In Sermon Illustrations: "Poems Of Christmas"

The Big Question

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 1, 2008

THE BIG QUESTION “What things are important and what things are trivial?” Christmas night 2002, Jack Whittaker had five out of five numbers in the West Virginia Power ball drawing. Jack Whittaker had just won $314 million, the largest undivided lottery jackpot in history. He took the one lump ...read more

Tags: Materialism

The Big Question "What Things Are Important And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

The BIG question “What things are important and what things are trivial?” Illus. Christmas night 2002, Jack Whittaker had five out of five numbers in the West Virginia Power ball drawing. Jack Whittaker had just won $314 million, the largest undivided lottery jackpot in history. He took the one ...read more

Tags: Money

No Toys For Sister

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Jan 5, 2009

NO TOYS FOR SISTER Two-year-old Sarah and her 13-year-old sister who had been fighting a lot. Sarah’s parents, trying to take advantage of her newfound interest in Santa Claus, reminded the two-year-old that Santa was watching and doesn’t like it when children fight. This had little impact. "I’ll ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Salvation Army

Revelation And Ovaltine

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Jun 27, 2009

REVELATION AND OVALTINE The word often translated "revelation" or as I translated it, "unveiling," could also be understood as "decoding." Ever heard of those Ovaltine Decoder Rings in the '40s? Ovaltine drink advertisements used to have a coded message on them (as did some of the Ovaltine radio ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: *other

Complicated Directions

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2011

COMPLICATED DIRECTIONS Matt Woodly, a father of four, talks about buying his children a swing set, about 15 years ago, as an early Christmas present. It was an extra long metal set with two swings, a two-seater swinging bench, a slide, monkey bars, and a series of hanging rings. He thought the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:9-10

Tags: Learning

A Silent Kindness

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 27, 2019

Sir Nicholas George Winton – “A Silent Kindness” Nicholas Winton’s parents were German Jews who had moved to London two years before his birth. The family name was Wertheim, but was changed to Winton, they also converted to Christianity, and had Nicholas baptised. Nicholas Winton became a banker ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:15-17

Tags: Love, Children, Compassion, Kindness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mercy In A World War 2 Battle

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 1, 2020

Here is a unique, moving story about "MERCY" from the Second World War: The American pilot glanced outside his cockpit and froze. He blinked hard and looked again, hoping it was just a mirage. But his co-pilot stared at the same horrible vision. “Dear God, this is a nightmare,” the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Mercy, Beatitudes, War, Hate, Ww2  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What A Friend We Have In Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Jun 24, 2008

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS Only the Lord and the man in question really know what burdens of sorrow and affliction were heaped upon the writer of this great hymn. One thing we do know, however, is that this beautiful and blessed hymn would never have been penned if the author had not known ...read more

Scripture: John 15:15

Tags: Music

The Story Of Just As I Am

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 17, 2019

On September 22, in 1871, an elderly British lady, 82 years young, was ushered into her heavenly reward. Earlier in her life, in 1835, her frustration at being an invalid left her feeling useless and questioning her very salvation. What she did next would echo through history. As a young woman, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Excuses, Surrender, Rewards, Just As I Am, Hymns  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Maya Angelou, A Great Contemporary American Poet, ...

Contributed by James Westmoreland on Aug 27, 2005

Maya Angelou, a great contemporary American poet, writes about how she dealt with slavery and prejudice in her moving poem entitled, "Still I Rise." Her words could well have been written by Joseph, who had been made a slave in Egypt. Can we face our own difficulties with this kind of confidence ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Disciples Of Christ

In 1902, And Eventually Received The Title "Poet ...

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Sep 27, 2006

in 1902, and eventually received the title “Poet Laureate of Michigan.” His poem “Sermons We See,” drives home the urgency of being a good, Christlike role model for others to follow: I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day; I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way. ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Why Was Hitler So Successful? Because The Church ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Oct 23, 2006

Why was Hitler so successful? Because the church rolled over and let him. Germany had been beaten to the ground and humiliated after World War I. The Treaty of Versailles put such demands on Germany that it looked like it would never dig itself out. Its economy took a nosedive, and the ruling ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Children On Silence  PRO

Contributed by Carl Greene on Feb 16, 2009

CHILDREN ON SILENCE Author Kathleen Norris used to play a game with elementary-school children in which she would make a deal with them. "First you get to make noise," she would bargain, "and then you’ll make silence." The time of noise was always predictably chaotic -- shouting, pounding and ...read more

Tags: Disciplines Silence

Denomination: Methodist

Take Time To By Holy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

TAKE TIME TO BY HOLY Let me begin with what little I could glean concerning this hymn and its author: For many years, the only information known about this gospel song was what Ira D. Sankey wrote in his autobiography. Sankey (1840-1908) was the well-known gospel singer and hymn writer who ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:16

Tags: Holiness

Lament Psalms C/O Https://Liturgy.co.nz/Lament

Contributed by Steven W. Satterfield on Mar 16, 2026

Community 12, 44, 58, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 85, 89*, 90, 94, 123, 126, 129 Individual 3, 4, 5, 7, 9-10, 13, 14, 17, 22, 25, 26, 27*, 28, 31, 36*, 39, 40:12-17, 41, 42-43, 52*, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61, 64, 70, 71, 77, 86, 89*, 120, 139, 141, 142 Specialized Lament Psalms Penitential 6, 38, ...read more

Tags: Lament, Sorrow

Denomination: Vineyard

When We Have The Opportunity To Speak To Another, ...

Contributed by James Westmoreland on Dec 23, 2006

When we have the opportunity to speak to another, to share with them how God makes a difference in our lives, to encourage them to prepare for the coming of God, will we get the message right? Or, will we talk only about the incidentals and not what is important? On Sunday December 17, 1903, a ...read more

Denomination: Disciples Of Christ

Unfortunately, There Are Some People Who Have No ...

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Apr 8, 2007

Unfortunately, there are some people who have no hope at all. They live in a kind of existential pessimism and despair. Bertrand Russell was a brilliant thinker, but because he made no room for God in his thoughts, he could not figure out the mystery of life. He once said, “When I die, I ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

This Is An Alleged New Year’s Letter ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Fox on Dec 12, 2000

ILL: This is an alleged New Year’s letter written from a church member to the pastor. Dear Pastor: You often stress attendance at worship as being very important for a Christian, but I think a person has a right to miss now and then. I think every person ought to be excused for the following ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:24-30, Mark 7:1-8

Tags: New Year's Day, Growth In Christ, Faith, Sandra

Denomination: Baptist

Rome Was Celebrating Its Temporary Victory Over ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2001

Rome was celebrating its temporary victory over Alaric the Goth in its usual manner, but watching gladiators fight to the death in the arena, when suddenly there was an interruption. A rudely clad robed figure boldly leaped down into the arena. Telemachus was one of the hermits who devoted ...read more

Gladiator  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2002

GLADIATOR Rome was celebrating its temporary victory over Alaric the Goth in its usual manner, by watching gladiators fight to the death in the arena, when suddenly there was an interruption. A rudely clad robed figure boldly leaped down into the arena. Telemachus was one of the hermits who ...read more

Tags: Easter Good Friday, Christian Disciplines, Cross Agony