In Sermon Illustrations: "Heaven And Hell"

Paradise And Heaven

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

Paradise originates from the Persian language which means a beautiful garden but the ideal paradise is the King’s garden. Kings had beautiful gardens with exotic animals you wouldn’t see in that part of the world. It had flowing water and trees and was a place of serenity or peace. And when someone ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Tags: Heaven, Paradise

Denomination: Methodist

No Tents In Heaven!

Contributed by Dr. David Hallum on Jun 24, 2016

I am not a camper. I spent one miserable weekend as a kid in an old, smelly canvas tent. It was designed to sleep 10, but 2 adults and 2 kids kicked, punched and threw sand all over one another all night. And that was while we were asleep. As I said, it was a miserable weekend. When I became ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:1-7

Tags: Camp, Tabernacle

Denomination: Baptist

The Way To Heaven

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 24, 2019

. A pastor was trying to teach a children’s class about how to be saved. .”If I sold everything I have and gave it to the church, would I go to heaven?” The children answered, “No.” The pastor said, “Very good. That’s right. And if I worked hard at keeping the 10 commandments, would that get me ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:13-20

Tags: Salvation, Justification, Born Again, Eternal Life, Saved, Heaven Bound  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Will There Be Television In Heaven?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 6, 2020

If anybody can ask hard questions, the award has to go to the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. She knows how to ask a question and, more importantly, when to ask a particular question. Throughout our marriage, she has become an expert in the area of questionology. There is not a question I can ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 10:4

Tags: Television, Questions, Politicians

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Hound Of Heaven

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 2, 2023

In his book The Call, author Os Guinness writes: We cannot find God without God. We cannot reach God without God. We cannot satisfy God without God—which is another way of saying that our seeking will always fall short unless God’s grace initiates the search and unless God’s call draws us to Him ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-9, Titus 3:5

Tags: Works, Sovereignty Of God, Salvation, Grace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Traveling To Heaven

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Mar 29, 2024

Throughout my life I had always wanted to go to Germany. It wasn’t until my son moved over there and got married that we finally were able to do so. The trip wasn’t always easy, as we were stranded in New Jersey for a night after a flight was canceled. We were tired from the journey. But once ...read more

Scripture: Job 19:26

Tags: Resurrection, Heaven

Denomination: Lutheran

Stirrings Of Heaven

Contributed by Samuel M on Feb 1, 2025

Let our lives be stirred by the happenings in God’s heart. God trusts his people with his power, but his chosen ...read more

Tags: Faith, Hope

A Hint Of Heaven

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 22, 2025

“At present we are on the outside of the world, the wrong side of the door. We discern the freshness and purity of morning, but they do not make us fresh and pure. We cannot mingle with the splendours we see. But all the leaves of the New Testament are rustling with the rumour that it ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:42-54, John 14:1-4

Tags: Faith, Heaven, Eternal Life

Denomination: Pentecostal

He Went To Hell For Me

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Mar 12, 2009

HE WENT TO HELL FOR ME Kay Arthur, well-known Christian author and speaker, has influenced tens of thousands. As a young girl, she went to church. She wrote, "I would listen to the messages, and go to Sunday School, but I never really committed my life to Jesus." She grew up and got married, ...read more

Tags: Grace

When England Closed It’s Libyan Embassy ...  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Lucas on Jun 5, 2001

When England closed it’s Libyan Embassy Muammar Qaddafi became so angry that he ordered England to be removed from all maps in Libya. If you buy a map in that country today, that area will be represented by a new arm of the North Sea bordered by Scotland and Wales. Simply removing England from all ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:28

Tags: Hell, Heaven, Second Coming

Denomination: Pentecostal

I May Never See You Again

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 17, 2017

Phillips Brooks of Boston became quite ill and would see no visitors. However, when Robert Ingersoll, the noted atheist, heard that his friend was sick, he called at his home and was admitted at once. "I appreciate this very much," said Mr. Ingersoll. "But why do you see me when you deny ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 18:1

Tags: Heaven, Atheism, Hell, Death

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Will You Face Death?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 13, 2019

Voltaire, one of history’s best known atheists, often stated that “by the time I’m buried, the Bible will be non--existent.” His last words were: “I am abandoned by God and man; I shall die and go to hell alone.” His condition had become so terrible that his associates were afraid to approach ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Tags: Hell, Death, Heaven, Atheists

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Priest Asked A Little Boy If He Knew What ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2003

A priest asked a little boy if he knew what "matrimony" meant. The little boy replied, Sure! It is a place between ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

Thinking On Hell- Communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 6, 2002

THINKING ON HELL- COMMUNION MEDITATION Maybe you’ve seen the famous sculpture "The Thinker." The statue was originally created in 1880 as part of Auguste Rodin’s larger work 'The Gates of Hell', an ornamental door for a proposed Palace of Decorative Arts. What is the thinker thinking ...read more

Tags: Hell, Jesus Teachings, Lord's Supper

Hell Is Described As A Place Of Darkness Or ...  PRO

Contributed by Larry Schoonover on Mar 13, 2003

Hell is described as a place of darkness or blackness. The only way I can imagine the total isolation broght on by such complete darkness is the blackness felt deep inside a cavern. I have toured a number of caverns in the United States. Almost every tour I have been on will at some point bring the ...read more

Tags: Hell

Denomination: Baptist

If There Be A Special Hell For Writers It Would ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"If there be a special Hell for writers it would be in the forced contemplation of their own works, with all the misconceptions, the omissions, ...read more

Tags: Books And Literature

Too Much Like Hell

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2011

TOO MUCH LIKE HELL A young American lawyer boasted that he was going West to find some place where there were no churches, no Sunday schools, no Bibles. Before the year was over, he wrote to a classmate, a young minister, begging him to come out where he was and start a Sunday school and preach, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

Tags: Christian Witness

Come Hell Or High Water

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 2, 2009

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER Glen and Jo Ann live in Orange County, California in a low lying area. It flooded one year and the local newspaper sent a reporter, in a boat, out to Glen and Jo Ann’s neighborhood. The reporter found Jo Ann, sitting on their roof watching large objects floating by, so he ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Powerful Preacher Was Reported To Have ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A powerful preacher was reported to have preached on this passage from Luke’s Gospel and he had explained that not everyone that thinks they will, will get into heaven. Some people will be locked out and destined for eternal torment in Hell where, he said, “There will be weeping and gnashing of ...read more

Tags: Hell

Different Use In Heaven  PRO

Contributed by Tim Gibson on Nov 23, 2000

DIFFERENT USE IN HEAVEN A millionaire Christian is sleeping in his bedroom when an angel comes to him and wakes him up. "It’s time for you to go to heaven", says the angel. "Oh, i’m not ready, what should I bring ?", says the millionaire. "Nothing, just yourself", replies the angel. But the ...read more

Tags: Death Nearness, Finding Fulfillment, Heaven

Denomination: *other