In Sermon Illustrations: "Free Lunch"

[237 C]. A Message From A Poem - Scenes From The Gospels - Part 3

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Nov 8, 2025

[237 C]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - SCENES FROM THE GOSPELS - PART 3 They are here to enjoy! Scenes from the Gospels are very special to me. I love them. They have taken a lot of effort, and many, many months revision to get them as correct as possible with the difficult word limitations. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-2, Matthew 2:9-12, Luke 24:13-32, Matthew 14:25-33, Matthew 15:21-28, Matthew 23:23-33, Luke 1:1-4, Matthew 13:10-13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Parables, Poetry Reading, On The Emmaus Road, The Canaanite Woman, Pharisees, Peter Walks On Water, Stories, The Magi, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Young Girl Grows Up On A Cherry Orchard Just ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A young girl grows up on a cherry orchard just above Traverse City, Michigan. Her parents, a bit old-fashioned, tend to overreact to her nose ring, the music she listens to, and the length of her skirts. They ground her a few times, and she seethes inside. "I hate you" she screams at her father ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-2

Tags: Child, Wait, God's Provision

A Little Girl's Prayer  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Oct 15, 2001

A LITTLE GIRL’S PRAYER One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do she died, leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator (we had no electricity ...read more

Scripture: James 5:17, Hosea 6:2

Tags: Faith, Prayer General, Prayer Answered, Prayer

Denomination: Lutheran

911 Or You!" Obadiah 1: 1-14 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 15, 2004

“911 or You!” Obadiah 1: 1-14 Key verse(s): 10-11: “Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever. On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates you were like one of them.” We ...read more

Scripture: Obadiah 1:1-14

Tags: Poverty

Denomination: Lutheran

Don't Give Pain The Short Shrift!" Luke 13:10-17 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 9, 2005

“Don’t Give Pain the Short Shrift!” Luke 13:10-17 Key verse(s): 16:“‘Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?’.” Many things in this life get short shrift. Perhaps its the lot of the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:10-17, Luke 13:6-9

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Creation

Denomination: Lutheran

Relentless For Justice  PRO

Contributed by Bishop Johnathan Hester on Sep 22, 2009

Relentless for Justice IN the parable of the widow and the unjust judge, we meet an extraordinary woman who refuses to accept her fate. She voices opposition to injustice without relenting. As a result of her persistence, even the unjust judge is prompted to act. If even an unjust judge can be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8, Luke 18:7-8

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation

Denomination: Apostolic

Karole Shirley Demonstrates Compassion Of Christ ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 2, 2009

Karole Shirley Demonstrates Compassion of Christ for Welfare Recipients Who Want to Work Almighty God - Our Creator - is an expert at taking ordinary people and making them extraordinary individuals - all one has to do is accept His free Plan of Salvation - it’s just that simple! It is really nice ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Tags: Workplace Unemployment, Unemployment

Successful Businessman--Modern Day Rich ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2009

Successful Businessman--Modern Day Rich Fool John Ortberg tells the story of a successful businessman. He worked 14 hours a day, even on weekends. He thought the 40 hour work week was such a good idea he would often do it twice a week. His goal was to be the best businessman he could be. Even when ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:16-19

Tags: Parable Rich Fool

Erwin Mcmanus And His "John The Baptist"

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 28, 2011

ERWIN MCMANUS AND HIS "JOHN THE BAPTIST" As we begin today I would like to read a true account of an experience that pastor, speaker, and author, Erwin McManus had in the early years of his ministry. Listen to what he says... "I got a message through the urban grapevine that I was dead. It might ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:14-17

Tags: Evangelism How To

Grocery Store Meltdown

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Oct 4, 2015

Many times you’ll have no clue what to do. But you still have to pretend you are in control. Like when your three-year old melts down at the grocery store. What do you do? You are wearing a "WWJD" bracelet and still you have no valid answer. You’ve read a ton of parenting books and although many ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 4:6

Tags: Parenting, Fatherhood, Dads

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Not Because Me, But Because Of You Lord!

Contributed by Charlie Roberts on May 12, 2019

Not because me, but because of You! Illus. From Guideposts, “Miracles of Healing” There was a woman and her son Mark that went shopping in a large department store one day. On their way down to the main floor her son hopped on the escalator. She then followed. Suddenly her son Mark screamed like ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Mothers, Faith, Trust, Miracles

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroines-The Women Who Prepared Materials For The Tabernacle

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 1, 2022

Introduction: The Tabernacle. For the first time in history, the God of Heaven agreed to dwell in one location with His special people, Israel. Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the details of the construction, the listed steps and instructions, and other things but it’s important to remember: ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 35:20-29

Tags: Tabernacle, Offerings, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

Second Thoughts Can Be Dangerous To My Health

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 30, 2024

Many things in life can be rather dangerous. For me, the most dangerous things in my life are thoughts. I thought about this one day, and by the end of the day, I was in deep trouble. Thoughts have a way of doing that with me. My New Year’s resolution one year was to have one thought per day. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Obedience, Opinion, Thoughts

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Story Behind The Hymn "when Peace Like A River"

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 21, 2025

Story: The last but one time that I went to Israel , when we went to the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem our Guide pointed across Jersualem to some buildings and told us that is where Horatio Spafford used to live. Many on our trip didn’t know who Spafford was. Horatio Spafford, a well-known Chicago ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:24-34

Tags: Peace, Worry, River, Perspective, Horatio Spafford  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

[237 L] [12]. A Message From A Poem - Scenes From The Gospels - Part 12

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Dec 14, 2025

[237 L] [12]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - SCENES FROM THE GOSPELS - PART 12 THIS IS THE LAST ONE OF THESE CAMEO SCENES They are here to enjoy! Scenes from the Gospels are very special to me. I love them. They have taken a lot of effort, and many, many months revision to get them as correct as ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:1-4, Matthew 13:10-13, Matthew 14:15-21, Matthew 7:13-21, Mark 11:12-13, Mark 11:19-22, John 18:1-11, Matthew 14:22-33  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Roman Cohort, Whom Do You Seek, Peter Had A Sword, Broad Way, Fourth Watch Of The Night, Five Loaves Two Fishes, Five Thousand Men, Jesus Cursed The Fig Tree, Fig Tree Withered, Judas, Betrayal, Malchus, Narrow Gate, Little Faith, Walk On Water, Fear, Disciples  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[342]. A Message From A Poem - Who Is The Natural Man?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 29, 2026

[342]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WHO IS THE NATURAL MAN? The “natural man” is a term used by Paul in his letters. What does it mean? It refers to the state we were/are in from birth. It is man according to nature with no change in his spiritual condition. The natural man is one who is a sinner ...read more

Scripture: John 3:3, 2 Timothy 3:1, Romans 1:29-31, Matthew 15:18-19, Galatians 5:19-21, Galatians 5:16-17  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Nature, Natural Man, Spiritual Man, The Flesh, Christian Poems, Born In Sin, Gone Astray, The Battle With The Flesh, The Fleshly Christian  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Temperance Reformation

Contributed by David Johnston on Sep 24, 2006

The Temperance Reformation This story took place in the years when social drinking was a common thing even among many of the churches. However, many men of God were beginning to speak out against drinking and taking a stand against it from their pulpits. One Sunday, the pastor, who was a ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Gold Watch- Lucille Wales' Husband Henry ...

Contributed by Lloyd Ludwick on Jan 15, 2007

The Gold Watch- Lucille Wales’ husband Henry retired from his job as a mechanic at the local Ford dealership he was given a gold watch inscribed with his name. Henry was so proud it became his greatest treasure. "Now I have something special I can leave to our son" he would tell his wife. But the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Am With You, No Matter What: The Story Of Salty

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Oct 20, 2013

I Am With You, No Matter What: The Story of Salty Those people believed the truth about Jesus, and they received Him as their Lord and Savior. But we see more here in Acts 17:4. We see a commitment of their lives. Verse 4 tells us that these new Christians "joined Paul and Silas." The KJV says ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:1-6, Matthew 28:18-20, Hebrews 13:5-6

Tags: Commitment, Faithfulness, Faithfulness Of God

Denomination: Baptist

From One Turkey To Another

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 23, 2019

As a child, my favorite holiday was Christmas, second only to my birthday. These holidays were important because of the gifts I received. Oh, did I look forward to those holidays and all the presents I was going to delight in. And delight, I certainly did to the extreme. Then slowly things ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:10

Tags: Thanksgiving, Hoiliday

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance