In Sermon Illustrations: "Turn The Lights On"

A Remarkable Conversion

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 1, 2011

A REMARKABLE CONVERSION One of the most remarkable conversion experiences I ever heard was that of a Korean evangelist named Kim Lee. Dad knew him during his tour in Vietnam. His parents were executed by the North Koreans when he was six years old. With no relatives in North Korea, he and his ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-17

Tags: Bible Influence

What Are You Doing, Lord? Amazing Grace

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 31, 2011

WHAT ARE YOU DOING, LORD? AMAZING GRACE A couple days ago I was commuting to the church from Boissevain where we were camping this week, and heard an interview with a young woman named Kristen James Anderson, ironically on the last day of our free satellite radio. She came from a great family, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:5

Tags: Grace

The 5 Biggest Mistakes That Threaten ...  PRO

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 4, 2012

THE 5 BIGGEST MISTAKES THAT THREATEN RELATIONSHIPS Dr. Edward Hallowell and his wife, Sue, authors of Married to Distraction: Restoring Intimacy and Strengthening Your Marriage in an Age of Distraction, teach you how to spot hidden distractions in your relationship and reveal the mistakes you may ...read more

Tags: Marriage Struggle

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Parable Of Water  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Sep 21, 2012

The Parable of Water There are a lot of things I could compare when it comes to living in the world, sexual sin, the lust we have for objects that are shiny; but, I’ve decided that I’m not going to. I’ve decided to discuss two different liquids. One of them is water and the other is Coca Cola. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 106:1-12, James 1:16-19

Tags: God's Goodness, Kingdom Of God, Temptation General

Denomination: Salvation Army

No Replacement Refs  PRO

Contributed by Tim White on Oct 6, 2012

NO REPLACEMENT REFS Matthew 7:22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' One week ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:22-23, 2 Chronicles 29:35-36

Tags: Salvation, Trusting God

Denomination: Baptist

Ministry Meltdown

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2013

MINISTRY MELTDOWN My dear friends, when life seems overwhelming, don't get busy; get help! Otherwise, you'll just wear yourself out and those around you. That's what Bob Merritt, pastor of the Eagle Brook Church in Minnesota, was doing. In a recent issue of Leadership Journal he writes about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Stress

The Substitute  PRO

Contributed by Paul Steen on Oct 8, 2016

The Moose was in the game to score. He took the handoff at the five-yard line from the quarterback and stunted to the right. The right guard and tackle had split the defenders and there was a slight hole in the line for him. Moose instantly was in the hole. He put his head down and fought through ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:3

Tags: Substitute, Substitute Sacrifice, Our Substitute

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

A Train For Christmas

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 9, 2017

When I was a little boy, Christmas was really exciting. Sears Roebuck and Company would send toy catalogs out to my mom because she had an account with them. I would spend hours every Christmas looking at every item in the catalog. The catalog was filled with every kind of toy a boy could think ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Jesus Came, Unto Us A Child, A Son Is Given

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Mr. Schemer On The Broad Road

Contributed by David Goering on Sep 20, 2018

There was a man named Mr. Evangelist who grabbed a handful of pamphlets containing scripture verses and the good news that had transformed his very own life. off he went into the highways and byways and as he went he began to share these pamphlets with everyone that providence would put in his ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 36:2, Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Self Righteousness, The Broad Road, Self Flattery, Self Justification

A Collector’s Item?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 23, 2020

Hard to believe, but I may have a collector’s item! In my own house! Now, before you start sending me “Can I see it?” types of emails, maybe I should explain just what this “collector’s item” really is. Really, it wasn’t that much of a collectible, even from a couple of years ago. It’s only ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-20, Colossians 3:2

Tags: Stewardship, Collector's Items

Denomination: Baptist

Failed Love

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Sep 15, 2020

Thomas Carlyle lived from 1795 to 1881. He was a Scot essayist and historian. During his lifetime, he became one of the world’s greatest writers. However, he was human, and humans make mistakes. On October 17, 1825, Carlyle married his secretary Jane Welsh. She was an intelligent, attractive, ...read more

Scripture: Song of Songs 7:1

Tags: Love, Marriage

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes—jonathan’s Armor Bearer

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 4, 2020

Unsung heroes—Jonathan’s armor bearer Introduction: some of the unsung heroes of the Bible never had their names revealed. The people they served with knew, and clearly their parents knew, but in His Wisdom, our Lord has chosen for these people to remain secret. Their deeds were well known, even ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 14:6-7

Tags: Philistines, Jonathan, Armor Bearers

Denomination: Baptist

A New Year Devotional

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 22, 2022

A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other! In fact, here are some startling stats about typical resolutions for the new year in America: • 27% break their resolutions by the first week of January. • 31% lose their resolutions by the second week of January. • 41% ...read more

Scripture: John 16:33, Numbers 6:24-26

Tags: Finances, New Year, Things, Devotional, Blessings, Resolutions, Peace, Happiness, Joy, Hope  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When A Thief Was Surprised At Church!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 13, 2023

When I was pastoring in Texas, something strange happened one Christmas that I will never stop laughing about. Because it was a Christmas holiday, we were at home with our family taking a break from our normal ministry schedule. We did not go to the church campus for the weekend. But, while we ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:10-11, Proverbs 3:9-10, 1 Timothy 6:10, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

Tags: Pastors, Tithing, Robbing God, Stealing, Surprises, Church, Giving, Humor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rapture Why God Doesn't Reveal When

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Feb 26, 2024

When I and my sister were young children we use to regularly have babysitters when our parents went out in the evenings. Some of the babysitters were fun! Some weren’t. The fun ones were the ones that let us play wild games that normally our parents would never let us do in the house if ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:32, Matthew 24:36

Tags: Second Coming, Rapture, Judgment

Denomination: Baptist

The Secrets Of Life

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Jun 6, 2024

“Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves at one with the secrets of life itself.” ~L. Wolfe Gilbert I have a dog named Bella. She is a Blue Heeler. I must confess that at the time Bella came into my life a dog was not on my wish list. My stepson is the “original owner.” ...read more

Scripture: John 1:3

Tags: Beauty, Nature, Mystery, Canvas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[093]. A Message From A Poem – Foraging In The Depths Of Scripture

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 30, 2025

[093]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FORAGING IN THE DEPTHS OF SCRIPTURE This poem deals with getting into the heart of scripture. There are images and techniques and encouragement in these stanzas. I actually make the comparison between a mudskipper that flits across the shallows on the water, and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 119:27, 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Buried Treasure, Inspired, Dig Deep, Eel, Mudskipper, Scripture, Word Of God, Workman  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Third Grader's Explanation Of God  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Apr 4, 2001

A THIRD GRADERS EXPLANATION OF GOD Written by Danny Dutton, age 8, from Chula Vista, California, for his third grade homework assignment to "Explain God." One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die so there will be enough people to take care of things on ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23, Galatians 5:1-26

Tags: God The Father, Children

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Agony Claws My Mind. I Am A Statistic. When I ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2001

Agony claws my mind. I am a statistic. When I first got here, I felt very much alone. I was overwhelmed by grief, and I expected to find sympathy. I found no sympathy. I saw only thousands of others whose bodies were as badly mangled as mine. I was given a number and places in a category. This was ...read more

Tags: Death Nearness, Death

To Say The Least, I Was At First Shocked To Read ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 26, 2001

To say the least, I was at first shocked to read the headline, Baby Ate Cocaine Dad Left Nearby. According to the Associated Press a father from Ravenna, Ohio was sentenced to one year in prison for endangering his daughter, who was six-months-old at the time of the incident. He evidently stashed ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 127:1

Tags: Father's Day, Children, Parenting