In Sermon Illustrations: "Young Leaders"

Joni's Story

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 16, 2009

JONI'S STORY Joni Eareckson Tada is an American Christian author, artist, and founder and CEO of Joni and Friends, an "organization accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community". She wrote an autobiography entitled Joni and appeared in a film of the same name. She has a daily radio ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Baptist

We Are Sons And Daughters  PRO

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Mar 5, 2009

WE ARE SONS AND DAUGHTERS The moment we put our faith in Christ, we not only became children of God, we became His full adult children. That’s the meaning of the word "sons" in this context. In other words, God doesn’t treat us like little babies in his family. He treats us as His mature, ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Evangelical Free

The Day Daddy Came ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2009

THE DAY DADDY CAME HOME Some time ago, a mother was tucking her little girl into bed when the young daughter asked, "Mother, can you tell me the greatest day of your life?" The mother thought for just a second and then said, "Honey, I can tell you the greatest day in my life. As you know, my ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:11-16

Tags: Second Coming

A Mother Dies So Her Boy May Live

Contributed by Dwight L. Moody on Jun 11, 2009

A MOTHER DIES SO HER BOY MAY LIVE When the California gold fever broke out, a man went there, leaving his wife in New England with his boy. As soon as he got on and was successful he was to send for them. It was a long time before he succeeded, but at last he got money enough to send for them. The ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8

Tags: Atonement

Denomination: *other

Grace Can Change Your Life

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Jun 27, 2009

GRACE CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE My wife, Ashley, once told me about a moment of grace that will forever remain in her memory. One icy November afternoon when she was in high school, a carload of teenage boys were on their way to a basketball game. Ashley was a cheerleader and had already arrived at the ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Christian Church

Knowing Scripture To Save Your Life

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 19, 2009

KNOWING SCRIPTURE TO SAVE YOUR LIFE Several years ago in Guatemala, a young Christian named Paulos had been arrested with a gang of robbers. In that place and in those days, anyone suspected of a crime, was immediately taken to an open field, ordered to dig a hole, and then toppled into the hole ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Elvis Presley, He Is A Cultural Icon, Often Known ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Jan 25, 2010

Elvis Presley, He is a cultural icon, often known as "The King of Rock 'n' Roll", or simply "The King". Presley began his career as one of the first performers of rockabilly, an uptempo fusion of country and rhythm and blues with a strong back beat. Presley "was an untrained musician who played ...read more

Tags: Sin Separates From God

Denomination: Baptist

Demons!  PRO

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Feb 25, 2010

DEMONS! There was a time when I told the Lord that I would do whatever He wanted me to do EXCEPT CAST OUT DEMONS and do weird stuff like that with the occult. I now realise that Jesus' power and authority far exceeds that of demons. Oh yes, I believe that demons exist! You don't want to talk ...read more

Tags: Demons

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Good For Goodness' Sake

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 26, 2010

GOOD FOR GOODNESS' SAKE “You better watch out, you better not cry Better not pout I'm telling you why - Santa Claus is coming to town He's making a list and checking it twice; Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice Santa Claus is coming to town He sees you when you're sleeping - He knows when ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Supremacy Clause

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Mar 15, 2011

SUPREMACY CLAUSE A number of weeks ago, I jokingly said that everyone in my family had a license for something in life. The one license my folks said was solely mine was the complaining license. Dad would say: “Stop your fussing,” and if I didn’t, he’d pick on me and saying: “I don’t like ...read more

Tags: Complaining

Denomination: Lutheran

Adoniram Judson Returns To The Lord

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 13, 2011

ADONIRAM JUDSON RETURNS TO THE LORD Adoniram Judson graduated at the top of his class in college, then he headed to New York City to seek fame and fortune as an actor and/or writer. He had left the God of his father, thinking he was beyond such "primitive notions." But such a life was empty for ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 44:22, Isaiah 44:22-44

Tags: Revelation

Blind But Now I See  PRO

Contributed by Michael Buckingham on Jul 8, 2011

BLIND BUT NOW I SEE Peter spent a few years trying to cope with his blindness, learning ways of looking after himself so that he wasn’t so much a burden upon his family, although they still continued to visit on the odd occasion. He also learned how to read Braille. Then one day he was informed ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13

Tags: Beauty

Denomination: Baptist

Losing The Boys

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jul 24, 2011

LOSING THE BOYS Dr. H Norman Wright tells this story: My wife and I had just arrived home from vacation, and the phone rang. It was our house painter. He said, "I remembered that your son died. My daughter just lost two of her little boys. Can you help her?" We agreed, so my wife and I made an ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Lost Camper: Making Yourself Available

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2011

THE LOST CAMPER: MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE One of my favorite sayings: "God doesn't want your capability. He only wants your availability. If you'll give Him your availability, He'll provide the capability." Availability is when you make yourself accessible for utilization. Availability is what we ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:8

Tags: Servanthood

Poor Man's Philanthropist  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2011

POOR MAN'S PHILANTHROPIST In 2005, when Thomas Cannon died of colon cancer in a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, he was 79. Thomas described himself a "poor man's philanthropist." When Thomas was three years old, his father died. Once Thomas' mother remarried, the family of six lived in a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15, 2 Corinthians 9:15

Tags: Giving General

And It Came To Pass...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

AND IT CAME TO PASS... "The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me." -- Martin Luther During a Sunday class the question was asked, "In your time of discouragement, what is your favourite Scripture?" A young man said, "The Lord is my ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Bible Influence, It Came To Pass

Running The Race God's Way

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 16, 2011

RUNNING THE RACE GOD'S WAY Joni Eareckson Tada recently told a story commenting on Romans 15:1-2: "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up." She writes, "My husband, Ken, serves ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:1-2

Tags: Compassion

The Value Of The Rock

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

THE VALUE OF THE ROCK There is an old story told of an occasion in 1799 when a twelve year old boy named Conrad Reed skipped church and went fishing in Little Meadow Creek on the family farm near Fayetteville, North Carolina. In an attempt to spear a fish young Conrad Reed missed but his spear ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:44-46

Tags: Parable Treasure

A Religion Worth Having  PRO

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 30, 2011

A RELIGION WORTH HAVING Dr. F. E. Marsh used to tell that on one occasion he was preaching on the importance of confession of sin and, wherever possible, of restitution for wrong done to others. Afterward a young man came up to him and said: "Pastor, you have put me in a sad fix. I have wronged ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 27:1-2

Tags: Restoration

Denomination: Baptist

He Cried For Me  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 14, 2011

HE CRIED FOR ME Jan, who was a young mother in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, 20 years ago, tells a remarkable story from that time in her life. In a note to her pastor, she wrote: It was the end. I knew it. I could no longer fight. I sat here emotionless. I was totally alone. Others had tried to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 62:5-8

Tags: Suffering Loneliness