In Sermon Illustrations: "Only"

A Name On The Bill Of Rights  PRO

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Oct 4, 2012

A NAME ON THE BILL OF RIGHTS The Black Brigade or Black Regiment were the preachers, because they wore black robes. Black preachers, white preachers — they all wore black robes. And the British specifically blamed the preachers for the American Revolution. That's where the title "Black Regiment" ...read more

Tags: Patriotism

Denomination: Holiness

Peanut Butter Theology

Contributed by Todd Catteau on May 27, 2015

I don’t like peanut butter. Some people get very upset when I tell them that. It’s nothing personal. It’s not a character flaw. I just don’t like it. I don’t even like the smell of it. My mother told me I ate a lot of peanut butter when I was young, so maybe I just reached my limit. My two ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

Tags: Generosity, Golden Rule, Thoughtfulness, Sympathize

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Teach Your Kids!

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Oct 4, 2015

God’s word instructs us to be teachers to our children. For the past 5000 plus years, children would help with the family business. If they were carpenters, the children would help doing work that was appropriate for them. As they helped, they would become masters at the skill that they were being ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Fatherhood, Teach Children, Dirty Shoes

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Conversion Of A Communist

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

Leonard Ravenhill tells the story of preaching an 8-day crusade in a large church in Glasgow, Scotland starting the first day of World War II. That shattered his meetings and no more than 50 people showed, so they started to meet in a side room instead. Despite this, he preached his heart out every ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10

Tags: Resurrection, Power

Denomination: Methodist

Are We Forever Trapped?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 17, 2017

METAL BARS OR MENTAL BARS... There is a story that comes from Russia of the BEAR THAT WAS FOREVER TRAPPED. There had been a great fire that burned miles of forest in Russia. Much of the wild life had been destroyed. There was a truck traveling along the edges of the destruction and a ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:7

Tags: Opportunity, Open Door

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Best Christmas Illustration Ever!  PRO

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

The brand new pastor and his wife were assigned to their first church in Brooklyn and were to reopen it. They arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw the church, it was run down and needed a lot of work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:1

Tags: Christmas, Advent, Christmas Reunion

Denomination: Methodist

Hearing And Making Good Choices

Contributed by Tim Baker on Jan 20, 2018

I remember so clearly my storm chase on May 13th 2009 of the Kirksville Missouri tornado. My chase started with spotting my first tornado near Novinger Missouri, where I played tag with it several times, getting some nice video clips of it, until finally it approached the city limits wrapped in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:26-27, James 1:22-24

Tags: Choices, Hear And Obey, Obedience, Action, Disbelief, Decision Making, Ignore, Doers Of The Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Is Your Value?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 17, 2020

Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? A boy asked a wise man: WHAT ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:29, Matthew 16:25

Tags: Value, Mirror

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Guidance From A Fortune Cookie?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 21, 2020

My wife and I occasionally balance our diets with some good old Chinese food! Besides, every cook deserves at least one day off and I plan on doing this for my favorite gal as often as I can! One of the best things about these restaurants is wondering what kind of "fortune" we'll ...read more

Scripture: John 7:17

Tags: Bible, Guidance, Word, Fortune Cookies

Denomination: Baptist

Post-It Note Christianity

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Jul 6, 2021

I’m a minister and, for the most part, the people I’m around know that. But in the church I serve we don’t wear any special clerical clothing, so on occasion I find myself in conversations with people who don’t know I’m a minister. That can create some interesting situations. I golf occasionally ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:3

Tags: Faithfulness, Sincerity, Faith, Commitment, Dedication  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In The Name Of Jesus Stop!

Contributed by Steve Malone on Sep 7, 2022

Telemachus was a monk in the 4th century. One day in prayer, He felt called by God to leave immediately and head to Rome. So he put his possessions in a sack and headed out. Upon arriving in Rome, he was immediately caught up in the crowd. The crowd was immense and excited. Soon ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:9

Tags: Courage, Martyrs, Peacemakers, Telemachus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Parable Of The Pearl

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 28, 2022

Once there was a man who collected and traded in pearls. He had a fine collection of his own. But one day, while he was away on business, he spotted a beautiful pearl in a Jeweler's window. It was a pearl such as he had never seen, perfect in shape, size, and color. He thought to himself, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Tags: Sacrifice, Commitment, Discipleship, Kingdom Of God, Decisions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jewish Weddings Are A Portrait Of The Last Days

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 2, 2023

When a Jewish man found a woman he liked (and most times his father would pick one out for him) he would approach the young lady with a marriage contract (a covenant). In the contract were laid out the legal terms in which he would propose marriage. The most important part of this contract was ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tags: Revelation, Church, Israel, End Times, Last Days, Rapture, Bride Of Christ, Weddings  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Doing Your Duty With A Little Faith

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Sep 16, 2023

Don Gullett was the greatest athlete eastern Kentucky has ever seen. He excelled in all sports. He was so good that he was recruited by the University of Kentucky in all three sports….Basketball, Football, and Baseball. In Basketball he averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds a game; I personally ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:5-10, 2 Timothy 1:3-12

Tags: Faith, Trust

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Misapplied Scriptures: The "Mizpah” Moment

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 17, 2023

Full disclosure: Sermon Central has accepted and posted a complete message on this text and context called “Jacob-His Mizpah Moment”. This illustration is not an abbreviated form of that message, only a brief attempt to post some highlights. In addition, this verse/passage was featured back in the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 31:49

Tags: Jacob, Mizpah, Laban

Denomination: Baptist

[012] A Message From A Poem - About A Pleasant Way

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 14, 2024

[012] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ABOUT A PLEASANT WAY I wanted to compose a simple poem that might be able to be used as a song. This was the result. I like the flow of words, which is what rhythm is all about and I like to compose that way mostly. However I am not musical in the sense of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 147:1, Psalm 133:1, Psalm 106:24, Psalm 16:6, John 17:11  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Praises, A Pleasant Way, Sing, Despise, Pleasant  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[023] A Message From A Poem - At His Feet Encompassing

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 3, 2024

[023] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - AT HIS FEET ENCOMPASSING I hope this poem credits the Lord with all the devotion that is His. You will see the poem is in three sections. Also it has a distinctive rhyming scheme with internal rhymes. Additionally, you have many words rhyming with “feet” through ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:9, 1 Corinthians 12:14-15, Revelation 1:17

Tags: Feet, Bow At His Feet, The Feet Of Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[029] A Message From A Poem – Be Still And Know That I Am God

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 15, 2025

[029] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD This is a very special poem because in a time of great difficulty, the Lord woke me from irregular sleep to give me this poem at 3 o’clock in the morning. Of course the poem flowed along because it came from God. It was a message I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 4:4, Luke 10:39-40, Psalm 46:10

Tags: Mary, Rest In The Lord, Be Still, Wait On The Lord, I Am God, Cease Striving, Seated At His Feet  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[060]. A Message From A Poem – Do Not Trust Ourselves – Trust God

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[060]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DO NOT TRUST OURSELVES – TRUST GOD When you think you know it all: Then you don't. When you think you’ll do it all; Then you won’t. I find this a delightful poem (for myself) and I am sharing my own experience here in writing it. Often we think we know best ...read more

Scripture: John 6:7-10, 2 Corinthians 12:10

Tags: Trust Ourselves, Weakness, Strong, Weak, Poetry, Poem, Human Strength, Trust, Strength  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[063]. A Message From A Poem – Drumming And Humming Become Obese

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 18, 2025

[063]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DRUMMING AND HUMMING BECOME OBESE This poem is not my usual style and I need to explain. Imagine the beginnings of something that multiplies itself and grows louder and louder as it advances; then will take over because nothing can stop it . . . . except ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:2, Revelation 6:3-4, 2 Timothy 3:1-2

Tags: Humming, Drumming, Leaven, Wickedness, Delusion, Poetry, Poem, Advance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational