In Sermon Illustrations: "Wrestling With God"

Alexander Kept "Hope" For Himself

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 26, 2009

ALEXANDER KEPT "HOPE" FOR HIMSELF As Alexander the Great was setting out on his conquest of Asia, he inquired into the finances of his followers. To ensure that they would not be troubled over the welfare of their dependents during their absence, he distributed crown estates and revenues among ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Hope Brings Survival

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

HOPE BRINGS SURVIVAL Viktor Frankl, Austrian psychologist, survived death camps of Nazi Germany. Frankl was determined to know why some survived and some did not. He looked at several factors: health, vitality, family, survival skills, intelligence. He concluded that none of these factors was ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

The Gold Standard

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 10, 2009

THE GOLD STANDARD Leland was able to standardize Cadillac parts to precision standards. The development of these standards had such a profound impact that a member of the British Parliament, a wealthy lord named Sir Thomas Dewar, gave the company an award for standardization of parts. Having ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: *other

67% Of Baby Boomers Believe They Will Or Could ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

67% of Baby Boomers believe they will or could run out of money in their ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:22-34, Luke 12:13-21

Tags: Greed, God's Provision

The Past Is Just The Beginning

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

THE PAST IS JUST THE BEGINNING There is in Washington D.C., a sign over the entrance to the U.S. Patent Office -- where new things are the order of the day. The sign proclaims: "The Past is but Prologue." One day a tourist asked a cab driver what the sign meant. Said the cabbie: "It ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:9

Tags: God Brings Hope

You Are The Whipping Soldier

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Mar 11, 2009

YOU ARE THE WHIPPING SOLDIER A man who was deeply troubled by his sins had a vivid dream in which he saw Jesus being savagely whipped by a soldier. As the cruel scourge came down upon Christ’s back, the dreamer shuddered, for the terrible instrument left gaping wounds upon the bleeding, swollen ...read more

Tags: Sin Hurtful To God

Denomination: Wesleyan

When Dr. Stephen Olford Was Pastor Of The ...

Contributed by Tony Klinedinst on Mar 16, 2009

ILLUS: When Dr. Stephen Olford was pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church in New York City he had the opportunity of leading his brother who had been an agnostic most of his life to the Lord, as he lay in the hospital desperately ill. One day Dr. Olford was called to come to the hospital quickly and ...read more

Tags: Sin Hurtful To God

Denomination: Baptist

Phil Vischer's Fresh ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

PHIL VISCHER’S FRESH START Phil Vischer is the creator of Veggie Tales. He is the voice of Bob the Tomato and other various characters. In 2004, Phil was one of the guest speakers at my minister’s convention that I attend each year. Phil told about his dream coming to an end. He told about Big ...read more

Tags: Mistakes, Trust God

It’s Closer Than I Thought!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 7, 2020

My wife and her parents used a certain brand of ketchup for many things over a long period of time. They hadn’t had any of it, though, in maybe 30 years or so. They believed this brand wasn’t available, locally, so they never got around to finding any more of it. Now, I grew up in a different part ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: God's Will, Discovery, Sharing

Denomination: Baptist

They Took It Away!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 3, 2020

My parents used to operate a true “Mom and Pop” grocery store before I started school. I still remember some of the good times—and some of the bad times, too, unfortunately—from those days gone by. Some of the items they had for sale were plastic models. These were mostly Revell, Lindberg, or ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:22, 1 John 5:18

Tags: The Will Of God, Take It Or Leave It

Denomination: Baptist

Obedience

Contributed by Anitha Jabastion on Jan 2, 2021

There was a boy who went trekking on the mountain. He reached a great height when he realized that it was getting dark and he had to reach the bottom soon. He began climbing down. It was getting darker and darker, so dark that he could barely see. He was somehow managing to get down the mountain ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:22

Tags: Obedience, Listening To God

Bless Assurance: Fanny Crosby

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 16, 2021

ASSURANCE: free from doubt, a positive declaration intended to give confidence, a sure promise, in a religious sitting it means salvation by the inner witness of the Holy Spirit that we are justified. No harm will come, with great faith. FANNY JANE CROSBY was born in 1820 and died in 1915 at the ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, John 14:27, John 14:1-3

Tags: Assurance, God Can

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Old Bible

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

A collector of rare books ran into an acquaintance who told him he had just thrown away an old Bible that he found in a dusty, old box. He happened to mention that Guten-somebody-or-other had printed it. "Not Gutenberg?" gasped the collector. "Yes, that was it!" "You ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Bible, Word Of God

Denomination: Methodist

Where Can I Find Joy In Life?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2022

People have pursued joy in every avenue imaginable. Some have successfully found it while others have not. Perhaps it would be easier to describe where joy cannot be found: • Not in Unbelief — Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: “I wish I had never been born… (and at his ...read more

Tags: Trusting God, Joy

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Charlie's Thanksgiving List

Contributed by Perry Hancock on Nov 22, 2022

Charlie’s Thanksgiving List The pastor at the downtown men’s shelter was ready to begin the Thanksgiving service. Everyone was ready for him to begin and finish since the service was before the meal. After a few hymns were sung, it was time for the pastor’s Thanksgiving sermon. This year he had ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:2

Tags: Thanksgiving, God's Blessings

Denomination: Baptist

Never Alone

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

I'm not sure if I am the only one that does this or not. Growing up, if I was ever walking down a dark country road by myself, I found myself whistling, or singing, or humming an old familiar gospel song. It seemed like it made everything safer. It made me feel protected as I drew myself ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:9-17

Tags: Alone, God's Presence

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

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

For Thou Art With Me

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 17, 2025

In Psalm 23:4, we read: “4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.” I often to talk to folks who are grieving the loss of a loved one to remember the “FIVE LITTLE WORDS” of Psalm 23:4 – For… thou… art… with… me. Jesus died so that ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:4

Tags: Fear, God With Us

Denomination: Methodist

Forgiveness

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

One of my heroes of the faith is the late Richard Wurmbrand who died in February 2001. Wurmbrand was born in Rumania in 1920 as a Jew and became a Christian when he encountered Christ at an early age. He shared his faith with the occupying troops in the 1940’s and the Germans threw him in prison ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:4

Tags: God's Underground, Wurmbrand

Denomination: Anglican