In Sermon Illustrations: "Walking Dead"

Process-Oriented God

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 26, 2010

The following thoughts are from Sy Rogers: God is event and process oriented – Most Christians are only event orientated. But the development of a baby is a process caused by one passionate event in the bedroom. Birth is an event but there is a process of growth and maturity. God will not zap a ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In A Peanuts Cartoon Lucy Demanded That Linus ...

Contributed by Bobby Mcdaniel on Feb 27, 2010

In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn't. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks Linus. "These five fingers," says Lucy. "Individually they're nothing but when I curl them together like this into a ...read more

Tags: Unity

But Can He Swim?  PRO

Contributed by Steve Ownby on Mar 28, 2010

BUT CAN HE SWIM? A man and his dog were walking the beach when they came upon another visitor to the beach. The owner of the dog was proud of his dog's newly mastered feat, so he said to the visitor, "Watch this!" whereupon he tossed a piece of driftwood far out into the sea and the dog ...read more

Tags: Pride

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Hero And The Saint

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2010

THE HERO AND THE SAINT The late great German-born American Jewish rationalist intellectual, popular lecturer and writer, religious leader, and social reformer, Felix Adler (1851 - 1933), starts things off well when he said, "The hero is one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Christian Witness

Is Your Church On Fire?

Contributed by K. Simms on Nov 5, 2010

IS YOUR CHURCH ON FIRE? In a little town unknown to many, there was a small church. One night smoke and flames consumed this little church. People from all over town stood in the streets and watched the church as it burned. The local preacher drove up and noticed several people that he hadn't seen ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Methodist

Veto Power

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Feb 28, 2012

VETO POWER Before democracy arrived in Poland, the country was run by Lords and rich landowners – the nobility from all over the country. The senate filled with these noblemen would make decisions for the country but they always had a hard time getting much done – why? Because every member of the ...read more

Tags: Power

Denomination: Lutheran

What I Wouldn't Give...

Contributed by Scott Jensen on Mar 29, 2012

WHAT I WOULDN'T GIVE... When Oliver Wendell Holmes was still on the U.S. Supreme Court, he and Justice Louis Brandeis took walks every afternoon. On one of these occasions Holmes, then ninety-two, paused to gaze in frank admiration at a beautiful young girl who passed them. He even turned to look ...read more

Tags: Aging

Denomination: Lutheran

Passionate Counseling

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 9, 2012

PASSIONATE COUNSELING A distraught man brought his wife to see the pastor. The woman was listless and unresponsive. After about thirty minutes of futile attempts to counsel them, the pastor walked over to the woman, pulled her from the chair, wrapped his arms around her and gave her a passionate ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:19

Tags: Marriage Struggle

Why Would The Angel Talk To You?

Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 24, 2012

There's conversation in the Peanuts comic strip between Peppermint Patty and her friend Marcie. They are walking to school and Peppermint Patty says, "I'm going to ask the teacher if I can be Mary in the Christmas play this year." Marcie answers, "She already asked me, sir." Patty continues, ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Disciplines Meditation, Listening

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Wishing For Pascal's Brain  PRO

Contributed by Lalachan Abraham on Feb 17, 2013

WISHING FOR PASCAL'S BRAIN Biblical Education is the process by which Godly character is formed, strength of clear conscious and sound mind is amplified, and understanding is sharpened, as a result of which one can walk in divine wisdom. Someone once approached Blaise Pascal, the famous French ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:1-14

Tags: Attitude General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Vacation For Seniors!

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 22, 2019

A number of years ago I attended a pastors gathering in Toronto. A retired Pastor, now crippled by a stroke, sat along the wall on a chair, all alone. In his prime he was a highly esteemed professor, author and preacher. Now, he sat alone and unnoticed. I walked across the room and lamented this ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-20

Tags: Loneliness, Community, Aging

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Can Witness, But We Cannot Convert

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 18, 2019

We may use all means, by but we cannot command success. We may teach, but we cannot convert. We may show those around us the bread and water of life, but we cannot make them eat and drink it. We may point out the way to eternal life, but we cannot make others walk in it. ‘It is the Spirit that ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Tags: Straying, Evangelism, Family, Witnessing, Unbelief  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Good News Bad News

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 9, 2020

A woman walks into a doctor’s office. She schedules an appointment and sits down it the waiting room. Whem it’s her turn to talk to the doctor, she describes all of her symptoms, and they’re unlike anything he’s heard before. The doctor runs a few tests and steps out of the room. He comes back ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18-27

Tags: Curse, Disease, Sickness, Illness, Redemption Of Body  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Pretty Good Preaching For A Dollar!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 20, 2022

A man and his ten year-old son were on a fishing trip miles from home. At the boy’s insistence, they decided to attend the Sunday worship service at a small rural church. The father forgot to bring any cash, so he reached in his pocket and gave his son a dollar to drop into the offering plate as ...read more

Tags: Giving, Stewardship, Complaining, Tithing, Critical Spirit, Cheating God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It’s Like The Story Of The Boy Who Was ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jun 25, 2001

It’s like the story of the boy who was shooting rocks with a slingshot. He could never hit his target. As he was in his Grandma’s backyard one day, h spied her pet duck. On impulse h took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck was dead. “The boy panicked and hid the bird in the woodpile, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:1-12

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Guilt, Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Learning Channel (You Know, The Other Tlc), ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Luthy on Jan 29, 2002

The Learning Channel (you know, the other TLC), has a show that airs on Wednesday nights called "Junkyard Wars." Have you seen it? This is how they describe their show on their web site: "If you locked Tim Allen, Mad Max and Monty Python in a garage, you’d end up with Junkyard Wars — the ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness, Promises Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Wrong Guy  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2002

THE WRONG GUY Determined to avenge the assault of their young fourteen year old girlfriend, ten young people raced away from the hospital with a description of her assailant: an Hispanic man driving a red vehicle. Then by deception, the group of vigilantes lured young Leonel Cifuenies, a ...read more

Tags: Easter Good Friday, Cross Agony, Compassion

Here Kitty  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 11, 2002

HERE KITTY Once there was a man named Jim who let his dog out to do its business late one night. He watched some TV and then remembered to let the dog back in. When he opened the door, he was shocked at what he saw! In his dog’s mouth was his neighbor’s cat, dead! "Bad dog! BAD DOG!" said the ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1, Jonah 1:1, Jonah 1:1

Tags: Faith, Truth, Leadership General

When I Consider The Power Of These Little ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on May 26, 2002

When I consider the power of these little narratives, I’m reminded, on this Memorial Day weekend, of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, a speech he gave in 1863 to dedicate a portion of that battlefield as a cemetery for the Civil War dead. It begins: “Four score and seven years ago, our fathers ...read more

Tags: Communication General, Holidays Civic

Denomination: Baptist

Remembering A Death Warrant  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 30, 2002

REMEMBERING A DEATH WARRANT Benjamin Rush to John Adams, July 20, 1811. Dear Old Friend, The 4th of July has been celebrated in Philadelphia in the manner I expected. The military men, and particularly one of them, ran away with all the glory of the day. Scarcely a word was said of the ...read more

Tags: Political Freedom, Christian Disciplines, Independence Day