In Sermon Illustrations: "What Is Conscience"

Sodom And Sydney

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jul 29, 2010

SODOM AND SYDNEY Sydney is well known for its GAY & LESBIAN MARDI GRAS. It is an annual parade, dance party and festival, the largest such event in the world and attracts many international and domestic tourists. For many years Fred Nile, a Christian minister has railed against their wickedness, ...read more

Tags: Homosexuality

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Make Me!

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 14, 2011

"MAKE ME!" They had behaved badly in class but they were equally disruptive in the detention room, swearing, acting tough and defying anything I said with a smart comment. Unacceptable behaviour. I have never really had a problem with anger, but the closest I came was in that classroom. Teaching ...read more

Tags: Murder

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Something Beautiful

Contributed by Barry Edmondson on Feb 5, 2011

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL In 1502, in Florence, Italy there was a large block of marble given to a church in Santa Maria, the church immediately hired who they thought was a professional to sculpt this enormously huge piece of rock. The man was a professional and soon after commencing this great task ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Pentecostal

I Tithe—he'll Find Me.  PRO

Contributed by Denn Guptill on May 1, 2011

"I TITHE--HE'LL FIND ME." Two men have ended up marooned on an island in the South Pacific. You can fill in the blanks as to how they got there. So they are on the clichéic deserted island, one palm tree, nothing to see but the ocean. One guy is in a complete panic, pacing back and forth, ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:5-21, Matthew 23:23

Tags: Offering, Tithe, Tithes

Denomination: Wesleyan

Why Did God Make Mothers?

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on May 10, 2011

WHY DID GOD MAKE MOTHERS? Consider these answers given by elementary-age children to the following questions. "Why did God make mothers?" "Mostly to clean the house." "To help us out of there, when we were getting born." "How did God make mothers?" "God made my Mom just the same like he made ...read more

Tags: Mothers

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

They Refused To Be Rescued  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

THEY REFUSED TO BE RESCUED On August 30, 2005 Coast Guard Lieutenant Iain McConnell was ordered to fly his H46 helicopter to New Orleans and to keep that machine flying around the clock for what would turn out to be a heroic rescue effort. None of his crew were prepared for what they were about to ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:3-4, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, Matthew 8:28-34, 2 Peter 3:7-10

Tags: Rejection, Heroism

Forgive And Forget

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 15, 2012

FORGIVE AND FORGET There's a wonderful story about the cardinal of the Philippines, named, oddly enough, Cardinal Sin. When Cardinal Sin was a bishop, a young woman in his parish claimed that she had visions of Jesus. Bishop Sin was given the task of determining if these visions were authentic. He ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:9

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Baptist

The Dead Donkey

Contributed by Perry Greene on Jul 12, 2012

THE DEAD DONKEY A city boy, Kenny, moved to the country and bought a donkey from an old farmer for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day. The next day the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news, the donkey died." Kenny replied, "Well then, just give ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Independent/Bible

It's In Your Hands

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 18, 2017

A young student in China decided to play a trick on his elderly teacher one day. He caught a small bird and cupped it in his hands behind his back. He then approached the sage with this plan in mind. He would ask the old man what he had in his hand. If he answered correctly, he would then ask ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:15

Tags: Eternity, Decision, Commitment, Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ten Years Of Fact Checking

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

It’s an old stereotype that politicians are likely to “massage the truth” a little bit. That’s probably as generous as that can be said. With that in mind, I was intrigued recently when PolitiFact celebrated their tenth anniversary. PolitiFact is a non-partisan, independent organization that ...read more

Tags: Bible, Truth

Denomination: Baptist

Ten Word Sermon

Contributed by Kevin Barron on Aug 31, 2018

The shortest sermon I know is only ten words. It was preached by my grandfather to a small, country congregation on the story of the Good Samaritan (Mark 10:35-45). He read the account of an outsider who demonstrates true neighbor love by stopping on the road to care for a bleeding and badly ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:35-45

Tags: Compassion, Good Samaritan

Denomination: Methodist

Change?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 23, 2019

I had a friend go to the doctor, after the examination the doctor came into the room and say: SIR, WOULD YOU PLEASE SPELL DIET? My friend started: D-I-E… THEN THE DOCTOR TOLD MY FRIEND STOP RIGHT THERE … YOU ARE GOING TO DIE IF YOU DON’T START WATCHING WHAT YOU EAT AND CHANGE YOUR EXERCISE ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:24

Tags: Change, Journey

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Priest And The Levite (Parable Of The Good Samaritan)

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 20, 2022

Keathley makes several interesting points that the Priest and Levite mentioned in the Parable of the Prodigal Son were leaving Jerusalem and could not use the excuse that they did not want to touch the man and be unclean for worship. Why? They had already accomplished their duties and were heading ...read more

Tags: Priest, Parables, Hypocrisy, Pharisees, Kindness, Levite, Good Samaritan  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

New Church Treasurer

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 4, 2022

The day the old church treasurer resigned, the church asked the local grain elevator manager to take the position. He agreed under 2 conditions: 1. No treasurer’s report would be given for the first year 2. No questions be asked about finances during that year The people were surprised but finally ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:10

Tags: Giving, Tithing, Money

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Unthankful Pig

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on May 6, 2022

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THE LESSON OF THE PIG? Seems a big fat pig is roaming around the forest and finds all likes of delicious juicy acorns on the ground. The acorns are strewn on the ground. The pig eats and eats the acorns until the acorns are gone. The pig takes a long nap. When the pig wakes up ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 13:33

Tags: Pigs, Unthankful

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Artist And The Beggar

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 12, 2023

Some time ago an artist wanted to find a man that would represent the prodigal. One day, walking up the streets, he met a poor beggar, and the thought occurred to him: “That man would represent the prodigal.” He told him what he wanted, and found the beggar was ready to come to his place of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:1-23

Tags: Evangelism, Grace, Sin, Salvation, Redemption, Justification, Sinners  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Never Satisfied, More!

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 23, 2024

REMEMBER THE STORY ABOUT THE DOG AND HIS BONE? There was a real smart dog that had searched and searched for just the right bone. After several hours the dog found a real big wonderful bone. He picked the good bone up and started home with his prized bone. On the way home the dog had to pass over a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:18

Tags: Comparison, Satisfied

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Do Not Love The World

Contributed by Ken Mckinley on Jan 7, 2025

Now imagine this with me for a second. Let’s say you have a pillow and let’s say the family dog got ahold of that pillow and used it for a litter box… so you took it out and put it in the dumpster, and a family of rats moved into it and used it for a bed. And just before the day the trash truck ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15

Tags: Love Of Jesus, Desire, Love Of The World

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Resisting A False Culture

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Mar 6, 2026

In the late 1980s, the world witnessed the collapse of communist regimes across Eastern Europe. One of the central figures in the Velvet Revolution of Czechoslovakia was Václav Havel. Havel had been a playwright and dissident long before he became president. He spent years imprisoned because ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47, Colossians 4:2-6

Tags: Culture, Scattered, Resisting, Gathered

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Woe Is Me!

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on May 13, 2026

There’s a shift that happens in the soul when we truly see God. In Book of Isaiah 1-5, the prophet looks out at the world and says, “Woe to them…” Corruption, injustice, pride-it’s all clear. Easy to name. Easy to condemn. But then comes the vision in Book of Isaiah. “I saw the Lord…” And ...read more

Tags: Holiness, Wonder, Woe

Denomination: Pentecostal