In Sermon Illustrations: "Sermon Mount"

The Miracle In A Bug  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

THE MIRACLE IN A BUG Shortly before his death, the legendary film producer Cecil B DeMille wrote this beautiful meditation: "One day as I was lying in a canoe, a big black beetle came out of the water and climbed up into the canoe. I watched it idly for some time. Under the heat of the sun, the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:26

Tags: Creation

Chuck Swindoll Judges A Man Unfairly At A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 14, 2009

Chuck Swindoll Judges a Man Unfairly at a Pastor’s Conference It is so easy to get into the trap of judging others unfairly! Chuck Swindoll told of his being at a pastor’s conference where he would be speaking. The first day there a man approached him and said how greatly he had looked forward to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5

Tags: Pastors, Faults

A Preacher Extols A King Instead Of The King Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 10, 2009

A preacher extols a king instead of the King of kings There was a preacher in 19th century Scandinavia who, in the vestry one Sunday morning, heard that the King would be present at worship. Understandably rattled he ditched his well prepared sermon and spoke on and on about the Christian virtues ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:15-20

Tags: Worldliness

Shoe Repair Receipt Submitted After 20 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 1, 2010

Shoe Repair Receipt Submitted After 20 Years Many years ago, the L.A. Times carried a story about a man who went to the house where he grew up and knocked on the door. It had been 20 years since he lived there, so he grew a little sentimental. He asked the current owners if he could walk through ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:10

Tags: Workplace

Don't Leave Out Any Ingredients In The Recipe For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2010

Don’t Leave Out Any Ingredients in the Recipe for Life I heard something unusual a few years ago. In the Eastern part of the U.S. a cookbook was recalled. Now, I’ve never heard of a cookbook being recalled before. I’ve heard of automobiles being recalled, & toasters & baby seats. But I had never ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-14

Tags: Peace, Recipe For Disaster

Good Hope, Alabama Is A Small Town With Small ...

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Jun 15, 2010

Good Hope, Alabama is a small town with small town values. In Cullman County you can’t legally buy beer. Daystar Church, which had grown dramatically under pastor Jerry Lawson, ran up against the sensibilities of this conservative north Alabama community by focusing a month-long series on sex. ...read more

Tags: Sexuality

Denomination: Baptist

Waiting Vs. Watching For Him

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 23, 2011

WAITING VS. WATCHING FOR HIM The Lord told us not only to wait for him but to watch for him, and he has pronounced a special blessing on those who watch. The difference between waiting and watching is illustrated in a story told of a Scotch fishing village. After days at sea, the skipper of a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Tags: Second Coming

Blankets Or No Blankets  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2011

BLANKETS OR NO BLANKETS A good Presbyterian minister of Old Scotland, of the staid and orthodox type, had a poor old woman in his congregation who was in the habit of saying, "Praise the Lord," "Amen," when anything particularly helpful was said. This practice greatly disturbed the minister and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 92:1-5

Tags: Worship General

Come Anyway (No Excuse Sunday)

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Nov 7, 2020

To make it possible for everyone to attend church this Sunday, we are going to have a special "No Excuse Sunday": • We will provide pillows to nap for those who need the extra sleep on Sunday morning. • We will have extra cushions for those who feel that our pews are too hard. ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:18

Tags: Commitment, Faithfulness, Attendance, Sunday Morning

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Emphasis On The Resurrection Of Jesus

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 4, 2023

Notice the repeated emphasis on the Resurrection of Christ throughout the book of Acts. How can we do any less today in our preaching and teaching! Do you frequently mention the resurrection of Christ from the dead? If not, you should preach like Peter and Paul! 1. The pivotal point in Peter's ...read more

Tags: Jesus, Easter, Resurrection, Pentecost, Preaching, Acts, Resurrection Of Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

#8230; Claire Schenot Burkat, "Five ...  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on Aug 28, 2001

ILLUSTRATION… Claire Schenot Burkat, "Five Myths of the Perfect Pastor" His sermons were over their heads. His opinionated views alienated his colleagues. Coworkers found him boastful, even arrogant. A physical disability drove him to over-function in ministry. The first two congregations he ...read more

Tags: Heart-Soul, Leadership General, Paul, Apostles General, Surrender  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When Benjamin Franklin Was 27 Years Old, He ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

When Benjamin Franklin was 27 years old, he decided he would take control of his life. He selected 12 virtues he wanted to acquire, and kept a daily chart of his progress in the development of each one. Whenever he missed the mark, he put a black dot beside that virtue. His goal was to ultimately ...read more

Tags: Character

Worship Cannot Be Confined To A Particular Place  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 1, 2002

Worship cannot be Confined to a Particular Place In the Muslim religion there are three cities which are considered sacred: Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. The Muslims believe that to worship in the city of Jerusalem is as good as performing 1000 acts of worship anywhere else in the world. Mecca and ...read more

Tags: Church Practices, God The Father

Toys Never Satisfy  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Mar 8, 2002

Men are merely taller children. Honor, wealth, and splendor are the toys for which grown children pine; but which, however accumulated, leave them still disappointed and unhappy. God never designed that intelligent beings should be satisfied with these enjoyments. By His wisdom and goodness they ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Fulfillment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why They Serve Coffee  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Mar 10, 2002

WHY THEY SERVE COFFEE Some of the most humorous and enlightening moments in our lives center around eating and drinking. Take for instance the interaction between a pastor and young boy in a certain congregation. It seems this particular congregation loved good fellowship and always served ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:37

Tags: Preaching, Church Practices, Church

Denomination: Church Of God

I Used The Famous Gene Kelly Scene From Singing ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 24, 2001

I used the famous Gene Kelly scene from Singing in the Rain as an illustration of Romans 5:17. The Sermon title was Singing in the Reign. Kelly’s dance was full of the child-like love we can feel and experience in knowing that God has freely given us His abundance of grace and the free gift of ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-8, Romans 5:17, Psalm 51:1-21, Galatians 2:15-21, Psalm 51:1-10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, Grace

Which Side I'm On

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Mar 5, 2005

WHICH SIDE I’M ON Every Sunday morning without fail an elderly man could be seen walking to church. Everyone in the block knew he was deaf, unable to hear a word of the congregational hymns, the choir music, or the sermon. A cynical neighbour wrote him a note, "Why do you spend your Sundays in ...read more

Tags: Faith, Endurance

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Famous Preacher John Killinger & His Wife ...

Contributed by Tim Richards on Sep 3, 2005

The famous preacher John Killinger & his wife attended a small country funeral where the pastor got up & for most of the 15 minute sermon talked about the horrors of hell & how tragic it was that the deceased was probably burning there at that very moment. When they left John complained & his wife ...read more

Tags: Hell

Denomination: Baptist

There Was An Item Printed In Newsweek ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael De Rosa on Sep 22, 2006

ILLUS: There was an item printed in Newsweek magazine a few years ago. It was a letter from the Greenville County, South Carolina, Department of Social Services. The letter was written to a dead person. It said: "To whom it may concern: Your food stamps will be stopped effective immediately, ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Free Methodist

Billy Graham Stated, "One Of The Greatest Sins ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 25, 2007

Billy Graham stated, “One of the greatest sins in America today is the fact that we are robbing God of that which rightfully belongs to Him. When we don’t tithe, we shirk a just debt. Actually we are not giving when we give God one-tenth, for it belongs to Him already (Lev. 27:30). This is a debt ...read more

Tags: Offering, Giving

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational