In Sermon Illustrations: "Pastors Appreciation Day"

My Son Peter Was Born In Poland And Has A Polish ...

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Aug 3, 2012

My son Peter was born in Poland and has a Polish passport and yet since he’s my son, he also has an American passport. Depending on the situation, he can use whichever passport he wants and claims he is a citizen of both countries. Some people think that they can do the same with their life here ...read more

Tags: Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

Nathan Barlow--Missionary ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2012

NATHAN BARLOW--MISSIONARY DOCTOR Nathan Barlow was a missionary Doctor to Ethiopia. He served there for over 60 years primarily helping people with an affliction called Mossy Foot. This caused swelling and ulcers in the feet and lower legs and caused people to become social outcasts. When Nathan’s ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:8-13

Tags: Missions

Love Your Enemies  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2012

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES An Armenian nurse had been held captive along with her brother by the Turks. Her brother was slain by a Turkish soldier before her eyes. Somehow she escaped and later became a nurse in a military hospital. One day she was stunned to find that the same man who had killed her ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Tags: Christian Witness

The Birth Of Jesus - An Ordinary Time But An Extraordinary Birth

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

The Romans dominated the country. The Jewish people were captive to Roman law and Roman ways. That is what compelled Joseph to travel with his pregnant wife Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem (some 80 miles). To return to his ancestral home for the purpose of registering for the Roman census. Just ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7

Tags: Christmas, History, Birth Of Jesus

Denomination: Christian Church

We Are Here! We Are Here!

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 23, 2013

WE ARE HERE! WE ARE HERE! From movie, "Horton Hears a Who!" Clip from movie about 5 minutes. The "Who" people with the help of Horton shouted, proclaimed, cried out and made themselves heard -- it was life and death by the way -- they did this to let the rest of the world around them know that ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Need Help To Get Out

Contributed by Bret Toman on Mar 14, 2013

We Need Help to Get Out Follow the example of the Chilean miners. Trapped beneath two thousand feet of solid rock, the thirty-three men were desperate. The collapse of a main tunnel had sealed their exit and thrust them into survival mode. They ate two spoonfuls of tuna, a sip of milk, and a ...read more

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Denomination: Baptist

In 1937, Napoleon Hill Wrote A Development / ...

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 18, 2015

IN 1937, NAPOLEON HILL wrote a development / self-help book: THINK AND GROW RICH. Hill discussed a man that invested all his and his family’s money into a GOLD MINE. The man worked and worked. He was so excited, he was going to make millions of dollars and become rich and famous. For weeks the man ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: 3 Feet From A Miracle

Denomination: Assembly Of God

I'm That Clown!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 1, 2016

I’M THAT CLOWN It is said that in a great city there was a physician famous for his wisdom. A man came to him one day and said, "Doctor, I want you to see what is wrong with me." The doctor checked him over and said, "Your heart is all right. Your lungs are all right. Your blood pressure is ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-12

Tags: Happiness, Joy, Emptiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Happiness Is Not Found In More Things....

Contributed by Garris Hudson on May 19, 2016

HAPPINESS IS NOT FOUND IN MORE THINGS... If having more would make us happy, we would never need the Tenth Commandment - "You shall not COVET.’ It is written especially for unhappy people who think that happiness is found in more things. Have you heard the story about the king who fell into a ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-17

Tags: Happiness, Materialism, Ten Commandments, Coveting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Relaxing Our Grip On Troubles

Contributed by Jerry Stephens on Mar 18, 2017

Recently I was praying at bedtime. I felt overwhelmed by the things I didn’t get done that day; things that would be facing me the moment I opened my eyes the following morning. As I recited my litany of woes, I sensed the Holy Spirit asking me which among them I thought he couldn’t handle. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Trust, Prayer, Prayer General, Trouble

Denomination: Vineyard

Love Your Enemies

Contributed by David Simpson on Feb 19, 2018

After the horrific school shooting in Broward County, Florida on February 14, 2018, several prayer vigils were held in the community. The vigil on Thursday evening ended with a request for everyone to write one specific act of good that they would perform in the coming days and weeks as a way to ...read more

Tags: Persecution, Tragedy, Bitterness, Love Your Enemies

Denomination: Christian Church

The Train Engineer

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: God the Father sacrificed His only Son so that we could live. Verse: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 NKJV). Illustration: Once there was a train engineer who had one ...read more

Tags: Sacrifice, Sacrifice Of Christ, Sacrifice For Others

Denomination: Charismatic

Famous Last Words

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2021

FAMOUS LAST WORDS..... 1. Charles Gussman was a writer and TV announcer, who wrote the pilot episode of Days of Our Lives, among other shows. As he became ill, he said he wanted his last words to be memorable. When he daughter reminded him of this, he gently removed his oxygen mask and whispered: ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Tags: Paul, Death, Farewell, Last Words

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Prepares Us For Heaven

Contributed by Guy Glass on May 5, 2023

Dr. Billy Graham tells of a friend of his who went through the Depression in the 1920s, losing a job, a fortune, a wife, and a home. But he was a believer in Jesus Christ, and he tenaciously held to his faith even though he was naturally depressed and cast down by circumstances. One day in the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Tags: Persecution, Heaven, Depression

Denomination: Baptist

A Funnnnnnnnny Thanksgiving Story!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 15, 2023

Two men were walking through a field one day when they spotted an angry old bull who wanted them out of his pasture. Instantly, they darted toward the nearest fence. The storming bull followed in hot pursuit and it was soon apparent that they wouldn't make it. Terrified, one man shouted to ...read more

Tags: Fear, Thanksgiving, Prayer, Humor, Gratitude  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Worship Is Showing Up

Contributed by Rob Roy on May 22, 2024

How does Jesus know we love him, what is the proof? By your witness, your gifts, your tithes, your prayers or presence. Did you know I joined twitter? I think the day I did I read several tweets, but never tweeted, and that was long before the 2020 election, and long before I came to Mt. ...read more

Scripture: John 21:15-19

Tags: Worship, Showing Love

Be Found Faithful

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Mar 31, 2025

Remember the movie, Ben Hur? It came out in 1959. The movie won 11 Oscars and was over three and a half hours long. The most memorable scene in the film is the chariot race. Charlton Heston was trained for five weeks before the shooting of that scene. Heston was grateful for the trainer's ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

Tags: Chariot Race, Charles Heston, Faithfulness, Ben Hur

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Lazy Man Search

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Jun 25, 2025

Humor: The Laziest Man Search - Roll Me Over One hot June day, when the foreman didn’t hear or see any activity, he found his workers in the breakroom soaking up the A/C. He said, “This is the laziest bunch of workers I’ve ever seen. I just don’t know which one of you is the laziest.” He reaches ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:23, Ephesians 4:28, John 6:27, Psalm 90:17, 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Matthew 9:35-38, Colossians 3:23-24, John 4:35-38  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Humor, Labor, Lazy, Laughter, Zealous, Preacher Jokes, Work Humor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

When Life Sucks You In

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 6, 2025

Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One moment, he was perched in his cage singing his little heart out. The next, his whole world collapsed. It started when his owner decided to clean his cage with a vacuum cleaner. She took the nozzle off, stuck the hose inside, and at that very moment the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 40:2, Romans 8:28

Tags: Faith, Resilience

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Busyness - Work Without Rest

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 25, 2026

The New Testament speaks to work: if a man will not work, he should not eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10) But too much work ... without rest ... is not a good thing. We should build into our lives ... a rhythm of working ... and resting. When God created the world, ... He wasn't giving us a law ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:10, Exodus 34:21, Matthew 11:28

Tags: Quiet, Busyness, Busy, Time, Rest, Resting, Sabbath  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican