In Sermon Illustrations: "Turn The Lights On"

The Owl

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 27, 2010

THE OWL Two taxidermists stopped before a window in which an owl was on display. They immediately began to criticize the way it was mounted. Its eyes were not natural; its wings were not in proportion with its head; its feathers were not neatly arranged; and its feet could be improved. ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: Brethren

Hare Products  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 16, 2003

HARE PRODUCTS A man was blissfully driving along the highway, when he saw the Easter Bunny hopping across the middle of the road. He swerved to avoid hitting the bunny, but unfortunately the rabbit jumped in front of his car and was hit. The basket of eggs went flying all over the place. Candy, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:11

Tags: Easter Resurrection

I Have A Friend Back Home Named Alison. I've ...

Contributed by Mary Lewis on Jun 11, 2004

I have a friend back home named Alison. I’ve known Alison for several years now, and I’ve noticed something. In fact its hard to help noticing if you’re around her a lot. She loves birthdays. You see, Alison will turn 16 this year. And though her birthday isn’t ‘til August, she’s been talking about ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Baptist

Little Boy Sees The Parade But Misses The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2009

Little Boy Sees the Parade but Misses the Circus Lowell Ogden tells the story of a little boy who lived out in the country around the turn of the century. He had never seen a traveling circus, and one was coming to his town on Saturday. The lad asked his father for permission to go and his dad said ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:46-55

Tags: Worship Definition

You're Beautiful To God  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL TO GOD R.C. Buckner, a big, bold and brash man, lived about 100 years ago in Texas. This imposing figure had a very tender heart for children, starting Buckner's Children's Homes all across the state. The children affectionately called him "Papa Buckner" and would run up to him ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:9-13

Tags: Compassion

Maybe It's Good News......maybe It's Bad News.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 15, 2019

Many times we really don’t know what we should specifically pray for. We are not omniscient. We don’t know everything, nor can we see into the future. So we don’t know whether the things we’re asking for will turn out good or bad for us. An old story illustrates: A Chinese gentleman lived on the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Prayer, Will Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

No Coasting

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 7, 2026

Whenever the price of gas goes up, people start thinking about saving gas by coasting their cars downhill. I have a vague memory of a news story from way back in the 1970s about a guy who was going downhill and decided to turn the car off to save gas. One little problem – that was when new cars ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:10-11

Tags: Assurance, Falling

Denomination: Methodist

No Jacket Required  PRO

Contributed by Johanna Radelfinger on May 26, 2003

NO JACKET REQUIRED I shook my head in disbelief. This couldn’t be the right place. After all, I couldn’t possibly be welcome here. I had been given an invitation several times, by several different people, and had finally decided to see what this place was all about. But, this just couldn’t be the ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence, Salvation, Repentance

Denomination: Adventist

Wheat ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2012

WHEAT HARVEST I grew up in Wellington, Kansas which is a small farm town of about 8,000 people located 30 miles south of Wichita, Kansas. Wellington’s big claim to fame is being the Wheat Capitol of the World. The farmers of my home town produce more wheat per capita than anywhere else in the ...read more

Scripture: John 4:34-38

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

After The Green Bay Packers Won The Super Bowl A ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Nov 27, 2000

After the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl a few years ago, Gilbert Brown was a hot commodity. Jacksonville offered him an extra million dollars to put his 325 pound body into their uniform, but Brown decided to stay in Green Bay. Why would he turn down a ...read more

Tags: Compassion, Sports

Denomination: Baptist

When You Get A Flu Shot Your Getting Injected ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Apr 24, 2001

When you get a flu shot your getting injected with a very small amount of the sickness. So small that it shouldn’t make you sick and should keep you from getting very sick. Many people in the Church just want flu shoot Christianity. Not too ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Who Am I Hurting?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

WHO AM I HURTING? When we hate our enemies we give them power over us - power over our sleep, our appetites, our happiness. They would dance with joy if they knew how much they were worrying us. Our hate is not hurting them at ...read more

Tags: Anger, Compassion

Just Listening  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 9, 2002

JUST LISTENING Dan Rather, CBS anchor, once asked Mother Teresa what she said during her prayers. She answered, "I listen." So Rather turned the question and asked, "Well then, what does God say?" To that Mother Teresa smiled with confidence and ...read more

Tags: Prayer Adoration, Prayer How To

Denomination: Pentecostal

There Is The Story Of A Man Who Was On His ...

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Aug 30, 2002

There is the story of a man who was on his horse galloping swiftly along the road. An old farmer standing in the fields seeing him pass by called out, "Hey, rider where are you going?" The rider turned around and shouted back, "Don’t ask me, just ask ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: United Methodist

Illstration: Tonto And The Lone Ranger Were ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Dicostanzo on Jan 27, 2003

Illstration: Tonto and the Lone Ranger were riding through a canyon together when all of a sudden both sides were filled with Indian warriors on horses, dressed for battle. The Lone Ranger turned to Tonto and asked, “What are we going to do?” Tonto replied, “What you mean ‘we,’ ...read more

Tags: Unity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Was A Story Told Of Two Taxidermists Who ...

Contributed by David Elvery on Nov 14, 2004

There was a story told of two taxidermists who stopped before a window and immediately began to criticize the way an owl had been mounted. Its eyes were not natural; its wings were not in proportion to its head; its feathers were not neatly arranged; and its feet could certainly be ...read more

Tags: Temptation Pride

Denomination: Baptist

Claude Hickman In The Book Life On Purpose Says, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 5, 2007

Claude Hickman in the book Life on Purpose says, "There are more people alive today than have ever lived and died in all of history combined. The growth curve has taken a sharp turn upward, as over 6 million new people arrive on earth every month. This means that our generation ...read more

Many Years Ago J. H. Clinch Wrote These ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Many years ago J. H. Clinch wrote these provocative lines: And still from Him we turn away, And fill our hearts with worthless things; The fires of greed melt the clay, And forth the idol springs Ambition’s flame, and passion’s heat, By wondrous ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Stolen Raft

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 2, 2009

STOLEN RAFT Some Boeing employees on the airfield decided to steal a life raft from one of the 747s. They were successful in getting it out of the plane and home. Shortly after they took it for a float on the river, they noticed a Coast Guard helicopter coming toward them. It turned out that the ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Shortest Job Ever

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

And the record for the world’s shortest job is… “I got hired for a corporate job. I had my first day and it seemed to be going well and then I, and the rest of my department, got called in for a surprise meeting. Turns out we were all getting ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:14-15, Philippians 4:13

Tags: Hard To Get A Job, Hard To Keep A Job

Denomination: Independent/Bible