In Sermon Illustrations: "Used For Good"

An Audacious Rescue

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Dec 16, 2010

AN AUDACIOUS RESCUE On 5th August this year the San Jose copper mine, in the Atacama Desert in Chile collapsed. 33 men were trapped in darkness. The world and their relatives feared that there was no hope. The depth of the mine, the lack of food and water, and the absence of any signs of life all ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Anglican

I Knew My Father Was Pleased

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jan 6, 2011

I KNEW MY FATHER WAS PLEASED It reminds me of a story that Jonathan Goforth (1859-1936) the great Canadian missionary in China, used to tell. Jonathan’s father put him in charge of one of the family farms at the age of 15. He drew special attention to one very large field, which had become choked ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Anglican

De-Sanctified Churches

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 19, 2011

DE-SANCTIFIED CHURCHES Not too long ago, a real estate listing in Dallas had the simple headline: "Converted Church." In other words, what had once been a church facility is now somebody's house. The listing under the heading had this description: "The altar has been adapted for use as a granite ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The Stress-Free Life Of The Bedouins

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2011

THE STRESS-FREE LIFE OF THE BEDOUINS The Bedouin shepherd lives in shabby box tents that dot the hillsides throughout Israel. When compared to our lives saturated with modern conveniences it seems as though they live a very difficult life. However, an interesting fact is that their average life ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Tags: Stress

Built Out Of Junk

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 8, 2011

BUILT OUT OF JUNK Did you hear about the homeless man in Brazil who built his own car out of junk? Orismar de Souza is a homeless man in Brazil who decided to build the car using junk, spare parts and a hammer and chisel. Four years later, the "shrimpmobile" has him back on his feet. Souza, 35, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Tags: Born Again

Precious Stone

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Jul 31, 2011

PRECIOUS STONE Peter says that Jesus is a living stone rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious. He also says that we are living stones...so we are precious to God also. We are precious to God because of what Jesus has done for us. If we are precious to God and he calls us a living stone, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 2:1-3

Tags: Atonement, Persecution, Troubles, Trial

Denomination: Baptist

Orel Hershiser, Singer

Contributed by Jimmy Haile on Sep 29, 2011

OREL HERSHISER, SINGER A number of years ago Orel Hershiser was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They had just won the World Series, and Orel had been named the most valuable player of the series. One of the TV shows about the series showed him in the dugout just before the ninth inning ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Baptist

Two Faces

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 5, 2011

TWO FACES WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — Frank and Louie the cat was born with two faces, two mouths, two noses, three eyes — and lots of doubts about his future. Now, 12 years after Marty Stevens rescued him from being euthanized because of his condition, the exotic blue-eyed rag doll cat is not only ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Filled  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 16, 2013

FILLED In his best selling book called, "Into Thin Air," Jon Krakauer relates the hazards that plagued some climbers as they attempted to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Andy Harris, one of the expedition leaders stayed at the peak too long and on his descent, he became in dire need of oxygen. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18, Matthew 4:4, Zechariah 12:10

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Emporer's Clothes

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 19, 2014

Do you remember the story of the emperor’s clothes? If I am recalling it right, someone persuaded the emperor to buy a suit of clothes that only people with the most exquisite taste in fashion could see. Of course, the emperor could not see the clothes, nor could anyone else – because the peddler ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:10-11

Tags: Flattery, Self Deception

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Slow And Steady

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2022

The power of the Holy Spirit is not just for salvation, but for sanctification, a process that is slow and gradual. The difference might look like this: You can take ten gallons of gasoline and release a tremendous amount of power and energy by just dropping a lighted match into it. It makes a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8

Tags: Holy Spirit, Energy, Fuel

Fear Overtakes The Boat - Matthew 8:23-27

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 19, 2022

FEAR OVERTAKES THE BOAT Matthew 8 v 23-27 “When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him Matt 8:24 and behold, there arose a great storm in the sea so that the boat was covered with the waves but He Himself was asleep, and they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord. We are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:23-27

Tags: Fear, Security, Authority

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seeing The Light, Reflecting The Light.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jan 24, 2025

Did anyone else see the comet during the week, Comet Atlas 3G? Janaki and I went out to Titahi Bay to see it, thankfully we had another dad and daughter park near us who could point it out, otherwise we might not have seen it. The power of their witness was in instructing us where to look. ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12, Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Witness, Testimony, Salt, Salt And Light, The Light Of God, The Light Of The World, Reflecting Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

Is He Welcome

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Feb 21, 2025

John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Sadly, there are many buildings with church on the sign that Jesus is knocking on the door to get in. Some He has never been in and others He had been in but they turned Him by denying the Scriptures. Many people in those buildings ...read more

Scripture: John 1:11

Tags: Service, Wash, Salvation, Confession, Presence, Apostasy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Discipline Of Prayer

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 24, 2025

We refer to many of the practices that aid in our ongoing sanctification as Spiritual Disciplines. These include prayer, Bible reading/study, tithing/generosity, fasting, silence, and worship. This is not a complete list. All Spiritual Disciplines have the same goal – increasing your intimacy ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:7, John 15:4, Ephesians 6:18, Colossians 4:2

Tags: Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines, Richard Foster, Prayer Forms

Denomination: Methodist

Trust God And You Will Be Firm

Contributed by Arulselvam Rayappan on Jan 13, 2026

Trusting the Lord is a recurring theme in the Prophet Isaiah. “Unless your faith is firm, you shall not be firm” Is 7: 14. Advent is a time of trusting the Lord. God alone can save those who place their trust in Him. At times we are confused concerning the choices we have to make. On the one hand ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 7:14

Tags: Fear, Trusting God, Afriad

Denomination: Catholic

The Most Glorious Promises Of God Are Generally ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

“The most glorious promises of God are generally fulfilled in such a wondrous manner that He steps forth to save us at a time when there is the ...read more

Tags: Descriptions Of God, God's Provision, Knowing God's Will

Oswald Chambers Wrote, "If The Bible Agreed With ...  PRO

Contributed by Dana Chau on Sep 9, 2002

Oswald Chambers wrote, "If the Bible agreed with modern science, the Bible would soon be out of date." The Bible is the trustworthy Word of God. ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence, Apologetics The Bible, Trust

Denomination: *other

It Was Jesus' Habit Was To Go To "Church" ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Mills on Oct 13, 2002

It was Jesus’ habit was to go to "church" (synagogue) on Sabbath (Sunday). What makes us think that we are any better than Jesus, so ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of, Church Body Of Christ

God Is Not Discoverable Or Demonstrable By Purely ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 11, 2002

God is not discoverable or demonstrable by purely scientific means, unfortunately for the scientifically minded. But that really proves nothing. It simply means that the wrong ...read more