In Sermon Illustrations: "Powerful Name"

Dying Was More Useful Than Living

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Mar 28, 2009

DYING WAS MORE USEFUL THAN LIVING In the 4th Century there was a Christian called Telemachus who decided that the only way to protect himself from the corruption of the world and to serve God was to become a hermit and live in the desert. One day as he rose from his knees, it dawned on him that ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Anglican

In Communist Romania There Was A Very Young Man ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jun 8, 2009

In communist Romania there was a very young man named Matchevici who had been put into prison because of his faith at the age of 18. Because of the tortures, he was very sick with tuberculosis. Somehow his family found out that he was sick and sent him a hundred bottle so streptomycin, which could ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Church Of God

Brother Lawrence And Disciplines

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

BROTHER LAWRENCE AND DISCIPLINES Around 1610, a child was born in France by the name Nichols Herman. Later in life, he would become known as Brother Lawrence. As a young man, he fought in the Thirty Years War and sustained a near fatal His injury to his sciatic nerve. The injury left him quite ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:9

Tags: Discipleship, Recognition, Seeking Christ

Church Cake Cover-Up  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 19, 2009

CHURCH CAKE COVER-UP It was time for the annual cake sale at a Presbyterian church not much different than our own. Ms. Billings always made the most beautiful cakes...she was expected to make another one this year. However, Ms. Billings was a very busy woman with the time she spent with her ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:1-15

Tags: Hypocrisy, Cake

Leading A Neighbor To Christ During A Time Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 14, 2009

Leading a Neighbor to Christ During a Time of Grief Someone in Elgin once had a neighbor named Jack. Jack was a tough man. He worked hard, he drank hard, he fought hard, and he was harsh and gruff in his manner. Most people were afraid of Jack. But this one neighbor got brave and said hello to him ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:1-15

Tags: Christian Witness

Little ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2010

Little Mirrors Robert Fulghum, in his book, It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It, tells how he found purpose in life. Fulghum, a former Episcopal priest, took a course on Greek culture at an Orthodox retreat center on the Island of Crete. A man named Alexander Papaderos built the center. After ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Christian Witness

Pastor Makes A Tough ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

Pastor Makes A Tough Decision In his book The Jesus Revolution, pastor and author Leith Anderson shares a story about the tension that sometimes comes between obeying God and obeying the law of the land. A number of years ago, he and three others were traveling to a Communist country where ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 12:17

Tags: Obey God, Christian Values

Asking God Questions

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on May 29, 2010

I get the privilege and opportunity to speak to many old people in the course of my day. Being a chaplain and Pastor in an aged care facility (fancy name for old people’s nursing home) I am fascinated by the amazing lives that they have led. Last week I spoke to a woman in her 90’s who said she ...read more

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Arturo Toscanini Demanded Excellence From The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2010

Arturo Toscanini Demanded Excellence From the Symphony Orchestra One of history’s greatest musical conductors was Arturo Toscanini. Born in Parma, Italy, in 1867, Toscanini died in his sleep in New York City in 1957. For years he conducted the National Broadcasting Company’s Symphony Orchestra in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:58

Tags: Music

The Bruised Reed

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Sep 29, 2010

THE BRUISED REED As I talked with Nancy that day she said,"I pray to God every night and ask Him why He has been so unfair to me. Why did He leave me alive?" She is an elderly woman suffering the results of a stroke. She said "My Mother died of a stroke. Why didn't He take me too, instead of ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Statue That Lies

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 27, 2011

THE STATUE THAT LIES In the book, "The Day America Told the Truth," 91% of Americans admit to lying regularly. 86% of Americans routinely lie to their parents. 75% admit to lying to their friends. 73% admit lying to their siblings. And 75% admit lying to their spouse. None of this is new news to ...read more

Scripture: John 17:17

Tags: Lies, Legs

Sarah's Vase  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 21, 2011

SARAH'S VASE Just like life comes in the place of death, so honor comes in the place of service. Pediatrician David Cerqueira tells the story of a little girl in his wife's Sunday School class. His wife had prepared a lesson on being useful and told the children that everyone can be useful in ...read more

Scripture: John 12:23-26, Mark 14:1-9

Tags: Servanthood

Several Years Ago There Was A Guy Who I Use To ...

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Jul 27, 2011

Several years ago there was a guy who I use to talk with on occasion when I worked at RJR and don't believe he was a saved man, if he was he wasn't walking the walk and for sure wasn't talking the talk. He used foul language, had a reputation of being a big pot smoker. One morning he came in with a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:23

Tags: Witness, Jesus, Cross, Calvary

Denomination: Baptist

A Letter From John Wayne

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 24, 2011

A LETTER FROM JOHN WAYNE Dr. Robert Schuller’s teenage daughter, Cindy, was in a motorcycle accident and had to have her leg amputated. John Wayne was a big fan of Robert Schuller. He heard Dr. Schuller say on one of his programs that his daughter had been in an accident and had to have her leg ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:3-6

Tags: Christian Witness

He Wants To Be With His Master

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 29, 2011

HE WANTS TO BE WITH HIS MASTER Today’s story is about an old country doctor that dates back to the late 1930s when doctors made house calls. Isaac Pender was his name. Everyone in the area for two reasons respected him. First, he was an excellent doctor who provided compassion care for his ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-4

Tags: Heaven

Baptism: Clothed In Christ  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 1, 2012

BAPTISM: CLOTHED IN CHRIST Just this last week we baptized a 9-year-old boy into Christ. His name is J.J. J.J. knew all the answers to the questions I posed to him, but his father was concerned that his young son viewed baptism as a "magic act" that would make all kinds of marvelous changes ...read more

Tags: Baptism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Joe Bayly, A Christian Author And Leader, Had A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2012

Joe Bayly, a Christian author and leader, had a son named Tim who was not following the Lord. This caused great tension in the home until one day Joe told his son he had to move out. Taking Tim aside, he said, "Tim, you're not living for God and you need to leave our home." Tim left, but his ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:4-5

Tags: Parenting

God Will Go Before You!

Contributed by Bala Samson on Oct 17, 2014

I will go ahead of you! Exodus 17:6”Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink..” I simply love these words! God would go before us to prepare the place of miracle! Moses struck the rock but ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:6

Tags: Miracles, Trust In God, God Before You, Never Alone

Denomination: Pentecostal

Ugandan Juvenile Jail

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

Bob Goff tells the story of his longtime friend Charlie. Charlie was one of those guys who measured his life not by what he was but by what he has given up. He was a graduate of law school and then became an FBI agent. He met Bob for coffee and then said he wanted to use his training to help kids ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-25

Tags: Prayer, Forgiveness

Denomination: Methodist

The Orphan Train

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 15, 2016

THE ORPHAN TRAIN In the history of the westward migration in the United States, part of the story has been largely passed over. From 1850 to 1930, tens of thousands of those who populated the west were orphans--children from eastern cities who were without parents because of disease or the death ...read more

Scripture: John 14:18

Tags: Adoption, Rebirth, Orphan, Train

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ