In Sermon Illustrations: "Two Coats"

Important Lessons Are Given By This Alternation ...

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 30, 2010

Important lessons are given by this alternation of the two ideas of faith and unbelief, obedience and disobedience. Disobedience is the root of unbelief. Unbelief is the mother of further disobedience. Faith is voluntary submission within a person’s own power. If faith is not exercised, the true ...read more

Tags: Unbelief

Denomination: Brethren

Sibling Revenge  PRO

Contributed by William Hooper on May 3, 2011

SIBLING REVENGE The desire to "get even" seems to be a part of the human psyche. It is like the story of a mother who heard her seven-year-old son screaming. She runs into the next room to see what is wrong, and discovers her two-year-old daughter is pulling the hair of her brother. The ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Tags: Child, Children

Denomination: Baptist

Caught In Lies

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 1, 2022

Two friends run into each other while walking their dogs. One suggests lunch. The other says, They wont let us in a restaurant with pets. Undeterred, the first guy and his German shepherd head into the restaurant. The maître d stops them, saying, Sir, you cant bring your dog in here. But ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1-8

Tags: Lies, Shrewd, Deceit, Quick Thinking

Denomination: Independent/Bible

If You Want God's Favor

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 15, 2023

"If you want God's favor, there are two ways to relate to him. You can relate to him as an heir, or you can relate to him as a slave. The difference is that a slave tries to become acceptable to his master by presenting him valuable service; but the heir trusts that the inheritance of his ...read more

Tags: Grace, Freedom, Law, Legalism, Slave, Sonship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I'm Going For Help

Contributed by David Dunn on Sep 28, 2025

An airliner was making its way from New York to San Francisco. Midway across the country, one of the engines caught fire. The captain came on the intercom and calmly reassured the passengers, > “Don’t worry. The fire will be out soon. This aircraft can fly just fine with three engines.” Not ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1-2, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 28:20, John 14:27, Hebrews 13:5  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Trust, Sovereignty, Assurance, Providence, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Martyrs For Christ

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 1, 2011

THE MARTYRS FOR CHRIST James the son of Zebedee was beheaded in Jerusalem, the first of the apostles to die, during the Easter season in about the year A.D. 44. Matthew was slain with the sword in a city in Ethiopia. Mark was dragged through the streets of Alexandria until he expired. Luke was ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Three Turtles Decided To Go On A Picnic. They ...

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Feb 10, 2012

Three turtles decided to go on a picnic. They were the best of friends. Before long it started to rain, they decided that one of them should go back and get some umbrellas. One turtle agreed to go but only if the other two promised not to begin eating until he returned. They promised. He headed ...read more

Tags: Action

Denomination: Baptist

House Fire And Marshmallows

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 7, 2012

HOUSE FIRE AND MARSHMALLOWS As the coals from our barbecue burned down, our hosts passed out marshmallows and long roasting forks. Just then, two fire trucks roared by, sirens blaring, lights flashing. They stopped at a house right down the block. All twelve of us raced out of the back yard, down ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

Tags: Neighbor

Giving The Spirit His Due

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 17, 2012

GIVING THE SPIRIT HIS DUE "The Holy Spirit is underappreciated and under preached by the twenty-first-century church. There is a prejudice of sorts against the Holy Spirit that impedes many from learning more about him. The body of Christ is often divided into two sides. One side stresses the Word ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Life Begins At Conception

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 20, 2014

Barry McCarty says, "In 1979 I debated Dr. Robert Thompson, the medical director of the largest abortion clinic in Pittsburg. My case in that debate had two major contentions: 1) That every human being has an unalienable right to life; and 2) that from the moment of conception an unborn child is ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 11:5

Tags: Abortion, Pro-Choice

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What Is Your Answer To Him?

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 27, 2015

At the beginning of the school year during recess I was on the playground looking for some of my friends. I couldn’t find them. I had two boys come up to me and asked, “Do you need a friend? We want to be your friends?” I said, “No.” Was I mean? No, I just didn’t know them. Through time, we ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13-15

Tags: Jesus' Friends, Friendship With God, Choosing Friends

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Why Did You Marry?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 13, 2019

An 80 year-old woman was recently married to her 4th husband. A reporter questioned the occupation of her newly acquired husband. She replied that he owned a funeral home. Curious about the other husbands, the reporter also asked about their occupations. The woman paused for a while and stated ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-31

Tags: Marriage, Husbands, Widows

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Buying Your Way To The King

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Mar 2, 2009

BUYING YOUR WAY TO THE KING A wealthy American made a trip to London. He was all taken up with Buckingham Palace, where the king lived. So one morning he went to the gates, expecting to go right in, but two soldiers stuck out their bayonets and stopped him. They said, "Where do you think you’re ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Wesleyan

Pharisees Don't Care

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 8, 2020

The corrupt heart of the zealous devotion of the Pharisees is illustrated by a group of modern day Orthodox Jews (early, 1992), who let three apartments in an Orthodox neighborhood in Israel burn to the ground while they asked a rabbi whether a telephone call to the fire department on the Sabbath ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-3

Tags: Pride, Selfishness, Last Days, Pharisees, False Religion, Lovers Of Themselves  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Be On Guard.

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 18, 2021

I saw a painting that caught me off guard. It was a normal painting of snow covered mountains in the background. A beautiful pond where you could see the clouds in the very calm pond. But there was a herd of sheep there. The details just pulled me into the painting. I just stared at the sheep. But ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-6

Tags: Be Aware Of The Wolf, Wolf In Sheep Clothing

Denomination: Independent/Bible

How To Raise A Juvenile Delinquent

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 13, 2022

Years ago, the Sheriff's office in a Texas city distributed a list of rules titled, "How To Raise A Juvenile Delinquent In Your Own Family." Rule One: Begin with infancy to give the child everything he wants. This will insure his believing that the world owes him a living. Rule Two: ...read more

Tags: Home, Discipline, Children, Parents, Family  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Ears Heard You, But My Legs Didn't!!!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 2, 2022

One day a man's little granddaughter was playing with her toys. Her mother, who was folding laundry across the room, noticed the child's shirt was dirty and needed to be changed. After calling two times with no response her mother called out as loud as he could to her stubborn daughter, ...read more

Tags: Word Of God, Rebellion, Hearing God, Hearers And Doers, Stubborness, Obedience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Misapplied Scriptures: "Be Sure, Your Sin Will Find You Out.”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 19, 2023

Introduction: Some ministers have used this verse as a way to make people think. Admittedly, sin is not a very popular topic for many people but it’s real and part of any good minister’s job is to point out sins and the potential for sin. It’s good, to make people think, but sometimes a verse can ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 32:20-24

Tags: Moses, Sin, Israel, Misapplied Scriptures

Denomination: Baptist

Seeing Can Be Rather Expensive

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 3, 2021

As I get older, and my goal is to get as old as I can, I begin to realize some of the things I haven't noticed in my life. You know how it is; things creep up little by little, and then all of a sudden, there it is. That happened to me recently with my eyes. Since I was in the ninth grade (I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:1

Tags: Sight, Humor, Blessings

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

If Only We Would Turn Around! ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 26, 2005

If Only We Would Turn Around! (06.28.05--Direction--John 21:7-9 ) It’s a funny thing about life isn’t it that when we find ourselves off course we very seldom consider reversal the right direction to take. I guess it is just human nature to assume that where we’ve been already was a good choice ...read more

Scripture: John 21:7-9

Tags: God Brings Purpose, Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Lutheran