In Sermon Illustrations: "State"

I Think It's Jesus In The Liimo

Contributed by Joe Tilton on Jun 4, 2013

I THINK IT'S JESUS IN THE LIMO The Oklahoma Conference Leader Bishop Hayes is returning home after a speaking engagement. When his plane arrives, there is a limousine there to transport him to his home in Oklahoma City. As he prepares to get into the limo, he stops and speaks to the driver. "You ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: *other

Supreme Court Case Victory  PRO

Contributed by Paddick Van Zyl on Apr 9, 2014

In the Supreme Court case between Humanity and Satan, proceedings took on a surprising turn, in the court room when Judge God read out the charge against the defendant (humanity). Sin was the main charge with a list of violations being read out, some minor & seemingly insignificant while others ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:11-28

Tags: Blood Of Jesus, Court, Christ Redeems, Sin Sacrifice

Denomination: Pentecostal

No One Is A Lost Cause

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

Ron Smith was in law enforcement for 20 years. After he retired, he was asked to join a prison ministry of his church. He scoffed at the idea, knowing he had put a lot of those guys in prison and he, above all, knew what types of peoplethey were. But eventually he broke down and joined and God ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Tags: Forgiveness, Compassion, Hope, Reconciliation

Denomination: Methodist

The Lord Hears You

Contributed by Don Carpenter on Mar 2, 2021

Will Smith and Gene Hackman star in the 1998 movie, Enemy of the State. The concept is that whether you deserve it or not, the Government has immense capabilities to spy on every minute detail of your life. As unnerving as the film was, technology has only grown more ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:31-36, Exodus 16:9-12

Tags: Testimony, Accountability, Speech

Denomination: Baptist

Two Types Of Lives!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Oct 29, 2022

Genesis 4:6-26 Cain had an unrighteous heart and sinned against God in many ways including taking the life of his brother; but what can we learn from God as He related to Cain, from the following verses: v6-7: God gave instructions how and why to repent. v9: God was specific in confronting in ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:6-26

Tags: People, Pride, Godly, Creativity, Ungodly, Provisions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I'm Only A General, But He's A Son!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 30, 2022

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. grew up under the shadow of a large man. His father was the hero of San Juan Hill and the President of the United States. The pressure to excel often caused him problems, but Teddy, Jr. went on to be a highly decorated Brigadier General during World War II, receiving the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:26-29

Tags: Children Of God, Authority, Sons, Mothers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Strike While The Iron Is Hot - Salesman

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

Now ... Salespeople especially understand what it means to ... Strike while the iron is Hot I was reading an article written by Pat Zaby, .... a nationally known Real Estate speaker. He stated, ... One weekend, I told a friend that I was thinking of buying a convertible.... So, ... the first ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-9, Mark 2:1-12, Mark 10:46-52

Tags: Moment, Strike, Awake, Act, Opportunity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

From East To West

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 12, 2024

How far is the east from the west? Where does the east end and the west begin? A certain state once had this slogan: "Where the west begins and the tall corn grows." The last part of the slogan is true; the first is not. No one knows where the west begins or where it ends. It's all a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:12, Matthew 6:9-15

Tags: Forgiveness, Satan, Devil, Spiritual Warfare, Guilt, Condemnation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dead Man Walking

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 25, 2025

In some of the Maximum-Security Prisons in the United States ... when a prisoner is taken to be executed ... the guard that is leading the procession continual shouts out, ... "Dead man walking". It means, ...to clear the way ... to quiet down ... for this prisoner is on their last walk ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:15, Romans 5:12

Tags: Sin, Cross, Prison, Slave, Dead, Walking, World, Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Ten Dollars Is Ten Dollars

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 28, 2025

A man named Stumpy illustrates how money affects people. Stumpy and his wife Martha went to the state fair every year and every year when Stumpy saw the antique bi-plane he would say, “Martha, I’d like to ride in that airplane.” Martha always replied, “I know Stumpy, but that airplane ride costs ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:24-28

Tags: Money, Stewardship

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Don't Be Like These Guys!

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 5, 2026

Jude used three examples from the Old Testament to show that these false teachers are not to be trusted or followed. In Genesis 4:1-16, we find the first murder in the Bible when Cain kills his brother Abel. If these false teachers are leading folks back to their former state – being unsaved – ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:11, 2 Timothy 4:3, Numbers 16:31-35

Tags: Salvation, Heresy, False Teachers, Cain, Korah, Balaam, Jude  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Ignoring The Alarm

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

My house has a smoke detector that goes off every single time I cook. Every time. I am not even burning anything. I’m just making eggs and the thing starts screaming like the house is engulfed in flames. After a while, you know what I did? I just started ignoring it. I fan it with a towel and keep ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-20

Tags: Anger, Self Control

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Finishing Well

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

John Baker was too short and too slight to be a runner for his high school track team but he loved to run. His best friend was tall and lanky and had the perfect build to be a runner but wanted nothing to do with the sport. So John went to the track coach to convince him to let John on the team ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24

Tags: Finish, Running The Race, Overcoming, Ending Well

Denomination: Methodist

If My ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

IF MY PEOPLE... Our nation is in trouble: Abortion i. Nearly half of pregnancies among American women are unintended, and four in 10 of these are terminated by abortion. Twenty-two percent of all pregnancies (excluding miscarriages) end in abortion. ii. In 2005, 1.21 million abortions were ...read more

Tags: Sin General

As I Have Attended Secular Schools I Have Seen ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 6, 2009

As I have attended secular schools I have seen the dark force – discriminate, attack, intimidate and belittle Christian students. These students are marked by the force just because they are Christian. They are targeted just because they have a Christian and Biblical value system. I have seen with ...read more

Tags: School

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Getting Help From Above.

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Oct 4, 2015

I’ll never forget the day I became a dad. My wife and I had registered to adopt a child with our state’s Division of Youth and Family Services through BCFS. Then one day we got a call from them saying there was someone special they’d like us to meet. A baby still at the hospital was needing a ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 43:4, Isaiah 43:1-7

Tags: Fatherhood, Dads

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

One Of The Characters In The Movie, Toy Story, Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Apr 29, 2001

One of the characters in the movie, Toy Story, is Buzz Lightyear, a new toy to Andy’s room. Buzz is an astronaut, with a lot of neat things attached to him. Buzz comes into the other toys’ lives thinking that there are no other Buzz Lightyears around. He is the only one. Woody, a cowboy toy, and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:7-10, 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Tags: Lordship Of Christ, God's Provision, Descriptions Of God

Denomination: Church Of God

When Someone Becomes Really Great At What They ...  PRO

Contributed by Justin Meek on Jun 6, 2001

When someone becomes really great at what they do, it almost always because they spent years dedicating themselves to it. Pete Rose didn’t just wake up one day as a great ball player, he dedicated his life to being a great ball player. Tori Murden didn’t just hop into a boat one day out of the blue ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Christian Disciplines, Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

Origin Of Taps  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 24, 2001

Origin of Taps - “Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison’s Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land. During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Death, Funerals Non-Christian, Father, Taps, Veterans, Repair, Reverence, Military, Memorial  (view more)  (view less)

When I Look At History I Think Of Another Time ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 21, 2001

When I look at history I think of another time when America faced a crisis. The year was 1857. America was at both an economic and spiritual low. Attendance in churches had dwindled and there was a cynicism among many concerning religion. It was in the midst of this spiritual crisis that God gave a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18-27

Tags: Vision, God's Sovereign Will, God's Omniscience