In Sermon Illustrations: "sharpening your ax" showing 541-560 of 10,737

Sorry You're Too Late

Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 3, 2012

A young man, after a revival service, came up to the visiting evangelist and they were getting ready to put up everything for the night. The young man had left after the invitation, under conviction, he had returned at the conclusion of the service and went up to the evangelist and he said, "Sir, ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Baptist

Your Sin Will Find You Out

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 4, 2013

YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT ORANGE CITY, Fla., Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Authorities in Florida said they arrested a man who accidentally called 911 while allegedly talking about selling drugs. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said dispatchers contacted deputies around 9:42 p.m. Tuesday and told them an ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Kyle Idleman On Carrying Your Cross

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 18, 2013

There is no comfortable way to carry a cross; I don’t care how you position it. I often talk to people who are convinced that some suffering or pain in their lives is an indication that they must not be following Jesus. After all, if they are following Jesus, the Son of God, doesn’t it follow ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Surrender, Jesus Christ, Commitment To Christ, Carrying Your Cross

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

You're Not From Around Here.

Contributed by Ken Pell on May 6, 2013

"YOU'RE NOT FROM AROUND HERE." There is not much you can do about it. Once you have been around it everybody else knows. I’m talking about the red dirt of western Oklahoma. It’s caused by the iron in the soil that, after being oxidized, turns to rust. It seems that nothing can erase or clean ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Nazarene

Abraham Lincoln: Merit Your Freedom  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2013

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: MERIT YOUR FREEDOM In the last days of the Civil War, the Confederate capital, Richmond, Virginia, fell to the Union army. Abraham Lincoln insisted on visiting the city. Even though no one knew he was coming, slaves recognized him immediately and thronged around him. He had ...read more

Scripture: John 21:3-14, Romans 6:1-23, Galatians 5:13-15

Tags: Christian Liberty

How To Find Your Mom In A Supermarket

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2013

HOW TO FIND YOUR MOM IN A SUPERMARKET I read a story about a six-year-old boy who was separated from his mother in a supermarket. So he frantically called, "Martha! Martha! Martha!" That was his mother's name and she came running to him quickly. "But, honey," she admonished, "you shouldn't call ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-3

Tags: Mother's Day

Stretching Your Conscience Like Silk  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 27, 2013

Adam Clarke was a sales clerk in a store that sold fine silk to people of the upper classes in London. One day his employer showed young Adam how he could increase sales and profits by stretching the silk as he measured it out. Young Adam Clarke looked his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:22-23, Proverbs 20:10

Tags: Sin, Dishonesty, Conscience, Temptation General, Clear Conscience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Buster, Get Your Heart Right!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 29, 2014

A professor from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas was preaching in Nevada. The normally reserved professor put his whole heart into the sermon and called for people in the congregation to repent and get their hearts right with God. At the end of his message, he ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Revival, Repentance, Confession Of Sin, Change Of Heart

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Intimacy: How Is Your Prayer Life?

Contributed by Davon Huss on Feb 18, 2014

INTIMACY: HOW IS YOUR PRAYER LIFE? Eugene Peterson: "She came to see me at the recommendation of a friend. She had been troubled for years, seeing psychiatrists and not getting any better. The consultation had been arranged on the telephone so that when she walked into my study it was as a first ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6

Tags: Prayer, Intimacy, Biblical Sexuality, Intimacy In Marriage, Intimacy With God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Evangelistic Meaning Of Your Birthday Celebration

Contributed by Joel Israel Shashikumar on Jan 26, 2015

I went to bed with a heavy heart one day. All those news and reports of death for the past few weeks. Only to wake up with a thought of birthday cake and celebration. Now why do we celebrate birthdays, blowing candles and cutting cake. I admit, I do not know the meaning that has been tagged with ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:28-29

Tags: Grace, Birthday

Denomination: Assembly Of God

We Will Tell Your God On You!

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Apr 13, 2015

by Amy Carson Phillips (Adapted by Melvin Newland) “Night is falling on the Congo, O’er the jungles far and near. Soon the blackness will be brooding - He who walks will walk in fear. Yet no black man seeks his hut, All are waiting on the shore, Gazing, peering through the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Poem, Mission Of Church, Evangelism, Hope, Africa, Despair  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Watch Where You're Going!

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 28, 2015

I had just flown back home from attending a class for my Doctorate in Pasadena, CA. The week was filled with long days and short nights. I had an early morning flight and then flew most of the day. By the time I got home, I was exhausted. Yet I didn’t want to miss my workout so I headed to the gym. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Consequences, Watchful Servants, Direction Of Life

Denomination: Methodist

Cast Your Net On The Right Side

Contributed by Herb Pulse on Jun 28, 2017

I come from a fishing family. When I became old enough to walk, I became old enough to experience the wonderful world of fishing. One of things I particularly love is throwing a shad net. Often times it becomes very draining work, and at the tender age of 12 I became the primary go-to-guy for ...read more

Scripture: John 21:6

Tags: Jesus, Net, Cast

Denomination: Christian Church

Your Two Dirty Pennies Are An Insult

Contributed by David Goering on Aug 14, 2018

Suppose somebody befriended you in your town and offered to buy you a big beautiful house, and told you that you could choose the house you wanted. Then when he was handing you the title deed you reached in your pocket and pulled out two pennys, and when you did they accidentally fell out of your ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Free Gift, It Is Finished, Salvation, Righteousness, Good Works  (view more)  (view less)

You Can Keep Your Fork

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 24, 2018

A woman had been diagnosed with cancer and had been given three months to live. Her doctor told her to start making preparations to die. So she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:20, Revelation 22:12, Colossians 1:27, Titus 1:2

Tags: Heaven, Future, Hope, Citizenship

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

We Saw Your Smoke Signal!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 15, 2019

I read a story about a shipwreck. When the sole survivor reached a small, uninhabited island, he prayed for God to rescue him, but help didn't come. Eventually he built a hut out of driftwood for protection from the elements. One day he returned from scavenging for food and found his hut in ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Will Of God, God's Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mowing Your Yard In The Midst Of A Flood!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2020

Glen and Jo Ann live in Orange County, California in a low lying area. It flooded one year and the local newspaper sent a reporter in a boat out to Glen and Jo Ann’s neighborhood. The reporter found Jo Ann, sitting on their roof watching large objects floating by, so he climbed up on the roof to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33

Tags: Humor, Priorities, Seeking The Kingdom First

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Watch Where Your Mouth Steps

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 1, 2020

Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Before you condemn a person for losing a battle with their personal demons be sure you count your own battles and losses. No ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1

Tags: Condemnation, Battles

Denomination: Baptist

Blueprints For Your Children’s Character

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 15, 2020

There is a Minister who received an urgent note that said that a man in his congregation wanted to get a hold of him. The man’s problems have been 10 years in the making but have become urgent when the consequences of neglect suddenly materialized. The minister met the man at his office. He was a ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6, Deuteronomy 7:9

Tags: Children, Parenting, Blueprints

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Willingness Of God To Answer Your Prayer

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 8, 2022

"My friend, do you think that God is asleep? Do you feel that He has gone to bed when you pray, and you cannot get Him up? Do you believe that He does not want to answer your prayers? God does want to answer your prayers and He will. That is what this parable is saying. You do not have ...read more

Tags: Parables, Persistence, God The Father, Importunity, God's Willingness, Prayer, God's Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational