In Sermon Illustrations: "Stille Nacht"

Here's An Interesting Thing: What Often ...

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Mar 4, 2009

Here’s an interesting thing: What often irritates us in someone else is what we do ourselves. You know that I am very close to my younger sister Jean, who is also a pastor. Years ago, I noticed that when we were on the phone, she would sometimes “checkout” of the conversation. I would know ...read more

Tags: Mistakes

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Seven Wonders Of Grace

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

SEVEN WONDERS OF GRACE. Text - Galatians 2:20.  There are seven spiritual wonders in this marvelous text: 1. That the Son of God should love a persecutor like Saul. "Who loved me." 2. That the Son of God should be crucified. "Crucified with Christ." 3. That Christ ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Faith, Grace, Discipleship, Christian Life, Death To Self  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Definition Of Sin

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 4, 2025

The Greek word for sin is ‘hamartia.” It means ‘to miss the mark.” This classic interpretation refers to an archer missing the bullseye with an arrow. There are three possible causes for the miss: • Unintentional – archer did not mean to miss – still wrong – Hebrew word: ‘chattah’ – ...read more

Scripture: James 4:8

Tags: Sin, Iniquity, Transgression

Denomination: Methodist

Repent For Better Health

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 10, 2025

Since this is the season of Lent, it’s a good time to repent of the unhealthy habits we have developed over the years. That means we tell God: “You’re right, and I’m wrong.” That’s the beginning of repentance. Then we need to make a plan. There’s an old saying: Those who fail to plan, plan to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-6, Acts 3:19

Tags: Diet, Food, Repent, Health, Sleep, Exercise, Bible Reading  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Eating Ashes

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

In Isaiah 44:20, we read: “He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” The deceived heart is a word picture of iniquity. It’s on the inside, but it steers what happens on the outside. It’s like the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 44:20

Tags: Ashes, Pica, Steering Wheel

Denomination: Methodist

Jesus Loves Me—and I Love Jesus!

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 8, 2025

Sociology professor Anthony Campolo recalls a deeply moving incident that happened in a Christian junior high camp where he served. One of the campers, a boy with spastic paralysis, was the object of heartless ridicule. When he would ask a question, the boys would deliberately answer in a halting, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Testimony

Denomination: Methodist

Stuck In A Rut

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 14, 2025

The U.S. standard railroad gauge—the width between the rails—is 4 feet, 8 ½ inches. Strange number, isn’t it? You’d think something so crucial would be more logical. So why that width? Because American railroads were built by British expatriates, and that’s how they did it in England. Why ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:2, 1 Peter 1:18-19

Tags: Tradition, Transformation

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Faithful Instructions  PRO

Contributed by Randy Leckliter on Sep 16, 2002

FAITHFUL INSTRUCTIONS There was a man who got lost in the desert. After wandering around for a long time his throat became very dry, about that time he saw a little shack in the distance. He made his way over to the shack and found a water pump with a small jug of water and a note. The note ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:11-20

Tags: God's Provision, Examples Of Faith, Faith, Discipleship, Lost, Trust In The Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

On A Scale Of 1 To 10, How Optimistic Are You ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Emmert on May 7, 2001

On a scale of 1 to 10, how optimistic are you about your future? In that great mid-life crisis movie, City Slickers, Billy Crystal’s character Mitch attends career day at his son’s grade school. Mitch is anything but optimistic. His son had told everyone that his dad was a submarine captain, but ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, Faith

Denomination: United Methodist

Many Are Trusting The Rope? (Unknown)  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 18, 2002

MANY ARE TRUSTING THE ROPE? (unknown) They tell the story of a mountain climber, who desired to conquer the Aconcagua Mountain in Argentina, near the Chilean border. The Aconcagua Mountain is the highest mountain in the Andes, and the highest mountain in the western hemisphere. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:18-35

Tags: Doing God's Will, Doubt, God's Omniscience

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Once There Were These 3 Guys Who Needed To Get ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 2, 2005

Once there were these 3 guys who needed to get to a town called Perfection in one day. Perfection was 200 km away. One guy decided to save money and walk all the way. He started off at 6 in the morning. He only walked for a few hours and managed to cover 20 km. After that he was too pooped to carry ...read more

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Love Of The Disciples

Seeing In The Glory Of God

Contributed by Sheila Crowe on Aug 23, 2009

SEEING IN THE GLORY OF GOD Tom Long, professor of Homiletics at Candler School of Theology, tells the story of striking up a conversation with a man on a plane. He said they shared the normal kind of nice chit chat, sharing what they each did for a living and sharing pictures of their families. ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: United Methodist

History Will Prove That It Is When The Church Has ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 29, 2009

History will prove that it is when the church has endured great persecution that that is when the church has seen tremendous growth. It was true in the first century and it is true today. Listen to this story of a faithful disciple in China. Pastor Li De Xian (Shee-an) was arrested 13 times in six ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:12

Tags: Persecution

The Throne Of Christmas

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 18, 2010

THE THRONE OF CHRISTMAS In the very centre of Christmas cheer, amidst the silver bells, coloured baubles and lights, enormous sparkling chandeliers, banners and wreathes and beside a gigantic Christmas tree, there in the middle of everything stands a huge throne that dominates the centre of the ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In God We Trust

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 17, 2011

IN GOD WE TRUST I think it quite appropriate that on this day we celebrate who we are as a nation and reflect on how we came to be the nation we are. It is because we still stand firm in our national motto,” IN GOD WE TRUST”. Did you ever wonder where it came from – how did these words come to be ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:6-22, Proverbs 16:1-4

Tags: Independence Day

Help I Cant Swim!  PRO

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Nov 27, 2013

Help, I Can't Swim! Several years ago some friends and I would go fishing in the Yadkin River. There were 4 of us and we took 2 flat bottom aluminum boats. One friend of mine had a motor on his, but mine didn't have an engine. We would go after the sun went down and anchor upstream from the rough ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 43:2-3

Tags: God's Help, Divine Help, Enduring Trials, Deep Water

Denomination: Baptist

The Leadership Principles Of Jesus

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 11, 2020

The Leadership Principles of Jesus. • Jesus was willing to invest in people others would have dismissed. (Consider the disciples. They were not the “religious” elite, yet Jesus used them to start His church). • Jesus released responsibility and ownership in a ministry. (Jesus sent the disciples ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, Luke 9:23

Tags: Discipleship, Leadership, Ministry Of Jesus, Business Management

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Zordak - The Resurrection

Contributed by Samuel Young on Apr 7, 2021

I am Zordak, Jesus’ guardian angel. I want to tell you the story of Jesus. Jesus had died and laid in the grave. I was very sad. There were one hundred Roman soldiers and whole army of evil angels guarding the grave. But Sunday morning is coming… It was still dark. The dew was still on the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:62-66, Matthew 28:2, Luke 24:1-44

Tags: Easter, Resurrection

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

In His Book Mortal Lessons, Dr. Richard Selzer, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In his book Mortal Lessons, Dr. Richard Selzer, writes, “I stand by the bed where a young woman lies, her face postoperative, her mouth twisted in palsy, clownish. A tiny twig of the facial nerve, the one to the muscles of her mouth, has been severed. She will be like this from now on. The surgeon ...read more

Tags: Faith

I'm No Moses!

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Sep 4, 2008

"I'm No Moses!" When I received my call to go into ministry, I was praying. Immediately, I rejected the call, telling God that I was a business person, not really minister material. I knew how to speak about marketing. I knew a bit about managing people. I could talk about that. On and on I ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed