In Sermon Illustrations: "Fourth Watch Of The Night"

I've Got A Flashlight!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2011

I'VE GOT A FLASHLIGHT! Ann Beck of North Carollton, Mississippi, talks about the days when her husband and she taught 2- and 3-year-olds in Sunday school. A Bible verse they helped the pre-schoolers memorize was Psalms 56: "When I am afraid, I will trust in you." Their preschool son, Mark, was one ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 56:3

Tags: Fear And Worry

King Henry Ii's Anger

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 10, 2011

KING HENRY II'S ANGER King Henry II of England, back in around 1200, had a lot of power. He put an end to a long and bloody civil war, and ruled both England and a large chunk of France for many years. He was so famous that a movie was made about him, about 25 yrs ago, starring Richard Burton and ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Excuses, Excuses

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Dec 24, 2011

EXCUSES, EXCUSES We live in a word of excuses. Here are some complied by the Readers Digest that have been offered for not showing up for work: "I dreamed I was fired, so I didn't want to get out of bed." "I was up all night arguing with God." "A raccoon stole my work shoe off my porch." "I ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:12, Genesis 3:7-17

Tags: Faults

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Almost Giving

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 21, 2012

ALMOST GIVING One of the Ad Council's most effective public service commercials is the "Don't Almost Give" campaign. One ad shows a man with crutches struggling to go up a flight of steps. The narrator says, "This man almost learned to walk at a rehab center that almost got built by people who ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:38, James 2:16

Tags: Giving General

Pope Francis: Fulfilling His Role

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Apr 4, 2013

POPE FRANCIS: FULFILLING HIS ROLE A wonderful story of a religious leader who really does "get it" is the new Pontiff of Rome, Pope Francis. It is the story of role fulfillment. One reporter wrote: "Last night, in a break from tradition the Pope, Pope Francis, did not celebrate what is called ...read more

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Methodist

Baseball In Heaven  PRO

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 6, 2014

BASEBALL IN HEAVEN Bob and Stan were good buddies and baseball friends. One day at a ballgame, they made a vow to each other that, whichever friend died first, that friend would send a message back to earth to let the other friend know if there was baseball in Heaven. Sure enough, one day Bob ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Death, Eternity, Heaven, Baseball

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Love Your Enemies

Contributed by David Simpson on Feb 19, 2018

After the horrific school shooting in Broward County, Florida on February 14, 2018, several prayer vigils were held in the community. The vigil on Thursday evening ended with a request for everyone to write one specific act of good that they would perform in the coming days and weeks as a way to ...read more

Tags: Persecution, Tragedy, Bitterness, Love Your Enemies

Denomination: Christian Church

Rescue

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Oct 16, 2018

I am really struck by the lyrics of Lauren Daigle’s recent song “Rescue.” The singer is speaking from God’s perspective and says: “I hear the whisper underneath your breath I hear you whisper, you have nothing left I will send out an army to find you In the middle of the darkest night It’s true, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: Salvation, Rescue

Denomination: Baptist

Why Did You Throw The Old Man Out???

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 30, 2020

Mercy is giving them a piece of your heart, not a "piece of your mind". There's a legend about a rabbi who welcomed a weary traveler into his home for a night of rest. After learning that his guest was almost a hundred years old, the rabbi asked about his religious beliefs. The man ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Mercy, Endurance, Beatitudes, Patience

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Heartbeat And Bloodline Of Praying African American Mothers

Contributed by Jessie Manuel on May 8, 2025

Legacy of Blood and Heartbeat From the heartbeat of ancestors long gone, Rises a rhythm—a sacred song, Passed through blood, through bloodlines deep, A legacy rooted in faith to keep. Mothers praying in quiet nights, Holding on through struggles and fights, Their voices rising, fierce ...read more

Tags: Poem, Call To Action

Denomination: Methodist

Anyone Can Do That...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

"ANYONE CAN DO THAT..." There was a man named Doug Nichols who went to India to be a missionary. While he was just starting to study the language, he became infected with tuberculosis and had to be put in a sanitarium. It was not a very good place to be. It was not very clean and conditions were ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Tags: Christian Love

Lee Thomas On Praying For The Lost

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

LEE THOMAS ON PRAYING FOR THE LOST Prayer is really the starting place for all of our evangelistic efforts. We need to be like Paul in Romans 10:1, when he said: "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved." *Lee Thomas is a great teacher on praying for the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:1

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

[242]. A Message From A Poem – It’s All In The Saviour’s Hands

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Dec 23, 2025

[242]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IT’S ALL IN THE SAVIOUR’S HANDS This poem came about simply by thinking of the hands of Jesus when He took the bread at the Passover on the betrayal night. That led to thinking of other incidences and that’s how the poem resulted. Each stanza covers one incident. ...read more

Scripture: John 20:25, Acts 2:23, John 13:3-14, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25, Matthew 14:15-20, Luke 9:12-17, Matthew 14:25-31, Matthew 22:15-22, Mark 5:22-24, Mark 5:35-43  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Sick Daughter, Christian Poems, Passover Bread, 5 Loaves And 2 Fishes, Peter Sinks In The Water, Stretched Out Hand, Poll Tax, Cross, Jairus, Denarius, Nails, Foot Washing, Feeding The 5000, Bread, Resurrection  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Go Back And Tell Them Again  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 14, 2009

GO BACK AND TELL THEM AGAIN Jesus said "Follow me and I will make you Fishers of Men." In a book entitled "Jungle Harvest," written by a missionary named Ruby Scott, she describes some of her experiences in reaching a people group known as the Tila Indians who lived in a remote village in the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:19

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

[031] A Message From A Poem – Before Him Lay The Cross

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 19, 2025

[031] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BEFORE HIM LAY THE CROSS We have a retrospective view of the cross in a very limited understanding, but the Lord’s view in the Garden of gethsemane was a forward one. The anticipation of that ordeal was a dreadful one. That comes out in the description and this ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:2, John 3:16-17, Psalm 69:1-3, Psalm 22:13-16, Matthew 26:38-39  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Love, The Cross, Anticipation, Endurance, Cross, Suffering, Gethsemane, Endure, Calvary  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What’s Pete Got To Do With Anything?

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 20, 2021

If there's anybody that can be conned, it's Yours Truly. It's not so much that I'm stupid; I'm just naïve. I believe when somebody says something, they mean exactly what they say. So, if you can't swindle me, you might as well hang it up and get a real job. I must ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:12-13

Tags: Blame, Accusations

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

He Led Them Up The Steep Slope Out Of The River ...  PRO

Contributed by Todd Anderson on Dec 8, 2005

“He led them up the steep slope out of the river valley and then slightly to the right apparently by the very same route which they had used that afternoon in coming from the hill of the stone table. On and on he lead them into dark shadows out into pale moonlight. Getting their feet wet with the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-3

Tags: Narnia

Denomination: Lutheran

[271]. A Message From A Poem – The "I Ams” Of John’s Gospel

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 21, 2026

[271]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE “I AMs” OF JOHN’S GOSPEL There are 7 or 8 of the great “I Am” statements in the Gospel of John. I have done these in a Series on SermonCentral – about 18 messages I think - ...read more

Scripture: John 6:20, John 10:7, John 6:35, John 14:6, John 10:11, John 15:1, John 8:12, John 11:25, John 8:58  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: The I Ams Of John, I Am The Good Shepherd, I Am The Resurrection, I Am The Light Of The World, I Am The True Vine, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Truth, Life, I Am, I Am The Way, I Am The Door, I Am The Bread Of Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Was A Family With One Little Daughter. ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 9, 2002

There was a family with one little daughter. Mother and daughter were very faithful in church and Sunday School attendance…The father wasn’t interested and he made it plain it was okay for his wife and daughter, but not for him. He worked in a steel mill, a huge hulk of a man who had been a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:36-39, James 1:12

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation, Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Bike Before Christmas  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Dec 19, 2003

[The Bike Before Christmas, unknown] ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through our house Not a creature was sleeping, not even my spouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with screws. (If you can’t find the nails, what else do you use?) The children were restless, awake in their ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational