In Sermon Illustrations: "Wasted Life"

Some Years Back, Before Skin-Grafts Were A Common ...

Contributed by Kenneth Trent on Feb 18, 2007

Some years back, before skin-grafts were a common medical procedure, a certain girl throughout all her life openly showed her shame for the deep scars that covered both of her mother’s hands. The girl was so ashamed of her mother’s hands that she constantly insisted that her mother wear gloves ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Introduction: In April Of 1998 In Our Nation's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

Introduction: In April of 1998 in our nation’s capital Military Police Maj. Odie Butler said he was northbound on I395 about 10 minutes before 6 a.m. when he came upon an accident near Alexandria. Amid the debris of a single-truck accident, a person was on the highway, having been thrown from the ...read more

Some Are Famous

Contributed by Brian Black on Mar 20, 2007

Some are famous: Nathan Hale (1755-1776) – "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." Romeo – “Here’s to my love! O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” Richard III – "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse." Julius Caesar (100-44 B.C.) – "You ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Some Years Back Bill Cosby Wrote A Book Simply ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on May 22, 2007

Some years back Bill Cosby wrote a book simply entitled Fatherhood. I would like to share with you two observations that Cosby makes about fathers. He writes: Now that my father is a grandfather, he just can’t wait to give money to my kids. But when I was his kid and I asked him for fifty cents, ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Close: (The Following Illustration Can Be Found ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

CLOSE: (the following illustration can be found on the internet – the event occurred April 25, 2003) Maurice Cheeks is the retired All Star point guard who at one time coached the Portland Trail Blazers. His team had just finished warming up for a playoff game against the Dallas Mavericks. The ...read more

Tags: Faith General

A Young Boy Had To Feed His Father Every Day ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A young boy had to feed his father every day when he came home from school. His father had been so injured and couldn’t do many things for himself and to help with things the mother gave him one job to do and that was to feed his father every day, once a day. But on this particular day, the boy, ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony

Leslie B. Flynn Told A Delightful Little Story ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Leslie B. Flynn told a delightful little story about how some children worked long and hard on their own little cardboard shack. It was to be a special spot - a clubhouse - where they could meet in solemn assembly or just laugh, play games, and fool around. As they thought long and hard about their ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

Introduction: In 1976 Vince Papale Was A 30 Year ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Introduction: In 1976 Vince Papale was a 30 year old Substitute teacher and bartender in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. He and his buddies spent most Sunday afternoons in the Fall either playing football at the park or watching the Philadelphia Eagles play on tv. Week after week they had high hopes, ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

In The Town Of Port Hope In Ontario, There Is A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In the town of Port Hope in Ontario, there is a monument erected, not for a politician or a war hero, but for a poor, unselfish working man who gave most of his life and energy to help those who could not repay him. Joseph Scriven was born in Dublin 1820. In his younger days, he had the potential ...read more

Tags: Faith

She, Like So Many Of Us, Will Only Trust The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

She, like so many of us, will only trust the Lord as far as we can see and will not believe His promises unless the MEANS of the performance is visible to us. Where are the water pots? Where are the buckets? How is He going to perform this? How is He going to accomplish this difficult task??? We ...read more

Tags: Jesus' Ministry

How Many Of You Read Alice In Wonderland? There ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

How many of you read Alice in Wonderland? There was a morning in Wonderland when Alice complained to the queen, “But I find it quite impossible to believe what you say” At which her majesty mumbled, “Well, maybe you do, my dear; but when I was your age I made it a point to believe six impossible ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

When I Was Working On My Undergraduate Degree I ...

Contributed by Keith Broyles on Oct 3, 2007

When I was working on my undergraduate degree I took a couple of classes in geology. Most of the time I was asking myself the age-old question that many students ask as they go through some class that they don’t want to take, “Why do I have to take this class?” As the class went on we talked ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Has Anyone Ever Seen The Movie Lorenzo's ...

Contributed by Curt Cizek on Oct 8, 2007

-Has anyone ever seen the movie Lorenzo’s Oil? -It came out in 1992, starring Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon -If you can still find it, watch it – great movie -It is a true story about Augusto and Michaela Odone whose 7 year old son, Lorenzo, is perfectly normal until he begins to suffer blackouts ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

When I Was In The Navy, Sailors Told Each Other ...

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Oct 28, 2007

When I was in the Navy, Sailors told each other all sorts of stories about what happened on various deployments or on liberty. They were called sea stories, and were often far from being true. In fact we used say that the difference between a fairy tale and a sea story was that a fairy tale begins ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

I Read A Story Of A Woman On Vacation That Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Kl Burrus on Nov 19, 2007

I read a story of a woman on vacation that was shopping in the finest stores. One day she saw the most beautiful cup she had ever seen. She went in bought the cup and everyday she would take the cup out and admire it. She would even talk to the cup and say, ’’I’m glad that I found you. You’re one ...read more

Tags: Son, Comfort, Dirt, Floor

Denomination: Baptist

I Love To Cook. The Only Problem Is That Many Of ...

Contributed by Chris Surber on Mar 1, 2008

I love to cook. The only problem is that many of the things I like to cook are things that my wife does not particularly care to eat. I like to cook things in a crock pot or in a pressure cooker. One of my favorite things to cook is ham hocks and beans. My dad taught me to cook it and we used ...read more

Denomination: Christian Church

The Fire Has Finally Died. It's Been Snuffed Out: ...

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Mar 19, 2008

The fire has finally died. It’s been snuffed out: Dampened by the coldness of betrayal, denial and doubt. No more glowing embers: Just a few dusty cinders remain laying in one clump. No more smoldering flares: Instead, just a few whiffs of smoke here and there. No more crackles, hisses or snaps of ...read more

Denomination: *other

Twilight Of The Book In 1937, 29% Of American ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2008

Twilight of the Book In 1937, 29% of American adults told the pollster George Gallup they were reading a book. In ’55, only 17% were. In ’78, a survey found that 55% had read a book in the previous 6 months. The question was even looser in ’98 and ’02; 71% of Americans had read a novel, short ...read more

The ...

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on May 8, 2008

The List Once upon a time a woman was married to a perfectionist husband. No matter what his wife did for him, it was never enough. At the beginning of each day, he would make out his list of chores for her to do, and at the end of each day, he would scrutinize it to make sure she had done all ...read more

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Every Branch That Bears Fruit Must Be Pruned To ...  PRO

Contributed by Stephen Smarowsky on Jun 14, 2008

Every branch that bears fruit must be pruned to bear much more fruit. I have a tomato plant that has been living for over two years now. Every winter the cold weather and heavy breeze kill more than half of the vines and leafs. If I don't prune the dead, it will spread and kill the whole plant. ...read more

Scripture: John 17:13, John 17:13-21

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Baptist