In Sermon Illustrations: "The First Day Of The Week"

The Church Without Outreach

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2011

THE CHURCH WITHOUT OUTREACH Fred Craddock tells the story of his first church. It was a beautiful little white church on a hill in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The church was beautifully maintained. The pews had been hand-hewn from giant poplar trees that had grown nearby. Little kerosene lamps on the walls ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The Cave Dwellers” By Max Lucado. ...

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Dec 4, 2012

“The Cave Dwellers” by Max Lucado. “Long ago, or maybe not so long ago, there was a tribe of people in a dark, cold cave. The cave dwellers would huddle together and cry against the chill. Loud and long they wailed. It was all they did. It was all they knew to do. The sounds in the cave were ...read more

Tags: Unbelief

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Lesson From A Short Story

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 27, 2023

Text, Matthew 16:26, KJV: For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Thoughts: In my last year or so of high school, I took a couple of literature classes. For one thing, I liked the teacher, and for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:26

Tags: Hell, Temptations, Souls

Denomination: Baptist

[003] Message From A Poem – A Simple Farmer’s Ditty

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 13, 2024

[003] MESSAGE FROM A POEM – A SIMPLE FARMER’S DITTY You will note that each line of the poem ends with the “ay” rhyme. The following poem is simple in structure but an attempt to relate to the simplicity of the land. I used to spend my holidays as an early teenager on the land with a farming ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 26:23-25, Ezekiel 14:13

Tags: God Keeps Us, Agrarian Society, Nature, Poem, Farming, Farmers, A Ditty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Leaving The City Of Regret

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 1, 2025

Leaving the City of Regret by Larry Harp I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant, and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it. I'm talking about my annual "Guilt ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16

Tags: Freedom, Regret

Denomination: Methodist

[136]. A Message From A Poem – I’m Just Changing Residence

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 17, 2025

[136]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – I’M JUST CHANGING RESIDENCE I have lived in my current home for 45 years. Before that we lived in a home for 10 years. I have only ever owned two homes. Some people change homes like they change clothes. When a Christian dies some say, “He has gone home to be ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-3, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Tags: Point Of Death, New Address, Homes, Absent From The Body, Dwelling Places, Residence, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Heaven, Dying  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[137]. A Message From A Poem – If There Is Despair Such As In Virus Times

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 18, 2025

[137]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IF THERE IS DESPAIR SUCH AS IN VIRUS TIMES This poem was written in the middle of the COVID virus, that terrible scourge from China. Depending on where you lived in the world, you suffered repression from governments, some not too bad, but others were draconian. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 6:7-8, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Rider On The Fourth Horse, Pestilence, Repression, The Pale Horse, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Covid Virus, Difficult, Hard, Hard Times, Virus, Difficult Times  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Guide - What A White Water Rafting Trip Taught Me About God

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Mar 11, 2026

A few years ago my wife, two young daughters and I packed up and headed to Red River, New Mexico for a vacation. For a bit of adventure we decided to try something we had never done before — white water rafting. Before climbing into the raft, we were handed a stack of waivers to sign. You know the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:8

Tags: God, Trust, Guide, Refuge, Raft  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In His Book "One Lord, One Faith," Author Rex ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Nov 16, 2001

In his book "One Lord, One Faith," author Rex Koivisto warns: We cannot read into the [biblical] text some meaning if it conflicts with the writer’s intended meaning. [For example,] in the early 1960’s the folk group Peter, Paul, and Mary sang a song about a young boy’s ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In Leadership Magazine, Dave Wilkinson Writes The ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Jan 23, 2002

In Leadership magazine, Dave Wilkinson writes the following to pastors… Have you ever wondered why your pastoral resume doesn’t evoke more enthusiasm? Do you ever think, "What are these people looking for?" Perhaps the question should be, "What aren’t they looking for?" because with the numbers of ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:2-3

Tags: Leadership General, Sacrifice

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Are Many Heresies Among Us; All Of Them ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 15, 2002

There are many heresies among us; all of them detract from the eternal truths of God. The most dangerous one is the one we hear as the new theme of political speeches and commencement addresses. This heresy is rooted in academia and thrives in prideful minds. This heresy is very evident in popular ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:17-31

Saving Grizzly Adams  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Mar 15, 2002

SAVING GRIZZLY ADAMS Rick Stacy, Pastor in Okemos, Michigan tells a story about Ken Bailey. Ken was a laborer on the Alaska Pipeline back in the mid 70’s. He worked up in the icy cold for a year and came back with $30,000. That was a lot of money 30 years ago! He blew it all in a month. He ...read more

Tags: Repentance, Basics Of Christianity, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Reporters And City Officials Gathered At A ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 5, 2002

Reporters and city officials gathered at a Chicago railroad station one afternoon in 1953. The person they were meeting was the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize winner. A few minutes after the train came to a stop, a giant of a man - six feet four inches with bushy hair and a large mustache stepped from the ...read more

Tags: Humility, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Changed By Agnosticism  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 9, 2002

CHANGED BY AGNOSTICISM Dr. Harry Ironside was a great Christian leader in the first half of this century. On one occasion, he was involved with a Salvation Army meeting in San Francisco. Dr. Ironside shared his testimony with the gathering then returned to his seat on the platform. Soon after ...read more

Tags: Apologetics God

Denomination: Pentecostal

There Is A Silly Story About An Elderly Scottish ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 9, 2002

There is a silly story about an elderly Scottish couple who had never flown before, but who decided they were going to visit their children in New York and see their grandchildren for the first time. They were on a charter flight in a Lockheed TriStar (3 engines). They were about half-way out over ...read more

Tags: Faith, Truth

Denomination: Pentecostal

A Hearing Test  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Chan on May 3, 2002

A HEARING TEST Here’s a test to see if you listen well… 1. A bicycle can’t stand on its own because it is two-tired. 2. What’s the definition of a will? (It’s a dead giveaway). 3. In democracy it’s your vote that counts. In feudalism it’s your count that votes. 4. A chicken crossing the road ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-3

Tags: Holy Spirit Attributes, Knowing God's Will

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Three Sons Left Home, Went Out On Their Own And ...  PRO

Contributed by Norman Lawrence on Aug 23, 2002

Three sons left home, went out on their own and prospered. Getting back together, they discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother. The first said, "I built a big house for our mother." The second said, "I sent her a Mercedes with a driver." The third smiled and said, "I’ve got ...read more

Tags: Children, Commandments Parents

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Several Years Ago There Was A Well-Known ...  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Sep 26, 2001

"Several years ago there was a well-known television circus show that developed a Bengal tiger act. Like the rest of the show, it was done "live" before a live audience, One evening, the tiger trainer went into the cage with several tigers to do a routine performance. The door was locked behind ...read more

Tags: Examples Of Faith, Faith

Denomination: United Methodist

A Pretty Lonely Guy Decided Life Would Be More ...  PRO

Contributed by Aaron Burgess on Sep 19, 2002

A pretty lonely guy decided life would be more fun if he had a pet. So he went to the pet store and told the owner that he wanted to buy an unusual pet. After some discussion, he decided on a centipede, which came in a little white box to use for its house. He took the centipede home, found a ...read more

Tags: Peace

Denomination: Independent/Bible

And When On A Dark Friday Afternoon This ...  PRO

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Nov 3, 2002

And when on a dark Friday afternoon this Innocent’s [Jesus] body was placed in a grave, his friends thought that they were seeing the last of Him. No thought of a river carrying life-giving water crossed their mind. He was wrapped in his burial shroud, placed in a borrowed tomb, and a large rock ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, 2 Corinthians 9:6

Tags: Jesus Christ, Crucifixion

Denomination: Lutheran