In Sermon Illustrations: "Thinking"

1n 1952, Young Florence Chadwick Stepped Into ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

1n 1952, young Florence Chadwick stepped into the waters of the Pacific Ocean off Catalina Island, determined to swim to the shore of mainland California. She had already been the first woman to swim the English Channel both ways. The weather was foggy and chilly; she could hardly see the boats ...read more

Tags: Heaven

The Liberal Prime Minister, William Gladstone, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The Liberal Prime Minister, William Gladstone, in announcing the death of Princess Alice on 14th December 1878 to the House of Commons, told this touching story. “The little daughter of the Princess was seriously ill with diphtheria. And so the doctors told the princess not to kiss her because ...read more

Tags: Cross

Pastor, Please Don't Stop Preaching On Hell.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 18, 2022

"Preachers must not neglect preaching on the reality of Hell and the catastrophic consequence of rejecting Christ. When you abandon preaching on Hell, you ignore the accent in the Epistles on the coming judgment, you will need to skip large portions of Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels, and you ...read more

Tags: Hell, Salvation, Preaching, Judgment, Repentance, Pastors, Preachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Keys To Understanding The Parables

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 13, 2022

KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE PARABLES Parables provide insight into the nature, coming, growth and of the Kingdom of God. Parables are by design intended to be surprising. They often sneak up on us. Parables are used to simulate thinking and cause the hearer to carefully contemplate what they ...read more

Tags: Teaching, Truth, Preaching, Parables, Kingdom Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Where Is The Mission Field?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 10, 2023

Most people associate missions with leaving for another city, country, or continent. This is because, technically speaking, we refer to those who have crossed cultural, ethnic, or geographic lines in order to share about Jesus as missionaries. However, mission work includes more than rain forest ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Witnessing, Great Commission, Evangelism, Holy Spirit, Pentecost, Missions, Revival  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Momma, Kiss Me!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 2, 2023

William Gladstone, in announcing the death of Princess Alice to the House of Commons, told a touching story. The little daughter of the Princess was seriously ill with diphtheria. The doctors told the princess not to kiss her little daughter and endanger her life by breathing the child's ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Death, Love, Sacrifice, Children, Agape, Mothers, Fruit Of The Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Your Unsaved Friends Want You To Talk About Jesus!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 19, 2023

73% of Christians believed it was their responsibility to share their faith. Yet only 52% of them had actually shared their faith at least once with someone in the last year. Millennials were the only age group where the percentage of those evangelizing was increasing. Only 29% of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: Evangelism, Unchurched, Roman Road, Sin, Salvation, Cross, Justification, Witnessing, Lost  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Power In Holy Communion

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Apr 18, 2023

I've been thinking about holy moments, how Christ has surprised me by his presence. One of those moments came when I visited and had Communion with a member who was dying of cancer. Near the end of the visit I asked her how I could pray or for what she would like me to pray for. She expressed ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Tags: Power In Prayer, Power In Holy Communion

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Ten Reasons Why I Never Wash My Hands!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 25, 2024

"Ten Reasons Why I Never Wash." 1. I was forced to wash my hands as a child. 2. People who wash their hands are hypocrites--they think they’re cleaner than others. 3. There are so many kinds of soap, I could never decide which was right. 4. I used to wash my hands, but it got ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:25

Tags: Church, Easter, Attendance, Hypocrites

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Children's Faith

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2025

"Children’s Letters to God" series, actual authentic letters written by kids to God: "Dear God, I read the Bible. What does ’begat’ mean? Nobody will tell me. Love, Alison." "Dear God, did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an accident?" - ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:1-11, Matthew 18:3

Tags: Childlike Faith, Questions

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Formula For Peace

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 16, 2025

Most of the time, we have no control over the circumstances of our lives, so we react by way of rebellion and complaining. Let me share a little formula with you: E + R = O Event + Response = Outcome We have no control over the events – things just happen. We often try hard to control ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:18

Tags: Peace, Response, Outcome, Event

Denomination: Methodist

Stuck In A Rut

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 14, 2025

The U.S. standard railroad gauge—the width between the rails—is 4 feet, 8 ½ inches. Strange number, isn’t it? You’d think something so crucial would be more logical. So why that width? Because American railroads were built by British expatriates, and that’s how they did it in England. Why ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:2, 1 Peter 1:18-19

Tags: Tradition, Transformation

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Erma Bombeck In Her Book, "Motherhood The Second ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Apr 3, 2001

Erma Bombeck in her book, "Motherhood the second Oldest Profession" writes; "I have always felt that too much time was given before birth, which is spent learning things like how to breathe in and out with your husband (I had my baby when they gave you a shot in the hip and you didn’t wake up ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:7-13

Tags: Mothers Day, Mother's Day, Parenting

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Faithful Instructions  PRO

Contributed by Randy Leckliter on Sep 16, 2002

FAITHFUL INSTRUCTIONS There was a man who got lost in the desert. After wandering around for a long time his throat became very dry, about that time he saw a little shack in the distance. He made his way over to the shack and found a water pump with a small jug of water and a note. The note ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:11-20

Tags: God's Provision, Examples Of Faith, Faith, Discipleship, Lost, Trust In The Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

All I Really Need To Know I Learned In ...

Contributed by Stephen Todd on Apr 15, 2003

All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten. All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned. Share ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Christian Values

Denomination: Baptist

A Number Of Years Ago, Dr. Waltke, A Seminary ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Richards on Sep 23, 2004

A number of years ago, Dr. Waltke, a seminary professor, & three pastors, one of which was Charles Swindol toured the mother church of the First Church of Christ Scientist in downtown Boston. The four were unknown to the elderly lady who was going to give them a tour. They didn’t tell her who they ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1-16, Proverbs 3:27

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Baptist

Imagine You're A Financial Counselor. Today You ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 22, 2004

Imagine you’re a financial counselor. Today you have two appointments, first with an elderly woman and then a middle-aged man. The woman’s husband died six years ago. She says, “I have no more money. The cupboards are bare. These two dollars are all I have to live on, yet I feel as if God ...read more

A Teenager Noticed This In His Own Life And ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Oct 3, 2005

A teenager noticed this in his own life and sought out his pastor. A teenager was sitting in the pastor’s office saying,"Sometimes I don’t think I am a Christian. I don’t seem to have the same interest and excitement, or enthusiasm I once did. It isn’t easy for me to remember God, to come to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6, Ephesians 4:22-24

Tags: Discipleship, Baptism Adult

Denomination: Lutheran

Robert Schuller Tells This Story About Bernice ...

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jul 24, 2006

Robert Schuller tells this story about Bernice Schug. He met Schug when she needed work and they hired her as a housekeeper. She was a lovely woman, showering the Schuller’s with love and poppy-seed rolls. But he says that no one knew of her hidden hurt. One day she came to Schuller and said, "Bob, ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 26:14-16

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Christian Church

Disney's Animated Movie Toy Story, Is About A ...

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Oct 29, 2006

Disney’s animated movie Toy Story, is about a collection of toys belonging to a little boy. Two of the main characters are Woody, who is a stuffed cowboy figure, and Buzz Lightyear who is a plastic toy astronaut. One day Woody confronts Buzz with the fact that he is only an action figure and not ...read more

Denomination: Methodist