In Sermon Illustrations: "His Promises"

Funny Tithing Joke!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 4, 2022

When two successful businessman went sailing, a freak storm wrecked their boat and left them marooned on a deserted island. By the third day, one of the men was pacing constantly. The other man reclined peacefully on the sand. "Aren't you afraid we are going to die?" cried the ...read more

Tags: Church, Giving, Stewardship, Finances, Pastors, Tithing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Suffering Christ

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jan 1, 2023

I could never believe in God if it were not for the Cross. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it? I turn to that lonely, twisted, tortured figure on the cross—nails through hands and feet, back lacerated, limbs wrenched, brow bleeding from thorn-pricks, mouth ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 2:14-18

Tags: The Cross, Atonement, Suffering, Incarnation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Less Important Than We Think

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 22, 2023

In his book, “Being with God,” Pastor AJ Sherrill addresses how the practices of contemplative prayer help the Believer see what’s going on inside: we are so caught up in our inner dramas that we lack the clarity to know what to pray for. Surrendering to the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26-27) ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:26-27, Luke 14:7-14

Tags: Love, Humility, Prayer

Denomination: Methodist

Moonlight

Contributed by Kelly Benton on Feb 3, 2026

The moon doesn’t produce light. It has no power source of its own. No battery. No glow stick taped to the back. It simply reflects the sun. That’s us. We don’t generate love through effort, emotion, or religious hustle. We reflect Christ’s love as we remain in Him. When we stay close, obedience ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-10

Tags: Loving Others, Reflections

Denomination: Other

Jonathan Edwards On Spiritual Pride And Judging Others

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Mar 29, 2026

Jonathan Edwards, the preacher of the First Great Awakening in America, wrote this: , “The spiritually proud person is apt to find fault with other saints, that they are low in grace; and to be much in observing how cold and dead they are; and being quick to discern and take notice of their ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:3-6, John 14:23-24

Tags: Spiritual Pride, Judging Others

Denomination: Baptist

The Village That Lives By The Bible  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Mar 9, 2003

The Village that lives by the Bible by Clarence W. Hall It was early in 1945 when, as a war correspondent on Okinawa, I first came upon Shimabuku, the strangest and most inspiring community I ever saw. Huddled beneath its groves of banyan and twisted pine trees, this remote village of some 1000 ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Plots, Plans, Villains And Fools!" Ezra 6:13-18 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 10, 2005

“Plots, Plans, Villains and Fools!” Ezra 6:13-18 Key verse(s): 14:“So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 6:13-18

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Lutheran

The Box ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2010

The Box Boy My third job as a teenager (the one right before I went into the Air Force), was as a box boy for McCoy’s Markets, in hyderabad, andhra predesh. One of the other box boys was named David, and I remember him well. We nodded and said "Hi" to each other, as guys do, and that was pretty ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Tags: Security

Hannah And Michael: Finding What Was Lost  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 1, 2011

HANNAH AND MICHAEL: FINDING WHAT WAS LOST Let me tell you what happened to Ted Forbes back in 1984. While walking down a street in Chicago...Ted found a wallet. Being an honest Christian man he wanted to return it to its owner. So he opened it to look for identification. The wallet contained just ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:8-10, Luke 15:11-32, 1 Corinthians 13:8, John 17:1-26

Tags: Love, Parable Lost Coin

[237 L] [12]. A Message From A Poem - Scenes From The Gospels - Part 12

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Dec 14, 2025

[237 L] [12]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - SCENES FROM THE GOSPELS - PART 12 THIS IS THE LAST ONE OF THESE CAMEO SCENES They are here to enjoy! Scenes from the Gospels are very special to me. I love them. They have taken a lot of effort, and many, many months revision to get them as correct as ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:1-4, Matthew 13:10-13, Matthew 14:15-21, Matthew 7:13-21, Mark 11:12-13, Mark 11:19-22, John 18:1-11, Matthew 14:22-33  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Roman Cohort, Whom Do You Seek, Peter Had A Sword, Broad Way, Fourth Watch Of The Night, Five Loaves Two Fishes, Five Thousand Men, Jesus Cursed The Fig Tree, Fig Tree Withered, Judas, Betrayal, Malchus, Narrow Gate, Little Faith, Walk On Water, Fear, Disciples  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[292]. A Message From A Poem – Arise, You Sleepy Unproductive Servant

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 18, 2026

[292]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – ARISE, YOU SLEEPY UNPRODUCTIVE SERVANT It is time to be serious about the faith we profess. The western world is awash with wishy-washy Christian profession. Too many are asleep instead of being active for Jesus, the Lord of our faith. This poem is a challenge ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:11-14, 2 Peter 1:5

Tags: Ashamed, Unprofitable, Serve The Lord, Servants, Christian Poems, Faithful, Devotion, Arise, Priorities, Laziness, Asleep, Service, Servant  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[345]. A Message From A Poem - Wickedness Increases In The Last Days

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 2, 2026

[345]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WICKEDNESS INCREASES IN THE LAST DAYS ( May 2026). This poem was written 5 years ago but conditions then were almost as bad as they are today. I think the difference is that they are more intense now and progress at a much greater rate. It is the misled ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:5-7, Titus 2:13, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 2 Timothy 3:13, Genesis 12:3  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: World, Evil, Hope, Antichrist, Last Days, Rapture, Wickedness, Wicked, Christian Poetry, Christian Poem, Increasing Wickedness, Hatred Of Israel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Turn On The Tv Set To See A Large Family ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Luthy on Feb 26, 2002

You turn on the TV set to see a large family sitting at a long dining room table. A man and a woman sit at opposite ends of the table, with three boys on one side and three girls on the other. Then another woman appears from the kitchen wearing a blue blouse and a white apron. She’s also wearing ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:15-24

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Servanthood, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Busy Schedule

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2002

BUSY SCHEDULE Kim Larence, age 42, is a wife and a mother of three boys. She heads the math department at the private John Cooper School in The Woodlands, Texas. Here is her typical daily schedule. I wonder if it sounds anything like yours. 5:00 a.m. Wake Up 5:15 - 6:50 a.m. Wakes her three ...read more

Tags: Workplace Balance, Giving Yourself, Finding Fulfillment

Dunant Was Born In 1828 In Switzerland. He Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Aug 1, 2002

Dunant was born in 1828 in Switzerland. He was born of wealthy parents, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so to speak. He could have lived a life of lazy luxury. Yet, Dunant was a caring, compassionate young man who visited the sick & poor. As a young man he established an organization in ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Islam  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2002

ISLAM What’s the main idea? On his many caravan rides along the trading route between Syria and Arabia, a merchant named Muhammad observed people of all kinds of faiths. He became increasingly concerned that people were straying from ethical and moral responsibility. In A.D. 610, ...read more

Tags: World Religions

Please Don't Retire  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2002

PLEASE DON’T RETIRE We’ve got a dangerous practice in America called "retirement." It’s a blessing in some ways, but it’s also dangerous because it implies that your productivity stops when you get to be 62 or 65. It’s dangerous in the church because people look forward to retiring so they can get ...read more

Tags: Giving Yourself, Fulfillment, Family

Nicky Gumble Why And How Should I Read The ...

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on Nov 18, 2002

Nicky Gumble Why and How should I read the Bible: “Sometimes God speaks to us in a very specific way. God spoke to me very clearly about my father after he died on January 21, 1981. I had become a Christian seven years earlier and my parents’ initial reaction was one of complete horror. Gradually, ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: *other

Sometimes Sharing Christ Takes Interesting ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 3, 2003

Sometimes sharing Christ takes interesting forms. For months I left the church well into the late night hours. Periodically I would see a man huddled on the corner of our property. At first I feared the man. You see our neighborhood is rough and we have many homeless individuals that roam the ...read more

Scripture: John 4:36

Tags: Evangelism How To

Allah Or Jesus?  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Dec 15, 2003

Allah or Jesus? Last month I attended my annual training session that’s required for mai ntaining my state prison security clearance. During the training session there was a presentation by three speakers representing the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Muslim faiths who explained their belief ...read more

Tags: World Religions

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational