In Sermon Illustrations: "Struggle"

I Scratched A Car!!!  PRO

Contributed by Ludwing Villamizar on Oct 26, 2006

I scratched a Car!!! I was about 17 at the time. I finally was able to drive a car. I took my mom to work in a car that a friend had lent her for the day. It was a stick shift. After dropping off my mom my small cousin jumps to the front seat while eating chips. The driveway to the house we lived ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Denomination: Baptist

When You First Met "J.e.", You Could Tell He Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006

When you first met “J.E.”, you could tell he was a very angry man. In fact, at age 54 he’d been an angry person for many years. In a Bible study that night, many questions had been raised in his mind. Talking with the leader afterward, J.E. said, “I asked Jesus to be my Savior when I was 9 years ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-7, Romans 12:1-3

Tags: Mind

Denomination: Baptist

Daniel Payne Got Angry. It Wasn't 1955, But ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

Daniel Payne got angry. It wasn’t 1955, but rather closer to 1835, when he was asked to get up out of his seat on the train. He was 70 years old, a distinguished bishop and professor at Gettysburg College, but he was black. Sixty years earlier, he had been there as Absalom Jones, an ordained ...read more

Six Chairs Of Prayer

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2008

Six Chairs of Prayer Chair One: My attitude towards prayer is that it is not important. I have no motivation to pray and no desire to pray. Nothing is happening in my life in regards to prayer. Chair Two: My attitude towards prayer is that it is optional. I have a motivation and a desire to pray ...read more

Tags: Life

Spiritual Health Checks  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Spiritual Health Checks (Devoted to Prayer) There are four signs that show that the child of God is a healthy Christian. One is a heart hungry for God's Word, second is his desire to be involved in Christian fellowship, third he observes "Communion," and four he is devoted to prayer. (Acts ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42

Tags: Church Discipline

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rocky

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Dec 12, 2008

ROCKY One of the biggest movies of modern times, "Rocky" starring Sylvester Stallone, almost never got made. Stallone was struggling to find work as a screenwriter. He saw a fight against Ali and little-known Church Wepner. Wepner went 15 rounds, and it gave Stallone an idea. Three days later, ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Baptist

So What Does This Gentle Restoration Or ...

Contributed by Sean Harder on Dec 4, 2009

So what does this gentle restoration or correction look like? Well here’s what it doesn’t look like, from a real example I observed: “How could you be so stupid, did you grow up with wolves? You are going to pay for this buster, and you’re going to straight to hell where you belong.” I have left ...read more

Tags: Mercy

Surprise Reward At The End Of Bill Broadhurst's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2010

Surprise Reward at the End of Bill Broadhurst’s Marathon In July 1981, Bill Broadhurst entered the Omaha, Nebraska, Pepsi 10k. Broadhurst is slowed by a brain aneurysm he suffered 10 years earlier, which left him partially paralyzed on the left side. He made it his goal to finish the 10k despite ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Tags: Sports

The Bigger Miracle

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 30, 2010

THE BIGGER MIRACLE Pastor Steve Yeschek lost his sister, Judy, after a five-year battle with cancer. She was a woman who, as Steve described her, was a party animal—-a big drinker with a self-contented lifestyle. She was someone everybody loved, because she exuded excitement and a thrill for life. ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Corrie Ten Boom On Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

Corrie Ten Boom had her entire family killed in a Nazi concentration camp for hiding Jews in their home. In her book, “The Hiding Place” she writes: It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, a former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:13

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

When We Raise Our Hands, God Will Intervene

Contributed by Saumiman Saud on Feb 18, 2025

WHEN WE RAISE OUR HANDS, GOD WILL INTERVENE Heavenly Father, I have just realized how Almighty You are, even though I have known this for a long time. Forgive me, Father, for often facing various problems relying only on myself. It turns out that I am limited and have no strength of my own. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:11

Tags: God, Raised Hands

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sin Of Achan

Contributed by John Bright on Oct 3, 2025

We struggle with someone suffering for the actions of another. In that day, they were not so individualistic as we are in this Western World. Whenever I share the Sin of Achan from the book of Joshua, modern folks like to protest. Here’s the story: The Israelites are given a great victory over ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 7:5, Joshua 7:24-26

Tags: Sin, Consequences

Denomination: Methodist

The King Who Humbled Himself

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 1, 2025

In John's Gospel, Jesus shared these words: BIBLE "If I your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash each other's feet." Jesus did this as an example. Then Jesus took the bread and the cup and set another example. "Do this, in remembrance of me." ...read more

Scripture: John 13:14, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:27

Tags: Body, King, Visit, Humbled, Blood  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

That Was Lee Risler’s Problem According To ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 26, 2001

That was Lee Risler’s problem according to the Associated Press1. Mr. Risler, a 53-year-old sandal maker, was driving from his high desert home in Lucerne Valley, California to Hermosa Beach to sell his wares at a craft fair, when the accident occurred. For some reason, Risler’s van veered off ...read more

Tags: Repentance, Creator, Elohim, Evangelism The Lost, Sin Separates From God  (view more)  (view less)

The Eating Thing  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Hamilton on Sep 29, 2002

The Eating thing Let me share with you a fairly personal issue that I’m working through that has caused me to ask this question about loving God. Last year – in fact for a number of years now I have been aware that I have been struggling with an addiction. As soon as I say the word it arouses ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:8

Tags: Addiction

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Thank You Sir! May I Do Another?" Matthew 4:1-11 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 3, 2005

“Thank You Sir! May I Do Another?” Matthew 4:1-11 Key verse(s): 9-10:“Then the devil left him and angels came and attended him.” “Thank you sir! May I do another?” Crouching on the ground, the recruit seemed barely touched by the sergeant’s rough treatment. He was doing push-ups; and a lot of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Lutheran

The Image From Our First Reading, Of God Writing ...

Contributed by Charles Wood on May 14, 2009

The image from our first reading, of God writing his law on our hearts, is very consoling and meant to encourage us. The image of writing could call to mind one complication. That is, if we are honest with ourselves we all could probably admit that we may not always be the best medium for God to ...read more

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Catholic

A Good Illustration Of This Comes From An Old ...  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Selfridge on Feb 26, 2003

A good illustration of this comes from an old parable of the end time judgment with all the people who have ever lived being brought before God. Not submitting to God they come with a complaint. One group made the claim that they suffered persecution. They had died in gas chambers and concentration ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:1-36, Genesis 50:20

Tags: Humanity Of Christ

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Modern Version Of The Parable Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Jul 18, 2003

A MODERN VERSION OF THE PARABLE OF THE LABOURERS: A large, mulit-national, retail giant moved into a new city. We’ll call it “Stuff Mart.” They put an add in the paper inviting applications for people to work for one month to stock their shelves, and received 100 applications. The manager ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Parable Vineyard

Denomination: Baptist

Hubert Finny  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 17, 2004

Hubert Finny On September 19th 2002 we visited Heartland Retirement center to visit with a gentleman by the name of Hubert Finney. A good sister in our congregation at Carrey’s Run Church of Christ had been talking to Hubert about becoming a Christian. Hubert was 88 years old and on Oct. 15th, ...read more

Tags: Baptism, Patience