In Sermon Illustrations: "Put On"

Stoning The Pastor  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rings on Oct 18, 2012

STONING THE PASTOR I bought some small rubber rocks from DC Works and put them on the chairs before people came into the room. As I opened the message, I asked them if I said anything that was blasphemous if they would stone me. I told them not to be shy and to let me have it. I then introduced ...read more

Tags: Blasphemy

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Little Boy Told His Father, "I Want A New ...  PRO

Contributed by Phillip Parkin on Nov 24, 2012

A little boy told his father, "I want a new bike". The father said, "In this house we pray and ask God for the things we want and need". That night the little boy prayed, " Dear God, I need a new bike". The next morning the little boy woke up and ran to the garage but there was no bike. The little ...read more

Scripture: John 16:23, Matthew 7:7-11

Tags: Men's Day, Prayer, Provision

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Stressed Santa

Contributed by Tim Smith on Jan 6, 2013

STRESSED OUT SANTA A shopping mall Santa Claus in California had a meltdown after refusing to cuddle a bawling toddler, calling the mother evil and ripping off his beard and costume in front of startled children. Kelly Fornatoro, 33, said she told Santa her 19 month old son, Brian, would stop ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Stress

Denomination: Methodist

The Only Sunlight They See

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Feb 4, 2013

THE ONLY SUNLIGHT THEY SEE Two orphaned brothers stay in a slum district of New York City. One of them is crippled and hardly leaves the room. The older brother has to take care of him and buys him food. His younger brother lamented one day that he has not seen the sunlight for a long time. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14

Tags: Evangelism, Witness, Evangelism How To, Light Bearers

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Sure Wish Jesus Could Have Been There!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 28, 2014

I SURE WISH JESUS COULD HAVE BEEN THERE! A church had a special concert and the worship center was packed. The congregation had one of their greatest times of worship ever! Later that evening, a young mother from the church was putting her little boy to bed. He had enjoyed the concert so much ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:1-20

Tags: Jesus, Children, Prayer, Presence Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Salvation Is About Relationship

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

On May 31, 1975 Jeanie and I were legally married. A record of that translation is documented at Potter County in Amarillo, Texas. Because of that, I can introduce her as my wife. She can sign papers as Jeanie Tow. A legal transaction occurred. But what if that were all there is to our marriage? We ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14, 2 Corinthians 6:1

Tags: Grace, Relationship To God, Love And Faith

Denomination: Charismatic

F.e.a.r

Contributed by Alexier Mayes on Aug 8, 2017

Theres a song written by Ian Brown, known most famously as the Lead Singer from Manchester Band 'The Stone Roses' The song simply entitled FEAR uses the letters of the word to describe a sentence and the most poignant one of all states:- FINAL EXECUTION AND RESURRECTION Four words which mean ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:18

Tags: Love, Fear, Resurrection, Trust, Perfect Love, Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Getting Fat

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 6, 2019

JUST GETTING FAT? By Juan Carlos Orte We have a phenomenon in the church today which I call “eternal babyhood of the believer.” We have members of our churches who after years of hearing messages are just the same as always. They continually need a minister to keep after them, changing their ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:6-9

Tags: Focus, Real Growth, Stages Of Growth

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The 10-10-80 Rule

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 20, 2022

Sir John Templeton is a multi-billionaire, one of the wealthiest men in the world. He’s a dedicated Christian in his nineties. He invented the idea of trust funds in investments and started the Templeton Fund. Someone asked him, “How did you make such enormous wealth?” He said, “From the very start ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:10

Tags: Offering, Giving, Tithes

Seven Stanzas At Easter

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Mar 19, 2023

John Updike put it in his wonderful poem : Make no mistake: if he rose at all it was as his body; If the cells dissolution did not reverse, the molecules reknit, the amino acids rekindle, the church will fall. Let us not mock God with metaphor, Analogy, sidestepping transcendence; Making ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:14, Matthew 28:1-10

Tags: Resurrection, Tomb, John Updike

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God's Providence Fills Every Second Of Our Lives

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 21, 2023

In 1937 Walt Disney released the first full-length animated movie which has garnered almost one billion in total sales: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Producing an animated movie was a gargantuan task. Disney artists drew over one million pictures. Each picture flashed onto the screen for a mere ...read more

Tags: Protection, Comfort, God's Will, Assurance, God's Providence  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Believe Things About Christ Or Do You Believe On Christ?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 22, 2024

Herschel Ford once wrote, “There is a difference between believing something ABOUT Jesus and believing ON Him. We can believe that He is the Virgin-born Son of God, that He lived a sinless life, that He died on the cross, that He rose from the grave, that He is coming again—we can believe all ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:25-34

Tags: Trust, Salvation, Assurance, Works, Faith, Grace, Believe  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Mercy

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 2, 2024

Henri Nouwen tells the story of a family from Paraguay. The father spoke out against the military regime and its human rights abuses. The police arrested his teenage son and tortured him to death. Enraged townsfolk wanted to turn the boy's funeral into a huge protest march, but the doctor ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-18, Romans 5:1-11, Ephesians 2:1-5

Tags: Mercy, Sin, Evil, Salvation, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seven Things To Be Thankful For At Christmas

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

Seven Things To Be Thankful For at Christmas * for automatic dishwashers. They make it possible to get out of the kitchen before the family come in for their after-dinner snacks. * for husbands who attack small repair jobs around the house. They usually make them big enough to call in ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:22-33

Tags: Husbands, Teenagers

Denomination: Anglican

Children’s Prayers

Contributed by David Dunn on Feb 24, 2026

A mother was teaching her three-year-old the Lord’s Prayer. Night after night they practiced, and one evening the little girl said, “Mommy, I can do it myself.” So she folded her tiny hands and prayed, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us some e-mail.” Another Sunday a family’s little boy ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:15-25, Matthew 6:9-13

Tags: Sanctification, Temptation

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Clip: "Everybody Loves Raymond," Excerpted From ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Oct 28, 2002

[Clip: "Everybody Loves Raymond," excerpted from episode 119, "Talk To Your Daughter". Note: this episode is one of four included in a "For Your Consideration" DVD/VHS package that was prepared for the 2002 Emmy voters. You might find it on ebay.] Deborah: Ally just doesn’t want to know how we get ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose, Fulfillment, Worry

Denomination: Baptist

Your Bucket Is Filled!" Philippians 2: 1-11: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 21, 2004

“Your Bucket is Filled!” Philippians 2: 1-11: Key verse(s): 4 “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Consider Your Neighbor!) On a recent Saturday, awakening to a beautifully sunrise and cool breezes, I lazed in bed putting tasks upon the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

The Ny Times Had A Story About A Little Boy Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jan 3, 2001

The NY Times had a story about a little boy who was riding the bus. He sat so close to a woman dressed in a gray suit that everybody assumed that he was her son & she was his mother. Until finally another lady sat down on the same seat with them. And when the little boy put his feet up ...read more

Tags: Giving General, Compassion, Disappointment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

David Ireland Wrote A Book Titled Letters To An ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 16, 2002

David Ireland wrote a book titled Letters to an Unborn Child. Ireland was dying from a crippling neurological disease when he discovered that his wife was pregnant. Knowing that he would never see his own child, he took up his pen to write all that he would never have a chance to say. In those ...read more

A Flag Of Rags  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 24, 2002

A FLAG OF RAGS In the final years of our imprisonment, the North Vietnamese moved us from small cells with one or two prisoners to large rooms with as many as 30-40 men to a room. We preferred this situation for the companionship and strength we could draw from our fellow prisoners. In addition ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:10-11

Tags: Patriotism, Political Freedom, Independence Day, Veterans, Endurance  (view more)  (view less)