In Sermon Illustrations: "High Places"

Eusebius

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jul 25, 2015

Surely they will not put us in prison. I pray not, but even if they do there's a lot of good ministry in jails and prisons. Eusebius in his Church History written in 324 AD tells about the Great Persecution: “An imperial decree ordered that church leaders everywhere be chained and imprisoned, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:16

Tags: Persecution, Persecute, Church Persecution, Persecuted Church

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Prayer For Preachers

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jun 10, 2019

A Prayer for Preachers O God, our Father; you love all your children. Those at home and those away from home. As I proclaim the gospel, may your voice be heard, calling. May Christ our Lord be praised. Good news; hope for the hopeless Good news; love for the broken Good news; forgiveness at the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Tags: Preaching, Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Glimpse Of Easter

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Mar 11, 2023

On a hill, He is crying! On the cross, He is dying… Oh, see Him in agony! Behold Him in cruel pain! Listen to Him cry out again, “Father, why hast thou forsaken me?” For us, He is crucified! For us, He suffered and died, Taking our place at Calvary! He died the world to save! He was buried in a ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-10, 1 Corinthians 15:1-3

Tags: Easter, Resurrection, Calvary

Denomination: Baptist

Rocks In The Road

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Sep 4, 2023

In 1996 staff members at Bridger Wilderness Area collected the following comment cards: · Trails need to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill. · Too many bugs and leeches and spiders and spider webs. Please spray the wilderness to rid the areas of these pests. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:28-33, John 6:60, Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Obstacles, Narrow Gate, Cost Of Discipleship, Discipleship

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Standing By The Bedside Of The Sick Child Of God

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 11, 2024

Rick Renner suggests that "by praying in Jesus' name, a believer actually stands in the physical place of Jesus who is in Heaven, acting on His behalf and operating in the authority He has vested to that believer as His official representative." Thus, this prayer of the elders in ...read more

Tags: Miracles, Health, Sickness, Power Of God, Authority, Elders, Faith, Healing, Prayer, Confession  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lead By Example

Contributed by John Bright on Oct 3, 2025

Lead by example. This is different than ordering folks around. When James and John ask for places of authority, Jesus warns them against acting like the world. Jesus describes what it will look like in the church: Mark 10:43-45 “43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:43-45

Tags: Jesus, Example, Authority

Denomination: Methodist

I Have A Religion!" 1 Samuel 18:1-12 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 27, 2005

“I Have a Religion!” 1 Samuel 18:1-12 Key verse(s): 11-12:“. . . and he hurled it, saying to himself, ‘I’ll pin David to the wall.’ But David eluded him twice. Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had left Saul.” In a world where we seek only peace and kindness there is, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 18:1-12

Tags: Forgiveness General, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

Popular Ideas Of Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 5, 2009

POPULAR IDEAS OF JESUS As we consider the risk of following Jesus, we must acknowledge the same thing; we must acknowledge that Jesus is THE Christ, not some popularized version we hear about today. In a posting just this last June, Kevin DeYoung, in his Restless and Reformed blog, describes ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:27-29

Tags: Faith, Christ, Jesus, Culture, Jesus Christ  (view more)  (view less)

[320]. A Message From A Poem - Ungrateful Wretches – The Lepers

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 24, 2026

[320]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - UNGRATEFUL WRETCHES – THE LEPERS Ingratitude is a sign of the times. People are becoming more selfish and self-centred and demanding as the Church age draws to a close. This is also in line with 2 Timothy 3:1-4. So many today are just not thankful, and I suppose ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:12-18, Luke 6:35

Tags: Jesus, Thankfulness, Leprosy, Thankful, Cleansing, Ungrateful, Unthankful, Lepers, Giving Thanks, Wretch, Ungratefulness, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[055]. A Message From A Poem – Death For The Christian

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 12, 2025

[055]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DEATH FOR THE CHRISTIAN We deal with a subject today we often like to forget about. When we are young we give it little thought but when we are old, it tends to preoccupy our minds a lot more. This poem is not so much about the subject of death itself, as it is ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:18, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Hebrews 9:27

Tags: Death, Fear, Egypt, Poetry, Poem, Christian Death, Absent From The Body, Keys Of Death And Hades  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Winning Streak Of One!" 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 1, 2005

“A Winning Streak of One!” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 Key verse(s) 16“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” It’s important to make sure that every day of our lives we practice gladness and condition ourselves to finding ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

My Name Is Dawn Stefanowicz. I Grew Up In A ...  PRO

Contributed by Chris Kelly on Oct 21, 2008

"My name is Dawn Stefanowicz. I grew up in a homosexual household during the 60s and 70s in Toronto, exposed to many different people in Gay, Lesbian, bisexual, Transsexual subcultures and explicit sexual practices. My biggest concern is that children are not being discussed in this same-sex ...read more

Tags: Children, Parenting, Homosexuality, Fatherhood

Denomination: Wesleyan

Fear And The Deceits Of The Heart  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2010

FEAR AND THE DECEITS OF THE HEART I think Edward Welch chose brilliantly the title for his book on overcoming the fear of man: When People are Big and God is Small. Maybe you can relate to his personal awakening to this problem when he was a high-school senior: "I had always been shy and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 51:11-13, Isaiah 51:12-16

Tags: Ransom, Fear And Worry

Who Are You Rescuing?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2010

WHO ARE YOU RESCUING? Jesus, help us to control our desires. May a thirst for knowing You and a longing to please You become our strongest passion, like it was for Mary Frances Housley. Let me tell you a true story. MARY FRANCES HOUSLEY was born October 12, 1926 in Knoxville, Tennessee. She grew ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-13

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

[014] A Message From A Poem - Against The Christian

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2024

[014] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - AGAINST THE CHRISTIAN The origin of this poem goes right back to a time of considerable difficulty when I was going through tough times and some people were very nasty. Christians do face real difficulties and you will have persecution and unfairness just because ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:12, Hebrews 2:17, John 14:16-17

Tags: Persecution, Comfort, Difficulties, Trials, Suffer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[280]. A Message From A Poem – The Lord In Our Affliction

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 28, 2026

[280]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE LORD IN OUR AFFLICTION This was one of my first poems. This poem came from a period that was very difficult for me when a nasty, concerted attack was made against me. That is when the Lord led me into writing poems with His help. Right back then I would not ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:12, Hebrews 2:17-18, Hebrews 4:15, Matthew 13:21

Tags: Comfort, Suffering, Help, Affliction, Trouble, Christian Poems, Persecution  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Some Of Us Get So Used To The Adrenaline Rush Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 14, 2001

Some of us get so used to the adrenaline rush of handling crises that we become dependent on it for a sense of excitement and energy. How does urgency feel? Stressful? Pressured? Tense? Exhausting? Sure. But let’s be honest. It’s also sometimes exhilarating. We feel useful. We feel ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:16-21, Luke 10:38-42

Tags: First Things

Open The Rose  PRO

Contributed by Danny Thomas on May 21, 2001

Open the Rose A young, new preacher was walking with an older, more seasoned preacher in the garden one day and feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was inquiring of the older preacher. The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers, God's Omniscience

Denomination: Pentecostal

Those Of Us Who Have E-Mail Usually Get Little ...  PRO

Contributed by Rita Sims on Aug 5, 2001

Those of us who have e-mail usually get little stories or sayings from our friends. Sometimes I really read them, other times I don’t. The other day one of my high school friends sent me one I want to share with you. We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment, Envy

Denomination: United Methodist

It Was A Fog-Shrouded Morning, July 4, 1952, When ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2001

It was a fog-shrouded morning, July 4, 1952, when a young woman named Florence Chadwick waded into the water off Catalina Island. She intended to swim the channel from the island to the California coast. Long-distance swimming was not new to her; she had been the first woman to swim the English ...read more