In Sermon Illustrations: "Nearness"

Discernment—or Judgment?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

DISCERNMENT--OR JUDGMENT? So how does a critical attitude come back to haunt you? Here’s one way. A man wanted to impress his friends with his eye for art as they went to an art gallery together. He forgot his glasses, was nearsighted, and couldn’t hardly see his hand in front of his face. But he ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-6

Tags: Gifts Discernment

Brother Lawrence And Disciplines

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

BROTHER LAWRENCE AND DISCIPLINES Around 1610, a child was born in France by the name Nichols Herman. Later in life, he would become known as Brother Lawrence. As a young man, he fought in the Thirty Years War and sustained a near fatal His injury to his sciatic nerve. The injury left him quite ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:9

Tags: Discipleship, Recognition, Seeking Christ

Why Am I So Exhausted?

Contributed by Nigel Heath on Sep 15, 2009

WHY AM I SO EXHAUSTED? I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide it needs washing. As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier. I decide to go through the mail before I wash ...read more

Tags: Goals

Denomination: Baptist

Little ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2010

Little Mirrors Robert Fulghum, in his book, It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It, tells how he found purpose in life. Fulghum, a former Episcopal priest, took a course on Greek culture at an Orthodox retreat center on the Island of Crete. A man named Alexander Papaderos built the center. After ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Christian Witness

Pastor Makes A Tough ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

Pastor Makes A Tough Decision In his book The Jesus Revolution, pastor and author Leith Anderson shares a story about the tension that sometimes comes between obeying God and obeying the law of the land. A number of years ago, he and three others were traveling to a Communist country where ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 12:17

Tags: Obey God, Christian Values

The Crew Of Life-Savers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 14, 2011

THE CREW OF LIFE-SAVERS Nantucket, Massachusetts is located next to important shipping lanes running along the East Coast. Toward the end of the 1800s sailing ships were in their heyday. Nantucket Island saw hundreds of vessels passing by each day—all navigating without the advantages of modern ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Sarah's Vase  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 21, 2011

SARAH'S VASE Just like life comes in the place of death, so honor comes in the place of service. Pediatrician David Cerqueira tells the story of a little girl in his wife's Sunday School class. His wife had prepared a lesson on being useful and told the children that everyone can be useful in ...read more

Scripture: John 12:23-26, Mark 14:1-9

Tags: Servanthood

St. Patrick: Stones Squashed In The Mud

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

ST. PATRICK: STONES SQUASHED IN THE MUD As a young boy Patrick lived a comfortable life near an English coastal city where his father was a deacon in their church. But at the age of 16, all that came to an end. Irish pirates attacked his village, abducting Patrick and many of the household ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9-10

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

He Wants To Be With His Master

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 29, 2011

HE WANTS TO BE WITH HIS MASTER Today’s story is about an old country doctor that dates back to the late 1930s when doctors made house calls. Isaac Pender was his name. Everyone in the area for two reasons respected him. First, he was an excellent doctor who provided compassion care for his ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-4

Tags: Heaven

The Agony Of Defeat

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 28, 2012

"THE AGONY OF DEFEAT" Some of you might remember the TV program "The Wide World of Sports". For many years, the opening of the program opened like this: "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport; the thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat." The opening illustrated "the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 27:12

Tags: Change

Unsung Heroes: He Told Abram That Lot Was Captured

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 6, 2021

After leaving Egypt, Abram and Lot, his nephew, decided to separate from each other so that there would be enough to sustain each respective household. Genesis 13 tells the story, where, from Bethel, Lot went to the south and east, towards Sodom. Abram went south and west, settling near Hebron. At ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 14:13-16

Tags: Unsung Heroes, Abram, Lot, Sodom

Denomination: Baptist

Miracles Through Prayer In China

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 15, 2024

In his book Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee describes a preaching mission to an island off the South China coast. There were seven in the ministering group, including a sixteen-year-old new convert whom he calls Brother Wu. The island was fairly large, containing about 6,000 homes. Nee had a contact ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Elijah, Missions, Prayer, Miracles, China, Rain  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Observation About A Certain Bird:

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 31, 2024

Our church’s parking lot is mostly gravel except for a small paved section. Ordinarily that’s not a problem but recently, we’ve discovered a very small problem. Would you believe, it’s a bird? Birds of various types are mentioned often in the Bible. All were unclean, according to the dietary laws ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:37

Tags: Protection, Birds, Nests

Denomination: Baptist

[041] A Message From A Poem – Christ - Our Support In Hurt

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 1, 2025

[041] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRIST - OUR SUPPORT IN HURT We can pass through stormy seas and feel like those disciples in the boat when calm gave way to anxiety, but Jesus was in the boat resting in peace. The disciples focussed on the conditions and not on the Lord. Is that like us as ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 56:11, Matthew 28:20, John 14:16, Mark 4:37-40  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Always With You, Hurt, Afraid, Support, Alone, Anxious  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unwanted Items-Fresh Meat On The Street?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 2, 2025

Introduction: This illustration is the first in a series about things that either aren’t wanted, left behind, or otherwise abandoned. Here’s hoping some of these illustrations will be useful! Text: 2 Kings 7:7, KJV: 7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 7:7

Tags: Caution, Meat, Unwanted, Abandoned Things

Denomination: Baptist

Wait On The Lord - But In Silence

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 5, 2025

WAIT ON THE LORD - BUT IN SILENCE Waiting in silence with patience is almost foreign to most of us. We like action and love to be doing as Martha was in rushing around in service for her Lord, while Mary sat in silence listening to the Lord in communion. The concept of waiting on the Lord is a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42, Lamentations 3:26

Tags: Wait Silently, Mary, Silence, Martha, Wait On The Lord, Finches  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[134]. A Message From A Poem – I Am With You Always

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 17, 2025

[134]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS This poem was written in a time of great trial that had been a lengthy one. It is so precious to know the Lord is with us always and never will He sleep or miss something. He knows our end from our beginning. I want to honour God in this ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:4-5, Matthew 28:20

Tags: Emmanuel, Jesus, Presence Of Jesus, Delight Yourself In The Lord, Close At Hand, I Am With You Always, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Commit Your Way To The Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[160]. A Message From A Poem – Jesus So Loved Me

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 9, 2025

[160]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JESUS SO LOVED ME We have here a poem that covers some of the great and important aspect of the gospel. The Lord died for my sins. We ask why the innocent One has to die for the guilty. Jesus is the Substitute and love was behind that. {{1 Corinthians 15:3 “I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:3, Romans 1:21, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Tags: Christian Poems, Christ The Sacrifice, Sin, Heaven, Guilty, Substitute, Substitutionary Atonement, Christian Poetry, Love, Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[097]. A Message From A Poem – Gates Of Hesitation

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 3, 2025

[097]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GATES OF HESITATION This poem tells a story. Jesus told His listeners something – {{Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate for THE GATE IS WIDE and the way is broad that leads to destruction and many are those who enter by it, for THE GATE IS SMALL and the way ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 18:21, Matthew 12:30, Psalm 1:1-6, Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Two Ways, Broad Gate, Gates, Destruction, Hesitation, Narrow Gate  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Intro: Football Practice Was Over, And Denny Was ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

INTRO: Football practice was over, and Denny was sore from head to toe. Slowly he climbed the graffiti-laden stairway of the aging apartment building. Suddenly, his mother’s chilling screams pierced the cold, still air. He had heard the sound many times before. Still, a sickening knot formed in ...read more

Tags: Empower, Strengthen