In Sermon Illustrations: "Small Problems"

Integrity Meltdown

Contributed by Bruce Rzengota on Feb 2, 2009

INTEGRITY MELTDOWN What do the following people have in common? John Edwards David Duchovny Fast Eddie Johnson Winona Ryder Jeremiah Gunner Scott Karen Raborn Heather Johnston Amy Wilkins The all experienced some type of integrity meltdown. John Edwards -- Had and affair and fathered a child ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Greeting The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

GREETING THE QUEEN Greeting Queen Elizabeth II’s visit in 2007 was quite a chore and challenge to the Americans. "Do people wear pants, dresses or business attire to meet the queen?" was a common question guests fortunate to be invited to meet the queen asked. Dinner attire was white tie and ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:11-16

Tags: Second Coming

The Day Daddy Came ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2009

THE DAY DADDY CAME HOME Some time ago, a mother was tucking her little girl into bed when the young daughter asked, "Mother, can you tell me the greatest day of your life?" The mother thought for just a second and then said, "Honey, I can tell you the greatest day in my life. As you know, my ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:11-16

Tags: Second Coming

Whom God Loves, He Chastens

Contributed by Clark Tanner on May 15, 2009

WHOM GOD LOVES, HE CHASTENS George MacDonald was a 19th century orator and story-writer who C.S. Lewis once called his master as relates to story-telling and relating truth through fantasy. One of MacDonald’s short stories was titled, "The Gifts of the Child Christ." The main character of the ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

Denomination: Orthodox

A Mother Dies So Her Boy May Live

Contributed by Dwight L. Moody on Jun 11, 2009

A MOTHER DIES SO HER BOY MAY LIVE When the California gold fever broke out, a man went there, leaving his wife in New England with his boy. As soon as he got on and was successful he was to send for them. It was a long time before he succeeded, but at last he got money enough to send for them. The ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8

Tags: Atonement

Denomination: *other

Run With Endurance  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2009

RUN WITH ENDURANCE Unlike most competitions however, running the race in spiritual terms is not to try to be first, but to be faithful and finish! The Christian race is not a competitive event to see who comes in first, but an endurance run to see who finishes faithfully. It’s like the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2, Hebrews 12:2-3, Matthew 1:16-25

Tags: Endurance

Flight Simulator And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 5, 2009

Flight Simulator and Grace Grace. A word used in a variety of ways. It is a word that has been used as an alternative term for prayer. It has been used to describe the way a person moves. It has also been used by many parents to name their daughters. Still, none of these uses seem to catch the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8

Tags: Grace

2 Corinthians 7:1,

Contributed by Tim Adams on Dec 1, 2009

2 Corinthians 7:1,“Let us cleanse ourselves” - that means we would do a good job if we were just as fond of straightening our own selves out as we are to find the faults of others. It is God’s Holy Spirit that will do the work but we must enter in to an active cooperation with God on this matter. ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

Denomination: Baptist

God's Will And The Tablecloth

Contributed by John Perry on Apr 8, 2010

GOD'S WILL AND THE TABLECLOTH It happened in 1948, just a few days before Christmas. A flash flood ravaged a small town, leaving a gaping hole in the wall of an old church building--right behind the pulpit. The young pastor knew there was no time to fix the damage and decided to make the best of ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Pentecostal

If I Had My Life To Live Over- By Erma ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jun 3, 2010

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER- by Erma Bombeck (written after she found out she was dying from cancer). I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Withholding Your Best Wine  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2010

WITHHOLDING YOUR BEST WINE There is a story about an old village in Spain. The people of this village heard the king planned to visit there. No king had ever done that. So naturally, they became excited and wanted to offer a great celebration that would show their adoration and that would honor ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 29:13

Tags: Honor, Hypocrisy, Dishonor

Would You Hire Him?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2011

WOULD YOU HIRE HIM? A certain church found itself suddenly without a pastor, and a search committee was formed. In due course it received a letter from a man applying for the vacant position. The committee chairman read: "I am considered to be a good preacher, and I have been a leader in most of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 26:1-29

Tags: Paul

The Eagle And The Mouse  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 1, 2011

THE EAGLE AND THE MOUSE There is an old story of an eagle who, on an early morning during the spring thaw, soared high above the forest looking for something to eat. As he followed the course of a river he looked down and spied a small rodent, trapped on a piece of ice that had broken free and was ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Tags: Temptation Power

Giovanni Was A Saint

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jun 24, 2011

GIOVANNI WAS A SAINT In a small country village in Sicily, there were two brothers, renowned members of the local Mafia. They were mean, bad and very rich. No one had a good word to say about them. Indeed, everyone seemed to have a story about how they had either been cheated or maligned by the ...read more

Tags: Disciples

Denomination: Anglican

I Could Have Done More  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 18, 2011

I COULD HAVE DONE MORE The film Schindler's List chronicled the heroic efforts of a German industrialist named Oskar Schindler. Through his unselfish activities, over a thousand Jews on the trains to Auschwitz were saved. After Schindler found out what was happening at Auschwitz, he began a ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-17, Luke 16:9

Tags: Stewardship, Illustration

Jill Briscoe On Submission

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 18, 2011

JILL BRISCOE ON SUBMISSION Jill Briscoe talks about the difference between her family and her husband, Stuart's, family and what that brought to their own marriage. She says, "My father, a quiet, gentle man, considered himself head of his home: protector, defender, and provider. My mom was a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-2

Tags: Wife

How To Eat A Cessna Airplane

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 13, 2012

HOW TO EAT A CESSNA AIRPLANE Michel Lotito was an extraordinary man. This elegant Frenchman had a love for food and a fondness for eating unusual objects like bicycles, shopping carts and televisions. His odd appetite earned him the nickname Monsieur Mangetout (Mr Eat Everything). I first heard ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Character

Dr. R. G. Lee's Mother Told Of Happiest Day And Gave Taste Of Heaven

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Dec 23, 2012

*Dr. R.G. Lee was the much loved pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis from 1927-1960. One day when R.G was a little boy, he asked his mother what was the happiest day of her life. Her name was Elizabeth. And she thought back to the time of the Civil War when she was a little ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 20:1-5, Hebrews 11:30-40

Tags: Heaven, Restoration, Reunion, Joy And Celebration

Denomination: Baptist

Looking For Something

Contributed by Michael Parks on Mar 30, 2016

Looking for Something? Mat 6:33 When we need answers to life’s questions where do we look? There certainly isn’t any shortage of information on the internet these days. You can find almost any answer to any question or help with whatever you are struggling with. But, is it the right answer? This ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33

Tags: Easter Egg Hunt, Looking For Answers, Searching, Searching For Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

Don't Quit

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

Ignace Jan Paderewski, the famous pianist, was scheduled to perform at a great concert hall in America. It was a high-society extravaganza. Present in the audience that evening was a mother and her fidgety nine-year old. She had brought him in the hopes that when he heard the great composer play, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 18:9-15, 1 Peter 4:12, Hebrews 11:11

Tags: Discouragement, Disappointment, Perseverance

Denomination: Charismatic