In Sermon Illustrations: "Read"

The Story Of This Song, Oh Holy Night, Began In ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 23, 2008

The story of this song, Oh Holy Night, began in the 1840’s in France when a Priest asked a poet named Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure to write a poem for Christmas Mass. Cappeau composed this poem while he was in a carriage on the road to France … and that he titled Cantique de Noel. Cappeau was ...read more

Tags: Music

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Predestination Talks

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

THE PREDESTINATION TALKS Ligon Duncan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS, tells the following story: I well remember as a fifteen year-old boy at my grandparents’ house, reading through Ephesians 1 with grandmother and granddad and my aunt and the family for our morning ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

The Story Of Isaac ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

THE STORY OF ISAAC WATTS A young boy complained to his father that most of the church hymns were boring and old-fashioned, with tiresome words that meant little to his generation. His father challenged him with these words: "If you think you can write better hymns, why don’t you?" The boy ...read more

Scripture: John 4:23-24

Tags: Worship General

Failed Love

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Sep 15, 2020

Thomas Carlyle lived from 1795 to 1881. He was a Scot essayist and historian. During his lifetime, he became one of the world’s greatest writers. However, he was human, and humans make mistakes. On October 17, 1825, Carlyle married his secretary Jane Welsh. She was an intelligent, attractive, ...read more

Scripture: Song of Songs 7:1

Tags: Love, Marriage

Denomination: Baptist

My Past, Present And Future

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 21, 2024

Harry A Ironside the great Bible teacher was riding on a train in Southern California one Saturday when a gypsy got on and sat beside him. "How do you do, gentleman," she said. "You like to have your fortune told? Cross my palm with a silver quarter, and I will give you your past, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:9-11, Ephesians 2:1-10

Tags: Present, Future, Past, Fortunes

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[033] A Message From A Poem – Belshazzar’s Time Had Ended

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 21, 2025

[033] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BELSHAZZAR’S TIME HAD ENDED The purpose of this poem is to retell the story from Daniel in poem form. There is not much to say about it for it follows the biblical narrative, but it is the last stanza that is important in defining biblical principles. God’s word ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Daniel 5:24-30

Tags: Wrath, Daniel, Judgment, Babylon, Belshazzar, Found Wanting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Probably Do Not Remember The Name Nikolai ...  PRO

Contributed by Lynell Friesen on May 24, 2001

You probably do not remember the name Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin nor should you. But during his day he was as powerful a man as there was on earth. A Russian Communist leader he took part in the Bolshevik Revolution 1917, was editor of the Soviet newspaper Pravda (which by the way means truth), and ...read more

Tags: Miracles Of Jesus, Apologetics General, Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

In The Roanoke Times 2001. For Stephen Kuropas, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2002

In the Roanoke Times 2001. For Stephen Kuropas, born with cerebral palsy, some things just take a little while. But that hasn’t stopped him from trying- or from succeeding. Last Sunday, after 12 years of attending classes, Kuropas, 41, graduated with an associate’s degree from Community College ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Friendship General

No Greater Love  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 18, 2002

NO GREATER LOVE It was February 1941, Auschwitz, Poland. Maximilian Kolbe was a Franciscan priest put in the infamous death camp for helping Jews escape Nazi terrorism. Months went by and in desperation an escape took place. The camp rule was enforced. Ten people would be rounded up ...read more

Tags: Peace, Lordship Of Christ, Christian Love, Easter Good Friday

A Safe Place  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Feb 25, 2002

A SAFE PLACE Henri Nouwen, the widely read Christian author, was a professor at Yale University Divinity School and later at Harvard. He had a prestigious life filled with honor. But in 1986 he resigned from his job of teaching to become pastor for the Daybreak community of people with ...read more

Tags: Friendship General, Compassion, Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Short-Term Enthusiasm  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 20, 2002

SHORT-TERM ENTHUSIASM The story is told of a minister who was full of energy and enthusiasm for the Lord. One day he went to the hospital to visit one of his parishioners who was critically ill. The minister entered the room and saw the man lying in bed with a whole host of tubes and wires ...read more

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

Just For You  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2002

JUST FOR YOU In Peggy Noonan’s book When Character Was King, she tells about a meeting between President George W. Bush and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. It was their first meeting as world leaders and Bush wanted to be sure they connected-- that they looked for depth of soul and ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Crucifixion, Easter Resurrection, Jesus Christ

A Modern Fable  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Jun 11, 2002

A Modern Fable Once upon a time there was a little boy. When he was three weeks old his parents turned him over to a baby-sitter. When he was two, they dressed him up like a cowboy and gave him a toy gun. When he was three, everybody said, “How cute as he went about singing a beer ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Wesleyan

Now – In Life Do Overs Are Not The Norm… In Our ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Jul 24, 2002

NOW – in life do overs are not the norm… In our Hang Time journal on April 3rd – we read a chapter from max Lucado’s book – “No Wonder They Call Him Savior.” “Not many second chances exist in the world today.. Just ask the kid who didn’t make the little league team or the fellow who got the ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

20 Signs That You're Getting Old  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Jul 30, 2002

20 SIGNS THAT YOU'RE GETTING OLD 1. You’re asleep, but others worry that you’re dead. 2. Your back goes out more often than you do. 3. You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room. 4. You buy a compass for the dash of your car/truck. 5. You’re proud of your ...read more

Tags: Family, Finding Fulfillment, Giving Yourself

Denomination: Baptist

One Of The Most Touching Moments In Sports Came ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Oct 12, 2002

One of the most touching moments in sports came at the end of the 1980 Winter Olympic Games, in which the US hockey team beat the Russians. It was an incredible feat. All during the games the cameras focused on goalie Jim Craig, one of the heroes of the team and on his father in the stands. Craig’s ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1

Tags: God's Provision, Christian Liberty

Denomination: Christian Church

Morrie Schwartz Became An Inspiration To Millions ...  PRO

Contributed by Don Hawks on Oct 16, 2002

Morrie Schwartz became an inspiration to millions of people because of his willingness to talk openly about the intimate aspects of facing his own imminent death through interviews with one of his former students and on Ted Koppels’ Nightline on ABC TV. In 1994, at the age of 77, Morrie learned he ...read more

Tags: Death, Death Nearness

Denomination: Methodist

What Does That Mean?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 30, 2003

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? Victor, a man in Jeanette Hoessel’s English-as-a-second language course, came from El Salvador. He asked her one day, "What does C-section mean?" Since Jeanette’s three children had been delivered by Caesarian section, she felt confident with her explanation, but Victor’s face ...read more

Tags: Discipleship, Apologetics General, God The Father

Many Of You Will Recall Lt. General Sir William ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Nov 7, 2003

Many of you will recall Lt. General Sir William Dobbie (Dobbie of Malta) who was Governor General of Malta during the Second World War – at a time when the defence of Malta was at its darkest hour. The Italian forces had overwhelming superiority, both in numbers and firepower. Yet Malta never ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, God's Provision

Denomination: Anglican

On The Evening Of April 25, 1958, A Young Korean ...

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Mar 28, 2004

On the evening of April 25, 1958, a young Korean exchange student, a leader in student Christian affairs in the University of Pennsylvania, left his flat and went to the corner to post a letter to his parents in Pusan. Turning from the mailbox he stepped into the path of eleven leather-jacketed ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Independent/Bible