In Sermon Illustrations: "Retired People"

My Son Peter Was Born In Poland And Has A Polish ...

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Aug 3, 2012

My son Peter was born in Poland and has a Polish passport and yet since he’s my son, he also has an American passport. Depending on the situation, he can use whichever passport he wants and claims he is a citizen of both countries. Some people think that they can do the same with their life here ...read more

Tags: Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

What Do You Have To Sing About?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 29, 2012

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SING ABOUT? Clarence Darrow, the famous atheist lawyer – once took part in a debate at a church in Chicago. In his attack on the Christian faith, he tried to play on the emotions of the black people who were there, and on their social misery. This was the heart of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Tags: Atheism

A Thief And A Priest

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2012

A THIEF AND A PRIEST The story is told about a Catholic priest who was walking down an alley behind his church when a thief jumped out from behind some garbage cans and pressed the muzzle of his gun into the priest's ribs. The thief said, "Give me your wallet!" Without hesitation, the priest ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:1-23

Tags: Christian Values

Trung's Story

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Jan 3, 2013

TRUNG'S STORY To Dinh Trung was arrested more than 25 times for preaching the gospel in rural Vietnam. During his 24th imprisonment, in 1991, he was deprived of food for 12 days. He said: "In prison, I worshipped the Lord a lot, praying and singing in a room by myself. My room was the prison ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Lutheran

The Birth Of Jesus - An Ordinary Time But An Extraordinary Birth

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

The Romans dominated the country. The Jewish people were captive to Roman law and Roman ways. That is what compelled Joseph to travel with his pregnant wife Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem (some 80 miles). To return to his ancestral home for the purpose of registering for the Roman census. Just ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7

Tags: Christmas, History, Birth Of Jesus

Denomination: Christian Church

We Are Here! We Are Here!

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 23, 2013

WE ARE HERE! WE ARE HERE! From movie, "Horton Hears a Who!" Clip from movie about 5 minutes. The "Who" people with the help of Horton shouted, proclaimed, cried out and made themselves heard -- it was life and death by the way -- they did this to let the rest of the world around them know that ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Self-Denial At The Threat Of Death  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 15, 2013

"Faith Helped Woman Confront British Terrorists" Remember a few weeks ago when the British soldier was beheaded in broad daylight outside his barracks? The Telegraph, a British paper, reported that a mother and Cub Scout leader, Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, age 48, confronted the terrorists immediately ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-25, 2 Kings 5:1-14

Tags: Self Denial, Dying To Self

Denomination: Nazarene

Going Beyond Our Teachers  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jul 9, 2013

A well-known Bible teacher gives this insight: "Someone on our staff informed me several months ago that a woman had called the ministry office to find out what my 'official position' was on a biblically gray area. When she was told that it's not my policy to make 'official' public statements ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23

Tags: Legalism, Opinion, Spiritual Growth, Debatable

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Reflecting The Light  PRO

Contributed by Everette Pafford on Feb 27, 2014

REFLECTING THE LIGHT A well-known Bible teacher has just finished speaking to a large class of business people on the Christians' responsibility to be light in the world. He had emphasized the as believers we all have the obligation to reflect the Light in the world, the Lord Jesus. After the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Evangelism, Living As Light

Denomination: Assembly Of God

I'll Take Hymn!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 26, 2016

One Sunday, a pastor told his congregation that the church needed some extra money. He asked the people to consider donating a little more than usual into the offering plate. He said that whoever gave the most would be able to pick out three hymns. After the offering plates were passed, the pastor ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:21-23

Tags: Marriage, Dating, Husbands And Wives, Singles

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I'm That Clown!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 1, 2016

I’M THAT CLOWN It is said that in a great city there was a physician famous for his wisdom. A man came to him one day and said, "Doctor, I want you to see what is wrong with me." The doctor checked him over and said, "Your heart is all right. Your lungs are all right. Your blood pressure is ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-12

Tags: Happiness, Joy, Emptiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Happiness Is Not Found In More Things....

Contributed by Garris Hudson on May 19, 2016

HAPPINESS IS NOT FOUND IN MORE THINGS... If having more would make us happy, we would never need the Tenth Commandment - "You shall not COVET.’ It is written especially for unhappy people who think that happiness is found in more things. Have you heard the story about the king who fell into a ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-17

Tags: Happiness, Materialism, Ten Commandments, Coveting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Trust God With The Splinter

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Apr 28, 2018

Trouble is inevitable. It has spawned the counseling ministry. Therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, support groups dedicate their lives to helping people deal with grief, addictions, abuse, and stress. There are many solutions offered. You can pop a pill or uncork a bottle or take a ...read more

Tags: Trust God, Comfort Of God

Denomination: Baptist

Rebellion

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

REBELLION Long, long ago in a world far, far away from here there was a great kingdom. It was a kingdom fill with the wonders of all the ages. Everywhere that the eye looked the mind became overwhelmed with all the beauty. This world was filled with such beauty that it surpassed all imagination. ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:3

Tags: Sin, Rebellion

Denomination: Pentecostal

The One Thing That Really Matters

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 30, 2020

In just a short time, just like He did with the plagues of ancient Egypt, God has taken away everything that we worship as an idol in place of Him. It is as if God were screaming for a world to hear, You want to worship ATHLETES? I will shut down the stadiums. You want to worship MUSICIANS? ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Worship, Revival, Judgment, Repentance, Brokenness, Idolatry, Coronavirus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When George Washington Prayed For America

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 2, 2020

When George Washington was inaugurated in New York City in front of the Federal Hall, he walked to the St. Paul Church and prayed for our country in front of the church. He declared, "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14, Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: America, Prayer, Revival, Judgment, Repentance, George Washington  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Three Feet Away

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Dec 14, 2020

During the gold rush, a man from Ohio traveled to California. It had taken him months to get there. He had to get a claim and register it and buy tools before he could start mining. The Ohioan had been mining for months. Finally after all the hard work and finding nothing quit his claim. He was ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:1-8

Tags: Don't Give Up, Success Isn't Far Away

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Irony

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 3, 2021

One definition of the word irony is, “a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result.” • It is ironic, for example, that the most shop-lifted book is the Bible. • Every year ABC cuts down A Charlie Brown Christmas—a movie about ...read more

Tags: Sibling Rivalry, Humble Pie, Family Strife, Leadership, Rejection, Irony, Pedigree  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Overwhelming Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

A wonderful example of how to practice the lifestyle of grace comes from an incident in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on October 2, 2006, when a man entered an Amish schoolhouse and murdered 5 girls while wounding 5 others before killing himself. As horrific as this was, the greater story was the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 65:3

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

Civil Disobedience For The Christian

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 28, 2023

The Hebrew midwives disobeyed Pharaoh’s orders and refused to kill the Jewish babies (Ex. 1:15–22). Daniel and his three friends refused to eat the king’s food (Dan. 1), and the three friends also refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s image (Dan. 3). The apostles refused to stop witnessing in ...read more

Tags: Esther, Law, Persecution, Government, Authority, Civil Disobedience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational