In Sermon Illustrations: "Suffering Joy In"

Sending The Very Best  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Nov 18, 2011

SENDING THE VERY BEST Someone has composed the following list of "Cards You'll Never See at Hallmark": "Looking back over the years that we've been together, I can't help but wonder.... What was I thinking?!" "I've always wanted to have someone to hold, someone to love.... After having ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-25, Philippians 1:3-30, Matthew 25:31-46

Tags: Joy, Friendship General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I'm That Clown!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 1, 2016

I’M THAT CLOWN It is said that in a great city there was a physician famous for his wisdom. A man came to him one day and said, "Doctor, I want you to see what is wrong with me." The doctor checked him over and said, "Your heart is all right. Your lungs are all right. Your blood pressure is ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-12

Tags: Happiness, Joy, Emptiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Saved From The Guttermost To The Uttermost

Contributed by Dr. David Hallum on Sep 11, 2019

Introduction: Larry Johnson was an oil field hand. Big, loud, cursing, drinking, woman chasing and completely anti-God. He worked on one of the dirtiest jobs in the old field – he ran a workover crew. Those guys NEVER came home clean. They were covered in grime, sludge and oil from head to toe ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:7-13

Tags: Salvation, Joy, Love

Denomination: Baptist

Jonathan Goforth

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

The reason we preach the Gospel is because we love God our heavenly Father and not to gain brownie points in heaven. Yes it will be hard work at times. Story: The well known Canadian missionary, Jonathan Goforth told this story about the joy that God has - when we are faithful in doing what he ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Tags: Father's Joy, Goforth

Denomination: Anglican

The Warped Floor

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 18, 2026

One evening Cassy and I were at home, about to eat dinner together, which doesn't always get to happen. I opened the silverware drawer to grab a fork and noticed something. Mold. I felt the edge of the drawer and it was wet. I opened the cabinet below, and those walls were wet too. I opened the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:12-14, Romans 8:28

Tags: Joy, Perspective, Trials

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Busted Knuckles

Contributed by Jack Kale on May 10, 2016

Busted Knuckles The blades needed replacement on the old red Murray riding mower we use at the camp. I purchased two 21” blades from Lowes and got around to replacing them this past weekend for the first mow of the year. I hoisted the front end of that insanely heavy grass cutter and secured ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:28

Tags: Work, Scars, Pain And Suffering, Hurting

Denomination: *other

Frank’s Combat Trauma

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 10, 2018

Frank Bernadone bore the emotional wounds of his time in the military. His unit had already been through four years of battles when they came to Perugia. The town was heavily fortified, leading his unit’s assault against it to be disastrous. A bloody day of fighting culminated in what was almost ...read more

Tags: Pain, Military, Suffering, Ptsd, Scars  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Story: One Of My Heroes Of The Faith Is The Late ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Nov 17, 2007

Story: One of my heroes of the faith is the late Richard Wurmbrand (1909 – 2001) Wurmbrand was born in Rumania in 1909 as a Jew and became a Christian when he encountered Christ at an early age. He shared his faith with the occupying troops in the 1940’s and the Germans threw him in prison for ...read more

Tags: Witness, Suffering, Testimony, Live For Christ

Denomination: Anglican

[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

Oops -- Flooded With Calls!

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 22, 2025

One blogger writes, “Today, 50,000 copies of the new edition of the town's phone book came out. I manage a pizza place and bought a full menu ad. Apparently the ad designer got confused, as they placed my cell phone number in ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:26-31, Romans 8:18

Tags: Suffering, Consequences, Mistake, Errors, Nuissance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Candy Cane  PRO

Contributed by Rob Ross on Dec 26, 2000

The CandyCane A Candymaker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would help us remember who Christmas is really about. So he made a Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ. He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:6

Tags: Christmas, Birth Of Jesus, Joy, Rejoice

Denomination: Baptist

A Prominent Businessman At A Luncheon ...  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Aug 11, 2004

“A prominent businessman at a luncheon announcing his decision to give away a significant amount of money to his alma mater caused great division within his family, for his money was coming out of what his children believed to be their rightful inheritance. The man, once one to find great joy in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16, Matthew 8:5-10

Tags: Fatigue, Joy, Worry, Tired, Stress  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: United Methodist

Thankfulness Or Forgetfulness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 17, 2002

THANKFULNESS OR FORGETFULNESS "History knows no disasters," said the Literary Digest (Sept. 1923), "which parallels the earthquake and fire that visited Japan this month and laid waste the capital city and the chief seaport." The New York Tribune called this earthquake “undoubtedly the greatest ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday, Joy, God The Father

Army Chaplain Had A Sign On His Door That Said, ...  PRO

Contributed by Rich Young on Jan 18, 2001

Army Chaplain had a sign on his door that said, “If you have troubles, come in & tell me all about them. If you don’t have ...read more

Scripture: John 16:33

Tags: Apologetics General, Compassion, Joy

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Real Sermon  PRO

Contributed by Wayne Major on Apr 23, 2001

A REAL SERMON Mother Teresa said, “A person filled with joy ...read more

Tags: Joy, Sharing My Testimony

Denomination: Methodist

Peter Mcmartin, Van. Sun Columnist, Writing In ...  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Chan on May 25, 2001

Peter McMartin, Van. Sun columnist, writing in yesterday’s paper said: Where is our sun? Where is the true warmth of our existence? Here he is asking essentially where can joy be found. His answer is family: “I will eat Christmas dinner with my wife and children – who are the suns of my existence – ...read more

Tags: Joy, Emotions, Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Evangelical Free

There’s A Story About A Child Psychologist ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Oct 21, 2001

There’s a story about a child psychologist who wanted to observe how different children respond to negative circumstances. They got a room and filled it with horse manure. Putting the pessimistic child in there, they observed how he responded. Predictably, he whined and cried, and despaired that ...read more

Tags: Emotions, God's Provision, Joy

Denomination: Wesleyan

Norman Cousins Was Diagnosed As Having An ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Nov 13, 2001

Norman Cousins was diagnosed as having an incurable disease. He was bedridden & the doctors gave him no hope at all. So he decided on his own treatment. His family got a movie projector & rented all the Charlie Chaplin & Abbott & Costello movies that they could find - movies where you just sit ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22, Proverbs 17:21-22, John 20:24-29

Tags: Faith General, Supernatural, Joy

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Masai Tribe In West Africa Have An Unusual ...  PRO

Contributed by Lynn Floyd on Nov 18, 2001

The Masai tribe in West Africa have an unusual way of saying "thank you." Translators tell us that when the Masai express thanks, they bow, put their forehead on the ground and say, "My head is in the dirt." When members of another African tribe want to express thanks, they sit for a long time in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:11-19

Tags: Joy, Humility, Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Baptist

We Are Much Like The Little Boy Who Was Given An ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Belcher on Nov 19, 2001

We are much like the little boy who was given an orange by a man. The boy’s mother asked, “What do you say to the nice man?” The little boy ...read more

Tags: Joy, Children, Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Baptist