In Sermon Illustrations: "Why Suffering"

Eckerd: On The Hook With God

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jan 23, 2012

ECKERD: ON THE HOOK WITH GOD JACK ECKERD founded the chain of drug stores that bear his name. Eckerd gave his employees Eckerd's shares from his personal stock. By taking advantage of the stock option program offered by Eckerd, his employees benefitted financially in the success of the new ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Baptist

Because You Did, Dad  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 14, 2012

"BECAUSE YOU DID, DAD." James Bryan Smith begins this chapter of his book by telling a story about taking his six year old son to an amusement park. While at the park, he and his son got on a ride. A teenage boy buckled them into their seats and then started the ride. The entire time during the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 22:6-18

Tags: Father's Day

God, You're In My Way.  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

"GOD, YOU'RE IN MY WAY." A California pastor, Kyle Idleman, talks about his last move in his book, Not a Fan. In that move, he saved the heaviest piece of furniture for last -- the desk from his office. And as he was pushing and pulling the desk with all his might, his four-year-old son came over ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-8, Philippians 4:4-7

Tags: Anxiety

Listening To God Compared To Listening To The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2012

LISTENING TO GOD COMPARED TO LISTENING TO THE DOCTOR We should treat prayer for what it is, a two way conversation with God, and learn to be quiet long enough for him to get a word in edge ways. Nicky Gumbel, in his book Questions of Life compares it to a visit to the doctor, he writes “Suppose I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:10

Tags: Prayer How To

All Moms Know This Stuff  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2012

ALL MOMS KNOW THIS STUFF One mom was out walking with her 4-year-old daughter when her girl picked up something from the ground and started to put it in her mouth. The mother tells what happens in her own words: "I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that." My daughter quickly ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10-31

Tags: Mother's Day

Light In The Darkness

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS Have you ever been in on one of those guided tours of any of a number of caves around our country ... like Ruby Falls, or Carlsbad Caverns or another one. Our family went to the Carlsbad Caves in New Mexico years ago. And as they do in so many places, they’ll turn out the ...read more

Tags: Light, Outreach, Darkness

Denomination: Christian Church

Man Overboard  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2013

MAN OVERBOARD One day Hudson Taylor was traveling on a Chinese junk from Shanghai to Ningpo. He had been witnessing to a man named Peter who rejected the gospel but was under deep conviction. In the course of events, Peter fell overboard, but no one made any effort to save him. Taylor sprang to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:2, Luke 10:1-10

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

God Is Not An Assistant  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 23, 2013

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AN ASSISTANT? Tim Keller, a pastor in Manhattan, New York, said that in 1970 a Sunday school teacher changed his life with a simple illustration. The teacher said, “Let’s assume the distance between the earth and the sun (92 million miles) was reduced to the thickness of this ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 1:1-3

Tags: God's Omnipotence

God Gives Us What We Need

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Dana Chau tells the story about a missionary in Africa who had poor health and depended on goat milk for his source of vitamin. One day, the tribal leader came to visit the missionary. After a few minutes, it was obvious that the tribal leader was interested in the goat. The missionary decided to ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:4

Tags: Provision, Giving

Denomination: Methodist

The First And Second Great Revival

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 24, 2018

The first recorded revival in Christian history happened from a prayer meeting that took place with a handful of disciples in the upper room (Acts 1:14). The result of that prayer meeting was that they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:2-4, Acts 4:23-24

Tags: Prayer, Revival

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Grace Of God

Contributed by Sunitha Justin on Dec 30, 2018

Once a man died & went to the gates of heaven. AS he was about to enter in to heaven, Peter stands by the gates and refuses to let him in. Peter says.. tell me why I should let you into heaven. You list out your reasons. I will score you. And If you score 100 points, then I will let you in. So ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:10

Tags: Grace, Heaven

Denomination: Charismatic

Asserting Leadership - The Lion Was Proud Of His ...  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Apr 16, 2007

ASSERTING LEADERSHIP - The lion was proud of his mastery of the animal kingdom. One day he decided to make sure all the other animals knew he was the king of the jungle. He was so confident that he bypassed the smaller animals and went straight to the bear. "Who is the king of the jungle?" ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

One Kentucky Night

Contributed by Robert Hoos on Apr 21, 2007

One Kentucky Night I think that God has given us these pictures of what we were meant for in nature as a testimony to our hearts cry for him. And that’s why, one night my friends and I found ourselves where we did. On our way back from watching a basketball game in Kentucky, we found ourselves ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Check Out The People You Listen To On The Radio, ...

Contributed by Art Good on Jun 7, 2007

Check out the people you listen to on the radio, CD’s, the shows you watch, the people we cheer for on the football fields, and the basketball courts, how many of them are anti-Christian in their life, in their lyrics? Yet we put up posters of them, and pay for their CD’s and their DVD’s and watch ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Pastor Of New Spring Community Church In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The Pastor of New Spring Community Church in Anderson, South Carolina wrote about a burden that was upon his heart in regard to the unBiblical way churches function today. He wrote, “If you operated an airplane like most churches operate today, you would have a pilot and his crew in the cockpit, ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

A Bus Driver And A Minister Were Standing In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A bus driver and a minister were standing in line to get into heaven. The bus driver approached the gate and St. Peter said, "Welcome, I understand you were a bus driver. Since I’m in charge of housing, I believe I have found the perfect place for you. See that mansion over the hilltop? It’s yours. ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Once A Man Attended A Fair And Saw Another Man ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Once a man attended a fair and saw another man leading a fine, well-groomed horse. He inquired, "Is that a saddle horse?" The man replied, "No, sir. This horse will buck off a saddle. Nothing can stay on his back." So the man asked again, "Is he a driving horse?" The answer came back from the ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Sometimes We Are The Source Of God's Supply To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Sometimes we are the source of God’s supply to others. Consider the great work of Samaritan’s Purse, Food For The Hungry, Salvation Army, and others. A pious father always closed grace for the evening meal with these words: "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and bless what thou hast provided." ...read more

Tags: God's Omnipotence

Because Of Strife

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

That great ol’ preacher J.Vernon McGee writes, “I had an uncle who never came to know the Lord. My aunt used to weep and say, “Oh, he won’t listen” Do you know why? With her lived a sister, another aunt, and I used to go there sometimes on Sundays for dinner. Do you know what we had for dinner? ...read more

Tags: Patriarchs Abraham

The Story Is Told Of Two Brothers Who Grew Up On ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The story is told of two brothers who grew up on a farm. One went away to college, earned a law degree, and became a partner in a prominent law firm in the state capital. The other brother stayed on the family farm. One day the lawyer came and visited his brother, the farmer. He asked, “Why don’t ...read more

Tags: Cults