In Sermon Illustrations: "Work Humor"

A Woman Named Ruth Went To Her Mail Box And There ...

Contributed by Don Hawks on Jul 10, 2007

A woman named Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter: Dear Ruth: I’m going to be in your neighborhood ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

This Past Christmas, Jade Did Something That ...

Contributed by Stephen Evoy on Jan 4, 2008

This past Christmas, Jade did something that re-awakened a part of my heart that should never have been allowed to doze off. It was late in the evening; my parents had dropped by for a short visit. Jade was overly tired and out of sorts. Looking for some trouble, she wadded up a piece of ...read more

Denomination: Free Methodist

As I Have Attended Secular Schools I Have Seen ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 6, 2009

As I have attended secular schools I have seen the dark force – discriminate, attack, intimidate and belittle Christian students. These students are marked by the force just because they are Christian. They are targeted just because they have a Christian and Biblical value system. I have seen with ...read more

Tags: School

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Anyone Can Do That...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

"ANYONE CAN DO THAT..." There was a man named Doug Nichols who went to India to be a missionary. While he was just starting to study the language, he became infected with tuberculosis and had to be put in a sanitarium. It was not a very good place to be. It was not very clean and conditions were ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Tags: Christian Love

Run Your Race Tjbts

Contributed by Blake Henson on Jun 6, 2023

Run Your Race shows how silly it would be for someone to stop short of home in a game, but it is the same in our Christian life when we are not Christians all the time. We must realize the need to be active serving Christians 24/7 in our lives. URL: https://youtu.be/Ai6qZPECLiw SUMMARY In this ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:7

Tags: Run Your Race, Never Stop Living For Jesus

The Power Of The Holy Spirit To Change Lives

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Aug 27, 2023

Dr. Harry A. Ironside the great evangelist and Bible teacher was living in the San Francisco Bay area working with a group of believers called “Brethren.” One Sunday as he was walking through the city he came upon a group of Salvation Army workers holding a meeting on the corner of Market and Grant ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 19:7-9

Tags: Changed Lives, Power Of The Holy Spirit, Henry Ironside, Holy Spirit, Transformation, Agnosticism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Salvation Is Free, But It Will Cost Your Life

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 28, 2024

I am often asked, "How can salvation be free, but, yet, Jesus said that we cannot by His disciple unless we forsake everything for Him?" (Luke 14). Let me explain the answer to this question in a story. Once there was a man who collected and traded in pearls. He had a fine collection of ...read more

Tags: Sacrifice, Salvation, Discipleship, Free, Eternal Life, Grace, Mercy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[030] A Message From A Poem – Beauty From Ashes

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 18, 2025

[030] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BEAUTY FROM ASHES One of the deepest emotions we have is shame. Shame happens when sin has caused havoc in a person’s life, and the realisation of it bursts like a cloud over the person. Shame brings guilt and guilt can affect a person greatly, even causing ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:10, Psalm 51:1-2, Psalm 51:12, 1 John 1:7-9

Tags: Ashes, Sinning, Repentance, Guilt, Shame, Bathsheba, Conviction, Poetry, David, Forgiveness, Beauty, Holy Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[288]. A Message From A Poem – The Xxxxxx Public Service

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 15, 2026

[288]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE XXXXXX PUBLIC SERVICE Maybe some might think this is a harsh poem but we live now in harsh times and sometimes bluntness is needed to wake up the offenders. I have deliberately omitted the identification from the title, so what is said could apply to just so ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-4, 2 Timothy 3:12-13

Tags: Arrogance, Manipulators, Bureaucrats, The Public Service, Christian Poems, Government Officials, Civil Service  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[295]. A Message From A Poem – Love/Serve One Another As I Have Loved You

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 23, 2026

[295]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOVE/SERVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU I wrote half this poem waiting in the waiting rooms of the hearing/ hearing aid place then finished it at home. When I wrote this poem a couple of days ago I began with the idea of the appearance of peace as what we see ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:2, Galatians 5:13, Galatians 6:7-8

Tags: Hurting People, Serve, One Another, Inner Turmoil, Christian Poems, Hurting Inside, Hurt, Comfort, Gossip, Blame  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[304]. A Message From A Poem - They Have Gone To Be With Jesus

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 4, 2026

[304]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - THEY HAVE GONE TO BE WITH JESUS Right at the outset I want to say I LOVE THIS POEM. IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME. I love it because the Lord gave it freely to me and the truth of it now for 27 years has been part of the way I address the loss of a Christian loved one. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Tags: Present With The Lord, Absent From The Body, Christian Poems, Christian, Jesus, Heaven, Home, Gone, In Christ, Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[343]. A Message From A Poem - Whoa! Stop Your Gallop And Take Stock

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 30, 2026

[343]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WHOA! STOP YOUR GALLOP AND TAKE STOCK Paul said to examine oneself in this passage – {{2 Corinthians 13:5 “TEST YOURSELVES to see if you are in the faith. EXAMINE YOURSELVES, or do you not recognise this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you - unless ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:12, 1 Corinthians 4:4, Galatians 6:4, 2 Corinthians 13:5

Tags: Examine Yourself, Test Yourself, Christian Poems, Gallop, Take Stock, Neglect Of The Bible  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It All Happened On A Subway

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Mar 10, 2022

Marcel Sternberger was a methodical man of nearly 50, with bushy white hair, guileless brown eyes, and the bouncing enthusiasm of a czardas dancer of his native Hungary. He always took the 9:09 Long Island Railroad train from his suburban home to Woodside, N.Y.., where he caught a subway into the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:10

Tags: Grace, Mercy, Salvation, Chance, Divine Appointments  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Brethren

Pleasure Comes From Pain  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Feb 7, 2002

PLEASURE COMES FROM PAIN The world's best cyclist, Lance Armstrong, says this about pain: I become a happier man each time I suffer. Suffering is as essential to a good life, and as inextricable, as bliss. The old saying that you should live each day as if it’s your last is a nice sentiment, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1

Tags: Endurance, Disciplines General, Human Body

Denomination: Baptist

Clip: "Everybody Loves Raymond," Excerpted From ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Oct 28, 2002

[Clip: "Everybody Loves Raymond," excerpted from episode 119, "Talk To Your Daughter". Note: this episode is one of four included in a "For Your Consideration" DVD/VHS package that was prepared for the 2002 Emmy voters. You might find it on ebay.] Deborah: Ally just doesn’t want to know how we get ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose, Fulfillment, Worry

Denomination: Baptist

Let Me Close With This Story, At First You May ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 31, 2002

Let me close with this story, at first you may not catch my point, but hang in there, when I land you will see a wonderful point. I had been teaching in Virginia, and I resigned my position and accepted a pastorate of a mission work in eastern Kentucky. The area was very poor, and the little church ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

Tags: Funerals Christian, Death

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Michael Is The Kind Of Guy You Love To Hate. He ...  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Selfridge on Jan 16, 2003

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was ...read more

Tags: Learning, Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Wesleyan

Aunt Bessie's Pickled Beets!" 2 Corinthians ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 19, 2005

“Aunt Bessie’s Pickled Beets!” 2 Corinthians 7:2-13 Key verse(s): 10:“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” The worst part of doing wrong is being found out. We’ve all been caught doing wrong in life; especially when we ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:2-13, Luke 17:5-10

Tags: Crucifixion

Denomination: Lutheran

Don Richardson, In His Book Eternity In Their ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Sep 11, 2005

Don Richardson, in his book Eternity in Their Hearts, tells an amazing story of spiritual harvest. In an area once called Burma, which is now modern Myanmar, lying between China and Thailand, and touching the border of Laos, there lived about a quarter-million tribal people called the Lahu. For ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Methodist

Have You Ever Hurt Anybody?  PRO

Contributed by Ken Ritz on Dec 30, 2005

Brennan Manning tells a story in his book The Ragamuffin Gospel. 25 years ago, he had a drinking problem. He voluntarily entered a 28-day treatment program. Early on in the treatment program they had to sit in a circle with a leader and tell the other people in the group, about the extent of their ...read more

Tags: Richard Celtzer, Mortal Lessons, Addiction, Brennan Manning

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational