In Sermon Illustrations: "Two Eternal States"

Painting The Porch  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2009

PAINTING THE PORCH There was a lady who was preparing her Christmas cookies. There was a knock at the door. She went to find a man, his clothes poor, obviously looking for some Christmas odd jobs. He asked her if there was anything he could do. She said, "Can you paint?" "Yes," he said. "I’m a ...read more

Tags: Communication General

Not Any ...

Contributed by Alan Kraft on Jan 8, 2009

NOT ANY EXPERIENCE Doug Roberts, a contributor to Glamour magazine, once wrote: "One of the things I love about [porn] is that it’s sex with anybody I want: Halle Berry, the weather woman, the blond who brushed against me on the subway...I can summon any one or two of these ladies for a romp ...read more

Tags: Pornography

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Six-Word Memoirs  PRO

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Jan 19, 2009

Six-Word Memoirs One of the surprising best-selling books of 2008 is "Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure." Notice that the main title is only six words: "Not Quite What I Was Planning." People were asked to succinctly sum up their life in six ...read more

Tags: Time

Denomination: Baptist

The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

THE PUSH A man and his wife are awakened at 3 o’clock in the morning by a loud pounding on their door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger in the pouring rain is asking for a push. "Not a chance!" says the husband. "It’s three o’clock in the morning!" He slams the door ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: Servanthood

Paul And Kelly ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

PAUL AND KELLY BENITEZ In 1967, Paul Benitez and his fiancée Debra were married. In 1968, they had a baby boy and named him Kelly. Paul was drafted into the Army in 1969. While he was overseas, Debra moved away and changed her name. Paul was never able to find his wife nor his baby boy. He would ...read more

Tags: Sin Separates From God

Let The Dead Bury Their Dead

Contributed by John Tung on Feb 12, 2009

LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR DEAD To one person who wanted to bury his father before following Jesus, Jesus said, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." (Lk. 9:60) Doesn’t that sound harsh? Someone’s father just died, and the man can’t even go back to bury his ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Be Content To Speak In A Cottage

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

BE CONTENT TO SPEAK IN A COTTAGE January 6, 1850, was bitterly cold in Colchester, England, a hard-biting blizzard keeping most worshipers at home. At the Primitive Methodist Chapel on Artillery Street, only about a dozen showed up. When it became apparent that even the pastor would not arrive, an ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

You Already Have Happiness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

YOU ALREADY HAVE HAPPINESS The angel asked, "You aren’t happy. How can I help you?" The poet replied, "I have everything. But I lack only one thing. Can you give it to me?" To which the angel happily said, "Sure. I can give you anything you desire." The poet stared right into the angel’s eyes, "I ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:19

Tags: Happiness

Alcoholics Anonymous

Contributed by Davon Huss on Feb 23, 2009

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS By 1934, alcoholic Bill Wilson had ruined a promising Wall Street career because of his constant drunkenness. He was introduced to the idea of a spiritual cure by an old drinking buddy Ebby Thacher. While in a hospital, Wilson underwent what he believed to be a spiritual ...read more

Tags: Alcohol

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Being Right Is More Important, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 27, 2009

BEING RIGHT IS MORE IMPORTANT, RIGHT? Two Malaysian farmers had a dispute over a calf. 37-year-old Zulkifli said it was his, and 44-year-old Isa said it was his. Zulkifli just went out to tether the calf in a field to graze, when Isa stopped him and claimed the calf was his, claiming that Zulkifli ...read more

Tags: Pride

People Will Ask You

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Mar 4, 2009

PEOPLE WILL ASK YOU If you commit yourself to taking advantage of opportunities that come your way, you will find that sharing your faith is going to happen naturally. For one thing, People WILL ask you about your connection to God. We had two examples of this just in the last few weeks from ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Choice: Build Up Or Tear Down  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 11, 2009

THE CHOICE: BUILD UP OR TEAR DOWN Years ago I picked up a poem named "The Choice." I do not know where I got it nor the author, but it illustrates the importance of building others up. This poem raises the question of whether we will "tear down or build up." "I watched some men tearing a building ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Tags: Encouragement

A Study In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

A STUDY IN SERVICE As a student in seminary, my roommate had a job as a custodian with the school. After the first day on the job, he told he had been assigned to work on the first floor of a four-story building. "Basically there are four guys responsible for their own floors. I take care of the ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

The Brooklyn Bridge Scam

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 13, 2022

The greatest con artist in American history was George C. Parker. After the Brooklyn Bridge opened in NYC in 1883, George C. Parker saw a tourist admiring it, so he decided to try selling it to him. It was so easy, he decided to sell it again. Over a period of years he averaged selling the Brooklyn ...read more

Tags: Sin, Deception, Cheating, Fraud, Liars, Bewitched  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Can't Remember When I Was Saved!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jul 12, 2023

If you have not realized it yet, over time you are going to forget some things. I think of the two older men that were playing golf. One had trouble seeing and other had trouble remembering. The one with a seeing problem said to the other, "Now, watch my ball, for I can’t see where it ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, 1 John 5:1-13

Tags: Memory, Salvation, Gospel, Assurance, Lost, Saved  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Pride Illustration

Contributed by Bruce Blythe on Dec 27, 2023

The Background My observation, after reading my Bible, Observing fellow Christians, And considering my own Christian life is: Pride is the biggest problem, For 99.9% plus of Christians! You could not tell it though. Christians don’t talk about it (much). Preachers don’t preach on it (much). But the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:18

Tags: Lesson, Pride

Denomination: Baptist

John Harper's Last Convert

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 22, 2024

A man stood up in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada four years after the sinking of the Titanic in a testimony meeting and this is what he said. He said, “I am a survivor of the Titanic. When I was drifting alone on that awful night, the tide brought a man toward me in the sea and his name was John ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:25-34

Tags: Testimony, Witnessing, Lost, Saved, Evangelism, Faith, Death, Believe, Trust, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do Americans Believe In Supernatural Healing?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 9, 2024

Americans hold diverse spiritual beliefs when it comes to healing and the supernatural. Let’s explore some of these perspectives: 1. Belief in God or a Higher Power: Over 90% of U.S. adults believe in God or another higher power. Among them: 54% believe in “God as described in the Bible.” 34% ...read more

Tags: Heaven, America, Prayer, Miracles, Atheists, Faith, Hell, Healing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Is Well With My Soul

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 10, 2024

in 1871, Spafford’s 4-year-old son died of Scarlet fever. Two years later, business demands kept Spafford from joining his wife and four daughters on a family vacation in England where his friend D. L. Moody would be preaching. On November 22, 1873, while crossing the Atlantic on the steamship ...read more

Tags: God's Will, Hymns, Sovereignty Of God, Worship, Praise, Peace, Suffering  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Amazing Grace

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

Amazing Grace Paul wrote of a higher righteousness that comes from God himself and never depends on our doings. Whenever we know that righteousness of God firsthand, it always changes our lives. One man tells that one day he blundered into an affair with someone else’s wife. He was weak and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:1-16

Tags: Higher Righteousness, Amazing Grace

Denomination: Anglican