In Sermon Illustrations: "Heaven And Hell"

Spiritual Warfare

Contributed by John Bright on Oct 3, 2025

We need to be engaged in Spiritual Warfare. First, we need to acknowledge that there is both a physical realm (fallen) and a spiritual realm (good & bad). This is clear in Ephesians 6, where Paul is describing our battle gear: Ephesians 6:11-12 “11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:11-12

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Angels, Demons, Physical Realm, Spiritual Realm  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

The Lady In A Faded Gingham Dress And Her ...

Contributed by Paul Humphrey on Sep 3, 2006

The lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston and walked timidly, without an appointment, into the president of Harvard’s outer office. The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

There Is A True Story Of An Old Man Who Visited ...  PRO

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Jul 20, 2007

There is a true story of an old man who visited an old broken pier every Friday on the eastern sea coast of Florida until his death in 1973 his name was Eddie Rickenbacker whilst at the pier he would feed the sea gulls with a bucket of shrimps. Many years before in 1942 Eddie was a captain on ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Stewarship As ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

STEWARSHIP AS CHARACTER Enter stage right: Ed McMahon and Evander Holyfield. Ed said, "When you spend more than you make, you know what happens." Yes, and a 85-year-old man should know better! He said it was "poor planning." NO, I THINK IT WAS HIGH LIVING! He was living high in a multi-million ...read more

Tags: Money

All Out War At Work - - ...

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Aug 12, 2008

ALL OUT WAR AT WORK - - - Years ago I worked in a large store with over 300 employees. Truly, there were only a handful of us who were Christians at this store. One of the few Christians was April. April was very open about her Christianity and would tell others about Christ at every ...read more

Tags: Workplace Evangelism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Growing A Beard At The School I Attended Was Not ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Mar 28, 2010

GROWING A BEARD at the school I attended was not an option. It was written into the rules and policies - don’t grow one or be suspended or expelled. I decided at 14 that I would grow a beard to test this policy (I know, your opinion of me has been damaged but you’ll eventually get over it). I was ...read more

Tags: Obedience, Rebellion

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Augustine And The Four States Of Man  PRO

Contributed by Terry Barnhill on Mar 5, 2012

AUGUSTINE AND THE FOUR STATES OF MAN In the 5th century AD, St. Augustine wrote about the "4 States of Man": * The first state of man (the haec sunt prima) is "living according to the flesh -- with reason making no resistance." This can be seen in so many ancient cultures and religions (and ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-15

Tags: Allegory

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Encouragement From A Friend

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 29, 2012

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM A FRIEND There are times when you will be pushed out or pushed aside. You can be on the right road and still find yourself in a situation that is so severe that you cannot survive it on your own. Mark it down: You are not exempt from times of suffering, rejection, or ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Tags: Friendship General

Division In The Church

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 6, 2014

Daniel Overdorf- A few years ago I visited a couple in their home. Both husband and wife had lived most of their lives apart from Christ and His church. Their marriage- a second marriage for both- had grown rocky. The 50 year old husband faced a frightening battle with cancer, and neither ...read more

Scripture: John 17:20-23

Tags: Argue, Church Unity, Disunity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Pound Of The Eternal

Contributed by David Parks on Jan 14, 2022

A Pound Of The Eternal David E. Parks One of the most compelling quotes I have ever read comes from a book by Charles Swindoll, Improving Your Serve: The Art of Unselfish Living. Out of the hundreds of books that I have read over the decades, I know of no quote that has as frequently returned to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33

Tags: Faithfulness, Laodicea, Commitment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[011] A Message From A Poem - A Very Present Help In Times Of Trouble

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 14, 2024

[011] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TIMES OF TROUBLE Stanza 1 - Psalm 54:1-4 Stanza 2 - Psalm 56:3-4 Stanza 3 - Psalm 50:15,23 Stanza 4 - Psalm 55:22 This poem of four stanzas has a stanza dedicated to each of four verses in the Psalms. I love the Psalms and at times of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 54:1-4, Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 50:15, Psalm 55:22, Psalm 50:23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Help, Burden, Deliverer, A Present Help, Save Me, The Day Of Trouble  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Are You Ready To Meet The Lord?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 22, 2024

Text: Proverbs 29:1, KJV: 1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. Thrift and second-hand stores are good places to find items like Bibles and other Christian material—no offense to bookstores, of course. One day I was searching for ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:1

Tags: Thrift Shops, Death, Salvation, Ready To Meet God

Denomination: Baptist

Like Snow—like Scarlet?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 24, 2024

Introduction: Even a small yet honest mistake can have long-lasting effects! Text: Isaiah 1:18, KJV: 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. I used to wash my ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 1:18

Tags: Forgiveness, Sin, Clothes

Denomination: Baptist

A Story Of Hudson Taylor

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

Hudson Taylor began the study of medicine as well as Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. He realized, however, that the most important preparation of all must take place in the realm of his own soul. In China he would have to depend utterly upon his Lord for protection, supplies -- everything. Lest a ...read more

Scripture: John 14:13-26

Tags: Trust, Hudson Taylor

Denomination: Anglican

Run Your Race Tjbts

Contributed by Blake Henson on Jun 6, 2023

Run Your Race shows how silly it would be for someone to stop short of home in a game, but it is the same in our Christian life when we are not Christians all the time. We must realize the need to be active serving Christians 24/7 in our lives. URL: https://youtu.be/Ai6qZPECLiw SUMMARY In this ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:7

Tags: Run Your Race, Never Stop Living For Jesus

[034] A Message From A Poem – Beneath His Wings – My Prayer

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 22, 2025

[034] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BENEATH HIS WINGS – MY PRAYER In this poem there is a little word interplay in each stanza. It is simple to see. The reason for this poem is to express a prayer for personal concerns. I tried to cover a number of points I thought were important. These are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:29-31, Luke 18:10-11, Nehemiah 2:4, Luke 18:13-14, Romans 12:12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Devoted To Prayer, Silent Prayer, Prayer, Sincerity, Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When You Work Around The Church A While It Comes ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Feb 8, 2002

When you work around the church a while it comes quite naturally, the laughter of cynical disbelief. In 1986 the United Methodist General Conference, on the last day of two weeks of meetings, passed a resolution that said we were going to make 9 million new United Methodists by about 1994--this in ...read more

Tags: Holiness, Love Of The Disciples, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Warning Call  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2002

A WARNING CALL Are you hearing one? Are you sending one? A group of 49 students and staff from Royd’s Comprehensive Middle School in England went on a week-long outdoor trip. One morning, a teacher took a small group on a river walk. She had never seen the water higher, so she ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?, Church Purpose Of, Great Commission

Silly Signs  PRO

Contributed by Rick Shockley on Jun 29, 2002

SILLY SIGNS • Bargain basement upstairs. • Would the person who took the step ladder yesterday please bring it back or further steps will be taken. • After tea break staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board. • This is the gate of heaven. ...read more

Tags: Second Coming, Jesus Teachings

This Past Week I Sat By A Hospital Bed Of A Man ...

Contributed by Bradford Robinson on Dec 18, 2002

This past week I sat by a hospital bed of a man who more than likely will never come home. I walked into the room, and it’s hard to explain the emotions going on in there. I started to initiate some small talk; we talked about his family, his home, and then his condition. I then told him that ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: Methodist