In Sermon Illustrations: "Prison Ministry"

I Know Men And I Tell You That Jesus Christ Is ...

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Aug 18, 2005

“I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ ...read more

Tags: Jesus' Ministry, Jesus Life

Denomination: Congregational

Corrie Ten Boom Was Once Asked If It Were ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Corrie ten Boom was once asked if it were difficult for her to remain humble. Her reply was simple. “When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the back of a donkey, and everyone was waving palm branches and throwing garments onto the road, and singing praises, do you think that for one ...read more

Tags: Service, Ministry, Humility, Cults

This Priestly Prayer, As It Is Called, Was ...

Contributed by Michael Tkachuk on May 17, 2010

This priestly prayer, as it is called, was prayed by Jesus just before He entered Gethsemane and Golgotha. This portion of the Gospel is somewhat like a flight-recorder on an airplane. In the event that something should happen to a plane, the flight recorder would record the information, the ...read more

Tags: Jesus' Ministry, Confidence In Prayer

Denomination: Catholic

What Are You Planning?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2014

What are you planning to do in your life or ministry that ONLY GOD CAN DO???? "God is looking for those with whom He can do the impossible-- what a pity that we plan ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:1-20

Tags: Faith, Ministry, Vision, Miracles

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Desire God's Honor Above Your ...

Contributed by Doug Lyon on Jun 22, 2008

Do you desire God’s honor above your own? My first ministry after seminary was back home in Rochester, NY. I was one of two chaplains at the Monroe County Jail. Every Saturday evening we would hold a worship service in the auditorium at the jail for the inmates. One of the deputies was ...read more

Tags: Pride

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Dead Man Walking

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 25, 2025

In some of the Maximum-Security Prisons in the United States ... when a prisoner is taken to be executed ... the guard that is leading the procession continual shouts out, ... "Dead man walking". It means, ...to clear the way ... to quiet down ... for this prisoner is on their last walk ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:15, Romans 5:12

Tags: Sin, Cross, Prison, Slave, Dead, Walking, World, Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

The Battle And A Garden—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 28, 2003

THE BATTLE AND A GARDEN-- COMMUNION MEDITATION It is interesting that Jesus went to the “Garden of Gethsemane” on the Mount of Olives. The garden still exists today, including a number of olive trees which may date back to the time of Jesus. “Gethsemane” comes to us from the Hebrew into the ...read more

Tags: Crucifixion, Divinity Of Christ, Jesus' Ministry

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Story Is Told Of A Man Who Was Shipwrecked ...  PRO

Contributed by James Harrington on Jul 3, 2007

The story is told of a man who was shipwrecked and lived most of his adult life alone on an obscure island on which no other human being had ever set foot. After many years of isolation, a ship came his way and a rescue party was sent ashore. He welcomed them, of course, then proceeded to show them ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-4, Philippians 2:1-4

Tags: Service, Ministry, Unity, Loyalty, Divisions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Where Are The Men?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 1, 2016

WHERE ARE THE MEN? Churches in America are needing more than just a few good men. Here are the statistics from God Facts: *** The typical U.S. Congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% female, 39% male. *** On any given Sunday, there are 13 million more adult women than men in America’s ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-10

Tags: Men, Church Attendance, Ministry To Men

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Never Surrender

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 28, 2020

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. When the 101st Airborne was surrounded in WWII the Germans asked them to surrender. General Anthony McAuliffe replied, "Nuts!" The Germans tried to figure what that meant and while they ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:29

Tags: Ministry, Victory, Surrender, Defeat, Calling  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Allah Or Jesus?  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Dec 15, 2003

Allah or Jesus? Last month I attended my annual training session that’s required for mai ntaining my state prison security clearance. During the training session there was a presentation by three speakers representing the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Muslim faiths who explained their belief ...read more

Tags: World Religions

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

He Was Raised In The Church Of Christ. Early In ...

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Nov 17, 2006

He was raised in the Church of Christ. Early in his life, he developed faith, but at one point his parents split up. He ended up with his grandmother and abandoned what faith he may have had. He later said that accepting the theory of evolution enabled him to pursue his twisted urges. He ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Redemptive Love Changes People

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

REDEMPTIVE LOVE CHANGES PEOPLE John Ed Mathison, former pastor of Frazier Memorial UMC, tells the story of Tommy Waite, an African-American man serving time in jail and converted through Frazier’s Prison Ministry. They didn’t stop there though. They discipled him and even helped him to get his ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Methodist

You Don't Know What You're Talking About!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 23, 2005

YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT! Rejection comes in all forms. Steven was a young man that felt the call of God on his life. He came from a really close family. He finished his college and then went off to seminary. After finishing seminary he came back before going to his first church. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:1-6

Tags: Send, Rejection, Jesus Teachings, Jesus' Ministry

This Story Was Related By Donald Grey Barnhouse. ...  PRO

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Mar 28, 2005

This story was related by Donald Grey Barnhouse. Several years ago, two students graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The highest ranking student in the class was a blind man named Overton and, when he received his honor, he insisted that half the credit should go to his friend, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

Tags: Ministry, Gifts General, Help, Church, Community  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Bronze Serpent

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 2, 2010

THE BRONZE SERPENT This event, the healing effected by glancing at the Copper Serpent, was so spectacular that it was probably famed region wide. According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "With the decline of Egyptian control of the region in the middle of the 12th century BCE, the ...read more

Tags: Illustration, Sheet, Gifts Healing, Children's Ministry

Denomination: Independent/Bible

If I Have Seen Everything....  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 23, 2016

IF I HAVE SEEN EVERYTHING.... Evangelist Jack Taylor was alone in his hotel room in Houston, Texas after a Southern Baptist Convention meeting. He felt exhausted in ministry. He cried out to God in prayer, "Lord, if I have seen everything You have for me in my ministry.......then take my life ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-5

Tags: Pastoral Ministry, Total Surrender, Burnt Out

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Word Was Being Made Real In The Back Of His Church

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Pastor Thomas Tewell tells the story of getting ready for their 11 p.m. Christmas Eve service. As the people were gathering, a man named Jim came in. Jim was a recovering alcoholic, sober just 6 months, but his disease had cost him his family, his job, just about everything. He went in to the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Tags: Christmas, Grace, Ministry, The Word Made Flesh

Denomination: Methodist

The Leadership Principles Of Jesus

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 11, 2020

The Leadership Principles of Jesus. • Jesus was willing to invest in people others would have dismissed. (Consider the disciples. They were not the “religious” elite, yet Jesus used them to start His church). • Jesus released responsibility and ownership in a ministry. (Jesus sent the disciples ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, Luke 9:23

Tags: Discipleship, Leadership, Ministry Of Jesus, Business Management

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The People Are Hungry...

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

The people are hungry, and the empty religionist offers them some ceremony or empty words that can never satisfy. The people are hungry, and the atheists and skeptics try to convince them that they aren’t hungry at all. The people are hungry, and the religious showman gives them video and special ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:13-21

Tags: Ministry, Sheep, Pastors, Spiritual Hunger, Shepherds  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational