In Sermon Illustrations: "Open"

A Young Man Was Getting Ready To Graduate From ...  PRO

Contributed by Scott Carroll on Mar 11, 2008

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’ showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13, Psalm 67:1

Tags: Hands, Foot, Ilustracion, Paraguas, Eyes  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Undefiled Ears  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

"Undefiled Ears" The church that prolongs the proclaiming of the gospel of Jesus Christ has Christians who long to have undefiled ears. Isaiah 50:4-5 says, "The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He awakens me morning by morning, wakens my ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 50:4-5, Isaiah 50:4-10

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Girl's ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A GIRL’S PRAYER When in college Robert J , Morgan came across a poem written by a teenage girl looking for a husband. It was written as a prayer, and this is what she said: Dear God, I pray all unafraid / As girls are wont to be I do not want a handsome man / But make him, Lord, like Thee. I do ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:1

Tags: Prayer Answered

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Disneyland

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Dec 29, 2008

DISNEYLAND When I was a college kid in the San Francisco Bay Area, I would drive down with my friends to Disneyland at least once a year. We would leave late Friday night and take turns driving and sleeping during the eight hour drive. We would arrive in town early, have breakfast at Denny's and ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Everyone Can Win Someone

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

EVERYONE CAN WIN SOMEONE George W. Truett was the beloved pastor of Dallas’ First Baptist Church for more than 60 years. He tells of a woman who came to him after a service. She was a poverty stricken widow with several children. She said, "Pastor, I have never known you to be unfair -- yet you ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Prayer And Conviction Of Sin In The Life Of A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 29, 2010

Prayer and Conviction of Sin in the Life of a Gambler R. A. Torrey in his book The Holy Spirit tells how the elders and deacons of Moody Church met every Friday night for supper and to go over the church rolls to see which people needed attention. At one meeting, an elder expressed a concern: ...read more

Scripture: John 16:5-16

Tags: Prayer Answered

Persecution Of Baptists In The Colonies

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

PERSECUTION OF BAPTISTS IN THE COLONIES Throughout their long history as a people of faith, Baptists have consistently opposed any diminution of the rights of the individual to seek and to pursue their own faith, or for each person to decide to be without faith if that is the choice. Though ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:13-17

Tags: Persecution

Ministry In The Hard Places

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012

During his first year of seminary, Alan Hirsch led a small group of newly converted Christians that included “gays, lesbians, Goths, drug addicts, prostitutes, and some relatively ordinary people.” After graduating, he and his wife were called to go to South Melbourne Church of Christ in 1989 where ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Methodist

Lesson Of The Good Samaritan

Contributed by Darian Hybl on Aug 21, 2013

Recently I read an article that convicted me of my ‘blind spots’ where I have not wanted to ‘cross the road’ or enter deeper into relationship. Alex Early penned an article entitled, “A Pastor Walked into a Gay Bar And…” At first I avoided the article because I thought this article was more a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:23-37

Tags: God As Judge, Real Friend, Parable Good Samaritan

Denomination: Lutheran

Just Let Go !

Contributed by Bruce Simpkins on Mar 11, 2015

In my younger years I thought it would be an exciting adventure to try sky diving. After checking into it, I found I could get a big discount if I brought 5 friends to jump with me . . . so I did. It was a beautiful sunny day in California when we arrived for a half day training and then an ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:8-9

Tags: He Is Strong, I Am Weak

Denomination: Baptist

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

Giving Begets Giving  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Nov 30, 2009

GIVING BEGETS GIVING Leadership Magazine carried a story about four young men, Bible College students, who were renting a house together. One Saturday morning someone knocked on their door. And when they opened it, there stood this bedraggled-looking old man. His eyes were kind of marble-ized, and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:2

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Generosity Of Poor Man Surprises Bible College ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 30, 2009

Generosity of Poor Man Surprises Bible College Students Illustration from Leadership/Melvin Newland: Leadership Magazine carried a story about 4 young men, Bible College students, who were renting a house together. One Saturday morning someone knocked on their door. And when they opened it, there ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Tags: Giving General

Not Hearing And Hearing From God!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 14, 2022

Genesis 8:1-18 Devotional v1: Can God forget things? Why or why not? – God IS Omniscient (all knowing), otherwise, He would not be God! The Hebrew word for “remember" is zakar = to remember, to recall, bring to mind! v1-3: How did God stop the flooding? – stopped rain from the sky, closed ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 8:1-18

Tags: Fear, Wisdom, Obedience, God's Word, Actions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Parable Of An Old Farmer And His Massey ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 27, 2012

PARABLE OF AN OLD FARMER AND HIS MASSEY FERGUSON “One cool spring morning a old man got up and opened the back door to his little farm house. It’s early in the morning and there are still a couple stars out; the grass is covered in dew. He walks over to the barn and pulls the large doors open to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-30

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

[108]. A Message From A Poem – Grace Is The Key To Holiness

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2025

[108]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GRACE IS THE KEY TO HOLINESS This is a poem that has to be read carefully for understanding because of the construct of the poem. The subject is certainly GRACE, but grace can never be in isolation. There is a strong but harmonising relationship with LOVE, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:9, Revelation 22:21, Ezra 9:8, Ephesians 2:8

Tags: Peace, Holiness, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Grace, Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[268]. A Message From A Poem – The Great White Throne

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 20, 2026

[268]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE GREAT WHITE THRONE This poem came about through a series I did in middle to late 2025 on The Great White Throne, and The Judgement seat of Christ. For each of those studies I wrote a matching poem. That study for the Great White Throne is here on ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 20:11-15, John 3:36, Matthew 25:41

Tags: Gehenna, Judgment, Great White Throne, The Lake Of Fire, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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

[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

The Author Will Make Things Clear  PRO

Contributed by Rich Young on Jan 18, 2001

THE AUTHOR WILL MAKE THINGS CLEAR Author Marshall Shelley, who suffered the deaths of two of his children, writes in Leadership: "Even as I child, I loved to read, and I quickly learned that I would most likely be confused during the opening chapters of a novel. New characters were introduced. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-29

Tags: Faith, God In The Hardships, Trust

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed