In Sermon Illustrations: "Only"

[150]. A Message From A Poem – James Chapter One

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 31, 2025

[150]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JAMES CHAPTER ONE The author of this letter is known as James the Less, to distinguish him from James the brother of John. This author was the half brother of Jesus, the full son of Joseph and Mary. James is a book that is often rejected for messages, but there ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-20, James 1:12, James 1:5

Tags: James, Wisdom, James The Less, Letter Of James

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[205]. A Message From A Poem – One Hair Here And One Hair There

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 17, 2025

[205]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – ONE HAIR HERE AND ONE HAIR THERE Well, well, well! How many of us are bald? How many are heading that way? I remember when I was a kid my mother used to say to me, “Tell the barber to thin out your hair.” There used to be some sort of clippers that would do ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:20-21, Luke 12:7, 2 Kings 2:23

Tags: Numbered, Glorious Bodies, Alopecia, Falling Out, Hair, New Bodies  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Newton's Story

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 21, 2025

The story of John Newton and the hymn Amazing Grace. Newton’s hymn has grown so familiar to us that we sometimes forget the depth of the testimony behind it. Those lines were not crafted by a saint who lived an unblemished life. They were written by a man who walked through the same spiritual ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 33:12, Ephesians 2:8

Tags: Grace, Redemption

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Pennies, Pluto, And The Things That Matter

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Dec 18, 2025

I just got back to my office after a quick stop for a soda and a snack. When the cashier gave me back my change, he rounded it to the nearest nickel. It looks like we're doing away with pennies. For some odd reason, I think that's sad. But it makes sense (pun intended). From what I hear, it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46, Mark 12:41-44

Tags: Pluto, Pennies, Kingdom, Kindness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[317]. A Message From A Poem - Transition In Time And Eternity

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 20, 2026

[317]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - TRANSITION IN TIME AND ETERNITY This poem’s title means the lifespan we have from childhood, through the years until old age, then after that lies eternity. There is a physical life and a spiritual life. The physical life we know but hardly anyone knows the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:2, Matthew 7:13-14, Psalm 10:4, Psalm 14:1, Psalm 53:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Hell, Death, Eternity, Baby, Heaven, Afterlife, Salvation, Atheism, Transition, Enter, Narrow Gate, Forgiveness Of Sins, Growing Older, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[332]. A Message From A Poem - We Walk By Faith And Not By Sight

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 8, 2026

[332]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT This poem is about a Christian’s walk with the Lord. To walk by sight means our eyes are on the things of the world and have been removed from God. That is failure. To walk by faith means eyes on the Lord, and how do we do ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:9, 2 Corinthians 5:6, Psalm 119:143-144, Psalm 119:10, Hebrews 12:2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith, Faithful, Walk, Guidance, Eyes On Jesus, Looking To Jesus, Walk By Faith, Look To Jesus, Walk With The Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[352]. A Message From A Poem – Written On The Train

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 23, 2026

[352]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – WRITTEN ON THE TRAIN I was undertaking a drive of 1 800 km and had gone about 150 km from home when I had an accident. The vehicle limped badly for another 950 km where I had to leave it for repairs and return home. The return trip was about 1 100 km and was ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 9:9-10, Psalm 31:10-14, Romans 5:3-5

Tags: Life, Tribulation, Sorrow, Accident, Rejoicing, Train, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Justin  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

JUSTIN I want to tell you about a 12-year-old boy we’ll call Justin. Justin never knew anything good. His parents, if you want to call them that, were completely without qualifications to birth the boy, having done so quite unintentionally, making far less effort to raise him than they made to ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-17, Romans 5:8, Colossians 1:21-22

Tags: Grace, Atonement, Substitution

It All Happened On A Subway

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Mar 10, 2022

Marcel Sternberger was a methodical man of nearly 50, with bushy white hair, guileless brown eyes, and the bouncing enthusiasm of a czardas dancer of his native Hungary. He always took the 9:09 Long Island Railroad train from his suburban home to Woodside, N.Y.., where he caught a subway into the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:10

Tags: Grace, Mercy, Salvation, Chance, Divine Appointments  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Brethren

Meditate On God

Contributed by Kory Labbe on Sep 5, 2025

Joshua. 1:8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do . Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:8, Isaiah 26:3

Tags: Breath, Meditate, Stillness, Mindful, Peace, Present, Yahweh  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

John Griffith Lived Through The Great Depression. ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Nov 6, 2000

John Griffith lived through the Great Depression. He got a job on the edge of the Mississippi caring for one of those great, huge railroad bridges that cross that mighty river. John brought his 8-year-old son, Greg, to work with him to see what Daddy did all day. The little boy was wide-eyed ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Humanity Of Christ, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: United Methodist

The Martyrs Of The Ecuador Mission  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2002

The Martyrs of the Ecuador Mission 8 January 1956 (modified by sermon author) In the dense rain-forests of Ecuador, on the Pacific side of the Andes Mountains, lives a tribe of Indians. -They simply call themselves the “people” but their neighbor’s call them “savages” -For many generations ...read more

Tags: Work

Sammy's Big Catch - Sammy Was A Young Boy Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles Wall, Jr. on Aug 26, 2003

Sammy’s Big Catch - Sammy was a young boy who lived in the Deep South. His summer days were filled when times of walking through the woods, playing with friends, and fishing in the pond down the road. Fishing was by far his favorite thing to do. Just about every day during his summer vacation, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-23

Tags: Sin Deceptive, Sin General, Sin Wages Of

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unconditional Acceptance  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Jan 19, 2004

A lady says: I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree.  The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I  wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called ...read more

Scripture: John 5:27-31

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Lutheran

One Of Our Pastors (Larry Booker) Tells Of Going ...  PRO

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Sep 27, 2004

One of our pastors (Larry Booker) tells of going to General Conference a number of years ago where a special session for ministers was held. A certain pastor had been asked to speak to the ministers about his personal experiences concerning the importance of upholding holiness in the local ...read more

Tags: Discipleship, Call Of The Disciples, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Pentecostal

Hat In Hand Thankfulness!" 1 Thessalonians 5: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 24, 2004

“Hat In Hand Thankfulness!” 1 Thessalonians 5: 12-28 Key verse(s): 18: “. . . give thanks under all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Thanksgiving! It is easy to forget, especially when our lives are so filled with other things. Perhaps that’s why we have a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Lutheran

Torch Races!" Job 6:8-13 Key Verse(S) 9:". . . ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 27, 2005

“Torch Races!” Job 6:8-13 Key verse(s) 9:“. . . that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut me off!” Sometimes it doesn’t matter how quickly you run the race; just that you finish. Everyone has bad days; days which like any other days start out all right but somewhere ...read more

Scripture: Job 6:8-13

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Lutheran

Letting Go Of The Branch!" Luke 1:5-15 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 31, 2005

“Letting Go of the Branch!” Luke 1:5-15 Key verse(s) 13“But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.” Trusting in God is fine, as long as it is something you believe He can do. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-15, 1 Kings 17:8-16

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

I Have A Friend Who Works With A Church In ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeremy Houck on Jul 26, 2005

I have a friend who works with a church in Nashville. He was telling us a few weeks ago about a lady at his church who was really convicted by what she had been reading in the scriptures and hearing at church. She felt that she has no other choice but to take the love of God out to a dying world ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

French Fries  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Apr 24, 2007

French Fries Like many modern fathers, I never seem to have enough time to spend with my children. So I was pleased that I had to "watch" the two boys last Saturday. We ran a couple of errands, got the car washed, and then they decided it was time for lunch. I asked them where they wanted to ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal