In Sermon Illustrations: "Playing Favorites"

Arthur's Envy

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 8, 2011

ARTHUR'S ENVY When I served on staff at Rayne Memorial UMC on St. Charles Avenue, a young man named Arthur began attending. Arthur was a nice guy but was different, both in appearance and in personality. Arthur got involved in the young adult ministry I had started at the church and was accepted ...read more

Tags: Envy

Denomination: Methodist

First Things First  PRO

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Nov 3, 2011

FIRST THINGS FIRST When Coach Bobby Bowden played baseball in college, he never hit a home run. His senior year at Howard College, he was the only player not to hit a home run. One day, he hit a line drive against Auburn. As he approached third, the coach was waving him on. As he made his turn, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:37-39, Matthew 6:6

Tags: Prayer, Prayer Closet, Secret Prayer, Private Prayer, Prayer General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

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

The Straightest Path  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Apr 12, 2012

THE STRAIGHTEST PATH Two boys were playing in the snow one day, when one said to the other, "Let us see who can make the straightest path in the snow." His companion readily accepted the proposition, and they started. One boy fixed his eyes on a tree, and walked along without taking his eyes off ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-15

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Where The Pharisees Went Wrong

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jul 9, 2013

WHERE THE PHARISEES WENT WRONG Robert Coleman talks about where the Pharisees went wrong: "The Pharisees had so much respect for the original set of scriptures and wanted to protect them so desperately that they started adding to them. Then, after a while, it not only seemed helpful to make ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23

Tags: Tradition, Man Made Rules, Pharisees, Fast

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

10th Birthday

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 16, 2014

Donald Whitney tells us of his 10th birthday. He invited 8 friends. They played football and basketball, enjoyed hot dogs and hamburgers, then devoured ice cream and cake. “The climax was a gift from me to them. Nothing was too good for my friends. I was going to pay their way to the most ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:28

Tags: Right Worship, Casual Worship, Insincere Worship, Unacceptable Worship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Light Of The Word

Contributed by Taiwo Oyadiran on Mar 23, 2019

I like to tell this story about my son as a 2-year-old. I always liked to give him a shower/bath and like most kids that age, he liked playing with the water. Many times, when there’s water and soap on his head and face, he, of course, had to close his eyes. That part he didn’t like. No kid would ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:105

Tags: Faith, Revelation

Where Will You Be?

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 23, 2019

Where Will You Be? When the clouds burst open where will you be? Will there be joy in your heart when Jesus you see? Will you be running to hide from His face Or standing there with your head hanging in disgrace/ It surely is coming and the time is near at hand When Jesus comes to take his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:12

Tags: Death, Rapture, Great White Throne, Bema

Denomination: Baptist

Christmas Humor

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 21, 2020

A Sunday School was putting on a Christmas pageant which included the story of Mary and Joseph coming to the inn. One boy wanted so very much to be Joseph, but when the parts were handed out, a boy he didn’t like was given that part, and he was assigned to be the inn-keeper instead. He was pretty ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-12

Tags: Christ, Manger, Birth Of Christ, Mary And Joseph, Coming Of Christ, Christmas  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Get Back In The Game!

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 19, 2021

What if God started telling your church to do something we had never done before? How hard would you work against it - unwilling to change? There is an old saying – do you know what they put on the tombstone in front of a closed church? “WE NEVER DID IT THAT WAY BEFORE” If that’s the case, we ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:12-26, Ephesians 4:11-12

Tags: Sports, Pastor, Basketball, Laity

Denomination: Methodist

The Movie "Drumline" Explores The Maturation ...

Contributed by David Ward on May 13, 2007

The movie "Drumline" explores the maturation process of a talented percussionist from Harlem who receives a full-ride scholarship to play in Atlanta A&T University’s marching band. As the scene opens the incoming band members are on the football field. The Atlanta A&T marching band is going ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Last Samurai

Contributed by Jordan Lumbard on Jun 5, 2007

PLAY VIDEO CLIP – THE LAST SAMURAI The Battle of Thermopylae took place in 480 B.C, - With only 300 Spartan Warriors defending their post against a 1 Million man Persian army. - The Spartans put up the most brave and determinied resistance, taking their stand on a little hill, and fighting in a ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Saying Goodbye

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jun 14, 2007

Charles Swindoll once said of his father: My dad died last night. He left like he had lived. Quietly. Graciously. With dignity. Without demands or harsh words or even a frown. He surrendered himself into the waiting arms of his Savior. As I stroked his hair from his forehead and kissed him ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

This Week I Came Across This Tongue Firmly ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

This week I came across this tongue firmly implanted in cheek article titled “Pastor Quits Sports”. Here is why this pastor quit going to sporting events: 1. Every time I went they asked me for money. 2. The people with whom I had to sit didn’t seem very friendly. 3. The seats were too hard and ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Justin Armour

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Justin Armour The September/October 1996 Issue of Campus Life ran a story about Justin Armour, wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills. Before he played his first pro game, Justin joined some teammates for a night on the town. They ended up by the docs, where one by one his teammates started ...read more

Tags: Temptation Resisting

As Time Passed, However, The Inevitable ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

As time passed, however, the inevitable occurred. They began to lose and lose and lose. The blame fell, at least in part, not on Coach George Allen, but on a quarterback named Sonny Jurgenson, in my opinion one of the most gifted and effective quarterbacks to ever play the game. Jurgenson possesses ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

There Is Always A Thrill In Belonging To A Noble ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

There is always a thrill in belonging to a noble company. Eric Linklater in his autobiography tells of his experience in the disastrous March retreat in the First World War. He was with the Black Watch. They had come out of the battle with one officer, thirty men, and a piper left of the ...read more

Tags: Anger

Let Me Give You An Example Of The Kind Of Faith ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Let me give you an example of the kind of faith and trust that is necessary to become a Christian. The world-famous acrobat, Blondin, was born in France in 1824. His real name was Jean Francois Gravalet. Over the years, he became famous throughout Europe and America. In London he once played a ...read more

Tags: Apologetics General

Helen Keller, The Much Beloved Blind, Deaf, And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Helen Keller, the much beloved blind, deaf, and dumb American author, envisioned what she would most like to see if she could see for just three days. In her article “Three Days to See,” she wrote that she would like to see those she loved on the first day - to look deeply and lovingly into the ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Humor

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Humor A severe rash prompted a man from a rural area to come to town to be examined by one of my colleagues. After the usual history-taking followed by a series of test, the physician advised the patient that he would have to get rid of the dog that was evidently causing the allergic reaction. As ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ