In Sermon Illustrations: "Parable Of The Lost Son"

All God Has: A Testimony  PRO

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jun 30, 2014

The day I turned 18, I left home. I had saved some money, and despite my parents' strong objections, I packed a few things in my Volkswagen and headed for California. Just outside of Needles, California, a man at a rest stop pulled a gun, took my wallet, and drove off with my car. I had not been in ...read more

Scripture: John 17:1-3

Tags: God The Father, Fathers Day, Knowing God

Denomination: Baptist

In 1871, Tragedy Struck Chicago As Fire Ravaged ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In 1871, tragedy struck Chicago as fire ravaged the city. When it was all over, 300 people were dead and 100,000 were homeless. Horatio Gates Spafford was one of those who tried to help the people of the city get back on their feet. A lawyer who had invested much of his money into the downtown ...read more

Tags: Peace

I'll Give You My First Paycheck

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

I'LL GIVE YOU MY FIRST PAYCHECK Craig C. had been an alcoholic for more than a dozen years. He'd lost everything he had, including his wife and son, due to his selfishness and addiction. Things began to change after he gave his life to Christ, but he still fell regularly into his old habits. It ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16

Tags: Trust

The Danish Philosopher, Kierkegaard, Tells A ...  PRO

Contributed by Sandra Jean on Aug 26, 2006

The Danish philosopher, Kierkegaard, tells a parable of a theater where a variety show is proceeding. Each show is more fantastic than the last, and is applauded by the audience. Suddenly the manager comes forward. He apologizes for the interruption, but the theater is on fire, and he begs his ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Patient Prayer  PRO

Contributed by John Hamby on Feb 10, 2003

THE PATIENT PRAYER “George Mueller, the founder of a great Christian orphanage work in England in the 1800’s, was a powerful man of prayer. He knew the importance of keeping at prayer evne when the answer seemed delayed. When he was young he began praying that two of his friends might be saved. He ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Prayer Persistence, Sharing My Testimony

Denomination: Baptist

The Danish Philosopher, Kierkegaard, Tells A ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 6, 2012

1. The Danish philosopher, Kierkegaard, tells a parable of a theater where a variety show is proceeding. Each show is more fantastic than the last, and is applauded by the audience. Suddenly the manager comes forward. He apologizes for the interruption, but the theater is on fire, and he begs his ...read more

Tags: Prophecy

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Benjamin Frankin Once Coined A Saying That Could ...  PRO

Contributed by David Fox on Nov 10, 2001

Benjamin Frankin once coined a saying that could well describe the previous chaper of Judahs history (and our own nation as well). “A little neglect may breed great mischief… · For want of a nail the shoe was lost… · For want of a shoe the horse was lost… · For want of a horse the rider was ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Disciplines General, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Pentecostal

Can't Wait Until Morning  PRO

Contributed by Steve Gallimore on Aug 28, 2008

Can't Wait Until Morning Dr. W. A Criswell, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas, said on one occasion on an airplane flight he found himself seated beside a well-known theologian. He desperately wanted to start a conversation and they did get to talk. The man told Dr. Criswell about ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:1

Tags: Death, Glory, Heaven, Salvation, Hope, Funeral  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

See You In The Morning.  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

"SEE YOU IN THE MORNING." Dr. W. A Criswell, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas, said on one occasion on an airplane flight he found himself seated beside a well-known theologian. He desperately wanted to start a conversation and they did get to talk. The man told Dr. Criswell ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:18

Tags: God In The Hardships

[237 H] [8]. A Message From A Poem - Scenes From The Gospels - Part 8

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Dec 11, 2025

[237 H] [8]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - SCENES FROM THE GOSPELS - PART 8 They are here to enjoy! Scenes from the Gospels are very special to me. I love them. They have taken a lot of effort, and many, many months revision to get them as correct as possible with the difficult word limitations. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:1-4, Matthew 13:10-13, Matthew 16:1-6, Matthew 13:31-32, Matthew 3:1-17, John 1:19-36, Mark 10:17-23, Mark 10:46-52  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Hypocrites, Signs Of The Times, Constantine, Sell What You Have, Blind, Bartimaeus, Lamb Of God, John The Baptist, Rich Young Ruler, Good Teacher, Sight, Gain, Pharisees, Baptize, Sadducees, Mustard Seed  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[152]. A Message From A Poem – Jesus Christ Is All In All In All Matters

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 1, 2025

[152]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JESUS CHRIST IS ALL IN ALL IN ALL MATTERS This is the only poem I have written this way. It is quite unusual as you see with scattered words that rhyme, and play on words. I think of it as one long thread with all these points hanging from it. I don’t expect ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:23, 1 Corinthians 15:28

Tags: All In All, Believe, Gift, Cost, Friend, Christian Poetry, Christian Poem, Pain  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Candidate For Church Membership Was Asked, ...  PRO

Contributed by Lynn Malone on May 11, 2006

A candidate for church membership was asked, "What part of the Bible do you like best?" He said: "I like the New Testament best. Then he was asked, "What Book in the New Testament is your favorite?" He answered, the Book of the Parables, Sir." They then asked him to relate one of the parables to ...read more

Tags: Bible Study, Fragment

Denomination: Methodist

Beggar And His Rice

Contributed by Scott Epperson on Nov 22, 2006

ILLU. beggar and his rice A Parable of Life Life is like another parable from another land. A blind Indian beggar sat beside a road, fingering the rice in his little bowl. Wearing only a loin cloth, he sat in poverty beside a road that stretched into nowhere both ways. The scarce travelers ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Richard Armstrong And Edward Watkin Tell The ...  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Marquardt on Jan 23, 2001

Richard Armstrong and Edward Watkin tell the story of a biologist’s experiment with "processional caterpillars." On the rim of a clay pot that held a plant, he lined them up so that the leader was head-to-head with the last caterpillar. The tiny creatures circled the rim of the pot for a full week. ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General, Call Of The Disciples, Workplace Balance

Denomination: Assembly Of God

When I Went To University Back In The Eighties, ...

Contributed by Sean Harder on Nov 19, 2008

When I went to university back in the eighties, many people were defaulting on their student loans. I had a relatively small loan of about 7,000 dollars and I certainly didn’t want to pay it back, but the payments were pretty small so I did, and it felt good when it was finally gone. I heard of a ...read more

Tags: Stewardship

Seven Stanzas At Easter

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Mar 19, 2023

John Updike put it in his wonderful poem : Make no mistake: if he rose at all it was as his body; If the cells dissolution did not reverse, the molecules reknit, the amino acids rekindle, the church will fall. Let us not mock God with metaphor, Analogy, sidestepping transcendence; Making ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:14, Matthew 28:1-10

Tags: Resurrection, Tomb, John Updike

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Bridesmaids - Apperiances Can Be Deciving

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 19, 2025

Beloved ... Appearances can be deceiving. Suppose ... we were to ask the ten Bridesmaids ... to stand in front of us ... in no particular order. Could you pick out the five foolish ones? The Answer of course is: No, ... and neither could I. We could argue about it ... we could all agree, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Tags: Foolish, Bridesmaids, Foolishness

Denomination: Anglican

Golfers Have A Change Of Heart

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 21, 2013

GOLFERS HAVE A CHANGE OF HEART When you willingly give Jesus all that you are and all that you have, you receive so much more in return. I heard a story once about a group of guys who were returning from playing golf in rural Georgia. As they drove down a two-lane road they came up on a ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:16-20, 1 Timothy 6:6-19

Tags: Compassion

Why Would We Feel Like It's An Imposition To Go ...  PRO

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 13, 2005

Why would we feel like it’s an imposition to go to Church on Christmas Day? How ironic to think of Worshiping Jesus as an interruption to His birthday celebration! It reminds me of a story I heard about a mother who was running furiously from store to store on Christmas Eve … trying to get ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Do You Know The Poem, "If’, By Rudyard Kipling? ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2008

Do you know the poem, "If’, by Rudyard Kipling? I’m sure you’ve heard it a hundred times. But let me quote just a part of "If’. "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you; if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowance for ...read more

Tags: Parenting