In Sermon Illustrations: "Return"

The Man Who Came For The Blind

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 29, 2010

THE MAN WHO CAME FOR THE BLIND A fellow in our office told us recently of a household incident of which he had been an innocent but perplexed spectator. Our friend had called a Venetian-blind repairman to come pick up a faulty blind, and the next morning, while the family was seated at the ...read more

Tags: Aging

Denomination: Brethren

In His Autobiography, Gandhi Wrote That During ...

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Jan 21, 2008

In his autobiography, Gandhi wrote that during his student days he read the Gospels seriously and considered converting to Christianity. He believed that in the teachings of Jesus he could find the solution to the caste system that was dividing the people of India. So one Sunday he decided to ...read more

Something Really Cheap

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

SOMETHING REALLY CHEAP After being away on business, a man thought it would be nice to bring his wife a little gift. "How about some perfume?" he asked the cosmetics clerk. She showed him a bottle costing $50.00. "That's a bit much," he said, so she returned with a smaller bottle for $30.00. ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Never Give In

Contributed by Richard Francis on Nov 5, 2007

"Never Give In" "This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In A.d. 398 John Chrysostom Was Appointed ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 1, 2007

In A.D. 398 John Chrysostom was appointed patriarch of Constantinople, where his zeal for reform antagonized the Empress Eudoxia, who had him exiled. Allowed to return after a short time, Chrysostom again infuriated Eudoxia, who sent him away again. How did Chrysostom respond to such persecution? ...read more

Denomination: Other

A Dying Church

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 13, 2019

John MacArthur tells this awesome story: There once was an old church in England. A sign on the front of the building read, ''We preach Christ crucified.'' After a time, ivy grew up and obscured the last word and it read, 'We preach Christ.'' The ivy grew some ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-10

Tags: Church, Revival, Repentance, Mission

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Home Coming  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 20, 2002

HOME COMING That reminds me of the old story about an elderly missionary returning to the United States to retire. He & his wife had spent over 40 years serving in Africa. But now he was alone. His wife & two children had long since found their final resting place in the soil of Africa. As he got ...read more

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

Many Times The Bible Said That Sickness Does Not ...  PRO

Contributed by Ovidiu Radulescu on Apr 27, 2003

Many times the Bible said that sickness does not mean punishment for sin and only Pharisees arrived at this conclusion. But in this case seems that certain sin brought this man in this condition. Paralyzed. Yesterday Superman, today… paralyzed. Alone.. whit remorse, for hundreds of times he ...read more

Tags: Family

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Imagine, If You Will, That You Work For A Company ...  PRO

Contributed by Dana Visneskie on Feb 5, 2004

Imagine, if you will, that you work for a company whose president found it necessary to travel out of the country and spend an extended period of time abroad. So he says to you and the other trusted employees, “Look, I’m going to leave. And while I’m gone, I want you to pay close attention to the ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Pentecostal

One Evening The Door Bell Rang.i Was Tired And ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 16, 2004

One evening the door bell rang.I was tired and trodded downstairs feeling like a martyr. I opened the door to find an elderly parishioner. She said, "I just wanted you to have this." I said thank you. It was an envelope of money, nearly a month’s pay for me. I left it on my bedroom bureau. Next ...read more

Tags: Giving General, Money

A Look At The Parade  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 18, 2005

A LOOK AT THE PARADE The parade route begins near the twin towns of Bethpage and Bethany, less than two miles from Jerusalem and winds into the Holy City. The Grand Marshal is an unlikely hero – a rustic from a blue-collar town up north, the son of a woodworker. In keeping with his “common man” ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:1-11

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

Defense Lawyer's Final Trick Back ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 19, 2009

Defense Lawyer’s Final Trick Back Fires A defendant was on trial for murder in Oklahoma. There was strong evidence indicating guilt, but there was no body. In the defense’s closing statement the lawyer, knowing that his client would probably be convicted, resorted to a trick. "Ladies and gentlemen ...read more

Tags: Justice

Carey: God's Sovereign Will  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 14, 2011

CAREY: GOD'S SOVEREIGN WILL William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions, began his missionary career to India in 1793. He served the Lord in that country for 40 years, never once returning to his home in England. And throughout those years he translated portions of the Bible into ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:10

Tags: Gods Will, Still God, God's Sovereign Will, I Can Do All Things

The Bible And The Bounty

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

THE BIBLE AND THE BOUNTY The English ship Bounty, commanded by Lt. William Bligh, journeyed to the South Pacific in 1787. Many signed on considering the voyage a trip to paradise. Bligh appointed a young friend, Fletcher Christian, to the post of second in command. The Bounty stayed in Tahiti for ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-11

Tags: Bible Influence

Hold Fast

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2012

HOLD FAST A ships crew can be suddenly obligated to ABANDON SHIP and take to the life boats. Such was the case of an American whaling ship in the South Seas. A huge leviathan of the deep, wounded by his pursuits, ran out the mile long line then returned again and struck the ship with incredible ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:10-19

Tags: Truth Of Christ

The Insurance Claim Letter

Contributed by Rick Pendleton on May 22, 2008

THE INSURANCE CLAIM LETTER Dear Sirs, I was recently moving 500 pounds of bricks from the top of a five-story building. It would take too long to carry them down, so I put them in a bucket and lowered them by a pulley which I fastened to the top of the building. After tying the rope securely at ...read more

Tags: Affliction

Denomination: Baptist

Ministry As A Jockey

Contributed by Richard Schwedes on Nov 10, 2007

And when we, when people discover the power of the resurrection of Jesus, this affects how we approach life, how we live. Many of us have heard of Darren Beadman. His is one of the celebrity jockeys, in one year the horses he rode earnt $9.6 million dollars. In 1990 and 1996 he rode Melbourne Cup ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Casket Stolen

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Feb 28, 2020

Funerals usually go calmly. But sometimes things happen that change everything. Perhaps the greatest example is that of Easter morning, as the women arrive to prepare the body, only to find that the stone was rolled away and the body of Jesus was missing. There was much running around and great ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-8, Matthew 28:1-10, Luke 24:1-10, Mark 16:1-8

Tags: Easter, Tomb, He Is Risen, Stone Rolled Away, Ressurection, Missing Body, Mary At Tomb  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Jewish Weddings Are A Portrait Of The Last Days

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 2, 2023

When a Jewish man found a woman he liked (and most times his father would pick one out for him) he would approach the young lady with a marriage contract (a covenant). In the contract were laid out the legal terms in which he would propose marriage. The most important part of this contract was ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tags: Revelation, Church, Israel, End Times, Last Days, Rapture, Bride Of Christ, Weddings  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hans The Tailor  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 6, 2005

Consider the story of Hans the tailor. Because of his reputation, an influential entrepreneur visiting the city ordered a tailor-made suit. But when he came to pick up his suit, the customer found that one sleeve twisted that way and the other this way; one shoulder bulged out and the caved in. He ...read more

Scripture: John 4:7-16

Tags: Misconceptions

Denomination: Lutheran