In Sermon Illustrations: "1 Corinthians 5:16-21"

Stuck In A Rut

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 14, 2025

The U.S. standard railroad gauge—the width between the rails—is 4 feet, 8 ½ inches. Strange number, isn’t it? You’d think something so crucial would be more logical. So why that width? Because American railroads were built by British expatriates, and that’s how they did it in England. Why ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:2, 1 Peter 1:18-19

Tags: Tradition, Transformation

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

[253]. A Message From A Poem – The Artist And The Gypsy Girl

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 7, 2026

[253]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE ARTIST AND THE GYPSY GIRL Created faithfully from a tract of the same name. It was around 1998 that I came to have a gospel tract called “The Artist and the Gypsy Girl” and I was quite impressed by it. I wanted to convert the tract to a poem but maintaining ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:19, Acts 4:12

Tags: Pepita, A Gospel Tract, Witnessing, The Gospel Message, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Stenburg, Crucifixion Painting, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[255]. A Message From A Poem – The Blue Dragonfly

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 8, 2026

[255]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE BLUE DRAGONFLY Forget about man-made complexities of life, and the intrusion of humanism into people’s lives. Forget about the complications of life that western, and developed societies have made things to be. The Lord does not want us to be burdened by all ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-7, Matthew 6:25-30

Tags: Dragonfly, Lilies, God Created, Photography, Insects, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Anxiety, Contentment, Care  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Standing Up For Truth

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 4, 2026

Both these letters make it clear who is a danger to the house churches. They paint a picture of men whose words and actions need to be challenged and condemned. Do you think it was as hard for them back then as it is for us today? I had a friend who visited a church and attended Sunday School. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:2-3, Jude 1:4

Tags: Sunday School, Truth, God's Word

Denomination: Methodist

It Is Finished

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 2, 2026

It is finished. In the Nicene Creed, we confess: "On the third day, he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father." (Pause) What does this mean? The Scriptures share with us ... this truth: BIBLE My little ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:1-2, John 19:30

Tags: Mercy, Father, Power, Advocate, Culture, Righteous, Forgive, Defense, Right Hand, Scriptures, Nicene Creed, Finished, Attorney, Pleading Throne  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

If There Is No God, Who Decides?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Mar 6, 2026

In 1882, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote a short parable that still echoes through Western culture. He imagines a man running into a crowded marketplace in broad daylight, holding a lantern. He cries out, “Where is God? I will tell you—we have killed Him. You and I. We are His ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17, Judges 2:10-15

Tags: Evil, Culture, Meaning, Good, Values, God Is Dead  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[308]. A Message From A Poem - This Sinful World Faces Reality

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 11, 2026

[308]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - THIS SINFUL WORLD FACES REALITY The opening line sets the theme of this poem – “The differential is greater now than ever it was,” and becomes a contrast of what is righteous and what is wicked. The gap is widening and wickedness is growing. The 6 stanzas - each ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:3, Revelation 21:1-2

Tags: World, Judgment, Reality, Decline, Coming Judgment, Sin In The World, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Five Facts About Valleys

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 17, 2017

God designs valleys for His sheep to grow and sometimes He has to "make us lie down" there to teach us how to trust Him. Here are 5 facts about valleys we need to remember: 1. Valleys are INEVITABLE. Jesus promised valleys would come in this world (John 16:33). 2. Valleys are UNPREDICTABLE. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-4

Tags: Character, Tests, Trials, Valleys Of Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Have Heard That Possums Are Smart Animals. You ...

Contributed by Brandon Park on Jan 31, 2010

I have heard that possums are smart animals. You wouldn’t think so because you hardly ever see one except when it’s dead on the road. There’s a joke that goes, “why did the chicken cross the road? To prove to the possum that it could be done!” But possums, it turns out, are smart. They won’t enter ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Baptist

When Darkness Is Mentioned In The Bible

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 6, 2024

In the Bible, darkness is a powerful metaphor that carries both physical and spiritual significance. Let’s explore its various meanings: Physical Darkness: Genesis 1:4: God separated light from darkness during the creation of the world. Darkness represents the absence of light, ...read more

Tags: Evil, Satan, End Times, Prophecy, Judgment, Last Days, Darnkness, Rapture, Signs, Return Of Christ, Spiritual Darkness, Kingdom Of Darkness, Solar Eclipse  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Should Women Speak In Church?  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on May 9, 2003

SHOULD WOMEN SPEAK IN CHURCH? Catherine Booth, wife of Salvation Army founder William Booth, once responded to a man who argued, "Paul said to the Corinthians it is a shame for women to speak in the church" "Oh yes, so he did;" said Catherine, "but in the first place this is not a church, and ...read more

Tags: Women

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The People With The Roses  PRO

Contributed by Ryan Johnson on Feb 23, 2002

THE PEOPLE WITH THE ROSES John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn’t, the girl with the rose. His interest in her had ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:38, 1 Samuel 16:7, Matthew 6:33, 1 Samuel 16:7, Matthew 13:24-43  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of, Compassion, Great Commission, Heart, Love, The Organ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Funeral Home Visiting Hours  PRO

Contributed by Erick Riddle on Sep 3, 2004

2 Corinthians 1:1-11 One of the ways to share the comfort you have received from God is to go to the visiting hours and the funeral. In the late ‘80’s I was preaching full time for a small church in Michigan and worked part time in the local funeral home. I frequently saw people from the church ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Animals And Colors In The Bible

Contributed by Pastor Cosmos on Jan 13, 2011

ANIMALS AND COLORS IN THE BIBLE The Bible to teach us to interperet the Bible by using the the Bible to interperet itself Isaiah 28:9-10 "9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10For precept ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Charismatic

Spiritual Health Checks (Breaking Of Bread)  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Spiritual Health Checks (Breaking of Bread) There are four signs that show that the child of God is a healthy Christian. One is a heart hungry for God's Word, second is his desire to be involved in Christian fellowship. When the Holy Spirit was poured into the spiritual hearts of believers in ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Garlands Of Heaven

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 29, 2011

GARLANDS OF HEAVEN In India, whenever I preached I would get a garland made of carnations or roses or some other kind of flower. (This was done as a gesture of honor.) They smelled nice at first, but they were bulky and awkward (most of them would hang down almost to your knees), and after your ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Reasons We ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Reasons We Congregate Psalm 122:1, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’" We are told that this verse can be translated as, “I rejoice whenever they say to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’”. (The Expositors Bible Commentary) Our key text ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 122:1

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is Heaven Real?

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

The Bible uses the word heaven 532 times in the Bible. The Hebrew word for "heaven" is shamayim and is plural meaning "heights," "elevations." It is found in the first verse of the Bible. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" and in Gen 2:1 "Thus the heavens and the earth were ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-7

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Methodist

[261]. A Message From A Poem – The Devil Snake

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 10, 2026

[261]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE DEVIL SNAKE Most people hate snakes. They run from them and scream out. Snakes are evil creatures but their cunning is well know. I have a love hate relationship with snakes. I think they are beautifully created which does not surprise me because Lucifer ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 11:8-9, 2 Corinthians 11:3, Revelation 12:9, Genesis 3:14-15, Genesis 3:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Bruise On The Heel, Bruise The Head, Western Brown Snake, Cunning, The Devil, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Cunning Snakes, Satan Is The Serpent, Serpent, Snake  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If A Man Is Filled With Anger, Than Anger ...  PRO

Contributed by Emile Wolfaardt on Jul 13, 2001

If a man is filled with anger, than anger controls his life. If a man is filled with greed, then greed dominates his life. If a man is filled with lust, then lust governs his life. If a man is filled with love, then love influences all he does. And if a man is filled with ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18, Romans 8:14-17, Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 Corinthians 5:1-5

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Greed, Holy Spirit In Believers, Dominate, Emotions, Anger, Control  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: *other