In Sermon Illustrations: "Men And Women"

Holy Images

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 6, 2012

HOLY IMAGES There are three true stories about holy images: A few years ago a woman in New Mexico was frying tortillas. One of the tortillas burned and the result was an image that looked like a face; she thought it looked like Jesus. She took the tortilla to her priest and he agreed it looked ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 44:6-23

Tags: Idolatry

Compassion For An Old Man

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 14, 2012

COMPASSION FOR AN OLD MAN It was a bitterly cold evening in Northern Virginia many years ago. The old man's beard was glazed by winter's frost as he waited for a ride across the river. He heard a brigade of men on horses coming around the bend. He let the first one pass him without any effort to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40, Luke 7:11-17

Tags: Compassion

Selling Your Cow  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 31, 2014

Daniel Overdorf: One of my older sisters and her husband served for 12 years as missionaries to Haiti. Among various other ministries, such as church plants, a school and feeding programs, they discipled a few young men who today lead various churches and ministries. One participant in this was ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:16-18

Tags: Help The Needy, Christian Giving, Sharing God's Bounty

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hugging

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Mar 1, 2016

Once at a young girl’s funeral, I had to make just such a decision. The girl’s father was a member of our church and an air force serviceman. He was an aide on Air Force One and had flown with the president many times. A few generals and lots of upper-crust brass attended the funeral. When it came ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:20

Tags: Touch, Healing Touch, Hugging

Denomination: Baptist

Corrie Ten Boom On Forgiveness And Love Of Enemy

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on May 6, 2018

When I think of drawing on love’s source, I think of Corrie ten Boom. Her family had all died in the Nazi concentration camps. Their crime? Hiding Jews in their home. Somehow Corrie survived. The war had ended, the camps had been liberated, and Corrie was speaking in various churches, sharing about ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-17, Matthew 5:43-48

Tags: Agape Love, Love Your Enemy, Source Of True Love, Love, Forgiveness, Forgive, Divine Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Something For Nothing?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 13, 2020

Several years ago, I had to make an urgent flight across the country. Because the only airport with those kinds of connections was a good ways away, I took advantage of a shuttle service. Considering the cost of fuel and parking alone, I figured I could get a ride from the northern terminal all ...read more

Scripture: John 6:25-27

Tags: Greed, Motive Or Motivation

Denomination: Baptist

The First Thing Bartimaeus Saw

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 30, 2020

Think of what Bartimaeus saw when he received his sight! Think of the wonders of seeing for the first time a crowd of human beings just like himself, the walls and palm-tree groves of Jericho, the sky, so blue above him, and the hills of Moab in the distance. But that was not the first thing that ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 21:1-7

Tags: Death, Heaven, Miracles

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Bag With Holes

Contributed by James Dina on Dec 1, 2020

A BAG WITH HOLES “You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” (Haggai 1:6) There are many rich people in the ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 1:6

Tags: Defense, Holes

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Amazing Accuracy Of Scripture

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 28, 2020

Professor Emeritus of Science at Westmon College, Peter Stoner, has calculated the probability of one man fulfilling the major prophecies made concerning the Messiah. The estimates were worked out by twelve different classes of 600 college students. The students carefully weighed all the factors, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Inspiration Of The Bible, Bible, Messiah, Word Of God, Inerrancy, Prophecies Fulfilled  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroes: Phurah, The Servant Of Gideon

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 5, 2021

Introduction: Phurah, Gideon’s servant, is only mentioned twice in the entire Bible—here in this passage—but what he did certainly speaks volumes. Text, Judges 7:9-11, KJV: 9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered ...read more

Scripture: Judges 7:9-11

Tags: Gideon, Phurah, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: They Helped A Desperate Father

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 14, 2023

Introduction: True friends are those willing to help. These unsung heroes helped a desperate father bring his son to Jesus. Text, Mark 9:17-20a, KJV: 17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; 18 And wheresoever he taketh him, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:17-20

Tags: Jesus, Evil Spirits, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Ordinary Joe – An Unsung Hero

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 24, 2023

Ordinary Joe – An Unsung Hero There are many characters in the cast of the Christmas story that have gripped the Church’s imagination but there’s one that has rarely had a place in the spotlight. Joseph. There’s the Magi, exotic and somehow still gleaming in their silks after the long, dusty road ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:16-25, Matthew 2:14-21, Luke 1:27, Luke 3:23-30

Tags: Angel, Christmas, Angels, Joseph, Simeon, Genealogy, Mary And Joseph  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Donkey That Spoke

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 24, 2025

My name? Oh, I’m Sassy—the braying donkey. Not the fastest, not the strongest… and definitely not the prettiest. But I’ve got a good heart — and a loud voice! (pause) Most days I carry my master, Balaam. He’s a prophet—important and proud. I don’t mind. I’m used to carrying heavy loads. But one ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 22:28-31, Psalm 32:8, Proverbs 16:9, John 10:27, 1 Corinthians 1:17  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Obedience, Faithfulness, Courage, Voice, Listening  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

[270]. A Message From A Poem – The Hope Of The Church

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 20, 2026

[270]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE HOPE OF THE CHURCH The coming of the Lord Jesus for His people and His Church is called “the blessed hope” in the AV and is translated this way in the NASB – {{Titus 2:13 “looking for THE BLESSED HOPE and the appearing of the glory of our great God and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:2, Titus 2:13

Tags: The Blessed Hope, The Lord Is Coming, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Church, Hope, Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[272]. A Poem Message – The Infant Christ Has Come (Christmas) (Version 1)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 23, 2026

[272]. A POEM MESSAGE – THE INFANT CHRIST HAS COME (Christmas) (Version 1) Most Christians think of the Nativity at Christmas time but it ought not be like that. In one way the birth of Christ; His ministry; His death, burial and resurrection; and His ascension, are all equal in importance for ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:6-7, Philippians 2:10-11

Tags: Christmas, Jesus Christ Is Lord, Manger Scene, The Nativity, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, The Infant Christ, Babe In The Manger  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[273]. Poem Message – The Infant Christ Has Come (Christmas) (Version 2)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 23, 2026

[273]. A POEM MESSAGE – THE INFANT CHRIST HAS COME (Christmas) (Version 2) Most Christians think of the Nativity at Christmas time but it ought not be like that. In one way the birth of Christ; His ministry; His death, burial and resurrection; and His ascension, are all equal in importance ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:6-7, Philippians 2:10-11

Tags: Manger Scene, The Nativity, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, The Infant Christ, Babe In The Manger, Christmas, Jesus Christ Is Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Page That's Been There Since 1597

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 18, 2026

In my office there hangs a framed page positioned strategically so that it's the last thing I see as I leave and the first thing that catches my eye when I sit down each day. It's a page from a Geneva Bible. The Geneva Bible is the first mass-produced Bible with verse numbers, and this ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:23, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Scripture, Calling

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Love My Dentist?" Luke 1:26-37 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 7, 2005

“I Love My Dentist?” Luke 1:26-37 Key verse(s): 31:“You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.” I love my dentist? Do you love yours? Unfortunately dentists have really gotten a bad rap over time. Many see them as the evil pain-giver, the one who ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-37

Tags: Peace, Joy

Denomination: Lutheran

Road To Emmaus - The Good Samaritan Inn

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Apr 28, 2020

The Road to Emmaus The scene: A table in the Inn in Emmaus – with a big sign on the Table saying “The Good Samaritan Inn in Emmaus” Luke and Cleopas seated around a Table Cleopas and Luke start talking: Cleopas: Luke, Where’s he gone – he was standing right there and puff - He just ...read more

Tags: Road To Emmaus, Sketch

Denomination: Anglican

Singing On The Porch

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 9, 2003

Singing on the porch By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. [email protected] Make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Wow, what kids today are missing? They travel across the nation and have a DVD or a Nintendo in the SUV, and they never look out the window to see where they have been. We have a friend that has 4 ...read more

Tags: Family, Giving Yourself

Denomination: Assembly Of God