In Sermon Illustrations: "Sharpening Your Ax"

Church Asks Non-Participants To Leave

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2011

CHURCH ASKS NON-PARTICIPANTS TO LEAVE Just a few years ago, Larknews.com carried the following fictional piece of satire on its website. In the form of a news release, it reported: Julie and Bob Clark were stunned to receive a letter from their church in July asking them to "participate in the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:15-16

Tags: Church Growth

God's Whispers Are Ours To Hear

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 31, 2011

GOD'S WHISPERS ARE OURS TO HEAR Bill Hybels' book: The Power of the Whisper: "Throughout history God has spoken. For millennia, he has forged his children’s faith by promising parted waters, empowering unlikely leaders, declaring world-changing prophecies-and imparting last-minute sermons to ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Free Gas: God Knew

Contributed by Brad Henry on Sep 6, 2011

FREE GAS: GOD KNEW Yesterday we had an "event" at church. We were told to come with comfortable clothes and that was all the direction we received. When we got to church, the pastor said, "OK folks, today we are going to the gas station up the street. We are going to give $25.00 of gas to 150 cars ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

The Golden Rule: Is It Original?

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 12, 2011

THE GOLDEN RULE: IS IT ORIGINAL? There are people in this world who think Jesus’ Golden Rule was nice but not original. They try to say that Jesus merely borrowed the idea from others. I once saw a poster that tried to say that. * Confucius (some 500 years before Jesus) said: "DO NOT unto ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sacrifice

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

I will never forget being at church one Sunday playing "king of the hill" with my buddies, before church started. But our play stopped when a car pulled up to the sidewalk and, with help, out came a soldier, who had returned from Vietnam a few weeks earlier. But he came on crutches and he ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13-18

Tags: Sacrifices, Wounded, Soldier Of The Cross

Denomination: Christian Church

Being Committed To Christ

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Nov 2, 2016

Being Committed to Christ Matthew 4:18-25 , 1 Corinthians 1: 10-18 Last summer Becky and I visited the Biltmore mansion in Ashville North Carolina. It is the single largest home ever built in America. Let me tell you it is something to see. It proved so large and so expensive to maintain, that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:18-25

Tags: Riches, Christian Values, Being Comitted

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Jesus Loves Mothers

Contributed by David Roundtree on May 13, 2017

John 19:25-27 "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His Mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His Mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His Mother, 'Woman, behold your son!' Then He said to the disciple, ...read more

Scripture: John 19:25-27

Tags: Mothers Day, Mother's Day, Mothers Love, John And Jesus

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

From Refuge To Valedictorian

Contributed by Matt Neace on Jun 19, 2018

2 Chronicles 15:7 God tells King Asa, "But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded." It is like the following story from the Dallas Morning News: When Albana Gllareva met her high school counselor, the Dallas freshman said bluntly, “I want to be ...read more

Tags: Goals, Focus, Ambition, Determination, Tenacity, Overcoming, Perseverance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

A Race

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Dec 22, 2021

A Race A race was organised between Goliath and David. Now, when the race started, both Goliath and David started running at an equal pace but after a few seconds, David got ahead of Goliath. Seeing David getting ahead, Goliatha increased his pace but was unable to match the David’s ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:16-18

Tags: David, Race, Goliath

Denomination: Other

If Jesus Is Like My Daddy, I Don't Want Him In My Life.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 1, 2023

When I was pastoring in Texas, I was asked by one of our AWANA leaders to come to her group and talk to a little girl who really wanted to meet her pastor. She had a question for me. So, I paused what I was doing and found my way to where her group met in our church. The little girl was so ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Evangelism, Fear, Children, Parents, Trust, Divorce, Assurance, Promises Of God, Fathers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Commitment Or Surrender What's The Difference

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Jun 26, 2023

Adrian Rogers tells the story of his meeting with Josef T’son who had suffered greatly under communism. Adrian said: “Josef, tell me about American Christianity.” Josef responded: “Adrian, I had rather not.” “No, I want to know.” “Well, Adrian, since you have asked me, I’ll tell you. The key ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:9

Tags: Commitment, Surrender, Serving Christ

Denomination: Baptist

What Have They Done For You Lately

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Oct 4, 2023

I heard an illustration from Pastor Tony Evans that I altered some to fit us here in Arkansas • We love our Razorbacks, we make time for our Razorbacks • Especially Razorback football • Me and my wife love football • But, have you ever thought about how much time we devote to football? • The ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11

Tags: Razorbacks, Ask, Seek, Knock

Denomination: Baptist

Grief: God's Answer To Overwhelming Grief

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Aug 25, 2025

What follows is a true account, which I (Stephen) was fortunate enough to witness firsthand in the spring of 2015. My wife was an only child raised by a single mom, and as such was very close to her mother. Thus, when her mother died after 90 years my wife was severely grief stricken and would ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 1 Samuel 3:9-10

Tags: Death, Prayer, Listen, Grief, Loved One  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[199]. A Message From A Poem – On Stony Shores

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 13, 2025

[199]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – ON STONY SHORES This is a short poem and I do not wish to add to it. I live close to the beach and the rainforest. Some beaches in the tropics here have a lot of smooth rocks on them, basalt in origin from past volcanic activity. In the tropical rainforest you ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:7-8, Psalm 1:3

Tags: Planted By The Water, Rocky, Streams Of Water, Christian Poems, Tropical Rainforest, Stony, Waters Of Life, Stream, Refreshment  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Moved Christian Across Pond To Save Him From Drowning

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 25, 2025

God Moved Christian across Pond to Save Him from Drowning One of my favorite miracle stories is from Jan Ramsey. My wife Mary used to work at Lakeshore School with Jan. She was a member of First Baptist in Swartz. Jan gave this prayer testimony about her dad, James, and I think he was 81 at the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-24

Tags: Nathan The Prophet, Solomon's Temple, Mother's Womb, Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, King David, Fearfully Made, Wonderfully Made, Creation, Light, Darkness, Presence  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[319]. A Message From A Poem - Undone Before The Lord

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 24, 2026

[319]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - UNDONE BEFORE THE LORD The second stanza begins this way – “Oh, cancel pride and arrogance, A haughty spirit rising up.” Pride is one great factor why people don’t come in repentance to the Lord. They will not admit a need for salvation; nor will they humble ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:17, Psalm 51:2, Psalm 51:10

Tags: Humility, Pride, Control, Haughty, Christian Poems, Sinful Pride, Undone  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Children's Prayers  PRO

Contributed by N A on Apr 25, 2006

CHILDREN’S PRAYERS: Dear God: Please send a new baby for Mommy. The new baby you sent last week cries too much. Debbie, 7 Dear God: Who did you make smarter? Boys or girls? My sister and I want to know. Jimmy, 6 Dear God: How many angels are there in heaven? I would like to be the first kid in my ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

Denomination: *other

In Sir Edwin Arnold’s Light Of Asia, He ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Dec 11, 2000

In Sir Edwin Arnold’s Light of Asia, he tells a parable from the Buddha about a mother who had lost her child. Carrying its dead body in her bosom, she come to the buddha and said:"Lord and Master, do you know any medicine that while be good for my child?" "Yes," he said, "bring me a mustard seed ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-32

Tags: Funerals Non-Christian, Death, World Religions

Denomination: Lutheran

Travel Has Changed  PRO

Contributed by Harold White on Jan 5, 2001

Travel has changed: More than two hundred years ago George Washington traveled from Virginia to Washington D.C. by horseback. It could take him ten days traveling at a speed of twenty five miles per day. Today astronauts can enter a space shuttle and travel at twenty five thousand miles per hour. ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Fear And Worry, Apologetics General

Denomination: Baptist

When Steve Tran Of Westminster, California, ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Nov 23, 2000

When Steve Tran of Westminster, California, closed the door after activating twenty-five bug bombs, he thought he had seen the last of the cockroaches that shared his apartment. When the spray reached the pilot light of the stove, it ignited, blasting his screen door across the street, breaking all ...read more

Tags: Furniture, Anger, Christian Disciplines, Carpenter

Denomination: Baptist