In Sermon Illustrations: "Secret Service"

A Mother — Whose Life Was Not Wasted  PRO

Contributed by John Gerald on May 5, 2005

A MOTHER - WHOSE LIFE WAS NOT WASTED Ian McClaren tells about visiting an old Scotch lady who was standing in her kitchen weeping. She wiped her eyes with the corner of her apron, and when the minister asked her what was the matter, she confessed; "I am so miserable and unhappy." "Why?" "Because I ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Methodist

Note: This Was The Introduction To A Sermon On ...  PRO

Contributed by Anthony Seel on Feb 5, 2006

Note: this was the introduction to a sermon on Elisha’s healing miracle in the cited chapter, and Jesus’ healing miracles in Mark 1:29-39. Title: The CSI Effect- A crime scene investigator from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was dusting for fingerprints in a home that had been ...read more

Tags: Miracles Of Jesus

Denomination: Lutheran

Jingle Bells  PRO

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Dec 23, 2006

JINGLE BELLS The two of them were best friends in seminary, studying together, helping each other financially when one or the other got in a pinch, they stood by each other through thick and thin. When they graduated from seminary both coincidentally received a church call within the same state: ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, John 14:1-3

Tags: Death

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Leo Thorsness Was From Walnut Grove, Minnesota ...

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Dec 28, 2006

Leo Thorsness was from Walnut Grove, Minnesota and fought in the war in Vietnam. He was a Major, U.S. Air Force, in the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron. His bravery occurred over North Vietnam on April 19, 1967. He received his Medal of Honor from President Richard Nixon, on October 15, ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

John Piper Wrote A Paper--Written Years Ago ...  PRO

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Dec 28, 2006

-John Piper wrote a paper--written years ago (1995)--on how Christian leaders should avoid sexual sin. Piper lists ten potential pitfalls and proposes ten protections against them: • PITFALL: Falling in love with the present world. PROTECTION: Think long and hard about the deadly poison of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:1

Tags: Love For God, Obedience, Glory Of God, Relationships

Denomination: Pentecostal

Here's The Bad News

Contributed by Ovidiu Radulescu on Feb 23, 2007

Here’s the bad news It’s the fact that none of us can ever be worthy; it’s the truth that no one can ever earn or merit God’s grace or favor that is the bad news of the gospel. It has been a universal disease of humanity that we want to be worthy. When we have toiled through the heat of the day and ...read more

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Wwii Vet's Blood Saves Grandmother  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2009

WWII VET'S BLOOD SAVES GRANDMOTHER And I think it is also what Paul was talking about in Romans 8:28 when he says, "...in all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." Kim Huffman tells this story: World War II was over, and my father, along with thousands of others had been ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: God's Provision

The Procrastination Before The Ultimate ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 14, 2009

The Procrastination Before the Ultimate Preservation of the Hudson Palisades as a National Natural Landmark The Palisades, also called the New Jersey Palisades or the Hudson Palisades are a line of steep cliffs along the west side of the lower Hudson River in northeast New Jersey and southern New ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 23:9-14

Tags: First Fruits, Time

What Is The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2009

What is the Church? They tell me the story that long ago there was a small church, in a small town, in a small county, where a small congregation had tried for years to get the biggest “sinner” in town, Sam, to come to church. Sam the sinner would have nothing to do with the church. He wouldn’t ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:22-23

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Baptism Of Paul ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

Baptism of Paul Harvey Paul Harvey wrote about his own baptism. He said that even though he had received almost every reward for his broadcasting ability that he still felt empty inside. One summer, however, he and his wife were vacationing in a place called Cave Creek, AZ. Sunday morning came and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:21-22

Tags: Baptism

Rene' Gets Lost

Contributed by Paul Kendall on Apr 23, 2010

RENE' GETS LOST In her freshman year of college, my daughter Rene’ agreed to take some friends to the Tampa airport as they returned home for Christmas break. They showed her the way there-—and to get back-—she would simply follow the same route backwards and then come on home to celebrate ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:8

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: *other

Prayer And Conviction Of Sin In The Life Of A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 29, 2010

Prayer and Conviction of Sin in the Life of a Gambler R. A. Torrey in his book The Holy Spirit tells how the elders and deacons of Moody Church met every Friday night for supper and to go over the church rolls to see which people needed attention. At one meeting, an elder expressed a concern: ...read more

Scripture: John 16:5-16

Tags: Prayer Answered

Balloons

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on May 15, 2011

BALLOONS One Sunday afternoon in late February, my family and I went out to brunch after the morning’s worship services. Upon leaving, my girls asked the hosts if they could have a balloon. Certainly they said – what color? So, my two youngest were each given a balloon, a huge ...read more

Tags: Fulfillment

Denomination: Lutheran

Rejoicing In Pain  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

REJOICING IN PAIN Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision, visited a church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, nearly a year after the devastating earthquake. The church's building consisted of a tent made from white tarps and duct tape, pitched in the midst of a sprawling camp for thousands of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Gratitude

Appreciation: Better Than A Paycheck

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

APPRECIATION: BETTER THAN A PAYCHECK You don't have to teach people to complain, criticize, or be selfish. We're naturals at it. But we do have to learn to express appreciation. People need to be appreciated. A businessman went downtown to his office one morning, a couple of hours earlier than ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5

Tags: Praise, Encouragement, Gratitude, Compliment

John Macarthur On Knowing God's Will

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 27, 2012

JOHN MACARTHUR ON KNOWING GOD'S WILL God’s will is that you be saved, Spirit-filled, sanctified, submissive, and suffering. God’s Word makes all this clear. Do not read on until you have grasped these five principles. You say, "MacArthur, you were going to tell me what school I should go to. You ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Tags: God's Will, Knowing God's Will

Denomination: Baptist

How To Give Thanks In The Midst Of Loss  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 7, 2012

HOW TO GIVE THANKS IN THE MIDST OF LOSS When you've lost something or someone precious, it is easy to forget that "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away." He doesn't owe us a reason. John Claypool was a pastor in Louisville, Kentucky many years ago. He and his wife lost their daughter, Laura ...read more

Scripture: Job 1:13-22, Job 1:6, Job 1:1-9, Matthew 1:17-22, Isaiah 9:6-7  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Fatherhood, Funerals Christian

If ...

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 1, 2012

IF ONLY There was a great Scotch writer and historian in the nineteenth century named Thomas Carlyle. He married a woman, who’d worked as his secretary named Jane Welsh. But Carlyle was dedicated to his writing so he didn’t spend much time with her. He just mostly wrote. At one point she became ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Tags: Death, Remorse, Parable Ten Virgins, Regret

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hugging

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Mar 1, 2016

Once at a young girl’s funeral, I had to make just such a decision. The girl’s father was a member of our church and an air force serviceman. He was an aide on Air Force One and had flown with the president many times. A few generals and lots of upper-crust brass attended the funeral. When it came ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:20

Tags: Touch, Healing Touch, Hugging

Denomination: Baptist

Second Chances

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

David Emory tells the story of baptizing a young father who had a 7 year old and 5 year old. They were close friends of his family and had never been a part of a church. But one Sunday, they came to worship, he gave his life to Christ and was baptized. At the end of the service, after everyone else ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8

Tags: Sin, Repentance, Woe, Second Chances

Denomination: Methodist