In Sermon Illustrations: "One Sheep Lost"

No Tents In Heaven!

Contributed by Dr. David Hallum on Jun 24, 2016

I am not a camper. I spent one miserable weekend as a kid in an old, smelly canvas tent. It was designed to sleep 10, but 2 adults and 2 kids kicked, punched and threw sand all over one another all night. And that was while we were asleep. As I said, it was a miserable weekend. When I became ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:1-7

Tags: Camp, Tabernacle

Denomination: Baptist

Where Will You Be?

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 23, 2019

Where Will You Be? When the clouds burst open where will you be? Will there be joy in your heart when Jesus you see? Will you be running to hide from His face Or standing there with your head hanging in disgrace/ It surely is coming and the time is near at hand When Jesus comes to take his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:12

Tags: Death, Rapture, Great White Throne, Bema

Denomination: Baptist

The Magi -- Who Were They?

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 25, 2019

Lambert Dolphin writes: “The ancient Magi were a hereditary priesthood of the Medes (known today as the Kurds) credited with profound and extraordinary religious knowledge. After some Magi, who had been attached to the Median court, proved to be expert in the interpretation of dreams, Darius the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Tags: Wise Men, Magi, Kinds, Seers

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Come Anyway (No Excuse Sunday)

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Nov 7, 2020

To make it possible for everyone to attend church this Sunday, we are going to have a special "No Excuse Sunday": • We will provide pillows to nap for those who need the extra sleep on Sunday morning. • We will have extra cushions for those who feel that our pews are too hard. ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:18

Tags: Commitment, Faithfulness, Attendance, Sunday Morning

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

How Hard Do You Prepare For Sermons?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

Howard Hendricks shares this insight about the value of preparing and study for sermons... " When I was a college student—I worked in the college dining hall, and on my way to work at 5:30 am. every morning I walked past the home of one of my professors. Through a window I could see the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3, 2 Timothy 2:15

Tags: Sermons, Shepherding, Feeding The Flock, Sermon Preparation, Studying The Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Looking In A Mirror

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Aug 28, 2021

Here is part of a story by Gabrielle Moss? I've been known to waste massive amounts of time using mirrors to do respectable, adult things, like trying to straighten my bangs. Surely you've had the pleasure of breaking a mirror and having some helpful person inform you that you have now ...read more

Scripture: James 1:17-27

Tags: Examination Of Self, Seeing The Real Person

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Slow And Steady

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2022

The power of the Holy Spirit is not just for salvation, but for sanctification, a process that is slow and gradual. The difference might look like this: You can take ten gallons of gasoline and release a tremendous amount of power and energy by just dropping a lighted match into it. It makes a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8

Tags: Holy Spirit, Energy, Fuel

The Power Of The Switch

Contributed by Imelda Mesa on Sep 27, 2022

THE POWER OF THE SWITCH – to some, the issue is not the light but our willingness/eagerness to turn the switch on! Example: Marie and Walter gifted us a 3-day tour in Canada - Kingston-Ottawa-Montreal-Old Quebec-1000 Islands The schedule is packed and the travel time between these places range ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12

Tags: Light, Darkness, Turn The Lights On

Denomination: Foursquare

The Obituary Of Someone Else

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 20, 2022

Our church was saddened to learn this week of the death of one of our most valued members, Someone Else.   Someone’s passing creates a vacancy that will be difficult to fill. Else has been with us for many years and for every one of those years, Someone did far more than a normal person’s ...read more

Tags: Service, Sacrifice, Church Members, Volunteers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church That Voted God Out!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2024

The story is told about a poor woman who lived across the tracks and wanted to join a very fashionable church. She talked to the pastor about it, but he sought to discourage her. He suggested she go home and think about it carefully for a week. At the end of the week she came back. He said, “Go ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-12

Tags: Church, Revival, Favoritism, Pastors, Membership, Partiality  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Trapped

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Mar 15, 2024

Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. When my son was practicing with his little league baseball team there was a practice field. The practice field was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:18, Galatians 5:7

Tags: Change, Trapped

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Only Jesus Can Give This Kind Of Forgiveness!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 12, 2024

Bruce Goodrich was being initiated into the cadet corps at Texas A & M University. One night, Bruce was forced to run until he dropped -- but he never got up. Bruce Goodrich died before he even entered college. A short time after the tragedy, Bruce's father wrote this letter to the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-15

Tags: Eternity, Parents, Cross, Prayer, Lord's Prayer, Forgiving Others, Enemies, Fathers, Forgivness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Death

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

Paul writing from a prison cell and probably knowing that he would soon die by the sword writes to the Philippians, “I give thanks to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor imprisoned in 1943 for his political and Christian opposition to the Nazi regime, was ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:3

Tags: Death, Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Denomination: Anglican

Forgiveness

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

One of my heroes of the faith is the late Richard Wurmbrand who died in February 2001. Wurmbrand was born in Rumania in 1920 as a Jew and became a Christian when he encountered Christ at an early age. He shared his faith with the occupying troops in the 1940’s and the Germans threw him in prison ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:4

Tags: God's Underground, Wurmbrand

Denomination: Anglican

Big Hands

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 13, 2025

A boy and his mother walked into the corner drug store to buy a few things. And right there on the counter was a big glass candy jar—one of those old-fashioned ones, filled to the brim with all the colors a child’s imagination could want. The boy froze. You know how kids get—locked in, mesmerized, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:20, Psalm 81:10

Tags: Trust, Provision

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Singer Michael Card Wrote A Song Called The ...  PRO

Contributed by Bill Sullivan on Dec 7, 2000

Singer Michael Card wrote a song called The Promise, and he wrote a little Christmas devotional on this theme: He noted: Christianity is founded on a promise. Faith involves waiting on a promise. Our hope is based on a promise. Promises are made with words. … .that part of myself that goes ...read more

Tags: Christmas Advent, Birth Of Jesus, Advent, Hope, Forgiveness In Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Late Dr. Boice Had Some Interesting Thoughts ...  PRO

Contributed by Nathan Robertson, Jr. on Nov 3, 2000

The late Dr. Boice had some interesting thoughts as to why God’s justice is offensive. In human affairs we rightly value justice and the "wrath" of the judicial system, for they protect us. If by chance we ourselves run afoul of the law, there is always the chance that we can cop a plea, escape on ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:1-12

Tags: Forgiveness General, God's Judgment, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Baptist

This Last Week I Was Thinking About This ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Peck on Feb 1, 2001

This last week I was thinking about this priority of love and I saw an incredible example of it on Dateline NBC. It seems that two members of the same church participated in a 40 day prayer and fasting time to seek God’s will for their lives. One of the woman badly needed a kidney transplant, and ...read more

Scripture: John 12:20-50

Tags: Christian Love, Compassion, Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lewis Smedes, Professor Of Theology And Ethics At ...  PRO

Contributed by Aaron Jones on Mar 5, 2001

Lewis Smedes, professor of theology and ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary was asked this very question about suicide in the July 2000 issue of Christianity Today. He summarized his thoughts by writing, "I believe that, as Christians, we should worry less about whether Christians who have ...read more

Tags: Funerals Non-Christian, Friendship General, Disappointment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Two Frogs  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 20, 2001

Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl; The one was wise, and a cheery soul. The other one took a gloomy view And bade his friend a sad adieu. Said the other frog with a merry grin, "I can’t get out, but I won’t give in; ...read more