In Sermon Illustrations: "On Time"

Mimic The Owner

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 5, 2023

I read of a wealthy woman that owned a very rare and expensive MACAW. It was so beautiful. It was so smart it could talk unbelievable. Over a period of time the MACAW developed an extremely irritating and terrible hacking cough. The lady called the local vet and they discussed the problem and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:19, Romans 8:28

Tags: Pretender, Wounded

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Silent Night Holy Night

Contributed by Jm Raja Lawrence on Dec 20, 2023

"Silent Night" is one of the most beloved Christmas carols, known for its serene and tranquil melody. The story behind the song begins in the small Austrian village of Oberndorf bei Salzburg in 1818. The lyrics were written by Joseph Mohr, a young priest, and the music was composed by ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:16-25, Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 2:4-20

Tags: Silent Night Holy Night, Stille Nacht, Christmas, Christmas Season, Carols, Birth Of Jesus Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Did Jesus Really Die On The Cross?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 25, 2024

One lady sent in a letter to a religious question and answer forum. "Dear Sirs, Our preacher said on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health because he just fainted on Good Friday. He didn't really die and he wasn't really raised ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8, 1 John 2:1-2

Tags: Easter, Crucifixion, Resurrection, Son Of Man, Cross, Son Of God, Empty Grave  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stress Management

Contributed by David Parks on Nov 4, 2024

Stress Management A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Stress, Worry

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Mutual Respect

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 16, 2025

When we got married there were already 2 children. We each had a child from our first marriages. Those relationships ended and it was by God’s grace that we found each other. My wife and I decided we needed to be on the same page when it came to decisions about the kids. I had read about a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-7

Tags: Husband, Wife, Submission

Denomination: Methodist

Sharing Your Personal Testimony

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 19, 2025

Preparing Your Personal Testimony - Sharing how you came to know God personally is one of the most powerful ways you can help friends grasp how much God loves us. If someone asked you to share today, would you find it challenging to explain how you came to believe in God, or what he means to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Salvation, Testimony

Denomination: Methodist

Scarecrow?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 17, 2025

I had a dream. In the dream I saw some huge power lines. There were thousands of birds sitting on the power lines. Some of the birds were falling off the power lines. The birds were weak. Actually I could see some fell to their death due to starvation. The picture opened wider and I could ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7, Genesis 3:8

Tags: Fear, Worry

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Donkey That Won A Battle

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 24, 2025

My name? Well… I don’t have one anymore. I used to be a donkey—strong, steady, built for long walks and heavy loads. But my part in God’s story began after my last bray. One hot afternoon, I was resting in a field when trouble came. The Philistines had captured a man named Samson—big, strong, and ...read more

Scripture: Judges 15:15-17, 1 Corinthians 1:27, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Zechariah 4:6

Tags: Power, Strength, Victory, Purpose, Surrender  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Grandfather In The Bones - Humor

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 25, 2025

There was a quote from an elderly Christian that hit home for me concerning this battle with sin.... He would say: .... "Kill the old man......Kill him every day." Paul calls it a battle.... A daily battle ... that is fought within. This battle with the old flesh.......is ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:12, Hebrews 2:15, Romans 6:3, Romans 6:23

Tags: Battle, Sin, Sanctification, Grandfather, Old Man  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

The Gift Of Forgivness - Driving Out Bitterness - Charles Stanley

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 1, 2025

Charles Stanley, a renowned teacher and theologian shared this story called ... The Gift of Forgiveness: "A friend of mine is a fine man and a fine pastor who loves God. His wife had cancer, ... and they sought the best of medical help. The Doctor assigned to her case ... who for a number ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:23-24, Matthew 18:15, Romans 12:19, Hebrews 12:15

Tags: Sickness, Prisoner, Forgiveness, Bitterness, Unforgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

The Trademark - Is Jesus Mark On You? - Humor

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 9, 2025

If we are Honest ... Often ... When we are shopping, ...... we will look for name brands that we know. For brands ... that we ... trust. We often recognize those products ... by their trademarks ...... or by ... their ... logos. Companies spend millions of dollars on research ... in order that ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-2, Philippians 2:6-11, Ephesians 4:4, James 3:8-10, Matthew 20:26-28  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Logos, Trademark, Mark

Denomination: Anglican

I Don't Remember - Good Story On Forgiveness Of Sin

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 9, 2025

A Pastor in the Philippines, ......a much-loved man of God ......carried the burden of a secret sin that he had committed ... many years before. He had repented ... but still had no peace, ......no sense ...of God's forgiveness. In his parish ... there was a woman ......who deeply loved God ...read more

Scripture: Micah 7:19, Romans 7:14-19, Romans 7:23-24, Romans 8:1-2, Luke 15:11-32, Psalm 103:12-14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Forgiveness, Sin, Vision

Denomination: Anglican

In 1899 Four Newspaper Reporters From Denver, ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Feb 11, 2001

In 1899 four newspaper reporters from Denver, CO, set out to tear down the Great Wall of China. They almost succeeded. Literally. The four met by chance one Saturday night, in a Denver railway depot. Al Stevens, Jack Tournay, John Lewis, Hal Wilshire. They represented the four Denver papers: the ...read more

Scripture: James 3:1-18

Tags: Faith, Truth

Denomination: Baptist

To Say The Least, I Was At First Shocked To Read ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 26, 2001

To say the least, I was at first shocked to read the headline, Baby Ate Cocaine Dad Left Nearby. According to the Associated Press a father from Ravenna, Ohio was sentenced to one year in prison for endangering his daughter, who was six-months-old at the time of the incident. He evidently stashed ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 127:1

Tags: Father's Day, Children, Parenting

Brenda Was A Young Woman That Wanted To Learn To ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Cassara on Sep 8, 2001

Brenda was a young woman that wanted to learn to go rock climbing. Although she was scared to death she went with a group and they faced this tremendous cliff of rock. Practically perpendicular. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear and she took a hold of the rope and she started up the face of ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered, God's Provision, Faith

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Story Is Told About 3 Brothers Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Oct 11, 2001

ILL. The story is told about 3 brothers who started working at the same time for a fur company owned by an old friend of their father. After working there for more than a year, one son was still receiving the same salary as when he started, & seemed to be unhappy with his job. The second son ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Leadership General, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Will Close With A Record Of Something God Did ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Belcher on Nov 26, 2001

I will close with a record of something God did 130 years go in New York City. It illustrates how God has started every harvest time in history, through the concerted prayer of his people. Toward the middle of the last century the glow of earlier religious awakenings had faded. America was ...read more

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Adoration, God's Omnipotence

Denomination: Baptist

Giant Steps  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Mar 10, 2002

Giant steps Marathon the latest goal in a life of challenges. Katie Lynch, 26, practicing for Monday’s Boston Marathon with a special Walker. (Globe Staff Photo / JohnTlumacki) By John Vellante, Globe Staff, 4/14/01 WAYLAND Her life -- all 26-plus years of it -- has been one challenge after ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Human Body

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

My Penance  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 17, 2002

MY PENANCE The story of George C. Wallace sounds like something from Paul Harvey’s “the Rest of the Story.” It comes in two parts: the sad, earlier life and the hard but hopeful remainder. Even more dramatic is a tragic event in the middle that brought life-changing consequences for the man ...read more

Tony Campolo Wrote A Book Called "The Kingdom Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Feb 26, 2003

Tony Campolo wrote a book called “The Kingdom of God is a Party.” In chapter one, he tells the story of a trip to Honolulu in the mid 80’s. Having crossed far too many time zones from Philadelphia to Hawaii, he found himself awake and needing breakfast at 3:30am local time. He ended up in a ...read more

Tags: Worship Definition, Church Purpose Of, Church Practices

Denomination: Baptist