In Sermon Illustrations: "Witness Let It Show"

Bees That Sting Also Bring Honey

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2011

BEES THAT STING ALSO BRING HONEY One Saturday morning, a seven-year-old boy was playing in their front-yard garden in the middle of flowers in bloom. He was trying to catch butterflies with his torn net. Suddenly a bee flew to his position buzzing straightway landing on the back of his palm. The ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

There Was Man Who Wanted To Paint His House, But ...

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Aug 2, 2008

There was man who wanted to paint his house, but he couldn’t afford to buy any paint. So he came up with an plan. He would volunteer to paint the church for free-if the church would buy the paint. He would then secretly thin the paint with water, which would give him enough paint to cover both ...read more

Tags: Truth

Denomination: Baptist

As Many Of You Know, We Vasiceks Temporarily ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 29, 2008

As many of you know, we Vasiceks temporarily housed a pet pig for over 6 months. So when this Australian story hit the press on Friday, I noted it. CANBERRA (Reuters) - A pony-size pig who held an Australian woman hostage for 10 days inside her home will be removed on Wednesday to a piggery… ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Forgiveness: No Ugly Pictures

Contributed by John Petty on Jan 18, 2008

FORGIVENESS: NO UGLY PICTURES I was approached by the station manager of a local television station in Pensacola, Fl to contribute a 50-second devotional for his program transition period. I was reluctant to agree, since I struggled to limit my sermons to even 30 minutes. But feeling impressed by ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Church Of God

Dave's Peace  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

DAVE'S PEACE Dave Dravecky: After he underwent surgery to remove his arm up to his collarbone. His cancerous left arm had been amputated. As he looked in the mirror he said "Okay God. This is what I have got to live with. Put this behind me; lets go forward." A couple of days later he was walking ...read more

Scripture: John 14:23-27

Tags: Peace, If My People

What's The Big Deal About The Church?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT THE CHURCH? A little girl became restless as the preacher's sermon dragged on and on. Finally, she leaned over to her mother and whispered, "Mommy, if we give him the money now, will he let us go?" I'm sure that's probably how some people feel about most preachers and ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Accepting Or Complaining

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 16, 2009

ACCEPTING OR COMPLAINING In 2002, Lisa Beamer was interviewed by a writer for Today’s Christian Woman. She was asked "What happened to you on 9-11?" Lisa gave some details of the early part of that day and then says, "As soon as I heard that (it had been her husband’s flight), I cried out 'No!' ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Baptist

Knowledge Of Jesus

Contributed by Samuel M on May 16, 2024

The knowledge of you (Jesus) changes my understanding of who I am. The words I speak, the way I think, the life I live will radically change when I see you and get to know you Jesus. ‘I’ in me will alter (change or destroy) to become more like you (Jesus). Knowing and seeing you Jesus helps me to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:8

Tags: Faith, Knowledge Of God

A Word Of Encouragement For Discouraged Pastors

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 12, 2024

A great evangelist, Dr. Chapman, has often told an amazing story about himself. He had been in business and became minister of a great church in Philadelphia. One Monday he was more than usually dispirited. (Mondays are hard on pastors!). The Sunday had been a poor one, and he felt, as ministers ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 40:31

Tags: Faith, Ministry, Hope, Encouragement, Anointing, Discouragement, Pastors, Calling, Quitting, Resigning  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Word Pictures Of Biblical Forgiveness

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 12, 2024

The importance of forgiveness is a constant theme of Scripture. There are no less than seventy-five different word pictures about forgiveness in the Bible. They help us grasp the importance, the nature, and the effects of forgiveness. • To Forgive Is to Turn The Key, Open the cell door, and let ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-15

Tags: Forgiveness, Philemon, Lord's Prayer, Root Of Bitterness, Forgive Us Our Debts, Unforgivenes  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mutual Respect

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 16, 2025

When we got married there were already 2 children. We each had a child from our first marriages. Those relationships ended and it was by God’s grace that we found each other. My wife and I decided we needed to be on the same page when it came to decisions about the kids. I had read about a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-7

Tags: Husband, Wife, Submission

Denomination: Methodist

Metamorphosis

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Mar 1, 2025

I thought of a book I read years ago in German class. We were assigned the task of reading the Famous Novel by Franz Kafka entitled “The Metamorphosis”. It was about a young man who woke up one day and realized he had been transformed into, of all things, a large Roach. The story line of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9

Tags: Transfiguration, God's Presence

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Lack Wisdom?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Mar 29, 2025

I am told there was a happy old man. People came from far and wide to sit at this man’s feet and learn. One day a young man asked him: HOW DID YOU GET SUCH WISDOM? It was evening. The old man said: Saddle up the fastest horse and ride as fast as possible. Go due east until you come to a big river. ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5

Tags: Wisdom, Study, Opportunity

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Scarecrow?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 17, 2025

I had a dream. In the dream I saw some huge power lines. There were thousands of birds sitting on the power lines. Some of the birds were falling off the power lines. The birds were weak. Actually I could see some fell to their death due to starvation. The picture opened wider and I could ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7, Genesis 3:8

Tags: Fear, Worry

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Gift Of Forgivness - Driving Out Bitterness - Charles Stanley

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 1, 2025

Charles Stanley, a renowned teacher and theologian shared this story called ... The Gift of Forgiveness: "A friend of mine is a fine man and a fine pastor who loves God. His wife had cancer, ... and they sought the best of medical help. The Doctor assigned to her case ... who for a number ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:23-24, Matthew 18:15, Romans 12:19, Hebrews 12:15

Tags: Sickness, Prisoner, Forgiveness, Bitterness, Unforgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Grace: Jean Valjean From Les Miserables

Contributed by N A on Feb 6, 2013

GRACE: JEAN VALJEAN FROM LES MISERABLES The story of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables is a great example of grace. * I read the book many years ago. Liza and I just saw the movie adaptation of the musical. * "Les Misérables is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1

Tags: Grace

Denomination: *other

To Say The Least, I Was At First Shocked To Read ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 26, 2001

To say the least, I was at first shocked to read the headline, Baby Ate Cocaine Dad Left Nearby. According to the Associated Press a father from Ravenna, Ohio was sentenced to one year in prison for endangering his daughter, who was six-months-old at the time of the incident. He evidently stashed ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 127:1

Tags: Children, Father's Day, Parenting

Five Brothers Were Walking Along A Road When ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on May 15, 2003

Five brothers were walking along a road when they saw a sign: “party tonight!” It announced. “Free food, drink, music, dance.” And best of all, at the bottom it said, “hosted in person by The King.” The first brother read the poster and said, “I’m not interested.” I’m going to stay home and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Baptist

Carrots, Eggs Or Coffee  PRO

Contributed by Joel Santos on May 9, 2006

CARROTS, EGGS OR COFFEE A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as though just as one problem was solved, a new one ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Story Of Anne

Contributed by David Selleck on Oct 26, 2006

Story of Anne. Anne Lamott, a fellow messy Christian describes perfectly what happens when Jesus pursues us. In her book Traveling Mercies, Anne recounts her conversion to Jesus. Things were not going well in her life: addicted to cocaine and alcohol, involved in an affair that produced a child ...read more

Denomination: Methodist