In Sermon Illustrations: "Show Off"

Back To Basics

Contributed by Ronnie Knight on May 9, 2008

BACK TO BASICS There is a story circulated about the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi. As many of you know Vince Lombardi strove for excellence on and off of the field. He demanded it of himself and of his players. Well, as the story goes during his last season as head ...read more

Tags: Action

Denomination: Baptist

I Think Of A Young Man Named Adrian Who Was In My ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Jun 7, 2008

I think of a young man named Adrian who was in my Youth Group back in a former church. Adrian’s dad --- who had, unfortunately, never been much of a dad to Adrian --- decided to move to Mexico right before Adrian’s senior year of High School. A family in our church took Adrian in to live with ...read more

Tags: Father's Day

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Recently Had To Replace One Of The Strings On ...

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Jul 14, 2008

I recently had to replace one of the strings on my mandolin. I laid the new string on the table as I took off the broken string. When I had thrown it into the trash, I looked at the new string lying on the table and realized how much it resembles many Christians. That string has the ability to ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: *other

Rembrandt's "The Sacrifice Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 21, 2008

REMBRANDT’S "THE SACRIFICE OF ABRAHAM" In 1634 renowned Dutch painter Rembrandt painted a great work of art that depicted Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac. The painting ("The Sacrifice of Abraham") captures perfectly how the Lord intervenes to stop Abraham from slaying his son Isaac. Isaac’s eyes ...read more

Tags: Obedience

It Comes Back To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2008

IT COMES BACK TO YOU A preacher was making his rounds to his parishioners on a bicycle when he came upon a little boy trying to sell a lawn mower. "I’ve been needing a lawn mower. How much do you want for it?" asked the preacher. "I just want enough money to go out and buy me a bike," said the ...read more

Tags: Dead To Sin

The Lord's Will

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

THE LORD'S WILL A farmer is out working his fence line near the road when he sees a neighbor from a few farms down walking toward him with a cow. "Where are you headed with that cow?" the farmer asks. "I'm heading into town to sell it," comes the neighbor's reply. "You mean, if it's the Lord's ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Our Apartment In Romania Was Close To The Train ...

Contributed by Ovidiu Radulescu on Oct 16, 2008

Our apartment in Romania was close to the train station. And one of our distant relatives, Emil, who happens to run a small business two hundred miles from us, discovered how convenient is to have a place to stay for free while he was around shopping for his business, in our area. So from time to ...read more

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Identification With ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Oct 19, 2008

Identification with Christ The story has been told of a girl who was the daughter of one of the royal families of Europe, but had a big nose that in her eyes destroyed her beauty and resulted in her seeing herself as an ugly person. Finally her family hired a famous plastic surgeon to change the ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Other

Just Enough Strength To Make It Go

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2008

JUST ENOUGH STRENGTH TO MAKE IT GO "One hot day, Herman Trueblood, all clean and cooled off by a nice swim in the ocean, saw a sweating man and his two sons trying on a hot day to push a disabled car up an incline. Two voices started yelling at each other inside him. One said, "There is an ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Enough To Make The Thing Go

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2008

ENOUGH TO MAKE THE THING GO One hot day, Herman Trueblood, all clean and cooled off by a nice swim in the ocean, saw a sweating man and his two sons trying on a hot day to push a disabled car up an incline. Two voices started yelling at each other inside him. One said, "There is an opportunity for ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Who Is God The Father?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

WHO IS GOD THE FATHER? In 2006, a sociologist at Baylor University released a study done by the Gallup organization that identified four views people had of God. 31.4 percent believe in an "Authoritarian God," a God who is angry at humanity’s sins. 23 percent believe in a "Benevolent God" who is ...read more

Tags: God The Father

The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

THE SHEEP-CHASER A guide on a tour bus that traveled through Israel’s countryside had the crowd engaged as he explained the history, the scenery and the lifestyle. In his description, he included a heart-warming portrayal of the ancient shepherd/sheep relationship. He told of how the shepherd ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-15

Tags: Leadership General

The Death Of The Nascar Racing Legend Dale ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 17, 2009

The death of the NASCAR racing legend Dale Earhardt at the 2001 Daytona 500 was tragic indeed. On the final lap of the race, he crashed into the wall at a speed of around 180 miles per hour after being tapped from behind. It seemed his death was not his fault but the result of the other driver ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Baptist

Thu Feb 26, ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 2, 2009

Thu Feb 26, AP DENVER – A good Samaritan who helped push three people out of the path of a pickup truck before being struck and injured has gotten a strange reward for his good deed: A jaywalking ticket. Family members said 58-year-old bus driver Jim Moffett and another man were helping two elderly ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Wrong Kind Of Loyalty

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 12, 2009

THE WRONG KIND OF LOYALTY There is a story of a Japanese soldier, Lt. Hiroo Onada, left on the island Lubang in the Philippines on December 25, 1944, with the command to "carry on the mission, even if Japan surrenders." Onada continued his war alone. All efforts to convince him to surrender or to ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Hiring A Dog

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

A sign was hung in an office window. It read: Help wanted. Must type 70 words a minute. Must be computer literate. Must be bilingual. An equal opportunity employer. A dog was ambling down the street and saw the sign. He looked at it for a moment, pulled it down with his mouth, and walked into ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:26

Tags: Service, Gifts

Denomination: Methodist

A Good Race

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Mar 7, 2021

Many years ago, I coached the High School Swimming team. I had several athletes that went to College on scholarships; but the athlete I was thinking about while I was preparing this sermon, went on to compete in Triathlons. A Triathlon is a 1 mile swim, 25 mile bike ride, and a 6 mile run. ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:7

Tags: Freedom, Endurance

Denomination: Baptist

When Things Get Smelly!

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 22, 2021

When I was around eight, we were visiting some cousins out on the farm and as all kids back then we played tag. I went zipping around the barn and stepped in a slick patty. I fell, slid and rolled through a copious amount of bovine excrement. When I was able to stand up I went to the porch and ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 16:4-12

Tags: Love, Forgiveness, Stink

Denomination: Baptist

He's My Father!!!!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 12, 2022

There is an old Roman story which tells how a Roman emperor was once enjoying a great victory. He had the privilege of marching his troops through the streets of Rome with all of his captured trophies, and his prisoners behind him. This emperor was marching with his troops; the streets were lined ...read more

Tags: Lord's Prayer, Heavenly Father, Father, Children, Worship, Prayer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Grief Observed

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 20, 2022

C.S. Lewis married when he was older to a woman named Joy. Joy got cancer and died just some years after they were married. Lewis, being a writer, wrote down his thoughts after she died in a journal. He turned that journal in a book called, “A Grief Observed.” The first few pages are somewhat ...read more

Scripture: John 11:35, Psalm 88:9

Tags: Peace, Grief, Loss, Where Is God, Answers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ