In Sermon Illustrations: "The World Is Getting Worse"

What The Cross Displayed  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2011

WHAT THE CROSS DISPLAYED Author Henri Nouwen tells the story of a family he knew in Paraguay. The father, a doctor, spoke out against the military regime there and its human rights abuses. Local police took their revenge on him by arresting his teenage son and torturing him to death. Enraged ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 52:13-15

Tags: Cross

The Power Of Silence

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on Jun 4, 2016

They say silence is golden – but is it possible that too much silence is not such a good thing? There’s a room in the United States that’s so quiet it becomes unbearable after a short time. The longest anyone has survived in the ‘anechoic chamber’ at Orfield Laboratories in South Minneapolis is ...read more

Scripture: John 10:4-5

Tags: Silence, Listening To God

Denomination: Baptist

The Following Words Were Written On The Tomb Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 3, 2008

The following words were written on the tomb of an Anglican bishop in the crypts of Westminster Abbey: “When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat ...read more

Tags: Immovable

Someone Named J. R. Illingworth Once Said, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2008

Someone named J. R. Illingworth once said, "Prayer has been defined to be a wish referred to God; and, if we could keep this thought before us, it would help us to acquire the habit of prayer by making us refer each wish, as it comes into our minds, to God, for His assistance in furtherance or ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

A Christmas Story  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Dec 12, 2003

[A Christmas Story, unknown] I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!" (Rejection!) My Grandma was not ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Purpose In Your Heart

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 9, 2009

PURPOSE IN YOUR HEART Wilma was born prematurely. This produced complications that resulted in her contracting double pneumonia (twice) and scarlet fever. But the worst was a bout with polio which left her with a crooked left leg and a foot twisted inward. Metal leg braces, stares from ...read more

Tags: Perseverance, Endurance

A Man Often Walked Through A Cemetery On His Way ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Feb 27, 2001

A man often walked through a cemetery on his way home. One night, though, unaware that a new grave had been dug in his path, he tumbled in. For some time he struggled to get out of the 7 foot deep grave, but finally gave up and settled down for the night. An hour later, a farmer out possum ...read more

Tags: Love, Fear And Worry, Faith General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Man Often Walked Through A Cemetery On His Way ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Feb 18, 2002

A man often walked through a cemetery on his way home. One night, though, unaware that a new grave had been dug in his path, he tumbled in. For some time he struggled to get out of the 7 foot deep grave, but finally gave up and settled down for the night. An hour later, a farmer out possum hunting ...read more

Tags: God's Omnipotence, God's Provision, Endurance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Lady Named Kristin Said: "My Husband And I ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A lady named Kristin said: “MY HUSBAND and I took our two-year-old daughter to the home-improvement store. Madison got tired of walking, so my husband let her ride on his shoulders. As he walked, Madison began pulling his hair. Although he asked her calmly to stop several times, she kept on. ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Baptized Cucumbers  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Donelan on Oct 12, 2010

BAPTIZED CUCUMBERS What is this (a cucumber), and what is this (a pickle?) No, it is a baptized Cucumber! A few thoughts on this: 1. When those cucumbers are put in that pickling jar and covered with the pickling juice and sealed, they do not get any more juice, they are heated and stored for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Holy Spirit Baptism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Heaven And The Post Office

Contributed by Ken Henson on Jul 5, 2012

HEAVEN AND THE POST OFFICE When I was a teenager, we went to a meeting with Billy Graham in a high school football stadium. There were probably 20,000 people sitting in the bleachers in the cold of the morning to hear Billy Graham. And he related a story about how he arrived in a small village ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-9

Tags: Children, Heaven, Preaching, Billy Graham

Denomination: *other

Monkey On Your Back?

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

Get that monkey off your Back (Heb.12:1) Intro: Inter the area carrying a stuffed animal monkey on you shoulder act like it gets heavier every step GET THAT MONKEY OFF YOUR BACK The Monkey --little baby monkey--then chimp -the gorilla Christians are always struggling, one minute they are running on ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1

Tags: Sins, Weights

Denomination: Pentecostal

What Does Living By Faith Mean Today? It Means ...  PRO

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Oct 18, 2000

What does living by faith mean today? It means deciding what is the controlling principle in our lives. Is it luck or chance? I had just parked my car at the office and a lady came up to me and said, "That’s a nice car but I wouldn’t want to drive it!" I was rather puzzled and asked "Why not?" ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Baptist

God’s Power In Creation, Citation: ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Sep 7, 2001

[God’s Power in Creation, Citation: Christianity Today (4-23-99), reprinted in "To Illustrate Plus," Leadership Journal (21.1), p. 69] Patrick O’Boyle recalls the late-1940s Hyde Park "Speakers’ Corner" appearances of Frank Sheed, the Catholic author and publisher: Sheed could be devastating with ...read more

Tags: Apologetics General, Creation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Richard Foster In Celebration Of Discipline - ...

Contributed by Chip Monck on Mar 1, 2005

Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline - “Celebration is at the heart of the way of Christ. He entered the world on a high note of jubilation: ‘I bring you good news of a great joy,’ cried the angel, ‘which shall come to all the people.’ He left the world bequeathing his joy to the ...read more

Tags: Church Practices

Denomination: Wesleyan

Cultural Trends Alan Andrews, Director – U.s. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2006

Cultural Trends Alan Andrews, Director – U.S. Navigators, pointed out in a recent message on the state of American culture 4 cultural trends that the Church must face when sharing the Gospel: •Globalization; an essentially secular trend that promises materialism, affluence and pleasure through a ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Cultural Trends: Alan Andrews, Director – U.s. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 26, 2006

Cultural Trends: Alan Andrews, Director – U.S. Navigators, pointed out in a recent message on the state of American culture 4 cultural trends that the Church must face when sharing the Gospel: •Globalization; an essentially secular trend that promises materialism, affluence and pleasure through a ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?

I Was A Member Of The Young And Restless In The ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 3, 2002

I was a member of THE YOUNG AND RESTLESS in THE GENERAL HOSPITAL in the city of DALLAS. I was waiting to see THE DOCTORS. They told me I was at THE EDGE OF NIGHT, my condition was very serious. Suddenly, I realized I had just ... ONE LIFE TO LIVE. I wanted to see ALL MY CHILDREN before I entered ...read more

Tags: Emotions, Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Assembly Of God

It Is Interesting, Is It Not, That So Many ...

Contributed by Harold Orndorff on May 25, 2004

It is interesting, is it not, that so many Christians spend so much time predicting when the coming of Jesus will occur. A few years ago I was on a Christian radio talk show to discuss politics. As we were leaving the studio, we met the fellow who was coming in to do the show after us. He had ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Independent/Bible

D. L. Moody Has Expressed It So Well: ". . .joy ...  PRO

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Dec 12, 2004

D. L. Moody has expressed it so well: “. . .Joy flows right on through trouble; joy flows on through the dark; joy flows in the night as well as in the day; joy flows all through persecution and opposition. It is an unceasing fountain bubbling up in the heart; a secret spring the world can’t see ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Methodist