In Sermon Illustrations: "Why"

But As We Leave Today I Want You To Forget ...

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 16, 2010

But as we leave today I want you to forget everything I said for a minute, and think about this (hold up a bag of coins). I have two dollars in change here and I’m giving it away to the first adult that runs up here and gets it. Hey let’s not trample each other. The majority of the world, 53% of ...read more

Tags: Money, Welfare

Survival: What Would You Take?  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jan 4, 2011

SURVIVAL: WHAT WOULD YOU TAKE? About 20 years ago I went on a training conference when I was working as a Patent Attorney for a Swiss multinational company called Sandoz. And one of the conundrums they set us to test our ingenuity was this: You are in a plane flying over the desert and as you are ...read more

Tags: Security

Denomination: Anglican

True Beauty

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 18, 2011

TRUE BEAUTY Carre Otis was once among the world’s top super models for 17 years, beginning her career at the age of 14. To prepare for each photo shoot, she routinely binged and purged, took laxatives and diet pills, and exercised intensely. Being extremely thin made possible a modeling career ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-2

Tags: Servanthood

To Be Needed

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

TO BE NEEDED Stu Weber, in his book Tender Warrior, includes an article written by a woman. She writes: One day the doorbell rang and there stood my beloved brother. It was a delightful surprise. His work as an executive of an international petroleum company keeps him out of the country most of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:17

Tags: Friendship General

All I Could Do Was Listen And Talk

Contributed by Scott Jensen on Feb 5, 2012

"ALL" I COULD DO WAS LISTEN AND TALK The author Stephen W. Sorenson wrote in Discipleship Journal: For two years, because of severe tendinitis in both wrists, I could not pick up my young daughter, carry a log, or even open a twist-off pop bottle. To make matters worse, my wife and I, with help ...read more

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Lutheran

Spiritual Redwoods

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 18, 2012

SPIRITUAL REDWOODS Can you imagine a redwood tree saying, "I’d just rather remain a little bush"? That would seem insane, right? I want to put up on the screen some pictures of redwood trees. They are truly magnificent. My oldest daughter and her husband were married at the foot of redwood that ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:3-14

Tags: Growth In Christ

Life Of Pi

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Mar 28, 2013

LIFE OF PI The movie "Life of Pi" is a deeply religious film. The story opens with a discussion between a writer and a man from India who shares a fascinating story. The man has come to Pi because a friend told him that "Pi has a story that will make you believe in God." Pi tells the story of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:38-42

Tags: Apologetics Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Confident Faith  PRO

Contributed by David Parks on Apr 2, 2013

A CONFIDENT FAITH Jesus indicted the Pharisees saying: "All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:2-3

Tags: Bible Truth

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

You Have To Stop Trying To Save Yourself

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 13, 2014

You Have to Stop Trying to Save Yourself Watchman Nee relates a story from one of his experiences as a Christian leader in China. A group of young Christian brothers were gathered together to take a swim in one of the many creeks that run throughout the countryside there. Since most were not good ...read more

Tags: Rock Bottom, Self-Sufficient

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God Gave Her A Flying Cat!  PRO

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 1, 2014

GOD GAVE HER A FLYING CAT! Have you heard the story about the pastor who had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc., but the kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Prayer, Miracles, Prayer Answered

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Turtle Tale  PRO

Contributed by Scott Reeves on Aug 26, 2014

It was near the end of the school year in LA (Lower Alabama) and the weather had turned unseasonably hot for mid-May. As I was driving home from the county school I’d substituted for that day I noticed a box turtle working to make his way across the hot pavement of the county road. I steered my car ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11, Jeremiah 23:11

Tags: Grace, Saving

Denomination: Methodist

Grandma Minnie's Roses

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are travelling the dark journey with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind." - Henri Frederick Amiel Grandma Minnie never had much. She grew up poor and learned early the art of survival. A very ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Tags: Gift, Cheerful Giving, Encouraging Others

Denomination: Charismatic

The Death Of Common Sense

Contributed by Garris Hudson on May 19, 2016

THE DEATH OF COMMON SENSE Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 1:1-7

Tags: Proverbs, Wisdom, America, Common Sense

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Searching For A Sunday School Teacher

Contributed by Doug Fannon on Mar 2, 2020

When I was the Sunday School director for the church I belonged to in New Mexico over 30 years ago, I remember asking one gentleman, an older, and supposedly a mature Christian, if he would teach a Sunday School class. I received the standard "churchy" answer I have heard time and time ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 5:12, Matthew 9:35-38, John 4:34-38, Luke 10:2

Tags: Outreach, Sunday School, Witnessing, Serving, Teachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Igdaliah, A Man Of God

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 21, 2020

Text: Jeremiah. 35:4, KJV: And I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which (was) by the chamber of the princes, which (was) above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door: Thoughts: Igdaliah ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 35:4

Tags: Man Of God, Men Of God, Igdaliah

Denomination: Baptist

Fix The Dishwasher

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

A Mother and her son were talking. His mother lived for nearly 94 years. One day around her 90th year she said something like, "If I had known I would live this long, I would have fixed the dishwasher." It had stopped working. So there it sat quietly waiting to be fixed. She thought it ...read more

Scripture: James 5:7, Isaiah 64:4, Exodus 14:15

Tags: Fix Our Problem, Now Is The Time

Denomination: Independent/Bible

One Of My Favourites Is One Jesus Himself Often ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One of my favourites is one Jesus himself often used; he said God’s kingdom is like a party, a banquet, and a feast. Today God is calling people to leave behind the binge drinking and drugs and join the real party. Leave behind the rat race and workaholism and join his party, leave behind divisive ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Dear Abby Letters – How To Dress In Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

DEAR ABBY LETTERS – How To Dress In Church Dear Abby: May I respond to your reply regarding attire in church? As a priest and pastor, I’m appalled at how some people come dressed for Sunday worship. You said that “Dress codes have been greatly relaxed in recent decades,” which I find to be ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Have You Ever Seen, Read About Or Heard About ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Have you ever seen, read about or heard about how a baby giraffe is born and what happens to it? First of all, a giraffe is a pretty tall animal, isn’t it? When the baby giraffe starts its journey down the birth canal, the mother goes to a spot where there are no bushes, just flat dirt. As the ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

It Was The 1925 World Series. The Washington ...

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Jul 23, 2007

It was the 1925 World Series. The Washington Senators were playing the Pittsburgh Pirates. The game was close. Finally, Goose Gosling of the Washington Senators came to the plate. The ball was pitched. Strike 1! The catcher threw the ball back to the pitcher. Goose readied himself again. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist