In Sermon Illustrations: "Sermon Preparation"

Discipleship Is A Call To Suffer

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

John R. Scott gives a modern example of one who suffered for the gospel observing that… "Few men of this century have understood better the inevitability of suffering than Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He seems never to have wavered in his Christian antagonism to the Nazi regime, although it meant for ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:12, Philippians 3:1-20, Romans 1:16

Tags: Church, Commitment, Discipleship, Suffering, Will Of God, Bonhoeffer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Gorilla And Lion

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 13, 2022

There is a story about a college student who was desperately in need of a summer job. He discovered the local zoo was looking for help. He couldn’t think of a more creative way to spend the summer, but he wasn’t prepared for the job description. When he went to apply, the zookeeper explained ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8

Tags: Lion, Gorilla, Zoo

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Linchpin For Disaster!" Romans 13: 8-14 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 10, 2004

“Linchpin for Disaster!” Romans 13: 8-14 Key verse(s): 13: “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.” In the recent heavy rains that struck the state this past spring, of chief concern ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:8-14

Tags: Emotions, Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

Told By Philip Yancey In His Book: What's So ...  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Drummond on Feb 18, 2007

told by Philip Yancey in his book: What’s so Amazing about Grace. Yancey tells the story of a prodigal daughter who grows up in Traverse City, Michigan. Disgusted with her old fashioned parents who overreact to her nose ring, the music she listens to, the length of her skirts, she runs away. She ...read more

Keep Waiting

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Oct 20, 2010

There’s a story from the 1800’s of a young couple, William & Elizabeth, madly in love, and engaged to be married. Elizabeth enjoys planning for their future. William on the other hand knows that it’s only a matter of time before he is called away to sea to fight various enemies in far-off lands. ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Anglican

The Brother's Song

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Apr 13, 2012

THE BROTHER'S SONG Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for his sister. Day after day and night after night, Michael sang to his sister in Mommy's tummy. He was building a bond of love ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

Denomination: Christian Church

A Pound Of The Eternal

Contributed by David Parks on Jan 14, 2022

A Pound Of The Eternal David E. Parks One of the most compelling quotes I have ever read comes from a book by Charles Swindoll, Improving Your Serve: The Art of Unselfish Living. Out of the hundreds of books that I have read over the decades, I know of no quote that has as frequently returned to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33

Tags: Faithfulness, Laodicea, Commitment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Ministry Of Truth And Honesty

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 6, 2024

Introduction: If there’s one thing that’s sorely and surely needed these days, it’s truth and honesty. It’s no secret that both and each are in short supply. Just look at some of the so-called testimony which “witnesses” utter before either house of the U S Congress, for example. The concept if not ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:21

Tags: Paul, Truthfulness, Honesty

Denomination: Baptist

John Stott: The Choice  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Dec 10, 2001

John Stott says… “And when the choice is seen for what it is – a choice between Creator and creature, between the glorious personal God and a miserable thing called money, between worship and idolatry – it seems inconceivable that anyone could ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Gray-Haired Old Lady, Long A Member Of Her ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 8, 2005

A gray-haired old lady, long a member of her community and church, shook hands with the minister after the service one Sunday morning. “That was a wonderful sermon,” she told him, “just wonderful. Everything you ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

A Gray-Haired Old Lady, Long A Member Of Her ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

A gray-haired old lady, long a member of her community and church, shook hands with the minister after the service one Sunday morning. "That was a wonderful sermon," she told him, "-- just wonderful. Everything you ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Drove?

Contributed by Marianne Unger on May 28, 2009

DROVE? Genesis talks about how God drove Adam and Eve out of Eden. Someone on the internet was wondering what kind of vehicle it might have been. The obvious answer is from our scripture reading today. If ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: *other

This Week In My Reading I Read A Question Which ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 2, 2008

This week in my reading I read a question which sobered or stunned me. It comes from the book “The church of Irresistible Influence” and it asks this question; “If your church were to close its doors today, ...read more

Pastor Makes A Tough ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

Pastor Makes A Tough Decision In his book The Jesus Revolution, pastor and author Leith Anderson shares a story about the tension that sometimes comes between obeying God and obeying the law of the land. A number of years ago, he and three others were traveling to a Communist country where ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 12:17

Tags: Obey God, Christian Values

How To Adorn A Bride And How Not ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

How To Adorn A Bride and How Not To When I was about nine years old there was a wedding held at the church of Christ for the eldest daughter of one of the congregation families who was marrying the son of another long standing family. The family of the daughter was close friends with my family, ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:7-9

Tags: Weddings

Twenty-Six Men Standing

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2011

TWENTY-SIX MEN STANDING A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in MI. "While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every 2 weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to the nearest large city for supplies. This was a journey of 2 days and required ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:18

Tags: Prayer Answered

On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

ON PRAYER Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer told a story on the subject of prayer. A certain minister was in the habit of profound prayers, oftentimes resorting to words beyond the understanding of his simple flock. This went on week after week, to the dismay and frustration of the congregation. At last, a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-15

Tags: Prayer How To

A. W. Tozer Said It This Way, "An Intelligent ...

Contributed by Clyde Grimes on Dec 28, 2002

A. W. Tozer said it this way, “An intelligent observer of our human scene who heard the Sunday morning sermon and later watched the Sunday afternoon conduct of those who heard it would conclude that he had been ...read more

Tags: Faith, Christian Love

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

No Statues To Critics

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2009

NO STATUES TO CRITICS A young musician’s concert was poorly received by the critics. The famous Finnish composer Jean Sibelius consoled him by patting him on the shoulder and saying, "Remember, son, there is no city in the world where they have a statue to a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 8:9, Psalm 8:5-10

Tags: Encouragement

George Mueller On Persistence In Prayer

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2011

GEORGE MUELLER ON PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER George Mueller: "It is not enough to begin to pray, nor to pray alright; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray; but we must patiently, believing, continue in prayer until we obtain an ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:1

Tags: Prayer Persistence