In Sermon Illustrations: "Gospel Songs"

Christina Recently Gave Birth To Our First ...

Contributed by Chris Surber on Jun 17, 2010

Christina recently gave birth to our first daughter. After three sons I am very pleased to have a little girl. Recently I was speaking to the academic dean of the seminary where I am pursuing doctoral studies. The school had asked for individual and family photos of students like me who are ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Denomination: Christian Church

Speaking The Same Language

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jun 10, 2011

SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE Back in 1991, I went on a mission trip to the former Soviet Union. Twenty-or-so of us arrived on a snowy November day in Samara, a city of more than a million people located on the Volga River. We were there for about ten days, and our mission was to help start a ...read more

Tags: Preaching

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Howard Hughes Vs. Jim Elliot

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

HOWARD HUGHES VS. JIM ELLIOT Howard Hughes' last years were spent in isolation, hidden on the top floor of the Xanadu Hotel in the Bahamas. One biographer wrote about Hughes' appearance before he died: "He was emaciated, practically skeletal, with only 120 pounds stretched over his six-foot, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24-28

Tags: Discipleship

Euodia And Syntyche - Conflict At Philippi

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 24, 2016

EUODIA AND SYNTYCHE We can’t help wondering what caused disharmony between two women in the church at Philippi, but we will not find the answer--only that Paul urged these women to live in harmony. That’s all we know. Yet until the Lord shall return, Bible-readers everywhere will know there was ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:2-3

Tags: Disagreement, Agree, Argument, Conflict

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Thomas Didymas - The Twin

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Jul 17, 2017

THOMAS DIDYMUS The Twin “Doubting Thomas” - was a more unfair moniker ever pinned on a person? For by taking into account the full account of his first encounter with the risen Christ, Thomas may just as rightly be styled as “Believing Thomas.” For reasons we cannot presume to know, the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:7, John 20:24-29

Tags: Doubt, Criticism, Thomas, Doubting

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Great Quotes By Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 16, 2020

While Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave many memorable quotations about freedom, civil rights, humankind and other critical issues, as a Christian pastor, some of his most notable quotes were on matters of faith. 1. “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” ...read more

Scripture: Amos 4:4, Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Justice, Civil Rights, Equality, Martin Luther King

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Knock, Knock... Who's ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Knock, Knock... Who’s There? An excuse often given by those who refuse to receive the gospel of Christ is, “Later, I am not ready yet.” Nevertheless, Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with Me” ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Evidences Of ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Evidences of Salvation Repentance The truths relating to man’s acceptance of God’s great salvation are reflected through repentance, faith and obedience. The apostle Paul’s prayer for the church in Colosse was, “…That [they] live a life ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:10

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Father's Legacy  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A Father's Legacy Jim Berg wrote about the state of the family: "The family, which should be the greatest refuge for the child, has become a domestic battlefield where a child is often caught in the crossfire of his parents' warfare. The time and energy that should be spent giving him the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:17-18

Tags: Father's Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Selecting A Christmas Gift

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Selecting a Christmas Gift It is that time of the year when people really start to get serious about selecting Christmas gifts. When purchasing Christmas gifts one must first remember what is being celebrated. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Goal And Person Of Change

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

The Goal and Person Of Change Many find themselves overcome by sins that have brought heartache, turmoil and even isolation. These sinful bondages are playing havoc across all social and economic layers of our nation’s families. Therapists, physicians, scientists and sadly, even some Christian ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:21-23, Mark 6:1-13

Tags: Life, Sanctification

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Longsuffering  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Longsuffering Galatians 5:22 tells us that longsuffering is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for longsuffering means, "patience, forbearing, perseverance, being constant, steadfast, and enduring." The practical application of this fruit is that God's Holy Spirit gives obedient ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22

Tags: Longsuffering, Fruit Of The Spirit

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Too Many Hypocrites

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

TOO MANY HYPOCRITES One of the most common excuses given for someone not surrendering to the Gospel of Christ is found in this statement, "There are too many hypocrites in the church." Many persons who are seen by outsiders to be "hypocrites" may be true, yet immature, Christians. Christians ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:25

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blessed Are The Merciful

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are The Merciful In the Sermon on the Mount, we notice that Jesus' subject was not on how people are to be saved, but on the fruit of those who allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives. One of the signs or evidences that a person has been converted is that he is now merciful. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[083]. A Message From A Poem – For Men - The Three Cs

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 21, 2025

[083]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FOR MEN - THE THREE Cs There are 9 poems in this series. This poem is part of a Trilogy - three sets of three. The first set is addressed to MEN, the second to ALL CHRISTIANS and the third is SPECIFIC. This is the second one in the first set - FOR MEN. ALL ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:37, Romans 13:11-12, 2 Peter 1:13, Romans 12:1

Tags: The Flesh, Be Awake, The Old Nature, Compromise, Carnality, Complacency, Poetry, Poem, Take A Stand  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[164]. A Message From A Poem – Just Being In Christ Is Everything

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 15, 2025

[164]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JUST BEING IN CHRIST IS EVERYTHING YES! YES! YES! Christ is everything. How this world is empty without the Lord at the centre. If God did not care for us and took steps to save us, we would be meaningless people on a meaningless ball spinning in space in a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:30, Romans 8:1, Romans 6:11

Tags: Salvation, In Christ, Christian Poems, Turn To Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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 Bully And The Boy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The Bully and the Boy Bavaria. 1934. It was the wrong time and the wrong place to be a Jew. And Heinz was a Jew. The little Bavarian village of Fürth was already overrun with Hitler’s young thugs. To be a Jew…of any age…was to be a target. And Heinz was only eleven. It was the first minute of a ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

[155]. A Message From A Poem – Jesus Elevated In The Midst

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 6, 2025

[155]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JESUS ELEVATED IN THE MIDST Not I, but Christ. That is how it ought to be. That is the emphasis we need to have in our living and ministry. I am nothing without my Lord. If I think I am something I am deluded. If I think the ability is mine I am a disgrace. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:15, Matthew 21:9, Galatians 6:3

Tags: Lifted Up, Christian Poems, Jesus Elevated, Ride On A Donkey, Hosanna, Palm Sunday, Worthy Is The Lamb, Jesus In The Midst  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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