In Sermon Illustrations: "Prodigal Son"

Pastor Florescu, Jesus ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2009

PASTOR FLORESCU, JESUS FREAK The Communist torturers came towards Pastor Florescu again, this time with red-hot iron pokers. "Who else believes as you do? Give us their names." Florescu would not speak. They had already cut him again and again with knives and beaten him very badly. When he ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Don't Stop Ringing The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

DON’T STOP RINGING THE BELL Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand. Augustine. A man took his son to the tiny rural community where he grew up. He was disappointed to discover that the little church ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:18-19

Tags: Revival

Death And Resurrection

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

Our son, John learned a valuable lesson about death when he was a child. One day he took aim with his new BB gun at a little bird sitting on a limb near our back deck. He aimed and fired and hit his target and the bird collapsed to the ground. Dead. At first there was the excitement of being a ...read more

Scripture: John 14:19

Tags: Death, Resurrection

Denomination: Christian Church

When Things Get Smelly!

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 22, 2021

When I was around eight, we were visiting some cousins out on the farm and as all kids back then we played tag. I went zipping around the barn and stepped in a slick patty. I fell, slid and rolled through a copious amount of bovine excrement. When I was able to stand up I went to the porch and ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 16:4-12

Tags: Love, Forgiveness, Stink

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-Joash's Aunt And Nurse

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 2, 2022

Introduction: These two ladies risked certain death to save the crown prince (and, it might be added, the ancestor of the Messiah!) Text: 2 Chronicles 22:10-12, KJV: 10 But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 22:10-12

Tags: Joash, Unsung Heroines, Jehoshabeath

Denomination: Baptist

Savior Implies The Image Of A Worried Father ...

Contributed by Jason Powers on May 3, 2003

Savior implies the image of a worried father running into a burning house to save his son or daughter. The child is unable to rescue himself, so the father risks his own ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Wise ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 6, 2008

The Wise Fool There is an old, corny story about the young man who was the first in his family to go to college. In fact, he was the first in his small town to go to college. And so when he came home after his freshman year, he was the apple of his father’s eye. His dad, who had never in his life ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Jesus Changes Life

Contributed by Rev. Dr. Andrew B Natarajan on May 16, 2017

The word of God is Alive Half a century ago, in one of the Indian villages, there was a family. the family size was five( Husband, wife and three children). The Husband was a drunkard and notorious man. His wife was a home maker and simple lady. The man had all kinds of bad habits such as ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:11

Tags: Changed Life, Jesus Is The Life, Useful Earthern Pot

Denomination: Methodist

A Tribute To Fathers In The Bible

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 9, 2020

Introduction: with the exception of Adam, who was created; and Jesus Himself, Who was born of the Virgin Mary, every man in the Bible had a father. That some were good and others were evil is clear, and it would be nearly impossible to list every father and son in the Bible. The Books of Chronicles ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:4, Romans 1:18-32

Tags: Father's Day, Fathers, Raising Children

Denomination: Baptist

An Epiphany On Generosity

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Jun 23, 2023

I recently drove my adult son to the airport for a trip he was taking with some friends. He lives in Arkansas but was flying out of DFW, so he drove to our home in Denison to spend a little time with us. While he was gone I drove his car a few times just to make sure it was running well. I guess ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7, James 1:17

Tags: Generous, Steward, Giving, Stewardship, Give, Generosity, Selflessness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Unsung Heroines-Rizpah

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 3, 2022

Introduction: Rizpah is only mentioned in a couple of places in the Bible. We don’t know much about her aside from this tremendous act of love she demonstrated in this story. Text: 2 Samuel 21:8-11, KJV: 8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 21:8-11

Tags: Famine, Gibeonites, Rizpah, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

I Like That Story About The Boy And His Father ...  PRO

Contributed by Norman Lawrence on Mar 25, 2001

I like that story about the boy and his father who were planning a fishing trip for the next day. That evening as the father was putting his son to bed, the boy hugged ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Assembly Of God

As America Grays And More And More People Seek To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 9, 2006

As America grays and more and more people seek to deal with the reality-of -mortality, many of them are turning in the direction of Christian retailers for answers,” says Bill Ander-son, CBA’s ...read more

Tags: Death

The Suffering Of The Trinity  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 2, 2004

THE SUFFERING OF THE TRINITY In the National Gallery of Art in London there’s a picture of the Crucifixion that is so dark that when you first look at it, you can’t see anything. But if you stand and ponder it, and if you do not permit your gaze to falter, eventually you will see in the darkness a ...read more

Tags: Trinity

A Television Executive Called The Pastor Of A ...

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Oct 25, 2004

A television executive called the pastor of a metropolitan church in another city, and told the pastor: "I think that my son is in your city, involved in the drug culture." He then asked the preacher if he would try to find the boy and do something with him. About four months later the boy was ...read more

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Larry Richards Writes, "Well-Established Custom ...

Contributed by Thomas Black on Feb 2, 2005

Larry Richards writes, "Well-established custom in the Patriarchal Age protected the rights of any child born to a man by a slave woman. Though the son of the wife was a man’s legal heir, his child by a concubine was guaranteed an inheritance. Sarah’s demand that Abraham send Ishmael away was ...read more

Tags: Divorce

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Our Daughter, Katie, Gave Me A Chris Rice Cd For ...

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Dec 24, 2005

*Our daughter, Katie, gave me a Chris Rice CD for Christmas in 2004... *It’s got a great Christmas song called Welcome to Our World... Fragile fingers sent to heal us... Tender brow prepared for thorn Tiny heart whose blood will save us... Unto us is born So, wrap our injured flesh around ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony

Denomination: Baptist

Count The Cost - "Think For A Moment Of The Most ...  PRO

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Feb 27, 2006

Count the Cost - “Think for a moment of the most worthless, unnecessary purchase you have made in recent years. Perhaps it was an electric shaver that now sits in the garage or an article of clothing that will never be worn. It is important to realize that this item was not purchased with your ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Baptist

A Methodist Pastor Named Walter Everett ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A Methodist Pastor named Walter Everett understood the importance of forgiving those who sin against you. When Michael Carlucci was convicted of manslaughter for shooting Everett’s son, the bereaved father set an example that challenges all of us who claim to be Christians. Walter stood up in court ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Nothing Is Quite As Sweet As The Attachment Most ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 12, 2008

Nothing is quite as sweet as the attachment most children have to their mother. (from Reader’s Digest): One evening after dinner, my five-year-old son Brian noticed that his mother had gone out. In answer to his questions, I told him, "Mommy is at a Tupperware party." This explanation satisfied ...read more

Tags: Curiosity

Denomination: Independent/Bible