In Sermon Illustrations: "Turn The Lights On"

Born To Trouble.

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 30, 2021

Dietrich Bonhoeffer died in a German concentration camp right before it was liberated. This is what he wrote: In me there is darkness, but with you there is light; I am lonely, but you do not leave me; I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help; I am restless, but with You there is peace. ...read more

Scripture: Job 2:1-10

Tags: Hope, Despair, Despair Can Have Help

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Dr. Robert Lewis (Pastor Of The Fellowship Bible ...

Contributed by Glenn Durham on May 27, 2008

Dr. Robert Lewis (pastor of the Fellowship Bible Church of Little Rock, AR) says: “The first ‘big idea’ driving many churches is to create a church that meets the needs of its members. And since so many people have deep spiritual needs, there is much good in this approach. But often it also leads ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Ravi Zacharias: Symbols Of The Pursuit Of God  PRO

Contributed by Lalachan Abraham on Mar 11, 2013

RAVI ZACHARIAS: SYMBOLS OF THE PURSUIT OF GOD 2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ." Ravi Zacharias said: "The pursuit of the Hebrews was ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:6

Tags: Illusion, Truth Absolute

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Following The Wrong Leaderf

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 23, 2019

One cold, snowy Minnesota night, I got lost on the way home. The snow was blowing so fast and piling up so high, I couldn't see any street signs. With no map in my car and a dead cell phone, I thought I might be stranded so I pulled over to the side of the road. Then breaking through the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:19-22

Tags: Direction, Leadership, Ignorance, Gullibility, Naivete  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Grief Observed

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 20, 2022

C.S. Lewis married when he was older to a woman named Joy. Joy got cancer and died just some years after they were married. Lewis, being a writer, wrote down his thoughts after she died in a journal. He turned that journal in a book called, “A Grief Observed.” The first few pages are somewhat ...read more

Scripture: John 11:35, Psalm 88:9

Tags: Peace, Grief, Loss, Where Is God, Answers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

It's What's Under The Hood That Counts  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 25, 2012

IT'S WHAT'S UNDER THE HOOD THAT COUNTS Harry Reider tells a story about the first car that he ever owned. He was sixteen years old and his father took him to a car auction and bought a pink car for $75. It was a 1957 Ford that his dad insisted that the color was really "coral." "I can't drive a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

John Stott Wrote, "I Could Never Believe In God, ...  PRO

Contributed by Hansel Young on Nov 15, 2007

John Stott wrote, “I could never believe in God, if it were not for the cross… In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it? I have entered many Buddhist temples in different Asian countries and stood respectfully before the statue of Buddha, his legs crossed, arms ...read more

Scripture: John 19:16-37

Tags: Worship, Persecution, Violence, Suffering, Unity, Friend, Flesh, Priorities, Martyrdom, Apathy, Hatred, Mortify  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Holiness

Even Lost Boys Overcome

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Aug 7, 2008

EVEN LOST BOYS OVERCOME Between 1983 and 2003, so many Christians were killed in the Sudanese Civil War that a whole community of orphaned children arose who have become known as the Lost Boys of Sudan. Lopez Lomong was one of those boys. At six years old, he was kidnapped from his parents at ...read more

Tags: Affliction

Denomination: Mennonite

A Young Man Who Had Heard The Gospel Accepted ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jul 9, 2008

A young man who had heard the Gospel accepted Christ. A little while after this, a Christian teacher asked him: "What have you done for Christ since you believed?" He replied: "Oh, I'm a learner." "Well," said the questioner, "when you light a candle do you light it to make the candle more ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Pentecostal

As I Was Driving This Past Week I Was Noticing ...

Contributed by Jerry Flury on Dec 25, 2009

As I was driving this past week I was noticing how beautiful the path of lights along the highway looked against the darkness of the pre-dawn sky. The lights lighting the roadway sparkled like diamonds against a canvas of ebony. The scene caused me to think about the beauty of the night. As I gazed ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:16

Tags: What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Baptist

Several Years Ago My Wife, Deborah Looked Down To ...

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Oct 20, 2006

Several years ago my wife, Deborah looked down to discover the diamond in her wedding ring was missing! Naturally, we searched and searched. I found it hard to believe that she could lose it- it was such a huge stone.. So, being the kind of husband I am I purchased her another diamond. And then, ...read more

Denomination: Christian Church

The Gradual Road To Hell  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2011

THE GRADUAL ROAD TO HELL In C.S. Lewis’ book The Screwtape Letters, we read the story of an older demon counseling a younger demon. At one point in the book, we read these words: "You will say that these are very small sins, and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to ...read more

Scripture: James 1:13-15

Tags: Sin Deceptive, Risk Of Sin

Q: How Many Lawyers Does It Take To Change A ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Oct 1, 2001

Q: How many lawyers does it take to change a light bulb? A: How many can you afford? Q: How many evolutionists does it take to change a light bulb? A: Just one but it will take a million years. Q: How many Psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb? A: Only one, but the bulb has got to ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist

Pows In Vietnam Recall Memorized Scripture To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2010

POWs in Vietnam Recall Memorized Scripture to Help Themselves Survive In the prison camps which were opened up following the terrible years of the Vietnam war, a story came out about how men endured six, seven, eight years of prison under the most terrible of conditions: rotten food, isolation, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:105

Tags: Scripture, War

How Many Christians Does It Take To Change A ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Mitchell on Jan 31, 2008

How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb? Charismatics/Pentecostals: Ten. One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness. Presbyterians: None. Lights will go on and off at predestined times. Roman Catholic: None. Candles only. Baptists: At least 15. One ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Charles Swindoll Gives Us Some Interesting Advice ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 21, 2006

Charles Swindoll gives us some interesting advice when he states: When you live in darkness, you not only have no ray of light, you don’t even know where home is. That is the way it is for the majority in the world. Some folks are born, raised, and die in cultures that have never seen their first ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christmas Giving To Others

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Ann Voskamp writes, “It’s almost a dozen years now, nothing under the Christmas tree here. Strange, the way children teach adults. It started at bedtime one year, I do remember that. Smoothing back hair, kissing foreheads, pulling up the blankets over my kids. Tucking them in. Prayers said all in a ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:4

Tags: Christmas, Gift Giving

Denomination: Methodist

The Vastness Of The Galaxy

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 21, 2013

THE VASTNESS OF THE GALAXY Have you ever considered the speed of light? It’s pretty fast you know — about 186,000 miles per second. Since the distance around the earth is about 25,000 miles, at this speed a "particle" of light can zip around the earth about 7 or 8 times in just 1 second. That’s a ...read more

Tags: Creation

Denomination: Independent/Bible

At Approximately 3:20 On The Morning Of March ...  PRO

Contributed by John Hamby on Jul 15, 2002

“At approximately 3:20 on the morning of March 13, 1964, twenty-eight-year-old …(Kitty) Genovese was returning to her home in a nice middle-class area of Queens, NY…. She parked her ….(car) in a nearby parking lot, turned-off the lights and started the walk to her second floor apartment some 35 ...read more

Tags: Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Baptist

At Approximately 3:20 On The Morning Of March ...  PRO

Contributed by John Hamby on Jul 15, 2002

“At approximately 3:20 on the morning of March 13, 1964, twenty-eight-year-old …(Kitty) Genovese was returning to her home in a nice middle-class area of Queens, NY…. She parked her ….(car) in a nearby parking lot, turned-off the lights and started the walk to her second floor apartment some 35 ...read more

Tags: Compassion, Great Commission, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Baptist