In Sermon Illustrations: "2 Kings 22 23 1"

[214]. A Message From A Poem - Paul’s Prison

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 28, 2025

[214]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - PAUL’S PRISON This is my oldest surviving poem. I had parts of others but they are gone. The poem came about when thinking of Paul in prison in Rome. Everything seemed against him there, but he was never forsaken by God of course. When Paul was in prison he ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 4:11, 2 Timothy 4:10, Philippians 1:23

Tags: Luke, Paul In Prison, Christian Poems, Devotion, Asia, Defection, Departure, Desertion, Demas  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Four Things The Bible Does For Us

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for: 1. Doctrine—what is right 2. Reproof—what is not right 3. Correction—how to get ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:21, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Teaching The Word, Bible, Scripture, Doctrine, Inerrancy, Sword Of The Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Harvard University Handbook.....amazing!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 19, 2016

THE HARVARD UNIVERSITY HANDBOOK.......AMAZING! These words were printed in the first Harvard University handbook! "Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life, John ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-17

Tags: Bible, Humanism, Liberalism, American History

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Grace In A Barren Place — Julie Martin

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Dec 28, 2006

Grace In a Barren Place -- Julie Martin I was that Mephibosheth Crippled by my twisted pride and Hiding from You in a barren place Where You could not find me Where You would not give me what I deserved. But somehow You found me and I don’t understand why but You Gave me what I do not ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 9:1-13

Tags: Lodebar

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Rotten Egg

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: No matter how many good things you have done, one sin is enough to send you to hell. Verses: “There is none who does good, no, not one” (Romans 3:12 NKJV). “For the greatness of your iniquity Your skirts have been uncovered, Your heels made bare. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 13:22-23

Tags: Sin, Good Works

Denomination: Charismatic

Four Descriptions Of A Life Without Christ

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 2, 2023

Satan hates God and everything and everyone in the Kingdom of God. He fights the Kingdom on a daily basis and will continue to try to stop the Gospel from spreading (I Thess. 2:18, Ephesians 6:11-12). Paul described the condition of all of those who are unbelievers and living in the Kingdom of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:10, 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, Acts 16:31, 1 Corinthians 1:23, 2 Corinthians 4:1-4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Satan, Salvation, Gospel, Lost, Unsaved, Spiritual Blindness, Unbelievers, Perishing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Tenacity Of Edison And Lincoln

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 23, 2011

THE TENACITY OF EDISON AND LINCOLN Look at the life of Thomas Edison. At 21, he patented his first major invention: the Electrical Vote Recorder (a device 100 years ahead of its time!). At 26, he invented the automatic telegraph and paraffin paper. At 30, the phonograph (earliest record player). ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:4

Tags: Endurance

Timothy: Paul Called Him A "Man Of God”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 3, 2020

Text: 1 Tim 6:11 But thou, O man of God (Timothy), flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Thoughts: we know at least a few things about Timothy, as recorded in the New Testament. He was from Lystra, a city in Asia Minor (Acts 16:1, this city ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:11, Acts 16:1, 2 Timothy 1:7, Hebrews 13:23

Tags: Paul, Man Of God, Timothy

Denomination: Baptist

Kindness Trumps Riches

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

Kindness Trumps Riches Like many American Christians, Keith Taylor has benefited from the generosity of other people in different times and different ways. For example, while Keith was attending graduate school in Tennessee, his car broke down, and the subsequent repair bill caused him to be short ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Tags: Giving General

Give Thanks In Everything

Contributed by James Dina on Dec 6, 2020

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18) If it is the will of God that we should give thanks in everything, then we should reduce our complain lest we go against His will. COMPLAINING IS CONTRARY TO THANKSGIVING. In ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thanksgiving, Complain

Denomination: Pentecostal

Looking For Purpose In Life? Then Serve ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 22, 2009

Looking For Purpose in Life? Then Serve Others We need to ask ourselves on a daily basis the following questions: "What are we going to do to be a better Christian? What are we going to do to make our homes happier? What are we going to do to make our church better? What we are going to do to help ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7

Tags: Servanthood

Sound Biblical Thinking

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

SOUND BIBLICAL THINKING There is no substitute for sound, biblical thinking. John Gardner: "An excellent plumber is infinitely more admirable than an incompetent theologian. The society which scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in theology ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1-2

Tags: Doctrine

The World's Worst Predictions.

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Jan 3, 2015

The book The World’s Worst Predictions lists some of history’s all-time prophetic goofs. King George II said in 1773 that the American colonies had little stomach for revolution. An official of the White Star Line, speaking of the firm’s newly built flagship, the Titanic, launched in 1912, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:19-21

Tags: Prophecy, Predictions False

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The 10 Tests Of Abraham

Contributed by Perry Greene on Nov 6, 2012

THE 10 TESTS OF ABRAHAM Ten Tests of Abraham according to Maimonides: 1. God tells him to leave his homeland to be a stranger in the land of Canaan. (12.1) 2. Immediately after his arrival in the Promised Land, he encounters a famine. (12.10) 3. The Egyptians capture his beloved wife, Sarah, and ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Unsung Heroes—jonathan’s Armor Bearer

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 4, 2020

Unsung heroes—Jonathan’s armor bearer Introduction: some of the unsung heroes of the Bible never had their names revealed. The people they served with knew, and clearly their parents knew, but in His Wisdom, our Lord has chosen for these people to remain secret. Their deeds were well known, even ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 14:6-7

Tags: Philistines, Jonathan, Armor Bearers

Denomination: Baptist

The Choice: Build Up Or Tear Down  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 11, 2009

THE CHOICE: BUILD UP OR TEAR DOWN Years ago I picked up a poem named "The Choice." I do not know where I got it nor the author, but it illustrates the importance of building others up. This poem raises the question of whether we will "tear down or build up." "I watched some men tearing a building ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Tags: Encouragement

One Rascal Among Honest Men

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 19, 2011

ONE RASCAL AMONG HONEST MEN A king visited a slave ship, and there was a slave galley where they chain men to the oars and they row and a man beats the drum and another man has a lash to make them row. And they would take the prisoners of the state and put them to use, pulling on the oars. The ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:8-10

Tags: Confession Of Sin

Elijah Cadman

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

ELIJAH CADMAN Let me tell you about the six-year-old drunken chimney sweep who went on to become a great leader in our movement. Elijah Cadman was born in Coventry, the youngest of five children of a drunkard father who died when Cadman was three years old. Aged six, Cadman was unusually small ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Tags: Becoming A Christian

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: When David Played The Fool!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 19, 2024

Introduction: David was known for many things: Saul’s minstrel, the champion against Goliath, and a man after God’s own Heart, among others. But there was an unintentionally humorous incident that didn’t put David in a very good light! Text: 1 Samuel 21:10-15, KJV: 10 And David arose, and fled ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 21:10-15

Tags: David, Gath, Achish

Denomination: Baptist

The Word Of God Is Not Bound.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 2, 2020

Voltaire was born in Paris, France in 1694. As a philosopher, historian and free thinker, he became a most influential and prolific writer during what has been called the Age of Enlightenment. He vehemently opposed the Christian faith and wrote many rather scoffing works expressing his disdain ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Timothy 2:9

Tags: Scripture, Word Of God, Atheism, Sovereignty Of God, Voltaire  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational