In Sermon Illustrations: "Life Challenge"

Take A Young Man From A Wealthy Family, Strip Him ...

Contributed by Tobin Crenshaw on Aug 15, 2010

Take a young man from a wealthy family, strip him of all of his money until he finds himself homeless and has to beg on the street, hold him in a cell as a prisoner of war in a foreign land, and turn his family against him and what are the odds you would give for him to impact the world? Or ...read more

Tags: Sports, Trust God

Denomination: Brethren

Rembrandt’s Return Of The Prodigal Son

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

I was an art major in undergrad, which means I took more art history classes than any human should be required to sit through. And then, because God has a sense of humor, I spent an entire semester in seminary studying one painting. One. Rembrandt’s The Return of the Prodigal Son. Paper after paper ...read more

Scripture: James 4:10, Luke 15:20

Tags: Grace, Repentance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Passing Through The Shadows!" 1 Corinthians ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 21, 2005

“Passing Through The Shadows!” 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 Key verse(s): 26:“‘For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes’.” “Smile and the world smiles with you! Cry and you cry alone.” Walking through life with a smile on our faces is something to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23-34

Tags: Easter Maundy Thursday

Denomination: Lutheran

[237 F] [6]. A Message From A Poem - Scenes From The Gospels - Part 6

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Nov 24, 2025

[237 F] [6]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - SCENES FROM THE GOSPELS - PART 6 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 possible with the difficult word limitations. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:3-9, Matthew 18:23-35, Matthew 14:22-32, Matthew 11:28-30, Luke 5:1-11, Luke 1:1-4, Matthew 13:10-13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Large Number Of Fish, Take My Yoke, My Yoke Is Easy, Ten Thousand Talents, Three Hundred Denarii, Wicked Slave, Washing Nets, Forgiveness, Peter, Nard, Alabaster Box, Jesus Walks On Water, Expensive Perfume, Mary  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

He Was A Stranger And I Took Him In  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jun 23, 2002

He Was A Stranger and I Took him In The story is told of a Kansan who owned a general store. He was a well-intending man who made a habit of offering a verse of Scripture whenever anyone purchased something from him. The group of people who sat around the store in this rural area enjoyed the ...read more

Tags: Gifts General, Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When Jean-Claude Killy Made The French National ...

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

When Jean-Claude Killy made the French national ski team in the early 1960s, he was prepared to work harder than anyone else to be the best. At the crack of dawn he would run up the slopes with his skis on, an unbelievably grueling activity. In the evening he would lift weights, run ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Endurance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When I Was A Student At Mccormick Seminary In ...  PRO

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Feb 20, 2004

When I was a student at McCormick Seminary in Chicago, I took Carl Dudley’s course on culture. One day in class, he raised the issue of where people sit in church. It is so easy for us, when we’re young, to criticize those who, in our minds, get too possessive about the seat on which they stake ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

When Jean-Claude Killy Made The French National ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 20, 2005

When Jean-Claude Killy made the French national ski team in the early 1960s, he was prepared to work harder than anyone else to be the best. At the crack of dawn he would run up the slopes with his skis on, an unbelievably grueling activity. In the evening he would lift weights, run ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony

The Greater The Man, The Greater He Will See His ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jun 18, 2007

The greater the man, the greater he will see his role as father. General Douglas MacArthur, supreme commander of Allied forces during WWII said: Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Other

One Of God's Great Partners In The 1930's And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One of God’s great partners in the 1930’s and 40’s who did exactly this – helped lead people to belief – was Dr. Harry Ironside. Not only did he author more than 60 books (and one hymn, Overshadowed), but he also pastored Moody Memorial Church in Chicago for 18 years. On one occasion while he was ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

A Student Named Steve Winger From Lubbock, Tx Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Mar 20, 2007

A student named Steve Winger from Lubbock, TX was taking a challenging class in Logic. The course and teacher were known for exacting and demanding exams. The final exam was looming, and the professor mercifully told the class that each student would be permitted to bring in a single 8.5 x 11 inch ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:12-14

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Pentecostal

Persecution

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Aug 4, 2022

John Stott has pointed out that “persecution is simply the clash between two irreconcilable value-systems.” That clash is what we are seeing now, and it is ultimately between those who believe, trust, and love the God of the Bible and those who do not. The changes afoot today represent a ...read more

Tags: Persecution Of Christians, Cultural Warfare

Denomination: Lutheran

[015] A Message From A Poem - All About Me But What About The Lord?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2024

[015] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ALL ABOUT ME BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LORD? This is a very serious poem even though it is written in a partly informal way. The title says it all. “Everything revolves around me, and the Lord should be grateful for the time I give to Him.” Of course that attitude is ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:15-17, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Tags: Communion, Commitment, Study, Excuses, Selfish, The Bible  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Make This Muddled World A Better Place

Contributed by David Simpson on Feb 5, 2018

Make This Muddled World A Better Place January 24, 2018 Lanier Christian Church David Simpson The Academy Award Nominations came out yesterday. Of the movies nominated, one of them is about famous British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, entitled: Darkest Hour. Churchill left us with many ...read more

Tags: Bless Others, Give Of Self, Be A Blessing To Oth, Service, Compassion, Winston Churchill  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Church

On The Other Hand?" Mark 13:9-13 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 26, 2005

“On The Other Hand?” Mark 13:9-13 Key verse(s) 13:“‘All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.’” Often times what determines whether or not we are standing tall in this life is measured by the depth of our convictions. There was a time not so long ago ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:9-13

Tags: Faith General, Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

[039] A Message From A Poem – Can We Understand His Goodness?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 28, 2025

[039] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CAN WE UNDERSTAND HIS GOODNESS? This poem is one of my absolute top favourites. It just flowed and I attribute it to the Lord’s presence when I wrote it. I think it came to me late one night as a happy rhythm and flowed quite well so that it was written quicker ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9-10, 2 Corinthians 6:2, Malachi 3:2-4

Tags: Love, Salvation, Goodness, Poetry, Understand  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[172]. A Poem Message – Living With Denial And Rejection (Evolution)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 21, 2025

[172]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LIVING WITH DENIAL AND REJECTION (Evolution) This poem takes up the challenge against evolution. The main thought here is that the whole theory (more an hypothesis) is based on absurdity. When in desperate situations people clasp onto something to hold them up, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:7, Genesis 1:20-22, 1 Corinthians 1:19-20

Tags: Christian Poems, Theory Of Evolution, Denial Of God, Satan, Denial, Absurdity, Darwin, Theistic Evolution, Deniers, Creation, Evolution  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Chameleon  PRO

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Nov 6, 2002

THE CHAMELEON When the new nation of Israel was getting ready to go into the land that God had promised them, their leader, Moses, gave them instructions on how they should live as God’s people. God wanted them to prosper, but for this to happen, they had to avoid certain animals that could harm ...read more

Tags: Faith, Leadership General

Denomination: Baptist

L.a. Laker Power Guard A.c. Green Is One Example ...  PRO

Contributed by Big Tommy Sirotnak on Apr 25, 2003

L.A. LAKER POWER GUARD A.C. GREEN is one example of a man who will stand for the truth at all costs. I knew A.C. during his rookie season with the Lakers. Like all rookies, he had to endure harassment and practical jokes. As he started to practice one day, a teammate came up to him and told him ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Know You Have Heard The Phrase "Remember The ...  PRO

Contributed by Dale Harlow on Jun 19, 2003

I know you have heard the phrase “remember the Alamo.” It is a story that illustrates what we, as men are all about. 187 men against the Mexican army of over 6000. They were extraordinary men, but they knew they couldn’t win with those odds. They had sent out pleas for help, but they had gone ...read more

Tags: Independence Day, Men And Women

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ