In Sermon Illustrations: "Friendship General"

I'd Like To Begin By Telling You A Little Story ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Mar 28, 2001

I’d like to begin by telling you a little story about something that happened to me this week. I took the minivan in for an oil change at the Chrysler dealer. I was sitting in the waiting room, which was empty except for me and one other man. I was a little bored, so I struck up a conversation. And ...read more

Tags: Lincoln, Humor, Discipleship, Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

Al Was My Father-In-Law. He Was An Uncomplicated ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 29, 2001

Al was my father-in-law. He was an uncomplicated man, easy to like. He was a natural athlete and avid outdoorsman who love to hunt and fish. … Al was the kind of man who didn’t mind what might get said about his wife or daughter, but he never tolerated an insult to his dog. Al’s ragged edge ...read more

Tags: Light

A Letter To Santa  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 21, 2002

A LETTER TO SANTA: Dear Santa Claus: You’ll probably be surprised to receive this letter from an adult. You may be even more surprised as you read it to find that the writer is neither a maiden aunt nor a disgruntled bachelor. I’m a young mother. It isn’t my intention, Santa, to hurt your ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Denomination: Pentecostal

Rach And I Have A Friend Who Is A Source Of Grief ...  PRO

Contributed by Christopher Lanham on Feb 17, 2005

Rach and I have a friend who is a source of grief for us. It is not that he has done anything to us – he is quite dear to us actually. Rather it is what he has done to himself, what he has chosen to believe. About ten years ago, this friend began absenting himself from church. He was getting ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Death Is Certain But The Bible Speaks About ...

Contributed by Tony Abram on Aug 20, 2009

Death is certain but the Bible speaks about untimely death! It is written in the Bible (Galatians 6:7): ’Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sow, that shall he also reap Here are some men and women who mocked God : John Lennon (Singer): Some years before, during his ...read more

Tags: Death

Doug Nichols Served With Operation Mobilisation ...

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Nov 18, 2009

Doug Nichols served with Operation Mobilisation in India 1966-1968. In 1967, Doug Nochols was serving as a missionary in India. While he was just starting to study the language he contracted tuberculosis and was eventually sent to a sanatorium to recuperate. It was not a very good place to be. ...read more

Tags: Action

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Fear And The Deceits Of The Heart  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2010

FEAR AND THE DECEITS OF THE HEART I think Edward Welch chose brilliantly the title for his book on overcoming the fear of man: When People are Big and God is Small. Maybe you can relate to his personal awakening to this problem when he was a high-school senior: "I had always been shy and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 51:11-13, Isaiah 51:12-16

Tags: Ransom, Fear And Worry

The Story Behind The Establishment Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Dec 11, 2011

The story behind the establishment of the original Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. Story time, folks! But this is no run of the mill, bed time story to lull you to sleep, instead it is a true account guaranteed to stir one’s soul. You may have heard it before, however it always brings a tear to ...read more

Tags: Stewardship

Denomination: *other

A Brief History Of The Jewish People And Israel.

Contributed by Gordon Mcculloch on Jul 22, 2018

1. Introduction Ephesians 2 verse 19, it says … “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints, and also members of the household of God”. There is a lot in that verse … but I will start by focusing on the phrase, “members of the household of God” … so ...read more

Tags: The Jews, The History Of The Jews, The History Of Israel

Denomination: Episcopal

Cross Bearing  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Cross Bearing "The Christian's Passion" There is a powerful question that is too often avoided by preachers and church attendees alike, "Who took the rough edges off the Cross?" Modern day Christianity and the world have generally turned the cross into a nice piece of harmless jewelry, all shiny ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Easter Good Friday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Wise Heart ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A Wise Heart Cry James, the half brother of Jesus, gives the Christian a powerful truth, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). The Body of Christ is called to make disciples and this calling is ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Something's Happening...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 20, 2008

Something's Happening... This last week I began reading a book by James Rutz. James wrote this book to make the Christian church aware that God is moving all across the world. His observations are a wakeup call to the American Christian and churches in America. Listen to some of his ...read more

Tags: Culture

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

On Prayer--Part ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

ON PRAYER--PART 2 Samuel Pepys was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament in the seventeenth century, who is now most famous for his diary. "Prayer is not a lazy substitute for work. It is not a shortcut to skill or knowledge. And sometimes God delays the answer to our prayer in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-15

Tags: Prayer How To

Ben Hooper

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 19, 2024

In Rising Above the Crowd, Brian Habour tells the story of Ben Hooper. When Ben was born in the foothills of East Tennessee, little boys and girls like Ben who were born to unwed mothers were ostracized and treated terribly. By the time he was three years old, the other children would scarcely play ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9

Tags: Christian, Encouragement

Smart Phone Theology

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Oct 29, 2024

Smart phones are really smart. Even smarter than I know. I use my phone for so much more than calling and texting but it’s not uncommon for me to learn new features and abilities my phone has that I previously had never known. Over the years I’ve learned that my phone is a compass, can take video ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13, 1 Corinthians 10:13

Tags: Service, Holy Spirit, Power, Temptation, Gifts, Giftedness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[139]. A Message From A Poem – If Your Life Belongs To Jesus

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 22, 2025

[139]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IF YOUR LIFE BELONGS TO JESUS In June 2020 I found a poem of mine that I began some time in the past and had forgotten about. It was unfinished for 9 years. I then checked the date and it said 29 May 2011. It was in June 2020 that I wanted to finish it. The ...read more

Scripture: John 16:33, John 1:10, Philippians 2:14-16

Tags: Do Not Fear, Stand For Jesus, Christian Poems, Belong To Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[185]. Poem Message – Mouths That Sham Rejoicing

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 4, 2025

[185]. POEM MESSAGE – MOUTHS THAT SHAM REJOICING When I was young we generally could trust what people said to us. There was a great deal of honesty back then (1950s) but that has evaporated. People tell us barefaced lies and that is now the way of the world. That makes the Christian life ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:8-9, Jeremiah 7:9-10

Tags: Rejoice, Lies, Dishonesty, Pretend, Pretence, No Commitment, Worship, Praise, False, Sing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[231]. A Message From A Poem - Reflections In Older Life

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 18, 2025

[231]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - REFLECTIONS IN OLDER LIFE This poem was completed in 2020 when I was 77 years old. I don’t think I am unique in any way. I believe as people get older and know that most of their life has already gone, there comes a time for reflection on one’s life. That is what ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:31, Psalm 71:17-18, Isaiah 46:4

Tags: Grey Head, Old, Old Age, The Shepherd, Reflections, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[234]. A Message From A Poem - Rigid Trees Are Our Example

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 24, 2025

[234]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - RIGID TREES ARE OUR EXAMPLE Trees are a wonderful aspect of God’s creation and they are the mightiest organic structures on earth, discounting the great coral reefs. This poem is not about trees in general, but specific trees. Those are the ones that are often ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5, Psalm 1:3

Tags: Christian Poems, Melaleuca Trees, Paperbarks, Rigid Trees, Gales, Strong Tree Trunks, Character, Wind, Stand Strong, Trees, Deep Roots  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[226]. A Message From A Poem - Quantum Leaps

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 11, 2025

[226]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - QUANTUM LEAPS This poem is in 4 sections though all are related. It deals with the progression of wickedness in the world, but that progress has been very rapid. Those who are older, and in a reflective mood, will recall how things were in the 1950s and 60s when ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9, 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, 2 Timothy 3:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 1:10

Tags: Change, Antichrist, Wickedness, The Last Days, A New Creature, The World Gets Worse, Rapid, Christian Poems, Quantum Leaps  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational