In Sermon Illustrations: "Turned Away"

J. Vernon Mcgee Spoke This Story Many Years Ago ...  PRO

Contributed by Danny Rogers on Feb 6, 2007

J. Vernon McGee spoke this story many years ago on the radio to explain an undeniable Biblical truth. In your mind go back in time about 150 years or so to the days before the Civil War. Imagine you are visiting one of the great cities of the South like Savannah, Atlanta, Birmingham, Jackson or ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Tony Campolo Wrote A Book Called "The Kingdom Of ...

Contributed by Don Jones on Mar 6, 2007

Tony Campolo wrote a book called “The Kingdom of God is a Party.” In chapter one, he tells the story of a trip to Honolulu in the mid 80’s. Having crossed far too many time zones from Philadelphia to Hawaii, he found himself awake and needing breakfast at 3:30am local time. He ended up in a ...read more

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Baptist

Free!

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012

J Vernon McGee told the story of the days before the Civil War in a city in the south. At the center of town, there is a commotion as a crowd gathers for a public auction to watch the proceedings. In the crowd is an uncouth, foulmouthed, loud, boisterous man who is the meanest, cruelest, most ...read more

Tags: Grace, Slaves To Sin

Denomination: Methodist

Tony Campolo Wrote A Book Called "The Kingdom Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Tony Campolo wrote a book called “The Kingdom of God is a Party.” In chapter one, he tells the story of a trip to Honolulu in the mid 80’s. Having crossed far too many time zones from Philadelphia to Hawaii, he found himself awake and needing breakfast at 3:30am local time. He ended up in a greasy, ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Lessons From A Gps  PRO

Contributed by Coz Von on Jul 13, 2016

A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Prov 16:9, 3:6. I’m sure you’ve driven a car with a Global Positioning System (GPS). A number of years ago I settled into the passenger’s seat of a fully equipped ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:9

Tags: Gps, Eternally Lost, Divine Direction, Heart For The Lost, Parable Lost Son  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Time Alone Is Time Invested

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 28, 2020

During the past week, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and Yours Truly have been spending quite a bit of time together. I cannot recall any time that we have spent this much time together. The exception would be when we first got married. Even then, both of us worked during the day and were ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31

Tags: Humor, Relationships

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

There’s Something About A Lazy Summer Afternoon

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 13, 2020

The past week was an unusually quiet week around the parsonage. It enabled me to do something that I have wanted to do all summer long. Nothing. I am not bragging or anything, but I can do nothing right up there with the best of them. The week, as all weeks do, started on Monday. For me, there is ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:31

Tags: Humor, Relationship

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Doing Nothing Is Harder Than I Thought

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 29, 2020

After being so long in a lockdown situation, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage planned a short vacation time for us. It took her quite a while to put all of the pieces together, but she succeeded as always. As I was preparing for this little adventure, my wife looked at me and said, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:31

Tags: Vacation, Holiday

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I May Be A Knucklehead, But I'm Not Insane

Contributed by James Snyder on May 15, 2021

Nobody is perfect except maybe the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage comes close. I've never caught her in some imperfection, or if I had, nobody would know it from me. There is such an obsession today for people to be perfect. And, of course, their definition of perfect is what they are. ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Humor, Family, Agreement

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Blossoming Flower Whisperer

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 17, 2021

When it comes to flowers, I am the epitome of naivety. I have no expertise whatsoever in the plant world. All I see are red, blue and yellow. Don't get me wrong here; I enjoy flowers. However, when it comes to names, I am off the planet. I don't need to know the name of a flower to really ...read more

Scripture: Song of Songs 2:12

Tags: Blossoming, Whisperer, Flowers, Humor

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

It Never Dawned On Me Until

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 20, 2022

I must confess I am too poor to pay attention at this time in my life. I hope one day I will win the lottery and be able to afford to pay attention. But, of course, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage says that you can’t win a lottery unless you play the lottery. Well, I don’t play the lottery. ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Attention, Listening

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Standing ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 9, 2009

STANDING ALONE Richard Exley relates a story in his book, Deliver Me. He grew up in a very similar church as to what this one is now. In fact, the church that he is from, in years past, held the same convictions that we still hold today. In the past, you could not tell a difference between how ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:22

Tags: Temptation General, Temptation Resisting

Snakes

Contributed by David Goering on Nov 1, 2019

ILLUSTRATION: Gospel Tract Society, Inc., Independence MO -Snakes in an Atheist's Grave - Last September, while engaged in a Defenders Conference in Idaho, a gentleman by the name of Mr. C. M. Crew came to me with one of the strangest stories I had ever heard, about an atheist in Ohio who was ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7

Tags: Atheist, Unbelief

It Was A Week That Was Shot To Pieces

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 27, 2020

I only made one mistake last week, which is something of a record for me. I try limiting mistakes to one at a time, but not always in sequential order. I once tried to make my mistakes in a logical order, but it turned out to be a mistake. The one faux pas I made was taking Monday off. I proposed ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: Humor, Plans

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

My Ongoing Grudge With Santa

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 18, 2021

I’ve had sort of a grudge with old Mr. Santa Claus. I was introduced to Santa Claus by my parents, who informed me that he was the one that brought all of my Christmas presents on Christmas day. And I believe my parents. I remember on Christmas Eve we had to go to bed early to give Santa Claus ...read more

Scripture: John 8:31-32

Tags: Christmas, Gifts

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[230]. A Message From A Poem - Redemption Through Death – No Other Way

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 18, 2025

[230]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - REDEMPTION THROUGH DEATH – NO OTHER WAY The concentration in this poem is “No other way.” Why did heaven’s best, God the Son, have to die? You know I can not answer that. The omniscient God knew from eternity past what was going to happen. I can’t give an answer ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:2, Isaiah 53:10, Ephesians 4:8-10, Hosea 11:7-8

Tags: Sin, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Full Atonement, Heart, Salvation, Compassion Of God, The Heart Of God, Overturn, Emotions Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Did You Know That The First Modern-Day Lottery ...  PRO

Contributed by Damien Spikereit on Nov 3, 2000

- Did you know that the first modern-day lottery was started in 1963 in the state of New Hampshire. And now there are 37 states who have lotteries, including Illinois. And in 1997, statewide lotteries suckered $16 Billion dollars from Americans. - Did you know that the state of ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment, Money, Poverty

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sin Demands To Have A Man By Himself. It ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 1, 2001

Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more disastrous is his isolation. Sin wants to remain unknown. It shuns the light. ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 1:2-8

Tags: Stronghold

Earlier That Same Year, 1885, Three Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Hereford on Oct 30, 2001

"Earlier that same year, 1885, three Christian boys had shed their blood for Christ in Uganda. The king had ordered the arrest of these page boys in an effort to stamp out Christianity. The eldest was fifteen and the youngest was eleven-year-old Yusufu. They held fast their faith and staked their ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-12, John 14:12, 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In May Of 1996, The Greatest Disaster In Mountain ...  PRO

Contributed by James O. Davis on Dec 5, 2001

In May of 1996, the greatest disaster in mountain climbing occurred on Mount Everest. The climbers stayed too long at the summit. A storm began to blow in. As they made their way down to an intermediate camp, they were engulfed in a full scale blizzard. The wind exceeded 60 knots. The chill ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence, Holy Spirit Attributes, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Assembly Of God