In Sermon Illustrations: "Reading"

The Great Boston Fire Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 27, 2012

THE GREAT BOSTON FIRE OF 1872 In the great Boston fire of 1872, sixty-five acres of land was destroyed. The damage totaled up to $75 million but in our day would be somewhere in the neighborhood of $3 billion. Hundreds of businesses were destroyed. Someone came along and wrote a message on a rough ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Joanne Shetler Spent Years In The Philippines ...

Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 3, 2012

Joanne Shetler spent years in the Philippines with the Balangao people, translating the Bible into their language and trying to tell them the good news of the Savior. But it was slow going. One day Ama, a man who had “adopted” her as his Balangao daughter, picked up an English New Testament from ...read more

Tags: Missions

Denomination: Baptist

The Ten-Dollar Cure For Fear  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Dec 11, 2012

THE TEN-DOLLAR CURE FOR FEAR Stanley went to a psychiatrist. "Doc," he said, "I've got trouble. Every time I get into bed, I think there's somebody under it. I get under the bed, I think there's somebody on top of it. Top, under, top, under ... you gotta help me, I'm going crazy!" "Just put ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Protecting His Bats

Contributed by Ken Pell on May 19, 2013

PROTECTING HIS BATS Japanese-born big-leaguer Ichiro Suzuki is one of the best hitters in baseball. He has led the Major Leagues in regular season hits on seven occasions. To state the obvious, you hit a baseball with a bat. Ichiro Suzuki seems to be more aware of that obvious fact than other ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Nazarene

I Was Talking To A Young Man Just A Few Days ...

Contributed by Fred Parker on Jan 27, 2015

I was talking to a young man just a few days ago about our greatest gift. He guessed several different things such as health, strength, possessions (Cars, houses, plenty of money) and each time he would give me an answer I would tell him, “No.” He said, “If I only had plenty of money everything ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:16

Tags: Gifts Of God, Greatest

Denomination: Pentecostal

Preaching Fluff Versus Quality

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 8, 2017

I once lived in a town where there were two preachers who were polar opposites. The one was very charismatic and enthusiastic. But, he did not preach the Bible. I asked him one day why he didn't preach the Bible. His answer was that the people could read their Bibles at home. He preached ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Tags: Great Commission, Preach Christ, Teach Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

The Problem With Church 200 Years Ago

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

I was recently reading an interesting book about life in America 200 years ago. One intriguing detail that the author shared was that back then most people only bathed once a year. It made me think of how unpleasant it would have been to gather on a sultry August Sunday morning in a sanctuary ...read more

Tags: Church, Worship, Sin, Sinfulness

Denomination: Baptist

Lego Theology

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 23, 2019

Matt Proctor- Several years ago, two of my nephews accompanied their mom on a visit to a friend’s house. Ben was 8, Brian was 6. Their mother’s friend was a very neat lady- a place for everything and everything in its place. Though childless, she did have a few toys and handed Ben and Brian a ...read more

Tags: Church, Relationships, Synergy

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Give God A Blank Check!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

I read once about a family that put their elderly grandmother on a plane for her first flight. She wasn’t too sure about this mode of transportation, but she grudgingly went along with it. When she returned, some of the family members couldn’t help playfully asking, “Grannie, did the plane hold you ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Faith, Commitment, Trust, Will Of God, Believing God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hiring A Dog

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

A sign was hung in an office window. It read: Help wanted. Must type 70 words a minute. Must be computer literate. Must be bilingual. An equal opportunity employer. A dog was ambling down the street and saw the sign. He looked at it for a moment, pulled it down with his mouth, and walked into ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:26

Tags: Service, Gifts

Denomination: Methodist

I Give Up!

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

Many years ago, executives of the Time-Life publishing organization discovered that the company’s profit margin had shrunk to an alarmingly low level. To cut costs, they decided to eliminate hundreds of works to be replaced with machines. The name of each subscriber was put on a separate little ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

Do You Have This Much Self Control?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2023

I heard a funny story about a stunt pilot who was selling rides in his single engine airplane. One day he got into an argument with a pastor who insisted on taking his wife along at no extra charge. Not wanting to miss out on a chance to make some cash, the pilot said, “I’ll take you both up for ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Marriage, Self Denial, Fruit Of The Spirit, Works Of The Flesh, Self Control, Character Of Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Where Is He?

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Dec 8, 2023

Where is the Hope of our salvation? Where is the cause of the celebration? Where is the One sent from above? Where is He, the Divine Gift of love? Where is He, born the Jewish King? Where is He of whom angels sing? Where is the One that shepherds seek? Where is He of whom wise men speak? Where is ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Tags: Christmas Poems, Christmas, Advent, Birth Of Christ, Poetry, Presents  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Have You Ever Asked God To Wake You Up In The Morning?

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 23, 2024

Be careful what you pray for. We all know the feeling of trying to wake up to a blaring alarm clock. I had been really tired from working late and had overslept several times in the past week. I was traveling at the time, not at home. It wasn’t an emergency since I work from wherever I am, but I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7, Mark 11:24, 1 John 5:14

Tags: Prayer, How To Pray, Answered Prayers, Faith

Denomination: Charismatic

Foolishness - Appearances Can Be Deceiving "the 10 Bridesmades"

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 19, 2025

A film crew ... was on location ... deep ... in the desert. One day ... an elderly Native American ... who had been watching the filming for several weeks ... went boldly up to the director and said, ... "Tomorrow rain." And sure enough ... The next day ... it rained. A week later, ... ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Tags: Appearances, Bridesmades, Fool, Foolish, Foolishness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

The Eating Thing  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Hamilton on Sep 29, 2002

The Eating thing Let me share with you a fairly personal issue that I’m working through that has caused me to ask this question about loving God. Last year – in fact for a number of years now I have been aware that I have been struggling with an addiction. As soon as I say the word it arouses ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:8

Tags: Addiction

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

No Bulldozers Here!" Hebrews 3:1-6 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 26, 2005

“No Bulldozers Here!” Hebrews 3:1-6 Key verse(s) 6:“But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.” I grew up watching john wayne movies; courage and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. I remember watching ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 3:1-6

Tags: Faith General, Doubt, Unbelief

Denomination: Lutheran

Finding Grace  PRO

Contributed by Johnathan Hester on Jun 15, 2008

FINDING GRACE If you want to learn the meaning of faith, get down to a child's level. "What could this possibly be?" I thought to myself. "Why would someone place that sign so low? No one could read it." You see them everywhere. Small signs promoting yard sales, cars, and business opportunities ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-2

Tags: Examples Of Faith

Denomination: Baptist

Hannah And Michael: Finding What Was Lost  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 1, 2011

HANNAH AND MICHAEL: FINDING WHAT WAS LOST Let me tell you what happened to Ted Forbes back in 1984. While walking down a street in Chicago...Ted found a wallet. Being an honest Christian man he wanted to return it to its owner. So he opened it to look for identification. The wallet contained just ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:8-10, Luke 15:11-32, 1 Corinthians 13:8, John 17:1-26

Tags: Love, Parable Lost Coin

I Love A Mystery When It's A Mystery

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 1, 2020

Because of the situation we are in these days, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I have spent some significant time watching mysteries. We enjoy a mystery movie. I have always loved mysteries. I have read all of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. I have read the Father ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 25:14

Tags: Mystery, Wager

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance