In Sermon Illustrations: "Thank You"

How To Train An ...

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on May 16, 2008

How To Train An Elephant Have you ever wondered how to train an elephant? The first step is making it believe it can’t run away. Get your elephant—preferably a baby one—and tie it to a strong steel stake in the ground, like you would tie a horse to a hitching post. The baby elephant will try to ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When My Daughter, Shannon, Was Five Years Old, ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on May 20, 2008

When my daughter, Shannon, was five years old, she came into the kitchen just a few minutes before supper asking, "May I have a Twinkie" please?" I replied, "No! Supper will be served in just a few minutes." Shannon began to moan and dance around, now demanding a Twinkie since she was STARVING! ...read more

Tags: Mother's Day

Denomination: Pentecostal

Distracted  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Sep 2, 2008

DISTRACTED One morning a farmer told his wife that he was going out to pluck the ripe fruits from his field. He got off to an early start so he could warm up the truck. He needed more petrol, so he went to the store to get it. On the way to the store he noticed the pigs weren’t fed. So he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42

Tags: Doing God's Will

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Every House Is Different

Contributed by Troy Borst on Sep 17, 2008

Every House is Different Traditionally in the Philippines, family is regarded as the highest priority, which is why there are no overcrowded orphanages or homes for the elderly. Traditionally at a wedding reception in Denmark, it is normal for the groom to disappear during part of the ceremony so ...read more

Tags: Home

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Distracted

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Dec 22, 2008

DISTRACTED One morning a farmer told his wife that he was going out to pluck the ripen fruits from his field. He got off to an early start so he could warm up the truck. He needed more petrol, so he went to the store to get it. On the way to the store he noticed the pigs weren’t fed. So he ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:2

Tags: Focus, Worldliness, Distraction

Denomination: Independent/Bible

John Wesley: Desired Personal Holiness, But Felt ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

John Wesley: Desired personal holiness, but felt like a failure. A serious man speaking to John Wesley, "Sir, you wish to serve God and to heaven? Remember that you cannot serve him alone. You must therefore find companions or make them; the Bible knows nothing of solitary religion." Wesley's ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

The Treasure Of The Church  PRO

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Mar 5, 2009

THE TREASURE OF THE CHURCH St. Lawrence was martyred in 258 A.D., but we remember him not for his martyrdom. We remember him as the Archdeacon of Rome. His responsibilities included maintaining the sacred vessels of the small, struggling church and distributing alms to the poor. While he was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:13-16

Tags: Poverty

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Wise Bible Teacher Once Said, "Sooner Or Later ...

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Mar 12, 2009

A wise Bible teacher once said, “Sooner or later God will bring self-sufficient people to the place where they have no resource but Him – no strength, no answers, nothing but Him. Without God’s help, they are sunk.” He then told of a despairing man who confessed to his pastor, “My life is really ...read more

Tags: Ot Kings

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

On Excellent ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

ON EXCELLENT WORK A year or so ago, on the cover of the New York "Herald Tribune" Sunday magazine, I saw a picture of the Statue of Liberty taken from a helicopter. It showed the top of the statue’s head. I was amazed to see the detail there. The sculptor had done a painstaking job with the ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:23

Tags: Christian Values

Churches Closed Due To Lack Of Power!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 19, 2022

Bill Crowder gives us a greatIllustration of Need for the Power of the Holy Spirit: "The first winter that my wife Marlene and I were married was marked by severe blizzards. I can vividly remember one Sunday when we awoke to find that the electricity had been knocked out by an ice storm. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:11

Tags: Holy Spirit, Power, Acts 2, Church

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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

Gorilla And Lion

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 13, 2022

There is a story about a college student who was desperately in need of a summer job. He discovered the local zoo was looking for help. He couldn’t think of a more creative way to spend the summer, but he wasn’t prepared for the job description. When he went to apply, the zookeeper explained ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8

Tags: Lion, Gorilla, Zoo

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Make Sure Your Ax Is Sharpen

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Feb 16, 2023

When we were young we did not have central heating and air. As a matter of fact I do not remember us having a window unit. What we had was a fireplace in the winter time and a screen door in the summer. I remember that old fire place. If it was real cold we would put a blanket over the door ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 10:10

Tags: Holy Spirit, Sharpening Your Ax

Denomination: Church Of God

Traveling With A Pack?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Aug 30, 2023

I have several different pairs of glasses. I really focus on one pair. A rose colored pair of glasses makes everything appear rosy. Everything you see will be rosy as we have a rose filter. Years ago I read about a pet dog. The little girl bottle fed the puppy and raised it to adult ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:25-26, Romans 12:2

Tags: Change, Paradigm, Attitudes

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Spiritual Zombies

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 2, 2025

Ephesians 2:1-3 “2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-5

Tags: Born Again, Zombies, Spiritually Dead

Denomination: Methodist

Funny Prayers

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 2, 2025

I found this collection of funny prayers on-line: • Lord, I ask that you give me the superpower to eat as much pizza as I want without gaining any weight. It would truly be a miracle and make my life complete. Amen. • Lord, I ask that you make all the calories in donuts and ice cream disappear, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:5

Tags: Holy Spirit, Food, Prayer, Flesh

Denomination: Methodist

Peter Cartright And President Andrew Jackson

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jan 12, 2026

President Andrew Jackson is going to hell There was a fiery old revival preacher named Peter Cartwright who was famous for telling it like it is. One day he was preaching near Washington D.C. And the people of the church heard that President Andrew Jackson was coming to visit them. So, they ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46, Mark 9:43-48, Matthew 5:22, Luke 16:19-31

Tags: Andrew Jackson, Peter Cartright

Denomination: Anglican

God's Timing Is Perfect

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 24, 2026

So Peter wants them to remember something that is very important, something we tend to forget: God’s timing is perfect! Amen? This can be hard for us to comprehend because we are the created and God is the Creator. The created can never fully understand the Creator. I have begun experimenting ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:8-9, Job 33:4, Psalm 139:14

Tags: Creator, God's Timing

Denomination: Methodist

There Once Was A Man Who Very Adamantly Believed ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 20, 2001

There once was a man who very adamantly believed in living by faith. He believed that, so long as he prayed in Jesus’ name, believing in faith that God would provide his need, he would receive whatever he asked for. One day he stood up in church and declared that from that day forward, he was ...read more

Tags: Faith, Money, Provision, Poverty, God's Provision, God's Will  (view more)  (view less)

Something For Nothing?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 30, 2002

SOMETHING FOR NOTHING? Are you hoping for personal change this year? Are you planning to reach your goals by way of hard work or wishful thinking? Do your plans for growth in the New Year sound like this: From the Desk of: Don Genereaux Honorable Secretary of Agriculture Washington, ...read more

Tags: Goals, Life, Government Handouts, Circumstance, Plan  (view more)  (view less)