Sermons & Devotionals by Sermon Illustrations II

Santa Claus What a false, fake substitute the world puts forth at this time [Christmas 1990] for that true message. Do you remember these words? "You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout. I'm telling you why; Santa Claus is coming to town. He's making a list and he's checking it... Read More

The Famine of 1932-33 The famine that occurred in 1932-33 was to be for the Ukrainians what the Holocaust was to the Jews and the Massacres of 1915 for the Armenians. A tragedy of unfathomable proportions, it traumatized the nation, leaving it with deep social, psychological, political, and demograp... Read More

Research has established that parents can have a significant impact on the religious beliefs and practices of their children. In one recent study it was found that fathers who frequently attend church (over three times per month), discuss religion at home, and are committed to their religion have so... Read More

I am an adopted child. The man who was my Daddy for 44 years was not my biological father. I am also the Daddy to three children who I did not "Father." My fiance's boys (7 and 13) call me James but it is in exactly the same tone of voice that they use when they say Mom. Her daughter calls me James ... Read More

Dr. Mark Guy Pearse says: "I watched an old man trout-fishing the other day, pulling them out one after another briskly. 'You manage it cleverly, old friend,' I said; 'I have passed a good many below who don't seem to be doing anything.' The old man lifted himself up, and stuck his rod in the ground... Read More

There was a dispute which had grown into a lawsuit between two farmers as to just where the line between them was and where a fence should be. Finally one of the farmers sold out, and the purchaser moved in. Soon he met Farmer Smith, who was agitated and said to his new neighbor, "They tell me you h... Read More

A Roman Catholic who had filled up the measure of his iniquities as far as he dared went to the Priest to confess and obtain absolution. He entered the apartment of the priest, and addressed him thus, "Holy father, I have sinned." The priest bade him kneel before the penitential; chair. The penitent... Read More

Luther was one day seated in the confessional at Wittenburg. Many of the townspeople came successively and confessed themselves guilty of great excesses: adultery, licentiousness usury, ill-gotten gains--such were the crimes acknowledged. He reprimands, corrects, instructs. But what is his astonishm... Read More

In Boston they were selling birds, birds that had been transported, or imported, from this country; but the canaries would not sing. I never heard a bird sing in America. The woods are dumb. There are no Dr. Norman Macleod when he was waxing enthusiastic linnets, no larks there; and as the old Scotc... Read More

I feel in myself the future life. I am like a forest once cut down; the new shoots are stronger and livelier than ever. I am rising, I know, toward the sky. The sunshine is on my head. The earth gives me its generous sap, but heaven lights me with reflection of unknown worlds. You say the soul is no... Read More

Have you heard about the deacon who decided to get off the "gospel train" just long enough to "whip" a brother who had done him wrong. The story goes that when he wanted to get back on, the train had already left the station. I don't know the truth of this humorous tale, but it does encourage us to ... Read More

A talented organist, in the days before motor-driven or electric organs, gave a very magnificent concert in which the big pipes sent forth glorious, thunderous tones. After people finished congratulating him, the little boy who had worked with all his might at the bellows remarked, "We did pretty we... Read More

Charles Spurgeon, the great English preacher, was once invited by a wealthy man to come to preach in a certain country church, to help the membership raise funds to pay off a debt. The man told Spurgeon he was free to use his country house, his town house, or his seaside home. Spurgeon wrote back an... Read More

The Junior Sunday School Teacher asked her eight eager 10-year-olds if they would give $1,000,000 to the missionaries. "YES!" they all screamed!! "Would you give $1,000?" Again they shouted "YES!" "How about $100?" "Oh, YES we would!" they all agreed!! "Would you give just a dollar to the missionari... Read More

The Koh-i-nor diamond is among the most spectacular in the world. Queen Victoria received it as a gift from a maharajah when he was a lad. Later as a grown man this maharajah visited Queen Victoria again. He requested that the stone be brought from the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace. The mahar... Read More

Last month, 32 dairy cows in Washington state ate themselves to death after one of them shook loose a pipe on an automatic feeding machine and spilled tons of grain. If cows eat too much grain too quickly, a chemical reaction creates too much acid in them. "A cow will eat grain until it dies," Micha... Read More

Several years ago a woman was driving home when she noticed a huge truck behind her that was driving uncomfortably close. She stepped on the gas to gain some distance from the truck, but when she sped up, the truck did too. The faster she drove, the faster the truck did. Now scared, she exited the f... Read More

A March (1994) poll for U.S. News and World Report's April 11 issue found that 93% of Americans say they believe in God or a universal spirit. Of those polled, 65% say religion is losing its influence on American life, although 62% say religion is increasing its influence in their personal lives. Ot... Read More

"The priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord" (1 Kings 8:11). "Why cannot God be seen by mortal eyes?" asked the Emperor Trajan. "You say," said he to a Christian, "that your God is everywhere. I should like to see Him." "H... Read More

The story is told of an only survivor of a wreck who was thrown on an uninhabited island. After a while he managed to build himself a hut, in which he placed the little all that he had saved from the ship. He prayed to God for deliverance and anxiously scanned the horizon each day to hail any passin... Read More