In Sermon Illustrations: "Read The Signs"

Have You Ever Hurt Anybody?  PRO

Contributed by Ken Ritz on Dec 30, 2005

Brennan Manning tells a story in his book The Ragamuffin Gospel. 25 years ago, he had a drinking problem. He voluntarily entered a 28-day treatment program. Early on in the treatment program they had to sit in a circle with a leader and tell the other people in the group, about the extent of their ...read more

Tags: Richard Celtzer, Mortal Lessons, Addiction, Brennan Manning

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Let Me Give You Something Else From Corrie Ten ...

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Jan 4, 2008

Let me give you something else from Corrie ten Boom: After the war she returned to Germany to declare the grace of Christ. “It was 1947, and I’d come from Holland to defeated Germany with the message that God forgives. It was the truth that they needed most to hear in that bitter, bombed-out ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Lost ...

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jul 1, 2008

LOST IDENTITY --- Have you ever lost your driver’s license? --- Isn’t it a traumatic event? I have lost my driver’s license several times over the years and each time it made my life difficult. For all practical purposes I lost my identity. I couldn’t write a check – stores will not take a check ...read more

Tags: Restoration

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Road To Emmaus - The Good Samaritan Inn

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Apr 28, 2020

The Road to Emmaus The scene: A table in the Inn in Emmaus – with a big sign on the Table saying “The Good Samaritan Inn in Emmaus” Luke and Cleopas seated around a Table Cleopas and Luke start talking: Cleopas: Luke, Where’s he gone – he was standing right there and puff - He just ...read more

Tags: Road To Emmaus, Sketch

Denomination: Anglican

[048]. A Message From A Poem – Christmas Travesty – Pseudo Christmas

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 6, 2025

[048]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRISTMAS TRAVESTY – PSEUDO CHRISTMAS Walking through a shopping centre at Christmas time was a depressing trip. All around were merchants parading their wares with full commercialisation; fake Santa Claus(es) everywhere and the occasional songs being played – ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:6-7, Luke 2:8-14

Tags: Travesty, Infant Jesus, Pseudo Christmas, False Christmas, Christmas, False, Poetry, Poem, Santa Claus, Commercialism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Born Identity

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

BORN IDENTITY Jimmy Gupton tells of when he was 93 and ready to go on home to God. For the 1000th time, he had prayed for God to take him home. His wife had been gone for seven years, and it was getting harder and harder to go through the motions of the holiday. He had a big silver Christmas tree ...read more

Tags: Christmas

From One Turkey To Another

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 23, 2019

As a child, my favorite holiday was Christmas, second only to my birthday. These holidays were important because of the gifts I received. Oh, did I look forward to those holidays and all the presents I was going to delight in. And delight, I certainly did to the extreme. Then slowly things ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:10

Tags: Thanksgiving, Hoiliday

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Oh, The Daze Of My Life

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 30, 2021

When I was young, my mother was quite a fan of a soap opera called “The Days of Our Lives.” I remember the title but I never would watch something like that. However, my mother enjoyed it and so what’s there to complain about. As I was thinking of it, I felt that I should remember the days of my ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 39:4

Tags: Husband, Wife, Wisdom

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

One Mouth Too Many Words

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 5, 2022

I read somewhere where the average woman speaks 20,000 words a day, and the average man speaks 7,000 words a day. I’m not sure if that’s true because I never believe everything I read, particularly on my computer, unless I write it. If this is true, who came up with it and how did they get to this ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:27-28

Tags: Speak, Silence, Worde

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Have Nose, Will Snore

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 8, 2022

Dr. James L. Snyder Having been married as long as The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and myself, there are very few things we disagree. I run by the idea, “Do you want to be happy, or do you want to be right?” That has guided me through many a storm these past years. Almost every day, I ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Unity, Agree

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Did You See My Key?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 22, 2024

My life has been bombarded with questions from the beginning of the day until I fall asleep at night. For the most part, I don’t prioritize questions. Usually, when people ask me a question, there is something behind that question. If I don’t see what’s behind the question, I could answer it in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:10

Tags: Lost, Saved, Keys

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Where Oh Where Is My Hair

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 25, 2025

It is true that I don't pay attention to many things in life. I guess I'm just too busy to notice everything. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage always asks me why I'm not paying attention. To keep engaged in that argument, I say, "I'm too poor to pay attention. Could I ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:10

Tags: Bald, Old, Hair

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[326]. Poem - Victory Through Sorrow’s Deep Sea – Easter Poem – Part 1

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 27, 2026

[326]. POEM - VICTORY THROUGH SORROW’S DEEP SEA – POEM FOR EASTER – PART 1 SPECIAL NOTE – This poem is too long for SermonCentral’s limited space for Sermon Illustrations, so I have had to cut it in half but don’t really want to do that. THIS IS PART 1. This is a serious poem. It covers the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 22:13-16, Psalm 69:14-15, Isaiah 53:6-7

Tags: Easter, Suffering, Victory, Gethsemane, Sorrow, Calvary, The Cross, Golgotha, Man Of Sorrows, Jesus Before Pilate, The Crucifixion, Easter Message, Christian Poems, Poem For Easter, Jesus Dies For Sins, The Lamb On The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stubborn Joy—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Dec 1, 2001

STUBBORN JOY--Communion Meditation "No man had more reason to be miserable than this one – yet no man was more joyful. His first home was a palace. Servants were at his fingertips. The snap of his fingers changed the course of history. His name was known and loved. He had everything – wealth, ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-13

Tags: Human Body, Humanity Of Christ, Joy

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When Our Two Oldest Girls, Shannon And Sandi, ...  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Apr 3, 2002

When our two oldest girls, Shannon and Sandi, were in High School I was pretty certain that neither would live past their eighteenth birthday. If they didn’t kill each other there was a very good possibility I would. When they were little they were cute but in their teens they were always ...read more

Tags: Friendship General, Unity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A National Prayer Of Repentance  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 30, 2002

A NATIONAL PRAYER OF REPENTANCE Joe Wright is the pastor of Central Christian Church in Wichita, KS. On January 23, 1996, He was asked to be the guest chaplain for the Kansas State House in Topeka. He prayed a prayer of repentance that was written by Bob Russell, pastor of Southeast Christian ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:34, Jonah 3:6-10, Jeremiah 18:7-14, Acts 2:1-13

Tags: Independence Day, Gambling, Christian Liberty, Men, Repentance, Prayer  (view more)  (view less)

Perpetual New Year's Resolutions  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2002

PERPETUAL NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Share a funny story with ...read more

Tags: New Year's Day, Bucketlist, Christian Values

What Not To Do  PRO

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 8, 2003

WHAT NOT TO DO The new millenium brought out the worst in parenting, and no parenting methods were criticized more harshly than those of captured American Taliban, John Lindh Walker. When Lindh Walker was 10, the family from Washington State moved to socially liberal Marin County, just over the ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Shortly After The Turn Of The Century, Japan ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Sep 22, 2004

Shortly after the turn of the century, Japan invaded, conquered, and occupied Korea. One group singled out for concentrated oppression was the Christians. When the Japanese army overpowered Korea one of the first things they did was board up evangelical churches and eject most foreign missionaries. ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Wesleyan

Let Me Tell You The Story Of Chris. Chris Was In ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Mar 4, 2006

Let me tell you the story of Chris. Chris was in his mid-thirties, married and living in Pennsylvania with his wife and two high energy little boys. Chris was always physically fit, ate a healthy diet, but one day he went to the Doctor because of some pains he was having. That led to another ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Christian Church