In Sermon Illustrations: "Sermon Opener"

Dwight Morrow, The Father Of Anne Morrow ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

Dwight Morrow, the father of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, once held a dinner party to which Calvin Coolidge had been invited. After Coolidge left, Morrow told the remaining guests that Coolidge would make a good president. The others disagreed. They felt Coolidge was too quiet, that he lacked color and ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

In The Washroom Of His London Club, British ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

In the washroom of his London club, British newspaper publisher and politician William Beverbrook happened to meet Edward Heath, then a young member of Parliament, about whom Beverbrook had printed an insulting editorial a few days earlier. “My dear chap,” said the publisher, embarrassed by the ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Four Preachers Met For A Friendly Gathering. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

Four preachers met for a friendly gathering. During the conversation one preacher said, “Our people come to us and pour out their hears, confess certain sins and needs. Let’s do the same. Confession is good for the soul.” In due time all agreed. One confessed he liked to go to movies and would ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

In 1884 Grover Cleveland Was Running Against ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

In 1884 Grover Cleveland was running against James G. Blaine for the presidency of the U.S. Blaine supporters discovered that Cleveland, who was a bachelor at the time, had fathered a son by Mrs. Maria Crofts Halpin, an attractive widow who had been on friendly terms with several politicians. ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

Prussian King Frederick The Great Was Once ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

Prussian king Frederick the Great was once touring a Berlin prison. The prisoners fell on their knees before him to proclaim their innocence—except for one man, who remained silent. Frederick called to him, “Why are you here?” “Armed robbery, Your Majesty,” was the reply. “And are you ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Because The Younger Children At Our Parochial ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

Because the younger children at our parochial school often forgot their sins when they entered my confessional, I suggested that teachers have the students make lists. The next week when one child came to confession, I could hear him unfolding paper. The youngster began, “I lied to my parents. I ...read more

Tags: Children

From Texas History Comes The Story Of The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

From Texas history comes the story of the conversion of Sam Houston. At one tine, the Texas hero was called “The Old Drunk.” While he was governor of Tennessee, his wife left him. In despair he resigned as governor and tried to escape his problems by going to live among Cherokee Indians. He stayed ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

One Problem I Remember Was A Time When Our Son ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

One problem I remember was a time when our son Bob broke our trust and lied to his mother and me. He was still young, dating Linda, his wife-to-be, and was only allowed to see her on certain nights. Well, one night he wanted to see her without permission and told us he was at his friend’s house. ...read more

Tags: Sin Wages Of

A Few Years Ago Psychologist Ruth W. Berenda And ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

A few years ago psychologist Ruth W. Berenda and her associates carried out an interesting experiment with teenagers designed to show how a person handled group pressure. The plan was simple. They brought groups of ten adolescents into a room for a test. Subsequently, each group of ten was ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:14

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

The Lesson Of Munich Was: When It Is Necessary To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

The lesson of Munich was: When it is necessary to confront an expansionist dictator, sooner is better than later. As Douglas MacArthur said, in war all tragedy can be summarized in two words, “too late.” Too ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Don Shula, Coach Of The Miami Dolphins, Was ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

Don Shula, coach of the Miami Dolphins, was talking to a reporter about a player’s mistake in practice. He said, “We never let an error go unchallenged. Uncorrected errors multiply.” Then the reporter said, “Isn’t there benefit in overlooking one small flaw?” Shula said, “What is a small flaw?” ...read more

Tags: Parenting

In The Mask Behind The Mask, Biographer Peter ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

In The Mask Behind the Mask, biographer Peter Evans says that actor Peter Sellers played so many roles he sometimes was not sure of his own identity. Approached once by a fan who asked him, “Are you Peter Sellers?” Sellers ...read more

Tags: Peace

A Teacher Was Handed The Following Note By One Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

A teacher was handed the following note by one of her students: “Dear Teacher, Please excuse Harriet for missing school yesterday. We forgot to get the Sunday paper off the porch, and when we found it on ...read more

Tags: Children

The Antagonism Between Life And Conscience May ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

The antagonism between life and conscience may be removed in two ways: by a change of life or by a ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Throughout His Administration, Abraham Lincoln ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

Throughout his administration, Abraham Lincoln was a president under fire, especially during the scarring years of the Civil War. And though he knew he would make errors of office, he resolved never to compromise his integrity. So strong was this resolve that he once said, “I desire so to conduct ...read more

Tags: Peace

A Man Consulted A Doctor, "I've Been Misbehaving, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

A man consulted a doctor, “I’ve been misbehaving, Doc, and my conscience is troubling me,” he complained. “And you want something that will strengthen your willpower?” asked the doctor. “Well, no,” said the fellow. “I was thinking of ...read more

Tags: Peace

On One Of The Foundation Stones Of The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

On one of the foundation stones of the School-Chapel erected at Bexhill-on-Sea in ever-loving memory of Mr. Spurgeon, the following inscription has been cut, in the hope that passersby may find salvation through reading the passage of Scripture which was blessed to his conversion:— HOW ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

Why Those Women Loved And Wept, It Were Not Hard ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

Why those women loved and wept, it were not hard to guess; but they could not have had greater reasons for love and grief than my heart has. Nain’s widow saw her son restored; but I myself have been raised to newness of life. Peter’s wife’s mother was cured of the fever; but I of the greater plague ...read more

Tags: Repentance

I Will Tell You The Secret: God Has Had All That ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

I will tell you the secret: God has had all that there was of me. There have been men with greater brains than I, even with greater opportunities, but from the day I got the poor of London on my heart and caught a vision of what Jesus Christ could do with me and them, on that day I made up my mind ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

A Pig Ate His Fill Of Acorns Under An Oak Tree ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

A pig ate his fill of acorns under an oak tree and then started to root around the tree. A crow remarked, “You should not do this. If you lay bare the roots, the tree will wither and die.” “Let it die,” said the pig. “Who ...read more

Tags: Sin Deceptive