In Sermon Illustrations: "Why Suffering"

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

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

Make Room For The Tide!

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Mar 12, 2022

"Years ago, a wealthy businessman from London chartered a bus to carry a busload of urban children to the coast. There, the children spent a wonderful day at the ocean. Many of the children had never left the city. Most had never seen the ocean. For one blissful day, they ran unfettered over ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18

Tags: Make Room, Spirit Filled, Ocean, Full, Tide  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

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

Stopping To Focus

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 28, 2022

Have you ever wondered why a pigeon walks so funny? According to an interesting article in the Detroit Free Press, a pigeon walks the way it does so it can’t see where it’s going. Because it can’t adjust its focus as it moves, the pigeon actually has to bring its head to a complete stop between ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1, John 15:1-11

Tags: Holy Spirit, Dependence

Love At Last!!!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 20, 2022

George, age 92 and Edith, age 89 are all excited about their decision to get married. They go for a stroll to discuss the wedding and on the way, they pass a drugstore. George suggests they go in and he addresses the man behind the counter. "Are you the owner? "The pharmacist answers, ...read more

Tags: Love, Marriage, Humor, Old Age, Weddings, Senior Adults  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Have We Learned?

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Mar 6, 2023

What Have We Learned? They shouted with praises, reaching the sky, Pushing and shoving to see Jesus pass by. Crying, “Hosanna, glory to the King!’ He comes to us today, great joy He doth bring." They threw down palm leaves, covering the way, Making a clear path for Him to travel that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

Tags: The Passover, Ressurrection, Easter, Palm Sunday, Poetry, Holiday  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Get Off The Bench And Get In The Game!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 2, 2023

A well-known coach was once asked, “How much does college football contribute to the national physical-fitness picture?” “Nothing,” the coach replied abruptly. “Why not?” the startled interviewer asked. “Well,” said the coach, “the way I see it, you have 22 men down on the field desperately ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-13

Tags: Service, Ministry, Church, Disciples, Spiritual Gifts, Volunteers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Story Of The Chair

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 22, 2024

Those of you who have heard of Evangelism Explosion by D. James Kennedy know the illustration of the chair. You know, a person can say ‘Yes, I see that chair. That’s a chair. I acknowledge that’s a chair. I believe that’s a chair. And I think that chair could hold me up if I sat in it.’ But ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:10-13, Ephesians 4:30-32

Tags: Cross, Assurance, Blood Of Jesus, Faith In Christ, Works, Grace, Mercy, Trust, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Doctrine Of Atonement

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 1, 2025

We need to have core beliefs that do not change over time – NO MATTER WHAT! The doctrine of atonement is under attack today. It is attacked by folks who look at humans and see each one as basically good who occasionally do bad things. They talk about each person’s freedom to become your ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:17

Tags: Scripture, Atonement, Authentic, Holy God, Fallen World  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Silent Night (Stille Nacht)

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 3, 2025

It’s Christmas Eve in 1818, in the little village of Oberndorf near Salzburg. St. Nicholas Church will soon be full. Father Joseph Mohr has words for a new carol—but no melody. He walks through the snow to the nearby village of Arnsdorf and asks his friend, schoolteacher Franz Gruber, “Could you ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:10-14, Isaiah 9:6, Micah 5:2

Tags: Worship, Peace, Incarnation

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Anchor That Holds

Contributed by Samuel Shamaun on Jan 20, 2026

A pastor once visited a small fishing village and noticed many boats tied securely at the shore. During a storm, the waves were strong, and the wind was fierce. Some boats drifted dangerously, but others remained steady and unmoved. Curious, the pastor asked a fisherman why some boats stayed safe ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 6:19

Tags: Faith, Hope

Denomination: Pentecostal

In His Marvelous Book, The Kingdom Of God Is A ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jul 23, 2001

: In his marvelous book, The Kingdom of God is a Party, Tony Campolo tells a story that illustrates how I believe the church must begin to live out our witness in the new millennium. Campolo was attending a Christian conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. Since there was a six-hour time differential ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony, Compassion, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational