In Sermon Illustrations: "Talking"

No Dummies Allowed  PRO

Contributed by T D on Dec 28, 2010

NO DUMMIES ALLOWED Why couldn’t Jesus be more specific? Why couldn’t he just define things in a 30-second commercial or make it easier to understand? I saw in the bookstore the other day one of those yellow books which said “Computers for Dummies.” They had a whole series of them- cooking for ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-5

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Evangelical Free

God Uses People Like Derrick

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 17, 2011

GOD USES PEOPLE LIKE DERRICK In Dayton, Ohio, attorney Derrick Farmer gave a motivational talk to at-risk teens. Derrick is 48 years old and has been an attorney since 1999. Now, what was unusual about this event was that it was picketed by 30 Dayton police officers. Why? When Derrick was 16 years ...read more

Tags: Born Again

Denomination: Methodist

Who Is John Three-Sixteen?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 4, 2011

WHO IS JOHN THREE-SIXTEEN? A few years ago the principal of the English Mission College at Cairo, Egypt, received a letter from a Japanese Buddhist of the city whose children were attending his school. "Who is John three sixteen? My children are always talking about him?" The principal sent a ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12-30

Tags: Jesus Christ

Higher Ground

Contributed by John Putty on Apr 5, 2011

HIGHER GROUND The old hymn, “Higher Ground” is a spiritual declaration of one determined man Johnson Oatman, Jr. put to music! While some refuse to believe that our personal faith plays any real role in our spiritual growth and in experiencing Christian victory, in all my 20 years of preaching ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Assembly Of God

World Records

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Jul 18, 2011

WORLD RECORDS Sleeping Beauty, Tom Thumb, and Quasimodo were all talking one day. Sleeping Beauty said, "I believe myself to be the most beautiful girl in the world." Tom Thumb said, "I must be the smallest person in the world." Quasimodo said, "I absolutely have to be the ugliest person in the ...read more

Tags: Fellowship, Beauty

Denomination: Brethren

The Reverend And The Rose

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 30, 2011

THE REVEREND AND THE ROSE Rev. Jerry Parnell, pastor of the Canaan Baptist Church of Anderson, South Carolina, will often conclude one of his sermons with an illustration using a live rose. He tells how that God gives us a fresh flowing in life, but that over the course of time we make bad ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Baptist

A 33-Year-Old Great

Contributed by Steve Wilson on Jun 6, 2012

A 33-YEAR-OLD GREAT About 2,300 years ago Alexander the Great marched his army from Greece to India. Though the distance was long, his army was unstoppable. The only reason he stopped was that his men became homesick and wanted to return to Greece. That march had long ranging influence. The Greek ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Baptist

Here Are Some Thoughts He Says To Consider Before ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 8, 2012

Here are some thoughts he says to consider before you bash and trash talk - The Church of Jesus Christ: 1. We have to recognize Jesus loves the church (He loved her enough to die for her!) 2. The ‘local church’ is the hope of the world. 3. The church is made up of people. 4. People hurt people – ...read more

Tags: Church Practices

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Sure Wish Jesus Could Have Been There!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2014

I SURE WISH JESUS COULD HAVE BEEN THERE! A church had a special concert and the worship center was packed. The congregation had one of their greatest times of worship ever! Later that evening, a young mother from the church was putting her little boy to bed. He had enjoyed the concert so much ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:1-20

Tags: Jesus, Children, Prayer, Presence Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Salvation Is About Relationship

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

On May 31, 1975 Jeanie and I were legally married. A record of that translation is documented at Potter County in Amarillo, Texas. Because of that, I can introduce her as my wife. She can sign papers as Jeanie Tow. A legal transaction occurred. But what if that were all there is to our marriage? We ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14, 2 Corinthians 6:1

Tags: Grace, Relationship To God, Love And Faith

Denomination: Charismatic

Old Nature

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

OLD MAN Some time ago, a person I worked with came up to me and said, “if I didn’t know you, I would be terrified to meet you on the street”. If my coworker only knew half of what I’d been, He would never even talk to me. God took the most vile, evil, misguided person in the world and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:22-32

Tags: New Man, Old Man

Denomination: Pentecostal

Starving For God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 23, 2020

BEATITUDE #4 - "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." “What Jesus is talking about is no mere reference to hunger which could be satisfied by a mid-morning snack. The thought is that of STARVATION. Are you longing for God like that? ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Beatitudes, Hungry For God, Thirsting For God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Embraced By The Darkness

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 18, 2022

"Embraced By the Light" or is it more like.... "Embraced By the Darkness?" The idea of Hell and judgment are nowhere to be found in Betty Eadie’s bestseller, Embraced By The Light, on the N.Y. Times bestseller list. In November 1973, Eadie allegedly died after undergoing a ...read more

Tags: Hell, Death, Jesus, Heaven, Judgment, False Teachers, Lies, Deceit, False Prophets  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Inner City Church Had An Annual Student ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 23, 2001

An inner city church had an annual student recognition day. Normally, students would share about their educational experiences and then the pastor would get up and offer a few closing words. One year, the pastor’s words were a bit alarming. He stood up in front of all the young graduates and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 22:1-15, Mark 15:1-15, Daniel 1:6-12

Tags: Witnessing, Life

Actual Answering Machine Answers Recorded And ...  PRO

Contributed by Dru Ashwell on Dec 16, 2001

Actual answering machine answers recorded and verified by the world-famous International Institute of Answering Machine Answers. ~~~~~ Hi. Now you say something. ~~~~~ Hi, I’m not home right now but my answering machine is, so you can talk to it instead. Wait for the beep. ~~~~~ Hello. I am David’s ...read more

Tags: Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

William Hinson, Sr. Retired Pastor Of First ...

Contributed by Steven Angus on May 31, 2006

William Hinson, Sr. retired pastor of First United Methodist Church in Houston, the largest church in American Methodism, tells the story about a time when he was going to Columbia, South Carolina to preach in a revival. He had not slept well the night before and had gotten up that morning and ...read more

Tags: Birth Of Jesus

Denomination: United Methodist

Charles Fuller Was A Radio Bible Teacher Years ...

Contributed by Doug Lyon on Dec 11, 2006

Charles Fuller was a radio Bible teacher years ago. He once announced that he would be speaking the following Sunday on the topic of “Heaven.” During that week, he received a letter from an elderly gentleman who was very ill—on his deathbed. The man wrote: “Next Sunday you are to talk about ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-20

Denomination: Independent/Bible

One Time Many Years Ago (Maybe 1993) I Took ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One time many years ago (maybe 1993) I took Holly and Shane and went to South Bend, IN, to run the Sunburst marathon. She had a friend from college who lived there and we went to visit them as well. The Sunburst marathon was run in June and on a Saturday. Then we had to drive back to southern IL, ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

God Positioning System

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Apr 22, 2008

GOD POSITIONING SYSTEM I was thinking a lot about this idea that Jesus is the way. He doesn't just tell us the way, He shows us. He is kind of like one of those GPS navigation system. GPS stands for the "Global Positioning System" that was originally designed for military use, but now is open ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 12:1-12

Tags: Kindness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

There Seems To Be An Attitude Among Many People, ...

Contributed by Brian La Croix on May 16, 2008

There seems to be an attitude among many people, both Christians and non-Christians. It’s an attitude that demands things of God. They try to order God around like He’s their servant or something. “Do this, God. I claim that, God. (Even if there is nothing in Scripture to back up what they’re ...read more

Tags: Prayer Supplication

Denomination: Wesleyan