In Sermon Illustrations: "Tough Times"

Joy In The Midst Of Rough Waters

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Feb 13, 2011

JOY IN THE MIDST OF ROUGH WATERS I’ve spent a fair bit of time in recent weeks doing funeral pre-planning for my parents. Making decisions about final disposition of the remains of people you have loved all your life is not any fun at all. It can be overwhelmingly sad. After spending hours with ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Light That Lasts

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 30, 2011

A LIGHT THAT LASTS Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb in 1879. Twenty-two years later, in 1901, one of the newfangled gadgets was hung and turned on in the Livermore, Calif., Fire Department. It’s still there, and still on. The old bulb has almost never been turned off in 109 years. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-16

Tags: Promises Of God

The Importance Of Gratitude

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 13, 2011

THE IMPORTANCE OF GRATITUDE A few years ago Dr. Nick Stinnett of the University of Nebraska conducted a group of studies called the "Family Strengths Research Project." Stinnett and his researchers identified six qualities that make for strong families. The first quality and one of the most ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 8:10

Tags: Gratitude

Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde: Our Irrevocable Acts  PRO

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Jun 30, 2011

DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE: OUR IRREVOCABLE ACTS Robert Louis Stevenson, in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," set forth the irrevocable nature of every act we perform. Mr. Jekyll discovered a drug that would transform him into a man devoid of any conscience and therefore able to enjoy any vice or sin. ...read more

Tags: Romans, Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Philip Caught A Gold Mine

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

PHILIP CAUGHT A GOLD MINE On Sept. 27, 1998, Philip Ozersky went to a baseball game and saw his life changed in a big time way. All it took was one swing of the bat, and Philip caught not just a baseball, but a gold mine. Lots of fans have caught home runs, but this was no ordinary home run. Lots ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 19:1-14

Tags: Money

Getting To Know Man

Contributed by Brad Henry on Aug 18, 2011

GETTING TO KNOW MAN Julie and I have the wonderful privilege to raise Bryce and Chase. But that is a privilege given to us by God. God created our children and is allowing Julie and I to raise them. We get to keep them in our home for a time and then they are off into the world. But God created ...read more

Tags: Worldliness

The Accident Already Occurred

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2012

THE ACCIDENT ALREADY OCCURRED There’s a phrase in military aviation which goes like this: "The accident already occurred, we're just waiting for the plane to arrive at the crash site." What does that mean? It means the accident occurred miles before the actual accident occurred, when the pilot or ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 11:1-43

Tags: Cause, Idolatry, Effect

No Faith In The Future, No Power For The Present

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 12, 2012

NO FAITH IN THE FUTURE, NO POWER FOR THE PRESENT Years ago, a small town in Maine was proposed for the site of a great hydroelectric plant. Since the dam would be built across the river, the entire town would be submerged. When the project was announced, the people were given many months to ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:10-14, 1 John 3:3

Tags: Future

The Enduring Frog

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 13, 2012

THE ENDURING FROG We can flourish and develop in new ways or we can drown in despair. Story from India: One night two frogs found themselves in a dairy. Hopping and jumping around as frogs do they both jumped into a milk pail half full of milk. After swimming around for some time they tried to ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Death Steals From Us

Contributed by Jeffrey Rowe on Dec 29, 2012

Death steals from us in this life by suddenly separating us from the people and things we’ve come to care about. It robs us. A little while back, our church office building was broken into by thieves who took some of our equipment. Personally I’ve had my car broken into a couple of times. I’m ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Holiness

What Kind Of Worker Are You?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 15, 2019

WHAT KIND OF WORKER ARE YOU? The way you work in your business is one of the greatest ways you witness either for the Lord or against Him. Don't be a half-hearted worker like these: 1. The Vanisher - The vanisher seems to go invisible at odd times without explanation.  2. The Victim - ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:28

Tags: Work, Testimony, Business

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Carry Your Cross

Contributed by Anitha Jabastion on Aug 3, 2020

A story is told about a boy who desperately wanted to meet Christ. He was praying hard about it. One day, the Lord told him to walk up the mountain carrying his cross. He took his cross and began his journey. In some time, he began to feel the heaviness of the cross. He cut out a small portion of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Following Jesus, Carrying The Cross, Denying Oneself

Small Decisions, Huge Consequences

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 3, 2022

1. We make small decisions all the time, and they can affect the direction of our lives. Take this true story: “When I was a kid, my mom, my cousin, my sister, and I were all about to go to my great grandma's house from my grandma's house. It was not a far drive so my mom allowed my sister ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 14:20-25, Hebrews 6:4-6, Acts 16:31, John 3:16

Tags: Providence, Choice, Consequences, Decisions, Important Choices  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Selling Eggs For Bad Sermons

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 9, 2024

An elderly pastor was searching his closet for a tie before church one Sunday morning. In the back of the closet, he found a small box containing 3 eggs and 100--$1.00 bills. He called his wife into the closet to ask her about the box and its contents. Embarrassed, she admitted having hidden the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Pastor, Preach The Word, Pastor's Wife, Sermons, Preachers, Bible, Church  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Donkey Stopped, What Now?

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Oct 25, 2024

Well, this is where it gets interesting. Say 100 years ago, two hundred years ago, I can almost certainly state as a matter of fact that if you were living at that time, you or someone you knew would have had a donkey, or a mule or a horse or a bullock. A beast that has been replaced by the ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 22:1-41

Tags: Death, Justification, Combustion Engine, History, Sword, Context, Angel, Repentence, Lithium Ion Battery  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

Conquering Password Memory Issues

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 22, 2025

Am I getting worried about my memory," says 75 year old Rachel to her best friend Sarah. "So why is that?" asks Sarah. "Because every time I go online banking," replies Rachel, "I just don't seem to be able to remember my bank's password. I have to try many ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:6-11

Tags: Memory, Confusion, Complications

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Rabbinic Understanding Of Palm Sunday

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2025

In the Talmud, you can see how the Rabbis tried to harmonize some of the prophesies of the Old Testament, including Palm Sunday. They did not understand the two comings: R. Alexandri said: R. Joshua b. Levi pointed out a contradiction. it is written, in its time [will the Messiah come], whilst it ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:1-11, Matthew 21:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:12-19

Tags: Palm Sunday, Triumphant Entry, Two Comings, Jewish Understanding

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Is Bitterness Still In Your Life?

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 1, 2025

Has someone ever said something ... or done something to you ... which you found ... difficult ... to forgive? Every time you hear their name, ... even if the incident happened years ago ... still brings uneasiness ... to your soul. It is ... as though you were reliving the event ... all over ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:15, Ephesians 4:26, Matthew 5:23-24, Romans 12:19, Hebrews 12:15  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Forgiveness, Bitterness, Prisoner

Denomination: Anglican

In The Book Scully, There Is A Dialogue Between ...  PRO

Contributed by Bob Briggs on Dec 8, 2000

In the book Scully, there is a dialogue between Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple Computers and John Scully, who at the time was president of Pepsi. Jobs was attempting to recruit Scully for the top job at Apple and he asked Scully, “Do you want to spend ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment, Workplace

Denomination: Pentecostal

Elton Trueblood Wrote, "It Used To Be That ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 26, 2001

Elton Trueblood wrote, "It used to be that Christianity was a revolutionary faith that turned the world upside down. But today Christians sit in Sunday morning church services looking at their watches, wondering what time dinner will be served, or thinking about the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To, Church Purpose Of, Book Of Revelation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ