Sermon Illustrations

My favorite story about the Holy Spirit is the story C.S. Lewis told about a college student who wrote to him. The young man was an atheist. And he was very concerned because he had made friends with some Christian students. They were enthusiastically witnessing to him about Jesus, and it had shaken up the young man's thinking. He was going through some great struggles with Christianity, and he wanted to know, "What did Dr. Lewis think?"

C. S. Lewis wrote back, "I think you are already in the meshes of the net. The Holy Spirit is after you. I doubt you will get away."

God's Holy Spirit is in the world today -- seeking for us, trying to teach us about the eternal, abundant life that only Jesus can give. That young college student who was in the meshes of the Holy Spirit's net did get saved. His name was Sheldon Vanauken and here is what he wrote about that day:

"I couldn't reject Christ. There was only one thing to do. I turned and flung myself over the gap toward Christ. On a morning with spring in the air, March 29th, I wrote in my notebook: 'I choose to believe in the Father, Son & Holy Ghost. In Christ, my Lord and my God. Christianity has the ring, the feel of unique truth. Essential truth. By it, life is made full instead of empty, meaningful instead of meaningless. I confess my doubts and ask my Lord Christ to enter my life. I do not know God. I do but say: Be it unto me according to thy will. I do not affirm that I am without a doubt. I do but ask for help, having chosen, to overcome it. I do but say: Lord, I believe. Help Thou mine unbelief.'"

(Rick Crandall, My Favorite Story About The Holy Spirit Is The ..., 7/12/2008, https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon-illustrations/67811/holy-spirit-general-by-rick-crandall)

Point: God helped this man in the person of the Holy Spirit. Yes, there is an unforgivable sin–blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. I would be shocked if anyone here tonight was considering blaspheming the Holy Spirit. But if you were to ever seriously do that, there would be no hope of forgiveness for you. But there is hope for everyone who will allow God's Spirit to lead them to God's Son, Jesus Christ. Let the Holy Spirit of God have His way in your heart tonight.

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