In Sermon Illustrations: "Following Instructions"

Like Blind Beggars! (08.15.05--Envy!--John 21: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 11, 2005

Like Blind Beggars! (08.15.05--Envy!--John 21: 20-23) “No one has done a better job of portraying envy than Dante, In his Purgatory . . .the envious sit like blind beggars by a wall. Their eyelids are sewn shut. the symbolism is apt, showing the reader that it is one of the blindest sins--partly ...read more

Scripture: John 21:20-23

Tags: Envy

Denomination: Lutheran

Have You Heard The Story Of Charlie Riggs? Over ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 13, 2005

Have you heard the story of Charlie Riggs? Over 50 years ago, he came to Christ and was discipled by a young man named Lorne Sanny, who himself was being discipled by Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators. Charlie was willing to grow in Christ, but he was a bit rough around the edges and ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Why We Celebrate The 4th  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 24, 2009

WHY WE CELEBRATE THE 4TH But there is a reason why we celebrate on the 4th and we can’t forget that! It was the day the day the colonies declared their independence from England. Freedom was declared in some famous words of the Declaration of Independence, which starts: We hold these truths to be ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-40

Tags: 4th Of July, Independence Day

U2 Song,

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 23, 2009

U2 Song, "I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” One of the most popular music groups over the past 25 years has been a band called U2. The lead singer of U2 is a man named Bono. It seems like every couple of years it gets reported that Bono is a professing Christian. I don’t know whether he ...read more

Scripture: John 6:1-15

Tags: Unbelief

Ravi Zacharias: Changed Lives Show The Truth Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 9, 2011

RAVI ZACHARIAS: CHANGED LIVES SHOW THE TRUTH OF CHRIST In his book Has Christianity Failed You? Ravi Zacharias points to one of the greatest proofs for the truth of Christ and the reality of his resurrection: the changed lives of Christians. He writes: "During the course of nearly 40 years, I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

Tags: Christian Witness

Famous Hoaxes On April Fools Day & Skepticism

Contributed by David Simpson on Apr 16, 2018

It’s ironic that this year Easter falls on April Fools day. Have you ever fallen for an April Fools joke or prank? I know as a kid there was always some classmate pulling a prank on someone, with the rest of us in on it and watching that poor soul make a fool of themselves by believing the prank. ...read more

Tags: Doubt, Skepticism, Hoaxes

Denomination: Christian Church

Who I Am Makes A Difference

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Oct 29, 2008

WHO I AM MAKES A DIFFERENCE A teacher in New York decided to honor each of her high school seniors for the difference they made in her life. Then she presented each of them with a Blue Ribbon imprinted with gold letters, which read, "Who I Am Makes a Difference."™ Afterwards the teacher gave each ...read more

Tags: Blessing

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Story Of Isaac ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

THE STORY OF ISAAC WATTS A young boy complained to his father that most of the church hymns were boring and old-fashioned, with tiresome words that meant little to his generation. His father challenged him with these words: "If you think you can write better hymns, why don’t you?" The boy ...read more

Scripture: John 4:23-24

Tags: Worship General

Prophecies Of The Messiah

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 21, 2020

The Bible Passes The Prophecy Test! There are literally thousands of prophetic predictions made in the Bible. Some of these prophecies are quite dramatic in nature. For instance, Isaiah mentions Cyrus the Persian King, by name, 125 years before he was born. Not a single one prophecy made in the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Bible, Messiah, Christmas, Jesus, Prophecy, Inspiration, Inerrancy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Past, Present And Future

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 21, 2024

Harry A Ironside the great Bible teacher was riding on a train in Southern California one Saturday when a gypsy got on and sat beside him. "How do you do, gentleman," she said. "You like to have your fortune told? Cross my palm with a silver quarter, and I will give you your past, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:9-11, Ephesians 2:1-10

Tags: Present, Future, Past, Fortunes

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[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

A "Conquering" Faith

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jan 31, 2011

A "CONQUERING" FAITH The following story comes from Hank Hanegraaff's book, "The Last Disciple" (which refers to the Apostle John, the last one of the 12 to die). It is set within the historical context of first century Rome's persecution of the church. Leah is the sister of a young Christian ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-37

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Nazarene

Unsung Heroes At The 'battle Of The Ditches'!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 30, 2024

Introduction: Ask any veteran or anyone who served in the military for the strangest duty they ever performed and you may get some interesting replies! The soldiers in this story were asked (!) to put down their swords and take up some shovels in order to dig a lot of ditches! This story also has ...read more

Tags: Jehoshaphat, Elisha, Unsung Heroes, Ditches

Denomination: Baptist

[182]. A Message From A Poem – Marys At The Cross (An Easter Poem)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 2, 2025

[182]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – MARYS AT THE CROSS (An Easter Poem) This is an Easter poem about 4 women, precious ones in the life of the Lord during His time on earth. Some people find it confusing to work the Marys out, especially at Easter time. What the Marys speak of is total devotion and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:55-56, John 19:25, Mark 15:40-41

Tags: Mary Wife Of Clopas, Mary Magdalene, Salome, Jesus Crucified, The Virgin Mary, Christian Poems, Easter Poem, Easter, Cross, Devotion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[292]. A Message From A Poem – Arise, You Sleepy Unproductive Servant

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 18, 2026

[292]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – ARISE, YOU SLEEPY UNPRODUCTIVE SERVANT It is time to be serious about the faith we profess. The western world is awash with wishy-washy Christian profession. Too many are asleep instead of being active for Jesus, the Lord of our faith. This poem is a challenge ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:11-14, 2 Peter 1:5

Tags: Ashamed, Unprofitable, Serve The Lord, Servants, Christian Poems, Faithful, Devotion, Arise, Priorities, Laziness, Asleep, Service, Servant  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Sword And A Tear!" 2 Timothy 2: 22-26: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 24, 2004

“A Sword and a Tear!” 2 Timothy 2: 22-26: Key verse(s): 24-25a “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:22-26

Tags: Christian Love, Compassion

Denomination: Lutheran

Staring Down The Critic's Barrel!" Proverbs 9: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 17, 2005

“Staring Down the Critic’s Barrel!” Proverbs 9: 7-10 Key verse(s): 8b:“. . . rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” The Bible tells us that “rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” Love? What happened to getting the emotional revenge that is so satisfying? There doesn’t seem to be a lot of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:7-10, Psalm 82:3-4, Philippians 2:13-14

Tags: Grace, Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Because I Said So!" Romans 11:33-36 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 21, 2005

“Because I Said So!” Romans 11:33-36 Key verse(s) 11:“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” Because I said so! If you are a parent the odds are that it is likely at some time in the course of that career you uttered these words with feeling. “Because I said so!” There ...read more

Scripture: Romans 11:33-36

Tags: Knowing God's Will, Doing God's Will

Denomination: Lutheran

Swallowed Alive? (08.22.05--Under ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 18, 2005

Swallowed Alive? (08.22.05--Under Pressure!--Genesis 25:32-33) When you are captive to pressure, there are only two ways to go. You can either lose you temper and flail against the wind or you can wait it out and eventually overpower it. I lost the chock to my power drill the other day. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 25:32-33

Tags: Emotions

Denomination: Lutheran

Why Did Jesus Need To Be Baptized?  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 3, 2013

Why would Jesus need to be baptized by John? Well... Jesus' baptism by John was the beginning of Jesus' ministry. Mark 1:1 starts out: "The BEGINNING of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" and then Mark starts telling us about Jesus' baptism by John. In Luke 3:23 ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:13-15

Tags: High Priest, Water Baptism, Jesus' Ministry, Baptism, Ministry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ