In Sermon Illustrations: "Romans 1:1-16:27"

In The Foreward Of His Book, Inside Out, Larry ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeffery Lindsay on Aug 11, 2001

In the foreward of his book, Inside Out, Larry Crabb writes this: “Modern Christianity, in dramatic reversal of its biblical form, promises to relieve the pain of living in a fallen world. The message, whether it’s from fundamentalists requiring us to live by a favored set of rules or from ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18-24, 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Tags: Emotions, Blessed, Blessing, Hardship Of Life, Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

: "Scarred Hands” (James S. ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Aug 21, 2001

Illus.: “Scarred Hands” (James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, pp. 119-120) A small orphaned boy lived with his grandmother. One night their house caught fire. The grandmother, trying to rescue the little boy asleep upstairs, perished in the smoke and flames. A crowd gathered around the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:6-8

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Christian Disciplines, Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: Wesleyan

Harry Houdini, The Famed Escape Artist Issued A ...  PRO

Contributed by Rita Sims on Aug 22, 2001

Harry Houdini, the famed escape artist issued a challenge wherever he went. He could be locked in any jail cell in the country, he claimed, and set himself free quickly and easily. Always he kep his promise, but one time something went wrong. Houdini entered the jail in his street clothes; the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:7-10, Daniel 3:4-6

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Faith Vs. Works

Denomination: United Methodist

Falling Out Of Bed  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Sep 7, 2001

Illus.: “Falling Out of Bed” A little boy constantly fell out of bed. No matter what his parents did, the boy couldn’t sleep without rolling out of bed. An uncle came to visit and in the middle of the night the usual thump and cry was heard. In the morning the uncle teased the boy and asked ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:12-23

Tags: Holiness, Discipleship, Faith, Falling Out Of Bed

Denomination: Wesleyan

In Her Book, The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Cassara on Sep 8, 2001

In her book, THE HIDING PLACE, Corrie Ten Boom relates an incident that taught her to be thankful for things we normally would not be thankful for. She and her sister, Betsy, prisoners of the Nazis, had just been transferred to the worst prison camp they had seen yet, Ravensbruck. Upon entering the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-5, Romans 8:28, Psalm 33:10-11, Job 42:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: God In The Hardships, God's Omniscience, Joy, Peanuts, Ship, Captain  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When I Look At History I Think Of Another Time ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 21, 2001

When I look at history I think of another time when America faced a crisis. The year was 1857. America was at both an economic and spiritual low. Attendance in churches had dwindled and there was a cynicism among many concerning religion. It was in the midst of this spiritual crisis that God gave a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18-27

Tags: Vision, God's Sovereign Will, God's Omniscience

The Road Not Taken By Robert Frost  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 15, 2001

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveller, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could. To where it bent in the undergrowth, Then I took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:7

Tags: Growth In Christ, Becoming A Christian

Denomination: Anglican

How Righteous Are You?  PRO

Contributed by Richard Wilson on Nov 26, 2001

HOW RIGHTEOUS ARE YOU? Some folks think they are good really good people. Let’s suppose that a person on sins 3 times a day. A sin in the morning, a sin during the day and a sin at night. Sounds like a pretty good person! Let’s think for a moment. If that person is saved at 10 years old and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:22-23

Tags: Evangelism The Lost, Emotions, Sin Separates From God

Denomination: Baptist

Washington Bureau: Terry Mattingly's Religion ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

WASHINGTON BUREAU: Terry Mattingly’s religion column for 11/07/2001 It’s hard to miss the Big Idea when an artist puts it right on a painting in bold letters. "He That Believeth Not Shall Be Damned. Not A Crown But Hellfire And Brimstone," wrote Howard Finster, using his unorthodox spelling and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1-14

Tags: Basics Of Christianity, Becoming A Christian

Etiquette Nowadays Often Demands Of A Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 4, 2002

“Etiquette nowadays often demands of a Christian that he should not ’intrude’ his religion on company. Out with such etiquette! It is the etiquette of hell! True courtesy to my fellow’s soul makes me speak to him, if I believe that his soul is in danger. How many, my dear friend, were you ever the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:16-17, Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Great Commission, Church Purpose Of, Evangelism Fear Of

When Rickey Shive Was A Kid Growing Up On The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2002

When Rickey Shive was a kid growing up on the farm, one of the annual jobs he always looked forward to was the "chicken harvest." Apologies should be made in advance for the somewhat graphic nature of this illustration. Nonetheless, he looked forward to the chicken harvest. No, he wasn‘t some ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:12-14

Tags: God Brings Purpose, Fulfillment, Sin Deceptive

A Young Boy Was Explaining Basic Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Jan 20, 2002

A young boy was explaining basic Christian Theology to his younger sister: “You see, it was Jesus’ job to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:8

Tags: Cross Agony, Humanity Of Christ, Sin General

Denomination: Church Of God

There Is No Situation So Chaotic That God Cannot ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

There is no situation so chaotic that God cannot from that situation, create something that is surpassingly good. He did it at the creation. He did it at the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: God In The Hardships, Descriptions Of God, Creation

According To A Traditional Hebrew Story, Abraham ...  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Clawser on Feb 3, 2002

According to a traditional Hebrew story, Abraham was sitting outside his tent one evening when he saw an old man, weary from age and journey, coming toward him. Abraham rushed out, greeted him, and then invited him into his tent. There he washed the old man’s feet and gave him food and drink. The ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8

Tags: Compassion, Peace

Denomination: Other

Dostoevsky And The Firing Squad  PRO

Contributed by David Simmons on Feb 22, 2002

DOSTOEVSKY AND THE FIRING SQUAD The famous Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky told the story of the time he was arrested by the czar and sentenced to die. The czar, though, liked to play cruel psychological tricks on the people who rebelled against him by blindfolding them and standing them in ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:23

Tags: Fulfillment, Death Nearness

Denomination: Baptist

Ultimately, Judging Has To Do With Playing God. ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 28, 2002

Ultimately, judging has to do with playing God. When we judge someone, we do three things. First, we place ourselves above another as if we were his or her God. Second, we condemn another. And third, we create the standard for another. When we evaluate someone, we don’t do these three ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1, Romans 2:3

Tags: Forgiveness, Judgment, Condemnation, Compassion

A New York City Businessman Moved To The Country ...  PRO

Contributed by Eric Snyder on Mar 4, 2002

A New York City businessman moved to the country and bought a piece of land. He went to the local feed and livestock store and talked to the proprietor about how he was going to take up chicken farming. He then asked to buy 100 chicks. "That’s a lot of chicks," commented the proprietor. "I mean ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:4

Tags: Growth In Christ, Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Buried In The Deepest Sea  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Mar 8, 2002

BURIED IN THE DEEPEST SEA Several years ago Rick Stacy baptized a man in Lake Superior. It was late October and about 9:00 PM. Rick had been talking with Myron and his wife about accepting the Lord as their personal savior and sealing that decision with baptism into Jesus. Myron was hesitant ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17, John 3:3, Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:11-15

Tags: Grace, God's Forgiveness, Forgiveness, Baptism, Atonement, Born Again, Redemption, New Life, Sin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Time Magazine (August 15, 1994 Pp. 45ff ) Had An ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 20, 2002

Time Magazine (August 15, 1994 pp. 45ff ) had an article about how this rejection of God has led to the type of impurity described in Romans: "An excuse for adultery is available now at the hands of a supposedly scientific discipline known as "evolutionary biology" which goes from the premise that ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:9

Tags: Adultery, Evolution, Marriage Commitment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Why We Should All Be Nice...you Never Know When ...  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Robert Mckenzie on Mar 20, 2002

WHY WE SHOULD ALL BE NICE...YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT MAY BE GOODBYE "When you were saying goodbye I heard you say, "I wish you enough." May I ask what that means?" He began to smile. "That’s a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." He paused ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:1-17, Romans 1:1-15

Tags: Finding Fulfillment, Death Nearness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational