In Sermon Illustrations: "In The Beginning"

How Much Land?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2011

HOW MUCH LAND? In his 1886 short story "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" Leo Tolstoy shows how a continual desire for more can ultimately cause us to lose everything. The main character of the story is a peasant named Pahóm, who at the beginning can be heard complaining that he does not own ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Tags: Greed

Broken Vessels Wanted  PRO

Contributed by David Robb on Jun 1, 2011

Broken Vessels Wanted (David Robb) My tears of weeping are pleasing to the Lord. My cries of emptiness are a song to His heart. He is pleased with me when I am broken, because, what He desires most of me is a broken spirit and a humble heart. He desires that of me because, with a broken ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:47

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Pentecostal

Can't Miss

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 20, 2011

CAN'T MISS Every so often, in the world of high school boys' basketball, there comes a player with incredible talent and skill. He and his team become the focus of a lot of media attention. That player becomes one of the most talked about high school athletes in the nation. Recruiters from the ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 1:9

Tags: Humility

The Purpose Of Marriage

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2011

THE PURPOSE OF MARRIAGE God is the Helper of His people! Does that mean He is inferior to them? Does that mean He is second-rate? No way! He is the Sovereign Creator of the Universe. He is in no way inferior to His creation. So it is with women. Even though God made her to help her man, she is ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:26

Tags: Marriage General

Facing Down A Mountain Lion  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 14, 2011

FACING DOWN A MOUNTAIN LION Did you know that in the United States, mountain lions are the number one predator of human beings? So says author and naturalist, Craig Childs. On one occasion, he was doing research on the lions in Arizona’s Blue Range Wilderness. As he approached a water hole from ...read more

Scripture: James 4:7

Tags: Satan

Small Things With Great Love

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 8, 2011

SMALL THINGS WITH GREAT LOVE Gary Morsch is the founder of Heart to Heart in Kansas City. As a physician, he has done magnificient work around the world taking medical supplies to low income people. Several years ago, he took a trip to Calcutta and Mother Teresa's House for the Destitute Dying. He ...read more

Tags: Pride

Denomination: Methodist

Make Your Reservation

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Jan 29, 2013

MAKE YOUR RESERVATION Is your name written in the book of life? Ruthanna Metzgar, a professional singer, tells a story that illustrates the importance of having our names written in the book of life. Several years ago, she was asked to sing at the wedding of a very wealthy man. According to the ...read more

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Adversity

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.” - Mary Anne Radmacher Sometimes life deals us a situation so adverse, a loss so great, we feel unable to meet the challenge of facing day after day in our pain and loss. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

Tags: Adversity, Courage, Perserverance, Trials

Denomination: Charismatic

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

Drifting

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 7, 2019

Drifting Along (Philippians 3:12-21) Intro: The two trappers In the mid 1800’s their were two trappers that had been trapping muskrat and beaver all summer and fall. They had been working their traps in the Cumberland Plateau area of Tennessee. With their packs full of furs ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-21

Tags: Complacency, Drifting

Denomination: Pentecostal

How Does God See Our Worship?

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Oct 17, 2022

Because Adam and Eve sinned against God, we note from the end of Genesis 3 that they were banished from the perfect Garden of Eden, where God provided everything for them. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden to now labor for their day to day needs. In the Garden of Eden work was a delight; ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:1-7

Tags: Worship, God, Heart, Confession, Rebellion, Yielding  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

You Don't Love Me Any More!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 30, 2022

A married couple was reflecting on their 50th wedding anniversary and all of the great times they had been blessed to share together through the years. The husband was sitting in his recliner and the wife was sitting in her recliner. “You know something,” she said, “things have really changed ...read more

Tags: Love, Marriage, Romance, Revival, Anniversary, Bride Of Christ, Affection, Husbands, Wives  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

7 Ways That Eve Distorted The Word Of God

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 27, 2023

Let’s go back to Genesis 2:16-17 to review exactly what God said and then we’ll compare it to the distortion Eve came up with: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in ...read more

Tags: Eve, Sin, Evil, Satan, Truth, Temptation, Word Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Epiphany On Generosity

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Jun 23, 2023

I recently drove my adult son to the airport for a trip he was taking with some friends. He lives in Arkansas but was flying out of DFW, so he drove to our home in Denison to spend a little time with us. While he was gone I drove his car a few times just to make sure it was running well. I guess ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7, James 1:17

Tags: Generous, Steward, Giving, Stewardship, Give, Generosity, Selflessness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Thief On The Cross - Alistair Begg

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 19, 2023

If you were to die tonight and you were getting entry into heaven, what would you say? If you answer that, and if I answer it in the first person, we've immediately gone wrong. “Because I believed”, “Because I have faith”, “Because I am his”. Loved ones the only proper answer is in the third ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:33-44, Luke 23:32-43

Tags: Pride, Arrogance, Thief On The Cross, Alistair Begg, Easter, Good Friday, Crucifixion, Salvation, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[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

[158]. A Message From A Poem – Gathered At The Great White Throne

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 9, 2025

[158]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GATHERED AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE This poem was written in conjunction with a series of articles I was doing on the Great White Throne and the Judgement Seat of Christ found on SermonCentral. We ought not be flippant about the judgements to come for both are very ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 20:12, Revelation 20:11

Tags: Judgment, Great White Throne, Judgment Seat Of Christ, Be Saved Now, Christian Poems, Judged According To Deeds, All Will Be Judged  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[289]. A Message From A Poem – The Rapture

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 15, 2026

[289]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE RAPTURE The Rapture is very real to me as one of those who believes the next event in God’s divine, prophetic calendar will be the Lord’s coming for His Church to snatch His own away before the great and terrible judgements of the Tribulation break on the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:50-58, Revelation 4:1, Titus 2:13, John 14:3  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Bride, Caught Up, The Rapture, Trumpet, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Day In The Life Of A Shepherd  PRO

Contributed by Ervin Kimrey on Jun 29, 2005

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SHEPHERD With a spring in his step and an eye to the sky, at sunrise, he makes straight for the sheep fold. As soon as he rattles the gate, he gives his morning call, greets the sheep, often by name, every sheep is on its feet. They spring toward the gate, with expectancy ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:11

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Promises Of God

Denomination: Baptist

One Man's Life Provides A Dramatic Answer To The ...  PRO

Contributed by James Dunn on Mar 12, 2002

One man’s life provides a dramatic answer to the question, can God indeed bring positives out of troubled times? This young man’s name is David, and he is an awesome picture of God’s using difficulties for good. For years he viewed trials as something that affected only his external world, and any ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 2:6, 2 Samuel 6:6

Tags: Growth In Christ, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Baptist