In Sermon Illustrations: "Story Time"

Wherever They Are I Will Find Them

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 12, 2022

Recently, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and her spouse took a short vacation that was long overdue. Vacations are very hard to organize and schedule when you have a busy life. But, thanks to the ingenuity of my wife, we were able to plan out a vacation. The motel we stay in is owned by ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 18:22

Tags: Thriftstore, Bargin

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

How Much Coffee Is Too Much Coffee?

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 15, 2022

I will be the first to confess that I love my coffee, especially in the morning. When anybody asks how much coffee is enough, I usually say, “Just one more cup.” My day cannot get started until I’ve had a sufficient amount of coffee. If I don’t have enough coffee when I meet somebody, they will ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:8

Tags: Coffee, Serial

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Don’t Knock On The Door If You Like Breathing

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 23, 2024

I’m unsure if this is a new phenomenon or I’m just starting to catch up on the culture. I know I have a lot to catch up on, and I’m slowly doing it. Lately, there’s been a lot of activity at our front door. That’s not to diminish the activity at the back porch door. That activity has to do with a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 118:8

Tags: Trust, Confidence, Scams

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Second Thoughts Can Be Dangerous To My Health

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 30, 2024

Many things in life can be rather dangerous. For me, the most dangerous things in my life are thoughts. I thought about this one day, and by the end of the day, I was in deep trouble. Thoughts have a way of doing that with me. My New Year’s resolution one year was to have one thought per day. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Obedience, Opinion, Thoughts

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Did My Body Warranty Just Expire?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 21, 2025

Just when I recover from the latest ache in my body within a few minutes, I will get a “Boo, I’m back.” I’m not quite sure why these Aches and Pains love my body so much. Why don’t they just get over it and move on to another circus. The problem is, after I’m through with one ache, the next ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Pain, Blessing, Warranty

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What It Was, Was A Cookie

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 11, 2025

At least once a month The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and her daughter will spend a day visiting thrift stores in our community. I’m not sure, so don’t quote me, but I think there’s a 100-mile radius where they do their shopping. This past week was one of those days. As she was backing out ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:2

Tags: Desire, Cookie

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[278]. A Message From A Poem – The Light Of The World

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 25, 2026

[278]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD This was a poem written before I really started writing poems seriously. Part of the idea was to write a hymn and some tunes will fit its 8-8-8-8 metre. The title, “The Light of the World” was to cover several aspects suggested to me by ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 4:3, Matthew 17:1-3, Luke 24:47, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Tags: Brilliance Of The Lord, The Brightest Star, Nasa Christian Poems, Forgiveness Of Sins, The Light Of The World, Pure Light, Hubble Telescope, Christian Poetry, The Transfiguration, Light, Shining Face, The Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Back In The Saddle Finally

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 17, 2026

After about three months of wrestling with a variety of bug thingamajigs, I ended up with a case of acute bronchitis. Believe me; it was not really cute at all. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I, during that time, competed in a coughing and sneezing contest. Unfortunately, she won the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Restart, Saddle

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Elie Wiesel Was A Fourteen Year Old Boy When The ...  PRO

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Feb 8, 2006

-Elie Wiesel was a fourteen year old boy when the Germans started loading the Jews on trains and sending them to the death camps authorized by Adolph Hitler. This excerpt picks up as he is traveling by in a cattle car on a train from Transylvania (which at the time was under the control of ...read more

Tags: Hell

Denomination: Pentecostal

Metamorphosis  PRO

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Aug 16, 2008

METAMORPHOSIS I can recall how taken back I was, in my fourth grade science class, when I first became aware of this almost magical phenomena of an ugly, old caterpillar becoming a beautiful butterfly. Of course at that age I had a very hard time understanding the whole biological time-clock thing ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: *other

William

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 10, 2010

William "Fighting Mac" McKenzie, WWI Chaplain Hero and Salvation Army Commander Heroes from WWI, William “Fighting Mac” McKenzie (12/1869-26/7/1947) Pstor Col Stringer reveiled the Australian Heros to us by his research, today I share it with you. Who are your personal heroes? Who do you look up ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-17

Tags: Holidays Civic

Mastering Fatherhood

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Jun 12, 2017

In 2001, I was serving as the youth pastor of Destiny Church and sitting at my office desk when I received a phone call from my mother. She called with sad news! My grandmother’s health had declined significantly and she was near death. She’d been suffering with Alzheimer’s for over seven years up ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:2

Tags: Parenting, Legacy, Fatherhood

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

This Past Week, Josie Received A Rather ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

This past week, Josie received a rather interesting story via the e-mail that I would like to paraphrase for you this morning. Unfortunately, I do not know the name of the author. However, I do know that it was written by one of the students who witnessed this experiential sermon in a small ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:21

Tags: Grace, Character, Purpose, Adversity, Troubles, Anger, Misfortune, Commitment To Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Many Turns–one Road! (07.01.05--Direction--John ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 29, 2005

Many Turns–One Road! (07.01.05--Direction--John 21:20-25) Like life, most highways that we find ourselves on aren’t always straight and true. In fact, what makes some highways fun to drive is that they give you the opportunity to make a turn here and there from time to time, just to break up the ...read more

Scripture: John 21:20-25

Tags: Knowing God's Will

Denomination: Lutheran

Filled To The Brim! (07.05.05--Joy Every ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 3, 2005

Filled To The Brim! (07.05.05--Joy Every Day--Ecclesiastes 5:1-9) When I was younger I remember being moved on more than one occasion, either by laziness or a predisposition to want to do something more “rewarding” on a Sunday morning, to prompt my dad with this question: “Why do we have to go to ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:1-9

Tags: Worship Purpose, Worship Benefits

Denomination: Lutheran

Too Easily Pleased! (07.06.05--Joy Every ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 5, 2005

Too Easily Pleased! (07.06.05--Joy Every Day--Ecclesiastes 9:7-10) I was happy with things the way they were. Why should I go to any great length to make them any better when, as it were, I was contented with how my car looked and drove? This was my response about a year ago when my wife ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:7-10

Tags: Fulfillment

Denomination: Lutheran

Holy Sway Bars! (08.02.05--Boldness Too!--2 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 31, 2005

Holy Sway Bars! (08.02.05--Boldness Too!--2 Samuel 4:1) Have you ever followed behind one of those pick-up trucks pulling a hay wagon? Around these parts that can be an every day experience especially during hay baling time. You’re driving along the highway and then, as you come over the crest of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 4:1

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Lutheran

Game's Only Half Over! (10.04.05--Beginning ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 3, 2005

Game’s Only Half Over! (10.04.05--Beginning Again!--2 Samuel 12:20-24) Is there anyone who hasn’t felt the sting of regret and discovered just how bitter it is to live with the thought that if only we hadn’t done this or said that we’d be a whole lot happier at the moment? Beginning again is one ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:20-24

Tags: God's Provision, Regret, Remorse, God's Forgiveness, Face Your Fears, Embarrassment  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

A Wealthy Man And His Son Loved To Collect Rare ...

Contributed by Bob Soulliere on Feb 24, 2007

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Today's Pitcairn Island Population Is Descended ...

Contributed by W F on Mar 31, 2007

Today’s Pitcairn Island population is descended from British sailors and Tahitians. The mutineers of the HMS Bounty settled the island [first discovered by world explorers on 2 July 1767 by midshipman Pitcairn aboard the HMS Swallow] in 1790, along with their Tahitian women and a few Tahitian men. ...read more

Denomination: *other