In Sermon Illustrations: "False Guilt"

Servanthood And Spiritual Growth  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 16, 2011

SERVANTHOOD AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH I surveyed my church to see if people saw a relationship between ministering to others and spiritual growth. When asked, "To what extent has your ministry or service to others affected your spiritual growth?," 92 percent answered positively. None responded that ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3-8

Tags: Servanthood

[321]. A Message From A Poem - Uniquely First In Many Ways - Cain

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 25, 2026

[321]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - UNIQUELY FIRST IN MANY WAYS - CAIN Cain is never considered in a good light. He is mentioned three times in the New Testament and this is one of them – {{1 John 3:12 “not as Cain who was of the evil one and slew his brother, and for what reason did he slay him? ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:6-7, Jude 1:11, 1 John 3:12

Tags: Sacrifice, Unique, Rejection, Cain, Abel, Disobedience, Murderer, The Way Of Cain, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Good Illustration Of This Comes From An Old ...  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Selfridge on Feb 26, 2003

A good illustration of this comes from an old parable of the end time judgment with all the people who have ever lived being brought before God. Not submitting to God they come with a complaint. One group made the claim that they suffered persecution. They had died in gas chambers and concentration ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:1-36, Genesis 50:20

Tags: Humanity Of Christ

Denomination: Wesleyan

We Went To Disneyland A Few Weeks Ago And Stood ...  PRO

Contributed by Brad Froese on Aug 30, 2004

We went to Disneyland a few weeks ago and stood in line together for the 3-D movie, “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.” I promised my son there was nothing in there that could hurt him when we walked in to sit down, because he was afraid of the dark and unfamiliar theater. When we sat down, I noticed ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:10

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Super Bowl Is Known As Much For Its ...

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Apr 24, 2005

The Super Bowl is known as much for its commercials as it is for football, and Super Bowl XXXIX was no different. Ameriquest Mortgage Company sponsored two ads. One had a man coming home with a bag of groceries and a bouquet of flowers. He begins dinner by starting a pot of spaghetti sauce. As ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Christian Love

Denomination: Methodist

The Gospel Came To Hawaii During The Period In ...  PRO

Contributed by Rick Bartosik on Oct 18, 2005

The Gospel came to Hawaii during the period in American history called "The Second Great Awakening" (1785-1820). Henry Opukaha’ia was the first Hawaiian Christian. In the late 1700s his entire family was killed during a tribal war on the shores of Kealakakua Bay on the Big Island. As he fled from ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Preparing For Death

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Jan 7, 2008

Preparing For Death Several years ago, I was on staff with a fellow pastor who had been suffering with diabetes and its ill effects for most of his life. He was a single dad with two sons who were the same ages as two of my boys. His name was Mike, and we were close in age. Mike had lost an eye ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[272]. A Poem Message – The Infant Christ Has Come (Christmas) (Version 1)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 23, 2026

[272]. A POEM MESSAGE – THE INFANT CHRIST HAS COME (Christmas) (Version 1) Most Christians think of the Nativity at Christmas time but it ought not be like that. In one way the birth of Christ; His ministry; His death, burial and resurrection; and His ascension, are all equal in importance for ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:6-7, Philippians 2:10-11

Tags: Christmas, Jesus Christ Is Lord, Manger Scene, The Nativity, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, The Infant Christ, Babe In The Manger  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[273]. Poem Message – The Infant Christ Has Come (Christmas) (Version 2)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 23, 2026

[273]. A POEM MESSAGE – THE INFANT CHRIST HAS COME (Christmas) (Version 2) Most Christians think of the Nativity at Christmas time but it ought not be like that. In one way the birth of Christ; His ministry; His death, burial and resurrection; and His ascension, are all equal in importance ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:6-7, Philippians 2:10-11

Tags: Manger Scene, The Nativity, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, The Infant Christ, Babe In The Manger, Christmas, Jesus Christ Is Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[285]. A Message From A Poem – The Passion Week – Easter Poem

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 5, 2026

[285]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE PASSION WEEK – EASTER POEM This poem is more appropriate at Easter time, the week leading to the Resurrection. I have covered the highlights of that week with a stanza given to each one. The poem is like a synopsis of the week, a shorthand version if you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:3-5

Tags: Easter Poem, The Burial, Palm Sunday Entry, The Betrayal, Gethsemane, The Cross, The Last Supper, The Resurrection, Death Of Christ, Christian Poems, Easter  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Id That Almost Wasn't Good Enough

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 18, 2026

The year we moved to Tennessee was an election year. Cassy and I went to go vote. We waited in line, got to the front, and I reached in my wallet without even thinking about the fact that we hadn't switched our driver's licenses over to Tennessee yet. They told us we needed a Tennessee ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:4, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Tags: Identity, Authority

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Good Gossip

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“I resolve to speak ill of no man whatever, not even in a matter of truth; but rather by some means excuse the faults I hear charged upon others, and upon proper occasions speak all the good I know of everybody.” – Benjamin Franklin I knew a woman once who took a temporary job working for a large ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:28

Tags: Gossip, Evil Tongue, Encouraging Others, Power Of The Tongue

Denomination: Charismatic

The Following Quotes From People At Various ...  PRO

Contributed by Greg Warren on Apr 19, 2001

The following quotes from people at various stages of their lives shows the maturity that should take place in our perspective toward God and the world around us. PROGRESSION OF WISDOM WITH AGE You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. Age 7 I like my teacher ...read more

Tags: Parable General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Blood Of Jesus Christ Cleanses All Sin

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Oct 17, 2005

How is it possible that the blood of Jesus Christ has such power to redeem and cleanse us from all sin? This is possible because of who Jesus is and what He did when He died on the Cross. First, Jesus was, is and always will be, absolutely sinless in thought word and deed. Secondly, Jesus ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:7

Tags: Redemption, Forgiveness, Blood Of Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

My First Staff Position In A Church Was As The ...  PRO

Contributed by Chris Surber on Jun 21, 2008

My first staff position in a church was as the Associate Pastor of The Kirk Community Church in Dunedin, Florida. I normally arrived at church early but on this particular morning my wife and I had arrived just a few minutes before the worship service was to begin. As my wife Christina unbuckled ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian Church

[078]. A Message From A Poem – Failure Leads To Hurt And Sorrow

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 12, 2025

[078]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FAILURE LEADS TO HURT AND SORROW This poem was written one Sunday morning while waiting for a church service to start. It flowed quickly. It was around the time I was speaking on a series in the life of Peter. Identify yourselves if you have never failed the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:7-10

Tags: Hurt, Forgiveness, Sin, Failure, Sorrow  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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)

The Playlet Entitled ‘the Long Silence' Says It ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Chapman on Feb 9, 2001

The playlet entitled ‘The Long Silence’ says it all: At the end of time, billions of people were scattered on a great plain before God’s throne. Most shrank back from the brilliant light before them. But some groups near the front talked heatedly – not with cringing shame, but with ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:1-15

Tags: God's Judgment, Forgiveness In Jesus, Second Coming

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Someday Soon  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 22, 2002

SOMEDAY SOON You just know that some things are going to happen sooner or later. That’s the way it was with Michael Parfit, a writer for Smithsonian magazine. For a feature article on the mighty Mississippi River, Parfit rode in a twelve-foot rubber dinghy down the Mississippi from Memphis, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15, Psalm 90:10-15

Tags: Jesus Teachings, Kingdom Of God, Second Coming

C. Leslie Charles Says That The American ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 17, 2005

1. C. Leslie Charles says that the American Psyche is headed for a pressure cooker explosion because she sees a society that is getting angrier and angrier and more self-centered every day. She says many have bought into the belief of the “The Cranky Code” of conduct: a. I am entitled to what I ...read more

Tags: Humility, Faith, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational