In Sermon Illustrations: "Retired People"

14 Years Ago Florida State’s Sports ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Feb 16, 2010

. 14 years ago Florida State’s sports information department had big news for Clay Shiver last year: Playboy magazine had selected him for its preseason All-America football team. But quicker than he snaps the ball, the 6-foot2, 280-pound center said, “No thanks.” he went on to say, “My mind was ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

In Christ, No Divisions (Spanish And English)

Contributed by Major Gerardo Balmori on Mar 22, 2010

IN CHRIST, NO DIVISIONS (Spanish and English) Estoy seguro de que han escuchado aquella celebre frase de divide y vencerás... Divide et vinces, es una de esas citas históricas atribuidas a todo el mundo: desde Julio César hasta Napoleón Bonaparte. Sin embargo, su autor es desconocido. Fue ...read more

Tags: Divisions

Denomination: Salvation Army

I Am Suffering At The Moment With A Cold, ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Apr 10, 2010

I am suffering at the moment with a cold, coughing and spluttering and my brain feels like it is packed tightly in sponge and being bounced down the slope of a mountain. A good friend said she is praying in Jesus Name for healing and believing for me to be well by Monday. I am believing for this ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Was Speaking To Someone About New Zealand A ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on May 15, 2010

I was speaking to someone about New Zealand a couple of days ago and how when we went there we had explored the colourful natural volcanic areas of Rotorua - bubbling mud, steaming ground and geysers, huge volcanic craters and weird and wonderful rock formations. Although it was beautiful the smell ...read more

Tags: Judgment, Eternal Hell

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Relationship Is What Counts  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 24, 2011

THE RELATIONSHIP IS WHAT COUNTS Wayne Cordeiro, a preacher in Honolulu, HI writes: Some time ago some wonderful people in our church gave Anna, my wife, and me a dinner certificate to a nice restaurant for $100. We thought, Wow, a hundred bucks. Let's go for it. We found a free evening. We ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Cultural Blindness In Missions

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 4, 2011

CULTURAL BLINDNESS IN MISSIONS David Livermore, in his book, Serving with Eyes Wide Open, talks about a friend of his, Ashish, who came from Northern India to visit him in Chicago. They were eating at Gino's Pizzeria, and there they ran into a youth pastor David knew, along with his youth group. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5

Tags: Missions

The Unexpected King

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 5, 2011

THE UNEXPECTED KING Just a year ago (on September 16, 2009), an article in The Washington Post began with these words: "The king folds her own laundry, chauffeurs herself around Washington in a 1992 Honda, and answers her own phone. Her boss's phone, too." The article was about Peggielene Bartels, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-8

Tags: Election

The Preacher And The Farmer  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 5, 2011

THE PREACHER AND THE FARMER Years ago, a young man had just gotten out of Bible College where he’d spent several years learning all the theological terminology that he thought would make him a successful preacher. He’d just been hired at a country church and he was determined to begin bringing new ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Tags: Evangelism How To

How Do You Know You're Saved?

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 15, 2011

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU'RE SAVED? When I ask some people if they're saved, they sometimes answer, "Well I think so" or "I hope so." What if someone came up to me and asked, "Pastor Sligh, are you married?" Suppose I say, "Well, I think so." You say, "Now wait a minute. You either are or you aren't. I ...read more

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation

Denomination: Baptist

God Made Himself Understandable  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2011

GOD MADE HIMSELF UNDERSTANDABLE I read of a story from the famous Danish philosopher from the mid 1800s, a Christian theologian named Soren Kierkegaard. It is a familiar story, a story rewritten by many over the ages in many different forms, yet it is still relevant today. Here’s what he wrote: A ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14, Habakkuk 1:1-5

Tags: Christmas, Understandable

Dad, Tom And Jerry, And Touched By An Angel

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 17, 2011

DAD, TOM AND JERRY, AND TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL When I was growing up, in order to instill a work ethic in me, my dad had several short maxims he repeated many times in my life. He'd tell me, "Son, there's no free lunch." -- In this life, that is so true. He'd also remind me, "Chuck, never forget: ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Baptist

The Story Of Catherine Lawes

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2011

THE STORY OF CATHERINE LAWES "Don’t set foot in the prison," people told her, but Catherine Lawes, whose husband was the warden at Sing Sing in 1921, went anyway. The first time there was a prison basketball game, she went, 3 daughters in tow and sat in the bleachers with the inmates. When she ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Leaders Are Born And Made

Contributed by Tim White on May 7, 2011

LEADERS ARE BORN AND MADE J. Oswald Sanders in his classic “Spiritual Leadership” believes that leaders are both born and made. “While conversion does not normally make leaders of people who would never become such otherwise, Church history teaches that in the hour of full surrender the Holy ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Baptist

The Bill Always Comes Due

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 12, 2011

THE BILL ALWAYS COMES DUE Bob Harris, weatherman for NY TV station WPIX-TV and the nationally syndicated independent Network news, had to weather a public storm of his own making in 1979. Though he had studied math, physics and geology at three colleges, he left school without a degree but with a ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 19:5

Tags: Lies

Separation Of Church And State...?

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 30, 2011

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE...? God has promised: "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." But... wait a minute. I thought those same founders wanted to separate the Church from the State! How many of you have ever heard that phrase? Of course you have. And I'll give a hundred dollar ...read more

Tags: America

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hope Of Maria

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 5, 2011

HOPE OF MARIA Hope weans God’s people from seeking and trusting this world. The story is told of Maria. She lived in a small town in southern Kentucky. She did not see or hear from her husband for years. Edward was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division during the Korean war and captured when the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:2-3

Tags: Pleasing God, God Brings Hope

Denomination: Nazarene

Relationships Matter Most In Happiness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 10, 2011

RELATIONSHIPS MATTER MOST IN HAPPINESS In 1937, a researcher at Harvard University began a study (originally named The Harvard Study of Adult Development) on what factors contribute to human well-being and happiness. The research team selected 268 male Harvard students who seemed healthy and well ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

Tags: Happiness

Authority At The Airport

Contributed by Brad Henry on Oct 25, 2011

AUTHORITY AT THE AIRPORT Someone the other day told me they had a problem with Security at the airport from something they left in their carry on. Then it got me to thinking, which is a bad idea anyway, about my TSA encounter. I had an early morning flight and I got through security at about ...read more

Tags: Authority

Right Prayer For The Wrong Reason  PRO

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Nov 18, 2011

RIGHT PRAYER FOR THE WRONG REASON I began teaching during the Wednesday night prayer meetings seven months ago. Suppose I prayed every day for all those months for God to make us into a praying church. Suppose I prayed morning, noon, and night for God to make us a praying church. Suppose I prayed ...read more

Scripture: James 4:1-3

Tags: Prayer, Selfishness, Prayer How To, Motives

Denomination: Baptist

The Story Of The Nobel Prize

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Jan 10, 2012

THE STORY OF THE NOBEL PRIZE Quiz time, folks--who invented dynamite? Do I hear the answer: Alfred Nobel! In fact in 1867, Nobel received U.S. patent number 78317 for his dynamic invention. That this explosive instead of being used peacefully for blasting the rocks during mining operations (as was ...read more

Tags: Parable Talents

Denomination: *other