In Sermon Illustrations: "Police Officers"

The Man Who Probably Saved Your Earthly Life

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 15, 2021

In 1983, one man prevented a nuclear war between the USSR and the USA. Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov was the duty officer at the command center for the Oko nuclear early-warning system when the system reported that a missile had been launched from the United States, followed by up to five more. ...read more

Tags: Leadership, Providence, God's Sovereignty, Heroes, Decisions, Choices, Unappreciated, Unknown People, Unsung  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Trouble? Joe Was Trouble...

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 25, 2023

TROUBLE? JOE WAS TROUBLE! SOMEONE IS HURTING! I had taught school in Virginia several years. I was assistant principal. I often observed the kids in the younger classes and thought someday I will teach that child. There was a young boy named Joe. Joe was in the office pretty often in some kind ...read more

Scripture: Micah 6:8, Mark 12:29

Tags: Help, Trouble, Ministry

Denomination: Assembly Of God

What Are You Doing, Lord? Amazing Grace

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 31, 2011

WHAT ARE YOU DOING, LORD? AMAZING GRACE A couple days ago I was commuting to the church from Boissevain where we were camping this week, and heard an interview with a young woman named Kristen James Anderson, ironically on the last day of our free satellite radio. She came from a great family, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:5

Tags: Grace

Anxious Moments, I Experienced Some Years Back, ...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Dec 6, 2011

Anxious moments, I experienced some years back, when I had to disturb a "sleeping boss"! There I was between the devil and the deep blue sea (many years ago during my secular stint of 13 years in the Indian oil sector) pacing nervously in the Hotel aisle, peering frighteningly at the “Do not ...read more

Tags: Anxiety

Denomination: *other

Fear In The Work Cubicle

Contributed by Troy Borst on Apr 4, 2015

IN THE WORK CUBICLE (p) It’s a normal day at the office. You got to work 5 minutes late like usual. You find your normal parking place open and you whip your car into the spot and grab all that you need from the passenger seat. You are soon in the elevator heading to your floor. The elevator ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Workplace, Sharing Christ, Workplace Evangelism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Crossing No-Man's-Land  PRO

Contributed by David Whitten on May 28, 2002

ILLUSTRATION from “Stories from the Heart” It was a few weeks before Christmas 1917. The beautiful snowy landscapes of Europe were blackened by war. The trenches on one side held the Germans and on the other side the trenches were filled with Americans. It was World War I. The exchange of ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General, Endurance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

While Secretary Of State During The Regan ...  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Cash on May 19, 2004

While Secretary of State during the Regan presidency, George Shultz kept a large globe in his office. When newly appointed ambassadors had an interview with him and when ambassadors returning from their posts for their first visit with him were leaving his office, Shultz would test them. He would ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-7, 2 Corinthians 5:17-20, Daniel 1:8, 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

Tags: Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

There Was A Young Pastor Fresh Out Of Seminary. ...

Contributed by Don Jones on Jan 7, 2007

There was a young pastor fresh out of seminary. Had finally gotten called to his first church and was extremely excited. He had 3 years of fresh new ideas and he couldn’t wait to take over so he could show and tell the church what to do. The first Sunday he stood before the church and gave ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Turn To Me

Contributed by Dale Hummel on May 2, 2008

TURN TO ME Dallas Willard in his book, Hearing God, tells the story of a businessman: Robert C. McFarlane was a well-known businessman in the Los Angeles area. He moved to California from Oklahoma in 1970, and within just a few days of his arrival--due to a disastrous misunderstanding with a ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Deliverance

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

DELIVERANCE Stanley Praimnath, Vice President for Fuji Bank, was in his office in the South Tower at the World Trade Center when his phone rang. "Are you watching the news?' asked a woman in their Chicago office. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine" he said wondering why she had called. Just then he ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Hope Of Maria

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 5, 2011

HOPE OF MARIA Hope weans God’s people from seeking and trusting this world. The story is told of Maria. She lived in a small town in southern Kentucky. She did not see or hear from her husband for years. Edward was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division during the Korean war and captured when the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:2-3

Tags: Pleasing God, God Brings Hope

Denomination: Nazarene

Loss

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Aug 9, 2019

Have you ever had a time in your life when you suffered drastic income loss? In 1995 I had a dream job, I had an office that was 30 foot by 40 foot with my own private bath, no boss on 2nd and 3rd shift and the pay was great, not bad for a blue-collar worker. We based our lifestyle on my wages, and ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:25-27

Tags: Loss, Recovert

Denomination: Pentecostal

In The Best Selling Book "She Said Yes!" Missy ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Nov 23, 2000

In the best selling book "She said Yes!" Missy Bernall tells the story of her daughter Cassie, one of the students killed at Columbine High School. Cassie grew up in church, she came from a nice family, had friends and a nice life. Then it all changed. When Cassie entered high school (not ...read more

Tags: Parenting, Children

Denomination: Baptist

A Modern Fable  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Jun 11, 2002

A Modern Fable Once upon a time there was a little boy. When he was three weeks old his parents turned him over to a baby-sitter. When he was two, they dressed him up like a cowboy and gave him a toy gun. When he was three, everybody said, “How cute as he went about singing a beer ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Wesleyan

My Kids Were Lost And I Didn't Even Know It." ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Mcnair on Sep 16, 2003

“My kids were lost and I didn’t even know it.” ... When I was in school in Dallas my 2 kids 6 & 9, spent the afternoon with a pastor friend of mine Garris Baggett and his wife. Janet and I were at work and didn’t even know the kids had wandered off until we got home late that night. Evidently the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Baptist

On The Evening Of April 25, 1958, A Young Korean ...

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Mar 28, 2004

On the evening of April 25, 1958, a young Korean exchange student, a leader in student Christian affairs in the University of Pennsylvania, left his flat and went to the corner to post a letter to his parents in Pusan. Turning from the mailbox he stepped into the path of eleven leather-jacketed ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Donald Grey Barnhouse Was Parked On The Street ...

Contributed by Kenneth Henes on Jun 22, 2004

Donald Grey Barnhouse was parked on the street of a large city on the west coast, he witnessed an accident a few yards away. A car wove through the traffic and collided head on with another car that was coming in the opposite direction. The driver was apparently drunk. Another man in the car pushed ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Oxymorons  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2004

OXYMORONS (contradictory words) Act naturally Advanced basic Airline food Almost exactly Alone together Artificial intelligence Awful good Campaign promise Civil war Clearly misunderstood Computer jock Definite maybe Diet ice ...read more

Scripture: James 3:1-12

Tags: Communication General

Some May Remember An Experience I Shared In Our ...  PRO

Contributed by Brad Bailey on Aug 6, 2004

Some may remember an experience I shared in our Vineyard Voice newsletter last year. I had begun a personal tradition on Christmas Eve after the Christmas Eve service, of making a large amount of hot cider and taking it to all the homeless I could find on the corners and crevices of town. On this ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Responding To The Cross  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2004

RESPONDING TO THE CROSS "If they did it in church, that's fine. Downtown's not the place for that." Such were the comments offered by area residents as they passed Patrick Conaty, a hair-stylist in Leeds, Alabama as he hung on a cross. Conaty splattered fake blood on his body and climbed onto a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:17-31

Tags: Lord's Supper, Forgiveness In Jesus, Cross