In Sermon Illustrations: "Seven Churches"

How The Philippian Jailer Got Saved - Crisis

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Oct 2, 2025

How the Philippian jailer got saved - Crisis This Philippian jailer was saved! He was saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And if you have never trusted in the Lord, He wants to save you the same way. But let's take a closer look at how the Lord touched the jailer's ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:16-34

Tags: Crisis, Christian Service, Philippian Jailer, Demon Possession, Spiritual Transformation, Evangelism, Paul, Salvation, Missions, Silas  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

I Can Do All Things (Hand In Glove Illustration)

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Jan 20, 2026

The change in Peter happened when he stopped believing: .... "I can do all things" ... and started to understand that: Hear God's Word BIBLE "I can do all things through Christ ... who strengthens me." END (Philippians 4:13). Beloved ... We ... You and I ... can do all ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13

Tags: Glove, Hand, Strengthens

Denomination: Anglican

Unca Frank's Christmas!" Isaiah 9: 6-7 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 20, 2004

“Unca Frank’s Christmas!” Isaiah 9: 6-7 Key verse(s): 6a: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” Franklin Chaney was by all accounts what you would call a crank. For years he had lived alone in his upper flat, Vera having gone to be with the Lord many years past. He was pretty set in ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6-7

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Lutheran

When Your Back Is Against The Wall, Pat Riley, ...  PRO

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Feb 19, 2005

WHEN YOUR BACK IS AGAINST THE WALL, PAT RILEY, NBA COACH The Los Angeles Lakers were dominating the Boston Celtics in the final round of the 1984 National Basketball Association championship. The Lakers beat Boston on their home floor in Game 1. They beat them by 33 points in Game 3. They were ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Pentecostal

Unwanted Items—the Ark Of The Covenant

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 16, 2025

Unwanted Items—The Ark of the Covenant Introduction: To “frame” this illustration, we’d need to look at a couple of chapters in 1 Samuel. In chapter 4, the writer tells us of Israel’s decision, foolish as it was, to bring the Ark of the Covenant out of the Tabernacle and down to the battlefield. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 5:1-12

Tags: Philistines, Ark Of The Covenant, Unwanted Items

Denomination: Baptist

[179]. A Message From A Poem – Lost Three Things - Lost One Coin

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 27, 2025

[179]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST THREE THINGS - LOST ONE COIN In this trilogy of poems we are looking at three objects lost – a sheep, a coin and a son. All three were loved and precious and the owners knew stress at the lost. When each was found it resulted in great rejoicing. These three ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:8, Genesis 6:6, Luke 15:8-10

Tags: Heart Of God, The Heart Of God, Grieved, Christian Poems, Parable, Lost, Lost Coin, Lost And Found, Rejoicing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Reported In Usatoday.com On Saturday April 27, ...  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Chan on May 17, 2001

Reported in USATODAY.COM on Saturday April 27, 2001 at FRUITPORT, Mich. (AP) — At the funeral for his wife and infant daughter, an American missionary said he has forgiven the Peruvian pilot who shot down their small plane and said his wife would have done the same. "I’m not bragging about my ...read more

Tags: Giving General, Great Commission, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Adopted By Christ  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Jul 9, 2001

Illus.: “Adopted by Christ” John was born into a family of 12 children. They were very poor. He was the youngest. He never remembered his father eating a meal with the rest of the family. He had to work long hours to feed his family. One day his father ran off with another woman, leaving his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:11-20

Tags: Beauty, Ashes, Children, God's Provision, Trinity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Wesleyan

One-Third Of Americans Reassess Priorities After ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2002

One-third of Americans Reassess Priorities After Terrorist Attacks (RNS) One-third of Americans say the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were a "life-altering experience" that caused them to change their priorities, according to a new Gallup poll. Nearly half of conservative Christians -- 46 percent -- ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian, Basics Of Christianity, World Religions

I Recently Heard About A Doctor Who Seemed To ...  PRO

Contributed by Cameron Horsburgh on Feb 1, 2002

I recently heard about a doctor who seemed to have had a huge amount of success as a GP. Whilst he only had a small number of patients on his books, they all stayed in remarkable health. A journalist heard about this doctor, and decided to pay him a visit. Now this journalist, a man by the name of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:29-32, 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Holiness

New Hope From Nothing  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 10, 2002

NEW HOPE FROM NOTHING In Jim Cymbala’s book, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, there is the story of a woman named Roberta Langella. A story she tells in her own words. At the age of 16 she left a broken home to move to New York City where she began living with a man twice her age. A man that got her into ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:5

Tags: Faith, God Brings Hope

Busy Schedule

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2002

BUSY SCHEDULE Kim Larence, age 42, is a wife and a mother of three boys. She heads the math department at the private John Cooper School in The Woodlands, Texas. Here is her typical daily schedule. I wonder if it sounds anything like yours. 5:00 a.m. Wake Up 5:15 - 6:50 a.m. Wakes her three ...read more

Tags: Workplace Balance, Giving Yourself, Finding Fulfillment

Dunant Was Born In 1828 In Switzerland. He Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Aug 1, 2002

Dunant was born in 1828 in Switzerland. He was born of wealthy parents, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so to speak. He could have lived a life of lazy luxury. Yet, Dunant was a caring, compassionate young man who visited the sick & poor. As a young man he established an organization in ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

One Of The Most Terrific Mothers Of All Time Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 8, 2003

One of the most terrific mothers of all time was Susannah Wesley. Susannah’s father was a minister and she was born in England in 1669 as the youngest of twenty-five children! Susannah was married at 19 to Samuel Wesley, also a minister and, not to be outdone, she had nineteen children herself. Her ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6, Proverbs 22:15

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Dr. J. Harold Smith Tells The Story Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Aug 17, 2003

Dr. J. Harold Smith tells the story of a fourteen-year-old girl, who refused to give her heart to Christ at a revival meeting he once preached. During the invitation time, he felt impressed of the Spirit to extend the altar call. He noticed this young lady, who was obviously under conviction, ...read more

Tags: Apologetics General, Becoming A Christian

Denomination: Baptist

A Missionary On Furlough Told This True Story ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Crow on Sep 2, 2003

A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan, "While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. It was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:1-10

Tags: Prayer Answered, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Baptist

One Little Boy Grew A New Approach To The Game.  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Nov 10, 2003

ONE LITTLE BOY GREW A NEW APPROACH TO THE GAME. We have this little boy at church, Seth Keown, Seth is 6 years old and plays PeeWee football. Our son is the coach of the Packers. Our grandson Matthew plays on the same team with Seth. There are only two teams in this league, the Packers and the ...read more

Tags: Faith General, Examples Of Faith

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Show Went On; Many Had Been Slain (In The ...

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Apr 23, 2004

“The show went on; many had been slain (in the Roman Colosseum), and the people, madly excited by the desperate bravery of those who continued to fight, shouted their applause. But suddenly there was an interruption. A rudely clad, robed figure appeared for a moment among the audience, and then ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Orthodox

True Peace With God Comes To Us When God Says To ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Jun 3, 2004

True peace with God comes to us when God says to us, “you are one ugly person. I can’t stand to look at you. Your breath stinks, you’re out of shape, and you aren’t worthy of me. Here, take this outfit of righteousness - put it on. Keep it on. Take these works of my Son. Take this holiness ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Lutheran

The Meanest Mother  PRO

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Sep 27, 2004

The Meanest Mother We had the meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from other ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4

Tags: Parenting, Children

Denomination: Pentecostal