In Sermon Illustrations: "Assurance Of Salvation"

Can't Wait Until Morning  PRO

Contributed by Steve Gallimore on Aug 28, 2008

Can't Wait Until Morning Dr. W. A Criswell, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas, said on one occasion on an airplane flight he found himself seated beside a well-known theologian. He desperately wanted to start a conversation and they did get to talk. The man told Dr. Criswell about ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:1

Tags: Death, Glory, Heaven, Salvation, Hope, Funeral  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Whoever Gets The Son Gets It All  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

WHOEVER GETS THE SON GETS IT ALL The story is told about a wealthy man and his only son - both of whom loved to collect rare works of art! They had everything - from the late great Andalusian-Spanish painter, draughtsman, and sculptor, Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973) to the late great Italian painter ...read more

Tags: Atonement, Jesus, Salvation, Cross, Becoming A Christian  (view more)  (view less)

If Jesus Is Like My Daddy, I Don't Want Him In My Life.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 1, 2023

When I was pastoring in Texas, I was asked by one of our AWANA leaders to come to her group and talk to a little girl who really wanted to meet her pastor. She had a question for me. So, I paused what I was doing and found my way to where her group met in our church. The little girl was so ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Evangelism, Fathers, Fear, Assurance, Children, Divorce, Trust, Promises Of God, Parents  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Father Who Will Never Leave Us

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 31, 2021

A FATHER WHO WILL NEVER LEAVE US Devotional written by Dr. Larry Petton When I was pastoring in Texas, a sweet little girl came up to me once and said, "Pastor Larry, will Jesus ever leave me if I trust in Him?" I knelt down beside the little girl and said, "Why do you ask me ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:1-5

Tags: Holy Spirit, Assurance, God's Faithfulness, Our Father In Heaven, The Son Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Are Not A Christian Until You Receive A New ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2005

You are not a Christian until you receive a new nature and if you receive a new nature there will be evidence. You can educate a pig to stay out of the mud and eat differently but on a hot day with fellow pigs he will resort to his normal nature and dive happily into the mud. If you could give ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17, Proverbs 26:11, 2 Peter 2:22, 1 John 3:7-8

Tags: Nature, New Creation, New Life, Repentance, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

I Was On My Honeymoon In The Bahama's When A Man ...  PRO

Contributed by John Mayes on Nov 1, 2005

I was on my honeymoon in the Bahama’s when a man walked up to me and said, "Would you like to buy some cocaine? You can tell everyone how much you really enjoyed the Bahama’s." After I said "No!" and got over the shock of that man’s boldness, I wondered how Jesus would have responded if someone ...read more

Scripture: John 4:7-15

Tags: Evangelism How To, Evangelism Fear Of, Evangelism, Salvation, Witness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Years Ago There Was A Woman Crossing The Hills ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Years ago there was a woman crossing the hills of South Wales on foot in the midst of a blizzard but she was not as fortunate as my wife and I were in South Dakota. She never made it to her destination. When they found her frozen body they did not understand why in that climate she was not wearing ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8, John 3:16

Tags: Atonement, Salvation, Cross, World Religions, Eternal Life  (view more)  (view less)

At The Crossroad  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

At the Crossroad “I encountered a man on the Road of life, so sure of himself – so convinced he was right. He had (his) religion, but he didn’t know God, And though he had eyes, I thought that rather odd: He only could see what he wanted to see. So, blind to the truth that could set his soul ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:21

Tags: Decision, Salvation, Cross, Choice, Easter Palm Sunday  (view more)  (view less)

James S. Hewett, Former Pastor Of Saratoga ...  PRO

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Mar 23, 2008

James S. Hewett, former pastor of Saratoga (California) Presbyterian Church shares this story: “A little boy and his father were driving down a country road on a beautiful spring afternoon. Suddenly out of nowhere a bumblebee flew in the car window. Since the little boy was deathly allergic to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:22, Luke 24:4-6

Tags: Atonement, Sacrifice, Salvation, New Life, Apostles General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Where's Your Security  PRO

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Aug 11, 2011

WHERE'S YOUR SECURITY (NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Investors lost $1 trillion in the in the stock market Monday as the debt crisis in Europe, lackluster economic news and a downgrade to the U.S. credit rating spark fears of a double-dip recession. Investors placed their wealth in the hands of a man ...read more

Scripture: John 10:28-29, Jude 1:24-25, 1 Peter 1:18-19

Tags: Holy Spirit, Salvation, Security, Promises Of God, Secure  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Pastor, Please Don't Stop Preaching On Hell.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 18, 2022

"Preachers must not neglect preaching on the reality of Hell and the catastrophic consequence of rejecting Christ. When you abandon preaching on Hell, you ignore the accent in the Epistles on the coming judgment, you will need to skip large portions of Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels, and you ...read more

Tags: Judgment, Preachers, Preaching, Pastors, Repentance, Salvation, Hell  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Identity

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 13, 2022

An engineer had this note taped inside his desk drawer at his office: "This is not my life. This is my job. Christ is my life." (Upon his tragic death in ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:21, Galatians 2:20

Tags: Identity, Faith, Career, Discipleship, Salvation, Legacy, Work  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Martin Luther And The Gospel

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 20, 2022

Martin Luther: 1483-1546 In 2017 – the 400th anniversary of the Reformation, I had the privilege to visit Wittenberg, Germany, birthplace of the Reformation. I walked the cobblestone streets, and even toured Luther’s home. The prodigious Martin Luther appeared headed for the legal profession but ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:17, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Galatians 1:1-9

Tags: Reformation, Salvation, The Cross, Justification By Faith, Gospel, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Truth About The Law

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 3, 2022

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE LAW 1. The law could not give the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:1-5). 2. The law could not give righteousness (Gal 3:6-9). 3. The law could not justify; it could only condemn (Gal 3:10-12). 4. The law could not change the fact that righteousness always comes by faith in God's ...read more

Tags: Salvation, Law, Legalism, Justification, Faith, Gospel, Grace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Powerful Illustration For A Funeral

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 13, 2022

There is an old story of a king and his clown or “jester” who sometimes said very foolish things. One day the jester had said something so foolish that the king handing him a staff, said to him: “Take this, and keep it till you find a bigger fool than yourself.” “Some years later, the king lay on ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 14:1

Tags: Death, Fools, Funerals, Evangelism, Time, Salvation, Lost  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Catholic Priest, A Jewish Rabbi And A Baptist Preacher...

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 14, 2023

A Catholic priest, a Jewish rabbi, and a Baptist preacher decide to have a contest to see who’s best at his job of converting others to their faith. So, they each go into the woods, find a bear, and attempt to convert it. Later they get together and tell about their experience. The priest begins. ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1-13

Tags: Salvation, Legalism, Preachers, Grace, Evangelism, Circumcision, Converts  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Artist And The Beggar

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 12, 2023

Some time ago an artist wanted to find a man that would represent the prodigal. One day, walking up the streets, he met a poor beggar, and the thought occurred to him: “That man would represent the prodigal.” He told him what he wanted, and found the beggar was ready to come to his place of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:1-23

Tags: Grace, Evangelism, Redemption, Salvation, Sin, Sinners, Justification  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Dangers Of Toying With Sin

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 12, 2023

Several years ago our family visited Niagara Falls. It was spring, and ice was rushing down the river. As I viewed the large blocks of ice flowing toward the falls, I could see that there were carcasses of dead fish embedded in the ice. Gulls by the score were riding down the river feeding on the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: Deceit, Salvation, Sin, Sin Nature, Sinners, Temptation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Johnny Appleseed Gospel

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 22, 2024

Demond Wilson was a TV actor in 1970's He starred along with Redd Foxx on the TV show, "Sanford and Son." Later in life Wilson became a gospel preacher. He made this beautiful statement: “I’m just a nobody telling everybody about Somebody who ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:16-17, John 14:6, 1 Timothy 1:15

Tags: Preaching, Salvation, Gospel, Jesus Christ, Evangelism, Witnessing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

In The Hole You Go!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 22, 2024

As a minister, I conduct many baptismal services. My denomination baptizes in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. One Sunday, my family and I went to a friend’s home in the country. Our four children went outside to play with the others. After a short while, we heard only silence ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:25-34

Tags: Baptism, Children, Church, Great Commission, Faith, Salvation'  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational