In Sermon Illustrations: "Ephesians 1:1-2:1"

We Were Desperate Without Christ!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

Steven Cole has a good discussion on salvation writing… As I’ve often said, salvation is a radical word. You don’t need saving if you’re in pretty good shape. All you need then is a little help. You need saving when you’re perishing and are helpless to save yourself. The Bible uses a number of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1

Tags: Evangelism, Grace, Mercy, Salvation, Gospel, Lost  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Are Many Mysteries

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Aug 25, 2021

There are 12 or 13 diseases that Doctors know nothing about or very little. They are Mystery's. One such mystery disease is “the sleeping sickness”. From 1917 to 1928, half a million people were afflicted with a ghastly condition that could be part of the plot-line of a horror film. The ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: Mysteries, Mystery Of God Can Be Found

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Cipa (Congenital Insensitivity To Pain With Anhydrosis)

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Mar 10, 2022

Not far from my home lives a young woman who was born with a very rare disease called CIPA, congenital insensitivity to pain with anhydrosis. Imagine having a body that looks normal and acts normally, except for one thing: You cannot feel physical pain. That sounds as if it would be a blessing. But ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Tags: Pain, Prayer

Denomination: Brethren

Preserved And Protected By The Holy Spirit

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2022

When my mother used to make jam, I would watch her pour wax over the top of the preserves until it was at the brim of the jar. She would then carefully wipe some wax around the rim itself and place the rubber-lined lid on tight. The wax and the vacuum caused by the cooling preserves would seal that ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:13

Tags: Protection, Holy Spirit, Preserve

Redemption - Doctor Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

This story is reported as true ... though true or a parable ... it speaks to the importance ... of the One ... of one who can save. It was almost 1:00 in the morning... when the phone rang. Dr. Leo Winters, ...a highly acclaimed surgeon... was abruptly awakened ...from his nights sleep. There ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:21, Ephesians 1:7, John 8:36, Matthew 26:28, 1 John 1:9, Isaiah 43:25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Redemption, Lamb, Redeemed, Sin, Blood, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Redemption - His Twice

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

A little boy worked diligently to build a sailboat. He took it to the lake and pushed it in hoping it would sail. Sure, enough a wisp of breeze filled the little sail and it billowed and went rippling along the waves. Suddenly before the little boy knew it, the boat was out of his reach, even ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:28, 1 John 1:9, Isaiah 43:25, Ephesians 1:3-14, Matthew 1:21  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Salvation, Redemption, Price, Paid, Redeemed  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Redemption Through His Blood - Yellow Fever Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

There is a story...that may help Illustrate redemption...what Christ ...has done for us. In 1927, ...in West Africa... a blood specimen was taken from a native man named Asibi, ...who was sick ...with yellow fever. A vaccine ...was made ...from this original strain of the virus... obtained from ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:7, 1 Peter 1:18, Hebrews 9:22

Tags: Blood, Salvation, Redemption

Denomination: Anglican

Redemtion - The Bank Ledgers

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

Hear Gods Word: BIBLE God made him who had no sin ....to be sin for us ... so that in him ... we might become ... the righteousness ... of God. END (2 Corinthians 5:21) Years ago ...... when I was a young banker in Ohio, ... we used large leather-bound ledgers ......where all accounts... were ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: Blood, Salvation, Redemption, Ledgers

Denomination: Anglican

The Hound Of Heaven

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 2, 2023

In his book The Call, author Os Guinness writes: We cannot find God without God. We cannot reach God without God. We cannot satisfy God without God—which is another way of saying that our seeking will always fall short unless God’s grace initiates the search and unless God’s call draws us to Him ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-9, Titus 3:5

Tags: Grace, Salvation, Works, Sovereignty Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

No More Sin!

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 8, 2023

David Brooks in his book “The Road to Character” says this about sin... Today the word sin has lost it's power and awesome intensity. It’s now used to refer to desserts... fattening desserts. Most people in daily conversation don’t talk much about individual sin. If they talk about human ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23, Romans 1:18-20, Ephesians 2:1-3

Tags: Sin, Salvation, Gospel, Depravity, The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Evolution Is The Problem - And The Solution?

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 19, 2023

Gov Pritzker (Illinois) gave the 2023 Commencement Address at North Eastern University "… Whenever we see someone who doesn't look like us, or sound like us, or act like us or love like us, or live like us - the first thought that crosses almost everyone's brain is rooted in either ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-3, Romans 3:23, Galatians 5:22-23, Psalm 139:14, Romans 7:21-25, Genesis 1:27, Genesis 3:17-19  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Fruit Of The Spirit, Evolution, Compassion, Salvation, Kindness, Education, Humanity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

My Past, Present And Future

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 21, 2024

Harry A Ironside the great Bible teacher was riding on a train in Southern California one Saturday when a gypsy got on and sat beside him. "How do you do, gentleman," she said. "You like to have your fortune told? Cross my palm with a silver quarter, and I will give you your past, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:9-11, Ephesians 2:1-10

Tags: Present, Future, Past, Fortunes

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God's Mercy

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 2, 2024

Henri Nouwen tells the story of a family from Paraguay. The father spoke out against the military regime and its human rights abuses. The police arrested his teenage son and tortured him to death. Enraged townsfolk wanted to turn the boy's funeral into a huge protest march, but the doctor ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-18, Romans 5:1-11, Ephesians 2:1-5

Tags: Mercy, Sin, Evil, Salvation, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Christmas Gospel

Contributed by David Tack on Jan 8, 2025

“This is the Christmas Gospel: Jesus, God in flesh, unrobed Himself from His divine essences to be encumbered in sinless human flesh; so that He might: atone, redeem, reconcile, justify, sanctify and glorify sinful humanity. The gift of eternal life is through faith in Christ. Jesus is our ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:23, Romans 1:16, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 6:15, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 7:14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Christmas, Gospel, Incarnation

Denomination: Baptist

Spiritual Zombies

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 2, 2025

Ephesians 2:1-3 “2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-5

Tags: Born Again, Zombies, Spiritually Dead

Denomination: Methodist

Leap Year

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 4, 2025

Like most years, the dates for the Sundays in March are the same as those in February. Every four years, we have a leap year. Why? A year is 365.25 days –more precisely, 365d 5h 48m 47.26s. It used to mess up the solar calendar. That gave rise to the need to reconcile those leftover hours, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:7

Tags: Reconciliation, Redemption, Leap Year

Denomination: Methodist

[051]. Message From A Poem – Convention Hymn – From The Old To The New

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 7, 2025

[051]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CONVENTION HYMN (WRITTEN THEN) – FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW This was written during the Easter Keswick Convention at Atherton on the Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland, in the spare time I had there with all the organisation to do. These Conventions are ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:20-21, Romans 13:11-14, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:1-3

Tags: Salvation, Hymn, Hope, Redemption, Poetry, Poem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational