In Sermon Illustrations: "Growing Old"

Forgiveness - Emanuel Ame Church And Renee Napier Stories

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Aug 19, 2018

Christians of all people should lead the way in forgiveness. And some do. On June 17, 2015, Dylann Roof entered a Bible study group at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Even though he was white, he received a warm welcome from the all-black congregation. When the group closed ...read more

Tags: Moving Forward, Anger, Second Chance, Releasing To God, Forgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

A Lesson From A Damaged Lock

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 20, 2019

Moving from one place to another is always a challenge, no matter how many times you’ve gone through this “process”! My wife and I recently made a move and learned a strange, but interesting lesson—one that was valuable for us, too. As sometimes happens, there is too much stuff and not enough ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-20

Tags: Possessions, Worldly Goods, Theft

Denomination: Baptist

We Are Not A Political Kingdom

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 15, 2020

Various groups of people expected the Messiah to come, but they did not anticipate His coming humbly and meekly. Yet those were the very attitudes that Jesus, the one whom John the Baptist had announced as the Messiah, was both teaching and practicing. The idea of a meek Messiah leading meek people ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Humility, Prayer, Politics, Meekness, Righteousness, Beatitudes, Government, Brokenness, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Weeping Over Others

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 15, 2020

Do you weep for your family, friends, church, nation and world? 1) Jesus did- Jesus wept over the sins of others, over their bitter consequences in judgment and death, and over Jerusalem which would not receive him. Jesus was a Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53). Why? Because he took our sins upon ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Intercession, Beatitudes, Lost, Weeping, Mourning, Evangelism, Prayer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hold That Thought!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 23, 2020

One church where I served as pastor has a ping-pong table in the fellowship hall, and sometimes a younger member or two asked me to join them in a game. Now, I was old enough to be their grandfather but that doesn’t stop them from asking! I did appreciate the fact that these youngsters, aged around ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:8

Tags: Children, Thoughts, Fun And Games

Denomination: Baptist

Thanksgiving Turkey

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Jun 19, 2020

We are celebrating this week; its Thanksgiving in our Country. I hope Americans truly understand why we have this great country and where the many blessings come from. I hope we are giving to God what is God's. 91% of Americans have turkey for Dinner. And so... I was thinking about Butterball ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 9:3

Tags: Turkeys, Cooking

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Keeper Of The Springs

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 2, 2020

THE KEEPER OF THE SPRINGS by Peter Marshall Once upon a time, a certain town grew up at the foot of a mountain range. It was sheltered in the lee of the protecting heights, so that the wind that shuddered at the doors and flung handfuls of sleet against the window panes was a wind whose fury was ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:1-10

Tags: Sin, Purity, Righteousness, Holiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroes-Those Who Made Copies Of The Scriptures

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 30, 2021

Introduction: sometimes we forget, or take for granted, the easy availability of God’s Word. Retail stores (not just Christian bookstores) sometimes have copies of the whole Bible for a dollar per copy! Secondhand or thrift stores occasionally have donated Bibles and other portions for a very ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 9:1-2

Tags: Jeremiah, Word Of God, Scribes, Baruch, Daniel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Star In The East

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 19, 2023

On November 28 of this year, I was driving west from my house at about 7 in the evening. It was quite dark already. As I looked through the windshield of my vehicle, I saw a line in the sky. A bright white line. Because it was so far away, this line in the sky must’ve been half a kilometre long. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-18, Numbers 24:17

Tags: Birth Of Jesus, Wiseman, Christmas, Bethlehem, Magi, Star  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Price Has Been Paid For You

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Aug 28, 2024

The story is told of a young man who left the old country and sailed to America to make a new life in the new world. Before he left, his father pressed some money in his hand. It wasn't much, but it was all he had. He hoped it would tide the boy over until he found a job. His mother handed him ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:13-14

Tags: Good News, Barriers, Intimacy With God, Missing Out

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Joseph: The Portrait Of Christ (Bible Gateway)

Contributed by William Akehurst on Jan 4, 2025

Joseph: the Portrait of CHRIST (Bible Gateway) The Life of Joseph Genesis 30:24 – Genesis 50:26 1. A shepherd. 2. Loved by his father. 3. Sent unto his brethren 4. Hated by his brothers. 5. Prophesied his coming glory. 6. Rejected by his brothers. 7. Endured unjust punishment from his brothers. 8. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 30:24, Genesis 50:26

Tags: Jesus, Joseph, Comparison

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[107]. A Message From A Poem – Gospel Reflections

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 9, 2025

[107]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GOSPEL REFLECTIONS This poem begins with reflections them moves to creation, then the death of the Lord followed by salvation and ends with a very pleasant scene in peaceful waters and sunlight. The inspiration for this was recall of the tropical scenery around me ...read more

Scripture: John 1:3, Psalm 23:2

Tags: Salvation, Reflection, Waters, Sunlight, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Atonement, Creation, Beauty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[109]. A Message From A Poem – Groaning Takes Its Toll On Me (Psalm 6)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2025

[109]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GROANING TAKES ITS TOLL ON ME (Psalm 6) This poem is a retelling in poetic form of Psalm 6. We can gather from the Psalm that David was having a dreadful time. This is the beauty of the Psalms, for they cover the whole range of human emotions and failures, and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 6:2-3, Psalm 6:6-8, Psalm 6:9-10

Tags: Christian Poems, Despair, Upset, Weeping, Christian Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[115]. A Message From A Poem – Have You Trusted The God Of Faithfulness?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 27, 2025

[115]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HAVE YOU TRUSTED THE GOD OF FAITHFULNESS? God is faithful in proven circumstances. Have you actually proven the faithfulness of God in your life? We have a faithful God so we can anchor our faith in the faithfulness of God. {{Psalm 119:90 “YOUR FAITHFULNESS ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:9, Lamentations 3:22-23, Deuteronomy 32:3-4, Psalm 119:90

Tags: Christian Poems, God, Trust, Faithful, Christian Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[214]. A Message From A Poem - Paul’s Prison

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 28, 2025

[214]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - PAUL’S PRISON This is my oldest surviving poem. I had parts of others but they are gone. The poem came about when thinking of Paul in prison in Rome. Everything seemed against him there, but he was never forsaken by God of course. When Paul was in prison he ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 4:11, 2 Timothy 4:10, Philippians 1:23

Tags: Luke, Paul In Prison, Christian Poems, Devotion, Asia, Defection, Departure, Desertion, Demas  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Evangelism Quotes And Illustrations  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Apr 19, 2004

Evangelism Quotes and Illustrations 1. Paul Harvey said, "Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium." 2. Paul Little in his book "How to Give Away Your Faith" defines witnessing: "Witnessing is that deep-seated conviction that the greatest favor I can do for ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Tags: Men, What Is Evangelism?, Wise

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Go With The Flow  PRO

Contributed by Hal Seed on Feb 12, 2008

6. YOU TRUST HIM WITH WHATEVER IS TROUBLING YOU. Anybody having anything trouble you these days? It’s probably part of God’s sense of humor that I went on a whale-watching trip this week, the week we start learning about Jonah. PICTURE OF WHALE TALE I’ve been on whale-watching tours only twice ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:18-19

Tags: Authority

Denomination: Baptist

Go With The Flow

Contributed by Hal Seed on Feb 12, 2008

6. YOU TRUST HIM WITH WHATEVER IS TROUBLING YOU. Anybody having anything trouble you these days? It’s probably part of God’s sense of humor that I went on a whale-watching trip this week, the week we start learning about Jonah. PICTURE OF WHALE TALE I’ve been on whale-watching tours only twice ...read more

Tags: Gratitude

Denomination: Baptist

I’d Rather Kiss A Goat

Contributed by James Snyder on May 15, 2023

There are very few things in my life I regret; at least that I can remember. One of the good things about getting old is that you can forget many things. The important thing is to forget the right thing, which is a challenge. You can be sure I work on this all the time. It takes a really good ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:36-37

Tags: Kiss, Goat, Accountability, Excuses

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[359]. A Message From A Poem – Everyone Is Greedy For Money

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 3, 2026

[359]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EVERYONE IS GREEDY FOR MONEY Everyone is greedy for money and they have a multitude of schemes to acquire it. Because I am old I can remember back in the 1950s when we went shopping with mum and shopkeepers were honest and always gave you good value. In those ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 6:13, Hebrews 13:5, 1 Timothy 6:9, Matthew 8:20, 1 Timothy 6:10-11  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Money, Greed, Poverty, Gain, Extortion, The Love Of Money, Christian Poems, Multinationals, Prices, Heavenly Riches  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational