In Sermon Illustrations: "Ransom From Sin"

The Paint Covered Its Beauty

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Jan 24, 2012

THE PAINT COVERED ITS BEAUTY A few years ago when I lived in Poland we were at a local museum which had a beautiful sculpture of Mary holding Jesus. For years it stood on a street corner before the city decided to clean it up and restore it. Up to that point no one thought it was anything special ...read more

Tags: Beauty

Denomination: Lutheran

Hot Air

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Mar 7, 2012

HOT AIR When we were building this sanctuary we were discussing whether to put paper towel dispensers in the new rest rooms or those hot-air hand dryers. I strongly recommended the paper towel dispensers because of a story I heard about at another church. They installed the hot-air hand dryers. ...read more

Tags: Preaching

Denomination: Baptist

After The Baptism

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

AFTER THE BAPTISM Recently my 7-year-old son was baptized at nearby Lake Tahoe. With tears streaming down my face, I watched as he came out of the water, then excitedly asked if he felt any different. "Yeah, Mom, I do," he replied. "Now I have water up my nose!" (Leslie A. Williamson, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Baptism

Hell Is Past Calvary

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

HELL IS PAST CALVARY Adrian Rogers once recalled hearing about a nightclub called "The Gates of Hades." The story goes that a newcomer to the city was looking for this nightclub and he stopped a policeman to ask directions. It just so happened that there was a church on that same street called ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:28

Tags: Hell

Motherhood Out Of Order  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2012

MOTHERHOOD OUT OF ORDER There was a cartoon that portrayed a three-year-old, freckle-faced boy in a hallway. His pajamas are unsnapped, his diaper’s bagging, and he’s got a little teddy bear dangling in his hand. He is standing in front of his mother and father’s bedroom door, which is shut. On ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10-31

Tags: Mother's Day

Oil Was Used In The Time Of James

Contributed by Perry Greene on Oct 11, 2012

Oil was used in the time James wrote his epistle. In ancient times various oils had various purposes. It could be that James is referring to medicinal oils such as: Aloes (Burial oil, John 19.39); Cassia and Cinnamon (in God’s holy anointing oil, Exodus 30.22-31); Frankincense Numbers 16.46-50 ...read more

Tags: Prayer Hardship

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Fourth Gift Of The Magi  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 3, 2013

THE FOURTH GIFT OF THE MAGI David Dewitt states, "Though there are still many questions about the Magi that may be left unanswered, we can determine that they brought a fourth gift that is often forgotten by many. After they laid their treasures down before Mary and Joseph, they worshipped Jesus. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Tags: Christmas Eve

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Confidence

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Jun 12, 2015

2 Corinthians 5:6 says "Therefore we are always confident." Confidence is something that comes from believing. Success or failure is often a result of either our confidence or lack thereof. The Apostle Paul was a person of confidence. He wasn’t always right, but he was sure about his experience ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:6, 2 Corinthians 6:1

Tags: Teamwork, Confidence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Three Types Of Forgiveness

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 15, 2019

EXONERATION – complete restoration, offender accepts full responsibility & turns from that wrong & your relationship is healed (DAVID). FORBEARANCE – only a partial apology, not a full confession; offender is still blaming you partially & not accepting full responsibility. The ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:28-32

Tags: Forgiveness, Forgiving One Another

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Valentine's Day, Romantic

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 24, 2021

“Every Valentine’s Day our campus newspaper has a section for student messages. Last year my roommate surprised his girlfriend with roses and dinner at a fancy restaurant. When they returned from their date, she leafed through the paper to see if he had written a note to her. Near the bottom of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:16

Tags: Love, Marriage, Romance, Dating, Valentine's Day  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Do Not Download Just Upload :-)

Contributed by Brendon Wasdell on Dec 11, 2021

Pro 11:9 KJV An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. In a virtual world communication fails because data fails to download. When the accuser of the saints aims fiery darts, (From those arround you, false accusations, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 11:9, Jeremiah 33:3, Ephesians 6:16, Matthew 5:10-12, Luke 6:28, Isaiah 1:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Crimson Canopy, Shield Of Faith, Spiritul War, Upload To Cloud, Phone A Friend, Snow White  (view more)  (view less)

Jesus Gives Pony Rides When You Miss Church!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 31, 2021

It was Palm Sunday but because of a sore throat, 5-year-old Annie stayed home from church with her mother. When the rest of the family returned home, they were carrying palm branches. Annie asked them what they were for. “People held them over Jesus’ head as he rode by on a colt,” her father ...read more

Tags: Children, Humor, Palm Sunday, Children's Stories

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Six Kinds Of Biblical Preaching

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 19, 2022

Thomas Constable points out that there are 6 different kinds of biblical preaching: (1) kerugma, which means proclamation of the clear facts of the Christian message. (2) didache or teaching. This was explanation and interpretation of the facts-the "so what?" (3) paraklesis, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:11

Tags: Ministry, Church, Holy Spirit, Teaching, Preaching, Word Of God, Pastors, Simon Peter  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Coming Quietly

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jan 1, 2023

The Lord of all comes as a slave amidst poverty. Choosing for his birthplace an unknown village in a remote province, he is born of a poor maiden and accepts all that poverty implies. He chose surroundings that were poor and simple, so ordinary as to be almost unnoticed, so that people would know ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11

Tags: Christmas, Humility, Poverty, Incarnation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Understanding Mercy

Contributed by Richard Tow on Apr 4, 2023

There was a young soldier in Napoleon’s army who committed an offense worthy of death. The day before he was scheduled for the firing squad, the young man’s mother went to Napoleon and asked him to show mercy for her son. Napoleon harshly replied, “Woman, your son does not deserve mercy.” “I know,” ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7, Micah 6:8, Matthew 9:13, Luke 10:25-37, Ephesians 4:32, Matthew 18:23-35  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Kindness, Mercy, Forgiveness, Compassion, Leadership, Relationships, Merciful  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Chuck Swindoll On The Book Of Esther

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 21, 2023

Chuck Swindoll writes, "Though God may at times seem distant, and though He is invisible to us, He is always invincible. This is the main lesson of the Book of Esther. Though absent by name from the pages of this particular book of Jewish history, God is present in every scene and in the ...read more

Tags: Esther, Israel, God's Will, God's Providence, Romans 8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Name Is Gossip

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 11, 2025

I am more deadly than a shell from the howitzer. I win without killing. I tear down homes, break hearts, and wreck lives. I travel on the wings of the wind. No innocence is strong enough to intimidate me, no purity pure enough to daunt me. I have no regard for truth, no respect for justice, no ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:20

Tags: Gossip, Power Of Words

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Look Different

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 23, 2025

These folks to whom Peter is writing used to look like everybody else. They were a part of the world, so they partied and did all the other things average folks did back then. The Roman world in which Christianity first spread was highly sexualized, and many of the practices today that are ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:3-4

Tags: Roman World, Change, Sexuality, Gender

Denomination: Methodist

Flying Turtle

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 25, 2025

An ancient Indonesian parable tells of a turtle who flew through the air by biting hard on a stick that was carried by two geese. The turtle was enjoying his flight, but when he heard what the onlookers from the ground were saying, he became troubled. The onlookers were saying, "Aren’t those ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:18, James 4:10, Philippians 2:3, Proverbs 27:2, 1 Corinthians 4:7  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Humility, Gratitude, Pride, Restraint, Wisdom  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Puppy Story Concerning Martin Luther

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 1, 2025

The Great theologian Martin Luther ... had visitors for dinner one day. His puppy ... happened to be at the table, ... looking for just a morsel ... from his master hand. The puppy watched motionless with open mouth and eyes widened in anticipation. Martin Luther said, "Oh, if I could ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:19-20, Luke 14:7-14, Matthew 15:36

Tags: Christ, Hope, Anticipation

Denomination: Anglican