In Sermon Illustrations: "Parable Of The Sower"

Don't Find Us Lacking!

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 24, 2011

DON'T FIND US LACKING! Mexican jails are not known for their tidiness or orderliness. Shortly after having taken office, the then President of Mexico, Luis Echeverria, decided to do something about this. Without giving any advance notice, he chose to visit the jails at midnight. He found guards ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Tags: Second Coming

There Is Story About A Chinese Artist, A New ...  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Selfridge on Feb 26, 2003

There is story about a Chinese artist, a new Christian who wanted to paint the parable of the prodigal son. In his first attempt, he painted the father standing at the gate with his arms folded looking sternly down the road at a son coming. Another Christian explained to him that was not the ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God

Denomination: Wesleyan

There Is A Picture Mounted On One Of The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

There is a picture mounted on one of the original Norman pillars of our Church here at St Nicholas’ Church in New Romney, Kent, England. You will find it on the pillar closest to the war memorial at the back of Church and it is about a game of Chess. In the picture, Faust is engaged in a ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

In The 18th Century, Selina Hastings, Countess Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2008

In the 18th Century, Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntington, invited the Duchess of Buckingham to come and hear George Whitfield preach. The Duchess wrote to the Countess of Huntington about the Gospel that Whitefield and his fellow "Methodists" preached as follows: "It is monstrous to be told ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:10-14

Tags: Sin General

Opening Illustration: Show The Wine Skin – ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 7, 2009

Opening Illustration: Show the wine skin – explain the meaning of Jesus teaching here to the church. The teaching is simple – you cannot put new wine in to old wineskins because the old worn out skins will burst and the new wine will be lost. Instead there needs to be new wine and a new skin to ...read more

Tags: New Year's Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

William Carey Fights Discouragement

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 15, 2010

WILLIAM CAREY FIGHTS DISCOURAGEMENT William Carey, the father of the modern missionary movement, arrived in India in 1793 with a burden to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who had never heard the name. For seven years he proclaimed the gospel message faithfully week after week, month ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:1-20, Mark 4:35-41

Tags: Disappointment

Keep The Springs Pure  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

KEEP THE SPRINGS PURE The family’s water supply came from a spring just a few feet from the house. The pure, cold, sweet water bubbled up through a large pipe about the size of a barrel that had been sunk in the ground. One morning two huge frogs were found in the spring. No one wanted to drink ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:20-27

Tags: Heart

Lost & Found

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 29, 2022

Melissa Highsmith was kidnapped by a babysitter in 1971 at the tender age of 22 months. Over the next 51 years, Highsmith's family and the police searched for her without success. Finally, with the use of DNA technology, her identity was confirmed and she was reunited with her family. Melissa ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10, Luke 15:1-7

Tags: Salvation, Gospel, Lost, Saved, The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christian Fathers: Give Generously  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

"Christian Fathers: Give Generously" The Bible gives four Christian character traits that can build a lasting legacy for the Lord. The third is to give with generosity. 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 says, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Tags: Father's Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dale Hays Tells Of A Haitian Pastor Who Told His ...  PRO

Contributed by Mary Lewis on Sep 24, 2001

Dale Hays tells of a Haitian pastor who told his congregation this gruesome parable: A certain man wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn’t afford the full price. After much bargaining, the owner agreed to sell the house for ...read more

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Sin Deceptive, Holiness

Denomination: Baptist

Hang A White Handkerchief

Contributed by Wes Richard on Oct 5, 2009

HANG A WHITE HANDKERCHIEF I once read about a young man who had run away from home because he could not get along with his parents. Somehow, his parents were able to get a message to him, inviting him back home. He wrote back, saying that he was coming home and if they were sure he was welcome, ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Brethren

Don't Let The Devil Hang A Nail On Your Door!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 8, 2022

A Haitian pastor illustrated to his congregation the need for total commitment to Christ by sharing this parable: A certain man wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn't afford the full price. After much bargaining, ...read more

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Prayer, Commitment To Christ, Strongholds, Satah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

26 Year Old Kyle Macdonald Had A Red Paper Clip ...  PRO

Contributed by W F on Nov 25, 2007

26 year old Kyle MacDonald had a red paper clip and a dream: Could he use the community power of the Internet to barter that paper clip for something better, and trade that thing for something else — and so on and so on until he had a house? He advertised the paperclip on craigslist.com and two ...read more

Denomination: *other

The Vineyard Caretaker

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jan 29, 2008

THE VINEYARD CARETAKER Mark 11:27-12:12 In high school I was on the track team – I was a sprinter. Our coach would make us sprinters run long distance as well as run sprints for practice. We hated running long distance, it was so boring, it was so tedious, we felt it was against our nature. But ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dr. Larry Crabb Wrote In Decision Magazine ...

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Oct 3, 2005

Dr. Larry Crabb wrote in Decision magazine (October, 2005): “I could wish with all my heart that it could be done differently. But when suffering comes, which we don’t orchestrate but which God providentially allows, it really is a profound opportunity to believe that God is doing what is central ...read more

Tags: Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Methodist

Remember To Look At The Possibilities In The Area ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Oct 24, 2007

Remember to look at the possibilities in the area you see. (You see some things but don’t actually look at them.) We used the FedEx logo during our Gripped For Greatness campaign last year. We asked if you saw all you were looking at. Between the last two letters of FedEx you can see an arrow ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

How Do You ...  PRO

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 1, 2012

HOW DO YOU KNOW There is a Chinese parable about a Chinaman who had one horse and one son. One day the horse, out of control, wandered away with the boy on its back and they were both lost. The man’s neighbors came to console him the next day and they said, “We are so sorry you lost your horse and ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Tags: Fear And Worry, God's Sovereignty

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Unity Of The Bible

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

Notice the UNITY of the Bible. it is miraculous! * The Bible was written over a period of 1,500 years. • The Bible was written by over 40 different authors (Among them were kings, military leaders, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, tax collectors, poets, statesmen, musicians, ...read more

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

Tags: Bible, Scripture, Christ, Plan Of Salvation, Unity Of The Bible  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[237 D] [4]. A Message From A Poem - Scenes From The Gospels - Part 4

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Nov 17, 2025

[237 D] [4]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - SCENES FROM THE GOSPELS - PART 4 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, Luke 17:19, John 11:38-44, Luke 16:19, Matthew 9:1-8, Matthew 15:12-14, Matthew 23:15-26  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Forgiveness, Resurrection, Paralytic, Blind Guides, Blind Pharisees, Christian Poems, Ten Lepers Cleansed, Hades, Rich Man, Bethany, Poor Man, Sins, Stories  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[237 E] [5]. A Message From A Poem - Scenes From The Gospels - Part 5

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Nov 17, 2025

[237 E] [5]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - SCENES FROM THE GOSPELS - PART 5 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 12:16-21, John 14:1-6, Matthew 2:12-13, Matthew 16:24-27, Matthew 22:16-22, Luke 1:1-4, Matthew 13:10-13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Christian Poems, Paying Tax To Caesar, Overturn Tables, Take Up Your Cross, The Way, The Truth, The Life, Render To Caesar, The Rich Fool, Follow Jesus, Money Changers, Merry, Required, Stories, I Am The Way, Temple, Soul, Eat, Thomas, Drink  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational