In Sermon Illustrations: "The Apple Of The Eye"

Newspaper Columnist And Counselor George Crane ...

Contributed by Randy Croft on Dec 21, 2009

Newspaper columnist and counselor George Crane tells of a wife who came into his office full of hatred toward her husband. "I not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even. Before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has me." Dr. Crane thought about that for a couple of moments and ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Only Thing About Christmas That Bothers Me Is ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 22, 2009

The only thing about Christmas that bothers me is that people see Jesus as a baby, meek and mild but they don’t see Him for all that He really is. It always used to bother me that I was called a gentle man. I longed to be seen as strong and courageous and visionary, but people mainly see me as ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Was Walking Along The Street With A Friend Of ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 25, 2009

I was walking along the street with a friend of mine many years ago when we came across a young man being tormented by a group of teenage boys. He was being pushed around and urged on to fight. My immediate inclination was to avoid any conflict and get out of there because the situation looked ...read more

Tags: Mercy

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Prayer And Chopping Vegetables

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Feb 26, 2010

PRAYER AND CHOPPING VEGETABLES Jan and I were watching a cooking show the other day -- Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa, I think it was -- and I commented on how Ina chops vegetables. In this instance, she was chopping parsley, and she held the knife in one hand while resting her other hand on top ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Gui—dance

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 9, 2010

GUI--DANCE Robert Smith wrote in "Doctrine That Dances": "When I meditated on the word 'Guidance,' I kept seeing 'dance' at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing. When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

No Hate For Evil

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 10, 2010

NO HATE FOR EVIL Story taken from Dr. David Jeremiah: The Ortiz family ministers to a small congregation in Ariel, about 40 miles north of Jerusalem. On the Feast of Purim, gifts of food and drink are sent to friends. As if in celebration of the holiday, a gift basket was delivered to the Ortiz ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

William Cowper's

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2010

William Cowper’s "On Opening a Place for Social Prayer" In considering the audience of prayer, properly put, it is God, yet, it is the company of others that deserves prayer. William Cowper wrote this entitled: "On Opening a Place for Social Prayer" Jesus! where’er Thy people meet, There they ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-15

Tags: Prayer, Prayer General

When We Buried My Father Ten Years Ago (2000), My ...

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Apr 1, 2010

When we buried my father ten years ago (2000), my mother had him buried in his bathrobe and pajamas. She wanted to communicate the truth that the Christian’s body is only asleep at death, that one day his body will awake, and there will be a resurrection! The bathrobe and pajamas were a beautiful ...read more

Tags: Sanctification, Dead To Sin

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Read The Word Any Way You Can  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2010

READ THE WORD ANY WAY YOU CAN A man in Kansas City was severely injured in an explosion. Evangelist Robert L. Sumner tells about him in his book The Wonders of the Word of God. The victim’s face was badly disfigured, and he lost his eyesight as well as both hands. He was just a new Christian, and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-3

Tags: Disciplines Scripture

A Clergyman From New York, During A Call On ...

Contributed by George Bannister on Jul 1, 2010

A clergyman from New York, during a call on President Lincoln at the White House said: "I have not come to ask any favors of you, Mr. President; I have only come to say that the loyal people of the North are sustaining you and will continue to do so. We are giving you all that we have, the lives of ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Baptist

The Hitchhiker

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Mar 3, 2011

THE HITCHHIKER There was a man the side of the road hitch hiking on a very dark night in the middle of a storm. It was late at night and no cars were passing. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him. Suddenly, he saw a car coming towards him and stop. Without further ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Story Of Faith Hope

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 17, 2011

THE STORY OF FAITH HOPE Myah Hope was given the news that she was pregnant. Like most mothers to be, she dreamed of what giving birth to a child and raising them would be like. But when she was 19 weeks pregnant, she was told that something was wrong with her baby's head. The doctor said that ...read more

Tags: Miracles General

Denomination: Methodist

Complicated Directions

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2011

COMPLICATED DIRECTIONS Matt Woodly, a father of four, talks about buying his children a swing set, about 15 years ago, as an early Christmas present. It was an extra long metal set with two swings, a two-seater swinging bench, a slide, monkey bars, and a series of hanging rings. He thought the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:9-10

Tags: Learning

A Dying Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2011

A DYING CHURCH An artist was once asked to put on canvas what he considered to be the picture best symbolizing a decaying and dying church. After several months, he returned and reported that he had finished the task. The hour finally arrived when the painting was to be unveiled. Several people ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Tags: Church Growth

Pizarro's Critical Moment

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on May 19, 2011

PIZARRO'S CRITICAL MOMENT All great undertakings begin with a critical moment--a moment when a decision is made and someone launches himself into a never-to-be forgotten enterprise. FRANCISCO PIZARRO, the noted Spanish explorer, faced such a moment. He languished with his men on a small island ...read more

Tags: Action

Denomination: Baptist

Singing For The Girls

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Jun 22, 2011

SINGING FOR THE GIRLS Last Sunday night I preached in a town called San Miguel. It was known for witch doctors and demonic things going on. We had a constant string of problems happening one after another. The church was crowded with every seat taken and faces looking through the back doors and ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Mary's Choice

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Mar 22, 2012

MARY'S CHOICE Mary Khoury, 17 from Damour, Lebanon and her family were forced to their knees before their home. The leader of the Muslim fanatics who had raided their village waved his pistol carelessly before their faces. His hatred for Christians burned in his eyes. "If you do not become a ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Lutheran

Love Your Neighbor

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Apr 16, 2012

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR I stepped outside my hotel room yesterday and saw a thin elderly woman taking small steps in a circle. She seemed to be mumbling. Our eyes connected. She said, "They left me here and I don't know where they have gone. I don't know what room I am in." I held out my hand. She ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 23:4-5

Tags: Neighbor

Denomination: Baptist

A Salesman Meets The Inventor

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 17, 2012

A SALESMAN MEETS THE INVENTOR In 1969, in a science lab in New Jersey, Canadian physicist Willard Boyle and his colleagues invented the concept of an electronic eye. Using their knowledge of mathematics and the behavior of light, they provided the science behind digital cameras known as a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3

Tags: Arrogance

The Great Boston Fire Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 27, 2012

THE GREAT BOSTON FIRE OF 1872 In the great Boston fire of 1872, sixty-five acres of land was destroyed. The damage totaled up to $75 million but in our day would be somewhere in the neighborhood of $3 billion. Hundreds of businesses were destroyed. Someone came along and wrote a message on a rough ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Trials And Difficulties