In Sermon Illustrations: "Puffed Up"

Busted Knuckles

Contributed by Jack Kale on May 10, 2016

Busted Knuckles The blades needed replacement on the old red Murray riding mower we use at the camp. I purchased two 21” blades from Lowes and got around to replacing them this past weekend for the first mow of the year. I hoisted the front end of that insanely heavy grass cutter and secured ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:28

Tags: Work, Scars, Pain And Suffering, Hurting

Denomination: *other

Rain On The Rocks

Contributed by Jack Kale on Sep 30, 2017

Rain on the Rocks We were on the last morning of a five day float down the Buffalo River in Arkansas. Our family joined another for the second annual Kale-Parker river trip. Everyone had their own boat and each was packed with supplies ranging from coolers, cook-wear, clothes, fishing gear, and ...read more

Tags: Beauty, Color, Rain, Rocks, Stones  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: *other

Pioneer

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 27, 2020

Time Magazine's obituary - Dr. Wilfred Thomason Grenfell's October 21, 1940. Oct. 21, 1940 - Wilfred Grenfell spent his boyhood on the Sands of Dee near Cheshire, England. He used to filch biscuits and wine from his school larder to give to fishermen as they left at dawn to catch the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Romans 12:1-8

Tags: Service, Sacrifice, Commitment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blueprints For Your Children’s Character

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 15, 2020

There is a Minister who received an urgent note that said that a man in his congregation wanted to get a hold of him. The man’s problems have been 10 years in the making but have become urgent when the consequences of neglect suddenly materialized. The minister met the man at his office. He was a ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6, Deuteronomy 7:9

Tags: Children, Parenting, Blueprints

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Facts About The Sovereignty Of God

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 8, 2021

GOD'S RESUME – what the Bible teaches about the Sovereignty of God 1. He existed before anything else. Ps. 90:2: "Before the mountains were born, before You gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, You are God." 2. He created all things. John 1:3: "All ...read more

Tags: Lord, Will Of God, Judge, King Of Kings, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Inspiration Of The Bible Proved

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Nov 12, 2007

Inspiration of the Bible Back in the 1930's Harry Rimmer had a debate on the authority and Divine inspiration of the Bible. His atheist opponent opened his arguments with the following statement. "Rimmer is going to try to prove the inspiration of the Bible by referring to the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 48:3-5, John 14:29

Tags: Prophesy, Inspiration Of Bible, Prophetic Types

Denomination: Baptist

The Queen's Christmas Tree

Contributed by John Moyer on Dec 16, 2008

THE QUEEN'S CHRISTMAS TREE Among the cards we've received over the years, some were those Guidepost Christmas cards with stories in them. This is one of those stories. It was the first Saturday of the Advent season in Europe. The Queen’s royal woodsmen were searching the royal forest for the ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Holiness

Unsung Heroes: The Four Great Men Of Samaria

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 11, 2022

Introduction: There was war between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, where Israelites on each side fought, died, were captured and who knows what else. In this battle, the northern kingdom of Israel had won a great victory and were headed back home, loaded with the spoils of war. But that joy ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 28:12-15

Tags: Ahaz, Pekah, Unsung Heroes, Oded, Captives  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Misapplied Scriptures: Genesis 6:3

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 14, 2023

Introduction: There is any number of Scriptures that have been used out of context or simply misapplied over the years. A Christian magazine listed about a dozen of these back in the early 1980’s and, I must say, some of the author’s insights were something I had never thought of before. Maybe I ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:1-8

Tags: Flood, Noah, Misapplied Scripture

Denomination: Baptist

The Difference Christmas Makes

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 24, 2023

At Christmastime, we set up our Christmas trees and toy trains. We may even walk along singing carols, or we may preach a sermon, but these bits and pieces are barren if we are thinking only of them or even thinking only of being in heaven, and are not stopping to ask ourselves, “What difference ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Tags: Shepherds, Christmas, Glory, God's Glory, Ordinary People, Making A Difference  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[110]. A Message From A Poem – Hallelujah Christ Arose - Easter

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2025

[110]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HALLELUJAH CHRIST AROSE {{1 Corinthians 15:17-20 “and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless. You are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-4, 2 Timothy 2:18, 1 Corinthians 15:13-15, 1 Corinthians 15:17-20

Tags: Easter, Resurrection, Hallelujah, Resurrection Sunday, The Grave, Christian Poetry, Christ Has Risen, Christian Poems, Easter Poem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[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

[340]. A Message From A Poem - When I Arrive In Heaven

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 24, 2026

[340]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WHEN I ARRIVE IN HEAVEN This is a poem of speculation. What is heaven really like? Please do not think of heaven as some sort of materialistic place. Some Christians think more of mansions and golden streets and riches than they do of the Lord Jesus. The title ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:13, Matthew 27:25, Hebrews 1:3, Acts 7:55-56

Tags: Jesus, Heaven, Arrival, The Glory Of Heaven, Stephen Martyred, Jesus Standing, Christian Poems, Center Of Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Great Britain Followed France's Lead And Closes ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Great Britain followed France’s lead and closes their borders, but once again, they were too late. South Hampton, Liverpool, North Hampton, all reported cases of mystery flu by nightfall. The authorities explain that from all indications a person can be infected for up to a week without even ...read more

Tags: Apologetics The Bible

We Get A New Family  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Feb 20, 2008

#3 – We Get a New Family Ephesians 2:19-22 November 4, 2007 NOTE: THE ME/WE/GOD/YOU/WE FORMAT USED IN MY MESSAGES IS BORROWED FROM ANDY STANLEY’S BOOK, "COMMUNICATING FOR A CHANGE." Introduction We’ve been looking at different benefits or blessings of following Christ – living for Him, and not ...read more

Tags: Faith, Thanksgiving, Blessing, Revival

Denomination: Wesleyan

[212]. A Message From A Poem - Everything In Its Season

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 26, 2025

[212]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - EVERYTHING IN ITS SEASON This poem covers a lot of ground. Broadly it is connected with the state of things, being the season of man. God created all of us and we live our lives in this world, but all of us are accountable for our actions. Some of that is ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 15:18, Genesis 12:3, Joel 3:2, Isaiah 5:20-21, Ecclesiastes 3:1-5  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Death, Season, Evil, Curse Israel And Be Cursed, Christian Poems, Charlie Kirk, Israel, Birth, Good, Time For Everything, United Nations, Palestinians  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Erma Bombeck In Her Book, "Motherhood The Second ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Apr 3, 2001

Erma Bombeck in her book, "Motherhood the second Oldest Profession" writes; "I have always felt that too much time was given before birth, which is spent learning things like how to breathe in and out with your husband (I had my baby when they gave you a shot in the hip and you didn’t wake up ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:7-13

Tags: Mothers Day, Mother's Day, Parenting

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

On A Scale Of 1 To 10, How Optimistic Are You ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Emmert on May 7, 2001

On a scale of 1 to 10, how optimistic are you about your future? In that great mid-life crisis movie, City Slickers, Billy Crystal’s character Mitch attends career day at his son’s grade school. Mitch is anything but optimistic. His son had told everyone that his dad was a submarine captain, but ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, Faith

Denomination: United Methodist

Guys, You'd Better Understand This. There's A ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 1, 2001

Guys, you’d better understand this. There’s a points system at work and the ladies are keeping score. Here’s a small sample just for your information: Duties You make the bed +1 You make the bed, but forget to add the decorative pillows -1 You throw the bed spread over the rumpled sheets ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:7

Mommy, What Does God Look Like?" Asked ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Nov 9, 2001

ILL. "Mommy, what does God look like?" asked 5-year-old Timmy. He put down his peanut butter sandwich & took a big swallow of milk. "Well, God is a Spirit & we can’t see Him in the same way that we see people," his mother began, not knowing quite where to go from there. "But if we can’t see ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:23

Tags: God's Provision, Promises Of God, Apologetics God

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ