In Sermon Illustrations: "Pastor Response"

So This Is Old Age

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 29, 2023

Dr. James L. Snyder The other morning I got up; at least, I tried to get up, but the bones in every part of my body had organized a labor strike against me. I’m not quite sure what they were protesting. As I lay there groaning over these bones, I did not realize how many bones I had in my body. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:3

Tags: Bones, Age

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: "Don’t Ask Me, It Just Happened!”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 2, 2024

Introduction: Chances are either you, me, or someone we know has tried to excuse something that whoever it was, did. Excuses vary, but more often than not, the reply is something along the lines of “I don’t know how this happened!” One of the clearest cases of “I-don’t-know-itis” took place at the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:21-24

Tags: Moses, Aaron, Golden Calf

Denomination: Baptist

You Break It, You Fix It

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 19, 2024

Every once in a while, I hear or see something that reminds me of my father. He’s been gone for over 15 years, but his memory is still fresh in my mind. His most famous saying, that I remember, was, “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission.” He lived that to the very end of his ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5-6

Tags: Wisdom, Fixing

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Room  PRO

Contributed by Ely Lambert on Aug 19, 2002

The Room In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

You Shall Be Clean  PRO

Contributed by Charles Scott on Dec 16, 2007

YOU SHALL BE CLEAN 2 KINGS 5__1—14 There was a commander from the land of Aram by the name of Naaman. He was a great warrior, brave and strong against the country’s foes. A great warrior, Naaman. He had oniy one problem, but a huge one—he was a leper. He had contracted that terrible disease. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 5:1-14

Denomination: Anglican

Go With The Flow  PRO

Contributed by Hal Seed on Feb 12, 2008

6. YOU TRUST HIM WITH WHATEVER IS TROUBLING YOU. Anybody having anything trouble you these days? It’s probably part of God’s sense of humor that I went on a whale-watching trip this week, the week we start learning about Jonah. PICTURE OF WHALE TALE I’ve been on whale-watching tours only twice ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:18-19

Tags: Authority

Denomination: Baptist

Go With The Flow

Contributed by Hal Seed on Feb 12, 2008

6. YOU TRUST HIM WITH WHATEVER IS TROUBLING YOU. Anybody having anything trouble you these days? It’s probably part of God’s sense of humor that I went on a whale-watching trip this week, the week we start learning about Jonah. PICTURE OF WHALE TALE I’ve been on whale-watching tours only twice ...read more

Tags: Gratitude

Denomination: Baptist

What’s Pete Got To Do With Anything?

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 20, 2021

If there's anybody that can be conned, it's Yours Truly. It's not so much that I'm stupid; I'm just naïve. I believe when somebody says something, they mean exactly what they say. So, if you can't swindle me, you might as well hang it up and get a real job. I must ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:12-13

Tags: Blame, Accusations

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Was Fortunate To Grow Up In A Home Where My ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 22, 2004

I was fortunate to grow up in a home where my father was both a loving and disciplining presence. I guess I would have to say that if there is anything I really remember about my dad is this, he possessed a presence unlike any other person in my life. To me he was always larger than life. He ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 16:1-12

Tags: Father's Day, Parenting

Denomination: Lutheran

Merely Mode!" Job 38:1-41 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 15, 2005

“Merely Mode!” Job 38:1-41 Key verse(s): 1ff:“Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.” When tragedies happen, do you marvel at their randomness? Seven people are gunned down in a church on a Saturday evening. A young boy of 15 and an old man of 74. The newspaper headline called it ...read more

Scripture: Job 38:1-41

Tags: God's Forgiveness, God's Provision

Denomination: Lutheran

No Bulldozers Here!" Hebrews 3:1-6 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 26, 2005

“No Bulldozers Here!” Hebrews 3:1-6 Key verse(s) 6:“But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.” I grew up watching john wayne movies; courage and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. I remember watching ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 3:1-6

Tags: Faith General, Doubt, Unbelief

Denomination: Lutheran

The Spirit Of Power That We Receive Is Not Like ...  PRO

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Oct 28, 2007

The Spirit of Power that we receive is not like the human power that we recognize as strong. It’s a power unlike anything we can do on our own. A young man growing up in the wrong part of Houston became a bully. He would get in fights in school, in the neighborhood, and began mugging people to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:49, Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 28:19, Luke 9:57-67, Zechariah 4:6, Psalm 33:16-18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Friend, Friendship

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Insignificant Is Significant

Contributed by Peter Loughman on May 15, 2008

THE INSIGNIFICANT IS SIGNIFICANT To anyone who knows her, Joanne is not a significant person. Honestly, chances are, Joanne will never accomplish anything significant. In the town that she lives in, Joanne is never going to be someone who people in town will see as an important person. Joanne is ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A History Of Thanksgiving ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 22, 2008

A HISTORY OF THANKSGIVING DAY In 1604 King James came to power in England. We hear his name often, as the most trusted version of the English Bible was translated during his reign – the King James Version. He was relatively tolerant of other religious opinions, except those that openly criticized ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Faith To Hear The Silent ...

Contributed by Bradley Berglund on Feb 4, 2009

Faith to Hear the Silent Notes for Conversations in the Marketplace by Pastor Brad Berglund (First Baptist Church) Feb 6, 2009 At a recent prayer meeting, I was told of a young pianist who is working on a doctor’s degree in performance. According to his professor, the young man has abilities ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-6

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Baptist

Faith To Play The Silent Notes  PRO

Contributed by Bradley Berglund on Feb 14, 2009

FAITH TO PLAY THE SILENT NOTES by Pastor Brad Berglund (First Baptist Church) Feb 6, 2009 At a recent prayer meeting, I was told of a young pianist who is working on a doctor’s degree in performance. According to his professor, the young man has abilities that leave his peers far behind. To the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-6

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Baptist

Knock, Knock; Someone’s In Trouble

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 27, 2021

For some reason, the last several weeks we have been getting many visitors at our door. I'm not sure if this is a general trend or if it is just our door. Some of them have been salesmen, religious people, scam artists, and a host of other people. They only had one goal in mind, and that was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:31

Tags: Money, Telemarketers, Knocking On Doors

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

April 29, ...

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Sep 20, 2006

April 29, 2003 Because Trent Dilfer is a public figure, the death Sunday of his 5-year-old son Trevin is news. It’s sad news. Even those critical of Dilfer the football player surely feel for Dilfer the man and his family. Five-year-olds aren’t supposed to die, they’re supposed to go to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:1-10, Matthew 26:6-13

Denomination: Wesleyan

From Homeless To Home

Contributed by Sean Harder on Nov 19, 2008

FROM HOMELESS TO HOME A young woman about 20 years old had been living on the streets of a suburban neighborhood for about five years because of her severely abusive alcoholic parents. She was a pleasant-looking young woman behind the tattered and dirty clothes, oily hair, and dirty makeup-free ...read more

Tags: Examples Of Faith

A Parable From The Chilean Mining ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Oct 16, 2010

A PARABLE FROM THE CHILEAN MINING DISASTER Once upon a time there was a wise, good and powerful King. His kingdom was known as the kingdom of Hope and it was the richest kingdom in the world. He ruled his people with love and justice. The kingdom of Hope was known throughout the world and other ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational