In Sermon Illustrations: "We Are Frail"

Billy Graham's Daughter On 9/11

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

BILLY GRAHAM'S DAUGHTER ON 9/11 Just after 9/11, Billy Graham’s daughter, Anne, was interviewed by the Early Show on CBS. The interviewer asked, "How could God let something like this happen?" She answered, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this just as we are, but for years we’ve been ...read more

Scripture: Judges 11:7

Tags: America

Richard Calson On Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2010

RICHARD CALSON ON FORGIVENESS Let me conclude with in the words of Dr. Richard P. Carlson, Professor of Biblical Studies at Gettysburg Seminary: "God’s forgiveness in Jesus Christ is a scandal. It goes out to sinners regardless of their religious or social standing. It breaks into human existence ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:7

Tags: Wholehearted, God's Forgiveness, Commit

Jealous Horses

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Feb 3, 2011

JEALOUS HORSES When we lived in a small town in central Kansas (Ellsworth), we made many trips to the nearest big town, Salina, Kansas on old Kansas Route 140. On one of those trips in the spring (March 12, 1990), we saw a horse at the edge of a luscious, green pasture with his head stuck through ...read more

Tags: Jealousy

Denomination: Evangelical Free

For Blessings Already Received

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Feb 23, 2012

FOR BLESSINGS ALREADY RECEIVED "Returning thanks for blessings already received increases our faith and enables us to approach God with new boldness and new assurance. Doubtless the reason so many have so little faith when they pray is because they take so little time to meditate upon and thank ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6

Tags: Thanksgiving, Gratitude

Denomination: Baptist

The Blue And Red Spigots

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Sep 13, 2012

THE BLUE AND RED SPIGOTS John Michael Cussick (Surfing for God, 104) took out two brass spigots. One has a red knob and the other has a blue knob. The red knob represents how we often look at the Christian life. The assumption is that the source from which the water flows is a cesspool and so we ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

God Is Not An Editor

Contributed by David Tack on Oct 17, 2012

GOD IS NOT AN EDITOR "God is looking for common ordinary people like you and me who are willing to let Him use as He sees fit. He wants to write our story, He doesn’t want to be our editor. But, we want to write the story and then we call God in as our editor. When the story gets messy then we ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

"Knowing" Christ  PRO

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Jan 6, 2013

"KNOWING" CHRIST In today's world of Smart Phones, tablets and instant Internet access, there are many things that we can "know." If someone asks the questions, "how long is the Verrazano Bridge," a nimble person with a 4 G connection and an Iphone can ask Siri, "How long is the Verrazano ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:10

Tags: Jesus Christ, Knowing God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Relationship With Us.

Contributed by Rob Roy on Nov 19, 2018

My best memory of my Grandfather who died when I was four or five. I was four or five and we loaded up with my four older brothers and mom and dad in our sixty-four brown Chevy Bel Air and headed to my grandparents home. My mom announced to all of us that Grandfather was weak and we should NOT ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1-11

Tags: God's Love For Us, God's Relationship With Us

Christmas Eve Communion Confession

Contributed by Mark A. Barber on Nov 23, 2019

Confession O Lord, we remember you, O Lamb of God Born this day to take away the sin of the world; O Word become flesh, Who came down to share our humanity; You alone are worthy. Help us remember You not only with our lips, But with our hearts as well; Help our lives proclaim Your truth. As we ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Tags: Christmas, Communion, Christmas Eve, Confession

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Bigger Hands

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 9, 2020

A story is told of a little girl that would not take a handful of cherries when the general store owner told her to take one After several times of saying no, the owner told her to hold out her hands and he filled them with the cherries she loved. On the way home, Momma asked her why should would ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 132:15

Tags: God, Blessing, Hands, Source, Provision, Supply  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Saint Or Sinner

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 19, 2021

In the “Freedom in Christ” course, Neil Anderson and Steve Goss, share an illustration that I just love – “You know the fairy tale of the princess who decided to kiss a frog? When she kissed the frog, he changes into a handsome prince. Now imagine they go out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:2

Tags: Princess, Prince, Sinners, Saints, Frog  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Choosing Your Attitude

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 24, 2024

In his book Take the Stairs, Roy Vaden tells of visiting Jamaica and complaining to the cab driver about the rain. The cab driver smiled and responded, “In Jamaica, man, we don’t have rain; we only have liquid sunshine.” As they drove through town, Vaden commented on how annoying all the speed ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 118:24

Tags: Choice, Attitude

Social Consequences Of Sin

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Oct 13, 2024

Social consequences of sin. Jonathan Edwards in his book “The Nature Of True Virtue” lays out how sin destroys the social fabric. He argues that human society is deeply fragmented when anything, but God is our highest love. If our highest goal in life is the good of our family, then we will tend to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:21-24

Tags: Law, Sin, Idolatry, Virtue, Jonathan Edwards, 10 Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

My First Assignment 35 Years Ago Was To An Inner ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 16, 2004

My first assignment 35 years ago was to an inner city parish in Wshington,D.C. Money was stolen from my room; the garage mechanic said my gas tank may have been sabotaged, destroying my engine; one weekend we had 34 windows broken in the school. When a new pastor was sent,the parish held a party ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Love

[096]. A Message From A Poem – From Earth To Heaven

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 3, 2025

[096]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FROM EARTH TO HEAVEN This poem is one of rhyming couplets and the theme is “now on earth, but looking towards being in heaven with the Lord.” Do you love the world? Well my answer is yes and no. I absolutely love the world, that is, the creation in the world. ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:2-3, Hebrews 6:19, Romans 3:11-18, Psalm 8:3, Psalm 19:1-3  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Creation, Glory, Heaven, Hope, Poem, The World, Christian Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[126]. A Message From A Poem – Heaven Opens To Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 11, 2025

[126]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HEAVEN OPENS TO US From a quick recollection heaven will open at least three times in the future (written by one who is still living). One of those will be the Rapture. One will be the Second Coming. The other one is when a saint passes from this life and into ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Tags: Heaven, Open, Absent From The Body, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[163]. A Message From A Poem – Joy For Sorrow - Care In Hurt

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 14, 2025

[163]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JOY FOR SORROW - CARE IN HURT The title of this poem has two contrasts – sorrow turning to joy, and hurt adopting care. This poem was written 27 years ago and since that time much has changed in the world for the followers of the Lord. Persecution has increased ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5-6, 2 Corinthians 6:4-5

Tags: Hurting One, South Africa, The Holy Spirit, Martyred, Suffering Christians, World Press, Comforr, Joy, Africa, Sorrow, Iran, Sudan, Nigeria, Lord, Persecution, Evil, Comfort  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

As I Was Getting Ready To Come To Church Today, I ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Thornton on Nov 12, 2001

As I was getting ready to come to church today, I was helping my son to get a bath -- and quite frankly, he didn’t want to have a bath, especially because he couldn’t sit and play in the tub for awhile. And so he resisted and complained and made it difficult -- but we struggled through it and got ...read more

Tags: Faith, Doing God's Will

Denomination: *other

Giving Away Goodness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2003

GIVING AWAY GOODNESS Mark Tidd of Webster, New York, describes an experience from his college days: “An old man showed up at the back door of the house we were renting. Opening the door a few cautious inches, we saw his eyes were glassy and his furrowed face glistened with silver stubble. He ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General, Compassion, Christian Love

What If I Told You About A Man Who Was Struggling ...  PRO

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Jan 7, 2004

What if I told you about a man who was struggling to give his tithe to the Lord; let’s call him BILL. He wanted to please God, but he just couldn’t see how he would be able to pay all his bills if he gave 10% of his income to the church. I told Bill some great news; a multi-millionaire–we’ll call ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1, Romans 8:14

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Assembly Of God