In Sermon Illustrations: "Thrift Store"

The Real Tooth Fairy  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2011

THE REAL TOOTH FAIRY In 1827, a small group of people settled around a bay at Port Fairy, Australia. Among them was a newly wed couple, Sonny and Matilda Dixon. The town soon began to grow due to its fast developing fishing industry. Local stores began to spring up, and people started to cultivate ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:11

Tags: Anger, Darkness Falls, Tooth Fairy

Are We Forever Trapped?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 17, 2017

METAL BARS OR MENTAL BARS... There is a story that comes from Russia of the BEAR THAT WAS FOREVER TRAPPED. There had been a great fire that burned miles of forest in Russia. Much of the wild life had been destroyed. There was a truck traveling along the edges of the destruction and a ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:7

Tags: Opportunity, Open Door

Denomination: Assembly Of God

What Is Your Value?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 17, 2020

Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? A boy asked a wise man: WHAT ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:29, Matthew 16:25

Tags: Value, Mirror

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Real Pearls

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on May 7, 2008

REAL PEARLS The cheerful girl with bouncy curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. "Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?" Her mother checked the back of the little foil box and said, ...read more

Tags: Fulfillment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

So If The Kingdom Of Heaven Is So Valuable, Why ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

So if the kingdom of heaven is so valuable, why doesn’t everybody do everything they can to be a part of it? I think it’s because value is often in the eye of the beholder. What has value and what doesn’t is really up to personal interpretation. What some people think are valuable have no value at ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-12

Tags: Fig Tree, Parable General

The Parable Of The Pearl

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 28, 2022

Once there was a man who collected and traded in pearls. He had a fine collection of his own. But one day, while he was away on business, he spotted a beautiful pearl in a Jeweler's window. It was a pearl such as he had never seen, perfect in shape, size, and color. He thought to himself, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Tags: Sacrifice, Commitment, Discipleship, Kingdom Of God, Decisions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Max Lucado Tells The Story Of Bob, Who Was Born ...  PRO

Contributed by Peter Thelander on Oct 31, 2001

Max Lucado tells the story of Bob, who was born into the land of coats! His mother loved the color blue and made Bob’s first cost a lovely shade of blue. Every time she noticed her son in his lovely blue coat, she cheered, "Yes, Bob!" He felt good in his blue coat, but Bob had to grow up and go to ...read more

Tags: Racism, Holiness

Denomination: United Methodist

Is The Doctor Behind?" Psalm 13:1-6 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 30, 2005

“Is the Doctor Behind?” Psalm 13:1-6 Key verse(s) 5:“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.” Waiting is not something that comes natural to me. When I am put to wait, the time drags by so slowly, so tediously. While other more accommodating individuals are able ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 13:1-6

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

Marbles Of Love ...

Contributed by Joe Fain on Apr 6, 2009

Marbles of love ministry (As presented to Bible Baptist Church of Mt. Vernon, KY 40456) 1151 s. dogwood drive berea, KY 40403 859-302-2622 [email protected] Greetings in Christ Name: We would like to introduce you to a ministry that we feel God has laid upon our hearts to ...read more

Tags: Outreach

Denomination: Baptist

A Woman Named Ruth Went To Her Mail Box And There ...

Contributed by Don Hawks on Jul 10, 2007

A woman named Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter: Dear Ruth: I’m going to be in your neighborhood ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

How Can Salvation Be Free While Following Christ Demands Everything?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on May 31, 2022

I am often asked, "How can salvation be free, but, yet, Jesus said that we cannot by His disciple unless we forsake everything for Him?" (Luke 14). Let me explain the answer to this question in a story. Once there was a man who collected and traded in pearls. He had a fine collection ...read more

Tags: Count The Cost, Grace, Commitment, Salvation, Discipleship, Obedience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Salvation Is Free, But It Will Cost Your Life

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 28, 2024

I am often asked, "How can salvation be free, but, yet, Jesus said that we cannot by His disciple unless we forsake everything for Him?" (Luke 14). Let me explain the answer to this question in a story. Once there was a man who collected and traded in pearls. He had a fine collection of ...read more

Tags: Sacrifice, Salvation, Discipleship, Free, Eternal Life, Grace, Mercy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

This Past Thursday, I Had The Opportunity To Ride ...  PRO

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Nov 8, 2004

This past Thursday, I had the opportunity to ride with 2 deputies in the Oviedo area. That night, I rode with a deputy as he patrolled his area and one of the things we did was drive around behind many of the stores and shopping centers to make sure there were no problems there. Of the patrol ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:8, Isaiah 6:9

Tags: Repentance, Salvation, Confession Of Sin

Denomination: Baptist

Serving Others

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever the cost”. - Arthur Ashe In a small, dusty town in western Oklahoma one November there lived a young single mother struggling to make ends meet. ...read more

Scripture: John 13:12-14

Tags: Humility, Christian Service

Denomination: Charismatic

Pioneer

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 27, 2020

Time Magazine's obituary - Dr. Wilfred Thomason Grenfell's October 21, 1940. Oct. 21, 1940 - Wilfred Grenfell spent his boyhood on the Sands of Dee near Cheshire, England. He used to filch biscuits and wine from his school larder to give to fishermen as they left at dawn to catch the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Romans 12:1-8

Tags: Service, Sacrifice, Commitment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Special Occasion  PRO

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on May 8, 2008

A SPECIAL OCCASION If you are waiting for a special house guest or a special occasion to use something you cherish in your house, consider the following following article by Ann Wells that appeared several years ago in the Los Angeles Times: My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

Tags: Happiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lost ...

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jul 1, 2008

LOST IDENTITY --- Have you ever lost your driver’s license? --- Isn’t it a traumatic event? I have lost my driver’s license several times over the years and each time it made my life difficult. For all practical purposes I lost my identity. I couldn’t write a check – stores will not take a check ...read more

Tags: Restoration

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[316]. Poem Message - To Be Absent From The Body And At Home With The Lord

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 20, 2026

[316]. A POEM MESSAGE - TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY AND AT HOME WITH THE LORD This poem means a lot to me. What of the future? What of the glorious hope? What of the Christian’s destiny? These questions all have one answer – TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY IS PRESENT WITH THE LORD! That is taken ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 64:4, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 2 Corinthians 12:4, Philippians 3:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Death, Destiny, Home, Called, Citizenship In Heaven, Present With The Lord, Absent From The Body, At Home With The Lord, Christian Poems, Passing Through Death, Inexpressible Words  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[348]. A Message From A Poem - Without Christ The Life Is Wasted

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 12, 2026

[348]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WITHOUT CHRIST THE LIFE IS WASTED This poem covers the two states of mankind. One of those is lost and one is found. One is salvation and one is destruction. This is an examination of life and the two destinies. Both are considered. We live in a sinful world ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14, Psalm 1:5-6

Tags: Wasted Life, Two Ways, The Broad Way, The Righteous, The Wicked, The Narrow Way, Wasted, Two Destinies, Christian Poems, Two Eternal States  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Shorted-Sightedness  PRO

Contributed by Dru Ashwell on Dec 16, 2001

SHORTED-SIGHTEDNESS "Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." --Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949 "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." --Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943 "I have traveled the length and ...read more

Tags: Post Easter, Memorial Day, Leadership General, Reason, Purpose, Endurance, Emmaus Road, Answer, Workplace Evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ