In Sermon Illustrations: "Reach" showing 1,141-1,160 of 2,136

My Parents Had A Grapevine In The Backyard. They ...

Contributed by Sean Harder on Dec 4, 2009

My parents had a grapevine in the backyard. They just let it grow and some of the branches grew up and intertwined around this big evergreen tree about 20 feet in the air, others grew through the cedar hedge that was beside it. Some of these branches must have been forty feet long, but they never ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

March Of The Penguins: Fellowship

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 24, 2009

MARCH OF THE PENGUINS: FELLOWSHIP The documentary The March of the Penguins follows the emperor penguins of Antarctica on their incredible journey through ice and snow to mating grounds up to 70 miles inland. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, this beautiful film captures the drama of these ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Shoe Repair Receipt Submitted After 20 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 1, 2010

Shoe Repair Receipt Submitted After 20 Years Many years ago, the L.A. Times carried a story about a man who went to the house where he grew up and knocked on the door. It had been 20 years since he lived there, so he grew a little sentimental. He asked the current owners if he could walk through ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:10

Tags: Workplace

Because One Teen Took Action

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jan 8, 2010

BECAUSE ONE TEEN TOOK ACTION There was a youth group where the teenagers were challenged to try to reach someone in their school for Christ. Everyone blew it off. Except for one guy. He felt compelled to take action. So he did. He knew who he wanted to see come to Christ. It wasn’t exactly someone ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Baptist

Build Me A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

Build Me A Bridge A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer. Suddenly the sky clouded above his head and, in a booming voice, the Lord said, "Because you have TRIED to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish." The man said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:7

Tags: Marriage General

Construction Worker Survives 110-Foot ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2010

Construction Worker Survives 110-Foot Fall This past week I was reading in “God’s Word for You Today” devotional about Randy Reid, a thirty-four-year old construction worker, who was welding on top of a nearly completed water tower outside Chicago. According to writer Melissa Ramsdell, Reid ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:4-6

Tags: Trust

Tchaikovsky And Time Management

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

TCHAIKOVSKY AND TIME MANAGEMENT Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the great Russian composer, put a sign on his gate: "Visiting hours Monday and Tuesday between 3 and 5 p.m. Other times please do not ring." By posting that sign, Tchaikovsky was announcing to the world that he was a great composer, and as ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-16

Tags: Time

The Culture Of Complaint  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2010

THE CULTURE OF COMPLAINT In 1991, Robert Hughes, an art critic, wrote a book called The Culture of Complaint. His thesis is that we live in a culture in which we perceive ourselves as being entitled to having all our wants and desires fulfilled. When that doesn't happen, we become "victims," we ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 15:1-21

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Meeting With God In A Cesspit

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 15, 2011

MEETING WITH GOD IN A CESSPIT Philip Yancey shared about "a conference on evangelism sponsored by Billy Graham in Manila. A Cambodian man mesmerized the audience with his story of daily meditation. Under the Pol Pot regime he was held in a concentration camp like those depicted in the movie ...read more

Tags: Disciplines Meditation

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Golf Revenge  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2011

GOLF REVENGE The story is told of two long-time golfing buddies who decided one day that they would play the ball where it lies, no matter what. On the 14th hole, one of them sliced his drive and it ended up on the cart path. As he reached down to pick up his ball to get relief, his friend said, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Tags: Anger

If He Hadn't Taken My Son

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 15, 2011

"IF HE HADN'T TAKEN MY SON" Imagine the following scenario: Three little boys walk into a large electrical compound in Okinawa when the workmen momentarily walks to his truck to get some tools. One of those boys touches a live wire and is instantly electrocuted to death. The parents are ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Baptist

A Mother's Marred Hands  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2011

A MOTHER'S MARRED HANDS There was a teenager who didn’t want to be seen in public with her mother, because her mother’s arms were terribly disfigured. One day when her mother took her shopping and reached out her hand, a clerk looked horrified. Later, crying, the girl told her how embarrassed she ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13, John 15:4, John 15:1-8, Luke 12:1-118, Nehemiah 4:6  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Mothers, Mother's Day, Motherhood, Time

Built Out Of Junk

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 8, 2011

BUILT OUT OF JUNK Did you hear about the homeless man in Brazil who built his own car out of junk? Orismar de Souza is a homeless man in Brazil who decided to build the car using junk, spare parts and a hammer and chisel. Four years later, the "shrimpmobile" has him back on his feet. Souza, 35, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Tags: Born Again

God Redeems A Child's Death

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 28, 2011

GOD REDEEMS A CHILD'S DEATH These are bad things God allows in order to reveal Himself and accomplish some larger good that supersedes or overcomes the bad. Imagine the following scenario: Three little boys walk into a large electrical compound in Okinawa when the workmen momentarily walks to his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: God In The Hardships

Deliver Us From Evil

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

DELIVER US FROM EVIL Dr. Thomas Dooley gave a chilling example related to this prayer. It came from his experience in Southeast Asia between 1954 and 1960. Dr. Dooley authored three books about conditions there, the most well-known being 'Deliver Us from Evil', published in 1956. The subject was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13

Tags: Lord's Prayer

Go Back! You're Too Young

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 21, 2011

GO BACK! YOU'RE TOO YOUNG Wilbur E. Nelson told the story of his father who was the senior elder in his church for many years. He said: "When I was a boy, eleven years of age, an evangelist held a series of meetings in our church. One night he asked every Christian to come forward and also asked ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Tags: Children

Chippie's Story  PRO

Contributed by Scott Spencer on Nov 14, 2011

CHIPPIE'S STORY Max Lucado shares the story of a parakeet named Chippie. Chippie’s owner decided to clean his cage...with a vacuum cleaner. She was almost finished when the phone rang, so she turned around to answer it. Before she knew it, Chippie was gone. In a panic she ripped open the vacuum ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

We Often Don't Realize How Good We Have It Here ...

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Dec 1, 2011

We often don't realize how good we have it here in America. The film, End of Spear, tells the true story of five missionaries--including Jim Elliot and Nathan Saint--who were speared to death by the murderous Waodani tribesman living in the jungles of Ecuador. Amazingly, the wives and children of ...read more

Tags: Blessing

Denomination: Christian Church

Filled  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 16, 2013

FILLED In his best selling book called, "Into Thin Air," Jon Krakauer relates the hazards that plagued some climbers as they attempted to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Andy Harris, one of the expedition leaders stayed at the peak too long and on his descent, he became in dire need of oxygen. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18, Matthew 4:4, Zechariah 12:10

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

C.s. Lewis On The Difference Between Heaven And Hell  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2014

LEWIS: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL C. S. Lewis once provided a powerful image of the difference between heaven and hell. He described hungry people sitting at a huge banquet loaded with delicious food. Every person had a meter-long fork and knife attached to their hands (that’s about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Tags: Jesus Parables, Wedding Banquet, Heaven And Hell