In Sermon Illustrations: "True Story"

The Gold Wrapping Paper

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Dec 19, 2014

The Gold Wrapping Paper - An Inspirational Short Christmas Story Once upon a time, there was a man who worked very hard just to keep food on the table for his family. This particular year a few days before Christmas, he was upset with his little five-year-old daughter after learning that she had ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-19

Tags: Christmas Gift, Anger, Patience, Child Rearing

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Leave You Nickel On The Table

Contributed by Larry Turner on Jan 9, 2015

Everyone who has met my little 4 year old grand-daughter Ava knows she is very witty at times. The things this child says and does often blow me away. Last Sunday she found a nickel on the floor after church. I told her she could keep it. What she did with it was precious and a life lesson. We ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Tags: Trusting God, Assurance, Tithes And Offering

Denomination: Foursquare

Looking For Something

Contributed by Michael Parks on Mar 30, 2016

Looking for Something? Mat 6:33 When we need answers to life’s questions where do we look? There certainly isn’t any shortage of information on the internet these days. You can find almost any answer to any question or help with whatever you are struggling with. But, is it the right answer? This ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33

Tags: Easter Egg Hunt, Looking For Answers, Searching, Searching For Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

Don't Quit

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

Ignace Jan Paderewski, the famous pianist, was scheduled to perform at a great concert hall in America. It was a high-society extravaganza. Present in the audience that evening was a mother and her fidgety nine-year old. She had brought him in the hopes that when he heard the great composer play, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 18:9-15, 1 Peter 4:12, Hebrews 11:11

Tags: Discouragement, Disappointment, Perseverance

Denomination: Charismatic

The Word Was Being Made Real In The Back Of His Church

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Pastor Thomas Tewell tells the story of getting ready for their 11 p.m. Christmas Eve service. As the people were gathering, a man named Jim came in. Jim was a recovering alcoholic, sober just 6 months, but his disease had cost him his family, his job, just about everything. He went in to the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Tags: Christmas, Grace, Ministry, The Word Made Flesh

Denomination: Methodist

One Child Can Change The World

Contributed by Matt Neace on Jun 21, 2018

When we think of children we don't always think that there may be a person who is going to change the course of history. We don't see their potential or we brush it off as he or she is just a child. But every person who has had an impact on the world started as a child. Jared A. Brock wrote a ...read more

Tags: Children, Difference, Potential, Impact, Little Things  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Is Venom In Our Veins

Contributed by Matt Neace on Oct 5, 2018

Describing the new movie, Venom, Greg Morse writes: He was a journalist once. Eddie Brock investigated corruption, fought on behalf of the oppressed, and tried to make a difference in the world. He was trying to take down evil - until he was "taken" by it. An alien, a symbiote, a hungry beast ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:15-20, Romans 8:20-21, John 1:5

Tags: Human Condition, Human Nature, Sin Nature, Sin, Evil, Satan, Devil, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Inspiration Of Scripture

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Feb 23, 2020

Consider Bill, who was just a young man at the time. He had tried preaching, but didn’t always feel the power of God or see any results. One of his contemporaries, Charles Templeton, got into academia and started to believe scripture as flawed and outdated. Bill wondered about all of this. A ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:16-21, 2 Timothy 3:16

Tags: Word Of God, Inspired Word, Inspiration Of Scripture, Inspiration Of The Bible

Denomination: Baptist

Honor

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 28, 2020

Victor Frankl was a survivor of the holocaust. His famous book is called "Man's Search for Meaning." The reader they ask me why I did not try to escape what was in store for me after Hitler had occupied Austria. Let me answer by recalling the following story. Shortly before ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:1

Tags: Sacrifice, Honor, Family, Purpose, Meaning, Selfishness, 10 Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Honor Thy Father & Mother

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jan 15, 2022

The reader may ask me why I did not try to escape what was in store for me after Hitler had occupied Austria. Let me answer the question by recalling the following story. Shortly before the United States entered WWII, I received an invitation to come to the American consulate in Vienna to pick up ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-2, Exodus 20:12, Matthew 15:4

Tags: Honor, Family, Obedience, Courage, 10 Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

He Knew The Shephard

Contributed by Ron Freeman, Evangelist on Apr 26, 2022

INTRODUCTION Story: He Knew the Shepherd 1. Three men gave a presentation from the 23rd Psalms. It went like this, a. The first man read from the Psalms with superb diction, clarity, and reverence. The audience stood up and gave him a standing ovation. b. The second man quoted the entire Psalms ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6, John 12:31-33, John 3:14-17

Tags: Read Well, Knew The Shepherd, Quoted The Psalms, Read The Psalms, Knew Shepherd In The Psalms, Christ, Shepherd, Preaching, Lift Him Up, Christ Centered Preaching, Spoke Well  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Emily's 9-5 Struggle

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 19, 2024

Emily, a young woman from the MZ generation, recently started her career with a standard 9-5 job. She quickly finds herself feeling trapped and miserable in this routine. Every morning, the thought of going to work at 9 AM and staying until 5 PM feels unbearable to her. She often voices her ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:17-22

Tags: Letting Go, Spiritual Growth, Comfort, Purpose, Danger  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Last Supper By Leonardo Da Vinci

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 21, 2025

Story: Leonardo da Vinci took seven years to paint his famous picture the "Last Supper". He used living people to depict the figures representing the Twelve Apostles and Christ. He started the fresco with Jesus Christ himself. It is reputed that he viewed hundreds and hundreds of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Tags: Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci

Denomination: Anglican

The Donkey On The Way To Moriah

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 24, 2025

My name? Oh, I’m Steady—because that’s what Abraham always called me. I’m not fast, I’m not fancy—but I can walk a long way without complaining. I’ve carried all kinds of things for my master: water, wood, even tents through the desert wind. But one morning, he packed something different—firewood ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:17-19, Philippians 4:19, Psalm 37:5

Tags: Faith, Trust, Obedience, Journey, Provision  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Business Executive

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 25, 2025

Story: A business manager went on holiday to an island in Greece. One day, while he was on the beach, he was called up on his mobile phone by his secretary, wanting some help. He gave her some instructions and told her to call him back when she had finished. As he was pacing up and down ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Tags: Fisherman, Business Manager

Denomination: Anglican

Some Thoughts On The 4b Movement

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 15, 2024

Introduction: Ever since the November 2024 American elections, there seems to be more and more reference to the “4B” movement. That this movement began in South Korea a number of years ago seems to be of little importance to any number of American women. This is especially true of those American ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:19, Romans 13:9, Acts 15:29

Tags: Women, Christian Living, 4b Movement

Denomination: Baptist

[148]. A Poem Message – Egypt, Israel And The Reed Sea Victory

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 30, 2025

[148]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EGYPT, ISRAEL AND THE REED SEA VICTORY This poem resulted from a special touch of the Lord from His word to me in 1997 when passing through an uncertain time, and facing a strong injustice I could not resolve. There are times when we must wait for God’s hand ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:2-3, Exodus 14:10

Tags: Hamam, Deliverance, Defeat, Haman, Israel At The Reed Sea, Army Of Pharaoh, Army Of The Egyptians, Moses, Call, Answer, Egypt  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[212]. A Message From A Poem - Everything In Its Season

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 26, 2025

[212]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - EVERYTHING IN ITS SEASON This poem covers a lot of ground. Broadly it is connected with the state of things, being the season of man. God created all of us and we live our lives in this world, but all of us are accountable for our actions. Some of that is ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 15:18, Genesis 12:3, Joel 3:2, Isaiah 5:20-21, Ecclesiastes 3:1-5  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Death, Season, Evil, Curse Israel And Be Cursed, Christian Poems, Charlie Kirk, Israel, Birth, Good, Time For Everything, United Nations, Palestinians  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[055]. A Message From A Poem – Death For The Christian

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 12, 2025

[055]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DEATH FOR THE CHRISTIAN We deal with a subject today we often like to forget about. When we are young we give it little thought but when we are old, it tends to preoccupy our minds a lot more. This poem is not so much about the subject of death itself, as it is ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:18, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Hebrews 9:27

Tags: Egypt, Poetry, Poem, Christian Death, Absent From The Body, Keys Of Death And Hades, Death, Fear  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[244]. A Message From A Poem – Being A Part Of The Body

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Dec 26, 2025

[244]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BEING A PART OF THE BODY I would call this an unusual but interesting poem. The message is an important one though because so much is involved – harmony, nurture, compassion, serving one another, building up the Body of Christ. The poem came to me with the first ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3-6, Ephesians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 1 Corinthians 12:27

Tags: The Body Of Christ, Members Of The Body, Christian Poems, All Have Gifts, Part Of The Body, Comfort, Help, One Body, Gifts, One Another  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational