In Sermon Illustrations: "Tests"

I Love Working In My Yard. In Fact My Neighbors ...

Contributed by A. David Hart on Feb 20, 2007

I love working in my yard. In fact my neighbors think that I take yard work all too seriously. I’ll cut my grass and make sure that it is cut in a certain pattern. I make sure that my lines are straight from the lawnmower wheels and my flowers have to be just right. But one day disaster struct. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16

Denomination: Baptist

He Didn't Know He Owned It

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

HE DIDN'T KNOW HE OWNED IT There was once a sheep ranch owned by a man named Mr. Yates. Mr. Yates wasn't able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the overheads and the interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. With little money for clothes or food, his family ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

So Be Careful How You Live. Don't Live Like ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Mar 3, 2009

“So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do” (Eph. 5:15-17). To ignore that is to court disaster. The Winter 1991 issue of the ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Pentecostal

Resurrection Proof

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Mar 29, 2024

Why is His resurrection so important? Think about what they call cold cases. Sometimes a man is accused of a crime he didn’t commit and put in jail. They found blood at the scene, but they didn’t have the DNA technology that they do today. But now, years later, they can use that same blood and ...read more

Scripture: Job 19:25

Tags: Resurrection, Life

Denomination: Lutheran

Sole Witness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

SOLE WITNESS A fine lad entered the Army. He faced a real test the first night he went to be in the barracks. He had formed the commendable habit of placing his Bible on his bed at home and kneeling down to read a chapter while having his daily prayer time before retiring. Surrounded by scores of ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

What Happens At Home

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2012

WHAT HAPPENS AT HOME Howard Hendricks used to say to us men in seminary preparing to lead churches, "If your Christianity isn't working at home, don't export it." It was his way of saying, "If you can't make your faith work in your own family, then please don't try to make it work in the family of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:4-5

Tags: Parenting

Stick With The Basics

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 25, 2017

When kids turn sixteen, they often take an in-car driving course to prepare them for their driver’s license test. I want you to imagine with me a driving instructor who meticulously teaches the student how to properly adjust the seat and put on the seat belt, how to adjust the mirrors so that the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:16

Tags: Gospel, Essentials Of Faith

Denomination: Charismatic

Do All Roads Lead To God?

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: Jesus is the only one way to heaven. Verse: Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6 NKJV). Illustration: I once heard someone say, “All religions ultimately lead to God.” But, think about this question logically. ...read more

Tags: Salvation, Religious Beliefs, Evangelism

Denomination: Charismatic

Coronavirus And Our Need For The Transcendent

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 21, 2020

Children, as Jesus said, Don't be afraid. Your family is probably founded on some kind of faith. Listen to your parents and other adults whom you trust, and know that nearly everyone is working hard to get us through this trouble. ? In fifty years you will remember this crisis as one of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:27

Tags: Fear, Forgiveness, Pandemic, Covid 19

Denomination: Catholic

The Bible Challenge

Contributed by Dennis Selfridge on Jul 25, 2009

THE BIBLE CHALLENGE During a question and answer session at a recent speaking engagement, a university student asked, "Why do you believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God?" What is so special, so unique about the Bible that Christians believe it is literally the inspired word of God? ...read more

Tags: Apologetics The Bible

Denomination: Wesleyan

Four Chaplains

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Dec 6, 2011

FOUR CHAPLAINS It was the evening of Feb. 2, 1943, and the U.S. Army Transport Ship Dorchester was crowded to capacity. Hans J. Danielsen, the ship's captain, was concerned and cautious. He knew they were in dangerous waters; German U-boats were constantly prowling these vital sea lanes, ...read more

Tags: Examples Of Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

The King's Search

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 15, 2020

MY HANDS AND GOD’S HEART CAN ACCOMPLISH GOD’S WORK IN SOME OF THE STRANGEST WAYS. PONDER MY STORY… There was this wonderful King that loved his people so much. This King had prayed for a son for years. But all he and the queen ever had was a DAUGHTER. She was absolutely beautiful. To add to ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-8

Tags: New King, Do It

Denomination: Assembly Of God

My Brother Served His First Parish In Massillion, ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Dec 12, 2000

My brother served his first parish in Massillion, Ohio, as an associate pastor, with the late Pastor Maurice "Mo" White. Pastor White was a very large, strong and vibrant man. During one Lenten season, one of the older, but faithful members of the church came with her husband to an evening Lenten ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-9

Tags: Death, Funerals Christian, Service

Denomination: Lutheran

My Brother Served His First Parish In Massillion, ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Feb 25, 2001

My brother served his first parish in Massillion, Ohio, as an associate pastor, with the late Pastor Maurice "Mo" White. Pastor White was a very large, strong and vibrant man. During one Lenten season, one of the older, but faithful members of the church came with her husband to an evening Lenten ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Death

Denomination: Lutheran

Just In Case Your Boss Catches You Asleep At Your ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Apr 4, 2001

Just in case your boss catches you asleep at your desk, be ready to blurt out one of these excuses: *They told me at the blood bank that this might happen. *This is just a 15-minute power nap like they raved about in that time management course you sent me to. *I was working smarter - not ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Stress, Workplace, Workplace Evangelism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dr. Bill Bright Of Campus Crusade For Christ ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Jan 11, 2002

Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ tells this story of a famous oil field called Yates Pool: During the depression this field was a sheep ranch owned by a man named Yates. Mr. Yates wasn’t able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit Attributes, God's Omnipotence, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Huge Reserves  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2002

HUGE RESERVES Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ tells this story of a famous oil field called Yates Pool: During the depression this field was a sheep ranch owned by a man named Yates. Mr. Yates wasn’t able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8, Acts 1:1-8

Tags: God's Omnipotence, Holy Spirit In Believers, Gifts General

The Gettysburg Address  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 19, 2002

THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS: Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived ...read more

Tags: Holidays Civic

Will Rogers  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Sep 14, 2002

Will Rogers Will Rogers was known for his laughter, but he also knew how to weep. One day he was entertaining at the Milton H. Berry Institute in Los Angeles, a hospital that specialized in rehabilitating polio victims and people with broken backs and other extreme physical handicaps. Of course, ...read more

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Baptist

Many Times The Bible Said That Sickness Does Not ...  PRO

Contributed by Ovidiu Radulescu on Apr 27, 2003

Many times the Bible said that sickness does not mean punishment for sin and only Pharisees arrived at this conclusion. But in this case seems that certain sin brought this man in this condition. Paralyzed. Yesterday Superman, today… paralyzed. Alone.. whit remorse, for hundreds of times he ...read more

Tags: Family

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist