In Sermon Illustrations: "Way Of Death"

Saving Private Ryan Tells Us About Our Need For Grace

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 24, 2022

Saving Private Ryan is one of my favorite World War II movies. Three out of four brothers are killed in action, and then a search is launched to find the fourth, Private James Ryan, so that he is not killed, leaving his mother childless. Eight men are sent out to find Private Ryan, who is missing ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Death, Grace, Fear, Salvation, Legalism, Works  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[267]. A Message From A Poem – The God Of Circumstances

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 17, 2026

[267]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE GOD OF CIRCUMSTANCES Among my favourite sayings, there are two that are special to me. One is, “What God desires from us is Faithfulness and Commitment.” The other one is, “Our God is a God of Circumstances.” It is this second one that the poem is built ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 121:7-8, Romans 8:28, Philippians 4:11-13

Tags: All The Way, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Fortunate, Led By God, Circumstances, Leading, Lucky, Chances, Savior  (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

While In Seminary, I Pastored A Small Church ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 24, 2007

While in seminary, I pastored a small church near Bunn,NC. Within four weeks I conducted funeral services for five of our oldest church members. The experience of dealing with so much death in such a brief period of time caused me a great deal of emotional stress. Following a morning service, one ...read more

Tags: Death, Hardship, Humility, Disappointment, Preacher, Comic Relief  (view more)  (view less)

In Sir Edwin Arnold’s Light Of Asia, He ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Dec 11, 2000

In Sir Edwin Arnold’s Light of Asia, he tells a parable from the Buddha about a mother who had lost her child. Carrying its dead body in her bosom, she come to the buddha and said:"Lord and Master, do you know any medicine that while be good for my child?" "Yes," he said, "bring me a mustard seed ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-32

Tags: Funerals Non-Christian, Death, World Religions

Denomination: Lutheran

Pete And Tony Were Great Baseball Fans. They Were ...  PRO

Contributed by Rich Young on Jan 18, 2001

Pete and Tony were great baseball fans. They were talking about baseball one day & Pete says, “I wonder if there is baseball in heaven.” Tony replies, “I don’t know.” Soon after, Tony dies. One day he calls Pete from heaven and they’re talking and Pete says, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 39:4-7, Psalm 39:1-12

Tags: Funerals Non-Christian, Heaven, Death Nearness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Who Would Ever Dream Of Amputating His Own Leg? ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Haines on Jan 20, 2001

Who would ever dream of amputating his own leg? Nobody-- unless that person had lost his mind or was faced with the grim choice of losing either his leg or his life. That was Bill Jeracki’s terrible predicament, according to The Denver Post, when he was out fishing alone in the foothills of the ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Death, Mountain, Sermon On The Mount

Denomination: Wesleyan

There Was A Commercial Years Ago On Tv By The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2001

There was a commercial years ago on TV by the Peace Corp: "It doesn’t matter how long you live if ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose, Death, Finding Fulfillment

Easter Is So Much More Than Learning How To Face ...  PRO

Contributed by Keith Wessel on Apr 14, 2001

Easter is so much more than learning how to face death without fear, with courage and dignity. After all, even philosophers, poets, and scientists can do that. I remember the astronomer Carl Sagan mention in an interview that he was looking forward to death as “the last great adventure.” Walt ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection, Death, Funerals Christian, Redeemer

Denomination: Lutheran

A Young Couple Began Attending A Midwest Church. ...  PRO

Contributed by Doug Johnston on Apr 23, 2001

A young couple began attending a midwest church. They had been saved ony about 8 months when they announced that they needed prayer; they had experienced several miscarriages and had just discovered they were with child again. The congregation responded; they had the most prayed for baby in the ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships, God Brings Hope, Death

Denomination: Baptist

A) The Kingdom Of God Is Not A Physical Place, ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on May 7, 2001

a) The kingdom of God is not a physical place, but it’s a spiritual realm. The kingdom of God is the place where God rules. If God rules your heart, then ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:20-21

Tags: Doing God's Will, Compassion, Death, Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Would Suggest This Day That The Empty Tomb ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Jun 5, 2001

I would suggest this day that the empty tomb represents an emptied, not empty heart and life. The stone represents the sin that blocks the heart and life from being liberated and freed from the darkness that it contains. God, through Christ, has rolled ...read more

Tags: Death Nearness, Growth In Christ, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Church Of God

God's Pledge Of Allegiance: The Apostle's Creed ...  PRO

Contributed by Eric Vertein on Oct 27, 2004

GOD’S PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Apostle’s Creed is not a pledge of allegiance, which we speak before God. We are remembering the gospel. We are remembering God’s pledge to us. The Creeds are nothing different from the 23rd Psalm. They simply explain how our Good Shepherd has ‘restored my soul,’ ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6, Psalm 23:1-6

Tags: Love, Death, Faith General, Equal, Eternity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

If ...

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 1, 2012

IF ONLY There was a great Scotch writer and historian in the nineteenth century named Thomas Carlyle. He married a woman, who’d worked as his secretary named Jane Welsh. But Carlyle was dedicated to his writing so he didn’t spend much time with her. He just mostly wrote. At one point she became ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Tags: Death, Remorse, Parable Ten Virgins, Regret

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Is There Life After ...

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 24, 2012

IS THERE LIFE AFTER DEATH? In Randy Alcorn’s book In Light of Eternity he imagines two twins having a conversation in their mother’s womb. “You know,” one says, “there’s a whole world out there--grassy meadows and snowy mountains, splashing streams and waterfalls, horses and dogs and cats and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:12-34

Tags: Death, Eternity, Heaven, Afterlife, Hope, Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Where Will You Be?

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 23, 2019

Where Will You Be? When the clouds burst open where will you be? Will there be joy in your heart when Jesus you see? Will you be running to hide from His face Or standing there with your head hanging in disgrace/ It surely is coming and the time is near at hand When Jesus comes to take his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:12

Tags: Death, Rapture, Great White Throne, Bema

Denomination: Baptist

Propitiation In Ancient Judaism

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 30, 2019

David Flusser writes, “ Since the age of the Hasmoneans, Jews had believed that the saints who died to sanctify the name of God atoned for the sins of Israel… Even Jews who did not accept Christianity evidently believed that Jesus, like the other martyrs of the Roman ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:21-31

Tags: Atonement, Propitiation, Death Of Christ, Penal Atonement

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Sacrifice These Men Made For Freedom

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2021

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. Their conviction resulted in untold sufferings for themselves and their families. Of the 56 men, five were captured by the British and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Tags: Death, Sacrifice, Freedom, America, Declaration Of Independence  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is The Fire In Hell Literal Or A Figure Of Speech?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 6, 2022

Brian Bell has an interesting note on as to whether or not it is real flames in Hell or just a figiure of speech: "it seems it is a real torment, thus a real thirst, which desires real water, from a real finger, to touch ...read more

Tags: Hell, Death, Eternity, Scripture, Judgment, Inerrancy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Funny Marriage Sermon-Starter

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 23, 2022

An 80 year-old woman was recently married to her 4th husband. A reporter questioned the occupation of her newly acquired husband. She replied that he owned a funeral home. Curious about the other husbands, the reporter also asked about their occupations. The woman paused for a while and stated ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-31

Tags: Death, Marriage, Humor, Husbands, Wives, Widows  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational