Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas

Sermon Illustrations

FORGIVEN

My pastor for most of my life, Dr. Harold Sightler, used to tell of a woman bad to shout. (He would stop there and say, I mean "good" to shout.) When they mentioned Jesus in sermon or song, she would say, "Hallelujah, praise the Lord." The dead, dry church she attended didn’t like this. One day in the midst of one of her "praise fits" they ushered her to the vestibule and told her to stay there. Finding nothing else to occupy her time, she asked if she could see a child’s geography book someone had left behind. Soon, they began to hear her shouting out, "Praise Jesus!" Wondering what could make her shout in the geography book, the rushed to ask her. "Look here," she said, "It says here that the ocean is 7 miles deep at places. My Bible tells me that this is where the Lord has buried my sins. Hallelujah, praise the Lord, I’m forgiven!" Oh the joy to know that our sins are forgiven. I wonder if that church that put her out understood this. I wonder if you do. Really, I wonder if I do. Forgiven! Amen!

Related Sermon Illustrations

Related Sermons

  • What Is Good About Friday? An Easter Message Series

    Contributed by Dean Courtier on Apr 1, 2016
    based on 5 ratings
     | 16,495 views

    Have you ever wondered what is good about Good Friday? What is good about a day that exists to commemorate the torture and execution of Jesus on a cross?

  • Contagious Christianity

    Contributed by Chris Surber on Apr 12, 2008
    based on 4 ratings
     | 16,427 views

    It is genuine Christianity which turned the world upside down and it is genuine Christ-like love which transforms lives.

  • When A Little Guy Meets A Big God

    Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Nov 6, 2016
    based on 1 rating
     | 14,309 views

    Jesus reaches out to the smallest and the evilest among us with a very personal invitation. He calls us by name. He invites himself over. He desires nothing less than a radically changed life, submitted to him, and all for our good!

  • We Are More Than Conquerors

    Contributed by Timm Meyer on Feb 12, 2008
    based on 5 ratings
     | 14,059 views

    Lent 1 (B) - We are more than conquerors. Nothing can stand against the believer. Nothing can separate from God’s love.

  • Caught In The Act Series

    Contributed by Seth Lawson on Jan 22, 2018
    based on 3 ratings
     | 13,715 views

    Examining this event from Jesus' life and ministry in John 8, we can learn to live as he lived and love as he loved ... no condemnation, no compromise, full of compassion.