In Sermon Illustrations: "Events"

Gethsemane

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Aug 12, 2017

Several years ago, I began to reflect on the happenings at Gethsemane. It started when I saw some movie in which an actor did an okay job of portraying Jesus, except that he failed abysmally in his attempt to show what I think Jesus' agony at Gethsemane must have been really like. I realized that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46, 2 Corinthians 5:21

Tags: Agony, Sweat, Pass, Thy Will Be Done, Your Will Be Done, Garden, Gethsemane, Cup  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Unsung Heroes: Joseph’s Servant

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 12, 2021

Introduction: At the time of this story, Joseph was second in command only to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Joseph’s brothers had come a year or so before this to buy grain; now, that grain was gone and they came back to purchase some more. But they were in for a surprise once they came in contact ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 43:16-25, Luke 17:6-10

Tags: Joseph, Stewards, Servants, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: The Lame Man Of Acts 3

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 30, 2021

Text: Acts 3:1-10. KJV: 1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:1-10

Tags: John, Peter, Healings

Denomination: Baptist

Racism And The Gospel

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jan 1, 2023

Benjamin Watson, who plays for the NFL New Orleans Saints posted the following on his Facebook page: "At some point while I was playing or preparing to play Monday Night Football, the news broke about the Ferguson Decision. After trying to figure out how I felt, I decided to write it down. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28, John 3:16, James 5:16, Romans 3:23, Romans 10:9  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Sin, Gospel, Hope, Racism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Parallels Between The Passover Lamb And Christ

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 1, 2023

Passover begins this year on April 8th, at sundown. What many do not know is that Passover illustrates the sacrifice of The Passover Lamb–the crucifixion of Jesus. The first Passover lamb was slain during the dark times in Egypt marked. This event marked the beginning of The Exodus, which ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-13

Tags: Sacrifice, Cross, Lamb, Passover, Calvary, Forgiveness, Easter, Blood, Israel, Egypt, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Look At Outer Darkness

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 29, 2023

Introduction: Jesus spoke of “outer darkness” at least three times. There were a couple of times when I experienced something like this, and it wasn’t pleasant! No one needs to face outer darkness, so don’t let it happen to you. Text: Matthew 8:10-12, KJV: 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:10-12

Tags: Light, Outer Darkness, Fear

Denomination: Baptist

Rainy Day Memory

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Dec 18, 2025

Rainy Day Memory Masking Tape, Mayhem, and the Genius The day began badly… or at least that’s what I thought at first. You see, on that particular rainy day, I found myself in the role of “Grandpa Daycare Director” for my grandson Dawson—a pint-sized whirlwind who was probably about five years old ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:5, Proverbs 22:6, Proverbs 17:6, Proverbs 16:31, Ephesians 6:1-4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Relationships, Grandparents, Nurturing, Kids, Children, Family, Father's Day, Humor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[251]. A Message From A Poem – That Coffin Is Not Me

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 2, 2026

[251]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THAT COFFIN IS NOT ME This is a special poem and unusual for my style. It is full of meaning, very serious meaning. It is me telling my story (as if I had died). Some may find the subject strange; others may not want to think about such things. The point is, we ...read more

Scripture: John 10:9-10, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, Hebrews 9:27, Genesis 2:17  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Funeral Service, Absent From The Body, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Repent And Be Saved, Christian Burial, Death, Heaven, Alive, Dead, Coffin, Christian Funeral, Hell  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[355]. A Message From A Poem – You Heal, O Lord, What Others Have Hurt

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 27, 2026

[355]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – YOU HEAL, O LORD, WHAT OTHERS HAVE HURT As creatures of emotions we feel it when what is bad and not welcome comes our way. This may be sorrow and injury, persecution, injustice, and the hurt done by others. I have known the last one of that short list along with ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 1 Thessalonians 4:18

Tags: Healing, Comfort, Healer, Jesus Heals, Hurting, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Memorial Day, A Time For Healing  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 19, 2002

MEMORIAL DAY, A TIME FOR HEALING Memorial Day, perhaps more than any other holiday, was born of human necessity. Deep inside all of us lies a fundamental desire to make sense of life and our place in it and the world. What we have been given, what we will do with it and what we will pass to the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29:1-5

Tags: Holidays Civic, Finding Fulfillment, Amos, Prophet

Story Number One  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 13, 2003

STORY NUMBER ONE Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn’t famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder. Capone had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was his lawyer for a good ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Merely Mode!" Job 38:1-41 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 15, 2005

“Merely Mode!” Job 38:1-41 Key verse(s): 1ff:“Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.” When tragedies happen, do you marvel at their randomness? Seven people are gunned down in a church on a Saturday evening. A young boy of 15 and an old man of 74. The newspaper headline called it ...read more

Scripture: Job 38:1-41

Tags: God's Forgiveness, God's Provision

Denomination: Lutheran

Pursuing Butterflies!" Luke 22:24-30 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 1, 2005

“Pursuing Butterflies!” Luke 22:24-30 Key verse(s) 24:“Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.” We live to benefit ourselves and not others. Are you offended by this statement? It certainly isn’t what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches us to put others ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:24-30

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Lutheran

Is It Time Yet!" Psalm 75: 1-10 Key Verse(S): 2: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 28, 2004

“Is It Time Yet!” Psalm 75: 1-10 Key verse(s): 2: “You say, ‘I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly.’” “Is it time yet?” I can’t tell you how often I have heard those words over the years after having raised four children who were always interested in knowing when the “time” was ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 75:1-10

Tags: Descriptions Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

Afghan Spiritual Harvest

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 16, 2011

AFGHAN SPIRITUAL HARVEST In his book What Good Is God?, Philip Yancey writes: "This is a true story from Afghanistan that took place in the early 1970s, before the Russian occupation or the Taliban regime. At the time, the government allowed a small Christian church to service internationals who ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:9-11, Mark 19:1-20

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

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

Sully And Second Nature

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 30, 2011

"SULLY" AND SECOND NATURE Thursday, January 15, 2009, was another ordinary day in New York City. Or so it seemed. But by that evening people were talking of a miracle. They may have been right. But the full explanation is, if anything, even more interesting and exciting. And it strikes just the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Fruit Of The Spirit

Margaret Was In Her Forties And Suffered From ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 17, 2007

Margaret was in her forties and suffered from bouts of depression and despair resulting mainly from an extremely poor self-image. She just couldn’t see herself as a person of worth. Over the years of her adult life, this image steadily grew worse. Finally reaching out in desperation, she sought the ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

For Almost Forty Years, Margaret Lived With The ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Atwood on Jan 12, 2008

For almost forty years, Margaret lived with the memory of one soul-scarring day in the one-room schoolhouse she attended. From the first day Margaret came to class, she and Ms. Garner, her bitter and harsh teacher, didn’t get along. Over the years, the animosity between them only worsened until ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-41

Tags: Love, Healing, Encouragement, Depression

Denomination: Baptist

The Story Of Rick Warren And His Best-Selling ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 20, 2008

The story of Rick Warren and his best-selling book the "The Purpose Driven Life." What is he doing with all the money? USA Today article: June 4th 2006 edition: A uniter, not a divider Warren is no liberal. He backed President Bush in the 2004 election and opposes abortion and stem cell ...read more

Tags: Giving Yourself

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational