In Sermon Illustrations: "Other Religions"

How Do You Make People Feel About Themselves?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 14, 2022

How do you think the people on your staff, in your family or church, or even close friends would say that you make them feel about themselves?? Consider these great quotes on how we treat others: John Maxwell – "People may hear your words, but above all, they feel your attitude. Your ...read more

Tags: Feelings, Self Worth, Love, Leadership, Importance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Don't See The Evidence

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Mar 31, 2022

I was with a friend talking to a new acquaintance when she began touting the virtues of a weight loss book she had read a few years earlier. “It will completely change your relationship with food,” she exclaimed, insisting he take down the name of the book and its author. I saw the man glance at ...read more

Scripture: James 1:22, James 1:23, James 1:24, James 1:25, 2 Corinthians 8:21  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Doer Of The Word, Integrity, Honesty

Denomination: Charismatic

Pastor, Please Don't Stop Preaching On Hell.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 18, 2022

"Preachers must not neglect preaching on the reality of Hell and the catastrophic consequence of rejecting Christ. When you abandon preaching on Hell, you ignore the accent in the Epistles on the coming judgment, you will need to skip large portions of Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels, and you ...read more

Tags: Hell, Salvation, Preaching, Judgment, Repentance, Pastors, Preachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Individually, We Are Weak

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2022

This story was written by Donald Grey Barnhouse. Several years ago, two students graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The highest ranking student in the class was a blind man named Overton and, when he received his honor, he insisted that half the credit should go to his friend, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:14-15

Tags: Fellowship, Community, Small Group

Coach Bear Bryant Had A Purpose In Life.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 13, 2022

The famous and very successful football coach Bear Bryant often told reporters, "I’d croak in a month if I quit coaching." After twenty-five years as the head coach at his alma mater, Bryant announced he would be stepping down at the end of the season. On December 29, 1982, he coached his ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27, Philippians 1:21

Tags: Careers, Death, Sports, Men, Retirement, Purpose  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Abraham Lincoln's Call To A National Day Of Prayer

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 17, 2023

I love how President Abraham Lincoln pointed out to Americans that our pride can cause our nation to suffer: “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Repentance, Nation, Fasting, Prayer, Revival  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Love: Needing Or Giving

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 26, 2023

“The typical example of Gift-love would be that love which moves a man to work and plan and save for the future well-being of his family which he may die without sharing or seeing; the second, Need-love, is that which sends a lonely and frightened child to its mother’s arms. And of course Divine ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:29-31, Luke 10:27, 1 John 4:7-8, Matthew 22:36-39

Tags: Love Of Neighbor, Love, Love Of God

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

It Happened At Work…

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Sep 3, 2023

Church chuckle: It Happened at work… Like the situation that a nurse shared which happened at the hospital where she works. One night a young intern came into the hospital ward shaking her head. "There’s an old man out there by the vending machines," she continued, "and he’s putting ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:23

Tags: Funny Stories, The Work Place, Vending Machines, Work, Humor, Labor Day  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Hank Aaron And Yogi Berra

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 19, 2024

There is a story involving Yogi Berra, the well-known catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, who at the time was the chief power hitter for the Milwaukee Braves. The teams were playing in the World Series, and as usual Yogi was keeping up his ceaseless chatter, intended to pep up his ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14

Tags: Goals, Distractions

8 Types Of Suffering In The Bible

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 25, 2024

Walter Kaiser’s article on “where Job’s friends went wrong about suffering” is very interesting. In the article, Kaiser identifies eight types of suffering mentioned in the Bible. 1. retributive suffering (caused by sin and disobedience to God) 2. educational or disciplinary suffering (as in ...read more

Tags: Glory Of God, Trials, Faith, Doubt, Prayer, Suffering, Testimony, Tribulation, Hurt, Pain  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ten Reasons Why I Never Wash My Hands!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 25, 2024

"Ten Reasons Why I Never Wash." 1. I was forced to wash my hands as a child. 2. People who wash their hands are hypocrites--they think they’re cleaner than others. 3. There are so many kinds of soap, I could never decide which was right. 4. I used to wash my hands, but it got ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:25

Tags: Church, Easter, Attendance, Hypocrites

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Rich Man And The Mirror

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 10, 2024

One day a certain old, rich man of a miserable disposition visited a rabbi, who took the rich man by the hand and led him to a window. He said, "Look out there my wealthy friend." The rich man looked into the street. "What do you see"? asked the rabbi. "I see men, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10

Tags: Gold, Selfishness, Silver, Money, Wealth, Greed, Riches  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Eating Ashes

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

In Isaiah 44:20, we read: “He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” The deceived heart is a word picture of iniquity. It’s on the inside, but it steers what happens on the outside. It’s like the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 44:20

Tags: Ashes, Pica, Steering Wheel

Denomination: Methodist

What Are We Teaching?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Aug 22, 2025

WHAT ARE WE TEACHING OTHERS? I recently heard the story of a German shepherd that was expecting little ones. She ran out in front of a car and injured her back legs. The doctor said she would heal but it would take a long time. The dog had her litter of puppies. When their eyes were open, ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13

Tags: Teach, Example

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Stuck In A Rut

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 14, 2025

The U.S. standard railroad gauge—the width between the rails—is 4 feet, 8 ½ inches. Strange number, isn’t it? You’d think something so crucial would be more logical. So why that width? Because American railroads were built by British expatriates, and that’s how they did it in England. Why ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:2, 1 Peter 1:18-19

Tags: Tradition, Transformation

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

An Overview Of The Signs - Dr. David Reagan ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 22, 2009

An Overview of the Signs - Dr. David Reagan http://www.lamblion.com/articles/articles_signs3.php Let me present you with an outline overview of the signs of the times: I. Signs of Nature (Matthew 24:7; Mark 13: 8; and Luke 21:11) 1. Famine 2. Earthquakes 3. Plagues 4. Signs in the Heavens (Unusual ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[121]. A Message From A Poem – From Where Did God Originate?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 5, 2025

[121]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FROM WHERE DID GOD ORIGINATE? The real title of this poem is HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS, AND IN HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER but the title is too long for SermonCentral to accept, so I changed the title. This is a dialogue poem. There are 4 speakers. Speaker 1 is a ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:16-17, Colossians 2:20-23

Tags: Rationalist, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Atheist, All Things, Agnostic, Gnostics, Gnosticism, Existence Of God, Christian, Creation, Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[221]. A Message From A Poem - Follow Me – I’ll Do The Rest

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 5, 2025

[221]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - FOLLOW ME – I’LL DO THE REST Some of us find it hard to follow. We like to give orders and tell people what to do. However to be subservient and obey, and follow, is irksome to some of us. Early in Jesus’ ministry He walked by the sea and we have this – {{Mark ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:16-18, Mark 8:34-35, Psalm 23:2-3

Tags: Let Go, Leading, Obedience, Shepherd, Follow, Control, Rest, Let God, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

William

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 10, 2010

William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie, WWI Chaplain Hero and Salvation Army Commander Heroes from WWI, William “Fighting Mac” McKenzie (12/1869-26/7/1947) Pstor Col Stringer reveiled the Australian Heros to us by his research, today I share it with you. Who are your personal heroes? Who do you look up ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-17

Tags: Holidays Civic

I Can Remember My Cousin Jenny As A Joyful, ...  PRO

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Jul 29, 2007

I can remember my cousin Jenny as a joyful, delighted-with-life little girl who wasn’t like the rest of us, but could make the grumpiest of grumps smile because her love of life and underlying happiness was so infectious. The message here is that all of us have opportunity to give sacrificially to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1, 1 Corinthians 13:5

Tags: Love, Worship, Give, Life, Thanks, Life Situations, Always, Giving Yourself, Ups And Downs, End Of The World, End Times, Eschatology, Last Days, Guidance, Hypocrite, Impossible  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational