In Sermon Illustrations: "Wrong"

Why Should I Let You Into Heaven?

Contributed by Brad Henry on Aug 5, 2011

WHY SHOULD I LET YOU INTO HEAVEN? If you were to die today and God were to ask you, 'Why should I let you into my heaven?' what would you say?" Over the years I would have to say that 85% of the answers I get are "I have tried to be a good person, I have tried to be a good parent, I have tried to ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

The Tarnished Star

Contributed by Stephen Funderburk on Mar 18, 2008

The Tarnished Star A half step slower than yesterday a little pain won’t go away not quite as strong not near as high a younger man has passed him by the tarnished star. He works so hard, he gives his all but new stars rise while old stars fall he was so bright, a brilliant light, but now a ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Other Night I Put The Boys Into Bed. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

Illus. The other night I put the boys into bed. “Good night, go to bed, no talking. See you in the morning” Pretty clear right? I was 5 feet from the door and I heard them talking. So I went back in. Reminded them, no talking. Go to bed! 10 minutes later I hear giggling. I walk in just as a ...read more

In His Book, Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2008

In his book, Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers, sociology professor Mark Regnerus says evangelical teens are slightly more sexually active than their non-evangelical peers. Non-evangelical teens have sex for the first time at age 16.7 vs.16.3 for evangelicals. ...read more

Tags: Youth

All Guys Know What This Means. We Have All Been ...

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Jul 9, 2008

All guys know what this means. We have all been in the position of wanting to please a woman of whom we were unworthy. We may want to buy her a gift. So we draw on our vast experience and the advice of other people to know what kind of gift is best: • It should not say the wrong thing • It should ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Mennonite

He Took The Lashes

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

HE TOOK THE LASHES Cliff Barrows tells of the time his two young children did something wrong. Although they were gently warned, they repeated the offense and needed to be disciplined. Cliff's tender heart was pained at the thought of having to punish the ones he loved. So he called Bobby and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:24

Tags: Atonement

John Ortberg Wrote The Book, "Everyone Is Normal ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 2, 2008

John Ortberg wrote the book, "Everyone is Normal Until You Get To Know Them." John stated on pages 13, 14: In certain stores you will find a section of merchandise available at greatly reduced prices. The tip-off is a particular tag you will see on all the items in that area. Each tag carries the ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Amazing ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 9, 2008

Amazing Grace In every country, on every day, there is man trying to work his way into favor with God. Many years ago the Grand Rapids Press covered this story… "Conversation to Hindu Faith Is Tortuous." "A West German businessman has completed his conversion to the Hindu faith by piercing ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Don't Get Caught  PRO

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 3, 2008

DON'T GET CAUGHT So often people do what is wrong as long as they know they won't get caught. I've seen surveys where people were asked about doing certain things like stealing and having an affair if they were assured they would never get caught. Would they do them? Amazingly, some of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-4, Matthew 6:1, Matthew 6:1-4

Tags: Love, Christian Love, Secrets, Serving

Denomination: Church Of God

Plymouth, England, December 1: Being Too Part...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 15, 2008

Plymouth, England, December 1: Being too particular about cleanliness can make you a lenient judge, says a strange but interesting British study. Dr. Simone Schnall, a psychologist at University of Plymouth, stated that people who tend to wash their hands before making judgments are more likely to ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Longing

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jan 15, 2012

LONGING In his book The Spiritual Life of Children, the famous Harvard psychiatrist Robert Coles tells the story of Alice, a ten-year-old girl who came from a family that did not believe in God. She expressed her doubts to him with these words: "I remember... I saw the people next door coming ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Methodist

Standard Of Comparison  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 27, 2012

STANDARD OF COMPARISON Michael Green, in his book Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, shares a good lesson which I think is appropriate for beginning our message this evening. He states: All of us frequently compare ourselves favorably with someone else. We all think of someone whom we ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16, Exodus 7:8-23

Tags: Holiness

Pushing The Outhouse  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Dec 10, 2013

PUSHING THE OUTHOUSE A young boy lived in the country. His family had to use an outhouse, which the young boy hated. It was hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and always smelly. The outhouse was located near the creek so the boy decided that he would push it into the water. After a spring ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14, John 8:1-11

Tags: Repentance, Discipline, Consequences, Outhouse

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Contentious Spirit - Speaking Strife

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 11, 2025

Here’s a fun fact: You don’t actually have to correct someone when they’re wrong. Shocking, I know! There’s no official appointment letter naming you Earth’s Guardian of Truth and Accuracy. (If there is, it probably got lost in the mail.) Sometimes, it’s okay to just let it go—yes, even if they ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 21:9, Proverbs 26:21

Tags: Contentious, Strife, Contentious Spirit

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

On September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken, Jr., ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Miano on Dec 8, 2000

“On September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken, Jr., broke the baseball record that many believed would never be broken: Lou Gehrig’s iron-man feat of playing in 2,131 consecutive games. Ripken gives much of the credit for his accomplishments to the example and teaching of his father Cal Ripken, Sr., who ...read more

Tags: Father's Day, Descriptions Of God, Parenting

Denomination: *other

A Plan For Everyone  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Mar 10, 2002

A PLAN FOR EVERYONE In the opening pages of his autobiography, An American Life, Ronald Reagan writes, I was raised to believe that God had a plan for everyone and that seemingly random twists of fate are all a part of His plan. My mother - a small woman with auburn hair and a sense of optimism ...read more

Tags: Mothers, God's Omniscience, God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Church Of God

Doing What Feels Right  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 23, 2002

DOING WHAT FEELS RIGHT Although most Americans claim to be religious, that is they claim to believe in an absolute God of some kind, most live and believe as practical atheists. A recent survey by George Barna discloses some shocking results. Barna wanted to see how American’s opinions had ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:14-15

Honoring Our Fathers  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 9, 2002

HONORING OUR FATHERS I believe there is something in us--a law written on our hearts--that says, "Honor your father and mother." That’s how it’s stated in the Bible, but you’ll find it in all of the world’s religions. The ancient Chinese Analects advise, "surely proper behaviour to parent and ...read more

Tags: Children, Commandments Parents, Father's Day

You Gotta Have Faith  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 30, 2002

YOU GOTTA HAVE FAITH "Maybe it’s time we reconsider what it means to be intelligent,” says David Brooks of the Weekly Standard. After being questioned about his experience and smarts for the job as President, George W. Bush has amazed us during these troubled times. Experts are confounded. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Tags: Faith General, Independence Day, Political Freedom

There Was A Tenant In An Apartment Building Who ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Mar 24, 2003

There was a tenant in an apartment building who was a widow woman who loved God dearly. Her landlord on the other hand despised God and her faith. One day she ran out of food and money and with no one to help she turned to God in prayer. She prayed, “Oh dear God please help me in my time of ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational