In Sermon Illustrations: "Gems"

One Night, A Group Of Thieves Broke Into A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One night, a group of thieves broke into a jewelry store. But rather than stealing anything, they simply switched all the price tags. The next day no one could tell what was valuable and what was cheap. The expensive jewels had suddenly become cheap, and the costume jewelry, which had been ...read more

Tags: Jesus' Ministry

According To James Hamilton, There Are Two Kinds ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

According to James Hamilton, there are two kinds of Bible readers—those who skim the surface and those who dig deep. He describes them by comparing them to two common insects. He writes, “One is remarkable for its imposing plumage, which shows in the sunbeams like the dust of gems; as you watch ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Haddon Robinson Tells The Story Of Young Chinese ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Aug 3, 2007

Haddon Robinson tells the story of young Chinese boy who wanted to learn all about jade. He went to an old teacher who specialized in the beautiful gem and asked him to teach him. The old man agreed. In lesson 1 the old man placed a piece of the precious stone into the young man’s hand and told him ...read more

Denomination: Christian Church

Silence: Taking Your Soul With You  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

SILENCE: TAKING YOUR SOUL WITH YOU 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, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:10

Tags: Maturity, Disciplines Silence

According To James Hamilton, There Are Two Kinds ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2006

According to James Hamilton, there are two kinds of Bible readers--those who skim the surface and those who dig deep. He describes them by comparing them to two common insects. He writes, "One is remarkable for its imposing plumage, which shows in the sunbeams like the dust of gems; as you watch ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

A Despondent Woman Was Walking Along The Beach ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A despondent woman was walking along the beach when she saw a bottle on the sand. She picked it up and pulled out the cork. Whoosh A big puff of smoke appeared. "You have released me from my prison," the genie told her. "To show my thanks, I grant you three wishes. But take care, for with each ...read more

Tags: Peace

Lines To A Skeleton…  PRO

Contributed by Larry Daugherty on Aug 7, 2001

LINES TO A SKELETON... The mss. of this poem was found in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, London, near a perfect human skeleton. It was first published around the early 1900’s It Has a Profound Message!!! Behold this ruin! ’Twas a skull, Once of ethereal spirit filled. This narrow ...read more

Tags: Death Nearness, Death

Denomination: Holiness

Lack Wisdom?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Mar 29, 2025

I am told there was a happy old man. People came from far and wide to sit at this man’s feet and learn. One day a young man asked him: HOW DID YOU GET SUCH WISDOM? It was evening. The old man said: Saddle up the fastest horse and ride as fast as possible. Go due east until you come to a big river. ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5

Tags: Wisdom, Study, Opportunity

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Tear Down The Castle To Build The Wall

Contributed by Bob Joyce on Dec 28, 2010

TEAR DOWN THE CASTLE TO BUILD THE WALL The story is told that years ago in Ireland a certain castle was one of the architectural gems of the Emerald Isles. It was called Castle Wray. The structure fell into disrepair and finally was uninhabited. As often happens, peasants from nearby began to ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Baptist

The Value Of A Pearl  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 4, 2004

THE VALUE OF A PEARL Pearls were perceived in the first century in much the same way we view diamonds today. They were the most valuable gem in the world at that time. If you owned a pearl, you owned a fortune. And there was a good reason for it. Pearl hunting involved immense danger. The fine ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:45-46, Matthew 13:44-46

Tags: Parable General, Kingdom Of God

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

Becky Pippert Tells A Wonderful Story, An Old ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Aug 28, 2004

Becky Pippert tells a wonderful story, an old legend really or three trees that make this very clear for me. “There were once 3 ambitious trees on a mountain who were small and were talking about what they wanted to be when they grew up. The 1st tree said, "When I look at the stars and see them ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will, Knowing God's Will

Denomination: Christian Church

The Late Erma Bombeck In Her Book, "If Life ...

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Nov 28, 2006

ILL. The late Erma Bombeck in her book, "If Life is a bowl of Cherries, Why Am I Always in the Pits?", recalled the legend of a church where the chimes rang miraculously whenever someone gave a generous gift. But the chimes hadn’t rung for a long time, even though kings & potentates had come ...read more

Tags: Antichrist

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Tin—untold Riches

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 7, 2009

THE TIN--UNTOLD RICHES In the late nineteenth Century in South Africa, an old man was digging for gold in a river bed. He had been at it for many years. Every now and then he found a little bit of gold, not enough to make him rich – but just enough to maintain his interest. The part of river in ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:2-3

Tags: Christmas

[202]. A Message From A Poem – Pictures From A Counting Song – (Part 2)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 16, 2025

[202]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – PICTURES FROM A COUNTING SONG – (PART 2) THIS SECOND PART OF THE POEM IS PART 2. IT CONTINUES FROM THE PREVIOUS POST. “ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE” OR “1, 2, BUCKLE MY SHOE” is a counting song dating back to late 18th century in the USA. It was heard for the first ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15

Tags: Counting Song, Song For Children, Wrentham Massachusetts, Songs For The Nursery, Christian Application, Nursery Rhyme, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[207]. A Message From A Poem – Our Behaviour Is Not Of The World

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 21, 2025

[207]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – OUR BEHAVIOUR IS NOT OF THE WORLD If I am a fool I will act like a fool. If I care for no one, you will probably find me at parties drinking and smoking pot. You see our behaviour flows from what we are inside. James had something to say about this – {{James ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:10, Romans 12:2, Acts 4:13, James 3:11-12

Tags: Christian Poems, Grandstanding, Ambition, Definitions, Worldly Standards, Good Soldiers, The World System, Conformed To The World, Behavior, Jesus, Truth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[175]. A Message From A Poem – Bema – The Judgement Seat Of Christ

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 22, 2025

[175]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BEMA – THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST What do Christians think of the judgement that is coming for Christians that is outlined in these very telling verses? – {{1 Corinthians 3:11-15 “for no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 1 John 2:28, Revelation 4:10-11, Matthew 10:42, Revelation 22:12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Reward, Cup Of Cold Water, Bema, Judgment Seat Of Christ, Judged, Judgment, Shame, Penalty, Judge, Rewards, Ashamed, Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Is Your Value?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 17, 2020

Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? A boy asked a wise man: WHAT ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:29, Matthew 16:25

Tags: Value, Mirror

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Lazy -Apathy Cost

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 22, 2022

STORY: ONE EVENING THERE WAS AN OLD WISE MAN SITTING ON HIS PORCH WHEN A YOUNG MAN APPROACHED HIM. The young man said: HOW I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOUR WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING AND RICHES. The sun was setting. The old man said saddle that horse. The young man saddled the horse. The old man gave him two ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:17-19

Tags: Unfaithfulness, No Passion

Denomination: Assembly Of God

[103]. A Message From A Poem – God Speaks Through Colours

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 10, 2025

[103]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GOD SPEAKS THROUGH COLOURS I found this a difficult poem to write. I had the desire to write a poem on colours and thought about some of the prominent colours in the bible. Then I tried to fashion the application of them to biblical objects and concepts. I hope ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 21:18-21, Exodus 26:36

Tags: Scarlet, New Jerusalem, White, Blue, Colors, Purple  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational