In Sermon Illustrations: "Aging"

Chris Paul: Forgiving The Murderers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 23, 2011

CHRIS PAUL: FORGIVING THE MURDERERS In April, 2011, Rick Reilly wrote a moving story about forgiveness from the life of Chris Paul, the all-star basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets. Reilly writes: On the moonless night of November 15, 2002, five boys ran across a park, jumped a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:4

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Ask Seek Knock

Top Ten Addictions

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2012

TOP TEN ADDICTIONS The top 10 addictions verify these statements: Alcohol, smoking, drugs, gambling, food, video games, internet, sexual, shopping, work People succumb to these addictions in search of peace and fulfillment; but fail to realize either one. It is a sad, circular, dangerous, and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:17-18

Tags: Addiction

We Will Tell Your God On You!

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Apr 13, 2015

by Amy Carson Phillips (Adapted by Melvin Newland) “Night is falling on the Congo, O’er the jungles far and near. Soon the blackness will be brooding - He who walks will walk in fear. Yet no black man seeks his hut, All are waiting on the shore, Gazing, peering through the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Poem, Mission Of Church, Evangelism, Hope, Africa, Despair  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Not A Slave? Think Again

Contributed by Nickolas Kooi on Jun 22, 2017

Paul says that you were a slave. Slavery is unfortunately still alive and well in our world. The story of a young girl named “Dodzi” is a common one in Ghana. Dodzi was orphaned at nine months and lived with her Grandmother, who served as her guardian. Her Grandmother had a lot on her plate as ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:12-23

Tags: Sin, Slave

Denomination: Lutheran

Have You Been To The Great Physician?

Contributed by David Goering on Sep 6, 2018

Mr. Pharisee and Mr. Publican lived in the town of Doomsville, both heard that a great Physician was going to be in the neighboring town of Gilead. The great Physician was going to hold a free Health Clinic and give people a free complete examination, and if they passed this examination he would ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:10-14

Tags: Justification, Pride, Publican, Pharisee, The Great Physician, Salvation, Humility  (view more)  (view less)

Ashamed When It Counted The Most

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 18, 2019

Ashamed when it counted the most My two sisters, when they were somewhat younger, liked to play the piano and took lessons for some time. I like music, too, but not all the practicing that went along with it! We found out there was going to be a “recital” where all of the students in their ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, 1 John 2:28

Tags: Christian Life, Shame, Rewards

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: Godly Fathers

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 5, 2021

Text: Genesis 18:17-19, KJV: 17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 18:17-19

Tags: Father's Day, Abraham, Fathers

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-The Maiden With A Message

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 12, 2022

Introduction: only mentioned once in Scripture, she had news the king needed to hear! Text: 2 Samuel 17:15-17, KJV: 15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. 16 Now ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 17:15-17

Tags: David, Unsung Heroines, Wench

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-The Widow Who Gave Her Last Two Coins

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 22, 2022

Introduction: Some of us have heard the phrase, “the widow’s mite”. That phrase came from this passage! Jesus took notice what a certain widow did and her story is still being told to this day. Text: Mark 12:41-44, KJV: 41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Tags: Offerings, Mites, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

For A Mother, A Child Is Never A Burden

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 27, 2024

Text, Exodus 19:4, KJV: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. When was the last time you found anything inspiring, let alone inspirational, when you renew your car's license plate/s? A few days before I wrote this, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 19:4

Tags: Eagle Wings, Children, Mothers

Denomination: Baptist

An Observation About Eternity

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 5, 2024

Text, Ecclesiastes 3:11, American Standard Version: He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end. Every day we live takes us one day closer to the end of our ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:11

Tags: Hell, Eternity, Salvation

Denomination: Baptist

Selfishness

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2024

A while back I was in store getting some groceries as I observed a mother battling with her child. He was screaming at the top of his lungs and lying on the floor kicking and lashing out at his mother. The mother was really embarrassed by the child’s behavior, and she seemed overwhelmed and shocked ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3-4

Tags: Selfish, Me Focused

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[005]. Message From A Poem - A Mirror On The State Of The World

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 29, 2024

[005]. MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A MIRROR ON THE STATE OF THE WORLD We are citizens of this world, but we also are citizens of heaven. Those dear souls who are unsaved are just citizen of this world. They have singular citizenship. When we look at the awful political systems the world has, and at ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20, John 16:33

Tags: Authority, Sadness, The World, Sin, Suffering, Mirror, Distress  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Isn't The Book Of Enoch In Our Bible?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 24, 2024

This question illuminates one of those painful intersections between theology and church history: the canonization of Scripture. Throughout church history, many books have been scrutinized by theologians, and before those theologians, other theologians, and before such, were the members of the ...read more

Tags: Scripture, Holy Spirit, Inspiration, Enoch, Inerrancy, Church History, Canon, Book Of Enoch  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[041] A Message From A Poem – Christ - Our Support In Hurt

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 28, 2025

[041] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRIST - OUR SUPPORT IN HURT We can pass through stormy seas and feel like those disciples in the boat when calm gave way to anxiety, but Jesus was in the boat resting in peace. The disciples focussed on the conditions and not on the Lord. Is that like us as ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 56:11, Matthew 28:20, John 14:16, Mark 4:37-40  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Always With You, Hurt, Afraid, Support, Alone, Anxious  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Daily Warrior's Prayer

Contributed by William Akehurst on Jun 29, 2025

DAILY WARRIOR’S PRAYER HEAVENLY FATHER, I praise and worship you because YOU are GOD. I am honored to be YOUR servant and I take my stand today against the devil and his schemes against me, my family, and my ministry. FATHER, as I take up each piece of the armor, please secure it in place on ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

Tags: Warrior's Prayer, Armor Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[134]. A Message From A Poem – I Am With You Always

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 17, 2025

[134]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS This poem was written in a time of great trial that had been a lengthy one. It is so precious to know the Lord is with us always and never will He sleep or miss something. He knows our end from our beginning. I want to honour God in this ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:4-5, Matthew 28:20

Tags: Emmanuel, Jesus, Presence Of Jesus, Delight Yourself In The Lord, Close At Hand, I Am With You Always, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Commit Your Way To The Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Failure/ Success

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 13, 2025

DO YOU WANT TO HEAR ABOUT A FAILURE, A BASKET CASE? Let us look at a man experience in failure. 1. At 14 dropped out of school. 2. He got a job working on a farm. The work was hard labor. He hated the farm work. 3. He lied about his age and at 16 he joined the ARMY. He could stand the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:26, 2 Chronicles 16:9

Tags: Faith, Effort

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Grow As You Go.' The First Sermon In This Series ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Jan 7, 2008

‘Grow as You Go.’ The first sermon in this series took us to Moses and his encounter with God. We were told that God had a role, an important one at that, for Moses and it was in line with God’s plan and story and not Moses’ plan and story. In other words, we ‘grow’ in our Christian faith and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 95:1-11, Matthew 12:33-37, Acts 4:1-37

Tags: Outreach, Worship, Faithfulness, Practice, Examine, Education  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Church Of God

The Mathematics Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2009

The Mathematics of Christmas In the famous 1947 film classic Miracle on 34th Street, which was re-made in recent years, a man claiming to be Santa Claus is placed on trial. The judge is hoping to provide an answer for the age-old question, “Does Santa Claus really exist?” The judge comes to the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1

Tags: Christmas, Faith