In Sermon Illustrations: "Big Heart"

Rejoice With Those Who Rejoice. Easier Said Than Done.

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Jan 23, 2024

Do you ever find it hard to be happy for people when good things happen to them? I do. Someone gets a promotion and instead of being happy for them I’m envious. A friend’s child gets an award and jealousy is my first reaction instead of joy. Why can’t I just be happy when good things happen to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:15

Tags: Joy, Thanks, Rejoice, Baseball, Gratefulness, Rejoicing, Grace, Thanksgiving, Celebrate  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Proverbs On The Words That We Speak

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 18, 2024

PROVERBS ON WORDS THAT WE SPEAK The Book of Proverbs shows us the seriousness of our words before the Lord. _________________________________________ "Violence covers the mouth of the wicked" (Proverbs 10:11). "The mouth of the foolish is a present destruction" (Proverbs ...read more

Tags: Lying, Wisdom, Mouth, Words, Speech, Lips  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[013] A Message From A Poem - Academic Christianity

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 14, 2024

[013] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ACADEMIC CHRISTIANITY If you did a survey in universities and places of higher learning, and in liberal theological colleges in our days, you would find very few Christians. The mind of man today is bent on humanism and the search for rationalism in an existential ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:3, 1 Corinthians 1:18-19, 1 Corinthians 1:23-25

Tags: Academic Christianity, Professing Christians, Faith, Salvation, Foolishness, Humanism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Observation About A Pair Of Hard Hats

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 15, 2024

Text: 2 Samuel 3:33-34, KJV: 33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth? 34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him. Have you seen any roadside memorials? It ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 3:33-34

Tags: David, Death, Joab, Abner

Denomination: Baptist

[049]. A Message From A Poem – Christmas With The Shepherds

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 7, 2025

[049]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRISTMAS WITH THE SHEPHERDS This is a very simple poem. I was asked to write a poem for Christmas by a friend who was doing religious instruction at a school and it is aimed at younger children. Although I do not agree with the trappings of Christmas as ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Tags: Poetry, Poem, Shepherds, Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[059]. A Message From A Poem – Distressful Times Will Come Upon Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 13, 2025

[059]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DISTRESSFUL TIMES WILL COME UPON US Are you battling in life because of some problem that won’t go away? Are you weighed down by a stressful matter and can’t shake it? Does your life feel like it is starting to come apart? Do you feel the storms are thundering ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:20, 1 Peter 5:7, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Anxiety, Anxious, Distress, Cast, Heavy Laden, I Am With You Always, Stressful, Stressful Living  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[083]. A Message From A Poem – For Men - The Three Cs

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 21, 2025

[083]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FOR MEN - THE THREE Cs There are 9 poems in this series. This poem is part of a Trilogy - three sets of three. The first set is addressed to MEN, the second to ALL CHRISTIANS and the third is SPECIFIC. This is the second one in the first set - FOR MEN. ALL ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:37, Romans 13:11-12, 2 Peter 1:13, Romans 12:1

Tags: Poetry, Poem, Take A Stand, The Flesh, Be Awake, The Old Nature, Compromise, Carnality, Complacency  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[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

[117]. A Message From A Poem – He Became Sin For Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 27, 2025

[117]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE BECAME SIN FOR US This poem resulted from some discussion in one of the Christian forums on Isaiah 52 and 53. I was thinking into the sufferings of the Lamb upon the cross trying to capture the stark reality of that sacrificial death. Of course God blotted out ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-5, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 12:2

Tags: Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, He Became Sin For Us, Sin, Salvation, Endurance, Cross, Suffering, The Cross, Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[125]. A Message From A Poem – He’s Risen – Easter Poem For Resurrection

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 8, 2025

[125]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE’S RISEN – EASTER POEM FOR RESURRECTION This poem is an Easter poem featuring the Resurrection. There are 7 stanzas and the first line in each gives the theme of the stanza. The first one is, “He is risen from the dead.” That must be first for all the other ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:20, 1 Corinthians 15:17-19, Luke 24:5-6

Tags: Risen From The Dead, Christ Is Risen, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Easter Poem, Resurrection, He Is Risen  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[327]. Poem - Victory Through Sorrow’s Deep Sea – Easter Poem – Part 2

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 27, 2026

[327]. POEM - VICTORY THROUGH SORROW’S DEEP SEA – EASTER POEM – PART 2 SPECIAL NOTE – This poem is too long for SermonCentral’s limited space for Sermon Illustrations, so I have had to cut it in half but don’t really want to do that. THIS IS PART 2. The events are in consecutive order so ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 22:13-16, Psalm 69:14-15, Isaiah 53:6-7

Tags: Easter, Suffering, Victory, Gethsemane, Sorrow, Calvary, The Cross, Golgotha, Man Of Sorrows, Jesus Before Pilate, The Crucifixion, Easter Message, Christian Poems, Poem For Easter, Jesus Dies For Sins, The Lamb On The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Eating Thing  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Hamilton on Sep 29, 2002

The Eating thing Let me share with you a fairly personal issue that I’m working through that has caused me to ask this question about loving God. Last year – in fact for a number of years now I have been aware that I have been struggling with an addiction. As soon as I say the word it arouses ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:8

Tags: Addiction

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Plots, Plans, Villains And Fools!" Ezra 6:13-18 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 10, 2005

“Plots, Plans, Villains and Fools!” Ezra 6:13-18 Key verse(s): 14:“So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 6:13-18

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Lutheran

The Real Sun King!" Job 37:19-24 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 13, 2005

“The Real Sun King!” Job 37:19-24 Key verse(s): 23:“The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.” What does it mean to be truly great? There have been many in history who have claimed to be great, even the greatest. People ...read more

Scripture: Job 37:19-24

Tags: Descriptions Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

Kick Me!" Matthew 28:1-10 Key Verse(S): 6:"He Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 24, 2005

“Kick Me!” Matthew 28:1-10 Key verse(s): 6:“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” Getting pulled into a practical joke is not much fun; especially when you walk in so innocently and depart with egg all over your face. I remember that my two brothers and I always had a pretty good time ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Lutheran

Easter On The Bench!" Matthew 28:1-10 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 27, 2005

“Easter on The Bench!” Matthew 28:1-10 Key verse(s) 5:“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.’” Spending Easter Sunday alone is no way to spend Easter! Yet, when you have a bad virus and don’t want to infect anyone else, it may ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Lutheran

Our Jacob's Ladder!" John 20:19-31 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 29, 2005

“Our Jacob’s Ladder!” John 20:19-31 Key verse(s) 19:“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!.’” It’s hard to keep your mind on hope when you are ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-31

Tags: World, Vision, Easter Resurrection, Eagle, Challenge, Breathe, Friend, Hedge, Jesus, May Day, Need  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

I Wish I Had Torn It To Pieces  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

“I WISH I HAD TORN IT TO PIECES” On December 26, 2002, Jack Whittaker’s life changed forever Jack had grown up in West Virginia and he knew that it was like to be poor. At the age of 55 all of that had changed. It had changed with a lot of hard work and perseverance. He had managed to scrape ...read more

Tags: Parable Prodigal Son

Keeping Faith In The Midst Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 1, 2010

Keeping Faith in the Midst of Trials The story is told of a man who was walking across the road when he was hit by a car. The impact knocked him on his head which caused him to be in a coma for a couple of days before he finally regained consciousness. When he opened his eyes, his loving wife was ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:8-18

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

The Real Mccoy

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jul 18, 2010

THE REAL MCCOY It was about a seventy-two-year-old Baptist preacher names Charles McCoy. McCoy was pastoring a Baptist church in Oyster Bay, New York, when at age seventy-two he was told by his denomination to retire. A lifelong bachelor, he had cared for his mother for as long as she lived. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:16-30

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Following Christ

Denomination: Anglican