Sermons & Devotionals by Sermon Illustrations II

Man craves the knowledge and the sympathy of the Eternal. During a lull between the charges at the second Battle of Cold Harbor, in June, 1864, the only battle that Grant said he regretted fighting, officers going through the Union ranks saw the men sitting on the grass under the trees or in the thi... Read More

The Rev. Charles Piggott tells how when he was on a holiday he came to the top of one of the high hills of Devonshire. His attention was attracted by an ant, which he watched carrying a long straw until it came to a crack in the rock which was like a precipice to the tiny creature. After attempting ... Read More

Three Scotch privates and a corporal had been cut off during a fierce engagement in a Belgian town one day just preceding Dunkirk. Taking refuge in the loft of an empty house they waited for what seemed to be certain death. Outside they heard the Germans setting fire to buildings, looting, killing. ... Read More

In February, 1931, our district was reduced to a state of famine, and there was yet another month to wheat harvest. We had helped many, but one day when the Christians came for help we had to tell them we had nothing left. I told them that God was a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God. They prop... Read More

"I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and an known by My own." \reference{John 10:14}{John 10:14} In this computer age, it's easy to begin feeling like a number instead of a person. We are identified by our social security number rather than by our name. We often get junk mail that is addres... Read More

French novelist and playwright Alexandre Dumas once had a heated quarrel with a rising young politician. The argument became so intense that a duel was inevitable. Since both men were superb shots they decided to draw lots, the loser agreeing to shoot himself. Dumas lost. Pistol in hand, he withdrew... Read More

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote that famous book, "Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde" and yet Stevenson, and all the others who had been writing about that subject, only borrowed it from the Old Testament and the seventh chapter of Romans. It was the problem of two factors in human life, the evil and the good; on... Read More

A rather humorous story, which may be true, goes something like this: During the depths of the depression, president Hoover visited Charleston, West Virginia, where he was not popular. At a ceremony, they gave him a twenty-one gun salute which boomed from cannons close by. Then, following the firing... Read More

In St. Petersburg, I saw in the square in front of St. Isaac's Cathedral, the magnificent equestrian statue of Peter the Great with his hand lifted pointing his nation onward and eastward toward the sea. Peter was the maker of modern Russia. In many respects, he well deserved the name "great," but h... Read More

A number of years ago, I read a story, which may contain more humorous fiction than fact. It told of two worldly friends who went to Coney Island, and the last "attraction" they visited was a shooting gallery where they had celluloid balls propelled by jets of water. The balls rose and fell and when... Read More

A minister, having preached on the doctrine of original sin, was afterwards waited on by some persons who stated their objections to what he had advanced. After hearing them, he said, "I hope you do not deny actual sin, too?" "No," they replied. The good man expressed his satisfaction at their ackno... Read More

There is a tradition that Jonathan Edwards, third president of Princeton and America's greatest thinker, had a daughter with an ungovernable temper. But, as is often the case, this condition was not known to the outside world. A worthy young man fell in love with this daughter and sought her hand in... Read More

"Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night." \reference{Josh. 10:9}{Joshua 10:9} "It was midnight on the St. Lawrence River. In the darkness, barge after barge loaded with British soldiers floated silently down the broad river. As they were nearing their destination... Read More

As you may recall from your history lessons, when Copernicus, Galileo, Keppler and others tried to convince the 16th Century World that the earth revolves around the sun, they met some severe opposition. Galileo was forced eventually to recant his scientific support of Copernican theory and lived th... Read More

Among the reminiscences of a political leader, published by a Boston journal, is one of a national convention of the party to which he belonged. He says that the first day's proceedings developed the fact that the balance of power in the nomination of a candidate for the Presidency would rest with t... Read More

In the old cemetery at Winchester, Virginia, that starlit abbey of the Confederacy, there is a monument to the unknown Confederate dead. On it are cut these two lines: Who they were, none knows, What they were, all know.... Read More

The story is told of Mr. Jones who picked up the wrong umbrella in a hotel lobby and was about to walk out when the rightful owner called attention to his mistake. Embarrassed, he offered his apologies. Finding his own, he went on his way. The incident, however, reminded him that he had promised to ... Read More

F. B. Meyer tells the story of a young girl who lived centuries ago in a convent in France. She was sweet and pure and admired of all who saw her. Her work was to care for an altar and answer the portal. Wars swept over France bringing soldiers to the convent, and one that was wounded was given into... Read More

When an eminent painter was requested to paint Alexander the Great, so as to give a perfect likeness of the Macedonian conqueror, he felt a difficulty. Alexander in his wars had been struck by a sword, and across his forehead was an immense scar. The painter said, if I retain the scar it will be an ... Read More

"Mr. Whitefield," said one of his ardent admirers, who was bitterly opposed to Wesley, "do you think we shall see John Wesley in heaven?" He replied, "You ask me whether we -- that is, you and I -- shall see Mr. Wesley in heaven. Certainly not." "I thought you would say so. Thank you, sir. But stop,... Read More