In Sermon Illustrations: "Youth Day"

God Answers Prayer In World War I ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

God Answers Prayer in World War I Battle An officer in the first World War gives this account of God’s willing and ability to save men from shot and shell when they will pray. A German machine gun crew had their gun trained on an angle of our trenches where troops frequently passed back and forth, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 15:29

Tags: Prayer Answered

A Change Of Words, A Change Of Focus  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

A CHANGE OF WORDS, A CHANGE OF FOCUS Here is a story that I believe show how our journey is made better simply by a change in words. A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign, which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Gratitude

God's Power Vs. Our Power

Contributed by Douglas Stull on Dec 4, 2010

GOD'S POWER VS. OUR POWER "Millions for defense and not a penny for tribute." I learned what that quote meant while in the Army. I was assigned, as were all junior officers In the 82d Aiborne Division, to escort Generals and Colonels from the parking lot to a set of bleachers located in a ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Brethren

Tear Down The Castle To Build The Wall

Contributed by Bob Joyce on Dec 28, 2010

TEAR DOWN THE CASTLE TO BUILD THE WALL The story is told that years ago in Ireland a certain castle was one of the architectural gems of the Emerald Isles. It was called Castle Wray. The structure fell into disrepair and finally was uninhabited. As often happens, peasants from nearby began to ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Baptist

A Minor Detail, A Major Distraction

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 26, 2011

A MINOR DETAIL, A MAJOR DISTRACTION Anything that hinders the worship of God incites the anger of God, and should be abandoned immediately. "It was a majestic evening. On Friday, October 18th, 1991, the world-class Chicago Symphony presented the final concert in its year-long celebration of the ...read more

Scripture: John 4:21-24

Tags: Worship Purpose

Intending To Grow

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 19, 2011

INTENDING TO GROW In the 1920s there was a young African American child who was growing up in Cleveland. One day a famous athlete named Charlie Paddock, came to his school to speak to the students. At the time Paddock was considered "the fastest human being alive." He told the children, "Listen! ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:6-10

Tags: Growth In Christ

Carey: God's Sovereign Will  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 14, 2011

CAREY: GOD'S SOVEREIGN WILL William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions, began his missionary career to India in 1793. He served the Lord in that country for 40 years, never once returning to his home in England. And throughout those years he translated portions of the Bible into ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:10

Tags: Gods Will, Still God, God's Sovereign Will, I Can Do All Things

Shoot The Moon

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Jul 17, 2011

SHOOT THE MOON The other day I needed to take my mind off things, so I opened my computer and played a game of hearts. Now, like all card games, no matter how diligent you play, there's time when the unexpected happens, and you're hand turns to disaster. One sneaky move from an opponent and it's ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Denomination: Lutheran

Refining Sap To Maple Syrup  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

REFINING SAP TO MAPLE SYRUP Dr. David Osborn at Denver Seminary says, "Too often we try to use God to change our circumstances, while He is using our circumstances to change us." (Compass, April 2003) You see, God is right now in the process of making us like Christ. Think of the process of ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4, Psalm 13:1-6, Psalm 34:15-16

Tags: Sanctification

The Hard Work Of Farming

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 9, 2011

THE HARD WORK OF FARMING I was raised in town and not on a farm. However, in 1969 I moved to a small farming town in Iowa called Bayard. It’s about 65 miles northeast of Des Moines, IA. And that’s where I began to learn a little about farming and harder work than I was used to! I had some grain ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:6

Tags: Hardship Of Life

What's Important In Life...?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2011

WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN LIFE...? When I was 13, my dad owned his own business--a tiny shack where he sold chicken, ribs, hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries. One day the oil that the chicken was fried in caught fire. In a few minutes the whole place exploded in flames. My dad bolted from the store before ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Tags: Money

Prison Vs. Full-Time Work

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Oct 28, 2011

PRISON VS. FULL-TIME WORK In prison you spend the majority of your time in an 8' X 10' cell. At work you spend most of your time in a 6' X 8' cubicle. In prison you get three meals a day. At work you only get a break for one meal and you have to pay for that one. In prison you get time off for ...read more

Tags: Workplace

Denomination: Brethren

The Bible Is A Compass

Contributed by Perry Greene on Nov 18, 2011

THE BIBLE IS A COMPASS Just before the outbreak of the First World War, a small ship named the Endurance set sail from Briton with a crew intent on being the first to cross the South Pole. The ship reached Antarctica, but became ice bound in the Weddle Sea. Soon they had to abandon their ship and ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The First Thanksgiving

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Nov 19, 2011

THE FIRST THANKSGIVING Let's consider the first Thanksgiving in America. It was in the fall of 1621, one year after the Pilgrim’s landed. There was great affliction in their voyage. 102 Pilgrims the left Holland, stopped briefly in England before sailing to America. They were at sea for 66 ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Life Is In His Hands

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Dec 12, 2011

MY LIFE IS IN HIS HANDS Chuck Colson tells about going to Salem, OR. & preaching to prisoners there. Kathy Trocoli went with him, sang the song, "My Life is in His Hands." After the service was over, one of the inmates came up to Kathy and said, "I really want to thank you for singing that song. ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

A Mother's Christmas Prayer

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

A MOTHER'S CHRISTMAS PRAYER On Christmas Day, Mike Nicholas, a tall and slim young man with dark hair was making his way south on I-85 just below High Point, NC trying to hitch a ride. For two years, he hadn't been home. His family had heard nothing from him. He and his mother had a disagreement ...read more

Tags: Christmas Eve

Denomination: Methodist

Bad Blood

Contributed by Antonio Silveira on Mar 25, 2012

"BAD BLOOD" "Bad blood" is an English phrase referring to enmity between two (or more) people or groups. This is a reference to the breaking of military covenants. Not too long ago in the 19th century leeches were enjoying a golden age. Millions were raised for medical use as their fame as a ...read more

Tags: Blood Of Christ

Denomination: Baptist

Looking At The Light

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 6, 2012

LOOKING AT THE LIGHT A pastor told a story of a man in his congregation who had lost literally hundreds of thousands of dollars. He owed everybody. One day the pastor asked him, "How in the world are you even surviving? How can you smile? How can you be enthusiastic about Jesus and about life when ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-21

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Architectural Design By Touch

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN BY TOUCH Three years ago (2008), Chris Downey had just started a promising architectural job at a successful design firm. A few weeks after he took the job, he noticed that there was something wrong with his vision. The doctors told him he had a tumor wrapped around his optic ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: God In The Hardships

A Change Of Policy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 19, 2012

A CHANGE OF POLICY Last June, the city of Alameda, California immediately changed its policies after its first responders stood by and watched a man drown in the San Francisco Bay. The first responders didn’t venture out into the muddy waters of the bay, even as the man started treading water and ...read more

Tags: Law