In Sermon Illustrations: "Pleasant"

I Recently Came Across A Chinese Parable That ...

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Jun 19, 2008

I recently came across a Chinese parable that eludes to our thoughts for today’s text. It’s a tale about a water-bearer and his two pots of clay. An elderly peasant had two large clay pots. One of the pots had a crack down its side to a point about half way. The other pot, perfect! Each had been ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: *other

St. Patrick: Stones Squashed In The Mud

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

ST. PATRICK: STONES SQUASHED IN THE MUD As a young boy Patrick lived a comfortable life near an English coastal city where his father was a deacon in their church. But at the age of 16, all that came to an end. Irish pirates attacked his village, abducting Patrick and many of the household ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9-10

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

[296]. A Message From A Poem – The Winds That Blow

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 26, 2026

[296]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE WINDS THAT BLOW This poem needs thought, and your understanding of it might be different from mine as I wrote it. The poem is a comparison or even a contrast. The first half is based on nature and the original Edenic calmness and the second half takes up what ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:37-39

Tags: Strong Winds, Sin, Calm, Turmoil, Winds, Christian Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[076]. A Message From A Poem – Expectations, Testimony And Pleading

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 11, 2025

[076]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EXPECTATIONS, TESTIMONY AND PLEADING The three words in the title are what the poem is about. Firstly there is expectation of our heavenly home when we are transported from the physical life. Then there is testimony and that is about the way God looks after us, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, Psalm 119:143, Psalm 119:77, Psalm 119:47

Tags: Great Things, Pleading, Expectations, Turn To The Lord, Scripture, Testimony, Poetry, New Home, Delight, Poem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lessons From A Tavern, Citation: Charles ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Jul 5, 2001

[Lessons from a Tavern, Citation: Charles Swindoll, Leadership, Vol. 4, no. 1.] An old Marine Corps buddy of mine, to my pleasant surprise, came to know Christ after he was discharged. I say surprise because he cursed loudly, fought hard, chased women, drank heavily, loved war and weapons, and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:1

Tags: Church Body Of Christ, Church Small Groups, Compassion, Fellowship, Friendship General, Understanding  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Story Behind The Establishment Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Dec 11, 2011

The story behind the establishment of the original Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. Story time, folks! But this is no run of the mill, bed time story to lull you to sleep, instead it is a true account guaranteed to stir one’s soul. You may have heard it before, however it always brings a tear to ...read more

Tags: Stewardship

Denomination: *other

Mary

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Sep 28, 2017

MARY Several years ago I learned that a friend had died. Mary Mott, a member of the church during the years we lived in Virginia, had passed away at about eighty years of age. Mary was a soft-spoken lady with a sweet and gentle manner. But apart from being a pleasant lady who was easy to like, ...read more

Tags: Baptized, Convert, Mary Mott, Correspondence, Mary, Conversion, Bible Study, Prison, Baptize, Murderer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[004]. Message From A Poem - A Memorial To Kent Harrison

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 19, 2024

[004]. MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A MEMORIAL TO KENT HARRISON This was written after Kent’s death in Townsville maybe in April 2005. We had known him since early Mt Isa days, then later when he moved to Charters Towers and then to Townsville. Kent suffered a few massive strokes but battled on after ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 18:1, 2 Samuel 1:17, 2 Samuel 1:26

Tags: Death, Compassion, Friend, Memorial, Tribute, Prayer Warrior, A Christian Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

O God, Don't Let That Be All There Is?" John 1: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 22, 2004

“O God, Don’t Let That Be All There Is?” John 1: 14-18 Key verse(s): 14-18: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The recent news story of the pregnant Missouri woman who was ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 16:1-14, John 1:14-18

Tags: Christmas Eve

Denomination: Lutheran

Once Upon A Time There Was A Young Boy Named ...

Contributed by Kent Kessler on Oct 14, 2010

Once upon a time there was a young boy named Philip. Philip was born with Downs Syndrome. He was a pleasant and happy as most Downs children are--but he grew increasingly aware of the difference between himself and other children. Philip went to Sunday School at a Methodist church. His teacher, ...read more

Tags: Resurrection, Passion Of Christ

Denomination: Methodist

[140]. A Message From A Poem – In Despair But Not Alone

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 23, 2025

[140]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IN DESPAIR BUT NOT ALONE There is some personal sorrow in this poem and some of the poem’s content comes from experience, not a pleasant one. When writing this – a task that was difficult because of the way I used the rhyme scheme – I appealed to the Psalms and my ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 64:2-7, Psalm 38:12, Psalm 141:10, Psalm 35:7-8, Matthew 5:43-44, Psalm 31:4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Enemies, Nets, Christian Poetry, God Helps Us, Alone, Help, Despair, Net, Snare  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Where Is Your Faith?

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 25, 2014

“A weak faith is weakened by predicaments and catastrophes, whereas a strong faith is strengthened by them.” – Victor Frankl Rain poured down and thunder boomed one dark night in September in Western Oklahoma. It had been a quiet, pleasant evening at the nursing center, and nurses and residents ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:7

Tags: Active Faith, Encourage Others, Courageous Women, Faith Lifestyle

Denomination: Charismatic

[324]. A Message From A Poem - Vanitas Vanitatum – Part 2 Of 3

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 27, 2026

[324]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - VANITAS VANITATUM – PART 2 of 3 PART 2 OF THE POEM IS HERE. This is a long poem and after speaking about the man who could not find fulfillment, I then move to the body of the poem, which is based on the book of Ecclesiastes. We take up the message of the ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:2-3, 1 Timothy 6:7, Ecclesiastes 1:14, Ecclesiastes 2:11, Ecclesiastes 10:1, Ecclesiastes 9:13-18, Ecclesiastes 3:1-2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Vanity, Wisdom, Despair, Foolishness, Folly, Under The Sun, Appointed Time, Remember Your Creator, Vanity Of Vanities, Vanitas Vanitatum, Christian Poems, Under Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

All God Has: A Testimony  PRO

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jun 30, 2014

The day I turned 18, I left home. I had saved some money, and despite my parents' strong objections, I packed a few things in my Volkswagen and headed for California. Just outside of Needles, California, a man at a rest stop pulled a gun, took my wallet, and drove off with my car. I had not been in ...read more

Scripture: John 17:1-3

Tags: God The Father, Fathers Day, Knowing God

Denomination: Baptist

Gethsemane

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Aug 12, 2017

Several years ago, I began to reflect on the happenings at Gethsemane. It started when I saw some movie in which an actor did an okay job of portraying Jesus, except that he failed abysmally in his attempt to show what I think Jesus' agony at Gethsemane must have been really like. I realized that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46, 2 Corinthians 5:21

Tags: Agony, Sweat, Pass, Thy Will Be Done, Your Will Be Done, Garden, Gethsemane, Cup  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Look At Outer Darkness

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 29, 2023

Introduction: Jesus spoke of “outer darkness” at least three times. There were a couple of times when I experienced something like this, and it wasn’t pleasant! No one needs to face outer darkness, so don’t let it happen to you. Text: Matthew 8:10-12, KJV: 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:10-12

Tags: Light, Outer Darkness, Fear

Denomination: Baptist

[188]. A Message From A Poem – My Jesus Is My Mighty Rock

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 6, 2025

[188]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – MY JESUS IS MY MIGHTY ROCK In the Old Testament the “ROCK” featured a lot. The first incident was when Moses struck the Rock at the Lord’s command {{Exodus 17:5-6 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:8, Psalm 31:2-3, Psalm 18:1-2, Exodus 17:5-6, 1 Corinthians 10:4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Moses Struck The Rock, Rock, Security, Rock Of Offense, Mighty Fortress, Mighty Rock, Christian Poems, Jesus, Moses, Safety, Salvation, Temptation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Memorial Day, A Time For Healing  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 19, 2002

MEMORIAL DAY, A TIME FOR HEALING Memorial Day, perhaps more than any other holiday, was born of human necessity. Deep inside all of us lies a fundamental desire to make sense of life and our place in it and the world. What we have been given, what we will do with it and what we will pass to the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29:1-5

Tags: Holidays Civic, Finding Fulfillment, Amos, Prophet

Tiger Breath!" Matthew 6:9-13 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 6, 2005

“Tiger Breath!” Matthew 6:9-13 Key verse(s): 13:“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” It has been foreordained that life is a temptation! Now that is a depressing thought if I ever heard one. Foreordained? That means that no matter what I do or how I do it, ultimately I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13, Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Sin Exposed, Risk Of Sin, Release, Sin Separates From God

Denomination: Lutheran

Nobody Ever Tells Me That!" Ezra 5:1-2 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 5, 2005

“Nobody Ever Tells Me That!” Ezra 5:1-2 Key verse(s) 2b:“And the prophets of God were with them, helping them!” When was the last time that you went out of your way to encourage someone? I’m not talking about the little remark or that wink of an eye. While these things encourage, they are ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 5:1-2

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Lutheran