In Sermon Illustrations: "Unknown People"

We Are Here! We Are Here!

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 23, 2013

WE ARE HERE! WE ARE HERE! From movie, "Horton Hears a Who!" Clip from movie about 5 minutes. The "Who" people with the help of Horton shouted, proclaimed, cried out and made themselves heard -- it was life and death by the way -- they did this to let the rest of the world around them know that ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Self-Denial At The Threat Of Death  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 15, 2013

"Faith Helped Woman Confront British Terrorists" Remember a few weeks ago when the British soldier was beheaded in broad daylight outside his barracks? The Telegraph, a British paper, reported that a mother and Cub Scout leader, Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, age 48, confronted the terrorists immediately ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-25, 2 Kings 5:1-14

Tags: Self Denial, Dying To Self

Denomination: Nazarene

Going Beyond Our Teachers  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jul 9, 2013

A well-known Bible teacher gives this insight: "Someone on our staff informed me several months ago that a woman had called the ministry office to find out what my 'official position' was on a biblically gray area. When she was told that it's not my policy to make 'official' public statements ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23

Tags: Legalism, Opinion, Spiritual Growth, Debatable

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Reflecting The Light  PRO

Contributed by Everette Pafford on Feb 27, 2014

REFLECTING THE LIGHT A well-known Bible teacher has just finished speaking to a large class of business people on the Christians' responsibility to be light in the world. He had emphasized the as believers we all have the obligation to reflect the Light in the world, the Lord Jesus. After the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Evangelism, Living As Light

Denomination: Assembly Of God

I'll Take Hymn!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 26, 2016

One Sunday, a pastor told his congregation that the church needed some extra money. He asked the people to consider donating a little more than usual into the offering plate. He said that whoever gave the most would be able to pick out three hymns. After the offering plates were passed, the pastor ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:21-23

Tags: Marriage, Dating, Husbands And Wives, Singles

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I'm That Clown!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 1, 2016

I’M THAT CLOWN It is said that in a great city there was a physician famous for his wisdom. A man came to him one day and said, "Doctor, I want you to see what is wrong with me." The doctor checked him over and said, "Your heart is all right. Your lungs are all right. Your blood pressure is ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-12

Tags: Happiness, Joy, Emptiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Happiness Is Not Found In More Things....

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 19, 2016

HAPPINESS IS NOT FOUND IN MORE THINGS... If having more would make us happy, we would never need the Tenth Commandment - "You shall not COVET.’ It is written especially for unhappy people who think that happiness is found in more things. Have you heard the story about the king who fell into a ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-17

Tags: Happiness, Materialism, Ten Commandments, Coveting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Trust God With The Splinter

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Apr 28, 2018

Trouble is inevitable. It has spawned the counseling ministry. Therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, support groups dedicate their lives to helping people deal with grief, addictions, abuse, and stress. There are many solutions offered. You can pop a pill or uncork a bottle or take a ...read more

Tags: Trust God, Comfort Of God

Denomination: Baptist

Rebellion

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

REBELLION Long, long ago in a world far, far away from here there was a great kingdom. It was a kingdom fill with the wonders of all the ages. Everywhere that the eye looked the mind became overwhelmed with all the beauty. This world was filled with such beauty that it surpassed all imagination. ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:3

Tags: Rebellion, Sin

Denomination: Pentecostal

When George Washington Prayed For America

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 2, 2020

When George Washington was inaugurated in New York City in front of the Federal Hall, he walked to the St. Paul Church and prayed for our country in front of the church. He declared, "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14, Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Judgment, Repentance, George Washington, America, Prayer, Revival  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Three Feet Away

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Dec 14, 2020

During the gold rush, a man from Ohio traveled to California. It had taken him months to get there. He had to get a claim and register it and buy tools before he could start mining. The Ohioan had been mining for months. Finally after all the hard work and finding nothing quit his claim. He was ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:1-8

Tags: Don't Give Up, Success Isn't Far Away

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Irony

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 3, 2021

One definition of the word irony is, “a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result.” • It is ironic, for example, that the most shop-lifted book is the Bible. • Every year ABC cuts down A Charlie Brown Christmas—a movie about ...read more

Tags: Rejection, Irony, Pedigree, Sibling Rivalry, Humble Pie, Family Strife, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Overwhelming Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

A wonderful example of how to practice the lifestyle of grace comes from an incident in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on October 2, 2006, when a man entered an Amish schoolhouse and murdered 5 girls while wounding 5 others before killing himself. As horrific as this was, the greater story was the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 65:3

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

Civil Disobedience For The Christian

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 28, 2023

The Hebrew midwives disobeyed Pharaoh’s orders and refused to kill the Jewish babies (Ex. 1:15–22). Daniel and his three friends refused to eat the king’s food (Dan. 1), and the three friends also refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s image (Dan. 3). The apostles refused to stop witnessing in ...read more

Tags: Civil Disobedience, Esther, Law, Persecution, Government, Authority  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Can't Know The Day - But We Can Know The Season When Christ Returns.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 6, 2024

Jesus specifically told us that there would be signs in the sky in the sun and moon and stars (Luke 21:25), and he told us to “look up”, as our redemption draws near. Believers need to look up when the "season" of His return arrives.   The apostle Paul had this to say about the ...read more

Tags: Rapture, Day Of The Lord, Return Of Christ, Seasons, Times  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

President Andrew Jackson Is Going To Hell

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 25, 2025

There was a fiery old revival preacher named Peter Cartwright who was famous for telling it like it is. He was preaching near Washington D.C. And the people of the church heard that President Andrew Jackson was coming to visit them. So, they pulled Cartwright aside and said: "Listen Peter, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 9:17

Tags: Hell, President Jackson, Peter Cartright

Denomination: Anglican

Unrealistic Expectations

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 2, 2026

Often times ... we may have ... unrealistic expectations. For example, ... if I have an expectation ... that my wife Lee will cook a 4-course meal every night. And she expects ... that I will take her out to eat every night. Well ...we are both going to be ... very disappointed. Not because ...read more

Scripture: John 6:26-64

Tags: Commitment, Image, Expectations, Disappointed

Denomination: Anglican

John Griffith Lived Through The Great Depression. ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Nov 6, 2000

John Griffith lived through the Great Depression. He got a job on the edge of the Mississippi caring for one of those great, huge railroad bridges that cross that mighty river. John brought his 8-year-old son, Greg, to work with him to see what Daddy did all day. The little boy was wide-eyed ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Humanity Of Christ, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: United Methodist

The Following Article Is Based On A Sermon By ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Sep 14, 2002

The following article is based on a sermon by missionary Del Tarr who served fourteen years in West Africa with another mission agency. His story points out the price some people pay to sow the seed of the gospel in hard soil. I was always perplexed by Psalm 126 until I went to the Sahel, that ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 126:6

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unconditional Acceptance  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Jan 19, 2004

A lady says: I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree.  The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I  wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called ...read more

Scripture: John 5:27-31

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Lutheran