In Sermon Illustrations: "Ultimate Gift"

The Difference Maker

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Sep 16, 2020

My pastor, Wana Archer, tells about a time when he was a teenager and worked at a restaurant for .25 cents/hour. In this restaurant, there was a gambling machine that looked like a pinball machine. A player would deposit a nickel and get one shot to hit the jackpot or win some money. He noticed ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-11

Tags: Holy Spirit, Obedience

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: Abraham’s Cook

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 23, 2021

Introduction: Cooks, those who prepare meals for others, are not mentioned very often in the Bible. Their roles and functions were important, no matter where they were. In this passage, Abraham was surprised to see three Unexpected Guests arrive at his tent “in the heat of the day”. Following ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 18:1-8

Tags: Abraham, Servants, Unsung Heroes, Cooks

Denomination: Baptist

Dna And Stained Glass

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Sep 2, 2021

Dr. Francis Collins’s credentials are impeccable: he is a physical chemist, a medical geneticist, and the former head of the Human Genome Project. He is also, by his own account, living proof that there is no conflict between science and religion.” “In 2006, he published ‘The Language of God,’ in ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:27

Tags: Creation, Dna

Denomination: Brethren

[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

[036] A Message From A Poem – Blessed Lamb Of God In Adoration

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 25, 2025

[036] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BLESSED LAMB OF GOD IN ADORATION This was written as a hymn that can be sung. The emphasis is on the Lord Jesus Christ not so much on us. I hate these modern songs where it is all about “me”. Let us get back to glorifying the Lord for who He is and for what He ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 4:11, 1 Corinthians 1:18, Ephesians 4:8-10

Tags: Compassion, Adoration, Lamb, Second Coming, Poetry, The Cross, Lamb Of God, Poem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[076]. A Message From A Poem – Expectations, Testimony And Pleading

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 11, 2025

[076]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EXPECTATIONS, TESTIMONY AND PLEADING The three words in the title are what the poem is about. Firstly there is expectation of our heavenly home when we are transported from the physical life. Then there is testimony and that is about the way God looks after us, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, Psalm 119:143, Psalm 119:77, Psalm 119:47

Tags: Turn To The Lord, New Home, Delight, Poem, Great Things, Pleading, Expectations, Scripture, Testimony, Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[092]. A Message From A Poem – For We Are Flesh And Blood

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 30, 2025

[092]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FOR WE ARE FLESH AND BLOOD We are emotional people and emotions often influence our feelings and life and behaviour. Emotions do need controlling e.g. a person might be “in a bad mood” but must not let that become bad attitudes to others. Sometimes we can be down ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:15, Romans 8:26, Revelation 21:4-5

Tags: Bad Mood, Weakness, Depressed, Human Nature, Flesh And Blood, Feeling Down, Mood Swings, Emotions, Joy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[095]. A Message From A Poem – From Chains To Release

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 2, 2025

[095]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FROM CHAINS TO RELEASE This poem covers a lot of ground. It starts with, and develops the chains of sin; the work of Christ on the cross; our redeemed state in a persecuting world; God is looking for faithfulness and commitment; we praise the Lord because He ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:2, Romans 6:23, John 10:10

Tags: Captives, Bound By Chains, Chained By Satan, The Chains Of Sin, Poetry, Poem, Chains, Released  (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

[123]. A Message From A Poem – He Will Receive Us To Himself

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 8, 2025

[123]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE WILL RECEIVE US TO HIMSELF Time for confession. It is no secret that the theme that occurs in a few of my poems (sometimes only a brief mention) is that of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in Person for all His disciples. That coming is soon and is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Tags: Jesus Receives Us, Received To Him, Caught Up, The Coming Of The Lord, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Farmall Hospitality!" 3 John 1-8 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 17, 2004

“Farmall Hospitality!” 3 John 1-8 Key verse(s): 5: “Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you.” I’m a Corvair man! That means that I drive old, forty years or more, cars with air-cooled engines and no shoulder harnesses. Since I’ve ...read more

Scripture: 3 John 1:1-8

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Christian Love, Prosperous

Denomination: Lutheran

Tiger Breath!" Matthew 6:9-13 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 6, 2005

“Tiger Breath!” Matthew 6:9-13 Key verse(s): 13:“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” It has been foreordained that life is a temptation! Now that is a depressing thought if I ever heard one. Foreordained? That means that no matter what I do or how I do it, ultimately I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13, Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Sin Exposed, Risk Of Sin, Release, Sin Separates From God

Denomination: Lutheran

Step Into The Image Of Christ!" Hebrews 5:1-9 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 14, 2005

“Step Into The Image of Christ!” Hebrews 5:1-9 Key verse(s): 8-9:“Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him . . .” Why do we love the Constitution so! A document that is nearly 220 ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 5:1-9

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran

Don't Sit On Me, Lord!  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 24, 2005

"DON'T SIT ON ME, LORD!" Romans 6:8-14 Key verse(s): 6: "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the bod of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin...” There are many things that a dog does not like. Chief among them for many dogs is the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:8-14

Tags: Disciplines, Holiness, Holy Spirit Attributes, Growth, Sanctification  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

Merely Mode!" Job 38:1-41 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 15, 2005

“Merely Mode!” Job 38:1-41 Key verse(s): 1ff:“Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.” When tragedies happen, do you marvel at their randomness? Seven people are gunned down in a church on a Saturday evening. A young boy of 15 and an old man of 74. The newspaper headline called it ...read more

Scripture: Job 38:1-41

Tags: God's Forgiveness, God's Provision

Denomination: Lutheran

No Bulldozers Here!" Hebrews 3:1-6 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 26, 2005

“No Bulldozers Here!” Hebrews 3:1-6 Key verse(s) 6:“But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.” I grew up watching john wayne movies; courage and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. I remember watching ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 3:1-6

Tags: Faith General, Doubt, Unbelief

Denomination: Lutheran

False Teaching: Sinlessness  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 1, 2012

FALSE TEACHING: SINLESSNESS The Apostle John wrote: "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." Now I want to digress for a moment and address a false teaching ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[069]. A Message From A Poem – Evolution Owns Not The World

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 28, 2025

[069]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EVOLUTION OWNS NOT THE WORLD Evolution is a nasty belief for it comes directly from Satan himself, and is a denial of the creation of God. Don’t you think it is strategically planned that evolution is a fiercely held belief by atheists, humanists, most University ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7-8, Colossians 1:15-16

Tags: Poem, Humanism, God Is Not Mocked, Stupidity, Flea Brain, Creation, Evolution, Creator, Adam And Eve, Poetry, Big Bang Theory  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I'd Like To Begin By Telling You A Little Story ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Mar 28, 2001

I’d like to begin by telling you a little story about something that happened to me this week. I took the minivan in for an oil change at the Chrysler dealer. I was sitting in the waiting room, which was empty except for me and one other man. I was a little bored, so I struck up a conversation. And ...read more

Tags: Lincoln, Humor, Discipleship, Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

Passing The Torch: Lessons From Castro  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Dec 1, 2001

PASSING THE TORCH: LESSONS FROM CASTRO In August, President Fidel Castro celebrated his 75th birthday. The Cuban dictator came to power in 1959, after overthrowing former dictator, Fulgencio Batista. On the eve of his birthday, Castro made a powerful gesture. He publicly handed a Cuban flag to ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12:1

Tags: Devotion, Parenting, Zeal

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational