In Sermon Illustrations: "Worship God"

Use The Old Golf Ball!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 8, 2024

As the golfer approached the first tee, a hazardous hole with a green surrounded by water, he debated if he should use his new golf ball. Deciding that the hole was too treacherous, he pulled out an old ball and placed it on the tee. Just then he heard a voice from above say loudly: "Use the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Lord's Prayer, Will Of God, Golf, Thy Will Be Done

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Come As You Are

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Nov 21, 2024

A friend of mine in Louisiana had his 11 year old nephew for the weekend just after the uncle had had a close call with death and gotten released from the hospital. On Sunday morning, his nephew approached him. “Come on, Uncle, let’s go to church!” “But Dom, you don’t have any church clothes ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 1:18, Matthew 11:27, Romans 5:8

Tags: Come As You Are, God Loves All People

Denomination: Charismatic

One Solitary Life

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

I’d like to read you a little piece written by an unknown author called One Solitary Life He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in still another village, where he worked in a carpenter’s shop until he was thirty. Then for three years he was an itinerant ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6

Tags: Son Of God, One Solitary Life, Jesus

Denomination: Anglican

Standing Where The Fire Has Already Been!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 26, 2023

“Many years ago, a father and his daughter were walking through the grass on the Canadian prairie. In the distance, they saw a prairie fire, and they realized that it would soon engulf them. The father knew there was only one way of escape: they would quickly begin a fire right where they were and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9

Tags: Reconciliation, Assurance, Blood Of Jesus, Roman Road, Wrath Of God, Holiness Of God, Forgiveness, Satan, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Great Background On The Oldest Psalm - Psalm 90

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 27, 2025

John Phillips gave us this helpful background information: "Next to the book of Job, Psalm 90 is most likely the oldest piece of writing in the Bible. This psalm was written by Moses in the wilderness on the way from Egypt to Canaan. So, Psalm 90 stands in grand isolation as the oldest psalm ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 90:1-17

Tags: Children, Moses, Resurrection, Prayer, Fearing The Lord, Brevity Of Life, God's Forgiveness, Sins, Jesus' Death, Answered Prayer, Prayer Requests, Trusting God, Passover, Eternal Life, Reverence, God's Mercy, Lamb Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Difference Christmas Makes

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 24, 2023

At Christmastime, we set up our Christmas trees and toy trains. We may even walk along singing carols, or we may preach a sermon, but these bits and pieces are barren if we are thinking only of them or even thinking only of being in heaven, and are not stopping to ask ourselves, “What difference ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Tags: Shepherds, Christmas, Glory, God's Glory, Ordinary People, Making A Difference  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Life In A Box! (09.02.05--The Temporal ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 31, 2005

Life In a Box! (09.02.05--The Temporal Things!--Matthew 6:21) Did you ever stop to think, about the legacy that you will leave once this life is over? Will you be remembered for the things you did or the things that you owned? I was asked that question the other day and the asker simply asked me ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:21, Psalm 34:10

Tags: Immanuel, God With Us, Goals, Legacy, Finding Fulfillment, Testimony, Struggles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

Sacrificing The Son  PRO

Contributed by Lacell Sherman on Jul 4, 2001

SACRIFICING THE SON There was a Pastor, who after the usual Sunday Evening Hymns, stood up, walked over to the pulpit and, before he gave his sermon for the evening, briefly introduced a guest minister who was in service that evening. In the introduction, the Pastor told the congregation that the ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-42

Tags: God, Faithful, Bible, Life, Love, Promises Of God, Righteous, Righteousness, Promise, Share, Steady, Tempt, Temptation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

And We Can't Even Preach Without A Sound System Today???

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 19, 2022

Peter's sermon to such a large crowd of Jews reminds us of stories of how God's Spirit used George Whitefield in the 1700's as an instrument to bring about the First Great Awakening in America. John MacArthur says that "Whitfield preached in Bristol to 20,000 people regularly, ...read more

Tags: Whitfield, Simon Peter, Power Of God's Word, Pentecost, Gospel, Missions, Preaching, Revival, Word Of God, Evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[179]. A Message From A Poem – Lost Three Things - Lost One Coin

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 27, 2025

[179]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST THREE THINGS - LOST ONE COIN In this trilogy of poems we are looking at three objects lost – a sheep, a coin and a son. All three were loved and precious and the owners knew stress at the lost. When each was found it resulted in great rejoicing. These three ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:8, Genesis 6:6, Luke 15:8-10

Tags: Heart Of God, The Heart Of God, Grieved, Christian Poems, Parable, Lost, Lost Coin, Lost And Found, Rejoicing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[265]. A Message From A Poem – The Glory Of The Son [version 1]

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 17, 2026

[265]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE GLORY OF THE SON [Version 1] I get very uneasy about songs sung in churches that seem to glorify the person of man rather than the Person of Christ. Singing today is too egocentric and that takes away the glory from Christ. All praise and glory belong to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:17-20

Tags: Glory, Praise, Resurrection, Glory To God, Mount Of Transfiguration, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[266]. A Message From A Poem – The Glory Of The Son [version 2]

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 17, 2026

[266]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE GLORY OF THE SON [Version 2] I get very uneasy about songs sung in churches that seem to glorify the person of man rather than the Person of Christ. Singing today is too egocentric and that takes away the glory from Christ. All praise and glory belong to Him; ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:17-20

Tags: Glory, Praise, Resurrection, Glory To God, Mount Of Transfiguration, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Nowhere Else To Go  PRO

Contributed by Tom Lawson on Dec 22, 2000

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

Scripture: Nehemiah 2:1-10

Tags: Faithfulness, Commitment, Prayer Adoration, Goals, God's Omniscience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Devout Priest Was Caught In A Flood One Day, ...  PRO

Contributed by Simon Rundell on Jan 19, 2001

The devout priest was caught in a flood one day, and he climbed onto the roof of his Vicarage and as the water started lapping up over the roof he prayed “Lord, deliver me from this flood”. The water continued to rise and a policeman in a rowing boat passed: “Can I help you Vicar?” “No thanks, the ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Love, Prayer Answered, Examples Of Faith

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

In A Survey Conducted By Newsweek The Following ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Oct 20, 2000

In a survey conducted by Newsweek the following statistics came to light about suicide and age: Number of suicides, per 100,000 people ages 15 to 19: --- ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, Funerals Non-Christian, Faith

Denomination: United Methodist

St. John Of The Cross (1542-1591) Said, "A ...  PRO

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 25, 2001

St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) said, "A Christian should always remember that the value of his good works is not based on their number and excellence, but on ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will, Faith Vs. Works, Christian Love

Denomination: Independent/Bible

It Was Sunday Morning And Harry Was Off. He ...  PRO

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Jan 29, 2001

It was Sunday morning and Harry was off. He pulled out of his driveway in his 2-seater convertible, with the roof closed because of typical Melbourne driving rain, and headed for church. But as he turned into the main road he saw ahead of him three bedraggled figures huddled under a single umbrella ...read more

Scripture: Esther 4:14-17, Esther 4:8-14

Tags: Memorial Day, Christian Love, Doing God's Will, Faith

Denomination: Anglican

Oswald Chambers Writes, "In The Cross We May See ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Beaird on Nov 3, 2000

Oswald Chambers writes, "In the Cross we may see the dimensions of Divine love. The Cross is not the cross of a man, but the exhibition of the heart of God. At the back of the wall of the world stands God with His arms outstretched, and every man driven there is ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony, God's Provision, Forgiveness In Jesus, Service

Denomination: Pentecostal

Bruce Wilkinson Has Written An Excellent Little ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Miano on Mar 10, 2001

Bruce Wilkinson has written an excellent little book called The Prayer of Jabez. In the book, Wilkinson explains the reluctance believers have toward having a greater influence for Christ in their world. He explains this reluctance by using two mathematic equations. The first equation ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of, Prayer How To, God's Omnipotence, Tongue

Denomination: *other

How The Word Was Cut Into His Heart  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Mar 28, 2001

Illus.: “How the Word Was Cut Into His Heart” When the Christians in Lahore, India, wanted to stamp Matthew 11:28 on the back of Gospels they had printed, they found they could not obtain a rubber stamp with which to do it. The only way was to get a clever Moslem to cut the words in rubber for ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, Jesus Teachings, World Religions

Denomination: Wesleyan