In Sermon Illustrations: "Sermon Opener"

Pray And Read Your Bible

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 29, 2012

PRAY AND READ YOUR BIBLE A man was in prison and was in need of some money. He wrote his mother and asked her to send five hundred dollars immediately. Soon after, he got a package in the mail. It was a Bible. On the top of the Bible, there was a letter that said, "Son, I love you. Pray and read ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:19

Tags: Men's Day

Denomination: Baptist

God Will Go Before You!

Contributed by Bala Samson on Oct 17, 2014

I will go ahead of you! Exodus 17:6”Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink..” I simply love these words! God would go before us to prepare the place of miracle! Moses struck the rock but ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:6

Tags: Miracles, Trust In God, God Before You, Never Alone

Denomination: Pentecostal

Fear In The Work Cubicle

Contributed by Troy Borst on Apr 4, 2015

IN THE WORK CUBICLE (p) It’s a normal day at the office. You got to work 5 minutes late like usual. You find your normal parking place open and you whip your car into the spot and grab all that you need from the passenger seat. You are soon in the elevator heading to your floor. The elevator ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Workplace, Sharing Christ, Workplace Evangelism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Beginning Again  PRO

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 29, 2016

BEGINNING AGAIN The opening lines of a poem by Louisa Fletcher express this plaintive wish: I wish that there were some wonderful place Called the "Land of Beginning Again," Where all our mistakes, and all our heartaches, And all of our poor selfish grief Could be dropped like a shabby old coat ...read more

Scripture: John 3:3-8

Tags: Resolution, Born Again, New Year, New Start

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Friends And Acquaintances?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 26, 2020

Junior high/middle school basketball is always fun to play, and more fun to watch. These youngsters have acquired some skill—more or less—and it’s still more for fun than for competition. Oh, sure, we wanted to win, and few athletes that don’t want to win will ever get very far in any kind of ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:3

Tags: Youth, Book Of Life, Athletics, Friends, Relationship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

When Close Enough—isn’t!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 23, 2022

Introduction: Sometimes, close enough just isn't! Text, Matthew 13:25, KJV: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. Thoughts: Have you ever heard the phrase, “Oh, that’ s close enough” or “that’s good enough”? Sometimes, it’s true but there ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:25-30

Tags: Holy Spirit, Wheat, Tares, Close Enough

Denomination: Baptist

Delete Or Repeat

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Dec 27, 2022

Delete or Repeat Choosing What We Carry Forward Picture your life as a computer desktop crowded with files. Each one represents a memory, a habit, a choice, or an experience. Some files are useful and frequently opened. Others are outdated, damaged, or simply take up space—slowing everything ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-15, Isaiah 43:18-19, 1 John 1:8-9, Philippians 3:12-14, 2 Corinthians 5:17  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Future, Goals, New Year, Tomorrow, Commitments, Starting The Year  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Unwanted Items-Fresh Meat On The Street?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 2, 2025

Introduction: This illustration is the first in a series about things that either aren’t wanted, left behind, or otherwise abandoned. Here’s hoping some of these illustrations will be useful! Text: 2 Kings 7:7, KJV: 7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 7:7

Tags: Caution, Meat, Unwanted, Abandoned Things

Denomination: Baptist

[114]. A Message From A Poem – Have You Studied A Fish’s Head?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 22, 2025

[114]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HAVE YOU STUDIED A FISH’S HEAD? Perhaps the title of this poem seems strange but the fact of it is not strange. God has put His stamp on all creation. All is so intricately designed and interlocked. Man can not create even a flea yet alone some godless evolution ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 14:1-2, Genesis 1:20-21

Tags: Symmetry, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, God Is The Creator, Fish Head, Evolution, Design, Perfection, Darwin, After Their Kind  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[154]. A Message From A Poem – Jesus Christ My Lord

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 6, 2025

[154]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JESUS CHRIST MY LORD This is a factual poem about Jesus Christ the Lord. I won’t list all the things I said in the poem. Read through and see them as you go. Jesus is my Lord but only those who have surrendered to Him can say that. {{John 13:13 “You call Me ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14, John 13:13, John 1:1-2, Revelation 19:16, Philippians 2:10-11  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Lord, The Word, King Of Kings, Lord Of Lords, Every Knee Shall Bow, Jesus Christ Is Lord, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[160]. A Message From A Poem – Jesus So Loved Me

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 9, 2025

[160]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JESUS SO LOVED ME We have here a poem that covers some of the great and important aspect of the gospel. The Lord died for my sins. We ask why the innocent One has to die for the guilty. Jesus is the Substitute and love was behind that. {{1 Corinthians 15:3 “I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:3, Romans 1:21, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Tags: Guilty, Substitute, Substitutionary Atonement, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Christ The Sacrifice, Love, Jesus, Sin, Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[247]. A Message From A Poem – Spiralling Downwards

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 2, 2026

[247]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – SPIRALLING DOWNWARDS There is nothing sadder than to see a light plane on fire and spiralling downwards to the ground. We know that is a tragedy that ends in death. Any spiralling downwards will be a disaster and death. This poem looks at the state of the world ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 60:1-3, Zechariah 14:16-17, Zechariah 14:9

Tags: Immorality, Deep, Spiral, Gross, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, World, Night, Evil, Darkness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Shoveling Snow

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 3, 2026

It was frigid—bone-chilling—and we had another heavy snowfall. When I opened my garage door, I quickly realized that looking at the big picture wouldn’t be helpful. Instead, I needed to focus on just one shovel of snow at a time. Blinders would have been useful, so that I wouldn’t see to the left ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:16-21

Tags: Slow Down, Trials

Denomination: Methodist

[291]. A Message From A Poem – The Stamp On Our Lives As Christians

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 18, 2026

[291]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE STAMP ON OUR LIVES AS CHRISTIANS This poem is set out with three sets of three making 9 stanzas. The final line in the stanza marks what set it is in. The title means the ownership of our lives by God, similar to the wax seal that used to be applied in days ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:7-9, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Tags: Belong, Holy Spirit, Sealed, Own, Stamp, Christian Poems, Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[300]. A Poem Message - There Is One Who Sticks Closer Than A Brother

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 27, 2026

[300]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - THERE IS ONE WHO STICKS CLOSER THAN A BROTHER The disciples walked with Jesus for more than three years and they knew His faithfulness over all that time. The Lord will never desert one of His own. In the storm, He is in the boat. In the death of a very close ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 41:8, Genesis 15:18, 2 Chronicles 20:7, James 2:23, Proverbs 18:24  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Friend, Friendship, Friend Of God, Christian Poems, Closer Than A Brother, Jesus, Abraham  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[305]. A Message From A Poem - They Won’t Unseat The Creator

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 4, 2026

[305]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - THEY WON’T UNSEAT THE CREATOR The aim of this poem is to look at the position Creation holds against those who reject a Creator God, and therefore would hold to evolution. It exposes the stupidity of refusing to believe in the face of created evidence. Mankind ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:10-11, Romans 1:20-22

Tags: Atheists, The Creator, Proof Of God, Christian Poems, Unseat God, Creation, Reject, Humanism, Fools  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The One-Dollar Bill  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

THE ONE-DOLLAR BILL Take out a one dollar bill and look at it. The one dollar bill you’re looking at first came off the presses in 1957 in its present design. This so-called paper money is in fact a cotton and linen blend, with red and blue minute silk fibers running through it. It is actually ...read more

Tags: America

You Never Asked

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 3, 2009

YOU NEVER ASKED ("Opie’s Charity" from the Andy Griffith Show by Joey Fann) The episode begins with Andy and Opie playing catch. While they are playing, Annabelle Silby comes by to solicit help with the annual children’s charity drive she heads up every year. Andy and Annabelle go into the ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Compassion In An Inner-City ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2009

Compassion in an Inner-City Church Feed the dogs. Touch the dumb, and find faith in places where you least expect it. This is what truly brings pleasure to our Lord, much more than any outward show of self-righteousness. There is church in the inner-city of Chicago that for me demonstrates this ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:12-15

Tags: Compassion

Hypocrites Do Things For The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 4, 2009

Hypocrites Do Things for the Show During my childhood - as I was growing up - anything "modern" was considered good! Whatever the current fad was, it was something that I wanted to have - and, I was convinced, like everyone else, that the new item was better - even when it came to "modern food;" if ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-5

Tags: Hypocrisy