In Sermon Illustrations: "People"

Sitting Down

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 5, 2011

SITTING DOWN It’s said that when Henry Ward Beecher was a boy, he had a teacher at school who asked one of the boys in class a question which the boy answered. The teacher became angry and told the boy he was wrong and commanded him to: "Sit down!" The boy was obviously confused because he’d ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:9-13

Tags: Believe, Confess, Confidence, Saved

A Light In The Darkness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2011

A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS In 1963, my grandfather was serving as the Senior Minister of West End United Methodist Church in Nashville. West End is situated right across the street from Vanderbilt University, and has always been a wealthy, predominately white church. One communion Sunday, a black ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:17

Tags: Racism

How Many Will Be Saved?

Contributed by Michael Walther on May 20, 2011

HOW MANY WILL BE SAVED? There was a debate between two famous rabbis about this. One said that the number saved would be one third of the world. To support this he pointed to the ancient Flood in which Noah and his three sons and their families were saved. But of these three sons, Shem, the ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Lutheran

Built Out Of Junk

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 8, 2011

BUILT OUT OF JUNK Did you hear about the homeless man in Brazil who built his own car out of junk? Orismar de Souza is a homeless man in Brazil who decided to build the car using junk, spare parts and a hammer and chisel. Four years later, the "shrimpmobile" has him back on his feet. Souza, 35, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Tags: Born Again

Isn't There Something Else?

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jun 14, 2011

ISN'T THERE SOMETHING ELSE? One time a woman asked the preacher, "What should I do, Preacher? I want to follow and serve Jesus. I want to do his work totally and completely." The preacher said, "Great, you could be a part our weekly ladies Bible study group and later you could perhaps lead ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Darwin Kissed And Cried Over Evolution

Contributed by Michael Walther on Jun 20, 2011

DARWIN KISSED AND CRIED OVER EVOLUTION Shortly after Charles Darwin and his wife Emma were married, Emma wrote Charles a letter. In her letter Emma warned Darwin about believing things that can’t be proved and of recognizing the limitations of our minds... That there are things "which if true are ...read more

Tags: Evolution

Denomination: Lutheran

God Redeems A Child's Death

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 28, 2011

GOD REDEEMS A CHILD'S DEATH These are bad things God allows in order to reveal Himself and accomplish some larger good that supersedes or overcomes the bad. Imagine the following scenario: Three little boys walk into a large electrical compound in Okinawa when the workmen momentarily walks to his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: God In The Hardships

Hit By A Rock

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 28, 2011

HIT BY A ROCK Corrective suffering is tribulation or affliction God allows in our lives to chasten us for unforsaken sin in order to turn us back to Him. In the city of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, the broken end of a high voltage wire was lying on the pavement, along which the engineer was walking, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-12

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Testimony Of Charles Spurgeon  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

TESTIMONY OF CHARLES SPURGEON Charles Spurgeon, credited as the greatest preacher in the history of the English World, read a copy of Pilgrim’s Progress while plundering through his grandfather’s belongings. Through this book he became aware of his sinfulness and depravity. He carried this guilt ...read more

Scripture: John 3:14

Tags: Salvation

Spinning A Web: Andy's Story

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2011

SPINNING A WEB: ANDY'S STORY Andy Fastow was a brilliant kid in the high school graduating class in New Providence, New Jersey. He was one of the really good kids. In fact, he was the student body president of his senior class. He went on to get a great education and a fantastic job. He climbed ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-26

Tags: Lies

Deliver Us From Evil

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

DELIVER US FROM EVIL Dr. Thomas Dooley gave a chilling example related to this prayer. It came from his experience in Southeast Asia between 1954 and 1960. Dr. Dooley authored three books about conditions there, the most well-known being 'Deliver Us from Evil', published in 1956. The subject was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13

Tags: Lord's Prayer

Bad News, Then Good News  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

BAD NEWS, THEN GOOD NEWS Nearly 20 years ago at the height of Operation Desert Storm, Ruth Dillow received a very sad message from the Pentagon. The message stated that her son, Clayton had stepped on a landmine in Kuwait and was killed. Ruth later wrote these words, "I can't begin to describe my ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-20, Matthew 28:8

Tags: Emmaus Road, Post Easter, Easter Resurrection

Haven: The Real You

Contributed by Ken Pell on Sep 25, 2011

HAVEN: THE REAL YOU What is in you is what comes out and always reveals the REAL you. In fact, that which you say yes to is the tell-tale sign of what is inside you. It is the litmus test of whether you are walking in the Spirit or in the "flesh. What's inside comes out. My wife and I watch a ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Nazarene

Researchers Find That Multi-Taskers Perform ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 27, 2011

RESEARCHERS FIND THAT MULTI-TASKERS PERFORM POORLY So you think you can multitask? Texting while driving? No problem. Watching television and reading the Bible? No problem. Checking your email while listening to a spouse, a child, or a friend? No problem. In reality, however, according to a team ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Giving Brings Hope And Purpose

Contributed by Brad Henry on Sep 29, 2011

GIVING BRINGS HOPE AND PURPOSE I have a friend that called me last night. I have known him for many years and he has been struggling with uncertainty like most folks in his business. He was also questioning, "Is this what the Lord wants me to do?" Well, he just came back from a trip where he was ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Earnest Heed  PRO

Contributed by Charles Dupree on Oct 25, 2011

Earnest Heed Hebrews 2:1 There was a man named Earnest Heed Who simply refused listen But when his wife cooked apple pie His eyes would always glisten. Earnest had a few close friends Named Apathy and Lazy They like Earnest refused to hear And drove other people crazy. One day, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:1-2

Tags: Obedience, Listen, Accountability, Laziness, Hearing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Burn The Ships

Contributed by Brad Henry on Nov 2, 2011

BURN THE SHIPS In the 1500’s there was a commander named Cortes who was trying to conquer the Yucatan Peninsula for its gold. To prevent retreat Cortes ordered his ships to be sent to sea and scuttled so they could not retreat. How where they to get home? They weren’t--they would either win or ...read more

Tags: Goals

The Lost (And Found) Baptistery

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 21, 2011

THE LOST (AND FOUND) BAPTISTERY Supposedly, it was constructed around 1828; sometime between then and about 1930 it was forgotten and unused till discovered in May of 2002. No one knows for certain when the open air baptistery of Mt. Gilead Baptist Church in Fort Gaines, Georgia, was last used. ...read more

Tags: Baptism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

We Often Don't Realize How Good We Have It Here ...

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Dec 1, 2011

We often don't realize how good we have it here in America. The film, End of Spear, tells the true story of five missionaries--including Jim Elliot and Nathan Saint--who were speared to death by the murderous Waodani tribesman living in the jungles of Ecuador. Amazingly, the wives and children of ...read more

Tags: Blessing

Denomination: Christian Church

Wishing Vs. Hoping  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Clawser on Dec 3, 2011

WISHING VS. HOPING Eugene Peterson (Living the Message: Daily Help for Living the God-Centered Life) points out that what a lot of people call hope is in reality something different. It's wishing, not hoping: and wishing and hoping are not the same thing. "Wishing," Peterson says, "is something ...read more

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Other