In Sermon Illustrations: "Turn"

Deliverance

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

DELIVERANCE Stanley Praimnath, Vice President for Fuji Bank, was in his office in the South Tower at the World Trade Center when his phone rang. "Are you watching the news?' asked a woman in their Chicago office. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine" he said wondering why she had called. Just then he ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Imagine You Are On An Airplane That Cannot Lower ...

Contributed by Lloyd Vorderstrasse on Aug 2, 2008

Imagine you are on an airplane that cannot lower its landing gear, you know, let the wheels down. It can’t do anything on its own to land safely. It’s destined to crash and burn with all of its occupants because it no longer has the ability to make it safely on to the runway. It’s just a matter of ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Church Of God

Blood Gift  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

BLOOD GIFT In 1949, my father had just returned from the war. On every highway you could see soldiers in uniform hitchhiking home to their families. The thrill of the reunion with his family was soon overshadowed by my grandmother’s illness. There was a problem with her kidneys. The doctors told ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:2

Tags: Giving General, God In The Hardships

A. According To A Usa Today Article, In 2003 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

A. ACCORDING TO A USA TODAY ARTICLE, IN 2003 AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT #316 WITH 68 PASSENGERS SAT ON THE RUNWAY AT NEW YORK’S JFK AIRPORT, WHILE GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES TRIED TO DETERMINE IF A WOMAN ON BOARD WAS LEAVING THIS COUNTRY AGAINST HER WILL. B. SHE AND HER HUSBAND HAD SERVED AS ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

John Newton: Infidel Restored  PRO

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Jan 18, 2009

John Newton: Infidel Restored John Newton continued his ministry into his old age, turning a deaf ear to friends who urged him to accept retirement, as by the time he reached 80 he was almost blind and partially deaf. "I cannot stop" he replied. "What! Shall the old African blasphemer stop while ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Baptist

Forget The Cup--Enjoy The Hot ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

FORGET THE CUP--ENJOY THE HOT CHOCOLATE A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Children On Silence  PRO

Contributed by Carl Greene on Feb 16, 2009

CHILDREN ON SILENCE Author Kathleen Norris used to play a game with elementary-school children in which she would make a deal with them. "First you get to make noise," she would bargain, "and then you’ll make silence." The time of noise was always predictably chaotic -- shouting, pounding and ...read more

Tags: Disciplines Silence

Denomination: Methodist

A Study Released This January From The Barna ...

Contributed by Dillon Burroughs on Mar 9, 2009

A study released this January from the Barna organization revealed that 73% of today’s youth have been involved in some form of psychic or witchcraft related activity. The most popular of these activities includes playing with Ouija boards and the reading of witchcraft and Wicca related books. In ...read more

Tags: Supernatural

Denomination: Baptist

The Power Of Doubling

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 19, 2021

COME HOME PRODIGAL! COME HOME! COME IN HOPE! COME IN JOY! GOD HAS A BONUS FOR HIS CHILDREN. Zechariah 9:12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; By faith we are prisoners, prisoners that are filled with a hope out ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 9:12

Tags: Double, Blessings

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Kiss That Changed A Prodigal Into A Preacher!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 15, 2022

The late Joe Bayly was a gentle, godly Christian leader. I once heard him tell how one of his sons rebelled back in the days of the hippie movement. He grew his hair long and moved into a communal flophouse. Late one night, Bayly received a call informing him that his son was being held at one of ...read more

Tags: Prodigal Son, Fathers, Fathers And Sons, Luke 15, Parables, Lost, Father's Love, Unconditional Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Night Before Cassie Bernal Was Murdered At Columbine

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

On Tuesday April 20, 1999, Cassie Bernal was in the Columbine Colorado high school library reading her Bible when the two students burst in carrying guns. According to one of the witnesses, her friend Josh, one of the killers pointed his gun at Cassie and asked, "Do you believe in ...read more

Tags: Faith, Death, Persecution, Heaven, Satan, Testimony, Terrorism, High School, Last Words, Martyrs, Columbine  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Give Thanks

Contributed by Jonathan Meade on Nov 18, 2023

At 16, a mission to Honduras with my father was an eye-opening experience that left an incredible mark on my soul. I found myself in a foreign land, surrounded by poverty and heart wrenching realities that I had never encountered before. One particular night, our bus pulled into a dimly lit gas ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Thanksgiving, Missions, Gratitude

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Beyond Fiction

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 20, 2024

In a humorous yet thought-provoking comment, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson critiqued movies like 'Armageddon' and 'Moonfall' for violating more laws of physics per minute than any other movies. This observation serves as an interesting analogy for our spiritual lives. Much like ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:23

Tags: Fiction, Physics, Gift Of God, Neil Degrasse Tyson, Eternal Consequences, Movie Analogies, Spiritual Life, Reality, Jesus Christ, Eternal Life, Disobedience, God's Law, Forgiveness, Sin, God, Salvation, Gift, Redemption, Faith, Death, Sacrifice, Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

You Shall Know The Truth - But First It Might Make You Miserable!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 12, 2024

A police officer pulls over a speeding car. The officer says, ‘I clocked you at 80 miles per hour, sir.’ The driver says, ‘Oh my, officer I had it on cruise control at 60; perhaps your radar gun needs calibrating.’ Not looking up from her knitting the wife says, ‘Now don’t be silly dear, you ...read more

Scripture: John 17:17, John 14:6, Ephesians 4:15

Tags: Marriage, Truth, Honesty, Ten Commandments, Lying, Husbands, Wives, Drinking, Police Officers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Just Listen Please!

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2025

Could You Just Listen? When I ask you to listen to me and you start giving me advice, you have not done what I asked. When I ask you to listen to me and you begin to tell me why I shouldn’t feel that way, you are trampling on my feelings. When I ask you to listen to me and you feel you have to do ...read more

Scripture: Job 2:11-13, James 1:19

Tags: Quietness, Listening, Grieving

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Compass And God's Truth

Contributed by Timothy Lueking on Jul 1, 2025

Let me tell you a story to bring this passage home. Back in the 1800s, the thick forest of northern Michigan there was a young logger, confident in his sense of direction, set out one crisp morning to scout new timber. The forest was dense, the sky hidden by a canopy of green. Hours passed, and as ...read more

Scripture: John 2:3-6, John 8:31-32

Tags: Compass, Waver, Bible, Direction, Truth, God's Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sin No Nym

Contributed by David Dunn on Sep 29, 2025

Sin No Nym Josie loved words. She liked to clap their sounds and spell them out. One day she wrote a big word on her paper: S I N N O N Y M She giggled. “Listen! It sounds like sin–no–name.” --- Word Play at Home Daddy peeked over. “That’s funny,” he said. “What do you think it ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:9, Psalm 103:12

Tags: Forgiveness, Grace

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

While Waiting To Pick Up A Friend At The Airport ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on May 15, 2001

While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about. This one occurred a mere 2 feet away from me. Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love, Marriage Commitment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sailing Away  PRO

Contributed by Joel Vicente on Aug 17, 2002

SAILING AWAY A personal testimony. Inspired by His calling, Joel Vicente. ------- I was secure at home when I heard the voice from the Captain exclaim, "Come follow me. Go where I send you. No need to fear. I will be with you." I asked, "But Captain, may I remain here on the shore where it is ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Baptist

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