In Sermon Illustrations: "Our Only Hope"

Story Number One  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 13, 2003

STORY NUMBER ONE Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn’t famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder. Capone had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was his lawyer for a good ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Unsung Heroes: The Shepherds Of Bethlehem

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 14, 2020

Introduction: the Christmas story, the birth of Jesus Christ into this world, is one of the most beautiful ever told. Many believers and others are more or less familiar with Mary and Joseph traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and how Jesus was born in an inn and laid in a manger because there ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Tags: Mary, Birth Of Jesus, Shepherds, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes At The 'battle Of The Ditches'!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 30, 2024

Introduction: Ask any veteran or anyone who served in the military for the strangest duty they ever performed and you may get some interesting replies! The soldiers in this story were asked (!) to put down their swords and take up some shovels in order to dig a lot of ditches! This story also has ...read more

Tags: Jehoshaphat, Elisha, Unsung Heroes, Ditches

Denomination: Baptist

Oh, To Be Crazy And Get Paid For It

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 26, 2020

I usually don't complain a lot. When I do I get caught in some dilemma that I can’t talk my way out. You think I would learn my lesson, but I'm still in the learning curve. It was a long week, and the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I had a busy schedule. She went her way, I went my ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:10

Tags: Money, Politics, Humor

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

It Was A Shoofly Pie Moment

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 5, 2020

During holiday seasons, I enjoy indulging in special food. My favorite during this time of year is the Shoofly Pie. Nothing hits the spot quite like this. Although the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage restricts this kind of culinary activity during the rest of the year, I tried to get a pass ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:17

Tags: Politician, Holiday, Shoofly

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

How Can I Get My Sneeze Back?

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 28, 2024

I've had a lot of health issues during this past year, and now that I seem to be over them, something else has taken their place. I have had a sneezing fit for the past two weeks that I've never experienced before. Every time I sneeze, it is in triplets. I don't know why I have to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Health, Sneezing

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Journey Of 1,000 Miles Begins With An Apple Fritter

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 12, 2025

Life has many paths, and I have discovered that traveling any of them takes a lot of energy. Unlike The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, my energy comes from those wonderful Apple Fritters. I can't remember the first time I had one, but I vividly remember the last time. Trying to get ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Agreement, Discussion, Apple Fritters

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Living The Impossible Dream!" Job 40: 1-5: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 3, 2004

“Living the Impossible Dream!” Job 40: 1-5: Key verse(s): 2 “‘Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!’” Sooner or later everyone reads or hears about Cervantes’ story of Don Quixote. Cervantes is thrown in prison in Seville. Finding himself ...read more

Scripture: Job 39:1-5

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Lutheran

There Was Once A Preacher Who Was Traveling ...

Contributed by Jay Winters on Apr 2, 2009

There was once a preacher who was traveling between cities. He had lived in cities all of his life. He could tell you how to find a good parking spot, what neighborhoods to avoid within the city, and how to avoid traffic by using the backstreets. He was a smart guy with plenty of personality, ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Lutheran

His Last Thoughts Were Of His Children

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2010

HIS LAST THOUGHTS WERE OF HIS CHILDREN A Union sergeant was killed on the first day of fighting in Gettysburg. He was just one of more than 3,000 Union soldiers who died in the three-day conflict. When his body was found later that week, lying in a secluded spot in Gettysburg, he was holding a ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:1-2

Tags: Love, Father's Day

Misapplied Scriptures: The "Mizpah” Moment

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 17, 2023

Full disclosure: Sermon Central has accepted and posted a complete message on this text and context called “Jacob-His Mizpah Moment”. This illustration is not an abbreviated form of that message, only a brief attempt to post some highlights. In addition, this verse/passage was featured back in the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 31:49

Tags: Jacob, Mizpah, Laban

Denomination: Baptist

In His Book, Celebration Of Discipline, Richard ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 9, 2002

In his book, Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster writes: “Worship is the human response to the divine initiative. …Worship is our response to the overtures ...read more

Here's An Interesting Observation—there Is A ...  PRO

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Jul 5, 2002

Here’s an interesting observation—there is a Commandment about honoring our mothers and fathers, so why isn’t there one about brothers ...read more

Scripture: James 1:26-27

Tags: Commandments Murder, Family

Denomination: Congregational

The 8 Million Women Owned Business In The U.s., ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 6, 2006

The 8 million women owned business in the U.S., account for 36% of all our companies and employ 26% of the workforce. (The Godly ...read more

Tags: Women

My Prayer Today Is That We Will Feel The Loving ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 9, 2006

“My prayer today is that we will feel the loving arms of God wrapped around us, and will know in our hearts that He will never ...read more

Tags: Prayer Adoration

Mother Teresa Was Once Asked By An Interviewer: ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Oct 23, 2006

Mother Teresa was once asked by an interviewer: What is the biggest problem in the world today? she replied we draw the circle of our ...read more

Tags: Commandments Sabbath

Denomination: Baptist

A Famous American Author Once Said, "The Worst ...

Contributed by Brian Stevenson on Nov 24, 2006

A famous American author once said, “The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that’s ...read more

Denomination: Vineyard

C.s. Lewis Said, "In Commanding Us To Glorify ...  PRO

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Nov 28, 2006

C.S. Lewis said, “In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy him.” God wants our worship to be motivated ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-10, Ephesians 2:8

Tags: Contentment, Glory, Love, Worship

Denomination: Baptist

C.s. Lewis Said, "In Commanding Us To Glorify ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Dec 18, 2006

C.S. Lewis said, "In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy him. God wants our worship to be motivated ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Precision Of Communication Is Important, More ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Precision of communication is important, more important than ever, in our era of hair-trigger balances, when a false, or misunderstood word may ...read more

Tags: Communication General