Sermon Central
-
Elf
Contributed by James Tilley on Dec 1, 2009 (message contributor)
ELF
Story of a child who stows away. He is raised as an elf. They dress him like an elf and treat him like an elf. They teach him to make toys like an elf. As time passes it becomes clear that he is not an elf. One major clue is that he grows six feet tall. Anther is how slowly he makes toys. Eventually it must be acknowledged to the boy, now a man, that he is not an elf.
The true church is made up of Christians, but sometimes there are stowaways in the church. We treat them as if they are Christians. They dress like Christians, they sing like Christians, eventually though it will come out that they are not. No amount of work could make the "elf" an elf. No amount of work can make a human a Christian. We must be born into the family of God by the power of God.
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
Bernie May Of Wycliffe Bible Translators Wrote, ... PRO
Contributed by Evie Megginson on Aug 13, 2004
Bernie May of Wycliffe Bible Translators wrote, "As an airplane pilot, from the first time I sat in the beginner’s seat beside my instructor I was taught to ’trust’ my instruments. ’Your instincts will fool you,’ my instructor rightly told me. ’You must learn that even though you may feel you are ...read more
-
At One Time Howard Hughes Was The Richest Man In ... PRO
Contributed by Gene Gregory on Jul 31, 2004
At one time Howard Hughes was the richest man in the world. All he ever really wanted in life was more. He wanted more money, so he parlayed inherited wealth into a billion-dollar pile of assets. He wanted more fame, so he broke into the Hollywood scene and soon became a filmmaker and star. He ...read more
-
What Is Repentance? Gordon Macdonald Helps Us ... PRO
Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jan 16, 2005
What is repentance? Gordon MacDonald helps us to understand with these sobering words: “Repentance is not necessarily repentance for what I have done although it may necessitate that. Repentance is for, more significantly, what is in me as a sinner. I suggest to you that the Bible is teaching ...read more
-
Officials From India Were Concerned About The ... PRO
Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jan 9, 2005
Officials from India were concerned about the aboriginal tribes which inhabited the islands off the coast of Myanmar after the Tsunami disaster. They feared that as many as 6,000 of these primitive people may have been killed — perhaps even wiping out some of the smaller tribes. So they sent ...read more
-
One Of The Great Nineteenth-Century Preachers ...
Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jan 16, 2005
One of the great nineteenth-century preachers was a Scottish Presbyterian named Alexander Whyte. I have a set of his commentaries in my office that I treasure. He was a great man, but he also had an awareness of the potential for evil that was never far from the surface. After one of his ...read more
Related Sermons
-
The Basis Of Obedience & Forgiveness Series
Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Oct 22, 2012
The believer who craves to grow more Christ-like must go to the Advocate & through Jesus' sacrifice find the cleansing & the conviction necessary to leave the horror of sin. Those who have done so will abide in God’s Word & walk in Christ-likeness.
-
Turning Testing To Triumph Series
Contributed by Dennis Davidson on May 5, 2014
This Census not only affected David but it caused great harm to the people as well. Yet we shall see that when one truly repents he once again is restored to the relationship with God. In the end David has bought the site for the temple & has made peace
-
The Ledger, Charge That To My Account - Philemon
Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 9, 2015
Beloved, Martin Luther saw the power of this short epistle to Philemon in his statement: "We are all his Onesimi if we really believe it." Updated September 2022
-
Improving Your Serve Series
Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 27, 2017
If we want to improve our serve we must monitor our motives, prepare for problems, exalt others and follow the example of Christ.
-
Be Ye Reconciled To God
Contributed by Ron Freeman, Evangelist on Sep 12, 2015
To establish that God was in Christ – reconciling the world unto Himself. As sinners we were all in need of reconciliation.
