In Sermon Illustrations: "Starting The Year"

The Deadly Hand

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 7, 2019

It was the nearly dark as James entered the room , over in the corner a poker game was getting ready to start. James joined in the poker game looking to beat the other players out of their hard-earned money. In this worldly realm it was just another poker game, with only money at stake, but in ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5

Tags: Sin, Temptation

Denomination: Pentecostal

Been In The Hog All The Time

Contributed by Ron Freeman, Evangelist on Aug 21, 2019

The elder son of an old farmer left home and traveled to New York. He went there to attend a notable Butcher’s College. After graduation, he returned home only to find his father in the middle of hog killing and cutting. He asked his father if he might help him. The father replied: son I’ve been ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15, John 5:39, Acts 17:11

Tags: Remission Of Sins, One Faith, One Baptism, Rightly Divide Word Of Truth, Cut It Out Right, All Kinds Of Cuts, Faith, Baptism, Holy Ghost  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Never Surrender

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 28, 2020

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. When the 101st Airborne was surrounded in WWII the Germans asked them to surrender. General Anthony McAuliffe replied, "Nuts!" The Germans tried to figure what that meant and while they ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:29

Tags: Ministry, Victory, Surrender, Defeat, Calling  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Give God A Blank Check!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 4, 2021

I read once about a family that put their elderly grandmother on a plane for her first flight. She wasn’t too sure about this mode of transportation, but she grudgingly went along with it. When she returned, some of the family members couldn’t help playfully asking, “Grannie, did the plane hold you ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Faith, Commitment, Trust, Will Of God, Believing God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Praying The Alphabet!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 12, 2022

A father walked by his daughter’s bedroom door which was cracked just enough so that he could see that she was kneeling beside her bed in prayer. Interested to find out what subjects a child would bring before God, he paused and listened. He was puzzled though to hear her reciting the alphabet: ...read more

Tags: Prayer, Humor, Lord's Prayer, Jokes, Needs, Children  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Not What Was Expected

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Mar 16, 2022

Integrity is when something is the same all the way through. Pure gold is gold and only gold, all the way through. 14kt gold is less than pure, but other metals give it a hardness that allows more uses such as making beautiful jewelry from it. The bible calls the condition of being one thing ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:21, James 3:11, James 3:12, James 3:13, Matthew 23:27, Matthew 23:28  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Integrity, Hypocrisy, Tongue

Denomination: Charismatic

He Had A Gun To His Head When He Called My Office...

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 7, 2022

When I was pastoring in Texas, an unknown man called our church office and asked for the Senior Pastor. The call was transferred to me and I quickly discovered that I had a frantic man on the line whom I didn’t know. He told me how horrible his life was and how he couldn’t stand living in “hell ...read more

Tags: Desperation, Jesus, Salvation, Rescue, Witnessing, Suicide  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stop Pushing Your Car And Step On The Gas!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 6, 2022

The Argentine evangelist, Santiago Garaballe, once gave an illustration of a man who bought a new car. He had never owned a car in his life. The car came with a powerful engine under the hood. What if the man then spent the rest of his life pushing it around! Come on family let's go for a ride! ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Holy Spirit, Resurrection, Victory, Flesh, Defeat, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Cheapest Way To Park A Rolls Royce!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 26, 2023

In Mattew 25, Jesus taught the Parable of the Talents to His disciples. The parable shows the value of investing wisely by those who took their talent and multiplied it through wise negotiation. The one who buried his talent and did not invest was scolded by the Lord. Here is a funny ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30

Tags: Talents, Investing, Saving Money, Parables, Business, Kingdom Of God, Money Management  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Tragedy On The Drawbridge

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 12, 2023

A man had the duty to raise a drawbridge to allow the steamboats to pass on the river below and to lower it again for trains to cross over on land. One day, this man's son visited him, desiring to watch his father at work. Quite curious, as most boys are, he peeked into a trapdoor that was ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, Romans 5:8

Tags: Salvation, Gospel, Cross, Calvary, Blood Of Jesus, Death Of Christ, Evangelism, Easter, Crucifixion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Generosity

Contributed by Anitha Jabastion on Aug 17, 2024

There was once a wealthy woman who was known for her miserly ways. Each time she gave to the offering at church, she only dropped a few coins into the box. One night, she had a vivid dream. In her dream, she passed away and was taken up to heaven. As she arrived, she was amazed to see many grand ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, Matthew 6:19-21

Tags: Giving, Generosity

Finish The Race

Contributed by John Bright on Jul 11, 2025

“John Stephen Akhwari is an Olympic legend. Representing his country, Tanzania, he was a favorite to win the marathon at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Well-rested. Ready. His expectations were high. The Olympic marathon began in the afternoon of October 20, 1968. John Stephen Akhwari ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:1-3, 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Tags: Integrity, Finish Well, Cloud Of Witnesses, Run The Race

Denomination: Methodist

God Moved The Mountain

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Aug 7, 2025

A small church was growing very fast. Every Sunday, more and more people were coming to worship. But there was one big problem—there was no proper parking lot. Many people had to park far away and walk a long distance to the church. The pastor and the church members started praying. They asked God ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:20

Tags: Faith, Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Every December, My Wife Diane Wears A Little ...  PRO

Contributed by Rick Bartosik on May 29, 2001

Every December, my wife Diane wears a little golden pin on her United Airlines uniform. It’s a beautiful pin depicting the three Wise Men following the star to Bethlehem. In her work as a flight attendant, people will sometimes comment on the beauty of the pin. She uses those situations as ...read more

Tags: Apologetics General, Birth Of Jesus, Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

American Tourists Mistreated, Pastors Tortured & ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 27, 2005

American Tourists Mistreated, Pastors Tortured & Church Ordered to Close · August 8, 2005 CHINA: House Church Pastors Tortured in Prison & Shanghai House Church Faces Forced Closure China Aid learned that more than 210 Chinese house church pastors and believers have been arrested in Hubei, Hebei ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life, Betrayal

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Let Me Tell You A Story About A Small Island In ...

Contributed by Pat Cook on Nov 29, 2005

Let me tell you a story about a small island in the South Seas inhabited by a group of people who had very little contact with the outside world. Theirs was a beautiful island – lush vegetation, wonderfully sweet-tasting fruit, and many domesticated animals good for eating. It was a tropical ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

Tribes And Nations

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 29, 2022

Genesis 11:10 – Gen. 12:5 Shem (oldest son of Noah, in the lineage of David, Joseph, and Jesus Christ) We note Shem’s genealogy both in Genesis 10 and here in Genesis 11; why? – Abraham and eventually Israel came from the lineage of Shem; Genesis 11 gives details and sets up Abraham Shem ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 11:10-32

Tags: Faith, God, Israel, Population

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Right Before The Jetway Door Closed, I Scrambled ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 27, 2004

Right before the jetway door closed, I scrambled aboard the plane going from LA to Chicago, lugging my laptop and overstuffed briefcase. It was the first leg of an important business trip and I was running late. I had a ton of work to catch up on, half wishing, half praying I muttered, "Please God, ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Promises Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

People Who Attend Church, Synagogue Or Other ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 6, 2006

People who attend church, synagogue or other religious services once a week live 7 years longer than those who never go, according to a study that appears in this month’s ...read more

Tags: Nehemiah, Church General

Relevant, A Magazine About "God, Life And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Relevant, a magazine about “God, life and progressive culture” for 18-34-year-olds, has a 65,000 circulation and attracts 340,000 Web site visitors monthly. ...read more

Tags: Entertainment