In Sermon Illustrations: "Artificial Lives"

Some Thoughts On The Death Of A Child

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 1, 2024

Introduction: The death of a loved one is never easy to bear. The death of a child is no doubt even worse. Not counting wars, murder, enslavement, or any other heinous act, there were a number of people in both the Old and New Testaments who suffered the death of a child. Thanks be to God, I have ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:22-23

Tags: David, Children, Death Of Infants

Denomination: Baptist

[095]. A Message From A Poem – From Chains To Release

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 2, 2025

[095]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FROM CHAINS TO RELEASE This poem covers a lot of ground. It starts with, and develops the chains of sin; the work of Christ on the cross; our redeemed state in a persecuting world; God is looking for faithfulness and commitment; we praise the Lord because He ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:2, Romans 6:23, John 10:10

Tags: Captives, Bound By Chains, Chained By Satan, The Chains Of Sin, Poetry, Poem, Chains, Released  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[176]. A Message From A Poem – Lord, May I Share My Thoughts With You?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 26, 2025

[176]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LORD, MAY I SHARE MY THOUGHTS WITH YOU? This poem is exactly what it says; my thoughts that I share with God. There is so much I don’t understand and too many problems to solve, but I think we are not meant to do that. We just need simple, uncluttered faith in ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 37:28

Tags: Christian Poetry, Guide, Knowledge, Share, Desires, Thoughts  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[222]. A Message From A Poem - Praise Ye The Lord

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 10, 2025

[222]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - PRAISE YE THE LORD This is a praise hymn though no current tune fits the rhythm flow of the lines, and it requires tweaking of the lines for the exact rhythm. I am not doing that right now. There are six stanzas, each one with a new theme set in the first ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 15:2, 1 Kings 19:3-4

Tags: Praise The Lord, Struggle, Works, Despondent, Christian Poems, Praise, Power, Strength, Redemption, Goodness, Majesty, Elijah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Your Light And Life Can Make A Difference - Teddy Stallard Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 19, 2025

Miss Thompson taught Teddy Stallard in the fourth grade. He was A slow, ... unkempt student, ... a loner ...shunned by his classmates. The previous year his mother died, ... and what little motivation for school ... he may have once had ...was now gone. Miss Thompson ... did not particularly ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Tags: Oil, Mother, Light, Lamp

Denomination: Anglican

[212]. A Message From A Poem - Everything In Its Season

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 26, 2025

[212]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - EVERYTHING IN ITS SEASON This poem covers a lot of ground. Broadly it is connected with the state of things, being the season of man. God created all of us and we live our lives in this world, but all of us are accountable for our actions. Some of that is ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 15:18, Genesis 12:3, Joel 3:2, Isaiah 5:20-21, Ecclesiastes 3:1-5  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Death, Season, Evil, Curse Israel And Be Cursed, Christian Poems, Charlie Kirk, Israel, Birth, Good, Time For Everything, United Nations, Palestinians  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Vital Statistics From Operation World (6th ...

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 17, 2002

Vital Statistics From Operation World (6th Edition, 2001, Patrick Johnstone, and Jason Mandryk) Paternoster, Waynesboro, GA 1. 15-25% of the population of the world is yet to hear a clear presentation of the gospel so that they can personally place saving faith in Christ for salvation. 2. Only ...read more

Tags: Great Commission, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Real St. Nick  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 9, 2002

THE REAL ST NICK A vast multitude was imprisoned in every place," wrote an eyewitness. "The prisons -- prepared for murders and robbers -- were filled with bishops, priests, and deacons ... so there was no longer room for those condemned of crimes."[1] You’d hardly expect to find old St. Nick ...read more

Tags: Christmas

911 Or You!" Obadiah 1: 1-14 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 15, 2004

“911 or You!” Obadiah 1: 1-14 Key verse(s): 10-11: “Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever. On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates you were like one of them.” We ...read more

Scripture: Obadiah 1:1-14

Tags: Poverty

Denomination: Lutheran

Tiger Breath!" Matthew 6:9-13 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 6, 2005

“Tiger Breath!” Matthew 6:9-13 Key verse(s): 13:“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” It has been foreordained that life is a temptation! Now that is a depressing thought if I ever heard one. Foreordained? That means that no matter what I do or how I do it, ultimately I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13, Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Risk Of Sin, Release, Sin Separates From God, Sin Exposed

Denomination: Lutheran

Door Knights Without Maidens!" John 17:13-19 ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 28, 2005

“Door Knights Without Maidens!” John 17:13-19 Key verse(s): 17-19:“‘Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into this world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.’” Ingratitude. Doesn’t it seem sometimes that we ...read more

Scripture: John 17:13-19, Romans 6:1

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

April 18, 2005 "Good Name Above Good Gain!" ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 14, 2005

April 18, 2005 “Good Name Above Good Gain!” Genesis 43:1-12 Key verse(s) 12:“Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back in the mouths of your sacks.” In a world so caught up in rules and regulations it is not surprising that in that regulating ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:31-35, Genesis 43:1-12

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Is The Church On The Endangered List?  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 18, 2006

** IS THE CHURCH ON THE ENDANGERED LIST? Many Americans are on a spiritual quest. This should be good news for the church. But, according to researchers, many of them are choosing noninstitutional forms of religion. A recent poll by Gallup shows that weekly church attendance is holding steady at ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 71:18

Tags: Sanctuary, Church General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The King  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jul 19, 2011

THE KING What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase, “The king is dead - long live the king!”? It is an historical phrase coined in France and said after the death of a monarch through the streets and the countryside of their realm. Phil Morgan recalls: "Not too long ago I watched part of ...read more

Tags: Memories

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Was One Of Those Weeks

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 19, 2019

At my stage in life, I have experienced a gazillion weeks. I thought about actually counting how many weeks I have lived, but I don’t have that many fingers or toes. It doesn’t matter how many weeks it is. I have lived enough weeks to know, when you think you have experienced everything there is ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 10:23

Tags: Victory, Week Work

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The World Needs More Grandfathers

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 22, 2020

As time has gone by, I have learned a few things. According to the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, I have not learned enough yet, but that's just her opinion. She gave me a great compliment the other day when she said, “Dear, you’re as smart as you will ever be.” I am still not over that, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:6

Tags: Grandchildren, Grandfathers

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Well, Here We Go Again

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 9, 2021

I have lived long enough to know that the only change that has any kind of reality is the change in my pocket. I keep track of that change with great supervision and count it every day. When people tell me that this is a New Year and there will be a lot of changes this year, I search my pocket ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Tags: Old, Humor, Change, New Year

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Ellen Porter Tells The Story Mitsuyo A Japanese ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

Ellen Porter tells the story Mitsuyo a Japanese exchange student coming to live with her family. Her father had written and warned Ellen that Mitsuyo was a willful child but she saw no signs of that at all. She dressed the same each day, was silent while eating at the dinner table and seemed ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Unsung Heroines-Another Woman At A Well

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 7, 2022

Introduction: Many of us are familiar with the story of “the woman at the well” in Samaria who spoke with Jesus (John 4). Many years before, another woman, at another well, helped save David’s life and maybe even the kingdom! Text, 2 Samuel 17:15-20, KJV: 15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 17:15-20

Tags: Unsung Heroines, Wells, Hushai

Denomination: Baptist

Nothing Like A Mystery To Calm My Nerves

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 11, 2023

Nothing calms me down more than a mystery when I have a busy week. The other afternoon I got caught up and faced some rather stressful situations. The remedy to all of this would be to watch one of those mystery movies. One was playing that afternoon, so I decided to rearrange my schedule, enjoy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Humor, Mystery, Rest

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance