In Sermon Illustrations: "Wasted Life"

Twas Battered And Scarred, And The Auctioneer ...

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Jun 4, 2008

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin. But he held it up with a smile; "What am I bidden, good folks?" he cried. "Who’ll start the bidding for me?" "A dollar, a dollar"; then two!" "Only two? Two dollars, and who’ll ...read more

Tags: Music

The Bridge ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

THE BRIDGE BUILDER An old man, going down a lonely highway, Came at the evening cold and gray, To a chasm vast and wide, Through which was flowing a swollen tide, The old man crossed in the twilight dim, The swollen stream had no fear for him. But he turned when safe on the other side, And built a ...read more

Scripture: John 17:20-26

Tags: Unity, Christian Unity

It's Like The Work Done On Various Television ...

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Sep 25, 2009

It’s like the work done on various Television programmes. Take one run down house or barn crying out for restoration, or a few rooms of a house in desperate need of decoration, or the Vicarage kitchen in need of a refit! Jesus takes us as we are, however run-down, how ever messy our lives might be, ...read more

Tags: Restoration

Denomination: Anglican

If They Were Our ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 24, 2009

IF THEY WERE OUR OWN If you boy or my girl were in darkness – Were groping alone in the night, Soul—weary and helplessly seeking In vain for a glimmer of light, Thro’ the dangerous depths of a forest, Bewildered and frightened and lost, Would I be at home by the fireside Demurring and counting ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Cast A Line For Yourself

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Feb 23, 2010

CAST A LINE FOR YOURSELF A poor, hungry man stood idly on a bridge watching some fishermen. Seeing one of them with a basket full of fish by his side, he said, "If I had a catch like that, I'd be happy. I'd sell it and buy some food and clothes." "I'll give you that many fish if you do a small ...read more

Tags: Action

Denomination: Pentecostal

Get Busy And Cast A Line

Contributed by Keith Peters on Jul 5, 2011

GET BUSY AND CAST A LINE A poor, hungry man stood idly on a bridge watching some fishermen. Seeing one of them with a basket full of fish by his side, he said, "If I had a catch like that, I'd be happy. I'd sell it and buy some food and clothes." "I'll give you that many fish if you do a small ...read more

Tags: Workplace Unemployment

Denomination: Baptist

God's Greatness

Contributed by Ed Lu on Nov 26, 2011

GOD'S GREATNESS Today it doesn’t take wars or persecutions to challenge our Christian faith or religious practices. No spears, no swords, no fiery torches or saddled horses to combat our religiosity. Sadly, these so called wars and battles among Christians are domesticated within the surrounding ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23

Tags: Greatness

Denomination: Baptist

The Bridge Builder

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 20, 2022

THE BRIDGE BUILDER By Will Allen Dromgoole An old man going a lone highway. Came, at the evening cold and gray, To a chasm vast and deep and wide. Through which was flowing a sullen tide The old man crossed in the twilight dim, The sullen stream had no fear for him; But he turned when safe ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:29

Tags: Builder, Bridge

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Are You A Patter?" 2 Timothy 4:11 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 8, 2005

“Are You A Patter?” 2 Timothy 4:11 Key verse(s) 11:“Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” Everyone seems to have a purpose; but what is mine? Do you sometimes wonder just what your calling in life is? For some it seems pretty obvious. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:11

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

Freedom Isn't ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Freedom Isn’t Free “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Galatians 5: 1 No, freedom isn’t free. It comes at great cost for those “buying it.” The United States found out just how high the price could be in the final days of World War II when trying to capture a Pacific Island from ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1

Tags: Truth Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dad-Isms

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jun 24, 2009

DAD-ISMS Here are a few dad-isms from a recent website I visited - "Get in and get out." This applied to an open back door or refrigerator. Just because you don’t pay the gas and electric bills, that doesn’t mean you should waste energy, he’d tell us as we alternately let the cold air into the ...read more

Tags: Father's Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

No Wonder You Feel Tired!

Contributed by Tony Abram on Mar 7, 2007

Your heart beats 103,689 times every 24 hours. 2. Your blood travels 168,000,000 miles every 24 hours. 3. You breathe 23,040 times every 24 hours. 4. You inhale 438 cubic feet of air every 24 hours. 5. You eat about 3 1/2 pounds of food every 24 hours. 6. You drink about 2.9 quarts of liquid every ...read more

Tags: Creation

A Spotlight And A Laser Beam  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Dec 30, 2003

[illustration] Have you ever wondered what makes the difference between a spotlight and a laser beam? How can a medium-powered laser burn through steel in a matter of seconds, while the most powerful spotlight can only make it warm? Both may have the same electrical power requirements. The ...read more

Scripture: John 17:11

Tags: Unity, Backward, Fear, Forward, Humor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Story From Eastern Europe

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 21, 2025

Story: I would like to leave you with a story from Eastern Europe A man came into Court to give evidence, but he considered the Bible too holy to swear an oath on and so refused to do so. The lawyer for the defence approached the bench and asked for the man to be excused that formality, because ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Tags: Judge, Piety, Lawyer

Denomination: Anglican

A Story From Eastern Europe

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 27, 2025

Story: I would like to leave you with a story from Eastern Europe A man came into Court to give evidence, but he considered the Bible too holy to swear an oath on and so refused to do so. The lawyer for the defence approached the bench and asked for the man to be excused that formality, because ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Tags: Holy, Rumor

Denomination: Anglican

The Lights Of Home  PRO

Contributed by Frank Ellis on Apr 15, 2002

THE LIGHTS OF HOME In his memoirs, Chronicles of Wasted Time, Malcolm Muggeridge tells of events that took place in Africa in 1943. He was forty years old but his experience of those four decades had been of progressive disillusionment. After Cambridge he spent three years in India, which ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience, Becoming A Christian

Denomination: Baptist

Hide From The Toil

Contributed by James Pless on May 22, 2006

hide from the toil 12438. One Day I Dream One day as I was fast asleep I had this stirring dream; I was caught up to be with God. With angels it did seem. And while up there, I met God’s saints From many parts of the earth. Now some were great and famous men, And some of humble birth. I ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Baptist

Unmanufactured Tissue Of The Universe!" Joshua ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 23, 2004

“Unmanufactured Tissue of the Universe!” Joshua 10: 12-15 Key verse(s): 13b: “The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” “What ‘cha doing?” The old man said to the young man as he sat lazily next to an old haystack at the side of the road. “Just killing a ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 10:12-15

Tags: Gift Of Time, God's Provision

Denomination: Lutheran

I Worry Too Much

Contributed by Troy Borst on May 31, 2012

"I WORRY TOO MUCH" I was perusing the Internet this week and found ExperienceProject.com that has an entire section of the website called "I worry too much." Worry must be one of those universal emotions and conditions that all of us deal with. These are some of the comments left by ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:22-34, Philippians 4:6-8

Tags: Worry, Ready

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

More Than Anyone Else Christian Parents Can Have ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

More than anyone else Christian parents can have the most influence on their children, because when Christ died upon the Cross the veil was ripped open so they could enter into the presence of God who sits on the Throne of Grace. The call to pray is from God’s Word and we are given a sure promise, ...read more

Scripture: John 20:11-18

Tags: Faith