In Sermon Illustrations: "The Prodigal Son"

Prep Your Heart

Contributed by Chris Surber on Jan 29, 2009

PREP YOUR HEART My wife and I have had a painter in the house this week creating a very colorful and fun bedroom for our two youngest sons. The painter is a man who cares deeply about his craft. In conversation with him this week, I have learned a great deal more about the nature of painting than ...read more

Tags: Preparation

Denomination: Christian Church

Student Of Love

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Feb 17, 2009

STUDENT OF LOVE I know a man named James Bailey, from Marks, Mississippi, who was one of my former deacons. James Bailey was a grown man when he became a Christian. He had only gone to school through the 4th grade and never learned to read when he was in school. James Bailey was a hard man and ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Baptist

Persecution In Uganda, Story Of Kefa ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 2, 2009

Persecution in Uganda, Story of Kefa Sempangi Kefa Sempangi (whose story is told in the book A Distant Grief, Regal Books) was a national pastor in Africa and barely escaped with his family from brutal oppression and terror in his home country of Uganda. They made their way to Philadelphia, where ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:16-24

Tags: Persecution

Nfl Quarterback's Pre-Game Generosity Impacts ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2010

NFL Quarterback’s Pre-Game Generosity Impacts Family There was a time when the bread-winner of the family worked a night shift in a low paying job and relied on food stamps to feed their large family. But that all changed after the Saint Louis Rams won the Super Bowl in 2000. And because of those ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:1

Tags: Generosity, Giving General

The Blessing Of The Overcomers

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 28, 2010

The Blessing of the Overcomers What do the overcomers (the ones who defy gravity) of this world get according to Scripture? a. Revelation 2:7: i. 7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Luther's Ink ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2010

LUTHER’S INK STAIN Some of you may know someone who has visited the WARTBURG CASTLE in Eisenach, German. The tour guide regularly points out to the black spot on one of the walls of the room which Luther occupied during his benevolently intended imprisonment. Let me share the legend connected with ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 43:1-7

Tags: Blood Of Christ

Martyrdom Of Missionary Doctor Paul ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 29, 2010

Martyrdom of Missionary Doctor Paul Carlson Don Carson has written a book which is also titled, “How Long O Lord: Reflections on Suffering & Evil.” At the beginning of the book, he recounted this real-life story. A pastor is cutting his front lawn. He looks up from his task just in time to see a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

Tags: Missions

How To Evangelize Jehovah's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 7, 2010

How to Evangelize Jehovah’s Witnesses David Reed has much experience to draw from when teaching Christians to evangelize Jehovah’s Witnesses. He was a preacher and elder there for many years. Now his book, Jehovah’s Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse is in its 32nd printing and has sold more than ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-31

Tags: Divinity Of Christ

The Lord's Supper With Grandma

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Oct 13, 2010

In 1999 the church I was serving designated a particular Sunday morning service for celebrating the lives of our shut-ins. Every effort was made to get them to the church that day. We highly encouraged their family to make arrangements but had volunteers step up where that didn’t work. After the ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness, Lord's Supper

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Motley, Cross-Breed, Half-Baked Sheep  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Nov 12, 2010

MOTLEY, CROSS-BREED, HALF-BAKED SHEEP Before I went off to train for ministry, I used to live in an old house in Oamaru with an acre and a half of land. I had the usual garden and lawn, but I also had about an acre and a quarter of pretty rough hillside that was planted in a variety of trees and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:3, Numbers 6:22-27

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Drinks Are On Me...?

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Jan 15, 2011

THE DRINKS ARE ON ME...? In the summer of 2010 I was hanging on every word of Steve Chalke as he preached at the New Wine Summer Conference. He was talking about Jesus being the one who transforms people and transforms situations; and he was calling the Church to once again become fully involved ...read more

Tags: Alcohol

Denomination: Anglican

The Meaning Of The Cross

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

THE MEANING OF THE CROSS In the 19th century, Armenian Christians, under a Turkish Muslim government, experienced a tremendous amount of persecution. The government lifted the ban on Muslims converting to Christianity in 1856. Then just eight years later, they began arresting these Muslim converts ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Tags: Persecution

A 30 Part Study Of Prayer Keys During Our ...

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Oct 4, 2011

A 30 part study of prayer keys during our Wednesday night prayer meetings? You may think it will become boringly repetitive. No, No, NOOOO! During this study, we will hear how Mary, Queen of Scots, feared the prayers of John Knox more than the combined armies of Europe. We will hear Jonathan ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:5, Luke 11:1

Tags: Prayer, Prayer How To

Denomination: Baptist

The Golden Rule: Is It Original?

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 12, 2011

THE GOLDEN RULE: IS IT ORIGINAL? There are people in this world who think Jesus’ Golden Rule was nice but not original. They try to say that Jesus merely borrowed the idea from others. I once saw a poster that tried to say that. * Confucius (some 500 years before Jesus) said: "DO NOT unto ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What Does "All" Mean?

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 14, 2013

WHAT DOES "ALL" MEAN? I know people who are carrying around a load of guilt over the past and they're loaded down with this extra weight God doesn't want them to have. I remember a lady in my church in Wiesbaden I'll call Jill. Jill had rebelled against her parents, had been on drugs, had had ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Loves Mothers

Contributed by David Roundtree on May 13, 2017

John 19:25-27 "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His Mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His Mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His Mother, 'Woman, behold your son!' Then He said to the disciple, ...read more

Scripture: John 19:25-27

Tags: John And Jesus, Mothers Day, Mother's Day, Mothers Love

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Parachute Illustration

Contributed by David Goering on Nov 2, 2019

SCRIPTURE: James 2:19 "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." ILLUSTRATION: Two men are on a plane, an announcement comes over the loud speakers and says "This plane is going to crash, please put on the parachute that is under ...read more

Scripture: James 2:19

Tags: Faith, Salvation, Repentance

Rough Road Revival

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Dec 17, 2020

Psalms 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. Things going badly or the road is rough? Need revived? David had that relationship with God that in the midst of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 138:7

Tags: Revival, Trouble

Denomination: Baptist

Zordak - The Resurrection

Contributed by Samuel Young on Apr 7, 2021

I am Zordak, Jesus’ guardian angel. I want to tell you the story of Jesus. Jesus had died and laid in the grave. I was very sad. There were one hundred Roman soldiers and whole army of evil angels guarding the grave. But Sunday morning is coming… It was still dark. The dew was still on the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:62-66, Matthew 28:2, Luke 24:1-44

Tags: Easter, Resurrection

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Want To Walk On Water?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jun 30, 2021

MANY PEOPLE WANT TO WALK ON THE WATER, WITHOUT THE INVITATION ON GOD’S SON: COME… Matthew 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. Pastor Chou of Korea wrote a book on prayer. He tells in his book “THE FOURTH DIMENSION” about 4 ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:28-29, Matthew 14:30

Tags: Abuse, Walk On Water

Denomination: Assembly Of God