In Sermon Illustrations: "By Grace We Are Saved"

Who Are We Here For??

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 9, 2023

The story has often been told about the message the founder of the Salvation Army sent to their international convention. General William Booth was unable to attend personally because of ill health, so he cabled the delegates a message containing one word: "OTHERS!" In the popular comic ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-10

Tags: Service, Ministry, Selflessness, Others, Bearing Burdens, One Another  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Are Biologically Wired To Trust

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Apr 20, 2023

Henry Cloud in his book, Trust, talks about how we are hard-wired to trust. If you have ever been around a newborn, you may have noticed that newborns do not do much due diligence when they're hungry. They scream with all their might and basically say, "Bring it to me now!" The human ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 13:12

Tags: Trust, Mothers, Infants, Neuroscience

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

We Weren’t Expecting That

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 1, 2023

Sometimes things happen that you never expected. When those unexpected things happen, if they are good, that is a blessing, if they are bad, that’s a different story. I learned this expectation of good from my good old Uncle Ted. He was a truck driver, and boy, did he have the stories to ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:15

Tags: Expectation, Free Lunch

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Proverbs On The Words That We Speak

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 18, 2024

PROVERBS ON WORDS THAT WE SPEAK The Book of Proverbs shows us the seriousness of our words before the Lord. _________________________________________ "Violence covers the mouth of the wicked" (Proverbs 10:11). "The mouth of the foolish is a present destruction" (Proverbs ...read more

Tags: Lying, Wisdom, Mouth, Words, Speech, Lips  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Are Fearfully And Wonderfully Made!

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 25, 2025

First in vs. 13, "LORD, You formed me." Or as David said: "You have formed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother's womb." *LORD, YOU formed me. James Merritt explained that David knew we are a physical miracle created by the power of God. . . David was saying, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-24

Tags: Fearfully Made, God's Omnipotence, Wonderfully Made, Nathan The Prophet, Solomon's Temple, Mother's Womb, Light, Darkness, Omniscience, Omnipresence, God's Presence, King David, Creation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Work Is The Greatest Thing In The World, So We ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Work is the greatest thing in the world, so we should save ...read more

Tags: Productivity

Jesus Teaches Us That We Are To Go To The Deep ...

Contributed by Lorenzo Edwards on Apr 2, 2008

Jesus teaches us that we are to go to the deep part of the world to teach ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

It Is A Narrow Way. It Is A Difficult Road. We ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Oct 29, 2007

It is a narrow way. It is a difficult road. We have to leave much behind: our wants, our needs, our baggage, and our misconceptions. One time when we were first married, Kendra and I planned a trip to Cedar Point. I like to save money so we stayed in a hotel about twenty minutes from the point. It ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1

Denomination: Church Of God

The Church: We Need One Another

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Apr 6, 2009

THE CHURCH: WE NEED ONE ANOTHER A pastor received a call from a chronic alcoholic. He just couldn't seem to stay sober. He had tried several other churches, but they didn't seem to have anything to help him. Finally he called this pastor whose church had a reputation for not giving up on people. ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Church Of God

In A Scottish Cemetery The Following Epitaph ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Jan 11, 2001

In a Scottish cemetery the following epitaph appears on a new tombstone: Here lies Hamish McTavish, Whose deeply sorrowing widow continues To carry on his flourishing ...read more

Tags: Grace, Death, Grieving,

Denomination: United Methodist

John Blanchard Noted, "For Daily Need There ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2001

John Blanchard noted, “For daily need there is daily grace; for sudden need, sudden grace, and for ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Tags: Grace, God's Provision

One Of Hitler's Bodyguards Was A Man Named Kurt ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Mar 28, 2001

One of Hitler’s bodyguards was a man named Kurt Wagner. He adored Hitler and reverenced him as a god. At the end of the war, with Hitler a suicide in a Berlin bunker, Kurt’s faith was shattered and he planned a suicide. Going for a final cup of coffee, he picked up a discarded Gospel tract and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Grace, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Wesleyan

Charlie "Tremendous” Jones Has Come ...  PRO

Contributed by James May on Apr 12, 2001

Charlie “Tremendous” Jones has come up with a way to tell his entire life history in 15 seconds or less. He says, “I am not what I used to be, I am not what I shall be, but, by the Grace of God and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Tags: Grace, Peace, Discipleship

Denomination: Independent/Bible

There Was A Young Man Named David Who Killed Six ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Oct 3, 2001

There was a young man named David who killed six innocent people in New York. He was finally caught and sent to prison for life. One day a fellow inmate began to tell David that God loved him, and was ready to forgive him for all his sins, even the murders he had committed. It took a while, but ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Grace

Denomination: Wesleyan

Preacher Charles Swindoll Recalled His Last ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Oct 5, 2001

Preacher Charles Swindoll recalled his last spanking when he turned thirteen years old. Chuck said, “Having just broken into the sophisticated ranks of the teen world, I thought I was something on a stick. My father wasn’t nearly as impressed as I was with my great importance and new-found ...read more

Tags: Grace, God's Provision

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Mother Once Approached Napoleon Seeking A ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Oct 16, 2001

A mother once approached Napoleon seeking a pardon for her son. The emperor replied that the young man had committed a certain offense twice and justice demanded death. "But I don’t ask for justice," the mother explained. "I plead for mercy." "But your son does not deserve mercy," Napoleon ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General, Grace

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Construction Crew Was Building A New Road ...  PRO

Contributed by Jason Patrick on Dec 1, 2001

A construction crew was building a new road through a rural area, knocking down trees as it progressed. A superintendent noticed that one tree had a nest of birds who couldn’t yet fly and he marked the tree so that it would not be cut down. Several weeks later the superintendent came back to the ...read more

Tags: Grace, God's Provision

Denomination: Baptist

Nicky Gumbel Tells This Story In Alpha Of Two Men ...  PRO

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on May 7, 2002

Nicky Gumbel tells this story in Alpha of two men who grew up as best friends, except that their lives took divergent paths. One became a judge, and the other a criminal. At one point the criminal ends up in the Judge’s court. He is obviously guilty, but he was the judge’s friend. If the judge ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1

Tags: Redemption, Salvation, Grace

Denomination: *other

A Noted Bible Scholar, Ff Bruce, Writes This: ...

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on May 28, 2002

A noted Bible Scholar, FF Bruce, writes this: "That God should set such a high value on a community of sinners, rescued from perdition and still bearing too many traces of their former selves, might well seem incredible were it not made ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ, Grace

Denomination: Baptist

Merlin Carothers, Author Of The Book Prison To ...  PRO

Contributed by Ron Crow on Mar 7, 2003

Merlin Carothers, author of the book Prison to Praise, had firsthand experience of what it is like to be declared righteous. During World War II, he joined the army. Anxious to get into some action, Carothers went AWOL but was caught and sentenced to five years in prison. Instead of sentencing him ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost, Grace

Denomination: Baptist