In Sermon Illustrations: "Suffering Christians"

Christians Should Live In The World, But Not Be Filled With It.

Contributed by Tony Abram on Jan 15, 2016

Christians should live in the world, but not be filled with it. A ship lives in the water; but if the water gets into the ship, she goes to the bottom. So Christians may live in the world; ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-3, Romans 12:2, Romans 12:2

Tags: World, Holy Living

The Miracle When Egyptian Christians Were Beheaded!  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 24, 2016

THE MIRACLE WHEN THE EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS WERE BEHEADED The month of February marks the one year anniversary of the 21 Coptic Christians who were martyred on a beach in Libya in North Africa, by Islamic State terrorists. Bishop Demetrios, Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-31

Tags: Evangelism, Sacrifice, Romans, Martyr, Good Vs Evil  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

1) Christian Life Is Not My Responsibility Bu...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Jul 8, 2016

1) Christian life is not my responsibility but rather only a response to His ability. 2) God would not condemn anyone for being born a Sinner but would condemn only those who die as one, having not accepted Christ in their lives throughout their lifetime. 3) On the Judgment ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-5

Tags: Fruit, Faultless

Denomination: *other

N.t. Wright Quote On Christian Artists

Contributed by Matthew Redder on Sep 21, 2018

I love this quote as I believe it is hard for the Christian artist to always understand their place in the church. Truth be told, artists have an incredible gift and responsibility in the community to illuminate the realities of the Word and of this life we live. Wright puts it well: "The ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:23, Exodus 35:35, Proverbs 22:29, Romans 12:2, Romans 12:6, 1 Timothy 4:14, Ephesians 2:10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Painter, Poet, Dancer, Dance, Art, Creative, Artist, Christian Artist, Musician, Music, Creator  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[013] A Message From A Poem - Academic Christianity

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 14, 2024

[013] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ACADEMIC CHRISTIANITY If you did a survey in universities and places of higher learning, and in liberal theological colleges in our days, you would find very few Christians. The mind of man today is bent on humanism and the search for rationalism in an existential ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:3, 1 Corinthians 1:18-19, 1 Corinthians 1:23-25

Tags: Humanism, Academic Christianity, Professing Christians, Faith, Salvation, Foolishness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[044] A Message From A Poem – Christian Patterns

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 6, 2025

[044] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRISTIAN PATTERNS This is a “constructed poem” meaning it follows a pattern. It is a series of injunctions or commands with specific structure that I will explain. Let us take the opening line – “Take God’s truth and make it yours, and your vain ways forsake.” I ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 8:5, Philippians 3:17, Acts 7:44

Tags: Poetry, Pattern, Poem, Christian Living, Commands, Christian Patterns, Rhyming  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[046]. A Message From A Poem – Christians In Response

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 6, 2025

[046]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRISTIANS IN RESPONSE This is another poem where I make use of rhyming patterns. Each line has an internal rhyme separated by one syllable. Here it is explained – “My life was SPENT, and WENT its way, with worldly discord gained.” The rhyming scheme for the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:19, Revelation 5:11-13

Tags: Praise, Christians, Response, Poetry, Poem, Death Of Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[055]. A Message From A Poem – Death For The Christian

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 12, 2025

[055]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DEATH FOR THE CHRISTIAN We deal with a subject today we often like to forget about. When we are young we give it little thought but when we are old, it tends to preoccupy our minds a lot more. This poem is not so much about the subject of death itself, as it is ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:18, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Hebrews 9:27

Tags: Egypt, Poetry, Poem, Christian Death, Absent From The Body, Keys Of Death And Hades, Death, Fear  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christian Doctor Explains Heaven To Dying Patient

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 24, 2025

Christian Doctor Explains Heaven to Dying Patient Wayne Brouwer told about a very sick man home on hospice. His doctor had come to see him that day, and as the doctor was leaving the room, the patient said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side." *Very ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-24

Tags: Solomon's Temple, Mother's Womb, God's Presence, God's Creation, King David, Fearfully Made, Wonderfully Made, Nathan The Prophet, Light, Darkness, Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

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

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Point: Sometimes, The Only Path To Peace Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2007

[The Point: Sometimes, the only path to peace is straight through struggles.] In Hosea 2:15 God says "I will make the valley of Achor a door of hope." Many years ago I read a book entitled "Door of Hope"; it pointed out that the Hebrew word "achor" means "trouble". So, what God may have *really* ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 2:15

Tags: Hope, Suffering, Troubles, Trial

I Want To Show You Another Subtle Lie That I Was ...

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 25, 2009

I want to show you another subtle lie that I was held captive by in my teens. It is the doctrine of suffering from Buddhism, one of the three biggest religions in the world. It says that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire ceases, (sounds pretty good ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In, Heart's Desires

Missionary Paralyzed Learns How To Thrive In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2010

Missionary Paralyzed Learns How To Thrive in Suffering Scott Larson shared a personal encounter. “Annette and her husband were missionaries in Western Europe when she began to have pain in her back. When the pain became so unbearable that she could no longer function, even with muscle relaxants, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Tags: Suffering Joy In, Joy In Trials

That Sounds Like A Cross To Me  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Feb 13, 2018

That Sounds Like a Cross to Me “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34 A little boy was playing in the yard. He fell and scraped his elbow. It was bleeding a ...read more

Tags: Cross, Suffering, Follow Me

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

All Things Work Together

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 15, 2020

My wife makes an amazing pot roast dinner. She takes raw meat, along with raw sliced white and sweet potatoes, celery, mushrooms, carrots, and onions and throws them into the slow cooker. Six or seven hours later the aroma fills the house, and the first taste is a delight. It is always to my ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Suffering, Purpose, Conformity, Trials

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Factor In Fallenness

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 1, 2025

A few years ago, our congregation joined with many churches in the area praying for a 6-year-old boy with extremely aggressive form of brain cancer. Of course, we prayed for a full healing so that the boy could have a long life. He died within 6 months. His parents grew in their faith of a God ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:4, 1 Peter 3:17

Tags: Healing, Prayer, Suffering, Fallenness

Denomination: Methodist

Let Me Tell You A Story About A Christian Just ...  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Black on Feb 2, 2005

Let me tell you a story about a Christian just like you and I. Let’s call him George for no good reason. George woke up Monday morning after a remarkable Weekend. Family time was well spent and The church services were excellent. He’d had testimonies of answered prayer in his own life and the ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Peter Marshall Said "We Are Too Christian Really ...  PRO

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Oct 31, 2000

Peter Marshall said “We are too Christian really to enjoy sinning, and too fond of sinning really to enjoy Christianity. Most of us know perfectly well what we ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will, Holiness, Sin General

Denomination: Wesleyan

Some Christians Spend The First Six Days Of Each ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Chapman on Mar 26, 2001

"Some Christians spend the first six days of each week sowing their wild oats, then they go to church on Sunday and pray for a crop failure." There is a myth that exists that says we can live comfortably in our world ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7

Tags: Holiness, Faith, Discipleship, Call Of The Disciples, Body, Attendance, Apologetics General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

He Made Free Use Of Christian Vocabulary. He ...  PRO

Contributed by Evie Megginson on Mar 27, 2001

He made free use of Christian vocabulary. He talked about the blessing of the Almighty and the Christian confessions which would become the pillars of the new government. He assumed the earnestness of a man weighed down by historic responsibility. He handed out pious stories to the press, ...read more

Tags: Faith, Holiness, Truth

Denomination: Baptist