In Sermon Illustrations: "Sermon Preparation"

Three Ways Out

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2013

THREE WAYS OUT Sir Harry Lauder was a British entertainer who proved highly popular throughout the English speaking world both before, during and after World War One. During World War One Lauder worked tirelessly to organize and recruit performers for shows given to troops serving abroad. When ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tags: Death, Despair, Struggles, Hardship Of Life, Trials And Difficulties  (view more)  (view less)

He Had A Hat

Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Oct 4, 2019

During a tornado a mother was crying for help. It seems that her son was taken up into the tornado and blown away. The mother turned to heaven and shouted a prayer: “Please, Lord, bring back my son! He’s all I have. I’ll do anything to get him back.”--- Suddenly, her son fell from the sky right at ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:5-10

Tags: Faith, Duty, Desires, Prayers

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Which Angel Are ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

WHICH ANGEL ARE YOU? An old Persian legend once pictured four angels watching God create the world. One said, "Why did God make it?" Another said, "How did God make it?" A third said, "Can I have it?" And the fourth said, "Can I help to make it better?" 1st - philosophical attitude - why? 2nd - ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Guard Your ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

GUARD YOUR CORE After a violent storm one night, a large tree, which over the years had become a stately giant, was found lying across the pathway in a park. Nothing but a splintered stump was left. Closer examination showed that it was rotten at the core, because thousands of tiny insects had ...read more

Tags: Purity

The Gray Area

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 9, 2009

THE GRAY AREA I heard a story about a 90-year-old grandfather who was complaining to his grandson about getting old. He said, "The worst part is the diapers." He continued, "I don’t mind wearin’ them, it’s just the name I hate. Depends! If I have to wear a diaper, I don’t want there to be any ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1

Tags: Faith, Trust, Confidence, Dependable, Reliable  (view more)  (view less)

Jesus To Them

Contributed by Shawn Rose on May 19, 2009

JESUS TO THEM A missionary, lost at sea, washed up on edge of a remote native village. Half-dead from exposure, starvation, and sea water, the natives nursed him back to health. He lived with them 20 years; never made a confession of faith, no songs, no sermons, no Scripture; but attended the sick ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Baptist

Walk In The Spirit Defined

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

"WALK IN THE SPIRIT" DEFINED For example, the students of Aristotle were known as the Peripatetics because of their habit of following the philosopher around from place to place as he dispensed his teachings. In Paul’s vocabulary, to "walk in the Spirit" or be "led by the Spirit" means to go where ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-26

Tags: Fruit Of The Spirit

Swindoll States, The Bible Never Flatters Its ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 11, 2009

Swindoll states, The Bible never flatters its heroes. All the men and women of Scripture have feet made of clay, and when the Holy Spirit paints a portrait of their lives, He’s a very realistic artist. He doesn’t ignore, deny, or overlook the dark side. Personally, when I step into this chapter in ...read more

Tags: David

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Astronaut James Erwin Realized That God Walking ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 12, 2009

Astronaut James Erwin Realized that God Walking on Earth was More Important the Man Walking on the Moon Astronaut James Erwin is one of but a few men to walk on the moon. As he stood upon the lunar landscape and looked up at the earth, he prayed for the first time in his life. He thought about the ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14

Tags: Incarnation, Humanity Of Christ

A Quaker Woman Wonders If Godly Living Will ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 16, 2009

A Quaker Woman Wonders if Godly Living will Attract Unbelievers to her Religion A GODLY QUAKER came up to her pastor and said, "Pastor, I think, and wonder if you do also, that if one lived beautifully and walked correctly and stayed away from evil that others seeing us would be inclined to love ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Christian Witness

How The Masai Tribe Demonstrates Thanksgiving ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 19, 2009

How the Masai Tribe Demonstrates Thanksgiving with Humility The Masai tribe in West Africa have an unusual way of saying "thank you." Translators tell us that when the Masai express thanks, they bow, put their forehead on the ground and say, "My head is in the dirt." When members of another African ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 95:1-11

Tags: Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Holiday

Be Found Doing Your Duty  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 27, 2009

BE FOUND DOING YOUR DUTY "Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come"(Matt 24:42). A man named Col Davenport was speaker of the Connecticut house of representatives in the late 1700s. On May 19, 1780, the sky of Hartford darkened ominously, and some of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:42

Tags: Obedience

Jimmy Carter On Evidence Of Genuine ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2009

Jimmy Carter On Evidence of Genuine Faith In his book Living Faith Jimmy Carter writes: A group of Christian laymen involved in missionary work approached a small village near an Amish settlement. Seeking a possible convert, they confronted an Amish farmer and asked him, “Brother, are you a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:7-18

Tags: Repentance

No Money- No Learning – But ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 15, 2009

“No Money- No Learning – But Joy” A prayer meeting was being held at a mission chapel. A poor worker came and kneeled at the altar. He could not understand even the simple Gospel message. While others were rejoicing, he kept on saying, “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus” which was all the prayer he knew. Soon ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 3:18

Tags: Joy

Selling Anti-Aging Products Is Big ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 2, 2010

Selling Anti-aging Products is Big Business Americans spend more than $20 billion annually on various anti-aging products that claim to cure baldness, remove wrinkles, build muscle, and renew the powers of youth. Can those products deliver what they promise? Dr. Thomas Perls of Boston University ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:6-8

Tags: Aging

J.s. Bach On The Purpose Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 30, 2010

J.S. Bach on the Purpose of Music J.S. Bach said, “All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul’s refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hub-bub.” He headed his compositions: “J.J.” “Jesus Juva” which means “Jesus help ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:17

Tags: Music

What Does Revelation Mean?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 14, 2011

WHAT DOES REVELATION MEAN? A group of kids were playing basketball in the high school gym. An elderly janitor was reading the Bible while waiting patiently for the game to end. After the game, one of the kids said “What are you reading?” The janitor said “I’m reading the book of Revelation.” ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 11:15-17

Tags: Revelation

Edison Burns All His Mistakes  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2011

EDISON BURNS ALL HIS MISTAKES Thomas A. Edison's plant was on fire. As he helplessly watched it burn, taking his costly experiments up in flames, he called his son Charles. "Come!" he said. "You'll never see anything like this again!" Then he called his wife. As the three stood gazing, Edison ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4, Psalm 31:1-24

Tags: Trust, Action, Need, Trials And Difficulties

Super Bowl Sunday Joke!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 6, 2023

Surprised to see an empty seat at the Super Bowl stadium, a diehard fan remarked about it to a woman sitting nearby. "It was my husband's," the woman explained, "But he died." "I'm very sorry," said the man. Then he continued. "Yet, I'm really ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Death, Sports, Humor, Goodness, Kindness, Super Bowl, Football, Fruit Of The Spirit, Funerals, Widows  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Does He Show Through?  PRO

Contributed by Steve Ely on Oct 1, 2008

Does He Show Through? One Sunday on their way home from church, a little girl turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, the preacher’s sermon this morning confused me." The mother said, "Oh? Why is that?" The little girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?" The ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:18

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Pentecostal