In Sermon Illustrations: "Times"

Coming In Last

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Aug 27, 2008

Coming in Last Discouragement cramps our momentum; the heat-stroke of opposition can drain our stamina and motivation. Running into obstacles that drive our faces in the asphalt of reality make it hard to get back up. Our stories are not unlike Felicians Hopfner-Hibb's or Simon Whitfield's. Last ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Salvation Army

99% Is Not ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

99% IS NOT ENOUGH Back in the 90’s a California research firm considered the advertising slogan for a popular soap that was 99.4% pure. And they asked themselves the question: “What if everything in the world operated at 99% efficiency?” They discovered: - drinking water would be unsafe one hour ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:10-24

Tags: Purity

Roller Coaster-Type Fear

Contributed by Jim Kane on Sep 27, 2008

Roller Coaster-Type Fear Fear comes when our equilibrium is knocked out of whack. When I think such experiences one word comes to mind – roller coasters! It took me a long to time (I was 21) to finally ride a coaster. I was afraid of them. (Not now!) I remember being coaxed on one at Six Flags in ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Church Of God

I Watched One Of My Favorite Movies Last Night. ...

Contributed by Ken Pell on Sep 29, 2008

I watched one of my favorite movies last night. It is an old comedy called "The God's Must Be Crazy." It is about a bush tribe that lives in the Kalahari Desert; they have no earthly possessions. They are happy, content, and self sufficient. A bush plane flies overhead (which they mistake for a ...read more

Tags: Confession Of Sin

Denomination: Nazarene

Light In Dark Places

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2008

Light in Dark Places A young girl once consulted with her minister. "I cannot stick it out any longer. I am the only Christian in the factory where I work. I get nothing but taunts and sneers. It is more than I can stand. I am going to resign." "Will you tell me," asked the minister, "where ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Evangelism How To

During The American Revolution, Farmers Who ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

During the American Revolution, farmers who joined the Continental Army during the spring and summer went AWOL in the fall and winter. They were known as "summer soldiers". They signed up with the Army after their crops were planted, they fought the British over the summer, but then returned home ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

None Like To Jesus

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2009

NONE LIKE TO JESUS Charles Spurgeon said, "Climb ye up to heaven, and behold the snow-white host, glittering like the sun in spotless purity. I ask them whence came they? The reply is that they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. It is most true that Jesus saves ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:1-21

Tags: Atonement

Soft-Iron Magnets

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2009

SOFT-IRON MAGNETS There are two kinds of magnets, steel magnets and soft iron magnets. The steel magnet receives its magnetism from the load stone, and has it permanently; it can get along very well alone in a small way; it can pick up needles and do many other little things to amuse children. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 9:30-33

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Stuttering  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

STUTTERING A enormously muscular guy with a bad stutter goes to a counter in a department store and asks, "W-w-w-where’s the m-m-m-men’s dep-p-p-partment?" The clerk behind the counter just looks at him and says nothing. The man repeats himself: "W-w-w-where’s the m-m-m-men’s dep-p-p-partment?" ...read more

Scripture: John 14:26

Tags: Conscience

A Pastor Named Wayne Field Asks A Series Of ...

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Jan 29, 2009

A pastor named Wayne Field asks a series of profound questions: “What would happen if we applied the same standards of loyalty to our Christian activities that we expect from other areas of our lives?  If your car starts every three tries, is it reliable?  If the post carrier ...read more

Tags: Trust

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

There Was A Welsh Woman Who Lived In A Valley Far ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Feb 23, 2009

There was a Welsh woman who lived in a valley far away from any town or city. She was s simple minded, hard working person who knew little about the ways of the world. At a great sacrifice to herself, she had electricity installed in her little cottage. "You use the electric lights so little, I ...read more

Tags: Power

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

If An Advert On The Television Is To Be Believed ...

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Feb 28, 2009

If an advert on the television is to be believed then temptation truly comes in the form of cakes or chocolate in the fridge; but of course temptation comes in many shapes and sizes, such as the story of Martin. Martin woke up one Monday morning particularly tempted to stay at home because he was ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

True Poverty

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Mar 5, 2009

TRUE POVERTY The second theme in our passage is to strengthen and support the weak and the suffering. My friend at the Gazette also mentioned visiting his daughter in Kenya when she was a Peace Corp volunteer out in the desert areas in the western part of the country. He said that trip had ...read more

Tags: Poverty

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Phil Vischer's Fresh ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

PHIL VISCHER’S FRESH START Phil Vischer is the creator of Veggie Tales. He is the voice of Bob the Tomato and other various characters. In 2004, Phil was one of the guest speakers at my minister’s convention that I attend each year. Phil told about his dream coming to an end. He told about Big ...read more

Tags: Mistakes, Trust God

I Wish I Could Be Like That  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

I WISH I COULD BE LIKE THAT It was the Christmas season and Paul had received a special pre-Christmas gift from his brother. It was a beautiful brand new automobile. On Christmas Eve, when Paul came out of his office, a street kid was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it. When Paul ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

God's Detour

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Mar 31, 2009

GOD'S DETOUR The year was 1920. The scene was the examining board for selecting missionaries. Standing before the board was a young man named Oswald Smith. One dream dominated his heart. He wanted to be a missionary. Over and over again, he prayed, "Lord, I want to go as a missionary for you. Open ...read more

Tags: Disappointment

Denomination: Wesleyan

Who Are We Here For??

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 9, 2023

The story has often been told about the message the founder of the Salvation Army sent to their international convention. General William Booth was unable to attend personally because of ill health, so he cabled the delegates a message containing one word: "OTHERS!" In the popular comic ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-10

Tags: Service, Ministry, Selflessness, Others, Bearing Burdens, One Another  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fight Like A Man

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 13, 2023

A man came to his pastor who had attended church for 25 years and was a respected, leader in the church, said, "Pastor, I've got something to tell you. I've never told this to a soul, extremely difficult to tell you this now, but my wife and I have had a fight every day for the past 30 ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-31

Tags: Cowards, Quarreling, Women, Anger, Conflict Management, Husbands, Fights, Wives, Love, Fear, Marriage, Men  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Worship Is Showing Up

Contributed by Rob Roy on May 22, 2024

How does Jesus know we love him, what is the proof? By your witness, your gifts, your tithes, your prayers or presence. Did you know I joined twitter? I think the day I did I read several tweets, but never tweeted, and that was long before the 2020 election, and long before I came to Mt. ...read more

Scripture: John 21:15-19

Tags: Worship, Showing Love

Struggling With God?

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jun 17, 2024

Here is a wee question, is struggling with God a bad thing? Where is a person's character developed? Did the saints of God become saints before or without struggling with God, without responding to those things in the scriptures or the words of Jesus that offended them, before they repented of ...read more

Tags: Faith, Jacob, Isaac, Struggling, The Upper Room, Character Development, Becoming The Church, Fear, Holy Spirit, Pentecost, Abraham, Disciples, Journey  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army