In Sermon Illustrations: "Reward"

In Communist Romania There Was A Very Young Man ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jun 8, 2009

In communist Romania there was a very young man named Matchevici who had been put into prison because of his faith at the age of 18. Because of the tortures, he was very sick with tuberculosis. Somehow his family found out that he was sick and sent him a hundred bottle so streptomycin, which could ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Church Of God

Fruit Requires Effort And Dedication

Contributed by Robert Sickler on Jan 27, 2012

FRUIT REQUIRES EFFORT AND DEDICATION The young boy stood looking up at the naked ice-covered limbs of his favorite cherry tree. It was 4:30 in the morning and the full moon produced a silvery sheen in the ice, which almost seemed to originate within the branches themselves. The young man let out ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:33

Tags: Fruit Of The Spirit

Denomination: Christian Church

Unsung Heroes: The Devout Men Who Buried Stephen

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 25, 2021

Text, Acts 8:1-2, KJV: 1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-2

Tags: Martyrdom, Stephen, Devout Men

Denomination: Baptist

I Recently Came Across A Chinese Parable That ...

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Jun 19, 2008

I recently came across a Chinese parable that eludes to our thoughts for today’s text. It’s a tale about a water-bearer and his two pots of clay. An elderly peasant had two large clay pots. One of the pots had a crack down its side to a point about half way. The other pot, perfect! Each had been ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: *other

Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are the Poor In Spirit Seldom in history have so few words been spoken with so much meaning. The Beatitudes of our Lord are powerful, holding before believers and unbelievers alike a descriptive picture of the true disciple of Christ. The Beatitudes cover the glorious hope and are a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:3

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are Those Who Mourn One of the greatest messages ever proclaimed was delivered by Jesus Christ and is referred to as the "Sermon on the Mount." His message is as relevant today as it was when it was first spoken. Our Lord opens this message not with a joke, but with the Beatitudes. The ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:4

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger And Thirst For ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger And Thirst For Righteousness "The Sermon on the Mount" explains the true intent of the law which cancels the natural responses of man and calls for supernatural behavior. Righteousness is an attribute of God. Jesus gives Christians a glorious hope and reward that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[005]. Message From A Poem - A Mirror On The State Of The World

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 29, 2024

[005]. MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A MIRROR ON THE STATE OF THE WORLD We are citizens of this world, but we also are citizens of heaven. Those dear souls who are unsaved are just citizen of this world. They have singular citizenship. When we look at the awful political systems the world has, and at ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20, John 16:33

Tags: Authority, Sadness, The World, Sin, Suffering, Mirror, Distress  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unca Frank's Christmas!" Isaiah 9: 6-7 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 20, 2004

“Unca Frank’s Christmas!” Isaiah 9: 6-7 Key verse(s): 6a: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” Franklin Chaney was by all accounts what you would call a crank. For years he had lived alone in his upper flat, Vera having gone to be with the Lord many years past. He was pretty set in ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6-7

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Lutheran

The 5 Biggest Mistakes That Threaten ...  PRO

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 4, 2012

THE 5 BIGGEST MISTAKES THAT THREATEN RELATIONSHIPS Dr. Edward Hallowell and his wife, Sue, authors of Married to Distraction: Restoring Intimacy and Strengthening Your Marriage in an Age of Distraction, teach you how to spot hidden distractions in your relationship and reveal the mistakes you may ...read more

Tags: Marriage Struggle

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Giving Out Of Need

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“Hunger also changes the world when eating can’t be a habit, then neither can seeing.” - Maxine Hong Kingston It had been a tough year and it didn’t appear to be getting any easier. She wasn’t working and he wasn’t working much. They had two teenage children to feed and bills to pay. The car ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7

Tags: Compassion, Poverty, Generosity, Giving Out Of Need

Denomination: Charismatic

Evidences Of ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Evidences of Salvation Faith The second truth relating to man’s acceptance of God’s great salvation is true Biblical faith. Faith is the indispensable channel of salvation. In Hebrews 11:6 we are told that “…without faith it is ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroines-Joanna, Wife Of Herod’s Steward

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 22, 2022

Introduction: Joanna is only mentioned in two verses of Scripture. What she did for Jesus and the disciples truly shows she was an unsung heroine. Text: Luke 8:3, KJV: 3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:3, Luke 24:10-11

Tags: Jesus, Joanna, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

An Observation About A Billboard Worker

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 24, 2024

Text: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, KJV: 9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. How many of you have seen anybody changing the ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, John 15:5

Tags: Assistance, Billboards, Clergy Appreciation Month

Denomination: Baptist

[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

[076]. A Message From A Poem – Expectations, Testimony And Pleading

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 11, 2025

[076]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EXPECTATIONS, TESTIMONY AND PLEADING The three words in the title are what the poem is about. Firstly there is expectation of our heavenly home when we are transported from the physical life. Then there is testimony and that is about the way God looks after us, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, Psalm 119:143, Psalm 119:77, Psalm 119:47

Tags: Turn To The Lord, New Home, Delight, Poem, Great Things, Pleading, Expectations, Scripture, Testimony, Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[093]. A Message From A Poem – Foraging In The Depths Of Scripture

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 30, 2025

[093]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FORAGING IN THE DEPTHS OF SCRIPTURE This poem deals with getting into the heart of scripture. There are images and techniques and encouragement in these stanzas. I actually make the comparison between a mudskipper that flits across the shallows on the water, and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 119:27, 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Buried Treasure, Inspired, Dig Deep, Eel, Mudskipper, Scripture, Word Of God, Workman  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[196]. A Message From A Poem – Not Worthy To Be Compared

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 12, 2025

[196]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – NOT WORTHY TO BE COMPARED This poem has its basis in a few scriptures. This is one of them – {{Romans 8:18 “for I consider that the sufferings of this present time ARE NOT WORTHY TO BE COMPARED with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”}} Those who are like me ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:14-15, Philippians 3:12, Philippians 3:8, Romans 8:18

Tags: Christian Poems, Golf, Rubbish, Comparison, Press On, Goal, Christian Poetry, Glory, Worthy, Loss  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

To Say The Least, I Was At First Shocked To Read ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 26, 2001

To say the least, I was at first shocked to read the headline, Baby Ate Cocaine Dad Left Nearby. According to the Associated Press a father from Ravenna, Ohio was sentenced to one year in prison for endangering his daughter, who was six-months-old at the time of the incident. He evidently stashed ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 127:1

Tags: Children, Father's Day, Parenting

Indescribable Christ  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2002

INDESCRIBABLE CHRIST Dr. S.M. Lockridge was the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, San Diego CA from 1953 - 1993. He entered heaven in 2000. He is well-known for a passage out of his sermon titled “He’s My King”: “He’s enduringly strong, He’s entirely sincere, He’s eternally steadfast. He’s ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 25:1

Tags: Miracles Of Jesus, Peace, Jesus Christ, Trinity