In Sermon Illustrations: "Fourth Watch Of The Night"

Amazing Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

A policeman recounted an incident when he and other officers shot an eighteen-year-old boy and burned the body. Eight years later the policeman returned to the same house and seized the boy's father. The wife was forced to watch as policemen bound her husband on a woodpile, poured gasoline over ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 65:3

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

Remember The Duck

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

A little boy visiting his grandparents was given his first slingshot. As he practiced in his Grandma’s backyard, he spied her pet duck. On an impulse, he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck fell dead. The boy panicked. Desperately he hid the dead duck in the woodpile only to look up ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:25

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

Kindness That Echoes Eternity

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Apr 13, 2025

A few years ago, a sports columnist named Steve Rushin wrote about a moment at a baseball game that stuck with me. It didn’t involve a home run or a dramatic win—but something much quieter and more meaningful. Steve and his teenage son were at a Minnesota Twins game, sitting among the crowds when ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:35

Tags: Humble, Giving, Kindness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Two Chairs

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 29, 2025

A youth pastor once stood before a group of students with two chairs. He placed one on the far left side of the stage and the other on the far right. He said, “Let’s imagine this chair represents loyalty to God — trusting Him, following His ways, surrendering your heart. And this chair over here ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:113, Psalm 119:105

Tags: Obedience, Choose, Make A Choice, Divided, Double Minded, Commitment, Law  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God's Ultimate Protection - Psalm 91

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 26, 2025

God's Ultimate Protection - Psalm 91 Judy Anderson grew up as a missionary kid in Zaire. As a little girl, she went to a day-long rally celebrating the 100th anniversary of Christian missionaries coming to that part of the country. After a full day of messages and music, an old man came ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-16

Tags: Eternal Life, Refuge, Cross Of Christ, Messiah Prophecies, Fear, Protection, Resurrection, Trust, Overcome, Fortress  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Pappy Was A Pleasant Fellow. His Face Was Quite ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Heartsill on Oct 25, 2000

Pappy was a pleasant fellow. His face was quite drawn from age, but when he smiled, even his wrinkles seemed to smile with him. Pappy owned a pawnshop. Everyone who knew him respected and adored him. There was a room in the back of his shop where he spent time tinkering with his own precious items. ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Parable Prodigal Son, Parenting

Denomination: Baptist

Even Back Then I Was Searching For Hard Evidence ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 14, 2001

Even back then I was searching for hard evidence of God as an alternative to faith. And one day found it-on television, of all places. While randomly flipping a dial, I came across a mass healing service being conducted by Kathryn Kuhlman. I watched for a few minutes as she brought various people ...read more

A Preacher Once Wrote About An Incident In His ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 19, 2002

A preacher once wrote about an incident in his life: “I’d received a notice from my 13 year old son’s school announcing a meeting to preview the new course in sexuality. Parents could examine the curriculum and take part in an actual lesson presented exactly as it would be given to the students. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3

Tags: Marriage Faithfulness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Admirer Or Follower?  PRO

Contributed by Ty Tamasaka on Jul 19, 2011

ADMIRER OR FOLLOWER? Recently I heard that in Scotland, a voluntary survey was given to law enforcement officers of their religious affiliations. That may not sound very interesting, but what caught my attention was that 8 of the officers claimed their religious affiliation to be "Jedi". I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:13-21

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Other

Misapplied Scriptures: The "Mizpah” Moment

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 17, 2023

Full disclosure: Sermon Central has accepted and posted a complete message on this text and context called “Jacob-His Mizpah Moment”. This illustration is not an abbreviated form of that message, only a brief attempt to post some highlights. In addition, this verse/passage was featured back in the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 31:49

Tags: Laban, Jacob, Mizpah

Denomination: Baptist

[008] Message From A Poem - A Tale Of The Fish’s Tails

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 1, 2024

[008] MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A TALE OF THE FISH’S TAILS “Take the line of least resistance; go with the flow; jellyfish that drift; leave me out of it; I see both sides; don’t involve me; I don’t want to know!” The world is full of compromise and it gets worse. We can expect no less from this ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2, 1 Corinthians 16:13, Galatians 5:1, Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:13-14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Compromise, Resist, Fish, Stand Firm, Fish Tails, Opposing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Tiger Breath!" Matthew 6:9-13 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 6, 2005

“Tiger Breath!” Matthew 6:9-13 Key verse(s): 13:“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” It has been foreordained that life is a temptation! Now that is a depressing thought if I ever heard one. Foreordained? That means that no matter what I do or how I do it, ultimately I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13, Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Sin Exposed, Risk Of Sin, Release, Sin Separates From God

Denomination: Lutheran

Father Teaches Disobedient Daughter About Grace ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 5, 2009

Father Teaches Disobedient Daughter About Grace and Consequences I’ve given you all the acronym before of “GRACE- God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” I’ll always remember a daddy-daughter moment with my oldest girl when she was maybe three years old. We raised our girls with loving discipline ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:18-25

Tags: Grace

God Answers The Persistent Prayers Of A Father ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2010

God Answers the Persistent Prayers of a Father and a Congregation for a Wayward Daughter You never know what effect your prayers are having or what catastrophe you are preventing in the lives you are accountable for. In his book, “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire”, Jim Cymbala tells the story of his wayward ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8

Tags: Prayer Persistence

What Did We Know Before Facebook?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 25, 2020

To paraphrase one of my favorite humorist, Will Rogers, “All I know is what I read on Facebook.” I must admit that I also get information from Facebook. I can keep up with my family and friends, know what they are doing, and know what they are saying. The information there, whether true or not, is ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 25:14

Tags: Gossip, Secrets

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Every Dilemma Has A Silver Blessing

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 4, 2020

For the last several weeks, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and myself have been enjoying some quiet time in our parsonage. I cannot remember the last time we had such quiet time all to ourselves. One of the blessings of this time is the fact that telemarketers are not calling. In a way, I ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:15

Tags: Humor, Tipping

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Read The Moving Story Entitled, "Dad's Glimpse ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

I READ THE MOVING STORY ENTITLED, "DAD’S GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN" BY EDNA HERSHBERGER WHICH SAID: “HIS LAST WORDS LEFT US WITH SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. AT 4:00 A.M. THE NURSE WOKE DAD TO GIVE HIM A BREATHING TREATMENT. "MR. HERSH, DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE?" "GOSHEN HOSPITAL," HE ANSWERED POLITELY ...read more

Tags: Heaven

In The City Of Chicago A Blizzard Was Setting In. ...

Contributed by George Mansfield on Jan 18, 2008

In the city of Chicago a blizzard was setting in. A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner. The people were in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn’t trying to sell many papers. He walked up to the policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn’t happen to know where a ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[278]. A Message From A Poem – The Light Of The World

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 25, 2026

[278]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD This was a poem written before I really started writing poems seriously. Part of the idea was to write a hymn and some tunes will fit its 8-8-8-8 metre. The title, “The Light of the World” was to cover several aspects suggested to me by ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 4:3, Matthew 17:1-3, Luke 24:47, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Tags: Light, Shining Face, The Rapture, Forgiveness Of Sins, The Light Of The World, Pure Light, Hubble Telescope, Christian Poetry, The Transfiguration, Brilliance Of The Lord, The Brightest Star, Nasa Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

This Is An Alleged New Year’s Letter ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Fox on Dec 12, 2000

ILL: This is an alleged New Year’s letter written from a church member to the pastor. Dear Pastor: You often stress attendance at worship as being very important for a Christian, but I think a person has a right to miss now and then. I think every person ought to be excused for the following ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:24-30, Mark 7:1-8

Tags: New Year's Day, Growth In Christ, Faith, Sandra

Denomination: Baptist