In Sermon Illustrations: "Source"

Resentment: Swing At Everything  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

RESENTMENT: SWING AT EVERYTHING One year Dave Hagler was working as an umpire in a rec-baseball league in Boulder, Colorado. Unfortunately, Dave got pulled over for speeding one day. He tried to talk the officer out of giving him a ticket. Dave asked for leniency since it could make his insurance ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:37-38, Colossians 2:16-18

Tags: Umpire, Forgiveness For Others

Other Gods  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

OTHER GODS J.I. Packer described the propensity to Other Gods: "What other gods could we have besides the Lord? Plenty. For Israel there were the Canaanite Baals, those jolly nature gods whose worship was a rampage of gluttony, drunkenness, and ritual prostitution. For us there are still the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:3

Tags: Idolatry

Casual Christians  PRO

Contributed by Charles Wilkerson on Jul 27, 2009

CASUAL CHRISTIANS Barna defines these folks as those who perceive their Christianity as "faith in moderation. It allows them to feel religious without having to prioritize their faith. Christianity is a low-risk, predictable proposition..., providing a faith perspective that is not demanding. A ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Hell, Literally

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 3, 2010

HELL, LITERALLY Now the word for "hell" is interesting. According to William Barclay, it literally referred to the Valley of Hinnom, to the South West of Jerusalem. William Barclay says "It was notorious as the place where Ahaz had introduced into Israel the fire worship of the heathen god Molech, ...read more

Tags: Hell

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Edison: Complete Forgiveness

Contributed by Jim Kane on Apr 26, 2010

EDISON: COMPLETE FORGIVENESS When Thomas Edison and his staff were developing the incandescent light bulb, according to Ken Sande, it took hundreds of hours to manufacture a single bulb. One day, after finishing a bulb, notes Sande, Edison handed it to a young errand boy and asked him to take it ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Church Of God

Brezhnev's Wife Defies Atheism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2010

BREZHNEV'S WIFE DEFIES ATHEISM As Vice President, George Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev’s widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 53:1

Tags: Atheism

Card-Carrying Authority

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 22, 2010

CARD-CARRYING AUTHORITY A Department of Water Resources representative stops at a Texas ranch and talks with an old rancher. He tells the rancher, "I need to inspect your ranch for your water allocation." The old rancher says, "Okay, but don't go in that field over there." The Water ...read more

Tags: Authority

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Importance Of Gratitude

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 13, 2011

THE IMPORTANCE OF GRATITUDE A few years ago Dr. Nick Stinnett of the University of Nebraska conducted a group of studies called the "Family Strengths Research Project." Stinnett and his researchers identified six qualities that make for strong families. The first quality and one of the most ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 8:10

Tags: Gratitude

Born In A Barn

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on May 15, 2011

BORN IN A BARN Have you ever heard it said to you: "Were you born in a barn?" Or maybe this variation -- "You weren't born in a barn -- shut the door!" I tell ya what; I use to hear that said a lot growing up -- either referring to that I had left the door open, or that my room was becoming ...read more

Tags: Christmas Eve

Denomination: Lutheran

Which Do You Think He Believed?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

WHICH DO YOU THINK HE BELIEVED? A man sat down to supper with his family and said grace, thanking God for the food, for the hands which prepared it, and for the source of all life. But during the meal he complained about the freshness of the bread, the bitterness of the coffee, and the sharpness ...read more

Scripture: Acts 14:17

Tags: Hypocrisy

Everything I Need To Know I Learned From Noah  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM NOAH In 1988, Robert Fulghum published his best-selling book, Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Recently, somebody suggested another book title: Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Noah. For example... * Don't miss the boat. * Plan ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:7

Tags: Noah

The Eeyore Syndrome  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2011

THE EEYORE SYNDROME In the past I have spoken of what I call, "The Eeyore Syndrome"--these are Christians who walk around acting like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. They choose to look at the gloomy side of life. Their eyes are cast down, their countenance is cheerless, and they have no enthusiasm ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-26

Tags: Disappointment

The Enduring Frog

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 13, 2012

THE ENDURING FROG We can flourish and develop in new ways or we can drown in despair. Story from India: One night two frogs found themselves in a dairy. Hopping and jumping around as frogs do they both jumped into a milk pail half full of milk. After swimming around for some time they tried to ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Out Of Ink?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 19, 2012

OUT OF INK? According to MSNBC, The British Medical Journal recently reported the case of a 76-year-old woman who visited her doctor complaining of stomach problems. When the scans came back, doctors were amazed to see a long object in her stomach. It was a pen! The woman remembered having put a ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Shrewd

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 7, 2019

Morris (the father) says to his son:“I want you to marry a girl of my choice.” The son says: I will choose my own bride.” Morris says:“But the girl is Bill Gates’daughter.” The son answers:“Well, in that case, yes ok.” Morris then approaches Bill Gates and says:“I have a husband for your ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 27:20-26

Tags: Wisdom, Shrewd, Clever, Conniving, Scheming  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Guy In The Glass

Contributed by Davon Huss on Feb 15, 2020

“The Guy in the Glass,” source unknown. When you get what you want in your struggle for self and the world makes you king for a day, Then go to the mirror and look at yourself and see what that guy has to say. For it isn’t your father, mother or wife whose judgement upon you must pass. The fellow ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:3

Tags: Clear Conscience, Pure Motives

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Easter Service Mishap

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 12, 2021

One year, a bunch of friends and I decided to go to a sunrise service at a super fancy church. This church looks like a European cathedral and we were all dressed up for 5 a.m. singing around a huge fire outside and then going inside for service. Everyone had candles and the whole service is by ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:38-40

Tags: Easter, Resurrection, Funny, Sunrise Service

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Small Decisions, Huge Consequences

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 3, 2022

1. We make small decisions all the time, and they can affect the direction of our lives. Take this true story: “When I was a kid, my mom, my cousin, my sister, and I were all about to go to my great grandma's house from my grandma's house. It was not a far drive so my mom allowed my sister ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 14:20-25, Hebrews 6:4-6, Acts 16:31, John 3:16

Tags: Providence, Choice, Consequences, Decisions, Important Choices  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Lost & Found

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 29, 2022

Melissa Highsmith was kidnapped by a babysitter in 1971 at the tender age of 22 months. Over the next 51 years, Highsmith's family and the police searched for her without success. Finally, with the use of DNA technology, her identity was confirmed and she was reunited with her family. Melissa ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10, Luke 15:1-7

Tags: Salvation, Gospel, Lost, Saved, The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Who Is Going To Heaven?  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on May 15, 2001

WHO IS GOING TO HEAVEN? There is a growing tendency to believe that all good people, whether or not they consider Jesus Christ to be their savior, will live in heaven after they die on earth. In 1999 the public is almost divided on the matter: 53% agree, 40% disagree. This represents a ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ, Heaven, Evangelism Fear Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational