In Sermon Illustrations: "Showing Mercy"

Top Ten Addictions

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2012

TOP TEN ADDICTIONS The top 10 addictions verify these statements: Alcohol, smoking, drugs, gambling, food, video games, internet, sexual, shopping, work People succumb to these addictions in search of peace and fulfillment; but fail to realize either one. It is a sad, circular, dangerous, and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:17-18

Tags: Addiction

The Agony Of Defeat

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 28, 2012

"THE AGONY OF DEFEAT" Some of you might remember the TV program "The Wide World of Sports". For many years, the opening of the program opened like this: "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport; the thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat." The opening illustrated "the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 27:12

Tags: Change

Was Jesus Married?

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Sep 22, 2012

WAS JESUS MARRIED? “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.” 1 Timothy 4:7 “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Peter 3:15 Popular characters tend to be used, ...read more

Tags: Apologetics Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

The Tree Of Hippocrates

Contributed by Kelly Mitchell on Oct 3, 2012

The Tree of Hippocrates On the island of Kos, the home of Hippocrates, the great physician from whom we get the “Hippocratic Oath”, there grows a tree that history says Hippocrates himself once gathered his students for class. Although the current tree is only about 500 years old, it is purported ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:46-49

Tags: Revival, Restoration, Church Growth, Church Practices

Denomination: Baptist

Mammon

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 2, 2014

The Blessed Life is a book written Robert Morris. He talks about a crucial weed that chokes out the truth of God, the teachings of God, the Word in our life – that weed or thorny vine is called mammon – greed – the love of money which supersedes the love of the Lord Jesus. It’s a real weed and it’s ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:24

Tags: Money, Greed, Riches, Spiritual Attack

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Evangelism Through Fellowship

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

Charles Moore writes, “Alan and I met 20 years ago. We were both students at Cal Poly. I was a freshman and he was a junior. As a physics major, Alan was both intelligent and articulate. How Alan got on with his studies, however, is still a mystery to me. Alan was vritually blind. He could not see ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:33-38

Tags: Evangelism, Fellowship, Community

Denomination: Methodist

Ugandan Juvenile Jail

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

Bob Goff tells the story of his longtime friend Charlie. Charlie was one of those guys who measured his life not by what he was but by what he has given up. He was a graduate of law school and then became an FBI agent. He met Bob for coffee and then said he wanted to use his training to help kids ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-25

Tags: Prayer, Forgiveness

Denomination: Methodist

The Most Expensive Doorstop In The World!

Contributed by David Simpson on Apr 23, 2018

1 Peter 2:7-8 “Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, and, ‘A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.’ They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:7-8

Tags: Precious Cornerstone, Treasure, Foundation, Stumbling Stone

Denomination: Christian Church

False Converts

Contributed by Rick Palmer on Oct 5, 2018

As an archery deer hunter I walk a lot out in nature. Yesterday as I was walking across a corn field I found a small branch of pretty colored leaves. My wife loves collecting leaves and doing crafts with them. I looked around and there were no trees with in a great distance from the leaves. How ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6, Matthew 4:17, John 3:16-18

Tags: Grace, Believe, Salvation, Repentance

Ashamed When It Counted The Most

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 18, 2019

Ashamed when it counted the most My two sisters, when they were somewhat younger, liked to play the piano and took lessons for some time. I like music, too, but not all the practicing that went along with it! We found out there was going to be a “recital” where all of the students in their ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, 1 John 2:28

Tags: Christian Life, Shame, Rewards

Denomination: Baptist

Outwit, Outplay, Outlast

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Nov 18, 2020

Over the pandemic I reunited with an old friend – Survivor. That’s right, the father of all reality shows and I had been apart for several years when the shutdown brought us back together. I had faithfully watched the first few seasons, but, as it is with many relationships, we drifted away over ...read more

Tags: Faith, Endurance, Wait, Parousia, Patience, Coming, Second, Waiting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

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

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 2, 2021

Quit all the comparisons: IT IS ABOUT GOD’S GLORY. HAGGAI and ZECHARIAH LEARNED TO ENCOURAGE THOSE THAT WERE DOING A WORK THAT SEEMED SMALL IN THEIR OWN EYES. Get excited. Haggai 2:2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 4:10

Tags: Glory, Small Things

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Book Of Daniel Is About Teenagers.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 1, 2022

HOW MANY MISS THE POINT THAT THESE ARE TEENAGERS! The Book of Daniel is about a young man and his teenage friends who grew up in a time when his country, Judah, southern tribes of Israel, was judged by God for their idolatry. God allowed the most ungodly leader and nation in the world, King ...read more

Tags: Mothers, Fasting, Fathers, Teenagers, Daniel, Family, Prayer, Revival  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Some Thoughts About Gifts

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 26, 2022

Text, 2 Corinthians 9:15, KJV: 15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Thoughts: This is about the closest verse I can find to use as a text for this illustration. There may be others but please remember that God’s greatest gift ever was His Son, Jesus! Now I’ll share the illustration ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:15

Tags: Love, Gifts

Denomination: Baptist

The Baby's Smile

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Dec 28, 2022

The Baby’s Smile “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.” John 16:21 We are in the last few days of the year. Most of our thoughts on Christmas is that it is ...read more

Scripture: John 16:21

Tags: Smile, Hope, Cross, Baby Jesus, After Christmas, Cradle To The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Misapplied Scriptures, Numbers 5:11ff: Abortion?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 27, 2023

Introduction: By now we’ve seen a few examples where selected (!) Scriptures are taken out of context and used in ways the writers never intended. There are some people who flat-out either twist or attempt to misapply the Scriptures in a much more devious way. They’ll take or quote a passage that, ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 5:11-31

Tags: Spirit Of Jealousy, Abortion, Adultery, Misapplied Scriptures

Denomination: Baptist

Brownies Teach Stewardship

Contributed by Michael Otterstatter on Nov 26, 2024

A 6th grade Sunday school teacher was struggling with a lesson. She was preparing to teach a lesson on how Christians manage their material blessings. She knew that when her students were in confirmation class the pastor would share what the Bible says about stewardship of time, talents, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

Tags: Offerings, Giving, Stewardship, Tithing

Denomination: Lutheran

[106]. A Poem Message – Golgotha – With Jesus In The Midst (Easter Poem)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 8, 2025

[106]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GOLGOTHA – WITH JESUS IN THE MIDST Easter Poem This poem is an Easter poem constructed around the events played out at Golgotha. I called it Golgotha (the place of the skull) and not Calvary in the title because of this reason – The word Calvary occurs in the ...read more

Scripture: John 19:17-18, Matthew 27:33-34

Tags: Place Of The Skull, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Easter Poem, Calvary, Golgotha, Lamb Of God, Three Crosses, Jesus Crucified  (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