Sermon Central
-
Unconditional Acceptance PRO
Contributed by Tim Zingale on Jan 19, 2004 (message contributor)
A lady says:
I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called "Smile."
The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway, so, I thought,
this would be a piece of cake, literally.
Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald’s one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special play time with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.
I did not move an inch...an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God’s Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally deficient and the blue eyed gentleman was his salvation.
I held my tears as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).
Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue eyed gentleman’s cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you."
I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope." I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, "That is why God...
Continue reading this sermon illustration (Free with PRO)Related Sermon Illustrations
-
Susanna Petroysan Heard Her Daughter's Pleas, But ... PRO
Contributed by Joel Vicente on May 27, 2004
Susanna Petroysan heard her daughter’s pleas, but there was nothing she could do. She and four-year-old Gayaney were trapped beneath tons of collapsed concrete and steel. Beside them in the darkness lay the body of Susanna’s sister-in-law, Karine, one of the fifty-five thousand victims of the worst ...read more
Related Sermons
-
Standing Firm In An Unstable World Series
Contributed by David Dykes on Oct 9, 2014
Why does God love you? Because God IS love. God loves you because God loves you. God knows more about you than anyone else. He knows every mistake you’ve ever made, and every mistake you’ll ever make. And yet, He still loves you with an unconditional love
-
Love Is
Contributed by Chanon Mullens on Jan 8, 2007
The "Love Chapter" helps to show us what unconditional Christian Love is all about
-
A Lifestyle Of Love (Updated)
Contributed by Dennis Lee on Feb 16, 2016
Love is not just a word we use in a sentence; rather it is a lifestyle choice, or rather it’s a way of life that all believers in Jesus Christ must adhere to. Learn more about this as we explore some practical ways we work this out in our daily lives.
-
Easter Series
Contributed by Greg Lindsey on Mar 8, 2020
Overcoming whatever you may be facing in your life.
-
A Good Kind Of Debt
Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Sep 10, 2017
Paul, like Jesus, tells us to love everyone, even those who irritate us. We should practice love in action because 1) God tells us to do so, and 2) Jesus is coming soon.
