In Sermon Illustrations: "Paul Sweeney"

The Orphan Train

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 15, 2016

THE ORPHAN TRAIN In the history of the westward migration in the United States, part of the story has been largely passed over. From 1850 to 1930, tens of thousands of those who populated the west were orphans--children from eastern cities who were without parents because of disease or the death ...read more

Scripture: John 14:18

Tags: Adoption, Rebirth, Orphan, Train

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Beginning Again  PRO

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 29, 2016

BEGINNING AGAIN The opening lines of a poem by Louisa Fletcher express this plaintive wish: I wish that there were some wonderful place Called the "Land of Beginning Again," Where all our mistakes, and all our heartaches, And all of our poor selfish grief Could be dropped like a shabby old coat ...read more

Scripture: John 3:3-8

Tags: Resolution, Born Again, New Year, New Start

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Grace At Christmas

Contributed by Joel Arndt on Jan 9, 2020

Early on in my ministry, I was called to the home of one of the people in the congregation who said they had a Christmas gift for me. Shortly after getting out of my vehicle I heard shouting coming from the house that I was called to. I gently knocked on the door and the woman of the house opened ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23

Tags: Christmas, Grace, Forgiveness, Gift

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Friends And Acquaintances?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 26, 2020

Junior high/middle school basketball is always fun to play, and more fun to watch. These youngsters have acquired some skill—more or less—and it’s still more for fun than for competition. Oh, sure, we wanted to win, and few athletes that don’t want to win will ever get very far in any kind of ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:3

Tags: Youth, Book Of Life, Athletics, Friends, Relationship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 2, 2021

Quit all the comparisons: IT IS ABOUT GOD’S GLORY. HAGGAI and ZECHARIAH LEARNED TO ENCOURAGE THOSE THAT WERE DOING A WORK THAT SEEMED SMALL IN THEIR OWN EYES. Get excited. Haggai 2:2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 4:10

Tags: Glory, Small Things

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Some Thoughts About Gifts

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 26, 2022

Text, 2 Corinthians 9:15, KJV: 15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Thoughts: This is about the closest verse I can find to use as a text for this illustration. There may be others but please remember that God’s greatest gift ever was His Son, Jesus! Now I’ll share the illustration ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:15

Tags: Love, Gifts

Denomination: Baptist

The Highest Calling Of The Bride Of Christ

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 17, 2023

Revelation 19:7-9 - Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. Revelation 21:2 - And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her ...read more

Tags: Praise, Heaven, Purpose, Bride Of Christ, Calling, Glory, Church, Worship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Isn't The Book Of Enoch In Our Bible?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 24, 2024

This question illuminates one of those painful intersections between theology and church history: the canonization of Scripture. Throughout church history, many books have been scrutinized by theologians, and before those theologians, other theologians, and before such, were the members of the ...read more

Tags: Scripture, Holy Spirit, Inspiration, Enoch, Inerrancy, Church History, Canon, Book Of Enoch  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Brownies Teach Stewardship

Contributed by Michael Otterstatter on Nov 26, 2024

A 6th grade Sunday school teacher was struggling with a lesson. She was preparing to teach a lesson on how Christians manage their material blessings. She knew that when her students were in confirmation class the pastor would share what the Bible says about stewardship of time, talents, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

Tags: Offerings, Giving, Stewardship, Tithing

Denomination: Lutheran

[042] A Message From A Poem – Christ In Me And I In Him

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 2, 2025

[042] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRIST IN ME AND I IN HIM I meant this to be a personal, yet touching poem. The title – Christ in me and I in Him” can be taken as a one-way dialogue between two people, the Lord and me. I am sharing with my Saviour the thoughts in my mind. (A personal chat). On ...read more

Scripture: John 12:24, Mark 6:49-50, Acts 18:9

Tags: Wheat, Prayer, Poem, Christ In Me, A Grain Of Wheat, Personal Chat  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[217]. A Message From A Poem - Placed In Perilous Times

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 3, 2025

[217]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - PLACED IN PERILOUS TIMES Placed in perilous times spells the conditions that often apply to Christians in all ages. The believers in Roman times could very well know that. The Huguenots certainly knew that when hunted down by incited mobs from the French Catholic ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:26-27, 2 Timothy 3:1

Tags: A Sure Foundation, Christian Poems, Scriptures Are God Breathed, Persecution, Christianity, Danger, Peril, Unfeigned, A Crown Of Righteousness, Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In God's Eyes," By Candace Carteen Of Portland, ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Atwood on May 5, 2008

"In God's Eyes," by Candace Carteen of Portland, Oregon. By the time I was ten, I was totally ashamed of my father. All my friends called him names: Quasi-Moto, hunchback, monster, little Frankenstein, the crooked little man with the crooked little cane. At first it hurt when they called him ...read more

Tags: Faults

Denomination: Baptist

Some Thoughts On The 4b Movement

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 15, 2024

Introduction: Ever since the November 2024 American elections, there seems to be more and more reference to the “4B” movement. That this movement began in South Korea a number of years ago seems to be of little importance to any number of American women. This is especially true of those American ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:19, Romans 13:9, Acts 15:29

Tags: Women, Christian Living, 4b Movement

Denomination: Baptist

Belly Up To The Bar?" Romans 13: 1-7: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 18, 2004

“Belly Up to the Bar?” Romans 13: 1-7: Key verse(s): 4a “For he is God’s servant to do you good.” About a decade ago an assembly of Christian leaders came up with this summary of what it means to be a Christian citizen: “It is impossible for a believer to be a good Christian and a bad citizen ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:1-7

Tags: Men's Day

Denomination: Lutheran

But A Recent Gallop Poll Commissioned By The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

BUT A RECENT GALLOP POLL COMMISSIONED BY THE SUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD SAID, “FIFTY NINE PERCENT OF 3700 PEOPLE RANDOM SELECTED WHILE LEAVING 217 CHURCHES BELIEVE, THEY COULD STAND BEFORE GOD ON THEIR OUR OWN MERITS, AND THAT IN THE END, GOD WILL BE FORCED TO GRADE US ALL ON THE CURVE ANYWAY.” PERHAPS ...read more

Tags: Easter Maundy Thursday

William Lobdell Is A Writer And Reporter For The ...

Contributed by Scott Brewer on Jul 29, 2007

William Lobdell is a writer and reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Several years ago he attended a men’s retreat and decided that he wanted to follow Christ. He began to attend church, read the Bible and serve God in a variety of ways. He soon wanted to write about faith and he approached the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Thy Great ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Thy Great Salvation “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…” (Romans 1: 16) Christians, like the apostle Paul, are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. God has chosen to offer a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:16

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Keys To ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Keys to Wisdom Proverbs 4:7-8 says, “Wisdom is supreme; though it costs you all you have, get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.” The whole of Scripture gives us some practical applications that can be accomplished by all who are willing to ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:7-8

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Isn't Fair

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

IT ISN'T FAIR Have you ever had something happen to you which caused you to think, "This isn't fair!"? Ken Wyniemko sure has. Just like Paul, he was locked away for a crime that he did not commit. In 1994, he was convicted by a jury based of a horrible crime against a young woman on the basis of a ...read more

Tags: Anger