In Sermon Illustrations: "Times"

Ornamentals

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on May 5, 2012

ORNAMENTALS Back in 1960, my family moved from Ohio to Arizona. The first time we went to the Phoenix Airport, I was impressed by the beautiful orange trees that lined the drive. It was the first time this Ohio boy had ever seen citrus trees. The oranges were big as grapefruits. They looked so ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Tragic Dream Fulfilled--The Case Of Robert ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 1, 2012

A TRAGIC DREAM FULFILLED--THE CASE OF ROBERT BURNS Robert Burns, the famous poet, occasionally had times of serious reflection of the state of his soul. He recorded one of those times when he compared himself to the review of his past life. He wrote that he was like a lonely man walking amidst the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:4-15

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

The Journey Of Jonathan Aitken

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Nov 5, 2012

THE JOURNEY OF JONATHAN AITKEN Jonathan Aitken was a British war correspondent in Viet Nam, Chief-Executive of TV-AM, and for 23 years an MP including time as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and a Defence Minister. Jonathan Aitken's life fell apart after he was caught telling a lie under oath in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Anglican

Busyness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2013

BUSYNESS Busyness is no sign of spirituality or any kind of a full life. In fact, it’s more likely the sign of an empty life. Tim Kreider, in an article he wrote for The New York Times called The Busy Trap put it this way: “If you live in America in the 21st century, you’ve probably had to listen ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Complaining

Last Lap Of The Race

Contributed by Shawn Miller on Jul 4, 2014

May 29, 2011 it looked like it was destiny, the day Dale Earnhardt Jr. was rounding the last lap of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. You could just imagine the script that was being set; it was memorial day, he was being sponsored by the national guard, and He was going to finally win for the first ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7

Tags: Perseverance, Endurance, Finish The Race, Gas Tank

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Gift Of Kindness - You Never Know

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Oct 20, 2018

A number of years ago, my husband and I went to Applebees on our Anniversary for a quiet dinner together. It was, indeed, very quiet, because my husband had just been ordered to undergo an MRI, and we knew that the results might change our future forever. Still, we did what old married couples ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:31, Hebrews 13:2, Matthew 25:39-40

Tags: Do Unto Others, Love Your Neighbor, Loving Acts, Kind Acts

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Where Will You Be?

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 23, 2019

Where Will You Be? When the clouds burst open where will you be? Will there be joy in your heart when Jesus you see? Will you be running to hide from His face Or standing there with your head hanging in disgrace/ It surely is coming and the time is near at hand When Jesus comes to take his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:12

Tags: Death, Rapture, Great White Throne, Bema

Denomination: Baptist

Love

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 19, 2020

A young teenage boy and girl were setting in a swing on her parents front porch way up in the mountains of North Carolina. They spent a lot of time there away from everyone just them. They would talk about all kinds of things. Things about when they had grown up. What would they do: go to college ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:9-10

Tags: Love For God, Love Like God

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Our Weakness

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Apr 13, 2021

When I was in my early 20s and a student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, I was, believe it or not, in pretty good shape. I jogged regularly. I was a karate student. I went to the gym 4-5 times a week. I truly was in good shape. Now that I’m older, I’m realizing that I’m not what I used to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:29-31

Tags: Weakness, God's Strength, God Sustains

Denomination: Baptist

Obstacles To The Goal

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 29, 2021

COLLEGE: WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE HIT REAL HARD. ROY RIEGELS WILL FOREVER BE KNOWN AS “WRONG WAY ROY.” Roy played for the University of California from 1927 to 1929. Back then freshmen and sophomores never played on varsity. On January 1, 1929 Roy played in the ROSE BOWL. The GOLDEN ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:12-15, Matthew 13:45

Tags: Goal, Obstacle

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Who Is Praying For Me?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

Pastor Jim Cymbala's daughter had been running from God for a long time. Chrissy had rebelled against her family, had left home, and was living as far from God as she could. But one night, this teenager awoke with the distinct feeling that someone was praying for her. And someone was. The ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, James 4:1-2

Tags: Petition, Intercessory Prayer, Interceding For Sinners, Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Way Back In The 80's, Apple Corporation, Or Apple ...

Contributed by Jordan Lumbard on Jun 5, 2007

Way back in the 80’s, Apple Corporation, or Apple Computers really took off and grew as a company. - Yes even before the iPod. Steve Jobs was the founder and President of Apple, and he realized that he didn’t know how to run such a big company. - So he recruited one of the most famous CEO’s at that ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Shackleton Found Them Ready  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Illustration: Shackleton Found Them Ready While on one of his expeditions to the Antarctic, Sir Ernest Shackleton was once compelled to leave some of his men on Elephant Island, with the intention of returning for them and carrying them back to England. But he was unavoidably delayed, and by the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:1-13

Tags: Cross Agony

Houston Pastor John Bisagno ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

ILLUSTRATION Houston pastor John Bisagno describes a time when his daughter Melody, age five, came to him and asked for a doll house. John promptly nodded and promised to build her one, then he went back to reading his book. Soon he glanced out the study window and saw her arms filled with ...read more

Tags: Faith

The Basics

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Charles Spurgeon, “A man’s life is always more forcible than his speech. When men take stock of him they reckon his deeds as dollars and his words as pennies. If his life and doctrine disagree the mass of onlookers accept his practice and reject his preaching.” Will Rogers, “Live in such a way ...read more

Tags: Faith

Grim Reaper

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Grim Reaper According to an old fable, a man made an unusual agreement with Death. He told the Grim Reaper that he would willingly accompany him when it came time to die, but only on one condition—that Death would send a messenger well in advance to warn him. Weeks passed into months, and months ...read more

Tags: Death

There Is A Fascinating Article In The April 2007 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

There is a fascinating article in the April 2007 issue of Smithsonian Magazine about French photographer, Henri Cartier-Bresson. In 1947 he was labeled the “photographer of the decisive moment.” The article states that, “since 1952 and the publication of his book of photographs, The Decisive ...read more

Tags: World Religions

Here's A Great Example. I Remember Reading A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Here’s a great example. I remember reading a letter to Ann Landers by a lady named Rosie. She wrote, “A young couple in Missouri got married in 1937. ‘Mike’ worked the third shift for the railroad. He’d come home about 7 a.m. and do odd jobs around the house: fix the old car, do everything but go ...read more

Tags: Unity

It Makes Me Think Of A Young Couple Who Had Life ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

It makes me think of a young couple who had life going along just like they’d Dreamed. They were happily married with 2 good jobs and 2 healthy little children. Then --- unexpectedly of course --- they had a major Pit Stop. The mom had a serious car wreck. She ended up with a severely broken leg ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

We Seem To Have An Almost Infinite Capacity For ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

We seem to have an almost infinite capacity for making excuses. In the book, The Sports Hall of Shame, a place kicker for the Dallas Cowboys named Raphael Septian is mentioned. He was a good kicker, but he was an even better master at making excuses when he missed a kick. For example, when he was ...read more

Tags: Excuses, Sin Bondage To