In Sermon Illustrations: "Parents"

Many Of You Know Charles De Gaulle As The Famous ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

Many of you know Charles de Gaulle as the famous French WWII soldier, statesman, author. What you probably did not know was that Charles and Evonne deGaulle were the parents of a very mentally handicapped child. She was a treasure and a great concern to them both. No matter how bad things were in ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, Faith, Easter Resurrection

Praying For People  PRO

Contributed by Ralf Bergmann on May 4, 2002

Praying for People A hospital chaplain visited a delightful old lady in the hospital. As he approached her bed he noticed that with the index finger of one hand she was touching, one by one, the fingers of the other, with her eyes closed. When the chaplain spoke to her she opened her eyes and ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To, Prayer Persistence

Denomination: *other

A Father's Forgiveness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 9, 2002

A FATHER'S FORGIVENESS In his book, What’s So Amazing About Grace , Phillip Yancey tells the story of Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway grew up in a very devout evangelical family, and yet there he never experienced the grace of Christ. He lived a libertine life that most of us would call "dissolute"… ...read more

Tags: Parable Prodigal Son, Forgiveness For Others, Father's Day

Staying Too Busy  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2002

STAYING TOO BUSY Why do we live such harried, rushed, frantic lives? Why do some of us secretly fear the fact that school is out? How will we ever keep the kids occupied until August? How did this Happen? Essayist Anna Quindlen suggests some possible reasons. Perhaps, she suggests, it ...read more

Tags: Workplace Balance, Giving Yourself, Family

I Heard A Story About A Girl Who Went Off To ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jul 2, 2002

I heard a story about a girl who went off to college. She didn’t write very often, but on this one occasion she wrote her parents. When they got the letter they were elated. But when they opened it, it read, "Dear mom & dad, I would have written sooner but all my stationery burned up when ...read more

Tags: Truth, Faith, Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In 1904 William Borden, Heir To The Borden Dairy ...  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Feb 16, 2003

In 1904 William Borden, heir to the Borden Dairy Estate, graduated from a Chicago high school a millionaire. His parents gave him a trip around the world. Traveling through Asia, the Middle East, and Europe gave Borden a burden for the world’s hurting people. Writing home, he said, “I’m going to ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Faith

Denomination: Baptist

Charles Swindoll Says That Competitive ...

Contributed by Richard Wafford on Nov 24, 2004

Charles Swindoll says that competitive excellence requires one hundred percent all of the time. If you doubt that, try maintaining excellence by setting your standards at 92 percent. Or even 95 percent. People figure they’re doing fine so long as they get somewhat near it. Excellence gets reduced ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Baptist

Halfway Through The Second Grade, Mrs. Sergeant, ...

Contributed by Ric Feeney on Jun 7, 2004

Halfway through the second grade, Mrs. Sergeant, who lived up to her name, sent a note home to the young boy’s parents. It was added onto his report card and therefore entered into his permanent record. It said, “Your son day dreams too much. He is always looking out the window and his mind ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Brethren

I Attended A Small Country School In Southern ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 17, 2005

I attended a small country school in southern New Mexico. When I was in the third grade the circus came to the large town a few miles from to us. One afternoon the school principal came to our class and asked us to raise our hand if our parents were going to take us to the circus. Not wanting to ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

In A Recent Article From Christianity Today.com ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Sep 4, 2005

In a recent article from Christianity Today.com songwriter and author, Michael Card reminds us of the four ‘successive curve balls’ that Job had thrown his way. There were the three ‘curve balls’ of financial destruction as Job’s wealth was taken away in a string of attacks on his property and ...read more

Tags: Faith, Peace

Denomination: Church Of God

The American Dream Of Starting At The Bottom And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 3, 2006

The American Dream of starting at the bottom and working your way up is fading according to new longevity studies (studies that follow individual and families over many years). Business Week reports that the number of families who stayed stuck in the same income bracket—be it the bottom or the ...read more

Tags: Workplace

Snake In The House

Contributed by Michael De Rosa on Sep 10, 2006

(a story built on one by A. Stanley) While in college, Dave came home with me for a Winter Break. Unknown to my parents, though, was what Dave brought in his extra large suitcase: a 40 pound python named ‘Squeeze’. I really never liked snakes, but he told me he had no where to keep in during ...read more

Denomination: Free Methodist

What Does A Coach Look For Most In An Athlete? ...

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Nov 3, 2006

What does a coach look for most in an athlete? Shari Kuchenbecker and her team of research assistants from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles interviewed six hundred and fifty-eight coaches representing forty-three sports. The athletes they coached ranged in age from three to twenty-two. ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

You See, Our Presence Is Really The Best Way To ...

Contributed by Todd Stiles on Dec 14, 2006

You see, our presence is really the best way to reveal our love. (Don’t worry, kids, I’m not encouraging your parents to boycott presents, but I do want to make a point.) And I can say this from experience, for when I was a kid our home was burglarized just before Christmas one year. Man, was I ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

In 1904 William Borden, Heir To The Borden Dairy ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Mar 27, 2007

In 1904 William Borden, heir to the Borden dairy estate, graduated from a Chicago high school a millionaire. His parents gave him a trip around the world. Travelling through Asia, the Middle East, and Europe gave Borden a burden for the world’s hurting people. Writing home, he said, "I’m going to ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Never Mind ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2009

NEVER MIND ME A good many years ago, during a Massachusetts winter, a brother and sister were walking on the ice. He was 9 and she was 11. They hit a thin patch and fell through. Kicking to the surface, they yelled for help. Summoned by their screams, a man came running, dived into the icy water ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:6-8

Tags: Sacrifices

Same Old Story...?  PRO

Contributed by Scott Nichols on Apr 17, 2009

SAME OLD STORY...? The little boy was not exactly happy about going to church on Easter Sunday morning. His new shoes were to tight, his tie pinched his neck and the weather outside was just too beautiful to be cooped up inside...so as he sulked in the pew his parents heard him mutter to no one in ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God's Jealous Nature Illustrated

Contributed by Christopher Lanham on Jul 21, 2009

GOD'S JEALOUS NATURE ILLUSTRATED Let’s say you come home one day to find a stranger in your living room talking to your teenage daughter. He informs you that he has been chatting with your daughter online and says that he and your fourteen year-old are madly in love. He looks to be about forty. He ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Only One In Thirty-Five Years

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Aug 5, 2009

THE ONLY ONE IN THIRTY-FIVE YEARS A soldier in the American Third Army was sent to a rest camp after a period of active service. When he returned to his outfit, he wrote a letter to General George Patton and thanked him for the splendid care he had received. General Patton wrote back that for ...read more

Tags: Gratitude

Denomination: Christian Church

I Recently Read Of A Teenager In Florida In ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on May 22, 2010

I recently read of a teenager in Florida in America who fled for her life from her Muslim family after she converted to Christianity. Fathima Rifqa Bary says her family will murder her in what is known as an "HONOUR KILLING" because of her profession of faith in Christ. In Islamic tradition, an ...read more

Tags: Persecution, Islam

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational