In Sermon Illustrations: "Tsunami Survival Tale"

The Impact Of Fatherlessness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2011

THE IMPACT OF FATHERLESSNESS Several years ago the TV show 60 Minutes ran a segment that tells us something important about fatherlessness. The park rangers at a South African wildlife preserve were concerned about the slaughter of 39 rare white rhinos in their park. It turned out that the rhinos ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Tags: Father's Day

The Weak Will Become Strong  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 12, 2011

THE WEAK WILL BECOME STRONG The story is told of a ten-year-old boy who decided to study judo. The problem was he had been in a car accident and had lost his left arm. So he started the lessons and was doing well but he couldn’t understand why after 3 months of lessons that his coach had only ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-5

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Rejoicing In Pain  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

REJOICING IN PAIN Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision, visited a church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, nearly a year after the devastating earthquake. The church's building consisted of a tent made from white tarps and duct tape, pitched in the midst of a sprawling camp for thousands of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Gratitude

Is He Real Or Pretend?

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Dec 15, 2011

IS HE REAL OR PRETEND? I think George Reeves was the first actor to be Superman on TV. Back in the 50's, TV actors were not quite as "elite" as some seem to be now. They would throw out the first pitch at a Los Angeles little league game. They would fire the starting pistol for a soap box derby ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7, Isaiah 29:13

Tags: Hypocrisy, Sincerity

Denomination: Baptist

Love Is Face To Face

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jul 6, 2012

LOVE IS FACE-TO-FACE By Erwin Raphael McManus in SOUL CRAVINGS – PREQUEL, pp. 28ff: "I once met a girl named Kim, and I fell in love. I pursued her with my love and pursed her with my love until I felt my love had captured her heart. So I asked her to be my wife, and she said no." I could feel ...read more

Tags: God's Love, Galilee, Feeding 5000, Five Thousand

Denomination: Independent/Bible

That Little Khaki-Covered Book  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2012

THAT LITTLE KHAKI-COVERED BOOK We Thought We Heard The Angels Sing, written by Lieutenant James Whittaker who was one of seven men whose plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean on October 21, 1942. Their leader was the famous Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, and these seven men found themselves stranded ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:6-7

Tags: Bible Influence

You Promised Me  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on May 6, 2013

"YOU PROMISED ME" Love always perseveres. Love never Fails. In 1989, an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened Armenia, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. Surprisingly, such tragedies often bring out the best in people. Let me show you the loving heart of a father. In the midst of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Leviticus 6:12-13

Tags: God's Love, Bearing God's Image

Denomination: Nazarene

Lesson Of The Good Samaritan

Contributed by Darian Hybl on Aug 21, 2013

Recently I read an article that convicted me of my ‘blind spots’ where I have not wanted to ‘cross the road’ or enter deeper into relationship. Alex Early penned an article entitled, “A Pastor Walked into a Gay Bar And…” At first I avoided the article because I thought this article was more a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:23-37

Tags: God As Judge, Real Friend, Parable Good Samaritan

Denomination: Lutheran

Hush Puppies

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Aug 27, 2014

Are you familiar with the brush-suede shoe called Hush Puppies? It was popular when I was a kid. The brand was all but dead until late 1994. Sales were down to 30,000 pairs a year, mostly sold in backwoods outlets and small-town family stores. Wolverine, the company that makes Hush Puppies, was ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 6:10

Tags: Prayer Power, Importance Of Prayer

Denomination: Baptist

Corrie Ten Boom On Forgiveness And Love Of Enemy

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on May 6, 2018

When I think of drawing on love’s source, I think of Corrie ten Boom. Her family had all died in the Nazi concentration camps. Their crime? Hiding Jews in their home. Somehow Corrie survived. The war had ended, the camps had been liberated, and Corrie was speaking in various churches, sharing about ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-17, Matthew 5:43-48

Tags: Agape Love, Love Your Enemy, Source Of True Love, Love, Forgiveness, Forgive, Divine Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Never Quit Growing

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 9, 2022

GROWTH IS ESSENTIAL OR ONE WILL GET STAGNATE AND BEGIN A DECREASE. Growth is essential to long term survival. We must learn to take advantage of opportunities and take risk. GROWTH: improve, increase, develop, mature, progressive development, MATURITY, AGE, SIZE, WEIGHT, HEIGHT. 2 Peter 3:18 ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:18, Philippians 1:9

Tags: Plan, Growth

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Rest In The Lord

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 29, 2025

Rest in the LORD This is David's message to us in Psalm 37:7-11, where he said: 7. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret -- it ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:1-11

Tags: Hardships, Cares, Cast Your Cares, Horrible Times, Evil, Suffering, Trusting God, Righteousness, Rejoice, Shelter, Pain, Peace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Story Of Encouragement  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Aug 29, 2001

Story of Encouragement:   Several months ago when I was seated on the bus at the terminal and going home from work, a woman showed a kindness that up to now I cannot forget. The bus was still not full. I sat on the third row, by the window, on the driver’s side. It was nearly six p.m. but the ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Compassion, Hearing God, Kindness, Servanthood, Listen  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Wonderful, Imaginative Short Story By Nathaniel ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 24, 2002

A wonderful, imaginative short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne illustrates the necessity of having the right focus. It is entitled “The Great Stone Face.” The tale centers around a man named Ernest who grew up in a village renowned for a natural wonder that rested just outside its boundaries. ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 11:16-23

Tags: Humor, Mother's Day, Story, Devotional

I'll Go Back And Tell Them Again.

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 30, 2011

"I'LL GO BACK AND TELL THEM AGAIN." In a book entitled "Jungle Harvest," written by a missionary named Ruby Scott, she describes some of her experiences in reaching a people group known as the Tila Indians who lived in a remote village in the jungles of south Mexico, just north of the Guatemalan ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

[209]. A Message From A Poem – Our Pilgrim Journey Home

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 23, 2025

[209]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – OUR PILGRIM JOURNEY HOME Here is an explanation – The title of this poem expresses the walk and life of a Christian who lives for a short time in this world and then is called home. There is a slight touch of Bunyan’s Pilgrim Progress here. The KJV is the only ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:20-21, Hebrews 11:13, 1 Peter 2:11

Tags: Light, Journey, Opposition, Crowd, Strangers, Pilgrims, Sojourners, To Live Is Christ, Aliens  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Smell The Rain

Contributed by Richard Goble on Nov 26, 2007

Smell The Rain A cold March wind danced around the dead of night in Dallas as the doctor walked into the small hospital room of Diana Blessing. Still groggy from surgery, her husband David held her hand as they braced themselves for the latest news. That afternoon of March 10, 1991, complications ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

I Love My Imperfections

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 11, 2021

Dr. James L. Snyder Unlike most people, I love my imperfections; those imperfections of mine do not cause me much trouble. I know most people like to focus on their perfections so that they can impress other people. But what about people like me who have no perfections to boast about? If I had ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:48

Tags: Perfection, Maturity

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

One Man I Admire Greatly Is Maximilian Kolbe ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 28, 2001

One man I admire greatly is Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941) Maximilian Kolbe was a Catholic priest, who was put in a Nazi concentration camp for his faith. On May 28, 1941, he was transferred to the concentration camp at Auschwitz. During his time there, he would share his meagre rations of food ...read more

Tags: Parable Good Samaritan, Christian Disciplines, Christian Love

Denomination: Anglican

A New Heart, A New Life  PRO

Contributed by Guy Caley on Jan 19, 2003

A NEW HEART, A NEW LIFE It was March 18. Leanne tried not to think about the fact that Melvin would have been 39 today. The face of the man driving the van flashed in her mind. She tried not to feel the anger. Once more the scream of brakes, the crash and then the silence replayed itself in her ...read more

Tags: Repentance, Salvation

Denomination: Assembly Of God