In Sermon Illustrations: "Than Ksgiving"

Subway Superhero

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 22, 2011

SUBWAY SUPERHERO Just a few years ago, an astonishing thing happened in New York City. A construction worker named Wesley Autrey was standing on a subway platform with his two young daughters waiting on a train. Suddenly another man on the platform, apparently suffering from a seizure, stumbled ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Tags: Heroism

Staying In The Shallow End

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 28, 2011

STAYING IN THE SHALLOW END He stays at the shallow end of the pool for a long time, refusing invitations to come out into the deeper water, even with his dad. But after a long time considering it, my grandson Zion Brave Bennett thrusts himself into the pool, swimming underwater and then ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Identity

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2011

IDENTITY Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France has proposed a decree that would ban anyone from wearing religious symbols of any kind. The decree is aimed particularly at forbidding Muslim women from wearing their traditional burqa with a full-faced veil. However the decree is broad enough that it ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:26-28

Tags: Religion

High On Their Huddles

Contributed by John Hamby on Apr 25, 2011

HIGH ON THEIR HUDDLES One of my favorite preachers is Dr. Tony Evans in Dallas. Some years ago I heard him give the following description of the purpose of the church service. He said, "In football they have a huddle, the goal of the huddle is to give you thirty seconds to call the play; that is ...read more

Tags: Church Practices

Denomination: Baptist

Would You Hire Him?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2011

WOULD YOU HIRE HIM? A certain church found itself suddenly without a pastor, and a search committee was formed. In due course it received a letter from a man applying for the vacant position. The committee chairman read: "I am considered to be a good preacher, and I have been a leader in most of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 26:1-29

Tags: Paul

When Muller Prayed

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jul 10, 2011

WHEN MULLER PRAYED During GEORGE MULLER'S life, he received more than 1,000,000 pounds from the Lord, without advertising - every penny came as an answered prayer. The following story is told by the captain of a ship on which he was traveling. "We had George Muller of Bristol, England on board," ...read more

Tags: Prayer Of Faith

Denomination: Baptist

What Really Matters

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Jul 28, 2011

WHAT REALLY MATTERS It was two weeks before Christmas and it began to start. Everyone was scrambling and rushing to get to Wal-Mart. Their credit cards were in the orange and checking account in the red in hopes that their rich uncle would soon be dead. Old Saint Nick sitting high on a mountain ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6

Tags: Christmas, Season, Gift, Santa, Xmas, Clause  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Hypocrisy Of Robert Courtney  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

THE HYPOCRISY OF ROBERT COURTNEY Before his arrest, Robert Courtney served as a deacon at Northland Cathedral, an Assembly of God Church in Kansas City. In 1990, Courtney began purchasing pharmaceuticals on the gray market and using them to fill prescriptions at his pharmacy. In time, he began ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:23-28

Tags: Hypocrisy

He Cried For Me  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 14, 2011

HE CRIED FOR ME Jan, who was a young mother in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, 20 years ago, tells a remarkable story from that time in her life. In a note to her pastor, she wrote: It was the end. I knew it. I could no longer fight. I sat here emotionless. I was totally alone. Others had tried to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 62:5-8

Tags: Suffering Loneliness

Are You Doing What You Are Called To Do?  PRO

Contributed by Brad Henry on Sep 19, 2011

ARE YOU DOING WHAT YOU ARE CALLED TO DO? Last week was a very interesting week. About a year ago, when our finances started to dwindle, I sent my resume out to an Executive Search Group (Headhunter). Now that’s a unique name! Last week, I got a call that there was a possibility of an awesome ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Nolan Ryan Didn't Change Me  PRO

Contributed by Tim White on Feb 1, 2012

NOLAN RYAN DIDN'T CHANGE ME In 1991, Ryan, our son, age 6 at the time, played Challenger Baseball, a modified version of the game for disabled children. At the end of the season, each child received an official Challenger baseball for his or her participation. We asked Ryan what he wanted to do ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:6-7

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Baptist

Skeletons In Our Closets

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

SKELETONS IN OUR CLOSETS The Rockefeller family is considered to be one of the most philanthropic families in the world, helping humanity globally in issues like economics, religion, education and environmental affairs. Yet the Rockefeller family tree is filled with many skeletons. William Avery ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Methodist

The Unending Wish

Contributed by Tim White on Mar 5, 2012

THE UNENDING WISH When I was a boy, my dad asked me if I could have one wish be granted, what would it be? We played that game as a family, and every time my brother or one of my sisters thought of a better wish than I thought about, I would change my wish. Then my dad unplugged all the fun by ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Baptist

Lottery's Biggest Losers

Contributed by Aaron Mishoe on Apr 3, 2012

LOTTERY'S BIGGEST LOSERS Winning the lottery isn’t a guaranteed ticket to the good life, as these previous winners can attest: --Jack Whittaker: This West Virginia businessman won $315 million in the Powerball lottery in 2002, the largest jackpot ever from a single ticket in American history at ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 13:11

Tags: Money

Denomination: Holiness

Divorce Rate Myth Among Christians

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 30, 2012

DIVORCE RATE MYTH AMONG CHRISTIANS A common myth going around is that the divorce rate is the same among Christians as it is among non-Christians. But such just isn't the case, when you take a closer look. According to the "Americans for Divorce Reform," the divorce rate among the general ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:1-12

Tags: Divorce

Horror To Hope—a Story From The Holocaust  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 7, 2012

HORROR TO HOPE--A STORY FROM THE HOLOCAUST In Jerusalem there is a Holocaust Museum dedicated to the memory of the millions of Jews who were killed by the Nazis in World War II. It has been said that going through the museum is a very depressing experience because you see these horrible pictures ...read more

Scripture: Job 42:10-17, Jeremiah 29:10-14

Tags: God Brings Hope

Thoughts On The Church

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jun 20, 2012

THOUGHTS ON THE CHURCH Here are some thoughts on The Church from a few 30 on down in age, individuals from the book "The Relevant Church": Quotes: Tyler Watts, "I think I disconnect from the Gospel of Jesus Christ when I'm not involved in close relationships with other believers." Philip Evans, ...read more

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Kids Have A Lot Of Questions. The ...

Contributed by Mark Thometz on Aug 27, 2012

Kids have a lot of questions. The “why” questions I've found is most popular. Back in Boise I work for the YMCA as an after school child care worker. Needless to say, when it's you and 2 other adults with 35+ kids a lot of “why” questions come up. “Why can't we do that?...well why? Why!?” This last ...read more

Tags: Curiosity

Denomination: Christian Church

Prayer And The Motorcycle  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Nov 13, 2012

PRAYER AND THE MOTORCYCLE There was a woman at work when she received a phone call that her daughter was very sick with a fever. She left work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication for her daughter. She returned to her car to find that she had locked the keys inside the car when ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28, John 13:31-38, Proverbs 28:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Tags: Renewal, Alive, Rededication, Prayer Hardship

Denomination: *other

Turn A Blind Eye  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jul 8, 2013

TURN A BLIND EYE We must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29) Have you turned a blind eye to God’s Word? Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase "turn a blind eye," which means to ignore undesirable information. The saying comes from a 19th century British naval battle. On April 2, 1801, during the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:29

Tags: Obedience, Civil Obedience

Denomination: Nazarene