In Sermon Illustrations: "Pastors Appreciation Day"

Kindness: The Closing Of A Life

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

KINDNESS: THE CLOSING OF A LIFE Because I drive the night shift, my cab often becomes a moving confessional. Passengers climb in, sit behind me in total anonymity, and tell me about their lives. I encounter people whose lives amaze me, some ennoble me, others make me laugh and sometimes make me ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:1-8

Tags: Kindness

Sully And Second Nature

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 30, 2011

"SULLY" AND SECOND NATURE Thursday, January 15, 2009, was another ordinary day in New York City. Or so it seemed. But by that evening people were talking of a miracle. They may have been right. But the full explanation is, if anything, even more interesting and exciting. And it strikes just the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Fruit Of The Spirit

Not Because Me, But Because Of You Lord!

Contributed by Charlie Roberts on May 12, 2019

Not because me, but because of You! Illus. From Guideposts, “Miracles of Healing” There was a woman and her son Mark that went shopping in a large department store one day. On their way down to the main floor her son hopped on the escalator. She then followed. Suddenly her son Mark screamed like ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Mothers, Faith, Trust, Miracles

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thinking Has A Way Of Getting Me Into Trouble

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 26, 2019

Just when I think I have all my bases covered, a new one shows up, and it’s not a homerun. I know all my tocks don’t tick, but I do the best I can. I may not be the best all the time, but I try, and I try, and I try. I do not want to be a nuisance to anybody, so I try not to, especially with the ...read more

Scripture: James 3:2

Tags: Family, Food

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unsung Heroes: The Shepherds Of Bethlehem

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 14, 2020

Introduction: the Christmas story, the birth of Jesus Christ into this world, is one of the most beautiful ever told. Many believers and others are more or less familiar with Mary and Joseph traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and how Jesus was born in an inn and laid in a manger because there ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Tags: Mary, Birth Of Jesus, Shepherds, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

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

A Movement To Jesus Within Islam

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2009

A MOVEMENT TO JESUS WITHIN ISLAM In an article entitled, "A Movement to Jesus Within Islam" this story is told: There was a Muslim holy man, a Sufi master, named Isaac. He lived in a remote region of a Muslim country, where he had a large following. Several thousand people looked to him for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Islam

The Box ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2010

The Box Boy My third job as a teenager (the one right before I went into the Air Force), was as a box boy for McCoy’s Markets, in hyderabad, andhra predesh. One of the other box boys was named David, and I remember him well. We nodded and said "Hi" to each other, as guys do, and that was pretty ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Tags: Security

Nothing Like A Mystery To Calm My Nerves

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 11, 2023

Nothing calms me down more than a mystery when I have a busy week. The other afternoon I got caught up and faced some rather stressful situations. The remedy to all of this would be to watch one of those mystery movies. One was playing that afternoon, so I decided to rearrange my schedule, enjoy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Humor, Mystery, Rest

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Princess Hath Thus Spoken

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 22, 2023

In December of last year, our second great-grandchild entered our family. Our first great-grandchild was a boy, and this one is a girl. Like all our children, grandchildren and great-grandson, this great-granddaughter was a blessing to our family. If only children would stay young for the rest of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Training, Princess

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

My Reward I’ll Eat It If I Want To

Contributed by James Snyder on May 6, 2023

One day last week, I was up early working in my office as I normally do. I happened to pause what I was doing for a moment and smelled this wonderful aroma. I know it wasn’t me because I hadn’t taken a shower yet. The aroma was coming from the kitchen area. I got up from my desk, walked out into ...read more

Scripture: 2 John 1:8

Tags: Reward, Chooses

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Saint Arnold Janssen And His Mission Relevance Today

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Feb 1, 2024

Saint Arnold Janssen and His Mission Relevance Today (The Feast Day is on 15th January) Scripture: Mark 1:14-20 The 19th century saw the birth of a visionary priest Saint Arnold Janssen, who devoted his life to evangelization and the promotion of the Christian faith. The following words will ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:14-20

Tags: Saint Arnold Janssen, The Society Of The Divine Word

Denomination: Other

Touch My Coffee And You Die

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 16, 2024

Recently, illegitimate aliens of the worst kind have invaded our house illegally. It came to a head just the other day when we were sitting down to lunch, and The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage had a lovely bowl of tomato soup. I forgot what I was eating because all the attention went to her ...read more

Scripture: James 3:5

Tags: Fire, Pest

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Don’t Knock On The Door If You Like Breathing

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 23, 2024

I’m unsure if this is a new phenomenon or I’m just starting to catch up on the culture. I know I have a lot to catch up on, and I’m slowly doing it. Lately, there’s been a lot of activity at our front door. That’s not to diminish the activity at the back porch door. That activity has to do with a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 118:8

Tags: Trust, Confidence, Scams

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: Look What I Just Made!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 27, 2024

Introduction: Idols, man-made objects of worship, have been around and have been used for thousands of years. These items were made out of stone, clay, various metals, as well as wood. Now imagine the carpenters or other craftsmen who made these objects, knowing what they had made, and what they ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 44:12-17

Tags: Isaiah, Idols, Types Of Trees

Denomination: Baptist

Ugly Is As Ugly Sees

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 11, 2025

Dr. James L. Snyder I was drinking a cup of coffee in the middle of the shopping mall. I don’t like going to shopping malls, but The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage sent me to get a new dress shirt for Sundays. I told her I could wear the same one I wore last year, but she has different ideas ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:3-4

Tags: Beauty, Life

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

[062a]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062A]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE FIRST PART PART 1 INTRODUCTION TO THIS POEM This is my most serious poem because it addresses ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Comfort, Suffering, Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love, Hurt, Pain, Love, Compassion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[237 F] [6]. A Message From A Poem - Scenes From The Gospels - Part 6

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Nov 24, 2025

[237 F] [6]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - SCENES FROM THE GOSPELS - PART 6 They are here to enjoy! Scenes from the Gospels are very special to me. I love them. They have taken a lot of effort, and many, many months revision to get them as correct as possible with the difficult word limitations. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:3-9, Matthew 18:23-35, Matthew 14:22-32, Matthew 11:28-30, Luke 5:1-11, Luke 1:1-4, Matthew 13:10-13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Large Number Of Fish, Take My Yoke, My Yoke Is Easy, Ten Thousand Talents, Three Hundred Denarii, Wicked Slave, Washing Nets, Forgiveness, Peter, Nard, Alabaster Box, Jesus Walks On Water, Expensive Perfume, Mary  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[249]. A Message From A Poem – Strange Doctrines Are Among Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 2, 2026

[249]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – STRANGE DOCTRINES ARE AMONG US [[ “Secernment” (third stanza) refers to the act or process of separating or distinguishing substances, often used in a physiological context to describe the secretion of substances in the body. It can also mean the ability to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:28, Acts 20:29-30, Matthew 7:15, 2 Timothy 3:13, 1 Timothy 1:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Wolves Among Us, Perverse, Elders, Errors, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Strange Doctrines, Faith, Discernment, Fight, Fail, Vigilant  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 15, 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