In Sermon Illustrations: "Today Your Day"

Our Room Steward, Denny, Was So Nice And Seemed ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Mar 17, 2009

Our room steward, Denny, was so nice and seemed to genuinely show concern and respect to our family. It was amazing. So as I thought about this issue of respect, which we are going to talk about today, I also began to wonder if respect can be bought. How many of you have been on a cruise? This ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Church Of God

Stay Busy Until The Master's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2009

STAY BUSY UNTIL THE MASTER’S RETURN "The disciple is not called to eliminate his ignorance of the timing of the end, he is called to cope with it and respond to it appropriately." "How can a doorkeeper fulfill his duties if he spends his time calculating how long the delay will be?" In the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:36-51

Tags: Second Coming

Chargers Vs. Broncos

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 16, 2009

I was looking for modern day example of Paul’s heart, and I found it to some degree in an NFL football player. In a game between the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos on December 10, 2006, Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson (known as L.T.) took his position the same way he had done ...read more

Tags: Humility, Sports

The Spite ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 23, 2009

The Spite House Once there was a millionaire who owned a lot in an exclusive residential area of a large city. This lot presented an unusual problem. It was only 2 yards wide but nearly 100 feet long. There was nothing that he could do but sell it to one of the neighbors on either side. He went to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:12-15

Tags: Bitterness

Is He Like Bill?  PRO

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Oct 1, 2010

"IS HE LIKE BILL?" Bill was a drunk, converted at a city mission. Before his conversion he had gained a reputation as a tramp and alcoholic for whom there was no hope. But when he was converted everything changed. He became the most caring person at the mission. He spent all his days there doing ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:16, Romans 8:9

Tags: Evangelism, Witness, Prayer, Christlikeness, Christian Witness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Gladstone: Risk For The Greater Victory  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2010

GLADSTONE: RISK FOR THE GREATER VICTORY WILLIAM GLADSTONE, a prime minister of England in the nineteenth century, one night was working late on an important speech he was to give to the House of Commons the next day. At about two o'clock in the morning a woman knocked on his door, asking the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3-5

Tags: Christian Love

Prayer And President Lincoln  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2011

PRAYER AND PRESIDENT LINCOLN A clergyman from New York, during a call on President Lincoln at the White House, said: "I have not come to ask any favors of you, Mr. President; I have only come to say that the loyal people of the North are sustaining you and will continue to do so. We are giving you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Ephesians 3:20, Romans 1:8-17, Jeremiah 23:1-6, Philippians 1:1-11, 2 Timothy 1:5-8, Luke 15:11-32, Acts 3:1-10, Romans 8:22-27, Psalm 139:1-24, Isaiah 52:2-3, Luke 11:9-10, Luke 18:1-8  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Loyal, God Hears, Call Of God, Living Faith, Prayer Persistence  (view more)  (view less)

I'll Give You My First Paycheck

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

I'LL GIVE YOU MY FIRST PAYCHECK Craig C. had been an alcoholic for more than a dozen years. He'd lost everything he had, including his wife and son, due to his selfishness and addiction. Things began to change after he gave his life to Christ, but he still fell regularly into his old habits. It ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16

Tags: Trust

Statistics On Loneliness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 7, 2011

STATISTICS ON LONELINESS This week I read an article by Medical News Today about the health effects of loneliness. Quoting the article, it states that "there is evidence that the risk of developing and dying from heart disease can depend on the strength of one's social network of friends and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Good Intentions

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 29, 2021

In our younger days, my husband and I sign up for a “boot camp” fitness class. This class costs $300 per person for ten classes. At the start of the first class, our instructor. Tara, does a quick roll-call. She frowns and comments: “Hmm, Susie isn’t here. That’s a shame; attending the first ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:14-33

Tags: Unrealized Intentions, Excuses, Discipline, Follow Through, Explanations  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

There Was Once An Optimistic Farmer Who Couldn't ...  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Aug 20, 2007

There was once an optimistic farmer who couldn’t wait to greet each new day with a resounding, "Good morning, God!" He lived near a woman whose morning greeting was more like, "Good God... morning?" They were each a trial to the other. Where he saw opportunity, she saw problems. Where he was ...read more

Tags: Giving, Happiness, Satisfy, Share, Attitude General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Mike Royko Writes About A Conversation He Had ...

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on May 12, 2008

Mike Royko writes about a conversation he had with Slats Grobnik, a man who sold Christmas trees. Slats remembered one couple on the hunt for a Christmas tree. They were obviously poor. After finding only trees that were too expensive, they found a Scotch pine that was okay on one side, but pretty ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: United Methodist

Hope Ain't Hoping

Contributed by John Bright on May 27, 2023

I want to give you a shorthand way of remembering the difference between the hope in our Bibles and the hope out in the world. Hope ain’t hoping. Today, folks plan outside events and say, “I sure hope it doesn’t rain.” Every Sunday, some folks may show up here and say, “I sure hope PJ doesn’t ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-5

Tags: Faith, Hope, Hoping

Denomination: Methodist

The Gift Of Forgivness - Driving Out Bitterness - Charles Stanley

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 1, 2025

Charles Stanley, a renowned teacher and theologian shared this story called ... The Gift of Forgiveness: "A friend of mine is a fine man and a fine pastor who loves God. His wife had cancer, ... and they sought the best of medical help. The Doctor assigned to her case ... who for a number ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:23-24, Matthew 18:15, Romans 12:19, Hebrews 12:15

Tags: Sickness, Prisoner, Forgiveness, Bitterness, Unforgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Ministering To ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Ministering to Christ In The Midst of Disaster “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom… For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited Me in, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:34-40

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Once Was A Brier Growing In A Ditch When A ...  PRO

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Feb 12, 2004

There once was a brier growing in a ditch when a gardener came along with his spade and dug it up. He dug around it and gently lifted it out of the ground, bringing the brier to ask itself, “What is he doing? Doesn’t he know I’m a worthless brier?” But the gardener took it and placed it in his ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Lutheran

Bill Broadhurst Was A Great Runner And He Entered ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Jan 26, 2005

Bill Broadhurst was a great runner and he entered a 10k race in Omahu, a race that Bill Rodgers would win in less than 30 minutes. Bill Broadhurst had a handicap, he was paralyzed on his entire left side from an aneurism early in life. But he still loved to run and for him to be in the same race ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Philippians 3:13-14

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Vesuvius: Check The Map

Contributed by Rob O'neal on Jul 7, 2009

VESUVIUS: CHECK THE MAP The people of the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum lived at the bottom of a mountain. They loved the mountain, because they believed it was a place where gods dwelt. The land was fertile, and the harbor was good, so the city prospered and grew. Then in 62 and 63 AD, ...read more

Tags: Security

Denomination: Congregational

Free Gas: God Knew

Contributed by Brad Henry on Sep 6, 2011

FREE GAS: GOD KNEW Yesterday we had an "event" at church. We were told to come with comfortable clothes and that was all the direction we received. When we got to church, the pastor said, "OK folks, today we are going to the gas station up the street. We are going to give $25.00 of gas to 150 cars ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

The Alleged Warrant For My Arrest

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 24, 2020

This past week was one of the best weeks I've had in a long time. I got everything completed, as well as some overdue projects. There’s no feeling quite like the feeling of having accomplished your goals for the week. As far as I was concerned, this called for an Apple fritter celebration. ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:18

Tags: Fear, Humor

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance