In Sermon Illustrations: "Time Is At Hand"

When We Truly Are The Church

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Feb 6, 2011

WHEN WE TRULY ARE THE CHURCH Chuck Colson tells this story: "My mind goes back to a Christmas 20 years ago in Romania, when the country was still in the grip of communist tyranny. The story begins with Laszlo Tokes, pastor of a fast-growing reformed church in the city of Timisoara. His ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Methodist

No Replacement Refs  PRO

Contributed by Tim White on Oct 6, 2012

NO REPLACEMENT REFS Matthew 7:22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' One week ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:22-23, 2 Chronicles 29:35-36

Tags: Salvation, Trusting God

Denomination: Baptist

The Bible Thoroughly Equips

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Nov 4, 2012

THE BIBLE THOROUGHLY EQUIPS 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God Breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training for righteousness, so the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." The Bible is the Word of God and is useful for thoroughly ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[047]. A Message From A Poem – Christians Who Are And Who Are Not

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 6, 2025

[047]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRISTIANS WHO ARE AND CHRISTIANS WHO ARE NOT The main idea in this poem is the contrast between Christians in places of persecution who are committed and real, and the many Christians of the West who are lax and non-committed, who are asleep. It is a shame this ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:11-12, Romans 15:26-28

Tags: Persecution, Support, Sleep, Awake, Voice Of The Martyrs, True Christians  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[117]. A Message From A Poem – He Became Sin For Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 27, 2025

[117]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE BECAME SIN FOR US This poem resulted from some discussion in one of the Christian forums on Isaiah 52 and 53. I was thinking into the sufferings of the Lamb upon the cross trying to capture the stark reality of that sacrificial death. Of course God blotted out ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-5, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 12:2

Tags: Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, He Became Sin For Us, Sin, Salvation, Endurance, Cross, Suffering, The Cross, Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[176]. A Message From A Poem – Lord, May I Share My Thoughts With You?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 26, 2025

[176]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LORD, MAY I SHARE MY THOUGHTS WITH YOU? This poem is exactly what it says; my thoughts that I share with God. There is so much I don’t understand and too many problems to solve, but I think we are not meant to do that. We just need simple, uncluttered faith in ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 37:28

Tags: Christian Poetry, Guide, Knowledge, Share, Desires, Thoughts  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[246]. A Message From A Poem – Soon The Lord Will Come For Me

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 2, 2026

[246]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – SOON THE LORD WILL COME FOR ME Lines here can be reversed to make 9-7-9-7. (Change “Soon” Line 3 to “When”) The chosen metre for this poem in a more unusual one 7-9-7-9 as it does not follow the usual convention of having the first line longer than the second line. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:2, Titus 2:13, Revelation 4:1, 1 Corinthians 15:52-53

Tags: The Coming Of The Lord, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Rapture, Blessed Hope  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Constant Interview

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

A few years ago, right out of college, I had a job interview at an ad agency. I walked in thinking, “Okay. This is it. This is my adult moment. I’m about to become a professional person who says things like, ‘Let’s circle back.’” So I’m in the lobby, and it already feels like I’m underdressed. ...read more

Scripture: James 1:9-10

Tags: Identity, Worth

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Flag Of Rags  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 24, 2002

A FLAG OF RAGS In the final years of our imprisonment, the North Vietnamese moved us from small cells with one or two prisoners to large rooms with as many as 30-40 men to a room. We preferred this situation for the companionship and strength we could draw from our fellow prisoners. In addition ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:10-11

Tags: Patriotism, Political Freedom, Independence Day, Veterans, Endurance  (view more)  (view less)

Have You Noticed A Difference In The Salute ...  PRO

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Feb 15, 2003

Have you noticed a difference in the salute given by our military men and women as President Bush walks by? Most folks would not notice anything, but those who have served in the military see it right away. Next time just watch for this: as President Bush leaves his helicopter or Air Force One, ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Assembly Of God

16,743 Yards Of Persistence  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2004

16,743 YARDS OF PERSISTENCE God has always honored persistence. I have always appreciated Emmitt Smith. I was glad to see him set the NFL rushing record last Sunday. He isn’t as flashy as Walter Payton or Barry Sanders, and he never possessed true break-away speed. But his strength lies in his ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1, Luke 20:27-38, Luke 18:1-8

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Persistence, Parable Widow

Graffiti With Meaning!" Matthew 14: 22-24 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 15, 2004

“Graffiti With Meaning!” Matthew 14: 22-24 Key verse(s): 23: “After he had dismissed the, he went up on a mountainside by himself to prayer. When evening came, he was there alone . . .” “Isolation is not all that bad . . . it just depends on who you spend it with.” At first glance this ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-24

Tags: Boat, Prayer How To

Denomination: Lutheran

A Pastor Shared Recently That He Has A Habit Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A Pastor shared recently that he has a habit of taping football games and watching them again—and again and again, if the game turns out right. He said, “Super Bowl 32 is one of my favorites, the one where the Broncos defeated Green Bay 31-24” (he was a Bronco fan.) “The first time I saw the game ...read more

Tags: Worship Benefits

Liz Curtis Higgs Was One Of The Best-Known Disc ...

Contributed by Kent Kessler on Aug 30, 2007

Liz Curtis Higgs was one of the best-known disc jockeys in America, and she lived quite a…wild lifestyle without God. In fact, Howard Stern was the A.M. show, and Liz Curtis Higgs was the P.M. show. And one day Howard Stern said to Liz, “You know, you need to clean up your act.” Now, that really ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Christian Herter Was The Governor Of ...

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Feb 21, 2008

Christian Herter was the governor of Massachusetts in the 1950’s the story is told of a time when he was campaigning, when he came across someone whom he was about to ignore, but found himself having to notice. Apparently, he was having a really hard day campaigning, missed his lunch and came in ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Silent Night

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

SILENT NIGHT Europe in the early 1800s was a place of great war, turmoil and upheaval. Even after the Napoleonic Wars officially ended in 1815, it's effects continued to take their toll. The year 1816 was one in which national and municipal borders were divided, changed and reset. Areas, such as ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Perspective On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 24, 2012

PERSPECTIVE ON WORRY When my daughter Abigail was 2 or so she came down with what is now known as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. Basically, a person’s entire body gets covered in cold sores. The end result is skin scars, loss of vision, and even death. She could not be touched. She was in constant ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-34

Tags: Worry

Dr. R. G. Lee's Mother Told Of Happiest Day And Gave Taste Of Heaven

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Dec 23, 2012

*Dr. R.G. Lee was the much loved pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis from 1927-1960. One day when R.G was a little boy, he asked his mother what was the happiest day of her life. Her name was Elizabeth. And she thought back to the time of the Civil War when she was a little ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 20:1-5, Hebrews 11:30-40

Tags: Heaven, Restoration, Reunion, Joy And Celebration

Denomination: Baptist

Abraham Lincoln Said, "I Have Been Driven Many ...  PRO

Contributed by Robert Warren on Dec 4, 2001

Abraham Lincoln said, "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience, God's Provision, Prayer Supplication

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

48% Of Evangelical Protestant Couples Who Are ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2006

48% of Evangelical Protestant couples who are married with kids both work full time compared to just 40% of comparable couples in the overall population. ...read more

Tags: Children