In Sermon Illustrations: "Tough Times"

I Recently Came Across A Chinese Parable That ...

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Jun 19, 2008

I recently came across a Chinese parable that eludes to our thoughts for today’s text. It’s a tale about a water-bearer and his two pots of clay. An elderly peasant had two large clay pots. One of the pots had a crack down its side to a point about half way. The other pot, perfect! Each had been ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: *other

Ashamed When It Counted The Most

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 18, 2019

Ashamed when it counted the most My two sisters, when they were somewhat younger, liked to play the piano and took lessons for some time. I like music, too, but not all the practicing that went along with it! We found out there was going to be a “recital” where all of the students in their ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, 1 John 2:28

Tags: Christian Life, Shame, Rewards

Denomination: Baptist

Drugs Are No Game

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 7, 2020

You’ve probably heard and seen it all when it comes to warnings about “don’t do drugs,” and so forth. Frankly, I’ve seen and heard a lot of them, and I’m sure glad someone told me about the dangers of drugs and drug abuse. Someone took a lot of time to get the information out and thanks to those ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Drugs, Temptations, Drug Abuse

Denomination: Baptist

Brother Lawrence And Disciplines

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

BROTHER LAWRENCE AND DISCIPLINES Around 1610, a child was born in France by the name Nichols Herman. Later in life, he would become known as Brother Lawrence. As a young man, he fought in the Thirty Years War and sustained a near fatal His injury to his sciatic nerve. The injury left him quite ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:9

Tags: Discipleship, Recognition, Seeking Christ

Margaret's Story  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 24, 2009

MARGARET’S STORY A young woman named Margaret had spent decades battling depression and anxiety that were traced back to a horrible day in school when a Teacher, frustrated with her tardiness, made her stand in front of the room and invited all the students to come up to the board and write ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17, Zephaniah 3:17

Tags: Grace, Easter, Resurrection, Salvation, Encouragement, New Life, New Birth  (view more)  (view less)

Church Cake Cover-Up  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 19, 2009

CHURCH CAKE COVER-UP It was time for the annual cake sale at a Presbyterian church not much different than our own. Ms. Billings always made the most beautiful cakes...she was expected to make another one this year. However, Ms. Billings was a very busy woman with the time she spent with her ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:1-15

Tags: Hypocrisy, Cake

Unsung Heroes-Aquila And Priscilla

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 12, 2023

Introduction: This couple is only mentioned a few times in the New Testament, but with each mention it’s clear they were serving the Lord. They are truly unsung heroes of the Bible! 1 Ministering with Paul in Corinth Text: Acts 18:1-3. KJV 1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came ...read more

Scripture: Acts 18:1-3, Acts 18:18-21

Tags: Priscilla, Aquila, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Anxious Moments, I Experienced Some Years Back, ...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Dec 6, 2011

Anxious moments, I experienced some years back, when I had to disturb a "sleeping boss"! There I was between the devil and the deep blue sea (many years ago during my secular stint of 13 years in the Indian oil sector) pacing nervously in the Hotel aisle, peering frighteningly at the “Do not ...read more

Tags: Anxiety

Denomination: *other

Extraordinary Or Ordinary?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2012

EXTRAORDINARY OR ORDINARY? God is not looking for extraordinary people. God is looking for ordinary people who will trust God in an extraordinary way. Morton Kondracke is known as a no-nonsense, independent-thinking journalist who, in addition to writing, appears on shows like The McLaughlin ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:1-15

Tags: Trust

Prevailing Upon Mercy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

PREVAILING UPON MERCY R. C. Sproul tells the story of when he was a college professor. At the start of the semester, the class of about 150 students had three papers due, let’s say, at noon on October 1st, November 1st, and December 1st. The penalty for a late paper was a zero grade. At noon on ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:19

Tags: Justice

Why Do I Have So Many Toes?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 19, 2021

I must confess that I'm not always obvious to everything that is before me. I admit I miss a lot of things set before me. I don’t do this intentionally. For example, sometimes, when I come home from the church office, I pass the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, and she is waving at me, but ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:25

Tags: Sight, Ignoring

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

After The Christening Of His Baby Brother In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2002

After the christening of his baby brother in church, little Johnny sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy replied, "That preacher said he ...read more

Tags: Parenting, Baptism

Can You Hear Them?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2002

CAN YOU HEAR THEM? You too, my mother, read my rhymes, For love of forgotten times, And you may chance, to hear once more, The little feet along the floor SOURCE: Robert Louis Stevenson. Citation: The ...read more

Tags: Children, Mother's Day, Parenting

A Politician Sitting In The House Of Lords Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Clark on Aug 23, 2002

A politician sitting in the House of Lords was recently heard to say "Hallelujah! For the first time in the 10 years I have been here, I have just heard a bishop mention God in a speech!" We must not shy away from declaring the ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Holiness

Feel The Nails By Ray Boltz  PRO

Contributed by Sean Smuts on Jan 15, 2003

Feel the Nails by Ray Boltz Does He still feel those nails Every time I fail Does He hear the crowd cry crucify again and again Am I causing Him pain Then I know I’ve ...read more

Tags: Sin General, Sin Hurtful To God

Denomination: Mennonite

I Am Personally Big On Friendship Evangelism - ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Mazzulla on Apr 6, 2004

I am personally big on friendship evangelism - loving those who do not know Jesus without snubbing my nose at them. If you want to see hearts open to the gospel, treat them with Christ’s love. Oh, some will not respond, but what a ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

David Livingstone Once Said, "I Place No Value ...

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Nov 12, 2004

David Livingstone once said, “I place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of God. If anything will advance the interests of the kingdom, it shall be given away or kept, only as by giving or keeping it I ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 31:25-54

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Baptist

All Truly Successful People In Life Have Been ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on May 27, 2005

ALL TRULY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE IN LIFE HAVE BEEN THOSE WHO PRIORITIZED. Furthermore, they had their priorities in order. A businessman, referring to a friend who was devoting most of his time and energy in pursuit of an insignificant matter, said, “He ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Wesleyan

Julie Andrews Said, "Perseverance Is Failing 19 ...  PRO

Contributed by Pat Cook on Nov 21, 2005

Julie Andrews said, “Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.” Newt Gingrich said, “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” And Walter Elliott said, ...read more

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Baptist

How Do They Do It? Although Most Of The Country's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

How Do They Do It? Although most of the country’s Protestant churches average an attendance of fewer than 100 adults, 80% of those have a full-time, paid Senior Pastor. Unbelievably, the median annual budget of those ...read more

Tags: Church General