In Sermon Illustrations: "True Crime"

In The 1971 Film Willy Wonka And The Chocolat...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 25, 2016

In the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, chocolateer Willy Wonka (played by Gene Wilder) launches a worldwide frenzy when he inserts five golden tickets into his famous Wonka Bars. Each ticket gives the owner a chance to tour the chocolate factory and win a lifetime’s supply of ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:13-16

Tags: Childlike Faith

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Satanic Duplications

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jul 29, 2020

A cartoon when I was a kid showed a group of aliens called Meeks who came to earth and said they only existed to serve others and wanted to give everyone the desires of their heart. The world voted to allow them to do it and everyone only had to ask and it was done. With no work to do humans ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:9, Proverbs 16:25, 1 Peter 5:8

Tags: Lion, Deception, Satan, Lies

Denomination: Baptist

Pride And Greed Spoil Relationships

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2009

PRIDE AND GREED SPOIL RELATIONSHIPS Are you so focused on your career, your raise and your ambitions for the future that you fail to realize the gift of relationships that God has given you today? The second rule is that people come before possessions and positions. Otherwise, you might find ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:26

Tags: Greed

Miraculous Protection Of Hutu ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2009

Miraculous Protection of Hutu Preacher Psalm 91:5 goes on to say, “You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day.” And vs. 11 says, “He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” ILL. Tribal wars are nothing new in Central Africa. In fact, a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-16

Tags: Miracles, Miracles General

The Speaker Who Couldn't Speak

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Jan 6, 2010

THE SPEAKER WHO COULDN'T SPEAK I’ve just come across the remarkable true story of Charlie Wedemeyer from California. Charlie coached a high-school football team to the only state championship they’ve ever won. One day, the author Zig Ziglar attended a practice session with Charlie and his team. As ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Anglican

New Year's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2010

New Year’s Resolutions How are you coming thus far in 2010 in terms of your new year’s resolutions? Author, innovation consultant, and speaker Stephen Shapiro, with the help of Opinion Corporation of Princeton, New Jersey, offers the following interesting statistics concerning New Year’s ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:8

Tags: New Year's Day

Cultures: An Enormous Task

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Feb 11, 2010

CULTURES: AN ENORMOUS TASK Sydney has major shopping malls. I mean big and crowded with people. I couldn't help thinking that as I looked down the floor of Westmead Shopping Centre in Sydney, there within a short space, were over 300 people walking towards me. And that was one level where I ...read more

Tags: Culture

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If I Loved Him Better, I Would Paint Him ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 27, 2010

"If I loved him better, I would paint him better!”--Paul Gustave Doré Paul Gustave Doré was born in Strasburg, January 10, 1833. He was well-known for illustrating many works, including a version of the Bible. (You can download the set of pen and ink drawing from Project Gutenberg.) The story is ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 31:2-3

Tags: Jesus, Love For God

The Golden ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 15, 2010

The Golden Rule Four men sit down together. In the discussion they start to speak about what is called “the Golden Rule,” and how it is understood. The first speaks. “Leviticus 19 says, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” But who is my neighbour? The great rabbi Hillel, who is one of the main ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

Tags: World Religions

Withholding Your Best Wine  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2010

WITHHOLDING YOUR BEST WINE There is a story about an old village in Spain. The people of this village heard the king planned to visit there. No king had ever done that. So naturally, they became excited and wanted to offer a great celebration that would show their adoration and that would honor ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 29:13

Tags: Honor, Hypocrisy, Dishonor

Staying In The Shallow End

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 28, 2011

STAYING IN THE SHALLOW END He stays at the shallow end of the pool for a long time, refusing invitations to come out into the deeper water, even with his dad. But after a long time considering it, my grandson Zion Brave Bennett thrusts himself into the pool, swimming underwater and then ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Marks Of A Christian

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

Galatians 2:1-10 THE MARKS OF A CHRISTIAN BY THEODORE EPP Four marks of a Christian are set forth in Galatians 2:20: First, a Christian is one who has the living Christ living in him. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Christ, Holy Spirit, Resurrection, Discipleship, Christian Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

No More Sin!

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 8, 2023

David Brooks in his book “The Road to Character” says this about sin... Today the word sin has lost it's power and awesome intensity. It’s now used to refer to desserts... fattening desserts. Most people in daily conversation don’t talk much about individual sin. If they talk about human ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23, Romans 1:18-20, Ephesians 2:1-3

Tags: Sin, Salvation, Gospel, Depravity, The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Freezing To Death Can Actually Make You Feel Warm...

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 22, 2024

The man huddled on the cabin floor was slowly freezing to death. It was high in the Rockies in southwestern Alberta, and outside a blizzard raged. John Elliott had logged miles that day through the deep snows of the mountain passes. As he checked for avalanches and as dusk and exhaustion overcame ...read more

Tags: Wake Up, Spiritual Death, Messengers, Dogs, Witnesses, Sin, Deception, Satan, Salvation, Rescue, Lost, Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Living Without Power  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

LIVING WITHOUT POWER The story is told of an elderly woman named Norena, who lived in southern Florida. When a hurricane hit that area, her home was one of many that was severely damaged. Norena received an insurance settlement, and the repair work began. However, when the money ran out, so did ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Holy Spirit, Gift, Power, Truth, Living Without, Holy Spirit In Believers  (view more)  (view less)

They Sent Me To Finish  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

THEY SENT ME TO FINISH With all the pomp and prestige that the Chinese government went to in order to put their best foot forward, there was one person who they honored who stood out. He is now in his seventies, but China brought him to Bejing as an honored guest. Why? The odd thing is that John ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:24

Tags: Endurance

Romans 8:28 We Know That In All Things God Works ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2008

Romans 8:28 We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, Sometimes we just want things to turn out well – especially in a bad situation. Story: Before Tom left for deployment to Iraq – he prayed that God will guide him in doing good in a land full of violence. ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Recently I Received An E-Mail Which Dealt ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Tkachuk on Dec 23, 2004

Recently I received an e-mail which dealt beautifully with the true meaning of Christmas. The theme of the message focused on children and was entitled, “Teach the Children.” Let me share it with you this morning. This is what it said: “I just finished the household chores for the night and was ...read more

Tags: Christmas Eve

Denomination: Catholic

Serving Others

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever the cost”. - Arthur Ashe In a small, dusty town in western Oklahoma one November there lived a young single mother struggling to make ends meet. ...read more

Scripture: John 13:12-14

Tags: Humility, Christian Service

Denomination: Charismatic

Compassion

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson She was a nurse employed at a residential care home in Western Oklahoma. It was a muggy summer night and many of the residents seemed more restless than usual. One of the patients, an ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1

Tags: Compassion, Acts Of Kindness, Kind To The Unkind, Showing God's Love

Denomination: Charismatic