In Sermon Illustrations: "Great Expectations"

Saint Francis Xavier

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Feb 20, 2024

Saint Francis Xavier: An Example of Indian Missionary Enthusiasm and Cultural Fusion In India, the 16th century Catholic saint Francis Xavier is revered as a symbol of missionary zeal and cross-cultural harmony. One of the earliest Jesuit missionaries, Xavier was born in Spain in 1506, and he and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Tags: Missionary, Mission

Denomination: Other

Stirring Up A Mess!

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 21, 2024

HOW EASY IS IT TO STIR UP A MESS? THERE IS A HIDDEN AGENDA AND MOTIVE WITHIN. There was a cowboy who road into town to visit a saloon on the edge of town. The cowboy tied his horse to the hitching post in front of the bar. He then went inside to drink. The devil came by and saw the cowboy ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:18, Jeremiah 17:9-10

Tags: Anger, Hidden Agenda

Denomination: Assembly Of God

[017] A Message From A Poem - Altogether Lovely One

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 21, 2024

[017] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ALTOGETHER LOVELY ONE There are times when we feel our hearts going out in worship to our Lord. What is the difference between praise and worship? This is not a sermon so I won’t be answering that question here, but I hope you think on it and that it might warm ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:11, Isaiah 53:3-4, Psalm 150:1-3

Tags: Worship, Praise, Gold, Magi, Sorrow, Frankincense, Myrrh, Lovely One  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[020] A Message From A Poem - Arrogance Without Truth

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 26, 2024

[020] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ARROGANCE WITHOUT TRUTH Those of us who are older know very well the great change that has come over our societies from what we lived under in the 1950s to the 1990s at which point it all started to decline. The decline is rapid now as we see lawlessness, riots, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 2:17-18, 2 Timothy 3:1-2

Tags: Truth, Arrogance, The Me Generation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[050]. A Message From A Poem – Come Aside And Rest Awhile

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 7, 2025

[050]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – COME ASIDE AND REST AWHILE Burnout is just as real among some Christian workers as it is in the working world. Those who are faithful and go the extra mile in service for their Lord can feel the strain and stress of ministry. Don’t forget either, that the evil ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:30-32, Mark 6:33-34, Mark 6:43-46

Tags: Burnout, Retreat, Rest, Come Aside

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[099]. A Message From A Poem – Glorious Truths From Romans

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 7, 2025

[099]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GLORIOUS TRUTHS FROM ROMANS Romans is the most doctrinal book in the Bible so it would be impossible to cover all the points in a poem. I am currently working through Romans in a commentary – ...read more

Scripture: Romans 4:25, Romans 5:15, Romans 3:24, Romans 5:11, Romans 5:18, Romans 4:5, Romans 5:16  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Grace, Romans, Law, Reconciliation, Redemption, Justification, Righteousness, Doctrine, Condemnation, Poem, Transgression, Christian Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[137]. A Message From A Poem – If There Is Despair Such As In Virus Times

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 18, 2025

[137]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IF THERE IS DESPAIR SUCH AS IN VIRUS TIMES This poem was written in the middle of the COVID virus, that terrible scourge from China. Depending on where you lived in the world, you suffered repression from governments, some not too bad, but others were draconian. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 6:7-8, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Rider On The Fourth Horse, Pestilence, Repression, The Pale Horse, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Covid Virus, Difficult, Hard, Hard Times, Virus, Difficult Times  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[138]. A Message From A Poem – If You Live In Sin You Will Never Win

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 19, 2025

[138]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IF YOU LIVE IN SIN YOU WILL NEVER WIN There is nothing truer than the title of this poem. Those who live in sin and claim it as their own will never win in the end. Asaph who wrote Psalm 73 had a problem when he observed people. The godless were always ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 73:2-5, Psalm 73:9, Psalm 73:13-14, Psalm 73:16-17, Psalm 73:27-28  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Judgment, Accountability, Asaph, Sinners, Live In Sin, Sin, Obedience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[216]. A Message From A Poem - Place The Lord Always In Your Focus

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 3, 2025

[216]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - PLACE THE LORD ALWAYS IN YOUR FOCUS Placing the Lord always in your focus means having Him as THE priority in your life. So often we ask Jesus to share our priorities but it must not be like that. We have many priorities over our lifetimes. Sometimes work must ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20, Matthew 22:37, Matthew 6:33

Tags: Priority, Christian Poems, Jesus Is Number 1, Priorities, Focus, First  (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

[236]. A Message From A Poem - Romans 5 Exploration

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 30, 2025

[236]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ROMANS 5 EXPLORATION The book of Romans is considered to be The Gospel According to Paul, and is the most theological book in the New Testament. Chapter 5 is one some find difficult in the arguments the Holy Spirit makes through the Apostle. I based my poem on ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8, Romans 5:9, Romans 5:17, Romans 5:19

Tags: Transgression, Justified, Gift Of Righteousness, Second Man Adam, Christian Poems, Death, Life, Reconciliation, Redemption, Adam  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[248]. A Message From A Poem – Starlight Is Always There

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 2, 2026

[248]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – STARLIGHT IS ALWAYS THERE This is a short poem, one just came straightaway to me. I could expand it more but I decided I will not do that. Although the poem was written in 2020, the original thought for this came to me one evening when I was walking home. Here ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:18, 2 John 1:12

Tags: Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Unveiled Face, Obscured, Love, Barriers, Stars, Shining, Starlight  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Rich Family In Church  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Jan 29, 2006

The Rich Family in Church by Eddie Ogan I’ll never forget Easter 1946. I was 14, my little sister Ocy was 12 and my older sister Darlene was 16. We lived at home with our mother, and the four of us knew what it was to do without many things. My dad had died five years before, leaving Mom with ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Tags: Giving, Giving General, Sacrifice, Tithe

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

You’re Probably Familiar With The Book ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on May 9, 2001

You’re probably familiar with the book "Moby Dick". Even if you’ve never read it, you know the story: Captain Ahab goes in search of a great while whale, and is finally killed when the whale attacks and destroys his ship. But you probably didn’t know that this scene in Herman Melville’s novel was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-20, Matthew 5:21-37, Matthew 5:38, Matthew 5:6, Matthew 22:15-22, Ezekiel 37:12-14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: God's Omniscience, Holy Spirit In Believers, Knowing God's Will, Jehoshaphat

Denomination: Baptist

Even Back Then I Was Searching For Hard Evidence ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 14, 2001

Even back then I was searching for hard evidence of God as an alternative to faith. And one day found it-on television, of all places. While randomly flipping a dial, I came across a mass healing service being conducted by Kathryn Kuhlman. I watched for a few minutes as she brought various people ...read more

Object Lesson  PRO

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Oct 25, 2001

Object Lesson Supplies Needed: One large pumpkin with the facial features cut out. When you cut out the features save them because you will need them during this object lesson. You will also need to save some of the slime and seeds from the inside. You will also need a candle. Lesson: Could I ...read more

Tags: Repentance, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Baptist

A Preacher Once Wrote About An Incident In His ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 19, 2002

A preacher once wrote about an incident in his life: “I’d received a notice from my 13 year old son’s school announcing a meeting to preview the new course in sexuality. Parents could examine the curriculum and take part in an actual lesson presented exactly as it would be given to the students. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3

Tags: Marriage Faithfulness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Gospel Perspective On Thanks  PRO

Contributed by Rex S. Wignall on Nov 28, 2002

The Gospel Perspective on Thanks Because of the great sacrifice Jesus made for each of us on the cross, Christians should have an additional, very personal perspective on thanks. Max Lucado shares this moving story of sacrifice to remind us what Jesus has done in giving His life for us: It’s ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: United Methodist

Teach The Children  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 10, 2002

TEACH THE CHILDREN Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened... I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Christmas Eve

From Chicago To Memphis  PRO

Contributed by Ray Pritchard on Aug 28, 2003

From Chicago to Memphis That’s always how it is in the life of faith. Many times you will be called to step out for God and you will be precisely where Abraham was—believing God but not knowing what the future holds. When I think of that principle, my mind goes back to a conversation I had ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-40

Tags: Examples Of Faith, Faith General

Denomination: Independent/Bible