In Sermon Illustrations: "Matthew 19 1 33"

If There Is No God, Who Decides?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Mar 6, 2026

In 1882, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote a short parable that still echoes through Western culture. He imagines a man running into a crowded marketplace in broad daylight, holding a lantern. He cries out, “Where is God? I will tell you—we have killed Him. You and I. We are His ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17, Judges 2:10-15

Tags: Evil, Culture, Meaning, Good, Values, God Is Dead  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[308]. A Message From A Poem - This Sinful World Faces Reality

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 11, 2026

[308]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - THIS SINFUL WORLD FACES REALITY The opening line sets the theme of this poem – “The differential is greater now than ever it was,” and becomes a contrast of what is righteous and what is wicked. The gap is widening and wickedness is growing. The 6 stanzas - each ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:3, Revelation 21:1-2

Tags: World, Judgment, Reality, Decline, Coming Judgment, Sin In The World, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Be Afraid!

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 20, 2026

Another book I would recommend is “The Screwtape Letters” (1942) by C.S. Lewis. This is from the preface: “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:8-10, 1 Peter 2:10-13

Tags: Holy Spirit, Satan, Cs Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

Denomination: Methodist

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

Passing It On

Contributed by David Dunn on Mar 30, 2026

I visited a friend for Thanksgiving. Nothing formal. Just one of those homes where you walk in and immediately feel like you belong. The kitchen was already alive—warm, a little crowded, full of movement. You could hear things happening before you even saw them. Pots shifting. Laughter from the ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:6-7, 1 Corinthians 11:1

Tags: Tradition, Influence, Formation

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Id That Almost Wasn't Good Enough

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 18, 2026

The year we moved to Tennessee was an election year. Cassy and I went to go vote. We waited in line, got to the front, and I reached in my wallet without even thinking about the fact that we hadn't switched our driver's licenses over to Tennessee yet. They told us we needed a Tennessee ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:4, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Tags: Identity, Authority

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When The Door Opened

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 18, 2026

Before Cassy and I moved to Middle Tennessee, we were in West Texas. I was running a pretty small graphic design business and driving for Uber and Lyft in the evenings, and I was frustrated overall. Not because anything was particularly wrong, but because I kept feeling like I wasn't doing what ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:8, 1 Corinthians 16:9

Tags: God's Timing, Calling

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[346]. A Message From A Poem - Willy Willy Wagtail, You Sweet Bird

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 11, 2026

[346]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WILLY WILLY WAGTAIL, YOU SWEET BIRD This may seem an unusual poem. It is about an Australian bird that belongs to the Wagtail or Fantail family. The identification for this bird is “Rhipidura leucophrys” and you may hear its call on this site - ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:41-44, James 5:12

Tags: Praise, Bird, Joyful, David And Goliath, Black And White, Singing, Cast Down, Christian Poems, Downcast Christians, Wagtail  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[347]. Poem Message - Wisdom Of This World Is Foolishness With God

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 12, 2026

[347]. POEM MESSAGE - WISDOM OF THIS WORLD IS FOOLISHNESS WITH GOD There is a huge line of division between God and man; between God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom. Man is dominated by a sinful, fallen nature and his associated human wisdom is absolutely flawed. It is flawed so much that it ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:21-22, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Tags: Wisdom, Foolishness, Humanism, Wisdom Of God, Fools, Wisdom Of The World, Christian Poems, The Wisdom Of Men  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Break Ranks: Four Biblical Keys To Keeping Unity Alive

Contributed by Todd Catteau on May 13, 2026

I’m starting a new study this week from a dark period in the history of Old Testament Israel. After the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon — a season in which Israel experienced a good deal of success and influence — the nation does something tragic: it divides. What follows is a troubled and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:3, 1 Peter 3:8

Tags: Compassion, Humility, Unity, Sympathy

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

No Other Way

Contributed by John Bright on Jul 11, 2026

Today, we live in a world that believes something is true if most folks say it or somebody is shouting it the loudest. We see this both inside and outside the church. What I hear shouted most of the time is this: “There is more than one way to heaven” and “all the gods of all the religions are ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6, 1 John 1:1-4

Tags: Salvation, Idolatry, Pluralism

Denomination: Methodist

The Bible Book

Contributed by John Bright on Jul 12, 2026

We need to be guided by God’s Word: Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path.” I remember learning that verse in VBS as a kid. So, can I just hold my Bible up at night to walk through a dark house? No way. This is just a book. It is ink on pages and cover, just ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:105, 1 John 1:5-7

Tags: Bible, Holy Spirit, John Wesley, Means Of Grace

Denomination: Methodist

Sin With A Big S

Contributed by John Bright on Jul 12, 2026

• “If we say that we have no sin,” John is referring to what today we call Sin with a big ‘S’. This is what we call the sin nature within each person; it is a matter of the heart and desires. Paul put it like this in Romans 7:17: “But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:17, 1 Corinthians 15:3

Tags: Sin, Garden, Weeds, Sin Nature

Denomination: Methodist

In My Childhood I Collected Coins. It Was My ...

Contributed by Don Jones on Oct 2, 2007

In my childhood I collected coins. It was my hobby. During WW II copper was a very valuable metal used in the war effort. The U.S. Mint was asked to produce a steel penny so in 1943 they did just that. One day I ran across 3 steel pennies in mint condition. I bought them, went home, and put ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Historical Impact Of The Word Of God

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

HISTORICAL IMPACT OF THE WORD OF GOD In every genuine revival among God’s people the revealed word of the Lord has had a large place. It was so in Josiah’s day, and in the awakening under Hezekiah. It has been so throughout the Church period. It was the recovery of the Word that brought about the ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:1-18

Tags: Bible Influence

In The Wake Of War Torn Streets And Suicide ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 7, 2005

In the wake of war torn streets and suicide bombings, strengthened by a grateful heart,one brave Iraqi official stands tall and puts a price on his sufferings. Due to the brutal assassination of the former pro-American mayor, Ali Fadel gladly stepped in as Baghdad’s new leading official. Mr. ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Students Don't Clean Their Hands Often Or Well ...

Contributed by Roger Nelmes on Jan 10, 2007

Students don’t clean their hands often or well enough. In one study, only 58% of female and 48% of male middle and high school students washed their hands after using the bathroom. Of these, only 33% of the females and 8% of the males used soap. Adult hand cleaning behaviors also need improvement. ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

When You Fold Your Hands, The Thumb Is Nearest ...  PRO

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Jul 9, 2005

When you fold your hands, the thumb is nearest you. So begin by praying for those closest to you – your loved ones (Philippians 1 : 3 – 5). The index finger is the pointer. Pray for those who teach – Bible teachers and preachers, and those who teach children (1 Thessalonians 5 : 25). The next ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

Denomination: Baptist

No Answer: Barna Research Phoned 3400 Randomly ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

No Answer: Barna Research phoned 3400 randomly selected Protestant churches from across the U.S. during December and 55% offered no human answer. Overall: 19% had neither a person nor an answering machine responding to calls; 16% had an answering machine responding; 20% had either an answering ...read more

Tags: Church General

More Non-Christians: Over The Past 10 Years, The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

More Non-Christians: Over the past 10 years, the number of adults who identify with a non-Christian religion rose from 5.8 million to 7.7 million, according to a Graduate Center of the City University of New York report. This represents an increase from 3.3% to 3.7% of the population. The American ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency