In Sermon Illustrations: "Power Of The Holy Spirit"

During One Summer While I Was In Seminary, I ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

During one summer while I was in seminary, I worked as a chaplain at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, MD. I discovered while I was there that there were one group of people who were really open to prayer and to hearing about the need for Christ in their lives. Who were they? Men in the cardiac ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Three Men Died On Christmas Eve And Were Met By ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Three men died on Christmas Eve and were met by Saint Peter at the pearly gates. “In honor of this holy season,” Saint Peter said, “You must each possess something that symbolizes Christmas to get into heaven.” The first man fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a lighter. He flicked it on. ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

When The Wise Men Come To Jesus, They Bring Three ...  PRO

Contributed by Hal Seed on Dec 3, 2007

When the wise men come to Jesus, they bring three gifts: Gold, which is the gift for royalty, a gift for a king. Incense, which was for divinity, a gift you give a God. And myrrh, which is a funeral gift, a gift used for burial. Their gifts show amazing insight. At first hearing, you might think ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:12-16, Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 2:1-12

Tags: Adoration, Antichrist, Magi, Six Foot Hole

Denomination: Baptist

Preferences – Being A Disciple Of Christ Also ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2008

Preferences – Being a disciple of Christ also means that you deny, you forgo, you give up many of your preferences for Christ. Before anything that is truly of God can be born, your own preferences have to die. Your desire to serve or lead in this type of church or that, has to be laid on the altar ...read more

The Stages Of The Christian Life

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2009

THE STAGES OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE Several years ago I heard someone describe the Christian experience as similar to that of a piano player, and suddenly the commands of the Bible made more sense and seemed less daunting. When a person begins playing piano, do we expect them to play a piece by ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-3

Tags: Growth In Christ

General Ulysses S. Grant's Loyal Friend, John A. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 1, 2009

General Ulysses S. Grant’s Loyal Friend, John A. Rawlins General Ulysses S. Grant, who commanded the Union soldiers for Lincoln, was such a disciplined hard man on his soldiers that few knew of his weakness for liquor. One of those who was keenly aware of Grant’s shortcoming was his faithful ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 18:1-5

Tags: Friendship General

He Leaks!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 23, 2011

"HE LEAKS!" A country church was having their annual revival meeting. On the first night the preacher preached a message about repentance and the need to return to the Lord. At the altar call, a man came down the aisle saying "Fill me Lord, fill me". The next night the preacher challenged the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:10, Luke 15:11-32, 1 Peter 1:13-16

Tags: Revival, Selfish

I Am A Horrible Public Speaker. I Stutter When I ...

Contributed by Kelly Benton on Nov 1, 2011

I am a horrible public speaker. I stutter when I am nervous, I am self-conscious over a lisp I have. In elementary school I had to take speech classes. I freeze when I am in front of several people. But most would not know this of me. I stand here before you today as I do each week, facing my ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:26

Tags: Encouragement, All Things Possible

Denomination: Other

Running With A Stopwatch

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 15, 2012

RUNNING WITH A STOPWATCH Long-distance runner Paavo Nurmi of Finland was an Olympic champion, winning twelve medals (nine of them gold) in the 1920, 1924, and 1928 Games. Nurmi was famous not only for his achievements, but also for running with a stopwatch in his hand to check his performance. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-13

Tags: Disciplines General

Robes Of Righteousness

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Feb 28, 2015

Dr Ravi Zacharias came up with a true witty story of a New Zealand Shepherd who was happy on a Christmas morning, sad in the afternoon but once again happy in the evening. What exactly contributed to his mood swings? Here goes…in the morning two of his ewes’ “A” and “B” gave birth to two lambs “a” ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 61:10

Tags: Grace, Gratitude, God's Righteousness, Grimy

Denomination: *other

How Steinway Pianos Are Crafted

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 14, 2021

THE POUNDER ROOM The Steinway piano has been preferred by keyboard masters such as Rachmaninoff, Horowitz, Cliburn, and Liszt and for good reason. It is a skillfully crafted instrument that produces phenomenal sound. Steinway pianos are built today the same way they were 140 years ago when Henry ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Tags: Discipline, Trials, Tests Of Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Silent Night (Stille Nacht)

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 3, 2025

It’s Christmas Eve in 1818, in the little village of Oberndorf near Salzburg. St. Nicholas Church will soon be full. Father Joseph Mohr has words for a new carol—but no melody. He walks through the snow to the nearby village of Arnsdorf and asks his friend, schoolteacher Franz Gruber, “Could you ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:10-14, Isaiah 9:6, Micah 5:2

Tags: Worship, Peace, Incarnation

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Angus Mcgillivray Gave It All  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2002

ANGUS MCGILLIVRAY GAVE IT ALL In Ernest Gordon’s true account of life in a World War II Japanese prison camp, Through the Valley of the Kwai, there is a story that never fails to move me. It is about a man who through giving it all away literally transformed a whole camp of soldiers. The man’s ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

All Because Of Angus

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 25, 2011

ALL BECAUSE OF ANGUS In Ernest Gordon’s true account of life in a World War II Japanese prison camp, Through the Valley of the Kwai, there is a story that never fails to move me. It is about a man who through giving it all away literally transformed a whole camp of soldiers. The man's name was ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13

Tags: Christian Witness

[069]. A Message From A Poem – Evolution Owns Not The World

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 28, 2025

[069]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EVOLUTION OWNS NOT THE WORLD Evolution is a nasty belief for it comes directly from Satan himself, and is a denial of the creation of God. Don’t you think it is strategically planned that evolution is a fiercely held belief by atheists, humanists, most University ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7-8, Colossians 1:15-16

Tags: Poem, Humanism, God Is Not Mocked, Stupidity, Flea Brain, Creation, Evolution, Creator, Adam And Eve, Poetry, Big Bang Theory  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thank You Sir! May I Do Another?" Matthew 4:1-11 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 3, 2005

“Thank You Sir! May I Do Another?” Matthew 4:1-11 Key verse(s): 9-10:“Then the devil left him and angels came and attended him.” “Thank you sir! May I do another?” Crouching on the ground, the recruit seemed barely touched by the sergeant’s rough treatment. He was doing push-ups; and a lot of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Lutheran

[126]. A Message From A Poem – Heaven Opens To Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 11, 2025

[126]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HEAVEN OPENS TO US From a quick recollection heaven will open at least three times in the future (written by one who is still living). One of those will be the Rapture. One will be the Second Coming. The other one is when a saint passes from this life and into ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Tags: Heaven, Open, Absent From The Body, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Shoes Pave The Way To The Kingdom

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

SHOES PAVE THE WAY TO THE KINGDOM Because Vance is an African American living in a predominately Hispanic neighborhood, he stands out. But what really sets Vance apart is that he is a servant-hearted father who cares not only for his own kids, but also for the many other kids who play in the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Evangelism How To

Waiting 20 Years For The End Of The Story

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 28, 2011

WAITING 20 YEARS FOR THE END OF THE STORY In her book The God Who Hung on the Cross, journalist Ellen Vaughn retells a gripping story of how the Gospel came to a small village in Cambodia. In September 1999, Pastor Tuy Seng (not his real name) traveled to Kampong Thom Province in northern ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:46-48

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Teach The Children  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 10, 2002

TEACH THE CHILDREN Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened... I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Christmas Eve