In Sermon Illustrations: "Standing Firm"

I Like The Story Of The Young Man Whose Habit Of ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Apr 10, 2008

I like the story of the young man whose habit of criticizing backfired on him. One evening, while waiting for a bus, he was standing with a crowd of people looking in the window of a taxidermist shop. In the center of the window was a large owl that attracted the attention of all who passed by. ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Spelling A Word

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Oct 27, 2008

SPELLING A WORD A woman died and went to heaven but when she arrived at the "Pearly Gates," she found Peter. "Before you can come in, you have to spell a word," he said. "What word?" she asked. "Any word?" "L-O-V-E. Love," she said. "Come on in. But I was wondering if you'd do me a quick ...read more

Tags: Marriage Struggle

Denomination: Church Of God

Horton's Theology

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 3, 2008

HORTON'S THEOLOGY One day, Horton the elephant hears a cry from help coming from a speck of dust. Even though he can’t see anyone on the speck, he decides to help it. As it turns out, the speck of dust is home to the Whos, who live in their city of Whoville. Horton agrees to help protect the Whos ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 10:18-19

Tags: Justice

Denomination: Church Of God

All I Need To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

ALL I NEED TO KNOW A Sunday school teacher gave his class an assignment to learn the 23rd Psalm by next Sunday, because each was going to recite it to the whole church. A little boy named Bobby, just couldn’t get it all in his head, he struggled all week long. Finally Sunday comes and the church ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1

Tags: Security

Revelation At The Front Door

Contributed by Tyler Edwards on Sep 22, 2009

REVELATION AT THE FRONT DOOR A new pastor was visiting the homes of some of the people in his congregation. He came to one house and he knocked but there was no answer. He could see the lights were on and it seemed very obvious that someone was home, so he knocked again. When there was no ...read more

Tags: Revelation

Denomination: *other

Heroic Love

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 10, 2009

HEROIC LOVE St. Gianna Molla stands out as another fool for Christ. She conceived a child and then discovered a grave medical problem. A doctor herself, "A few days before the child was due, although trusting as always in Providence, she was ready to give her life in order to save that of her ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Catholic

The Holy Huddle

Contributed by Donny Granberry on Oct 16, 2009

THE HOLY HUDDLE The job of the church is not to impact the church, but our job is to impact the world. It’s like a huddle in a football game. 70,000 people don’t pay $75.00 a ticket to watch the Texans huddle. What if you went to a Texans game and for two and a half hours you watched 11 men ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Talmud Records A Similar Parable By Rabbi ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 2, 2009

The Talmud records a similar parable by Rabbi Johanan b. Zakkai - b. Shabbat 153a* [It is like] a king who invited his servants to a feast and did not appoint them a time. The wise among them adorned themselves and sat down by the door of the palace, for they said: Is anything lacking in a palace? ...read more

Tags: Preparation, Feast

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Gollum And The Ring

Contributed by Davon Huss on Feb 15, 2010

GOLLUM AND THE RING Many of us are familiar with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. We cannot help but remember the character named Gollum. He was a hideous, pathetic creature who was possessed by the power of the ring. In fact, the ring was the reason for his hideous appearance. His obsession ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:25

Tags: Immortality

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Young Girl Got Saved In A Powerful Revival That ...

Contributed by Steven Spence on Jul 20, 2010

A YOUNG GIRL GOT SAVED IN A POWERFUL REVIVAL THAT WAS BEING HELD AT HER CHURCH. AND THAT AFTERNOON SHE WAS RUNNING THROUGH THE HOUSE SINGING AND DANCING AND JUST FULL OF JOY. WHEN HER GRANDFATHER STOPPED HER. AND SAID... “YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF. YOU JUST JOINED THE CHURCH AND ...read more

Tags: Religion

Denomination: Nazarene

Many Years Ago As Each Night I Neared The End Of ...

Contributed by Arsenio B. Segismundo on Jul 28, 2010

Many years ago as each night I neared the end of my run, I would always let out a long blast with the whistle just as I’d come around the last curve. Then I’d look up at the familiar little cottage on top of the hill. My mother and father would be standing in the doorway waving to me. After I had ...read more

Tags: Trust

Denomination: Christian Church

Richard Calson On Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2010

RICHARD CALSON ON FORGIVENESS Let me conclude with in the words of Dr. Richard P. Carlson, Professor of Biblical Studies at Gettysburg Seminary: "God’s forgiveness in Jesus Christ is a scandal. It goes out to sinners regardless of their religious or social standing. It breaks into human existence ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:7

Tags: Wholehearted, God's Forgiveness, Commit

Seeing—and Believing

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Sep 10, 2010

SEEING--AND BELIEVING Two children were playing on a hillside, when they noticed that the hour was nearing sunset, and one said, wonderingly: "See how far the sun has gone! A little while ago it was right over that tree, and now it is low down in the sky." "Only it isn’t the sun that moves; it’s ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Christian Church

Hesed

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 25, 2010

HESED Proverbs 20:6 records: "Many a man claims to have hesed, but a faithful man, who can find?" Not only is a person with hesed truthful, he is also faithful. The proverb indicates that many people may claim to have hesed for you, but only a very few will demonstrate it by actually remaining ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Holding Confirmed Tickets

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Dec 31, 2010

HOLDING CONFIRMED TICKETS Sometime when you're in an airport, observe the difference between passengers who hold confirmed tickets and those who are on standby. The ones with confirmed tickets read newspapers, chat with their friends or sleep. The ones on standby hang around the ticket ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: *other

Carnival Christians

Contributed by Major Gerardo Balmori on Apr 2, 2011

CARNIVAL CHRISTIANS What’s a "Carnival Christian?" A Carnival Christian is someone who enjoys the fun. Someone who gets caught up in the excitement of cheering for Jesus, but sometimes has a hard time taking a personal stand for him when the crowd isn’t around. Commitments for them are difficult ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Salvation Army

Haydn Gives Glory To God

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2011

HAYDN GIVES GLORY TO GOD Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was present at the Vienna Music Hall, where his oratorio The Creation was being performed. Weakened by age, the great composer was confined to a wheelchair. As the majestic work moved along, the audience was caught up with tremendous emotion. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:20-24

Tags: Humility

Picking The Wrong Door

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 31, 2011

PICKING THE WRONG DOOR Stuart Briscoe, in his book Everyday Discipleship for Ordinary People, tells the story about a fellow pastor who was officiating at the funeral of a war veteran. The dead man’s military friends wanted to have a part in the service at the funeral home, so they requested that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-5

Tags: Leadership General

The Old Rugged Cross

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Dec 4, 2011

THE OLD RUGGED CROSS About an hour away from where I used to live in Coventry (England), there is a little village called Bredwardine. It is in the county of Herefordshire. A lady who attended the Anglican Church in that village died, and in her will she left some money for the Church. As well as ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Brethren

The King Has One More Move  PRO

Contributed by Dwayne Brown, Phd on Apr 9, 2015

This story has been told by Christian speakers as far back as 1955 when Billy Graham told a variation of it early in his ministry. Two men are standing in front of a painting called Checkmate in an art gallery. In the painting, a man is playing chess with the devil. The devil is grinning ...read more

Tags: Don't Quit, God Is In Control

Denomination: Baptist