In Sermon Illustrations: "Upset"

Take A Young Man From A Wealthy Family, Strip Him ...

Contributed by Tobin Crenshaw on Aug 15, 2010

Take a young man from a wealthy family, strip him of all of his money until he finds himself homeless and has to beg on the street, hold him in a cell as a prisoner of war in a foreign land, and turn his family against him and what are the odds you would give for him to impact the world? Or ...read more

Tags: Sports, Trust God

Denomination: Brethren

The Ant, The Prayer, And The Contact Lens  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2011

THE ANT, THE PRAYER, AND THE CONTACT LENS A true story: Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was scared to death, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope, and started up the face ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 32:17, Matthew 7:7, Revelation 2:8

Tags: Prayer Answered

[179]. A Message From A Poem – Lost Three Things - Lost One Coin

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 27, 2025

[179]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST THREE THINGS - LOST ONE COIN In this trilogy of poems we are looking at three objects lost – a sheep, a coin and a son. All three were loved and precious and the owners knew stress at the lost. When each was found it resulted in great rejoicing. These three ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:8, Genesis 6:6, Luke 15:8-10

Tags: Lost And Found, Rejoicing, Heart Of God, The Heart Of God, Grieved, Christian Poems, Parable, Lost, Lost Coin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Was A Young Youth Pastor In Augusta, Ga, Doing ...

Contributed by Todd Stiles on Feb 1, 2007

I was a young youth pastor in Augusta, GA, doing my best to train a group of kids to reach out to others. Granted – some of my ideas met resistance (imagine that!), and the culture there turned out to be very different than what was actually communicated to me at the beginning. However, I figured ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Ant And The Contact Lens  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Mcdaniel on Aug 28, 2003

The Ant and the Contact Lens A true story by Josh and Karen Zarandona Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was very scared, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope, and started ...read more

Tags: Faith, Endurance

Miracles Through Prayer In China

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 15, 2024

In his book Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee describes a preaching mission to an island off the South China coast. There were seven in the ministering group, including a sixteen-year-old new convert whom he calls Brother Wu. The island was fairly large, containing about 6,000 homes. Nee had a contact ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Prayer, Miracles, China, Rain, Elijah, Missions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ordinary People For Christ

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2009

ORDINARY PEOPLE FOR CHRIST Bud Villers was a good man. Bud was my neighbor. I grew up beside him until he died when I was in college. Bud helped my dad put a roof on our house, he assisted my dad when they poured concrete sidewalks and porches. My dad helped him put a roof on his patio. When Bud ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 4:5-6

Tags: Evangelism How To

Thomas Campbell And The Restoration Movement  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2011

THOMAS CAMPBELL AND THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT Back in early 1800's there was a preacher in Western Pennsylvania named Thomas Campbell. He was a preacher for the Old-light, Anti-burger, Seceder Presbyterian Church. Each of those phrases described a political division within the Presbyterian Church ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:27-30, John 17:17-23

Tags: Divisions

Blessed Are The Meek  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are The Meek As you study the character traits described in the Beatitudes, you can't help but realize one thing; these qualities are by no means natural to the human spirit. They are very foreign. Poverty of spirit, true mourning over personal sins against God and meekness does ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5, Matthew 26:36-46, Matthew 15:21-28

Tags: Giving, Truth, Character, Redemption, Words, Meek  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rapture Why God Doesn't Reveal When

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Feb 26, 2024

When I and my sister were young children we use to regularly have babysitters when our parents went out in the evenings. Some of the babysitters were fun! Some weren’t. The fun ones were the ones that let us play wild games that normally our parents would never let us do in the house if ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:32, Matthew 24:36

Tags: Second Coming, Rapture, Judgment

Denomination: Baptist

This Life Is Just A Rental

Contributed by Todd Catteau on May 14, 2024

In the last few years when our family travels instead of booking a hotel we have used an Airbnb or a Vrbo. If you’re not familiar with this concept it’s basically people renting out their homes to tourists. It’s especially convenient if we have a lot of family to house. We can all stay together, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-20

Tags: Heaven, Worry, Rust, Possessions, Moths  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Brenda Was A Young Woman That Wanted To Learn To ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Cassara on Sep 8, 2001

Brenda was a young woman that wanted to learn to go rock climbing. Although she was scared to death she went with a group and they faced this tremendous cliff of rock. Practically perpendicular. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear and she took a hold of the rope and she started up the face of ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered, God's Provision, Faith

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Shattered Pool Liner – A Story Of Forgiveness And Grace

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Aug 5, 2025

What started out as a boy's reckless defiance became a lesson in the power of forgiveness and grace. Like many young boys, I dreamed of being a professional athlete. I thought my best chance was Major League Baseball, so day after day I would take my wiffle ball and bat to the backyard, throw ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8

Tags: Grace, Mercy, Father, Forgiveness, Restoration  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Preacher Once Wrote About An Incident In His ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 19, 2002

A preacher once wrote about an incident in his life: “I’d received a notice from my 13 year old son’s school announcing a meeting to preview the new course in sexuality. Parents could examine the curriculum and take part in an actual lesson presented exactly as it would be given to the students. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3

Tags: Marriage Faithfulness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Two Days After Christmas

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Dec 19, 2024

It’s two days after Christmas. The celebrations are over. The presents have been put up. Another Christmas in the books. Christmas 2024 will now take its place among all the Christmases passed. I wonder what Mary was thinking two days after the first Christmas. It’s been quite a ride. How could she ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20, Matthew 1:18-24, Hebrews 4:14-16, Philippians 2:1-16

Tags: Manger, Birth, Joseph, Census, Catteau, Mary, Christmas, Bethlehem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Monkey Business

Contributed by David Dunn on Jan 15, 2026

I want to tell you a story about monkeys. This story takes place in a country called India. When I was about your age, I lived with my parents and my brothers and sisters in India. In that country they have monkeys. The monkeys don’t live in zoos like they do here. They live in the trees—right ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5, Proverbs 15:1

Tags: Mercy, Wisdom

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Don't Break Ranks: Four Biblical Keys To Keeping Unity Alive

Contributed by Todd Catteau on May 13, 2026

I’m starting a new study this week from a dark period in the history of Old Testament Israel. After the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon — a season in which Israel experienced a good deal of success and influence — the nation does something tragic: it divides. What follows is a troubled and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:3, 1 Peter 3:8

Tags: Compassion, Humility, Unity, Sympathy

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Ever Been Bothered By People?

Contributed by John Herrmann on Mar 25, 2011

EVER BEEN BOTHERED BY PEOPLE? Sometimes church and worship can keep us from the living water people need and that we need. People can actually hide behind church, the machinery of church and worship. Recently I attended a Wednesday Lenten service with my wife in my former church. A stranger - a ...read more

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Lutheran

I'll Go Back And Tell Them Again.

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 30, 2011

"I'LL GO BACK AND TELL THEM AGAIN." In a book entitled "Jungle Harvest," written by a missionary named Ruby Scott, she describes some of her experiences in reaching a people group known as the Tila Indians who lived in a remote village in the jungles of south Mexico, just north of the Guatemalan ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Words In The Spirit

Contributed by D. Marie Hamilton on Apr 16, 2011

WORDS IN THE SPIRIT When I was asked to be the preacher for the North Little Rock Ministerial Alliance Community Thanksgiving Service, I was floored. I didn't think that anybody thought that much about me. I was honored by the gesture, but the moment I said "yes," my nerves got the best of me. I ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Methodist