In Sermon Illustrations: "Old"

God, You're In My Way.  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

"GOD, YOU'RE IN MY WAY." A California pastor, Kyle Idleman, talks about his last move in his book, Not a Fan. In that move, he saved the heaviest piece of furniture for last -- the desk from his office. And as he was pushing and pulling the desk with all his might, his four-year-old son came over ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-8, Philippians 4:4-7

Tags: Anxiety

The Dead Donkey

Contributed by Perry Greene on Jul 12, 2012

THE DEAD DONKEY A city boy, Kenny, moved to the country and bought a donkey from an old farmer for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day. The next day the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news, the donkey died." Kenny replied, "Well then, just give ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bertoldo De Giovanni Is A Name Even The Most ...

Contributed by Perry Greene on Aug 2, 2012

Bertoldo de Giovanni is a name even the most enthusiastic lover of art is unlikely to recognize. He was the pupil of Donatello, the greatest sculptor of his time, and he was the teacher of Michelangelo, the greatest sculptor of all time. Michelangelo was only 14 years old when he came to Bertoldo, ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Guiding Light

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 20, 2012

GUIDING LIGHT Do you remember this intro? “And now, The Guiding Light.” It is an old one. According to Guinness Book of World Records The Guiding Light was the longest running drama of all time. It came on the air in January 25, 1937 five days after President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s second ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12

Tags: Darkness, Change, Soap, Jesus Life, Guiding Light  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

All Moms Know This Stuff  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2012

ALL MOMS KNOW THIS STUFF One mom was out walking with her 4-year-old daughter when her girl picked up something from the ground and started to put it in her mouth. The mother tells what happens in her own words: "I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that." My daughter quickly ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10-31

Tags: Mother's Day

Martyrdom Of John ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2013

MARTYRDOM OF JOHN DENLEY One day, on the way to visit some friends, John Denley was stopped and searched by the authorities, who found his written confession of faith. Denley believed the Church was built upon the apostles and prophets, with Christ as its head, and that the present state church, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Tags: Faith, Persecution, Martyr

Two Brothers Were Convicted Of Stealing Sheep...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 9, 2015

Two brothers were convicted of stealing sheep many years ago in England. In accordance with the punishment of those days, they were branded in the forehead with the letters “ST” for sheep thief. One brother, unable to bear the stigma, fled to a foreign country where he died full of bitterness and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:1

Tags: Holiness, Saint, Good Reputation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Ten Years Of Fact Checking

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

It’s an old stereotype that politicians are likely to “massage the truth” a little bit. That’s probably as generous as that can be said. With that in mind, I was intrigued recently when PolitiFact celebrated their tenth anniversary. PolitiFact is a non-partisan, independent organization that ...read more

Tags: Bible, Truth

Denomination: Baptist

Before The Water

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Nov 15, 2018

Scott Harrison, founder of charity:water, shares this story: "I recently had the chance to visit charity:water's very first project. It was a well that we had funded on my thirty-first birthday and then built in the IDP camp of Bobi, Uganda. "The sprawling camp of 31,000 people had cleared out, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7

Tags: Birth Of Christ, Christmas, Jesus, Easter, Crucifixion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

New Church Treasurer

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 4, 2022

The day the old church treasurer resigned, the church asked the local grain elevator manager to take the position. He agreed under 2 conditions: 1. No treasurer’s report would be given for the first year 2. No questions be asked about finances during that year The people were surprised but finally ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:10

Tags: Money, Giving, Tithing

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Staring At The Great Stone Face

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton 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 Dr. Larry Petton 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 Dr. Larry Petton 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 Dr. Larry Petton 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

Metamorphosis  PRO

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Aug 16, 2008

METAMORPHOSIS I can recall how taken back I was, in my fourth grade science class, when I first became aware of this almost magical phenomena of an ugly, old caterpillar becoming a beautiful butterfly. Of course at that age I had a very hard time understanding the whole biological time-clock thing ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: *other