In Sermon Illustrations: "One Line Sermons"

Kierkegaard's Complacent Duck  PRO

Contributed by Dean O'bryan on Aug 25, 2008

Kierkegaard's Complacent Duck There was a Danish philosopher named Kierkegaard whose writings are weighty and tough to read. But that deep thinker one time told a simple parable that describes how easy it is to slide into complacency. According to his parable, one Spring, a duck was flying ...read more

Tags: Lazy, Sloth, Commitment To Christ, Complacency, Sleep  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

I Recently Read The Story Of A Man Who, In 2006, ...  PRO

Contributed by Chris Surber on Sep 9, 2008

I recently read the story of a man who, in 2006, was driving along a road in Pune India, a city located in the Maharashtra province of central India. The man was driving a common mode of transportation in India, his motorcycle with its mighty 2 stroke engine, through torrential rains on a road that ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:1-12

Tags: Gospel Of John, Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Christian Church

On The Random Stack Of Things That Magically ...

Contributed by Christopher Kennedy on Jan 22, 2009

On the random stack of things that magically appear outside my office door from time to time, this week I discovered a scrapbook that caught my attention. It was a scrapbook of the first years of Shepherd of the Hills. I was curious to look at the old pictures, letters, bulletins, and other ...read more

Tags: Unity, History

Denomination: Lutheran

Another Time, Another Place

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 14, 2021

ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE I've always heard there is a land Beyond the mortal dreams of man Where every tear will be left behind But it must be in another time, There'll be an everlasting light Shining a purest holy white And every fear will be erased But it must be in another place, ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Heaven, New Jerusalem, Streets Of Gold, Songs Of Heaven

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bee The Body Of Christ

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Jan 14, 2022

My dad has bees. Today I went to his house and he showed me all of the honey he had gotten from the hives. He took the lid off of a 5 gallon bucket full of honey and on top of the honey there were 3 little bees, struggling. They were covered in sticky honey and drowning. I asked him if we could ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:27, Galatians 6:2

Tags: Family, Body Of Christ, Helping, Caring, Bees, Love, Church  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Brethren

Grief

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 17, 2022

On Death and Loss… He was 50 years old. The cancer was aggressive and relentless. The pain was unmanageable and agonizing. In two months he was gone. I didn't have the opportunity to say good-bye and if I did, what would I say? Could I get the words out? Our last communication, me in Port ...read more

Scripture: John 11:25, Psalm 90:1-12, 2 Corinthians 1:1-7

Tags: Death, Grief, Sickness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Business Executive

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 25, 2025

Story: A business manager went on holiday to an island in Greece. One day, while he was on the beach, he was called up on his mobile phone by his secretary, wanting some help. He gave her some instructions and told her to call him back when she had finished. As he was pacing up and down ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Tags: Fisherman, Business Manager

Denomination: Anglican

Farmall Hospitality!" 3 John 1-8 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 17, 2004

“Farmall Hospitality!” 3 John 1-8 Key verse(s): 5: “Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you.” I’m a Corvair man! That means that I drive old, forty years or more, cars with air-cooled engines and no shoulder harnesses. Since I’ve ...read more

Scripture: 3 John 1:1-8

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Christian Love, Prosperous

Denomination: Lutheran

Just As We Are!" Exodus 14:13-14 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 29, 2005

“Just As We Are!” Exodus 14:13-14 Key verse(s) 14:“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Keeping a positive outlook on life is pretty hard when nothing much positive seems to be happening in your life. Let’s face it, when things are going bad, really bad, there is nothing worse ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 14:13-14

Tags: Disappointment

Denomination: Lutheran

Al Was My Father-In-Law. He Was An Uncomplicated ...

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 7, 2012

Al was my father-in-law. He was an uncomplicated man, easy to like. He was a natural athlete and avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish. When he had a daughter (his first grandchild; my wife has no siblings) we didn’t realize how excited Al was about the prospect of taking her to the Great ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Tags: Evangelism, Love, Parents, Aging, Christian Love, Evangelism Urgency  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

False Teaching: Sinlessness  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 1, 2012

FALSE TEACHING: SINLESSNESS The Apostle John wrote: "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." Now I want to digress for a moment and address a false teaching ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Finding Grace  PRO

Contributed by Johnathan Hester on Jun 15, 2008

FINDING GRACE If you want to learn the meaning of faith, get down to a child's level. "What could this possibly be?" I thought to myself. "Why would someone place that sign so low? No one could read it." You see them everywhere. Small signs promoting yard sales, cars, and business opportunities ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-2

Tags: Examples Of Faith

Denomination: Baptist

Is This A Christmas Present Or What?

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 21, 2019

One great blessing of Christmas is presents. Of course, at my age, I am not too interested in what I am getting but rather what I am giving. I cannot think of one thing I really would want. I got everything I need even though some of it may be old and outdated. As long as it works, I'm happy ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6

Tags: Christmas, Holiday

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unsung Heroes: He Brought Meal To Save The Meal

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 19, 2020

Introduction: This event took place in the days of Elisha, who followed Elijah as one of God’s prophets, during the days of Israel’s divided kingdom. Many of the people in both nations, Israel in the north and Judah in the south, gave up on the God of Israel and began to worship various false gods ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:38-41

Tags: Famine, Elisha, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Something Seems To Be Missing

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 10, 2021

Did you ever have a week when it felt like something was missing, but you didn't quite know what it was? I had that kind of a week this past week. It felt like something was missing, and I could not figure out what it was. The past week was typical in many regards. Everything seemed to be ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:9

Tags: Missing, Filling, Empty

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Ready Or Not, Here I Quit

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 18, 2021

I do not quit easily. When I start a project, I like to work until it's finished. I hate to quit before something is completed. One thing I have learned through the years is not to start something unless I have the time and resources to finish it. How many projects I started in the past and ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Quitting, Agreement, Humor

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Green Thumb Versus Black And Blue Thumb

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 16, 2021

If you came to our parsonage, you would discover all over our property, plants and flowers. Just don’t ask me to identify what they are. I can tell a plant from a flower, but that’s as far as it goes with me. That is not true with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. She gets all the credit for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Tags: Unity, Differences

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

My Days Of Wonder In The Hospital

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 1, 2025

Dr. James L. Snyder My plans for the New Year were horribly changed by ending up in the hospital. Around the middle of the month, it seemed like I may have had the flu. After all, everybody around me had the flu, and I just wanted to fit in with society in general. I had to cancel my Sunday ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Nurse, Hospital, Sick

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[333]. A Message From A Poem - What Do You Think Of Jesus Christ?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 16, 2026

[333]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WHAT DO YOU THINK OF JESUS CHRIST? This poem is a challenge to the non-committed soul. It is a mix of explanation, preaching and challenge. What do you really think of Jesus Christ? Who is He? Where do you stand in relationship to this fact? {{Matthew ...read more

Scripture: John 3:36, John 5:40, Matthew 16:13-15

Tags: Decision, Preaching, Neglect, Challenge, The Gospel, The Gospel Message, Christian Poems, Unwilling, Accept Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[334]. A Message From A Poem - What Foundation Do You Have?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 16, 2026

[334]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WHAT FOUNDATION DO YOU HAVE? This poem is built on the parable of the house built on sand and the other built on rock. It is a well known parable – {{Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, AND ACTS UPON THEM may be compared with a wise ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 89:26, James 4:13-14, Ephesians 2:20, Matthew 13:15-16, Matthew 7:24-27  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Salvation, Sand, Cyclone, Foundation, Destruction, Hurricane, House Built On Sand, Build On The Rock, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational