In Sermon Illustrations: "Turned Away"

Radical Faith  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jan 24, 2011

RADICAL FAITH I want to read to you the opening story from David Platt's book "The Radical Question" (Multnomah Press). Imagine a scene that took place in Asia not so long ago: A room in an ordinary house, dimly lit, all the blinds on the windows closed. Twenty leaders from churches in the ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 12:10-17

Tags: Persecution, Better Together

Denomination: Nazarene

The Story Of Catherine Lawes

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2011

THE STORY OF CATHERINE LAWES "Don’t set foot in the prison," people told her, but Catherine Lawes, whose husband was the warden at Sing Sing in 1921, went anyway. The first time there was a prison basketball game, she went, 3 daughters in tow and sat in the bleachers with the inmates. When she ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Tomorrow Brings Hope

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2011

"TOMORROW" BRINGS HOPE In late March of 1993, a sudden snowstorm covered the East coast of the U.S. Over in the Smoky Mountains, it was the snow of the century. Many hunters and hikers were trapped in the park. Four doctors from Knoxville had chosen that weekend for a hunting trip to the Smokies. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 31:1-5

Tags: God Brings Hope

We All Have To Run

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2011

WE ALL HAVE TO RUN First of all, let’s establish one immutable fact--we all have to run; we have no choice. An intelligence far above our own; and the circumstances which have been placed upon us, dictate that we all must run just to survive. Out on the grassy plains of the African Savannah lives ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Tags: Christian Disciplines

The Second Pilgrim Winter

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Nov 19, 2011

THE SECOND PILGRIM WINTER After the first Thanksgiving with Massosiat and the Indians, the Pilgrims were excited that another ship arrived with 35 new colonists. Quoting again from William Bradford, “they were all landed; but there was not so much as bisket-cake or any other victialls [AO] for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

William Borden: No Reserves, Retreats, Regrets

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Jan 23, 2012

WILLIAM BORDEN: NO RESERVES, RETREATS, REGRETS In 1903, a young, bright man named William Borden graduated from high school – a millionaire. He was the heir to the Borden Dairy fortune. Following graduation, William traveled around the world. Everywhere he went he was touched by the needs of ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A True Church Family

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

A TRUE CHURCH FAMILY Fred Sigle, preaching minister at Garfield Christian Church in Indianapolis tells about Mark Knutson. On August 28, 1993, he was diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of cancer. When diagnosed, he was already in the late stages and was only given a short time to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Ravi Zacharias Tells The Story Of A Man Who Went ...

Contributed by Ken Henson on Aug 7, 2012

Ravi Zacharias tells the story of a man who went to School in Wheaton with Billy Graham and later entered into politics. He was a popular man and rose to become the Prime Minister of Canada. In the process of going down that way, to fame, to popularity and power, he began to sacrifice his ethics ...read more

Tags: Temptation General

Denomination: *other

Worship At A Garbage Dump

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 21, 2012

WORSHIP AT A GARBAGE DUMP Imagine a town built atop an active landfill. That is "Garbage City" in Cairo, Egypt, longtime home to an impoverished, marginalized community of Coptic Christians for whom life is only going to get harder. The so-called Zabbaleen have been the trash collectors of Cairo ...read more

Scripture: John 4:24

Tags: Worship General

Torpedo Approaching  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 29, 2012

TORPEDO APPROACHING Allow me to tell you a story about a young man named Bill, who joined the Navy, when World War II began. One night his ship came into Boston, and he decided to visit his former pastor and friend, Rev. Stidger. During their visit together, Rev. Stidger said, "Bill, tell me the ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-17

Tags: Heroism

From Shackles To Statue

Contributed by Lee Strawhun on Sep 17, 2014

It was 1985 when Tim Cole was picked out of a lineup for a rape he never committed but would be convicted of and sentenced to serve 25 years. He was near the Texas Tech campus when the rape occurred and as a result was sent to prison because the victim picked the wrong man and the courts sentenced ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:5-9

Tags: Hope Of Justice, Victim, Forgiveness For Others, Continue In Faith

Denomination: United Methodist

Judging God's Mirror

Contributed by David Goering on Sep 1, 2018

Suppose a young couple woke up in the morning after a good night sleep and the husband looked in the mirror on the dresser and became very angry at the reflection because of what he saw... his hair was disheveled and he had a sleep wrinkle that ran down the one side of his face, so he took his ...read more

Scripture: James 1:23-25

Tags: Character, Reflection, Mirror, Gods Word

God With Us - Immanuel (Charles Spurgeon)

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 5, 2021

(Charles Spurgeon December 24, 1854) Do you know the full meaning of that name Immanuel, “God with us”? No, he who knows it best knows little of it. Alas, he who knows it not at all is ignorant indeed, so ignorant that his ignorance is not bliss, but will be his damnation. Oh! may God teach you the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 7:10-15

Tags: Heaven's Hallelujah, Sufferer's Comfort, Christmas, Immanuel, God With Us, Charles Spurgeon  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Christmas Significance

Contributed by Sourav Dasgupta on Dec 30, 2021

*Josiah and Jesus* (Significance of Christmas) At 8 yrs. he became King - Josiah and reigned for 31 years @Major Changes @One of the best Kings of Israel @Similarities with Jesus Christ 2Kings22,23 His father was Manasseh and was a bad example but Mother was a good example **(my nature is ...read more

Tags: King's Responsibility, Reference To Christ

"grudgitis" Killer Disease

Contributed by David Parks on Jan 14, 2022

"GRUDGITIS" ... KILLER DISEASE "Fret not thyself because of evildoers..." (Psalm 37:1). A grizzly bear lumbered into a clearing where garbage had been dumped. Tourists noticed that there was only one animal the grizzly would permit to eat with him - a skunk. Doubtless he ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:1, Colossians 3:12

Tags: Forgiveness, Revenge, Malice, Grudges

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Building Of Busch Stadium, Skirting Rules.

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Mar 16, 2022

In 1966 the St. Louis Cardinals built a new ballpark and named it Busch Memorial Stadium. There is a story that the owner of the Cardinals, August Busch, wanted to name it Budweiser Stadium, but the city officials would not allow him to name it after a beer. Frustrated by their answer, he ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:23

Tags: Human Nature, Ten Commandments

Denomination: Lutheran

The Marathon

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Oct 17, 2022

On Sunday, October 16, 2022 my daughter, aged 25, ran her first marathon – the Toronto Waterfront marathon. Though I’m currently living 3000 kms away in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada – I was there at the race to cheer her on. I was not prepared for the emotional intensity of the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Philippians 3:14

Tags: Salvation, Perseverance, Gospel, Discipleship, The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Bridge Operator

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 5, 2025

There was once a man whose job was to operate a drawbridge for passing trains. Most of the time the bridge stayed raised to allow ships to move freely along the busy waterway. But when a train was scheduled to cross, he would lower the bridge, lock it in place, and signal that the way was ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, Romans 5:8

Tags: Grace, Atonement, Sacrifice, Redemption

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

One Line Sermons

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 25, 2025

Be Fishers of Men … You catch ‘em, He’ll clean ‘em. A family altar can alter a family. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing. Don’t put a question mark where God put a period. Don’t wait for six strong men to take you to church. Exercise daily. Walk with the Lord! Forbidden fruits ...read more

Tags: Wisdom, One Line Sermons

Denomination: Anglican

Truth And Perspective

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 9, 2008

Truth and Perspective I want to share with you the true story of Dr. Bernard Nathanson. Dr. Bernard Nathanson was a leading abortion doctor in the United States in the 1970’s. He had actually performed an abortion on a woman he had gotten pregnant during this time. This physician had campaigned ...read more

Tags: Abortion