In Sermon Illustrations: "Our Only Hope"

George And Edith Are Getting Married In Their 90's

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 6, 2024

KEEP LOOKING UP and always have a positive attitude, because Jesus is coming back one of these days and that is the blessed hope of the believer. Here is a funny example of looking ahead! George, age 92 and Edith, age 90, are all excited about their decision to get married even though they were ...read more

Tags: Looking Ahead, Positive Attitude, Humor, Second Coming, Rapture, Bride Of Christ, Blessed Hope, Return Of Christ, Hope  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

He's Back

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 24, 2018

A woman looked out of her window and saw her German shepherd shaking the life out of her neighbor's rabbit. Her family did not get along well with these neighbors so this was going to be a disaster. She grabbed a broom and pummeled the dog until he dropped the rabbit. Then she panicked. The ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:5, Hebrews 13:20

Tags: Confidence, Return, Dead, Expectations, Disappoint, Death, Glory, Hope  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Singer Michael Card Wrote A Song Called The ...  PRO

Contributed by Bill Sullivan on Dec 7, 2000

Singer Michael Card wrote a song called The Promise, and he wrote a little Christmas devotional on this theme: He noted: Christianity is founded on a promise. Faith involves waiting on a promise. Our hope is based on a promise. Promises are made with words. … .that part of myself that goes ...read more

Tags: Christmas Advent, Birth Of Jesus, Advent, Hope, Forgiveness In Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Over 25,000 Americans Commit Suicide Each Year. ...  PRO

Contributed by Aaron Jones on Mar 5, 2001

Over 25,000 Americans commit suicide each year. Over one million will try but only one out of fifteen will succeed. It is the tenth highest killer in the U.S. More will die by suicide than by murder. The model age for attempting suicide is 32 for men and 27 for women. The model age of succeeding ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:25-30

Tags: Faith, Freedom, Funerals Non-Christian, God Brings Hope

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[096]. A Message From A Poem – From Earth To Heaven

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 3, 2025

[096]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FROM EARTH TO HEAVEN This poem is one of rhyming couplets and the theme is “now on earth, but looking towards being in heaven with the Lord.” Do you love the world? Well my answer is yes and no. I absolutely love the world, that is, the creation in the world. ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:2-3, Hebrews 6:19, Romans 3:11-18, Psalm 8:3, Psalm 19:1-3  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Creation, Glory, Heaven, Hope, Poem, The World, Christian Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[094]. A Message From A Poem – Forgetting The Past, Look Ahead

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 1, 2025

[094]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FORGETTING THE PAST, LOOK AHEAD Someone posted to a Christian forum I was on, a four line stanza once, that in effect said that you can not go back and fix the past, i.e. to go back and alter the beginning but you can start from here and make a brand new end. I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Regret, Hope, Past, End, Failure, Start, Look Ahead  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

They Shoot Horses Don’t They". The Movie ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Dec 19, 2000

"They Shoot Horses Don’t They". The movie is about an actress who has a fallen career on the big screen during the 20’s. She enters a dance marathon hoping to win the jackpot and use the money to launch a new movie career. As the marathon draws closer to the end, she realizes that she and her ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment, God Brings Hope, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Lutheran

In A Survey Conducted By Newsweek The Following ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Oct 20, 2000

In a survey conducted by Newsweek the following statistics came to light about suicide and age: Number of suicides, per 100,000 people ages 15 to 19: --- ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, Funerals Non-Christian, Faith

Denomination: United Methodist

Born To Lose, Citation: Norman Vincent Peale In ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Aug 3, 2001

[Born to Lose, Citation: Norman Vincent Peale in Power of the Plus Factor, in Christianity Today.] Once walking through the twisted little streets of Kowloon in Hong Kong, I came upon a tattoo studio. In the window were displayed samples of the tattoos available. On the chest or arms you could ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-17

Tags: Fulfillment, God Brings Hope, Faith, Strong Together

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Little Boy Walked Into His Dad’s Den Just ...  PRO

Contributed by Dana Chau on Sep 24, 2001

A little boy walked into his Dad’s den just as his Dad finished reading a book. The son asked, "What were you reading?’ The Father replied, "I was reading the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible." The little boy curiously asked, "What’s it about? His Dad replied, "It’s about God’s ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, Jesus Teachings, Second Coming

Denomination: *other

The Trouble With Success Is That The Formula Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

"The trouble with success is that the formula is the same as the one for a nervous breakdown." ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, God Brings Hope, Workplace Balance

Jesus Calls Us To His Rest, And Meekness Is His ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Kuzma on Jan 2, 2002

“Jesus calls us to His rest, and meekness is his method. The meek man cares not at all who is greater than he, for he has long ago decided that the esteem of the world is not worth the effort. The rest Christ offers is the rest of meekness, the blessed relief which comes when we accept ourselves ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5

Tags: Peace, Meekness, Sermon On The Mount, God Brings Hope

Denomination: Foursquare

Strike First, Strike Fast, Strike Hard

Contributed by Jeffrey Kellum on May 8, 2003

strike first, strike fast, strike hard - Illustration: For years many Karate schools taught this philosophy. In competition these opponents are the easiest to read. They become proficient at initiating a number of specific combinations that lead to quick victories. But there are inherent ...read more

Tags: Hope, Christian Disciplines, Conflict, Wisdom, Struggles, Victory  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

From Shackles To Statue

Contributed by Lee Strawhun on Sep 17, 2014

It was 1985 when Tim Cole was picked out of a lineup for a rape he never committed but would be convicted of and sentenced to serve 25 years. He was near the Texas Tech campus when the rape occurred and as a result was sent to prison because the victim picked the wrong man and the courts sentenced ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:5-9

Tags: Hope Of Justice, Victim, Forgiveness For Others, Continue In Faith

Denomination: United Methodist

"i've Got A Mansion Just Over The Hilltop" Song Story

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 21, 2022

In 1945, a young Christian businessman stood one evening in an evangelistic service in Dallas, Texas, and told how he had learned a valuable lesson from a small child. The gentleman stated that his business, for a number of months, had been in a steady decline. It looked as if it would completely ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Death, Revelation, Heaven, Hope, New Jerusalem, Funerals  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Power Of An Encouraging Word

Contributed by Richard Tow on Apr 4, 2023

Mark Eklund was a student in Sister Helen’s nineth grade math class at St. Mary’s School in Morris, Minnesota. He was much less talkative than he had been years earlier in her third-grade class. One Friday Sister Helen sensed the class’s frustration with trying to learn “ne math.” So, she asked ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7, Ephesians 4:32, Luke 10:25-37, Micah 6:8, Matthew 9:13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Hope, Encouragement, Friendship, Kindness, Esteem, Love, Mercy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

[235]. A Message From A Poem - Romans 5 Verses 3 - 5

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 25, 2025

[235]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ROMANS 5 VERSES 3 - 5 This is a shorter poem based solely on 3 verses from Romans. Here are those verses – {{Romans 5:3-5 “Not only this, but we also exult in our TRIBULATIONS, knowing that tribulation brings about PERSEVERANCE, and perseverance, PROVEN ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:35, Romans 5:3-5

Tags: Tribulation, Christian Poems, No Separation From Christ, Perseverance, Hope, Character  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When The American West Was Opened Up, Many A ...  PRO

Contributed by Robert Massey on Mar 23, 2002

When the American West was opened up, many a traveler passed over the rich earth that lay on top of the territory of Nebraska. The dirt is rich, black dirt, but they could see no water anywhere. They thought this land would be good for nothing. One writer even called it, “The Great America ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:1-7

Tags: God In The Hardships, God Brings Hope, Holy Spirit Attributes

Denomination: Church Of God

[192]. Message From A Poem – No Contradiction Found Here

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 8, 2025

[192]. MESSAGE FROM A POEM – NO CONTRADICTION FOUND HERE I am not sure if I should explain each of these or let you work them out for yourselves. I was going to explain what seems to be contradictions, then I changed my mind. I will decide on that tomorrow! Well, I have decided to let you ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:10, John 3:7, 1 Peter 1:3, Titus 2:13

Tags: The Blessed Hope, Paradoxes, Contradictions, Christian Poems, Born Again  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Baby's Smile

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Dec 28, 2022

The Baby’s Smile “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.” John 16:21 We are in the last few days of the year. Most of our thoughts on Christmas is that it is ...read more

Scripture: John 16:21

Tags: Smile, Hope, Cross, Baby Jesus, After Christmas, Cradle To The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational