In Sermon Illustrations: "Watchfulness"

I Was Visiting My Home Town In Romania When One ...

Contributed by Ovidiu Radulescu on Jul 29, 2008

I was visiting my home town in Romania when one of my neighbors died. I was attending the visitation. Usually the family and relatives are taking care of the funeral – the body stays in the living room of the house for three days, until the burial. But if they live in a condo or blockhouse, they ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

When I Was Growing Up, One Of The Most Famous ...

Contributed by Jerry Blaxton on Aug 1, 2008

When I was growing up, one of the most famous celebrities alive was Elvis Presley. I loved Elvis Presley. I loved his singing, and a lot of his songs. I watched his movies. I read articles and books about him. I loved Elvis Presley. But when I think about it—I never saw Elvis Presley, I never ...read more

Tags: Love For God

Denomination: Baptist

Missing The Baby For The Crib  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

MISSING THE BABY FOR THE CRIB One night a wife found her husband standing over their infant's crib. As she watched him looking down at their very first baby, she saw on his face a mixture of emotions: ...disbelief, doubt, delight, amazement, enchantment, skepticism. Touched by this unusual ...read more

Tags: Blessing

A Domino A Rectangular Tile With A Line Dividing ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Sep 21, 2008

A Domino a rectangular tile with a line dividing its face into two square ends. A popular way of playing with dominos is lining them up end to end and knocking them over. This domino effect is fun to watch when handling the physical tiles but, if it occurs metaphorically in worldwide financial ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Other

Love As Evangelism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 9, 2008

Love as Evangelism When Henry Stanley went out in 1871 and found Dr. Livingstone, (remember: "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?") he spent some months in his company, but Livingstone never spoke to Stanley about spiritual things. Throughout those months Stanley just watched the old man. Livingstone’s ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Despair And Depression—the News  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2008

DESPAIR AND DEPRESSION--THE NEWS Max Lucado, pastor and author describes the topic title best when he speaks of having "doubt storms". He said, "Sometimes the storm comes after the evening news. Some nights I wonder why I watch it. Some nights it's just too much. From the steps of the Supreme ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Traditions

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Jan 5, 2009

TRADITIONS We all have various Christmas traditions. Few of us probably have a tradition quite like the Robynson family’s. In his book Crazy Love, Francis Chan shares their story (their effort to keep Christmas and to exude the true Christmas spirit): This family of five, with three kids under ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Salvation Army

Scientists At Nasa Have Developed A Gun For The ...

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Jan 14, 2009

Scientists at NASA have developed a gun for the purpose of launching dead chickens. It is used to shoot a dead chicken at the windshield of airline jet, military jet, or the space shuttle, at that vehicle’s maximum traveling velocity. The idea being, that it would simulate the frequent incidents of ...read more

Tags: Mistakes

Denomination: Pentecostal

Hosea 2: Low-Down Person

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 12, 2009

HOSEA 2: LOW-DOWN PERSON I was watching an old movie on television and I heard a line that I’d missed before. The villain of this comedy was talking on the phone and said something like: "Sure, I know what kind of low-down person would sue his own mother, but we’re not talking about me!" It caught ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: *other

Questions For God

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

QUESTIONS FOR GOD I came across some post-it notes that contain brief notes that kids wrote to God. Here are a few funny ones… Dear God, I went to this wedding and they kissed in church. Is that OK? Dear God, I think about you sometimes even when I’m not praying. God, thank you for the baby ...read more

Tags: Children

Childlike Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

A few months ago, I was in El Paso holding an evangelistic meeting, and the young people were serving dinner to the mothers being that it was Mother’s Day. I was seating in a chair watching what was going on, and right in front, a four-year-old girl pushed a two-year-old boy, who fell on the floor ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:12

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

You Can't Stick Your Tongue Out At God's Children!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 12, 2023

A busy young father came home late from work and his two young daughters ran to the car to meet him. The oldest daughter got their first and jumped into Daddy's arms telling him how much she loved him while the youngest watched. As they walked into the house, the oldest daughter looked back ...read more

Tags: Bitterness, Hate, Critical Spirit, Division, Kids, Love, Father, Holy Spirit, Anger  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Imagine A Group Of People Coming To Your Home And ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2002

Imagine a group of people coming to your home and interrupting your Twinkie-eating, TV-watching routine with an urgent message: “Good News! We’re from the United States Olympic Committee. We have been looking for someone to run the marathon in the next Olympics. We have statistics on every person ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:24, 1 Corinthians 9:24, 2 Timothy 4:7, Hebrews 12:1, James 1:1-4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Race, Discipleship, Disciplines

The Shame Of War.  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 25, 2003

The Shame of War. While living in Weil der Stadt, West Germany in 1989, my wife and I had a very profound experience with the local high school students. In order to make learning English a little more fun, the High School English teacher made an arrangement with the local theatre. The students ...read more

Tags: War, Emotions

Luke ...  PRO

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Mar 8, 2004

- Luke 23:39-43 > v43 . . . Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise. You know, I have seen a few things and a few places in life. I haven’t seen as much nor traveled as extensively as some of you who’ve been around since the continents first divided, but I have seen a few ...read more

Tags: Funerals Christian

Denomination: Baptist

B. Brian J. Waldrop Relates This Slice Of Life: ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 24, 2004

b. Brian J. Waldrop relates this slice of life: "Flipping through the channels of my TV the other morning, I stopped to watch a painter skillfully painting a desert landscape. As the man proceeded to color the canvas in deep browns, reds, and yellows, the picture really started to look good. I felt ...read more

Tags: Humility, Faith, Endurance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Let The Lower Lights Be Burning  PRO

Contributed by Dwight L. Moody on Jun 11, 2009

LET THE LOWER LIGHTS BE BURNING A few years ago, at the mouth of Cleveland harbor, there were two lights, one at each side of the bay, called the upper and lower lights; and to enter the harbor safely by night, vessels must sight both of the lights. These western lakes are more dangerous ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: *other

Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell Injured During 9/11 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 1, 2009

Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell Injured during 9/11 Attack on Pentagon On September 11, Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell watched the television in his boss’ office as a second hijacked airplane slammed into the World Trade Center. The Army officer had no idea that minutes later madmen would ram a Boeing 757 into ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Tags: War

Temporary Castles  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 28, 2011

TEMPORARY CASTLES "A little boy is on the beach. On his knees he scoops and packs the sand with plastic shovels into a bright red bucket. Then he upends the bucket on the surface and lifts it. And, to the delight of the little architect, a castle tower is created. "All afternoon he will work. ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17, Luke 12:15-21, Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

Tags: Death

God And The Spider  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 28, 2007

God and the Spider During World War II, a US marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades. Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for ...read more

Tags: Protection, God Cares, Deliverer