In Sermon Illustrations: "Step"

The Choice Between Two Evils

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Feb 5, 2008

THE CHOICE BETWEEN TWO EVILS should we pay taxes to Caesar? MARK 12:13-27 Jesus answer defies their logic. In His answer, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” He easily moves past their dilemma. To Jesus their dilemma isn’t a dilemma at all, is it? The question sets up a ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Just As When A Man And Woman Fall In Love, So ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Apr 18, 2008

Just as when a man and woman fall in love, so also new believers rejoice at their new found forgiveness. You know how it is when you first get married. The newness of it makes it so exciting. An 80-year-old couple was having problems remembering those good times, though they were having problems ...read more

Tags: Evolution, Marriage, Commitment, Reminder, Age, Elderly, Senior, Memorial, New Year, Memory  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Water ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

WATER SOURCE The story is told about an Englishman living in Cairo who visited an Arab Chief in Arabia. The Englishman was treated with such kindness and royalty that he invited the Chief to visit him in Cairo, Egypt. He promised to show him the great sights of the city. The Arab Chief made the ...read more

Tags: Power

Can't Wait Until Morning  PRO

Contributed by Steve Gallimore on Aug 28, 2008

Can't Wait Until Morning Dr. W. A Criswell, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas, said on one occasion on an airplane flight he found himself seated beside a well-known theologian. He desperately wanted to start a conversation and they did get to talk. The man told Dr. Criswell about ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:1

Tags: Death, Glory, Heaven, Salvation, Hope, Funeral  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

When I Was In New York, I Taught Confirmation. ...

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Sep 4, 2008

When I was in New York, I taught confirmation. I’m delighted to announce that Scott Roby and the confirmation teachers are planning to use the materials (updated, of course) that I used. The strength of the curriculum is that each student has a mentor, an adult from the congregation. The young ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

See You In The Morning.  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

"SEE YOU IN THE MORNING." Dr. W. A Criswell, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas, said on one occasion on an airplane flight he found himself seated beside a well-known theologian. He desperately wanted to start a conversation and they did get to talk. The man told Dr. Criswell ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:18

Tags: God In The Hardships

The Ambush Of John Wesley Powell

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2009

THE AMBUSH OF JOHN WESLEY POWELL John Wesley Powell, lost his arm in the Civil War. This, however, did not stop him from becoming a hero. "Back in 1869 conventional wisdom said that passage through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River was impossible. It couldn’t be done. The back country ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:3, 2 Timothy 2:15

Tags: Endurance

Pow's Freed In Philippines During World War Ii, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 10, 2009

POW’s Freed in Philippines During World War II, as told by Hampton Sides in his book “Ghost Soldiers.” In his book Ghost Soldiers, Hampton Sides tells of a dramatic mission during World War II. On January 28, 1945, hand-selected Army Rangers and Filipino resistance slipped 30 miles behind enemy ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1

Tags: War, Freedom From Bondage

Married But Not Engaged

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 6, 2010

MARRIED BUT NOT ENGAGED Years ago, Julie and I began to have difficulty in our marriage. I was spending all my time pastoring a small Church, and our relationship was being neglected. It suffered to the point where I needed to take time out of ministry, and we needed to do some repair work. That ...read more

Tags: Divorce

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Don’t Have Any Paid Employment At ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Feb 7, 2010

I don’t have any paid employment at present. Moving to Sydney has been a step of faith. We have limited resources for the future. Our possessions fit into a garage. Somewhere under all those boxes is a piano that we have carted around on all our moves and still has future moves to come. I am ...read more

Tags: Worry

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If I Survive, I'll Be Ok

Contributed by Jim Kane on Feb 27, 2010

IF I SURVIVE, I'LL BE OK John Ortberg tells the story of going to a dude ranch in Arizona at the instance of his wife who felt the vacation was not complete without "the exhilaration of a truly challenging horseback ride." (His exact words.) The first time he went out at the ranch, he did so with ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Church Of God

Right On The Edge

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Jul 29, 2011

RIGHT ON THE EDGE A veteran Buffalo, N.Y. police officer found the handwritten note on the ice along with a brown wallet and a baseball cap with a pen stuck through it. The note was short and to the point, "Please tell my parents I'm sorry." A 48-year-old man in a thin blue jacket, on a cold, ...read more

Tags: Suffering Loneliness

Denomination: Baptist

Strength Through Humility

Contributed by Gordon Mcculloch on Jul 7, 2014

And I must say here, this does not come automatically, we have to work at it and develop it, and many times we grit our teeth as we think we fail every now and again, but I will end with this analogy, it is the best I can up with, it is crude … but think of yourself when you give your offering, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:16-30

Tags: Humility, Strength

Denomination: Episcopal

My Life: Crazier Than It Has To Be

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Nov 18, 2020

Last Friday was a crazy day. But I made it crazier than it had to be. High winds blew through the region the night before leaving hundreds without power including the church building – well, sort of. One of our assistants called me when she got in the office and said the lights were out, which ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:20

Tags: Faith, Trust, Hope, Worry, Wait, Waiting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Watch?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 18, 2024

I read the story of a young boy that lived on a farm in the mountains. The grandparents, parents, his brothers and sisters lived in the old farm house. Every time the young boy got a chance he told anyone that would listen: HE WANTED A WATCH. His grandfather had a pocket watch, so did his dad. The ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:37, Isaiah 21:11

Tags: Watch, Ready

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Nobody Ever Tells Me That!" Ezra 5:1-2 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 5, 2005

“Nobody Ever Tells Me That!” Ezra 5:1-2 Key verse(s) 2b:“And the prophets of God were with them, helping them!” When was the last time that you went out of your way to encourage someone? I’m not talking about the little remark or that wink of an eye. While these things encourage, they are ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 5:1-2

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Lutheran

May 5, 2004 "You Can Walk Boy!" John 16: 19-24 ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2004

May 5, 2004 “You Can Walk Boy!” John 16: 19-24 Key verse(s): 21 “‘A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.’” Why do Christians have to suffer? If I had ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-11

Tags: Hardship Of Life

I Didn’t Do It My Way

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 23, 2021

I don’t think I’ve learned very much during my life. I just bounce from day to day and take what comes. The one thing I did learn as I look back is, for the most part, I didn’t do it my way. Remember Frank Sinatra and his song, “I Did It My Way?” I would have liked to ask him, how’s that been ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:21

Tags: Surrender, Aggression

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

My Days Of Wonder In The Hospital

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 1, 2025

Dr. James L. Snyder My plans for the New Year were horribly changed by ending up in the hospital. Around the middle of the month, it seemed like I may have had the flu. After all, everybody around me had the flu, and I just wanted to fit in with society in general. I had to cancel my Sunday ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Nurse, Hospital, Sick

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Adopted By Christ  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Jul 9, 2001

Illus.: “Adopted by Christ” John was born into a family of 12 children. They were very poor. He was the youngest. He never remembered his father eating a meal with the rest of the family. He had to work long hours to feed his family. One day his father ran off with another woman, leaving his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:11-20

Tags: Ashes, Beauty, Children, Trinity, God's Provision  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Wesleyan