In Sermon Illustrations: "Prodigal Son"

Gary Smalley's Daughter Carrie Came To Him One ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 25, 2010

Gary Smalley’s daughter Carrie came to him one day and said, “Dad, I know that you love us and I know that you love Michael (one of his sons), but you are always picking on Michael, you are constantly criticizing Michael. Dad, what you are doing is like someone who is locked in a room and someone ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

My Daddy Is Here!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2010

MY DADDY IS HERE! David Elkind, a psychologist, tells the story of visiting his middle son's nursery school class, at the request of his teacher. She wanted him to observe a "problem child" in the class. While he was there, he caught a conversation between his son and some other boys. There ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4

Tags: Father's Day

Finishing The Race

Contributed by Chris Supper on Nov 3, 2010

FINISHING THE RACE August 1992. Derrick Redmond from Great Britain was favored to win the 400-meter race during the summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, but as he powered around the backstretch, his hamstring snapped. Redmond tried desperately to finish the race, but he still had half the ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Baptist

Surprise Gift

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2011

SURPRISE GIFT When Gabriel Hurles turned six a couple of years ago (January 2009), he was so focused on eating his birthday cake, that he hardly noticed the giant package in the corner of the room. When another child pointed out the large gift, Gabriel ran over and began to tear off the wrapping. ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14

Tags: Christmas

Not If Jesus Is Like Dad  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 21, 2011

NOT IF JESUS IS LIKE DAD Some months ago I heard a touching story about a humble, consecrated pastor whose young son had become very ill. After the boy had undergone an exhaustive series of tests, the father was told the shocking news that his son had a terminal illness. The youngster had accepted ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-3

Tags: Father's Day

4 Spiritual Crises

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 19, 2014

FOUR SPIRITUAL CRISES The spiritual experience of Abraham was marked by four great crises, each of which involved a surrender of something dear. These were: (1) LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY AND FAMILY (Gen 12:1 Mt 10:34-39 2Cor 6:14-18) - Is God asking you to go somewhere away from home, family and ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 22:1-14

Tags: Faith, Abraham, Trial, Crisis

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It's In Your Hands

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 18, 2017

A young student in China decided to play a trick on his elderly teacher one day. He caught a small bird and cupped it in his hands behind his back. He then approached the sage with this plan in mind. He would ask the old man what he had in his hand. If he answered correctly, he would then ask ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:15

Tags: Eternity, Decision, Commitment, Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Louis Braille And The Will Of God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 15, 2019

I do not know if Louis Braille was a believer, but his life is an example of a sovereign God causing all things to work together for good - In the French Academy of Science there is a rather plain, old shoemaker's awl on display. The story behind the awl is quite extraordinary. To look at it, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Miracles, Testimony, Will Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Sacrifice These Men Made For Freedom

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2021

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. Their conviction resulted in untold sufferings for themselves and their families. Of the 56 men, five were captured by the British and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Tags: Sacrifice, Freedom, America, Declaration Of Independence, Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rescued Twice

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 23, 2022

A wealthy English family once invited friends to spend some time at their beautiful estate. The happy gathering was almost plunged into a terrible tragedy on the first day. When the children went swimming, one of them got into deep water and was drowning. Fortunately, the gardener heard the others ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Galatians 1:4

Tags: Salvation, Miracle, Sovereignty Of God, Rescued

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In The Nt, The Word For Peace Means "To ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Winter on Jan 18, 2003

In the NT, the word for peace means “to reconcile or join.” Some missionary Bible translators were working very hard to find a word for peace in a particular tribal language. At last, a native who was working with them found a combination of words that captured the concept—“a heart that ...read more

Tags: Fulfillment, Confession Of Sin, Peace

Denomination: Methodist

I Am Reminded Of The Story Of A Preacher Who ...  PRO

Contributed by William Wyne on Sep 8, 2003

I am reminded of the story of a Preacher who asked a boy about the presence of God. The Preacher said to him, "Son, I will give you an apple if you can tell me where God is". The boy looked at the Preacher, then he looked at the apple, he ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Baptist

Silas Weir Mitchell Is Quoted In Harvey Cushing's ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Mar 27, 2007

Silas Weir Mitchell is quoted in Harvey Cushing’s Life of Sir William Osler as having remarked that, “The first thing to be done by a biographer in estimating character is to examine the stubs of his victim’s cheque-books.” By this standard, as by many another, the character of David, son of ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Elevator  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jun 27, 2004

The Elevator A man from the back mountains of Tennessee found himself one day in a large city, for the first time standing outside an elevator. He watched as an old, haggard woman hobbled on, and the doors closed. A few minutes later the doors opened and a young, attractive woman ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

Denomination: Baptist

There Was A Movie That Came Out ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

ILLUSTRATION: There was a movie that came out awhile back where parents had sheltered their son away from the world in a bomb shelter for 30 years. When he came out of it, he didn’t know who to handle difficult situations. He was totally lost. He was not able to ...read more

Tags: Children

Kabash

Contributed by Michael Walther on Aug 29, 2011

KABASH Micah 7:19 He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. I love the Hebrew word for "subdue." You may have actually heard it before. It is the word "kabash." Looking ahead to Jesus, ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Lutheran

The Lord Will Provide The Ram

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 7, 2019

. Abraham announced to Isaac one day that he had decided to upgrade their family computer to Windows 10. So they traveled to the mountain to download the upgrade. As they neared the top of the hill, Isaac said, "But father, we don't have enough memory!" To ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 22:1-14, Romans 4:1-25

Tags: Abraham, Introduction, Isaac, Substitution, Ram  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Tobymac On Faithfulness

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Aug 24, 2022

TobyMac wrote these words upon the tragic death of his 21 year old son; “My wife and I would want the world to knows this … We don’t follow God because we have some sort of under the table deal with Him, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18-27

Tags: Faith, Grace, Worship, Salvation, Grief  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stirring Up A Mess!

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 21, 2024

HOW EASY IS IT TO STIR UP A MESS? THERE IS A HIDDEN AGENDA AND MOTIVE WITHIN. There was a cowboy who road into town to visit a saloon on the edge of town. The cowboy tied his horse to the hitching post in front of the bar. He then went inside to drink. The devil came by and saw the cowboy ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:18, Jeremiah 17:9-10

Tags: Anger, Hidden Agenda

Denomination: Assembly Of God

I Read Of A Minister Who Was Visiting One Of His ...  PRO

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Oct 27, 2000

I read of a minister who was visiting one of his members. The lady of the house was trying to impress him about how devout she was by pointing out the large Bible on the bookshelf and talking in a very reverential way of it as "the Word of God". Her young son interrupted the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 2:15-20

Tags: Neglect Of Bible, Holiness, Bible Study, Faith

Denomination: Baptist