In Sermon Illustrations: "Take Stock"

Never Satisfied, More!

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 23, 2024

REMEMBER THE STORY ABOUT THE DOG AND HIS BONE? There was a real smart dog that had searched and searched for just the right bone. After several hours the dog found a real big wonderful bone. He picked the good bone up and started home with his prized bone. On the way home the dog had to pass over a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:18

Tags: Comparison, Satisfied

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Long Process Of Crucifixion

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

Roman crucifixion was a long, drawn-out process that often lasted for several days. This was not the case for Jesus - "Pilate marveled that He was already dead…" Mark 15:44. What happens on that cross? • With weight on the wrists - the chest is stretched when the person is slumped ...read more

Scripture: Mark 15:44, John 19:33-34

Tags: Water, Blood, Crucifixion, Sermon

Denomination: Methodist

Stewardship Billfold Story - Humor

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 3, 2025

When I think of stewardship it brings to mind a story about a minister who was baptizing his new converts in a farm pond not far from the church. One of the gentlemen that was being baptized was a prosperous farmer known in his community for his tight grip on the dollar. When his name was called ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:8-12, Hebrews 7:1, Matthew 25:18, Matthew 6:21, Proverbs 3:9  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Baptism, Money, Steward, Stewardship

Denomination: Anglican

Your Last Meal?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 14, 2026

WHAT MEAL WOULD YOU ORDER IF YOU KNEW IT WAS YOUR LAST? WHAT TALE ARE YOU TELLING? SEVERAL YEARS AGO I WAS WITH A 38 YEAR OLD MAN ON DEATH ROW. At midnight we would take a walk to the death chamber. He was given his last request what to eat. He had ordered 2 REUBEN SANDWICHES AND CURLY FRIES. He ...read more

Scripture: James 4:14-15, Psalm 90:9-10

Tags: Death, Last Meal

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Yanking And Pulling.

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Jun 19, 2020

A woman that had boarded a plane to visit family struggled to wedge her suitcase into the tight overhead bin. Eventually triumphantly closing the door and taking her seat. When the plane landed, she got up opened the bin and found her suitcase was struck so she began yanking and tugging. The ...read more

Scripture: James 5:10-11

Tags: Persistence, Resilience

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Room At The Cross For You

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 1, 2020

On the deck of a sinking ship stood an African slave- the last man on board. He was to be the last person to get on the last lifeboat. The life boat was loaded to the water line. The slave had something in his arms and the sailors refused to take him until he let that go. He pressed to his ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:12, John 3:16, John 15:13

Tags: Salvation, Cross, Eternal Life, Perish

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Resilience When Faced With Insurmountable Problems

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

A woman that had boarded a plane to visit family struggled to wedge her suitcase into the tight overhead bin. Eventually triumphantly closing the door and taking her seat. When the plane landed, she got up opened the bin and found her suitcase was struck so she began yanking and tugging. The ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 10:28

Tags: Resilience, Insurmountable Problems

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Are You Prepared For Tough Times?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 4, 2021

Lord Joseph Duveen, American head of the art firm that bore his name, planned in 1915 to send one of his experts to England to examine some ancient pottery. He booked passage on the Lusitania. Then the German Embassy issued a warning that the liner might be torpedoed. Duveen wanted to call off ...read more

Tags: Commitment, Preparation, Hardships, Trials, Tough Times  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Make Room For The Tide!

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Mar 12, 2022

"Years ago, a wealthy businessman from London chartered a bus to carry a busload of urban children to the coast. There, the children spent a wonderful day at the ocean. Many of the children had never left the city. Most had never seen the ocean. For one blissful day, they ran unfettered over ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18

Tags: Make Room, Spirit Filled, Ocean, Full, Tide  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

New Church Treasurer

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 4, 2022

The day the old church treasurer resigned, the church asked the local grain elevator manager to take the position. He agreed under 2 conditions: 1. No treasurer’s report would be given for the first year 2. No questions be asked about finances during that year The people were surprised but finally ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:10

Tags: Giving, Tithing, Money

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

His Rightful Place

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Apr 11, 2022

I have a dog named Simba. I named him Simba because he is the color of a lion and he has the personality of a lion even though he is a chihuahua. One afternoon, we were really tired and I decided to take a quick nap with Simba. Simba has a certain place on the bed beside me where he always lays. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33, Luke 10:41

Tags: Putting God First, Resting, Making Room For God, Making Time For God

Denomination: Charismatic

The Unthankful Pig

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on May 6, 2022

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THE LESSON OF THE PIG? Seems a big fat pig is roaming around the forest and finds all likes of delicious juicy acorns on the ground. The acorns are strewn on the ground. The pig eats and eats the acorns until the acorns are gone. The pig takes a long nap. When the pig wakes up ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 13:33

Tags: Pigs, Unthankful

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Day In The Life Of A Shepherd  PRO

Contributed by Ervin Kimrey on Jun 29, 2005

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SHEPHERD With a spring in his step and an eye to the sky, at sunrise, he makes straight for the sheep fold. As soon as he rattles the gate, he gives his morning call, greets the sheep, often by name, every sheep is on its feet. They spring toward the gate, with expectancy ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:11

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Promises Of God

Denomination: Baptist

The Emperor And The Seed  PRO

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

THE EMPEROR AND THE SEED Once there was an emperor in the Far East who was growing old and knew it was coming time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or one of his own children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young people in the kingdom ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:10

Tags: Faith, Fear, Courage, Truth, Humility, Hypocrisy, Honesty, Leadership, Risk, Patience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Your Bucket Is Filled!" Philippians 2: 1-11: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 21, 2004

“Your Bucket is Filled!” Philippians 2: 1-11: Key verse(s): 4 “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Consider Your Neighbor!) On a recent Saturday, awakening to a beautifully sunrise and cool breezes, I lazed in bed putting tasks upon the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

Lost ...

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jul 1, 2008

LOST IDENTITY --- Have you ever lost your driver’s license? --- Isn’t it a traumatic event? I have lost my driver’s license several times over the years and each time it made my life difficult. For all practical purposes I lost my identity. I couldn’t write a check – stores will not take a check ...read more

Tags: Restoration

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Serving Others

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever the cost”. - Arthur Ashe In a small, dusty town in western Oklahoma one November there lived a young single mother struggling to make ends meet. ...read more

Scripture: John 13:12-14

Tags: Humility, Christian Service

Denomination: Charismatic

What God Told Me At 4 A.m. In Guangzhou, China

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 13, 2018

Note: this story is told by me - Jim Butcher of Madison WV. I want to tell you a story about an insight that God gave me into John 14:1-4, the passage where Jesus speaks of going to prepare a place for us. This is the story of something that happened to me several years ago while I was in ...read more

Tags: China, Adoption, New Jerusalem, Eternity, Father, Family, Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[025] A Message From A Poem - Balance Of God’s Attributes

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 9, 2025

[025] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - BALANCE OF GOD’S ATTRIBUTES One area where it takes deeper study to understand, is the attributes of God. The attributes are what is the completeness in God and they are many. It is what God is. We speak about love and mercy and compassion, but we also have ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 85:10-11, Exodus 34:5-7, Hebrews 2:17

Tags: Love, Forgiveness, Faithful, Judgment, Balance, Merciful, Attributes, Penalty, Poetry, Attributes Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Honest Is The Best Policy

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 20, 2026

A successful businessman knew it was time to choose a successor to lead his business. Instead of appointing one of his directors, or one of his children, he decided to call the company's young executives together. He said, "It is time for me to choose the next CEO. I have decided to ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 10:9, Proverbs 11:3

Tags: Humility, Honesty

Denomination: Methodist