In Sermon Illustrations: "Accepted By Grace"

As We Fall In Love With Jesus, Our Hearts Change ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

As we fall in love with Jesus, our hearts change and we WANT to keep His commandments. Paul calls this the “obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5) Tim Keller puts it this way: "Religion is — I obey ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

I Once Talked To A Man About Becoming A Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 13, 2002

I once talked to a man about becoming a Christian who tried to convince me that he “wasn’t really a bad person." He didn’t think he had really sinned all that much. Sensing that he was trying to avoid accepting his sinfulness I gave him this illustration: I told him to imagine I had invited him ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:40-45

Tags: Sin General, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

An Item In The May 2, 1985, Kansas City Times ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 9, 2005

An item in the May 2, 1985, Kansas City Times reminds us of a story you may be able to use in an evangelistic message. The item had to do with the attempt by some fans of O. Henry, the short-story writer, to get a pardon for their hero, who was convicted in 1898 of embezzling $784.08 from the bank ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony

Video Illustration: The Beginning Of Mission ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 30, 2004

Video Illustration: The Beginning of Mission Impossible when the agent accepts the Mission. We look a video clip like this and we admire this man for accepting the mission and all the risks that go along with it. The truth is we envy this man because he is willing to live his life on the edge and ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Envy

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Moral Slide: According To New Barna Research 61% ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 3, 2006

Moral Slide: According to new Barna Research 61% of Americans believe that gambling, 60% co-habitation and 59% having sexual fantasies are morally acceptable. The study also revealed that 45% percent of those surveyed believe that abortion is morally acceptable and 42% feel the same way about ...read more

Tags: Character

No Witnesses

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Apr 13, 2009

NO WITNESSES Think about this. There were no witnesses to creation except the angels. God created, and He created man last. So He had to have told Adam what He did, and the information was passed down from there. So we either believe the Creation account, or we disbelieve and we accept some ...read more

Tags: Creation

Denomination: Orthodox

Newton's Last Breath

Contributed by John Fallahee on Jun 23, 2010

NEWTON'S LAST BREATH Many of you know the story of John Newton and the song he penned "Amazing Grace." You know of his conversion to Christ and how he left the slave trade. He went on to pastor for 40 years. What you may not know that even at 82 years of age, he never ceased to marvel at the grace ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Baptist

There Are Two Things, The Actual And The Ideal. ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"There are two things, the actual and the ideal. To be mature is to see the ideal and live with the actual. To fail is to accept the actual and reject the ideal; and to accept only that which is ideal and refuse the actual is to be immature. Do not criticize the actuial because you have seen the ...read more

Tags: Aging

1) Christian Life Is Not My Responsibility Bu...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Jul 8, 2016

1) Christian life is not my responsibility but rather only a response to His ability. 2) God would not condemn anyone for being born a Sinner but would condemn only those who die as one, having not accepted Christ in their lives throughout their lifetime. 3) On the Judgment ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-5

Tags: Fruit, Faultless

Denomination: *other

The Boundaries Of Moral Propriety Have Expanded ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

The Boundaries Of Moral Propriety have expanded in the last year, as more Americans today than a year ago say the death penalty, embryonic stem cell research, and having a baby out of wedlock are morally acceptable. At the same time, Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs Survey shows Americans are ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Bono, Lead Singer Of U2  PRO

Contributed by Mark Busch on Apr 20, 2006

Bono, lead singer of U2 You see, at the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth . . . And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that “as you reap, so you will sow” stuff. Grace defies reason ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Holiness

Faith: A Living, Daring Confidence

Contributed by Gregg Bitter on Nov 16, 2009

FAITH: A LIVING, DARING CONFIDENCE "Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that the believer would stake his life on it a thousand times. This knowledge of and confidence in God’s grace makes men glad and bold and happy in dealing with God and with all creatures. ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

Relatively Blessed, Deeply Responsible  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 18, 2003

RELATIVELY BLESSED, DEEPLY RESPONSIBLE An assistant professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School, Amy Laura Hall, makes the following observation about Thanksgiving: "Saying grace before the Thanksgiving meal is a tradition for many Americans, but too few remember to be ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday, Joy

Scott Peck: "Life Is Difficult. This Is A Great ...

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Feb 13, 2012

Scott Peck: "Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult - once we understand and accept it - then life is no longer difficult. Because ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Baptist

The Fact That Our Good Deeds Are Not Good Enough ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Apr 14, 2003

The fact that our good deeds are not good enough to get us into heaven is no more cruel than it’s cruel for you to tell the fish in the water (I hope your not talking to the fish in the water) “I just can’t breath in your environment.” To say that, is not a cruel statement it is just a statement ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1-18, Romans 6:23, Romans 6:2-7, Romans 6:6

Tags: Apologetics General, Apologetics Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sin: Prison Without Bars

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Dec 15, 2011

SIN: PRISON WITHOUT BARS It's easy to live in denial--to live in sin and think everything is going our way. So sooner or later God gets our attention. In 1989, Pete Rose, baseball's all-time hit leader, was banished from baseball by Major League Commissioner. [Bart Giamatti]. The ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

Denomination: Baptist

Jenna And I Boarded A -1:00 A.m. Flight In Tel ...

Contributed by Matthew Bushnell on Nov 29, 2006

Jenna and I boarded a -1:00 A.M. flight in Tel Aviv which would carry us back to the States. Travelling is always hectic, but that night it was especially bad. The plane was packed and we were delayed because of extra-tight airport security. As we boarded, I realized that our seats weren’t ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

When A Believer Considers How Much God Has ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 30, 2004

When a believer considers how much God has forgiven him, he is able to extend pardon to others no matter what they have done. A Christian husband found this to be true when his wife, who had become an alcoholic, told him of an affair she had had with his best friend 10 years earlier. She said she ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:23-33, 1 Corinthians 10:23-33

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Trust

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

One Of God's Great Partners In The 1930's And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One of God’s great partners in the 1930’s and 40’s who did exactly this – helped lead people to belief – was Dr. Harry Ironside. Not only did he author more than 60 books (and one hymn, Overshadowed), but he also pastored Moody Memorial Church in Chicago for 18 years. On one occasion while he was ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

A Purpose For Sheep

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Jun 14, 2011

A PURPOSE FOR SHEEP Sad to say, millions of people wander through life with no earthly idea what they’re here for. One of the abiding fascinations of my wife here in Germany are sheep. About once a year, a shepherd brings a flock of sheep near our village, and my wife goes out and makes as many ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Baptist