In Sermon Illustrations: "Jesus Before Pilate"

You Are My Dear, Dear Child: I'm Delighted With You.

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Apr 22, 2023

A famous movie-maker had a huge legal wrangle with his longtime mentor and guide. The younger man simply couldn't handle criticism and ended up rejecting the person who had helped him so much. When it was all over, a close friend summed up the real problem. "It was all about an ungenerous ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:9-13, Matthew 3:13-17

Tags: God's Love, Loved, Loved By God, Jesus Baptism

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Star In The East

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 19, 2023

On November 28 of this year, I was driving west from my house at about 7 in the evening. It was quite dark already. As I looked through the windshield of my vehicle, I saw a line in the sky. A bright white line. Because it was so far away, this line in the sky must’ve been half a kilometre long. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-18, Numbers 24:17

Tags: Birth Of Jesus, Wiseman, Christmas, Bethlehem, Magi, Star  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Johnny Appleseed Gospel

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 22, 2024

Demond Wilson was a TV actor in 1970's He starred along with Redd Foxx on the TV show, "Sanford and Son." Later in life Wilson became a gospel preacher. He made this beautiful statement: “I’m just a nobody telling everybody about Somebody who ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:16-17, John 14:6, 1 Timothy 1:15

Tags: Preaching, Witnessing, Jesus Christ, Evangelism, Salvation, Gospel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Key Bible Verses On Healing

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 9, 2024

The Bible contains numerous passages that address healing. Let’s explore some of these verses: 1. Jeremiah 17:14 (ESV): "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise." 2. 1 Peter 2:24 (ESV): "He himself bore our sins in his body on ...read more

Tags: Miracles, Supernatural, Health, Blood Of Jesus, Healing, Prayer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sagrada Familia Basilica.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Dec 22, 2024

Well today just because I can I want to share with you a couple of pictures, one that I took and one that is much better than the one that I took of the same thing. The first is this whooping great big church the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain and the other is a small part of the building, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6

Tags: Mary, Nativity, Christmas, Donkey, Joseph, Baby Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

The (Unwise) Wisdom Of The World

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Mar 24, 2025

The world in its wisdom may tell us that there is no such thing as truth. That there is no such thing as that which is right and that which wrong. But our experience, of even the simplest of human experiences, will cause us to question that. If you were to ask a gas station attendant for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:18-23

Tags: Better, Follow Jesus, Unwise, Directions, Wisdom Of The World  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[186]. A Message From A Poem – Musings On Being In Heaven

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 5, 2025

[186]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – MUSINGS ON BEING IN HEAVEN This is a lovely poem FOR ME, which is why I wrote it. How much do we think of heaven? I am afraid some are so earth-bound that they give little thought to heaven. Do we know what heaven will be like? Of course we do not. We can only ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, 1 Corinthians 2:9

Tags: Christian Poems, The Third Heaven, Jesus, Heaven, Center  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Rock Wasn't Shaking!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 2, 2022

A passenger ship tragically capsized at sea. Many drowned, but one teenager was found clinging to a rock. After he was rescued, someone asked him if he was terrified. He responded by saying, “Yes, I was shaking all the time…but the rock I was holding onto wasn’t shaking!”  Psalm ...read more

Tags: Jesus Our Refuge, Foundations, Faith, Trust, Rock  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Means Business

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on May 28, 2022

Little Johnny was going to a public school and he was doing very poorly in math. So his mother decided to put him into a Catholic school. When she got his report card at the end of the term, his grades in math had improved tremendously. So she asked him why. He replied, "When I saw that ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Cross, Hope In Jesus, Sin's Penalty, Law Upheld

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[194]. A Message From A Poem– No Other Is So Worthy

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 9, 2025

[194]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM– NO OTHER IS SO WORTHY This is a worship and praise poem. When we ascribe majesty to Jesus we are worshipping Him. I have tried to do that because He is INDEED worthy of our feeble praise. When we are in heaven one day as part of the whole redeemed Church, our ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 99:9, Psalm 95:6, Psalm 29:1-2, Revelation 5:9

Tags: Jesus Is Worthy, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Worship, Praise  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Train For Christmas

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 9, 2017

When I was a little boy, Christmas was really exciting. Sears Roebuck and Company would send toy catalogs out to my mom because she had an account with them. I would spend hours every Christmas looking at every item in the catalog. The catalog was filled with every kind of toy a boy could think ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Jesus Came, Unto Us A Child, A Son Is Given

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Fashion Of Pluralism  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 18, 2002

THE FASHION OF PLURALISM While religious pluralism may be a novel experience for us, it is putting us in touch with the world that surrounded the biblical authors. The pluralism and the paganism of Our Time were the common experience of the prophets and apostles. In Mesopotamia, there were ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6

Tags: Apologetics Jesus, Universalism, Left Hand, Physical Defect, World Religions  (view more)  (view less)

Bucket Theology

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Nov 5, 2004

Bucket Theology Two buckets of water were mentioned in the Bible. Do you remember what Pilate did when he had a chance to acquit Jesus? He called for a bucket and washed his hands of the whole thing. Matthew 27:24: “When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Unsung Heroes: The Servants At The Wedding In Cana

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 12, 2020

Introduction: Wedding feasts were happy times, especially in the days of the Bible. This story describes how a handful of people kept a disaster from taking place! Text (John 2:1-11, KJV): 1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11

Tags: Miracles, Jesus Christ, Servants, Cana Of Galilee, Weddings And Marriages  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[007]. A Message From A Poem - A Shepherd Left His Comfort Zone

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 1, 2024

[007]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A SHEPHERD LEFT HIS COMFORT ZONE Shepherds and sheep feature quite often in the biblical record and Jesus used parables and illustrations involving sheep. This poem was developed from a comment a Convention speaker made when teaching on the Lost Sheep. The ...read more

Scripture: John 10:9, John 10:10-11, John 10:14-15, Luke 15:4-6

Tags: Jesus Died For The Sheep, 100 Sheep, Night, Sheep, Lost Sheep, Crucified, The Good Shepherd, Jesus Our Shepherd, Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Door

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 27, 2012

THE DOOR There is a small metal door painted white in the side of a tiny mission church in Johannesburg South Africa. This door is changing lives. On it are painted the words “door of hope.” That is exactly what it is for various babies within the city. On average some forty to fifty babies were ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-10

Tags: Baby, Salvation, Missions, Hope, Door, Jesus Christ, I Am, Saving  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Why Cain Refused To Bring A Blood Offering

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 26, 2023

God's having made for man coats of skin presupposes the slaying of animals; and doubtless implies that Abel's sacrifice of an animal life was an act of faith which rested on God's command (though not expressly recorded) that such were the sacrifices He required. If it had not been ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices, Cain, Abel, Blood Of Jesus, Blood Covenant, Offerings, Blood Atonement  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[353]. A Message From A Poem – X Marks The Spot

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 23, 2026

[353]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – X MARKS THE SPOT X marks the spot where we stand in God, where we place our feet and take our stand as Christians. “X marks the spot” is a very well-known expression in English. Jellyfish don’t stand their ground but drift around according to the whim of the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:11-13

Tags: Stand Firm, Stand For Jesus, Christian Poems, X Marks The Spot

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Some Time Ago, A Teenager, Arthur Hinkley, Lifted ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Feb 1, 2001

Some time ago, a teenager, Arthur Hinkley, lifted a 3,000-pound tractor with his bare hands. He wasn’t a weight lifter, but his friend, Lloyd Bachelder, 18, was pinned under a tractor on a farm near Rome, Maine. Hearing Lloyd scream, Arthur somehow lifted the tractor enough for Lloyd to wriggle ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Descriptions Of God, Deliverance, Addiction, Christian Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Wesleyan

If Our Greatest Need Was For ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 19, 2001

"If our greatest need was for information, God would have sent an educator." "If our greatest need was for technology, God would have sent a scientist." "If our greatest need was for pleasure, God would have sent an entertainer." "If our greatest need was for money God would have sent an ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ, God's Provision, Roy Lessin, Forgiveness In Jesus