In Sermon Illustrations: "The Lost Coin"

Martha Ballard: Revolutionary Helper

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2009

MARTHA BALLARD: REVOLUTIONARY HELPER Historian Laurel Ulrich received a Pulitzer Prize for her book The Midwife's Tale. The book was based on the diary of Martha Ballard, who lived during the American Revolution. Martha was a midwife who traveled by canoe, horse, or sometimes on foot to assist ...read more

Scripture: John 3:5-8

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

A Heart For ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jun 1, 2010

A Heart for Praise Louis Albert Banks tells of an elderly Christian man, a fine singer, who learned that he had cancer of the tongue and that surgery was required. In the hospital after everything was ready for the operation, the man said to the doctor, “Are you sure I will never sing again?” The ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Baptist

When My Hat Is Here...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 21, 2010

WHEN MY HAT IS HERE... So, it’s not true that you can be just as good a Christian without going to church. You can’t simply say "Well, I’m there in Spirit… but I don’t have to be there in body." It’s kind of like the true story of an incident that took place at a University. This university had a ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:23-25

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

I Can Remember Things In My Life That Struck Me ...

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Aug 6, 2010

I can remember things in my life that struck me as if something had changed and would never be the same again. Things that may strike some as a little strange, moments when everything just sort of toppled on a point of balance and fell into a new place. Things would never be the same again. Like ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Salvation Army

Send Us Some Eternity

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Nov 30, 2010

SEND US SOME ETERNITY An English postal worker was in charge of letters inadequately addressed. One Christmas season he discovered a card from his own daughter to Santa. It said, "We're very sad at our house this year. My little brother went to heaven last week. You needn't leave me anything. But ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

One-And-A-Half Degrees Off

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 30, 2011

ONE-AND-A-HALF DEGREES OFF On October 31, 1983, Korean Airlines Flight 007 departed from Anchorage, Alaska, for a direct flight to Seoul, Korea. Unknown to the crew, however, the computer engaging the flight navigation system contained a 1 1/2 degree routing error. At the point of departure, the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 13:1-14

Tags: Mistakes

Be Like Mike...?  PRO

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jun 2, 2011

BE LIKE MIKE...? Gary Thomas, in his book Authentic Faith, describes a friend of his named Mike. He met Mike when he went to college. Mike was a leader among students. He had everything: a contagious personality, athletic ability, good looks, and natural appeal. And everybody wanted to be around ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:10-14

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Satisfied

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Jul 31, 2011

SATISFIED News flash: I like food! You know -- with a dash of seriousness -- it doesn't take a master chef to see that I've had a love-affair with food for some years. I'm like a lot of Americans; I often eat more than I need in order be "satisfied." A number of years ago, I went to ...read more

Tags: Fulfillment

Denomination: Lutheran

Do You Believe The Easter Story?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 9, 2011

DO YOU BELIEVE THE EASTER STORY? I heard a story about a family that tragically lost three of their four children within just two weeks to a deadly, virulent disease. One child was left--a four year old boy. The family had buried the third child just two weeks before Easter. On Easter morning ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-49

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Understanding "Ask, Seek, Knock"

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Oct 12, 2011

UNDERSTANDING "ASK, SEEK, KNOCK" Imagine you are looking for someone – let’s say it’s your long lost friend from high school. The first step is to ask around from people who might know him and where he lives, what he’s doing, how you might locate him. Now that might satisfy your curiosity, but if ...read more

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Lutheran

Two Minutes

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 12, 2022

Two Minutes to Eternity Marshall Shelley tells the story of his son's short life - just two minutes.The baby boy was born with a "chromosomal abnormality" called Trisomy 13. After the delivery, the doctor passed the baby to his mom. He was a healthy pink; Then he began to turn ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:27, Psalm 90:10-12, John 14:1-3

Tags: Death, Eternity, Heaven, Birth, Grief  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Remembering Our Heavenly Connection

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 19, 2024

In one of the YouTube videos, Neil deGrasse Tyson shares his observation that humans, unlike most animals, sleep on their backs, naturally facing the sky. This position may have fostered a deep connection with the heavens. However, from a Christian perspective, this curiosity and upward gaze might ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:16-18

Tags: Celestial Connection, Spiritual, Genesis, Creation, Adam And Eve, Remembrance, Night Sky  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Being Humble - Young Seminarian Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 24, 2026

A young seminarian ... was excited about preaching his very first sermon ... in the small church ... he grew up in. After three years in seminary, ... he felt adequately prepared, ... and when he was introduced to the congregation, ... he walked boldly ... to the pulpit, ...his head high, ... ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-6, Matthew 6:16-21, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5

Tags: Humble, Pride, Boldness, Confidence, Embarrassed  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

You Can't Turn Off Time

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Oct 17, 2011

YOU CAN'T TURN OFF TIME James W. Moore says, "One of the greatest comedy acts in the history of show business was the beloved husband and wife team of George Burns and Gracie Allen. In real life, Gracie Allen was a bright, wise businesswoman, but she always played the part of a naive, off-the-wall ...read more

Tags: Time

Denomination: Baptist

Excuses, Excuses

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Dec 24, 2011

EXCUSES, EXCUSES We live in a word of excuses. Here are some complied by the Readers Digest that have been offered for not showing up for work: "I dreamed I was fired, so I didn't want to get out of bed." "I was up all night arguing with God." "A raccoon stole my work shoe off my porch." "I ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:12, Genesis 3:7-17

Tags: Faults

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Ring And The Carrot

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 9, 2012

THE RING AND THE CARROT "A Swedish woman who lost her wedding ring 16 years ago was flabbergasted when she found it again, around a carrot growing in her garden, media reported Saturday. Lena Paahlsson had taken off the white gold ring before a Christmas baking session with her daughters in 1995, ...read more

Tags: Marriage Struggle

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Skydiving Sacrifice

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

SKYDIVING SACRIFICE The strength of sacrifice; in May 2002 Robert Bonadies and his fellow instructor Jim Olko were preparing to skydive, along with a novice - Cindy Hyland, in Connecticut. The jump was to be from 12000 ft, falling at 120 mph, which would take just 68 seconds with no parachute. ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-14

Tags: Heroism

Leadership

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Mar 1, 2016

I remember hearing a story about a famous film producer. As a child, he had a fight with another boy and lost. While his mother was bathing his black eye, he told her how it was entirely the fault of the other boy. It was the other boy who had started the fight, he claimed. His mother said ...read more

Scripture: John 13:2-17

Tags: God Is Love, Giving In Love, Jesus Leadership

Denomination: Baptist

Sacrifice Stats

Contributed by David Simpson on May 19, 2017

It’s Memorial Day weekend. It is seen by many as the beginning of summer. Lake Lanier will be filled with boaters and swimmers and campers and picnickers who will celebrate fun on this holiday weekend. But, the truth of Memorial Day is that it is not a celebration. It is a commemoration; a ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27-28

Tags: Sacrifice, Memorial Day, War Stats

Denomination: Christian Church

I Read A Story Of A Soldier In Wwi Who Was So ...

Contributed by Bo Dunford on Jan 21, 2009

*I read a story of a soldier in WWI who was so distraught with the war that he deserted! * Tried to find his way to the coast so he could catch a boat, make his way back home to England. * In the darkness of the night he stumbled on a road sign. * It was so dark and he was so lost, he had no ...read more

Tags: Love For God

Denomination: Baptist