In Sermon Illustrations: "Dwelling Places"

Keep Your Eyes On The Prize  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 22, 2008

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize The year Pete Rose was about to break Ty Cobb's all-time hits record in spring training, he was being interviewed. One reporter blurted out, "Pete, you only need 78 hits to break the record. How many at-bats do you think you'll need to get the 78 hits?" Without ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Tags: Character

Zorthian's Fear

Contributed by Terry Blankenship on Jan 26, 2009

ZORTHIAN'S FEAR A mural artist named J.H. Zorthian read about a tiny boy who had been killed in traffic. His stomach churned as he thought of that ever happening to one of his three children. His worry became an inescapable anxiety. The more he imagined such a tragedy, the more fearful he became. ...read more

Tags: Anxiety

Denomination: Baptist

The Benefits Of The Repel Tower

Contributed by Chris Surber on Mar 9, 2009

THE BENEFITS OF THE REPEL TOWER I am not a fan of great heights. I have never been able to stand on the edge of a high cliff or at the top of a tall building without a quick heart beat and a dry throat. I have no problem with climbing a high hill or mountain, but to stand on the edge of falling ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Christian Church

In Whose Presence You Stand  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

IN WHOSE PRESENCE YOU STAND On March 22, 1824 an incident took place in Madison County, Indiana, which came to be known as the Fall Creek Massacre. Six white men murdered nine Seneca and Miami Indians and wounded another. Among the nine dead were three women and four children. The six men were ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Tags: Forgiveness General

When I Was A Child Growing Up In North Central ...

Contributed by Chris Surber on Sep 17, 2009

When I was a child growing up in North Central California, my favorite time of year was winter. While it seldom snows in the San Joaquin Valley, the great agricultural valley which runs nearly the full length of the State of California, only a little more than an hour’s drive away from Modesto are ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Christian Church

Man Sentenced To Hang For Indian Massacre ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 14, 2009

Man Sentenced to Hang for Indian Massacre Pardoned On March 22, 1824 an incident took place in Madison County, Indiana, which came to be known as the Fall Creek Massacre. Six white men murdered nine Seneca and Miami Indians and wounded another. Among the nine dead were three women and four ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Tags: Forgiveness, Forgiveness General

Cinderella Grace

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jan 2, 2010

CINDERELLA GRACE Cinderella’s castle at Disneyland was packed with kids and parents. Suddenly - all the children rushed to one side. It’s a good thing it was a castle and not a boat, or it would have tipped over. The pristine princess had entered the room. Cinderella. A gorgeous young girl with ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Baptist

Missionary Paralyzed Learns How To Thrive In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2010

Missionary Paralyzed Learns How To Thrive in Suffering Scott Larson shared a personal encounter. “Annette and her husband were missionaries in Western Europe when she began to have pain in her back. When the pain became so unbearable that she could no longer function, even with muscle relaxants, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Tags: Suffering Joy In, Joy In Trials

Imagine With Me For A Moment, If You Had A ...

Contributed by Rick Gillespie- Mobley on May 7, 2010

Imagine with me for a moment, if you had a beautiful picture in your home that was worth over a hundred thousand dollars because of the artist who had painted it. It was a one of a kind masterpiece. The artist had put excellence into every stroke of his work The colors were awesome. The depth ...read more

Tags: Mother's Day, Respect

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Heaviest Loads

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Oct 30, 2011

THE HEAVIEST LOADS N. T. Wright, in writing about this passage (Mt 23:1-12), tells the story of trying to prepare for a hiking and camping trip. He went to an outfitter who took him around the store showing him everything he would need. The salesman recommended a good sleeping bag and a durable ...read more

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Methodist

Feel Free To Interject Your Own Experience Into ...

Contributed by Kelly Mitchell on Aug 22, 2012

(feel free to interject your own experience into this pattern) One Christmas on a road trip with the my wife and kids to my parent’s home I decided to take them on a "scenic loop" through the Mississippi Delta. Its where I was born and raised and my parents still live there. To me, it is the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:19-20

Tags: Repentance, Forgiveness In Jesus, Millenial

Denomination: Baptist

I Must Honor My Country

Contributed by Perry Greene on Nov 1, 2012

"I MUST HONOR MY COUNTRY." A foreign diplomat who often criticized American policy once observed a United States Marine perform the evening colors ceremony. The diplomat wrote about this simple but solemn ceremony in a letter to his home ministry. Quote: "During one of the past few days, I had ...read more

Tags: America

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Story Of Bertha Smith

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 27, 2013

Bertha Smith is a name that we are not familiar with. Bertha Smith was a missionary many years ago in China. There was an uprising throughout China at that time and the Christian missionaries were forced to leave their congregations and flee to coastal cities for safety. Many of them, while ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Gift Of Grace And Forgiveness In Our Time Of Greatest Need

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Julian Silva tells the story of working in a Volunteer Corp’s Chaplain Office in Frankfurt, Germany where he met a German named, Carl Scholtz. During WW II, Carl served as a Nazi soldier but not believing in what he was doing, he tried to desert. He failed in his attempt, was captured and thrown ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

Denomination: Methodist

A Lesson From A Pair Of Mildewed Shoes

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 22, 2020

A number of years ago I received a three-year assignment to Okinawa, Japan, as part of my Air Force experience. Hardly anybody I knew had much knowledge of that part of the world, so we really had no idea what to expect. We were in for a number of surprises! We lived in a motel, basically, for a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33-34

Tags: Shoes, Life's Problems

Denomination: Baptist

Please Come Back Home.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 14, 2021

PLEASE COME BACK HOME... Max Lucado, in his book, No Wonder They Call Him Savior, tells the story of Maria and her daughter, Christina that touches the heart and shows the mercy of God. Longing to leave her poor Brazilian neighborhood, Christina wanted to see the world. Discontent with a home ...read more

Tags: Repentance, Prodigal Son, Going Home, Prodigals, Wayward Children, Evangelism, Parenting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Judgment Seat Of Christ - 10 Things To Know

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 2, 2023

In Paul's day, every city in Greece built a public place called the Bema, or “judgment seat”. It was from this raised platform, usually in the center of town, that official announcements were made, judgments rendered and commendations handed out. All public proclamations came from this Bema ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Tags: Judgment, Judgment Seat, Rewards, Bema, Resurrection, Heaven, Faithfulness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[122]. A Message From A Poem – He Is Coming He Is Coming

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 8, 2025

[122]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE IS COMING HE IS COMING Here is a poem that meant a lot to me. It is a source of joy to know the Lord is coming again. I am unashamedly a pre-Tribulationist and pre-Millennialist, BUT the poem is not featuring that. It is solely focussed on the Lord coming ...read more

Scripture: John 14:3, Titus 2:12-14

Tags: The Church, Jesus Is Coming, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, He Is Coming  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[127]. A Message From A Poem – Heaven’ S Door Will Open To Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 11, 2025

[127]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HEAVEN’ S DOOR WILL OPEN TO US This poem connects with 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 – {{1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 “FOR THE LORD HIMSELF WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise ...read more

Scripture: John 14:3, Revelation 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Tags: Victory, The Rapture, The Coming Of The Lord, I Will Come Again, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, The Lord Descends, A Door In Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[158]. A Message From A Poem – Gathered At The Great White Throne

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 9, 2025

[158]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GATHERED AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE This poem was written in conjunction with a series of articles I was doing on the Great White Throne and the Judgement Seat of Christ found on SermonCentral. We ought not be flippant about the judgements to come for both are very ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 20:12, Revelation 20:11

Tags: Christian Poems, Judged According To Deeds, All Will Be Judged, Judgment, Great White Throne, Judgment Seat Of Christ, Be Saved Now  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational