In Sermon Illustrations: "Philippians 3 4b 14"

Great Expectations And A Valentine's Day Airplane ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 19, 2009

Great Expectations and a Valentine’s Day Airplane Flight There is a story about a new couple in love. They were in a long distance relationship and the girl at the last minute demanded that the man jump on the next plane to get to her in time for Valentines day. The man was terrified of flying and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Tags: Romantic Love, Valentine's Day

The Modeler And The Modeled

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

THE MODELER AND THE MODELED Michael Chesko describes himself as an eccentric mix of engineer, model maker, unofficial cartographer, and most of all, artist. When he was a little boy living in Arizona he would make maps of fictitious landscapes of places like Arizona and then he started to model ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

If I Loved Him Better, I Would Paint Him ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 27, 2010

"If I loved him better, I would paint him better!”--Paul Gustave Doré Paul Gustave Doré was born in Strasburg, January 10, 1833. He was well-known for illustrating many works, including a version of the Bible. (You can download the set of pen and ink drawing from Project Gutenberg.) The story is ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 31:2-3

Tags: Jesus, Love For God

Who Says So?

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Jun 29, 2010

WHO SAYS SO? A previous church I served had a lot of acreage and had turned part of it into 3 softball diamonds. Monday - Thursday nights, all summer long, various church leagues played their slow-pitch games there. Three of the leagues ran everything for their evening but one league was run ...read more

Tags: Authority

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Identity

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2011

IDENTITY Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France has proposed a decree that would ban anyone from wearing religious symbols of any kind. The decree is aimed particularly at forbidding Muslim women from wearing their traditional burqa with a full-faced veil. However the decree is broad enough that it ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:26-28

Tags: Religion

The Day You Enlisted

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Jun 7, 2011

THE DAY YOU ENLISTED I remember when I enlisted in the U.S. Army. It was at the height of the Viet Nam War. The year was 1967. I had a draft number and was probably going to be drafted – so I went down to the army recruiter and enlisted for three years. I signed on the dotted line, and before ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Holiness

Making Christmas Special  PRO

Contributed by Sam Higgs on Dec 1, 2011

MAKING CHRISTMAS SPECIAL In the months leading up to the Christmas season, Dan had lost his job. Well, in the city he lived in, most of the workers had to relocate with the company or face unemployment. Dan was one of the unlucky ones who had not been with the company long enough to be asked ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-21, Galatians 4:4

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

Repentance Is Not A One-Time Event

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

REPENTANCE IS NOT A ONE-TIME EVENT Doug Tegner tells the story of attending a one-day leadership retreat called to deal with his church's current crisis. Redwood Chapel was founded in 1962 and has since hosted the Bay Area Sunday School convention (BASS), had strong music programs, planted vibrant ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Denomination: Methodist

The Unending Wish

Contributed by Tim White on Mar 5, 2012

THE UNENDING WISH When I was a boy, my dad asked me if I could have one wish be granted, what would it be? We played that game as a family, and every time my brother or one of my sisters thought of a better wish than I thought about, I would change my wish. Then my dad unplugged all the fun by ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Baptist

The Witch Of Wall ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 13, 2012

THE WITCH OF WALL STREET Hetty Green, nicknamed "The Witch of Wall Street" (November 21, 1834 – July 3, 1916), was an American businesswoman, known for her frugality during the Gilded Age, as well as for being the first American woman to make a substantial impact on Wall Street. She was born ...read more

Scripture: James 5:1-6

Tags: Money, Greed

Making Christmas ...

Contributed by Sam Higgs on Dec 6, 2012

Making Christmas Special In the months leading up to the Christmas season, Dan lost his job. Well, in the city he lived in, most of the workers had to relocate with the company or face unemployment. Dan was one of the unlucky ones who had not been with the company long enough to be asked to ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

Mired In The Mud

Contributed by Larry Turner on Dec 14, 2015

When I was 17 I went for my first road test to get my driver’s license. In order to receive this privilege to drive, an officer accompanied me to observe my skills. As part of the test I was required to make a 3 point road turn on a narrow road. I pulled forward, turned my wheel, and proceeded to ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:1

Tags: Child Of God, Freedom From Bondage

Denomination: Foursquare

Coming Home

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 9, 2017

There was a young man who constantly quarreled with his father. Finally, he left home without saying goodbye. He continued to keep in touch with his mom but cut connections with his dad. After a few years, he wanted to come home for Christmas very badly. But he was afraid his dad would not allow ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Coming Home

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Titanic And The Importance Preparing Ourselves For Growth

Contributed by David Simpson on Apr 17, 2018

Growth is a natural part of growing up! The Lord wants us to grow up…to feed on Him and get growing! Ephesians 4:15 "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." Col. 1:10 "And we pray this in order that you may live a life ...read more

Tags: Immaturity, Be Prepared, Growth, Preparation, Maturity, Selfishness, Disaster  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Church

Sunday's Coming

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Apr 15, 2019

HELLO, MY NAME IS PETER It’s Thursday evening and we were enjoying a private dinner with the JESUS. It should have been a great celebration, But Jesus kept talking about betrayal and death. WE couldn’t understand what he was getting at, then he broke the bread and told us it was his body. Then He ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-10

Tags: Crucifixion, Resurrection

Denomination: Pentecostal

Driven By Hurt

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 11, 2022

DRIVEN BY HURT! MIGHT I ADD A PREACHER’S PERSPECTIVE TO START THIS LESSON? BE KIND TO EVERY PERSON. PERHAPS YOU DO NOT KNOW THE PROBLEMS AND THE BATTLES OTHERS ARE FACING. A preacher friend of mine was having some self-doubts and fears he was facing. There was a rather large family that had ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 61:3, 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Bitter, Hurt, Ministry

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Agitator

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2022

Does anyone know what that piece in the middle of the washer is called? The part in the middle that moves back and forth and shakes the clothes back and forth? What is that called? I’m going to call it an Agitator. What is the purpose of the Agitator? As far as I can tell, its sole purpose is to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-24

Tags: Holy Spirit, Sanctification

12 Rules For Raising Delinquent Children

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jul 8, 2024

TWELVE RULES FOR RAISING DELINQUENT CHILDREN (HOUSTON, TEXAS POLICE DEPT., 1960) 1. Begin with infancy to give the child everything he wants. In this way he will grow up to believe the world owes him a living. 2. When he picks up bad words, laugh at him. This will make him think he's cute. ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Children, Parents, Mothers, Home, Training, Police, Discipline, Fathers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Young 12 Year Old Girl Saved By Lions

Contributed by Timothy Lueking on Jul 1, 2025

Several years ago I read a headline straight out of the heart of Africa, a story that grips your heart and soul. It is the story of a 12-year-old girl, stolen from her village, snatched by cruel men who beat her, tormented her, and planned to sell her into the world of human trafficking. She was ...read more

Scripture: Zephaniah 3:17

Tags: Salvation, Lion Of Judah, Mighty To Save, The Lord Stands Guard, Protection  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Rebellion At The Heart Of Mankind (Funny Story)

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 20, 2025

When my granddaughter was about three years old, ... my wife Lee and I ... were babysitting our grandchildren in Morton Illinois. Anna wanted to go outside and play on our own. I thought this was a good teaching moment. So, ... I knelt down beside her ... so that we could look at each other ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 6:12-23, Romans 6:16-18, John 8:34, John 8:31-32  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Slave, Mortal, Freedom, Sin, Heart, Teach, Rebellion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican