In Sermon Illustrations: "Veering Off The Right Path"

Isa 57:20-21 "…the Wicked Are Like The Tossing ...

Contributed by Doane Brubaker on Jun 28, 2007

Isa 57:20-21 “…the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest… God says, ‘There is no peace for the wicked.’" After a family dinner one Sunday afternoon my dad and uncles were sitting around the living room talking politics. Uncle Walter kept dozing off and dad would tickle his ear with ...read more

Denomination: Mennonite

What Are We Voting For?

Contributed by Dan Thompkins on Jan 11, 2008

WHAT ARE WE VOTING FOR? A parishioner had dozed off to sleep during the morning service. “Will all who want to go to heaven, please stand?” the pastor asked.” – All stood, except the sleeping parishioner. After they sat, the pastor continued, “Well, will all who want to go to the other place ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:29-30, Mark 9:43-48

Tags: Death, Heaven, Salvation

Denomination: Pentecostal

Big John Coming To Town: New Man Made Bartender ...

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Jan 21, 2008

BIG JOHN COMING TO TOWN: New man made bartender and warned by owner, ‘If you hear Big John is coming drop everything and run for your life’. Months later a white faced cowhand ran in yelling, ‘Big John is coming to town’. Before the bartender could run into the saloon can a huge man riding a ...read more

Being Subjected To Extended Aloneness Kills The ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 6, 2008

Being subjected to extended aloneness kills the spirit, introduces insanity, and destroys a person. Senator and former Vietnam POW John McCain describes the elation he experienced when he was reunited with fellow prisoners after a horribly long and brutal separation: "I was overwhelmed by the ...read more

Tags: Church Small Groups

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Falling Asleep In Church

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Apr 22, 2009

FALLING ASLEEP IN CHURCH Please don't think I'm complaining about folks who fall asleep in church. I understand some people can’t help it. I am convinced that some people fall asleep in church during the sermon because their have a physical ailment. Some folk must have a snooze button attached at ...read more

Tags: Preaching

Denomination: Church Of God

To Trap A Wolf, The Eskimos Used To Take A ...  PRO

Contributed by Roger Roark on May 19, 2007

To trap a wolf, the Eskimos used to take a hunting knife, and dip it in animal blood, and freeze it, then put another layer of blood, and freeze it again, and then bury the knife in the snow with the blade exposed . A wolf would come by and start licking the blood off of the blade of the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

I Was Hungry

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 9, 2023

Charles Allen has a satirical comment on bearing one another's burdens: "I was hungry, and you formed a humanities club and discussed my hunger. I was imprisoned, and you crept off quietly to your chapel in the cellar and prayed for my release. I was naked, and in your mind you ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-10

Tags: Mercy, Ministry, Homeless, Serving Others, Burdens, Compassion, Prayer, Prison, Lost, Sick, Lonely  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Winnowing Fork

Contributed by Subasini Peter on May 8, 2024

God's winnowing fork Imagine God being so good, loving and kind now will have a winnowing fork in His hand to separate the chaff from the grain. All our works in a lifetime we have done will be judged by God. All the works that do not glorify the name of Jesus Christ will be separated. We ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:12

Tags: Grain, Seed, Winnowing Fork

Jumping To Conclusions

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 25, 2025

John was driving home late one night when he picked up a hitchhiker. As they rode along, he began to be suspicious of his passenger. John checked to see if his wallet was safe in the pocket of his coat that was on the seat between them, but it wasn't there! He slammed on the brakes, ordered ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 18:13, Matthew 7:1-2

Tags: Judgment, Assumption

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Bearish Schedule--Bullish Timing!" Galatians 5: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 4, 2004

“Bearish Schedule--Bullish Timing!” Galatians 5: 22-24 Key verse(s): 22: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Part of the fun of living are those times and events in our lives that happen spontaneously; that ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-24

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Lutheran

Is It Time Yet!" Psalm 75: 1-10 Key Verse(S): 2: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 28, 2004

“Is It Time Yet!” Psalm 75: 1-10 Key verse(s): 2: “You say, ‘I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly.’” “Is it time yet?” I can’t tell you how often I have heard those words over the years after having raised four children who were always interested in knowing when the “time” was ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 75:1-10

Tags: Descriptions Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

Keeping Faith In The Midst Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 1, 2010

Keeping Faith in the Midst of Trials The story is told of a man who was walking across the road when he was hit by a car. The impact knocked him on his head which caused him to be in a coma for a couple of days before he finally regained consciousness. When he opened his eyes, his loving wife was ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:8-18

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

It’s Not Always What It Seems

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 11, 2020

There are times when my bad hearing is a blessing. I'm not sure if I'm not listening or not hearing. It’s hard for me to tell. For example, the other night, right after midnight, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I were pretty much sound asleep. There was more sound on the other ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 21:2

Tags: Humor, Storms, Rioting

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[025] A Message From A Poem - Balance Of God’s Attributes

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 9, 2025

[025] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - BALANCE OF GOD’S ATTRIBUTES One area where it takes deeper study to understand, is the attributes of God. The attributes are what is the completeness in God and they are many. It is what God is. We speak about love and mercy and compassion, but we also have ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 85:10-11, Exodus 34:5-7, Hebrews 2:17

Tags: Penalty, Poetry, Attributes Of God, Forgiveness, Faithful, Judgment, Balance, Merciful, Attributes, Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[259]. A Message From A Poem – The Cold Frosty Night Reveals The Dawn

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 8, 2026

[259]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE COLD FROSTY NIGHT REVEALS THE DAWN The cold, frosty night is this current existence in the world where Christians live and are waiting for their Lord to come. The dawn is the coming of the Lord. A number of people correctly see this coming for the Church and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Luke 12:32, 1 John 3:2

Tags: Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, The World Is Getting Worse, Cold Nights, Frosty Nights, Love, Second Coming, Misery, Dawn, Waiting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Story In The Denver Post Came Out In 1958 That ...  PRO

Contributed by Ray Ellis on Mar 22, 2002

A story in the Denver Post came out in 1958 that illustrates self-less love. June 7, 1958 the Air National Guard’s jet precision team was performing outside of Dayton, Ohio. Five precision flyers made up the Minute Men team. Colonel Walt Williams was the leader of the Denver-based F-86 Sabre-jet ...read more

Tags: Love, Compassion, Christian Disciplines, Healing, Forgiveness In Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Free Methodist

Illustration] Some Of You Are Aware That Robin ...

Contributed by Mark Opperman on Jan 3, 2008

-[Illustration] Some of you are aware that Robin and I are in the middle of a house hunt. We would like to buy a house, and live there for quite awhile, if the Lord is willing. We have wanted to buy a home all along, but I just always assumed that we did not really have the buying power to purchase ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

An Old American Indian Tale Recounts The Story Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Jones on Nov 3, 2000

An old American Indian tale recounts the story of a chief who was telling a gathering of young braves about the struggle within. "It is like two dogs fighting inside of us," the chief told them. "There is one good dog who wants to do the right and the other dog always wants to do the wrong. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:38-50, Psalm 139:13-16, Proverbs 4:1-27, Isaiah 6:1-5, Psalm 139:1-14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Seek, Steadfast, Stumbling Block, Service, Willingness, Worship, Turn, Commitment, Experience, Discipleship, Encounter, Pray, Obedience, Growth In Christ, Humble, Holiness, Hero  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Even Our Foundational Beliefs In This Country ...  PRO

Contributed by Wayne Major on Apr 23, 2001

Even our foundational beliefs in this country see the “pursuit of happiness” as a basic right of all individuals. Yet with all our pursuit, happiness seems to elude many of us for much of our lives. Nathaniel Hawthorne said, “Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond ...read more

Tags: Joy, God Brings Hope, Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Methodist

When A New Calf Is Born, Sometimes It ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Jul 5, 2001

When a new calf is born, sometimes it doesn’t come to and breathe well right away. And so what a farmer will do - is to take a stick and jab it up the nostril of the calf. This jabbing irritates the calf - gets his heart pumping - hurries up his breathing. As a result, instead of dying, the calf ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:8-16

Tags: God In The Hardships, Forgiveness In Jesus, Endurance

Denomination: Lutheran