In Sermon Illustrations: "Funeral Poems"

A Mouse Story

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A Mouse Story. A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. "There is a mousetrap in ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Steven Curtis Chapman Talks About His Tragedy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN TALKS ABOUT HIS TRAGEDY Two months after the tragic accident that claimed the life of his five-year-old daughter Maria Sue, Steven Curtis Chapman appeared with his wife and three oldest children on CNN’s "Larry King Live" Aug. 7 to testify to the solid hope believers have in ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Tags: Comfort

The Other 19 Percent

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 9, 2009

THE OTHER 19 PERCENT Even if they’re unsure of it, most people want to believe in Heaven, and most people have some concept of it. TIME took a poll 10 years ago, and 81% of the people they surveyed said they believed in the existence of Heaven, where people lived forever with God after they ...read more

Scripture: John 12:37-50

Tags: Atheism

The Bigger Miracle

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 30, 2010

THE BIGGER MIRACLE Pastor Steve Yeschek lost his sister, Judy, after a five-year battle with cancer. She was a woman who, as Steve described her, was a party animal—-a big drinker with a self-contented lifestyle. She was someone everybody loved, because she exuded excitement and a thrill for life. ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

It Is Safe To Die In Jesus

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2010

IT IS SAFE TO DIE IN JESUS Max Lucado in his book Fearless, says, "There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you." We Westerners might miss the wedding images, but you can bet your sweet chuppah that Jesus' listener's didn't. This was a groom-to-bride ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:5-6

Tags: Death

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Death Of Common Sense

Contributed by Garris Hudson on May 19, 2016

THE DEATH OF COMMON SENSE Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 1:1-7

Tags: Proverbs, Wisdom, America, Common Sense

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Long Ride Home

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 19, 2020

(Note: I used this illustration as part of a funeral message in January 2017) Back when I was 11 years of age, I really discovered pro baseball! We lived about four hours away from Cincinnati, Ohio, at the time—which was no problem for me! Well, I must have really pestered Dad because he ...read more

Tags: Lazarus, Death Of Believers, Fathers And Sons, Assurance

Denomination: Baptist

What A Friend We Have In Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Jun 24, 2008

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS Only the Lord and the man in question really know what burdens of sorrow and affliction were heaped upon the writer of this great hymn. One thing we do know, however, is that this beautiful and blessed hymn would never have been penned if the author had not known ...read more

Scripture: John 15:15

Tags: Music

The Story Of Just As I Am

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 17, 2019

On September 22, in 1871, an elderly British lady, 82 years young, was ushered into her heavenly reward. Earlier in her life, in 1835, her frustration at being an invalid left her feeling useless and questioning her very salvation. What she did next would echo through history. As a young woman, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Excuses, Surrender, Rewards, Just As I Am, Hymns  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Maya Angelou, A Great Contemporary American Poet, ...

Contributed by James Westmoreland on Aug 27, 2005

Maya Angelou, a great contemporary American poet, writes about how she dealt with slavery and prejudice in her moving poem entitled, "Still I Rise." Her words could well have been written by Joseph, who had been made a slave in Egypt. Can we face our own difficulties with this kind of confidence ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Disciples Of Christ

In 1902, And Eventually Received The Title "Poet ...

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Sep 27, 2006

in 1902, and eventually received the title “Poet Laureate of Michigan.” His poem “Sermons We See,” drives home the urgency of being a good, Christlike role model for others to follow: I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day; I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way. ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Why Was Hitler So Successful? Because The Church ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Oct 23, 2006

Why was Hitler so successful? Because the church rolled over and let him. Germany had been beaten to the ground and humiliated after World War I. The Treaty of Versailles put such demands on Germany that it looked like it would never dig itself out. Its economy took a nosedive, and the ruling ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Children On Silence  PRO

Contributed by Carl Greene on Feb 16, 2009

CHILDREN ON SILENCE Author Kathleen Norris used to play a game with elementary-school children in which she would make a deal with them. "First you get to make noise," she would bargain, "and then you’ll make silence." The time of noise was always predictably chaotic -- shouting, pounding and ...read more

Tags: Disciplines Silence

Denomination: Methodist

Take Time To By Holy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

TAKE TIME TO BY HOLY Let me begin with what little I could glean concerning this hymn and its author: For many years, the only information known about this gospel song was what Ira D. Sankey wrote in his autobiography. Sankey (1840-1908) was the well-known gospel singer and hymn writer who ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:16

Tags: Holiness

Lament Psalms C/O Https://Liturgy.co.nz/Lament

Contributed by Steven W. Satterfield on Mar 16, 2026

Community 12, 44, 58, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 85, 89*, 90, 94, 123, 126, 129 Individual 3, 4, 5, 7, 9-10, 13, 14, 17, 22, 25, 26, 27*, 28, 31, 36*, 39, 40:12-17, 41, 42-43, 52*, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 64, 70, 71, 77, 86, 89*, 120, 139, 141, 142 Specialized Lament Psalms Penitential 6, 38, ...read more

Tags: Lament, Sorrow

Denomination: Vineyard

I Wish I Had Torn It To Pieces  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

“I WISH I HAD TORN IT TO PIECES” On December 26, 2002, Jack Whittaker’s life changed forever Jack had grown up in West Virginia and he knew that it was like to be poor. At the age of 55 all of that had changed. It had changed with a lot of hard work and perseverance. He had managed to scrape ...read more

Tags: Parable Prodigal Son

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

Danny Was Born With No Ears. He Could Hear All ...  PRO

Contributed by Nate Barbour on Oct 17, 2003

Danny was born with no ears. He could hear all right, but he didn’t have ears like normal people. All his life, Danny endured ridicule and rejection because of his deformity. But he learned to live with it. Thankfully, he had loving parents and a strong family to sustain him. When Danny was in high ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Remember

Contributed by Daniel Devilder on Oct 19, 2006

“remember” Because of what Christ has done for me, and as his disciple, God’s own child, I am to let the peace of Christ RULE in my heart. I was CALLED to PEACE. YOU were CALLED to PEACE. And we find that in Pennsylvania, these people, that many in the world would describe at best ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

One Day, A Long Time Ago South Africa, An Old ...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Dec 1, 2006

"One day, a long time ago South Africa, an old man was kneeling, digging in a river bed. He was a gold prospector, and had been for many years. Every now and then he had found a little bit of gold, not enough to make him rich - just enough to provide him with food and drink for a week or two and to ...read more

Denomination: Anglican