He had ordered 2 REUBEN SANDWICHES AND CURLY FRIES. He ...read more

Scripture: James 4:14-15, Psalm 90:9-10

Tags: Death, Last Meal

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Cracked Pot  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 27, 2002

THE CRACKED POT A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:7, Romans 1:16

Tags: God In The Hardships, Imperfection, Jars Of Clay, Perseverance, Patience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

There Have Been A Number Of Times When Hopefully ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Oct 12, 2002

There have been a number of times when hopefully my children have learned from me.. from both my mistakes and my successes. But as each parent knows, there are many times we can learn from them. One of those times that I will never forget was when our children were young. As a family we made a pact ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Christian Church

Perpetual New Year's Resolutions  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2002

PERPETUAL NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Share a funny story with ...read more

Tags: New Year's Day, Bucketlist, Christian Values

What Not To Do  PRO

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 8, 2003

WHAT NOT TO DO The new millenium brought out the worst in parenting, and no parenting methods were criticized more harshly than those of captured American Taliban, John Lindh Walker. When Lindh Walker was 10, the family from Washington State moved to socially liberal Marin County, just over the ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God Held My Hand  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2003

GOD HELD MY HAND As a child my parents took me to church You see for me they didn’t have to search. And when at my grandparents house we all went together. In rain, snow, heat and all kinds of weather. Growing up on a farm in rural Kentucky, work was all we knew Of the outside world we had no ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Love

From The Time Of Abraham To The Time Of Jesus, ...  PRO

Contributed by Bill Huffhine on May 27, 2004

From the time of Abraham to the time of Jesus, the Jewish people were the chosen people of God. They were the only people on the face of the earth who knew the one, true God. From Abraham, God raised up this nation to be his voice to the entire world. It was to them that God introduced Himself, ...read more

Tags: Baptism

Denomination: Free Methodist