Sermon Central
-
Ring Around The Roses - Ashes, Ashes We All Fall Down - History
Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 24, 2026 (message contributor)
Ring around the roses, ... pocket full of poses, ashes, ... ashes ... (Slow) we all fall down.
Many of us have sung this little rhyme ... with our children, .... our grandchildren ... or have at least heard the rhyme.
We have heard or sung ... a number of these old rhymes ... as young children ... yet what do they actually mean?
What is the meaning behind the Nursery Rhyme?
Well this little rhyme ... came out of an event in Europe called ... the Black Death or ... the Black Plague.
The Black Death ... was a plague pandemic that occurred in Europe in the mid 1300's.
It was one of the most fatal pandemics ... in human history; ... as many as 50 million people died, ... perhaps half of Europe's 14th-century population.
So ... what do the words of the rhyme mean?
(Sing) Ring around the roses.
Well ... One of the early signs of the black plague ... was that your face would turn pale ... and your cheeks would become very dark and rose colored.
Thus, ... ring around the roses.
(Sing) ... Then ... Pocket full of poses.
It was thought during this dark period ... that this disease ... this plague was airborne.
So ... the people were convinced ... if you placed flowers up to your mouth ... that you were breathing ... better air.
Also, ... doctors would put roses and poses ... into their pockets ... and bring it into the patients ... for them to smell ... in hopes of bringing some comfort to the dying.
Many People would carry the poses around in their pockets believing it would help ward off the Black Death.
(Sing) Ashes ... Ashes
Ashes represented ... Black pile.
During the last days of the plague ... the dying would begin to expel dry black ash.
Ashes also are mentioned in scripture.
We all know these words from the Scriptures, ... ashes to ashes, ... dust to dust.
It is inevitable ... that a priest ... will proclaim those words ... ashes to ashes ... dust to dust ... at your funeral.
(Sing) Lastly ... We all fall down.
Beloved ... with certainty ... unless the Lord returns ... we will all fall down, ... which is a simple reminder ... that death will meet us all ... eventually.
Today is Ash Wednesday ... it is the beginning of the Christian season of ... Lent.
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
Where's The Faith? PRO
Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Nov 13, 2003
Blow the trump and ring the bell; Dress it up and make it sell; Fill it with the rich and well; And count the heads. We’re doing well! But where’s the faith? Read the creed and get it right; Hold it fast with all your might; Close the door and bolt it tight; We’ve no need for ...read more
-
Martin Luther Once Had A Dream Where He Was In ... PRO
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jan 29, 2005
Martin Luther once had a dream where he was in his house and saw Jesus coming up the walk toward his door. Luther examined his surrounding and realized that everything was an absolute mess. Clothes were thrown over the furniture, old food was sitting out, trash was everywhere. And he thought, "How ...read more
-
Experts Say That 3 People Die Every Second. If ... PRO
Contributed by Joseph Marshall on Aug 25, 2002
Experts say that 3 people die every second. If this fact is true, then 180 people die every minute, 10,800 people die every hour, 259,200 people die every day, and 94,608,000 people die every year. Of the six billion people on earth today, experts also sayt that 2/3 of them have never heard the ...read more
-
The Little Boy And The Circus PRO
Contributed by Ely Lambert on Aug 26, 2002
The Little Boy and the Circus A little boy who lived far out in the country in the late 1800s had reached the age of twelve and had never in all his life seen a circus. You can imagine his excitement, when one day a poster went up at school announcing that on the next Saturday a traveling circus ...read more
-
During Telemachus' Life The Gladiatorial Games ... PRO
Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Nov 13, 2003
During Telemachus’ life the gladiatorial games were very popular. People were fascinated by the sight of blood and gore upon the arena floor. And that alone was enough to bring the criticism of bishops and priests from within the church. But worse than all of this was the fact that most of the ...read more
Related Sermons
-
Doors: Open Or Closed
Contributed by Barry O Johnson on Aug 24, 2017
The majority of the body of Christ believes that God opens doors (a "yes" answer to prayer) and closes doors (a "no" answer to prayer) in their lives. Does scripture support such a belief?
-
Funeral For A Tragic Death
Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 14, 2016
A Memorial Service I spoke at for a young man who died tragically at the age of 21
-
Enfrentando La Muerte
Contributed by John Cuentas on Aug 13, 2011
Un mensaje que afirma nustra seguridad de que El que muere en Cristo pasa a estar con Cristo
-
The Death Of Fear Series
Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 5, 2015
When I was 5 my grandfather died. As I stood by the graveside at the cemetery, my mother said I looked down into the grave and then turned to her and asked "How's Grandpa ever going to get out of there?"
-
