In Sermon Illustrations: "Thy Will Be Done"

The Hard-Hearted Listener Is Cynical. Often They ...  PRO

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Jul 14, 2008

The hard-hearted listener is cynical. Often they have done a fair amount of research to support their unwillingness to hear the word. Or they may have had a personal trauma that left them without faith. There is a woman in New York City that I counseled during a particularly difficult time in ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Years Ago, There Was A Wicked Emperor By The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Years ago, there was a wicked emperor by the name of Dionysius. He discovered that near to where he lived was a cave shaped in the form of a funnel with an opening right at the surface. Dionysus used this cave as a workshop for his slaves. He put all the slaves in caves and then he’d go up and put ...read more

Tags: Faith

The Story Goes That Jesus Returned To Heaven ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The story goes that Jesus returned to heaven following His death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb and the angels gathered around Him in amazement. Finally, Gabriel spoke up, “Master, you suffered terribly down there. Do they know and appreciate the extent of your sacrifice?” “No,” ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:14-20

Tags: Evangelism How To

One Stormy Night A Boat Could Make No Headway, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One stormy night a boat could make no headway, and while the captain was struggling to get into port, a nervous passenger said to him: "Do you think we will get in all right?" He replied: "This is a leaky old boat, and we may go down; and the boilers are not in very good condition, so we may go up. ...read more

Tags: Anger

Journaling Experiment

Contributed by Brad Henry on Jul 26, 2011

JOURNALING EXPERIMENT Please try this experiment. Take out a piece of paper and on the left side of the paper write down all the things that you are burdened with. On the right side of the paper write down all the things that God has either protected you from or trials that He has gotten you ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Contaminated

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Feb 22, 2012

CONTAMINATED I'm all thumbs when it comes to band-aids. I know you're not supposed to touch the pad, the part that compresses the wound. If you do, then you contaminate it, and you run the risk of infection. And, of course, you don't want to do that. So, every time I use a band-aid, it's something ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

About Orion

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

ABOUT ORION It doesn't take much for me to believe in our great God. Just this past Friday morning...about 5:30am....I went outside to walk our dog and couldn't help but notice the stars in the sky. They were brilliant. I looked up at the constellation Orion and saw what is actually the 6th ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 71:19

Tags: Creator, Omnipotence, Gods Greatness

Denomination: Christian Church

Once There Was A Man

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 25, 2016

ONCE THERE WAS A MAN... Once there was a man who dared God to speak. Burn the bush like you did for Moses, God. And I will follow. Collapse the walls like you did for Joshua, God. And I will fight. Still the waves like you did on Galilee, God. And I will listen. And so the man sat by a bush, near ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-28

Tags: Waiting On God, Hearing God's Voice

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Give Thanks In Everything

Contributed by James Dina on Dec 6, 2020

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18) If it is the will of God that we should give thanks in everything, then we should reduce our complain lest we go against His will. COMPLAINING IS CONTRARY TO THANKSGIVING. In ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thanksgiving, Complain

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Narrow Definition Of Neighbor

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 20, 2022

With their passion for definition, Jewish Rabbis sought to define who a man's "neighbor" was. They confined the word "neighbor" to include only their fellow Jews. For instance, some of them said that it was illegal to help a Gentile woman in her time of childbirth for ...read more

Tags: Kindness, Good Samaritan, Levites, Priests, Rabbis, Parable, Neighbor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Odd Disciplines & Behaviors

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 28, 2009

ODD DISCIPLINES & BEHAVIORS What idiosyncrasies might you need to sometimes sacrifice? What rules have you made up that you will not break for anything? In ministry, you often do what needs to be done--period! Alexandre Dumas, the elder, ate an apple at 7 a.m. each morning under the Arc de ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God Still Surprises Us

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jun 30, 2009

GOD STILL SURPRISES US Often God surprises us to our shame. I remember a couple that shared how they tried to witness and help their neighbor who was a raging alcoholic. They prayed for her and took her under their wing but she seemed hopeless. She might get clean for a little while, but then she ...read more

Tags: Addiction

Denomination: Church Of God

Gene Perrett Gave This List Of Eight Things To Be ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Oct 27, 2009

Gene Perrett gave this list of eight things to be thankful for: 1 - for automatic dishwashers. They make it possible to get out of the kitchen before the family come in for their after-dinner snacks. 2 - for husbands who attack small repair jobs around the house. They usually make them big ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Pentecostal

William Borden Was Born In 1887. He Was A Yale ...

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jan 7, 2010

William Borden was born in 1887. He was a Yale graduate and heir to great wealth. But he rejected a life of ease to bring the gospel to muslims. He refused to buy himself even a car and gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars to missions. Then, after only four months of zealous ministry in Egypt ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices, Great Gain

Denomination: Baptist

Victor Shepherd Tells The Story Of A Missionary ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Feb 3, 2010

Victor Shepherd tells the story of a missionary surgeon from the Gaza Strip in Israel. On one occasion this doctor stopped at a shack to see a woman on whom he had performed surgery. She and her husband were dirt poor. Their livestock consisted of one rabbit and two chickens. For income the ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Simply Came To Give...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

"I SIMPLY CAME TO GIVE..." In the middle of President Lincoln’s Presidency, an elderly lady made an appointment to see him. As she entered his office, he inquired, "How can I be of service to you, Madam?" The lady answered, "Mr. President, I know you are a very busy man, and I have not come to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7

Tags: Gratitude

Looking Well Ahead

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jul 14, 2010

LOOKING WELL AHEAD I once did this driving course called an anti-skid driving course. One of the really valuable learnings that I got out of it was that when you drive, you should drive with your eyes looking well ahead maybe a couple of hundred metres ahead, not on the car just in front of you, ...read more

Tags: Future

Denomination: Salvation Army

It Really Is Finished  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 15, 2010

IT REALLY IS FINISHED After suffering on the cross for six hours, Jesus shouted, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). Everything that needed to be done to provide salvation had been accomplished. When former President George W. Bush was asked about regrets during his presidency, Bush answered that he ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:21, John 19:30

Tags: Cross

First-Time Fathers Are A Hoot!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jul 8, 2024

One day shortly after the birth of their new baby, the mother had to go out to do some errands. So, the proud new papa stayed home to watch his wonderful new son. Soon after the mother left, the baby started to cry. The father did everything he could think of to do but the baby wouldn’t stop ...read more

Tags: Dad, Children, Parents, Training, Fathers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It's Time To Change The Diaper!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 12, 2024

One day shortly after the birth of their new baby, the mother had to go out to do some errands. So, the proud papa stayed home to watch his wonderful new son. Soon after the mother left, the baby started to cry. The father did everything he could think of to do but the baby wouldn’t stop crying. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Salvation, Transformation, New Life, New Birth, New Creation, Changes, Trusting Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational