In Sermon Illustrations: "Saying Grace"

Perhaps One Of The Greatest Examples Of Comebacks ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Apr 10, 2001

Perhaps one of the greatest examples of comebacks in recent years has been the comeback of San Francisco Giant pitcher Dave Dravecky. During his major league career Dave pitched in the All star game, in the national league championship series and in the World Series. In 1988 doctors removed a ...read more

Tags: Sports, God In The Hardships, Endurance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

It’s Like The Story Of The Boy Who Was ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jun 25, 2001

It’s like the story of the boy who was shooting rocks with a slingshot. He could never hit his target. As he was in his Grandma’s backyard one day, h spied her pet duck. On impulse h took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck was dead. “The boy panicked and hid the bird in the woodpile, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:1-12

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Guilt, Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hawking A Treasure  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2002

HAWKING A TREASURE Unless you subscribe to The Atlanta Journal Constitution, you probably missed the story that was in the May 17, 1987 edition. A rock hound named Rob Cutshaw owns a little roadside shop outside Andrews, North Carolina. Like many in the trade, he hunts for rocks, then sells them ...read more

Tags: Parable General, Parable Treasure, Peace

What Are Whales Worth?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2002

WHAT ARE WHALES WORTH? During the 1988 presidential election, an unexpected shift of attention occurred. Instead of the evening news focusing on the candidates, all eyes were on three gray whales that were cut off from their migratory route by a frozen sea of ice. At first, only a few Eskimos ...read more

Jesus And The Final Exam: Communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 4, 2000

JESUS AND THE FINAL EXAM: COMMUNION MEDITATION Steve Winger told of his last college exam in Logic class. The professor was known for giving difficult exams but made one concession for the final exam. "To help on your test," the professor told us, "you can bring as much information as can fit ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Our Dependence On God  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 24, 2002

OUR DEPENDENCE ON GOD “It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, ...read more

Tags: Independence Day, Humility

Dr. Ronald Meeks, A Biblical Studies Teacher At ...  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Mcdaniel on Nov 15, 2003

Dr. Ronald Meeks, a Biblical Studies teacher at Blue Mountain Community College in Blue Mountain, MS, writes: I have not had the opportunity to travel much, but several years ago my dad won a trip to Italy through his business and he asked me to go along. A highlight of the trip was visiting ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:10

Tags: Creation, God's Forgiveness, God The Father

F. Andresh Czonka, An Immigrant From Hungary Now ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jul 5, 2004

F. Andresh Czonka, an immigrant from Hungary now a naturalized U.S. citizen living in Illinois: Americans are afraid. I see the fear in their eyes; I hear it in their voices. They lock their doors. They lie to protect themselves. I feel so bad for the country. But I feel so bad for the ...read more

Tags: Independence Day

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Triumph From Tragedy  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 26, 2004

TRIUMPH FROM TRAGEDY Sometimes tragedy kind of sneaks up on you. It comes at you like termites at an old wood-frame house. It eats away for years, then one day the rafters of the house give way before you ever realized what was happening. Sometimes tragedy simply hits you full-body and knocks you ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:7-10

Tags: Ruth, God In The Hardships

You See, I Understand What It's Like To Be Hooked ...  PRO

Contributed by Robbie Bankens on Aug 9, 2005

You see, I understand what it’s like to be hooked on prescription pain killers and muscle relaxers. I know what it’s like to wake up drunk in a ditch, laying in your own vomit and not remember how you got there. I know what it’s like to pass out in the middle of the night in a graveyard, because ...read more

Tags: Addiction

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If It Moves, Sin!

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 4, 2005

Chuck Swindoll writes: “One of my favorite stories comes from a man who used to be in our church. He and his wife were close friends of our family, but they have now moved to another part of the country. We really miss their joyful presence. When he was a youth worker many years ago in an ethnic ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:15

Tags: Church Practices

Denomination: Lutheran

Books Influence Pastors: A New Barna Survey Finds ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Books Influence Pastors: A new Barna survey finds Rick Warren’s The Purpose-Driven Life and The Purpose-Driven Church (Zondervan) are the most helpful books protestant pastors have read in the last 3 years. Other popular titles were What’s So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey (Zondervan); Fresh ...read more

Tags: Evangelism, Church General

Ultra Orthodox Jews Still Today Form Hedges For ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Sep 3, 2006

Ultra orthodox Jews still today form hedges for instance: Israel’s major airline, El Al, recently rejected a plea by ultra-orthodox Jews with a priestly heritage to fly inside body bags. Why would someone want to do this? Ritual law states that a priest who enters cemetery becomes religiously ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Wonderful Burden

Contributed by Mark Ferrante on Jan 20, 2007

Wonderful Burden One morning R. C. Chapman, a devout Christian, was asked how he was feeling. "I’m burdened this morning!" was his reply. But his happy countenance contradicted his words. So the questioner exclaimed in surprise, "Are you really burdened, Mr. Chapman?" "Yes, but it’s a wonderful ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

According To James Hamilton, There Are Two Kinds ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2006

According to James Hamilton, there are two kinds of Bible readers--those who skim the surface and those who dig deep. He describes them by comparing them to two common insects. He writes, "One is remarkable for its imposing plumage, which shows in the sunbeams like the dust of gems; as you watch ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

A Young Man Named Robert Robinson Had Been Saved ...

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Apr 1, 2007

A young man named Robert Robinson had been saved from a very sinful life in the mid 1700s through George Whitfield’s ministry in England. Soon afterward, the 23-year-old Robinson wrote the hymn, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” You may recognize some of the lyrics: Come thou font of every ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Quote: One Hanging On A Tree

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jun 11, 2007

Quote: One Hanging on a Tree John Newton, 1725–1807 said: In evil long I took delight, Unawed by shame or fear, Till a new object struck my sight, And stopp’d my wild career: I saw One hanging on a Tree In agonies and blood, Who fix’d His languid eyes on me. As near His Cross I stood. Sure never ...read more

Denomination: Other

H. You Have Probably Heard The Old Story About ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

H. YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD THE OLD STORY ABOUT THE LATE, GREAT DR. A. J. GORDON, A FAMOUS PREACHER FROM ENGLAND WHO CAME TO A VERY DEAD, DULL, FORMAL, CHURCH IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON, MASS. I. HE WAS A FIERY PREACHER, WHO REFUSED TO WEAR A ROBE, WHICH WAS MANDATORY IN THAT CHURCH AND HE PREACHED ...read more

Scripture: Amos 6:1-8

Tags: Justice, Church Body Of Christ

Out Of Our Depth

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Out Of Our Depth The 3-year old felt secure in his father’s arms as Dad stood in the middle of the pool. But Dad, for fun, began walking slowly toward the deep end, gently chanting, "Deeper and deeper and deeper," as the water rose higher and higher on the child. The lad’s face registered ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

One Of The Most Compelling Story Lost In The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One of the most compelling story lost in the invention of the phone was the urgency of the great inventor Alexander Graham Bell to make a breakthrough in communications for the sake of a loved one. No one had more vested interest than Bell, whose mother was deaf. It’s been said that “the telephone, ...read more

Tags: God's Provision