In Sermon Illustrations: "Sin Sacrifice"

8 Types Of Suffering In The Bible

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 25, 2024

Walter Kaiser’s article on “where Job’s friends went wrong about suffering” is very interesting. In the article, Kaiser identifies eight types of suffering mentioned in the Bible. 1. retributive suffering (caused by sin and disobedience to God) 2. educational or disciplinary suffering (as in ...read more

Tags: Glory Of God, Trials, Faith, Doubt, Prayer, Suffering, Testimony, Tribulation, Hurt, Pain  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Prison Release

Contributed by Kelly Benton on Feb 3, 2026

When a prison sentence is completed, the door open. Legally, the prisoner is free. But some inmates struggle to walk out because prison has trained them how to think, how to move, and how to live. The bars are gone, but the mindset remains. That’s a picture of many believers. Jesus paid the full ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1

Tags: Freedom, No Condemnation

Denomination: Other

Seeing What You Want To See

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 20, 2026

“People find what they want in the Bible. If one looks hard enough, he can find “biblical” support for reincarnation, Eastern religions, Jesus as a guru, divorce for any reason, and flying saucers. Every cult of Christianity uses the Bible to validate its claims, and so does some of the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 2:4-10, Jude 1:5-7

Tags: False Teachers, Sodom, Sexual Immorality

Denomination: Methodist

Staring Down The Critic's Barrel!" Proverbs 9: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 17, 2005

“Staring Down the Critic’s Barrel!” Proverbs 9: 7-10 Key verse(s): 8b:“. . . rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” The Bible tells us that “rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” Love? What happened to getting the emotional revenge that is so satisfying? There doesn’t seem to be a lot of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:7-10, Psalm 82:3-4, Philippians 2:13-14

Tags: Grace, Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

The Greatest Love Of All  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

The Greatest Love of All "For this reason I kneel before the Father... that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power... to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love surpasses ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-19

Tags: Hardship, God's Love, Endure

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[014] A Message From A Poem - Against The Christian

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2024

[014] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - AGAINST THE CHRISTIAN The origin of this poem goes right back to a time of considerable difficulty when I was going through tough times and some people were very nasty. Christians do face real difficulties and you will have persecution and unfairness just because ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:12, Hebrews 2:17, John 14:16-17

Tags: Persecution, Comfort, Difficulties, Trials, Suffer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[017] A Message From A Poem - Altogether Lovely One

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 21, 2024

[017] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ALTOGETHER LOVELY ONE There are times when we feel our hearts going out in worship to our Lord. What is the difference between praise and worship? This is not a sermon so I won’t be answering that question here, but I hope you think on it and that it might warm ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:11, Isaiah 53:3-4, Psalm 150:1-3

Tags: Worship, Praise, Gold, Magi, Sorrow, Frankincense, Myrrh, Lovely One  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Embracing God's Grace

Contributed by Rev. Randy Barker on Apr 2, 2025

Title: Embracing God's Grace: A Message of Hope from the Churches of Christ in Christian Union Introduction: Dear Friend, We are delighted to share with you the message of God's grace and the transformative power of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In this gospel tract, we will ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8

Tags: Grace, Mercy

Denomination: *other

[165]. A Message From A Poem – Kindness In The Christian’s Pain

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 15, 2025

[165]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – KINDNESS IN THE CHRISTIAN’S PAIN We all need kindness, but not everyone can give kindness. Some find it too hard because of their backgrounds, and some are just so selfish they are incapable of it. Kindness is a special gift when it is given in a sacrificial way, ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:12, Ephesians 2:7, Galatians 5:22

Tags: Pain, Compassion, Kindness, Great High Priest, Christian Poems, God Is Kind  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[248]. A Message From A Poem – Starlight Is Always There

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 2, 2026

[248]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – STARLIGHT IS ALWAYS THERE This is a short poem, one just came straightaway to me. I could expand it more but I decided I will not do that. Although the poem was written in 2020, the original thought for this came to me one evening when I was walking home. Here ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:18, 2 John 1:12

Tags: Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Unveiled Face, Obscured, Love, Barriers, Stars, Shining, Starlight  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[280]. A Message From A Poem – The Lord In Our Affliction

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 28, 2026

[280]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE LORD IN OUR AFFLICTION This was one of my first poems. This poem came from a period that was very difficult for me when a nasty, concerted attack was made against me. That is when the Lord led me into writing poems with His help. Right back then I would not ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:12, Hebrews 2:17-18, Hebrews 4:15, Matthew 13:21

Tags: Comfort, Suffering, Help, Affliction, Trouble, Christian Poems, Persecution  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Memorial Day, A Time For Healing  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 19, 2002

MEMORIAL DAY, A TIME FOR HEALING Memorial Day, perhaps more than any other holiday, was born of human necessity. Deep inside all of us lies a fundamental desire to make sense of life and our place in it and the world. What we have been given, what we will do with it and what we will pass to the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29:1-5

Tags: Holidays Civic, Finding Fulfillment, Amos, Prophet

Pursuing Butterflies!" Luke 22:24-30 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 1, 2005

“Pursuing Butterflies!” Luke 22:24-30 Key verse(s) 24:“Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.” We live to benefit ourselves and not others. Are you offended by this statement? It certainly isn’t what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches us to put others ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:24-30

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Lutheran

My Eternal Real Estate  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on May 21, 2001

MY ETERNAL REAL ESTATE Years ago, radio evangelist Charles E. Fuller announced that he would speak the following Sunday on “Heaven” and that it would also be aired over the radio. During that week he received a letter from an elderly man who was very ill. Here’s a part of his letter: “Next ...read more

Tags: Heaven, Funerals Christian, Death Nearness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sing To The Children  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 25, 2002

SING TO THE CHILDREN A tradition that Evelyn Knowles has chosen for posterity is to sing to her babies. The very first time she held each of her newborn grandchildren cheek to cheek and heart to heart, they heard their grandmother softly sing-- Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells ...read more

Tags: Parenting, Children

Kay Poe And Esther Kim Grew Up As Best Friends ...  PRO

Contributed by Todd Goodwin on May 19, 2002

Kay Poe and Esther Kim grew up as best friends and fierce competitors. Their sport was tae kwon do, a form of martial arts that was featured for the first time in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. As Kay and Esther got older, they found themselves in different weight classes, so they rarely met in ...read more

Tags: Faith, Christian Disciplines, Endurance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Our Spiritual Heritage In Missions Traces Back To ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Apr 5, 2006

Our spiritual heritage in missions traces back to Adoniram Judson who lived from 1788-1850. Years ago I read his biography. Judson lived the suffering life of the apostle Paul. He was one of the first to bring the Christian message to the Burmese. When war broke out with England, the Burmese ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Baptist

Leo Thorsness Was From Walnut Grove, Minnesota ...

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Dec 28, 2006

Leo Thorsness was from Walnut Grove, Minnesota and fought in the war in Vietnam. He was a Major, U.S. Air Force, in the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron. His bravery occurred over North Vietnam on April 19, 1967. He received his Medal of Honor from President Richard Nixon, on October 15, ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Faith's Hall Of Fame: Abel

Contributed by Doug Lyon on Feb 17, 2008

Hebrews 11:4 Faith’s Hall of Fame: Abel Introduction Cooperstown, NY. Those of you who are baseball fans know that it is the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Ten years ago, back in July of 1998, my son Joel and I visited Cooperstown. We had tickets to the Hall of Fame game at Doubleday Field. ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Clarion Call Of One  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 9, 2009

CLARION CALL OF ONE The actions of a few are often a clarion call to courage. It requires radical sacrifice and radical commitment to accomplish these things. All that it takes is for one man to refuse to surrender! Anyone who is familiar with Winston Churchill understands that he was such a man ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-14, Malachi 3:6

Tags: Endurance