In Sermon Illustrations: "Talking"

Christian Love Impacts A Heartless World  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2009

CHRISTIAN LOVE IMPACTS A HEARTLESS WORLD We live in a heartless world. The last United States census missed at least 5.7 million people who were anonymous even to the census takers. Every year thousands of unidentified and even unidentifiable bodies are found across North America. And only one out ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-2

Tags: Christian Love

The Tithe Belongs To God!

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 13, 2022

You don’t give the tithe, you return it back to God. It belongs to Him! There is a cartoon that shows four frames! 1. In the first frame a man looks at a new car! The salesman says, "10% down and low, low payments for 48 months." The man asks, "Where do I sign?" 2. In the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

Tags: Giving, Tithing

Dirty Windows

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 12, 2023

"A friend of mine, Bud Wood, founded Shepherds Home in Wisconsin for boys and girls with developmental disabilities. The original ministry opened its doors in 1964 to 36 children, providing them a loving residential environment and a school that would focus on their unique needs, helping them ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, Philippians 3:20, 1 John 3:1-3

Tags: Return Of Christ, Disabled Children, Revelation, Children, Heaven, Second Coming, Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Worst Dad Joke Ever

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 17, 2023

I usually begin every one of my Sunday sermons with a funny story to get our congregation comfortable before I begin to dive in deeply to the Word of God. If you like dad jokes or puns (old name) and you want to make your congregation groan a little bit.........check this dad joke out! CHESS ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22, Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Medicine, Dad Jokes, Happiness, Joy, Humor, Laughter  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In God's Time

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 20, 2023

The little boy walked home from Sunday School and the family were sitting around the old pot-bellied stove talking. The boy told his dad and Pa about the lesson. The boy was so excited. He told them he had gone to the altar and accepted Jesus as his personal Savior. The boy said he was going to ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Tags: Time, Serve

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Church That Voted God Out!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2024

The story is told about a poor woman who lived across the tracks and wanted to join a very fashionable church. She talked to the pastor about it, but he sought to discourage her. He suggested she go home and think about it carefully for a week. At the end of the week she came back. He said, “Go ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-12

Tags: Church, Revival, Favoritism, Pastors, Membership, Partiality  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Five Finger Prayer Formula

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 10, 2024

Prayer is a conversation with God, not a formula. Yet sometimes we might need to use a “method” to freshen up our prayer time. We can pray the Psalms or other Scriptures (such as The Lord’s Prayer), or use the ACTS method (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication). I recently came ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Faith, Worship, Praise, Prayer, Hearing God, Receiving, Asking, Needs  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Can We Know That We Are Truly Saved

Contributed by Hylton Davidson on Aug 13, 2025

Having assurance that one is saved is linked to the process called regeneration. Regeneration is not something a person initiates; it is a sovereign act of God. A person is born again when the Holy Spirit imparts spiritual life, enabling them to repent and believe in the gospel. This transformation ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Assurance, Saved

Denomination: Christian Church

Amazing Grace

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

Amazing Grace Paul wrote of a higher righteousness that comes from God himself and never depends on our doings. Whenever we know that righteousness of God firsthand, it always changes our lives. One man tells that one day he blundered into an affair with someone else’s wife. He was weak and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:1-16

Tags: Higher Righteousness, Amazing Grace

Denomination: Anglican

The Phone Rang. Dad Put Down His Garden Tools, ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Oct 18, 2000

The phone rang. Dad put down his garden tools, wiped the sweat from his face and rushed into the house to grab the phone before its final ring. With his mind on his Saturday morning chores, he didn’t notice the sliding glass patio door was closed. Mom found him in a pool of blood with glass ...read more

Tags: Second Coming, Assurance Of Salvation, Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Baptist

The Old Man And The Gulls  PRO

Contributed by Dan Cormie on Oct 25, 2002

THE OLD MAN AND THE GULLS It is gratitude that prompted an old man to visit an old broken pier on the eastern seacoast of Florida. Every Friday night, until his death in 1973, he would return, walking slowly and slightly stooped with a large bucket of shrimp. The sea gulls would flock to this old ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 16:11-18

Tags: Giving General, Thanksgiving Holiday, Joy

Denomination: Mennonite

My Daughter Served As A Camp Counselor This ...  PRO

Contributed by Sheila Crowe on Aug 26, 2003

My daughter served as a camp counselor this summer. It is a camp in which there are several camps contained in one location. She was a gap counselor and therefore served in several different ones. One camp is called Camp Sparrowood. It is a camp for the mentally challenged ages 8-99. She was ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Discipleship

Denomination: United Methodist

I'm Going To Be Quoting From The Book Messy ...  PRO

Contributed by Nathan Garcia on Mar 8, 2005

I’m going to be quoting from the book Messy Spirituality by Mike Yaconelli. “In a book by New Zealand author Mike Riddell, Vincent has met and fallen in love with a young girl named Marilyn. Neither one of them is seeking a relationship, but a relationship is seeking them. Swept up by their ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love, Unconditional Love

Denomination: Adventist

Mr. President? (07.13.05--Tomorrow--Mark ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 12, 2005

Mr. President? (07.13.05--Tomorrow--Mark 13:33-34) We spend so much time preparing for some things. Whether it’s a birthday, a wedding, a family reunion or simply an evening dinner with the family, if there’s people involved, there’s always a goodly amount of preparation that precedes the event. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:33-34

Tags: Death Nearness

Denomination: Lutheran

Not By Might! (10.08.05--Beginning Again!--2 ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 6, 2005

Not By Might! (10.08.05--Beginning Again!--2 Kings 5:12) “That’s simple--too simple!” I thought. I had been looking for a simple solution to overcoming a seemingly complex problem for a long time now. How could I get better mileage and performance on an engine that was nearly 40 years old? I had ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 5:12

Tags: Sin General, Sin Wages Of

Denomination: Lutheran

Judging Books! (10.20.05--That Person!--Esther ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 19, 2005

Judging Books! (10.20.05--That Person!--Esther 3:5-6) The other day, a jehovah’s witness came to my door. I’ve seen them many times in the past as they slowly travel down my driveway and descend upon my doorbell. I know what differentiates my faith from theirs and have learned stock answers to ...read more

Scripture: Esther 5:5-6

Tags: Racism

Denomination: Lutheran

The Compassion Of Jesus Makes A Funeral A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 10, 2010

The Compassion of Jesus Makes a Funeral a Celebration When I was in the 5th grade and we lived above the funeral home in Pawnee, there was no street celebration, no brass band or snare drum or festive umbrellas but the funeral for Rev Sonious’ wife was something to behold. Just months before she ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tags: Funerals Christian

Fear In The Work Cubicle

Contributed by Troy Borst on Apr 4, 2015

IN THE WORK CUBICLE (p) It’s a normal day at the office. You got to work 5 minutes late like usual. You find your normal parking place open and you whip your car into the spot and grab all that you need from the passenger seat. You are soon in the elevator heading to your floor. The elevator ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Workplace, Sharing Christ, Workplace Evangelism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Charles Colson Tells The Story Of Being On Th...

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 28, 2015

Charles Colson tells the story of being on the Bill Buckley television program, talking about criminal justice reform. A few days later he got a call from Jack Eckerd, the founder of the Eckerd Drug chain, the second largest drug chain in America. He saw me on television and asked me to come to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-16

Tags: True Repentance, Led By God

Denomination: Methodist

Ugandan Juvenile Jail

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

Bob Goff tells the story of his longtime friend Charlie. Charlie was one of those guys who measured his life not by what he was but by what he has given up. He was a graduate of law school and then became an FBI agent. He met Bob for coffee and then said he wanted to use his training to help kids ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-25

Tags: Prayer, Forgiveness

Denomination: Methodist