In Sermon Illustrations: "Preaching"

I Say, "My Car," But It's Not Really My Car, It's ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Aug 22, 2004

I say, "my car," but it’s not really my car, it’s the Lord’s. He has just loaned it to me to use for Him. Every bit of metal, plastic, every bit of glass and for my car, every bit of rust belongs to God. And someday my car will be dropped into some giant compressing machine, be folded up into about ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Christian Church

I Know A Family That Is Very Wealthy And Well On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2004

I know a family that is very wealthy and well on its way toward embracing the principles that have just been laid out. This is a Roman Catholic family that has inherited a vast fortune. These people live just outside a Midwestern city and, as you might expect, make their home on a large estate ...read more

There Was A Man Who Was Born On August 19, 1843 ...  PRO

Contributed by Doug Lyon on Sep 11, 2004

There was a man who was born on August 19, 1843 near Clinton, Michigan. When he was 17 years old he moved to his sister’s home in Tennessee where he enlisted in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He got out of the army a year later in 1862 and he went to St. Louis to study law. On ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ, Commitment, Love, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Independent/Bible

This Reminds Me Of An Incident I Experienced ...  PRO

Contributed by Bev Sesink on Feb 5, 2005

This reminds me of an incident I experienced while also working in South Africa. I had been working on a research project but had made a significant error early on in the project. Instead of coming clean I unfortunately chose to try and cover my mistake. It wasn’t too long before my conscience ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To, Fear, Becoming A Christian

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Just Something I Believed! (10.17.05--That ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 13, 2005

Just Something I Believed! (10.17.05--That Person!--Mark 6:2-3) Sometimes we want to believe something so hard that even when we know the truth, we cling to the error. I grew up believing that all cats were sneaky and couldn’t be trusted. All dogs were rather dumb and couldn’t be devious if ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:2-3

Tags: Racism

Denomination: Lutheran

I Want To Conclude With A Story That Tony ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Richards on May 18, 2005

I want to conclude with a story that Tony Campolo tells about a time he was asked to speak at a Pentecostal college. He remembered that before the service, eight men had him kneel so they could place their hands on his head and pray. He was glad to have prayer, but each of them prayed a long time, ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Baptist

You Might Find This Hard To Believe But One ...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jun 30, 2007

You might find this hard to believe but one vicar, William Haslam became a Christian through his own sermon – and from that very experience the 19th Century Cornish Revival was born William Haslam was a high church Anglican vicar in Cornwall in the 19th Century. In 1851, he had gone to stay ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

One Of The Greatest Evangelistic Hymns Of All ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jul 12, 2007

One of the greatest evangelistic hymns of all time was written by a woman who knew well the release and peace that come from confessing one’s sins and failures to God. “Just As I Am,” a hymn frequently sung at the close of evangelistic meetings, was written by Charlotte Elliott of Clapham, ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Pumping Up Balloon - Watch What ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 24, 2007

Illustration: Pumping up balloon - watch what happens when pride is in control of ones life. Kapteyn helps us see what happens with pride along with some of my observations: Pride is what hurts us in our relationships - in church, in families, (at work, at school), with friends. Pride makes us ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What's Your Dream?

Contributed by Grant Van Boeschoten on Apr 22, 2008

WHAT'S YOUR DREAM? Mathew Barnett, at the young age of 20, was asked by his father Tommy Barnett to pastor an Inner City Church in Los Angeles. The first day that Mathew was at the Church it had a congregation of forty people. But instead of growing under his young and enthusiastic leadership, ...read more

Tags: Dreams

Between You And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

BETWEEN YOU AND GOD I conclude with a story that I heard Pastor Larry Booker tell in a sermon he preached on August 4, 2007 at the First Pentecostal Church of North Little Rock, Arkansas. The title of the message was "Three Attitudes of Jewish Babylon." I understand just as you do that holiness ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Stories & Stats On Alcohol

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

STORIES & STATS ON ALCOHOL A pastor was preaching on alcohol one Sunday, and to finish up his sermon with some passion he said, "If I had all the beer in the world, I would throw it into the river!" Then with a little more passion and fire he said, "And if I had all the wine in the world I would ...read more

Tags: Alcohol

Living The Full Christian Life

Contributed by Chris Surber on Oct 24, 2008

Living the Full Christian Life As believers, we have received a great inheritance and legacy. In Acts 17:11, Luke writes, "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Denomination: Christian Church

Knowing Your Way To Heaven

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

KNOWING YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN The little church in the suburbs suddenly stopped buying from its regular office supply dealer. So, the dealer telephoned Deacon Brown to ask why. "I'll tell you why," said Deacon Brown, "Our church ordered some pencils from you to be used in the pews for visitors to ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Getting Back On Track

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2008

GETTING BACK ON TRACK Jim Baker is back in the pulpit again. "It's awesome to die and come back," he told about 400 worshipers at Way of Life Church, where he was the guest speaker one Sunday. The former PTL Ministries leader presided over a multimillion dollar TV ministry until he resigned amid a ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

On Martin Luther  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 7, 2009

ON MARTIN LUTHER Church history illustrates that if a church quits being renewed and refreshed every day then they slide into apathy -- this leads toward man made religion and deadness. In essence the people of God lose their anointing and their transformational power to see lives changed. The ...read more

Tags: Church Growth

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In Whose Presence You Stand  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

IN WHOSE PRESENCE YOU STAND On March 22, 1824 an incident took place in Madison County, Indiana, which came to be known as the Fall Creek Massacre. Six white men murdered nine Seneca and Miami Indians and wounded another. Among the nine dead were three women and four children. The six men were ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Tags: Forgiveness General

What Would It Mean To Obey This Command? Jerry ...

Contributed by Rickey Bennett on Aug 17, 2009

What would it mean to obey this command? Jerry Bridges helps us think through what that looks like in his book, The Gospel for Real Life. Here are just a few points he lists. To love the Lord your God with all your heart … soul and… mind means… • Your love for God transcends all other desires ...read more

Tags: Righteousness

Denomination: *other

Man Sentenced To Hang For Indian Massacre ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 14, 2009

Man Sentenced to Hang for Indian Massacre Pardoned On March 22, 1824 an incident took place in Madison County, Indiana, which came to be known as the Fall Creek Massacre. Six white men murdered nine Seneca and Miami Indians and wounded another. Among the nine dead were three women and four ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Tags: Forgiveness, Forgiveness General

Charlie Brown Learns The Hard Way That Lucy ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 24, 2009

Charlie Brown Learns The Hard Way that Lucy Didn’t Repent Repenting means changing our minds about who God is. Secondly: repenting means changing our minds about the way we live our lives. If God is all powerful and all caring and all loving, then it’s in my best interests to live a life that’s ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:15

Tags: Repentance