In Sermon Illustrations: "Fourth Watch Of The Night"

Lewis Ran From God

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Jan 26, 2009

LEWIS RAN FROM GOD C. S. Lewis, the author of Prince Caspian, did not rejoice to find Jesus. He had been running from Him for his entire life. After a long search into what Christianity was and whether it could be trusted as truth, he said of himself: "The fox had been dislodged from Hegelian ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Mennonite

When We Are No Longer Alert As God's Watchmen, We ...

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Mar 30, 2009

When we are no longer alert as God’s watchmen, we have a tendency to be insensitive to all the dangers around us. I can’t help but be reminded of a frightening experience we had when my eldest son was working the late shift at a bakery. He came home dead tired one night and I was already asleep. ...read more

Tags: Zeal

Denomination: *other

Graham Stuart Staines (1941-January 1999) Was An ...

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Nov 6, 2009

Graham Stuart Staines (1941-January 1999) was an Australian missionary who was burnt to death along with his two sons Philip (aged 9) and Timothy (aged 7) while sleeping in his station wagon at Manoharpur village in Keonjhar district in Orissa, India in January 1999. On the night of 22 January ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Miraculous Protection Of Missionary John G. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 17, 2009

Miraculous Protection of Missionary John G. Paton John G. Paton was a missionary to the New Hebrides. He had aroused the enmity of the local native chief by his successes in the Gospel, the chief hired a man to kill the missionary. The man went to the missionary’s house, but instead of murdering ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-16

Tags: Missions, Angels

In 1937, Napoleon Hill Wrote A Development / ...

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 18, 2015

IN 1937, NAPOLEON HILL wrote a development / self-help book: THINK AND GROW RICH. Hill discussed a man that invested all his and his family’s money into a GOLD MINE. The man worked and worked. He was so excited, he was going to make millions of dollars and become rich and famous. For weeks the man ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: 3 Feet From A Miracle

Denomination: Assembly Of God

We Can't Know The Day - But We Can Know The Season When Christ Returns.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 6, 2024

Jesus specifically told us that there would be signs in the sky in the sun and moon and stars (Luke 21:25), and he told us to “look up”, as our redemption draws near. Believers need to look up when the "season" of His return arrives.   The apostle Paul had this to say about the ...read more

Tags: Rapture, Day Of The Lord, Return Of Christ, Seasons, Times  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Journey To See God Face To Face

Contributed by Samuel M on Feb 19, 2025

Everyone has a desire to see God face to face, but before that they are some prerequisites that need to checked 1) Am I right with God and others? 2) Are my hands clean? 3) Is my heart pure? We need to get answers to these questions from the Holy Spirit. As we receive the answers and correct ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 12:8

Tags: Faith, Hope

Unrealistic Expectations

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 2, 2026

Often times ... we may have ... unrealistic expectations. For example, ... if I have an expectation ... that my wife Lee will cook a 4-course meal every night. And she expects ... that I will take her out to eat every night. Well ...we are both going to be ... very disappointed. Not because ...read more

Scripture: John 6:26-64

Tags: Commitment, Image, Expectations, Disappointed

Denomination: Anglican

So What To Do? Two Things, It Seems To Me. At ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

So what to do? Two Things, it seems to me. At least two. Use up each day. Fill it overflowing with good. Deliberately enjoy it. Two, begin now. Mend a fractured friendship, mail an overdue letter, repair a broken heart, lay aside a griveance, ...read more

Tags: Death Nearness, Christian Love

May You Have Joy In The Mad Rush Of Preparation; ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

May you have joy in the mad rush of preparation; May you know peace in the tiny margins of time around the busy days; May you have star-shine in clear night skies for looking at; May you have silence now and then; ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Home Sleeping Alone

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

HOME SLEEPING ALONE A National Association of Home Builders survey predicts that more than 60% of custom homes will have dual master bedrooms by 2015. The National Sleep Foundation claims 75% of adults frequently either wake in the night or snore, ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

* It’s Like The Little Boy Who Tried ...

Contributed by John Perry on Feb 9, 2010

*** It’s like the little boy who tried smuggling his dog into the room to spend the night. When he heard his parents coming he put the dog in his toy box & sat on the lid. Then he tried to talk to his parents ignoring the ...read more

Tags: Secrets

Denomination: Pentecostal

My Mom Says My Prayers For Me

Contributed by Eugene Morell on Jul 1, 2012

MY MOM SAYS MY PRAYERS FOR ME A young boy was telling the pastor that his mother said his prayers for him each night. "What do you mean, your mother says your prayers for you?" the minister inquired. The youngster ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Nothing Like A Mystery To Calm My Nerves

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 11, 2023

Nothing calms me down more than a mystery when I have a busy week. The other afternoon I got caught up and faced some rather stressful situations. The remedy to all of this would be to watch one of those mystery movies. One was playing that afternoon, so I decided to rearrange my schedule, enjoy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Humor, Mystery, Rest

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[178 ]. A Message From A Poem – Lost Three Things - Lost One Sheep

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 26, 2025

[178 ]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST THREE THINGS - LOST ONE SHEEP What are the best-known parables the Lord Jesus gave? I suppose there could be some debate about that but for me, I think The Prodigal Son, The Sower and The Good Samaritan. The Lost Sheep is near the top. Two of those I have ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1, Psalm 23:4, Luke 15:3-7, John 10:11, John 10:14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Shepherding, The Lost Sheep, The Shepherd Psalm, One Sheep Lost, Sheep, Search, The Good Shepherd  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Mission Of David Livingstone  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 30, 2011

THE MISSION OF DAVID LIVINGSTONE The modern missionary movement really got started about 150 years ago with people who were concerned about the continent of Africa. There was a Scottish preacher by the name of Robert Moffatt who was serving in South Africa. He returned to Scotland to try to enlist ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:14-24

Tags: Missions, Intercessory Prayer

I Have A Friend Who Works With A Church In ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeremy Houck on Jul 26, 2005

I have a friend who works with a church in Nashville. He was telling us a few weeks ago about a lady at his church who was really convicted by what she had been reading in the scriptures and hearing at church. She felt that she has no other choice but to take the love of God out to a dying world ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[189]. A Message From A Poem – Lord, Wash Not Only My Feet

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 6, 2025

[189]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LORD, WASH NOT ONLY MY FEET This poem has its setting on the Passover night and it is this incident – {{John 13:3-10 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, rose from supper ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:26, John 13:3-10

Tags: Christian Poems, Clean, Disciples, Cleansing, Foot Washing, Hand Washing, The Word Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Patsy Clairmont In Her Book "Under His Wings" ...  PRO

Contributed by John Hamby on Aug 11, 2003

Patsy Clairmont in her book “Under His Wings” tells a moving story of the reality of dealing with grief. “We buried my friend’s 26 year old son last week. An accidental gunshot took Jeff’s life. We have more questions than answers. We are offended at people who have all the answers and no ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Baptist

In A Japanese Seaside Village Over A Hundred ...  PRO

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Oct 22, 2006

In a Japanese seaside village over a hundred years ago, an earthquake startled the villagers late one autumn evening. Being so accustomed to earthquakes and not feeling another follow, they soon went back to their activities without giving it another thought. An old farmer was watching from his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:24-31, Matthew 10:24-31

Tags: Dark Days, Evidence, Giving, Joseph, Joy, Joy In Morning, Joy In Salvation, Money, Outcome, Overcomer, Prayer, Peace, Product, Proof, Result, Sunday School  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational