In Sermon Illustrations: "Dead to Sin"

Upon Entering A Little Country Store, A Stranger ...  PRO

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 29, 2001

Upon entering a little country store, a stranger noticed a sign reading, "Danger! Beware of Dog" posted on the glass door. Inside, he noticed a harmless old hound dog asleep on the floor besides the cash register. He asked the store manager, "Is that the dog folks are supposed to beware of?" "Yep, ...read more

Tags: Faith, Clarity, Temptation Resisting, Understanding, Sin Deceptive  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

In Preparation For A Meeting In A Large City, ...  PRO

Contributed by Evie Megginson on Apr 5, 2001

In preparation for a meeting in a large city, famed evangelist Billy Sunday wrote a letter to the mayor in which he asked for the name of individuals he knew who had a spiritual problem and needed help and prayer. How ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost, Sin General, Sharing My Testimony

Denomination: Baptist

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

The New York Times Reported A Study About The ...  PRO

Contributed by Christopher Roberts on Dec 6, 2001

The New York Times reported a study about the diminishing belief in the devil among Americans. Two-thirds of Americans do not believe in the devil as a living entity. In a randomly selected survey of over 1,000 Americans, pollsters asked whether they agreed that Satan is “not a living being, but ...read more

Tags: Apologetics The Bible, Satan, Sin Fall Of Man, Poll

Denomination: Methodist

Resolved, Never To Do Anything, Which I Should Be ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my ...read more

Tags: Temptation Resisting, Sin Separates From God, Holiness

Forgive Us Our Debts...  PRO

Contributed by Rick Mccarley on Apr 30, 2002

FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS... A pastor friend recently told the true story of one of his church members, an attorney, who after meditating on several scriptures, decided to cancel the debts of all his clients that had owed him money for more than 6 months. He drafted a letter explaining his decision and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:12

Tags: Sin, Mercy, Debt, Atonement, Forgiveness For Others, Forgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Have You Ever Been In A Cave When ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Lennon on Dec 17, 2002

Illustration: Have you ever been in a cave when the lights were turned out? The darkness that overcome you, being able to see nothing. Picture this… they turn out the lights and said “See Ya!” Then your begin to remember the deep canyons and step cliffs that went straight down and you realize I ...read more

Tags: Sin General, Sharing My Testimony, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Baptist

Laus Deo  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

LAUS DEO In the middle of Washington DC stands a monument--our national Monument, the Washington Monument. As a history lesson, there are some things you should know about this place. There can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument in the DC area. On the aluminum cap ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-7

Tags: Children, Worship, Sin, God, America, Character, Kingdom  (view more)  (view less)

It Is Finished

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Jul 27, 2011

IT IS FINISHED I was raised on a tobacco farm and when Dad would ask me to do some chores while he was gone.... it was for my best interest and the seat of my pants that I did it. But when I finished it and did the very best I could to please my Dad there was a great satisfaction in seeing his ...read more

Scripture: John 19:30

Tags: Sin, Obedience, Neglect, Disobedience, Forgive, Forgiveness In Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Stretching Your Conscience Like Silk  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 27, 2013

Adam Clarke was a sales clerk in a store that sold fine silk to people of the upper classes in London. One day his employer showed young Adam how he could increase sales and profits by stretching the silk as he measured it out. Young Adam Clarke looked his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:22-23, Proverbs 20:10

Tags: Sin, Dishonesty, Conscience, Temptation General, Clear Conscience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Supreme Court Case Victory  PRO

Contributed by Paddick Van Zyl on Apr 9, 2014

In the Supreme Court case between Humanity and Satan, proceedings took on a surprising turn, in the court room when Judge God read out the charge against the defendant (humanity). Sin was the main charge with a list of violations being read out, some minor & seemingly insignificant while others ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:11-28

Tags: Blood Of Jesus, Court, Christ Redeems, Sin Sacrifice

Denomination: Pentecostal

The $100,000 Car, The Thief, & The Tree Of Knowledge

Contributed by Jason Evans on Oct 4, 2016

Let’s say there is a man who owns a brand new $100,000 car. He decides he wants to take it out one day to go to the store and parks in a lot around a lot of other cars. When he comes out it has been stolen. When they find the thief and arrest him the thief says "Well you should have known better ...read more

Tags: Temptation, Temptation General, Tree Of Knowledge, Guilt Of Sin

Denomination: *other

Tweeners!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 12, 2019

"Too many Christians are “’tweeners”: they live between Egypt and Canaan, saved but never satisfied; they live between Good Friday and Easter, believing in the Cross but not entering into the power and glory of the Resurrection. It is clear, then, that the believer cannot deliberately be ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-8

Tags: Canaan, Crucified Life, Identification With Christ, Sin, Egypt  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Propitiation

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 30, 2019

The New Testament Greek word "hilasterion" (translated “propitiation” or “sacrifice of atonement”) suggests three related but nuanced concepts: (1) expiation – the legal removal of sin by means of the sacrifice; (2) propitiation – the removal of God's wrath toward the sinner (wrath ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:21-31

Tags: Atonement, Propitiation, Expiation, Forgiveness Of Sin, Penal Atonement  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Bible – For Mature Audiences Only

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Nov 5, 2019

Recently I have been preaching sermons on topics submitted by the members of the church. I thought that was a good idea until someone requested I preach from Genesis 38. It’s not your typical children’s bedtime Bible story. It’s more on the lines of a scandalous storyline for a daytime soap ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:5-10

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness, Sin, Rahab, Samson, Judah, Tamar  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God Is Missing!!!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2020

Two young boys in a Christian school had been continually mis-behaving and were sent to the principal’s office on several occasions. The principal knew what they really needed was to have God in their lives, so she brought the first boy in and set him down. “I want to ask you a question. Where is ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 46:10, John 3:16, Romans 5:8

Tags: Humor, God's Love, Guilt, Unconfessed Sin, Confusion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The World's Most Unwanted Ship

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 2, 2021

The Pellicano is the world's most unwanted ship. Since 1986 she has been the hobo of the high seas. No one wants her. Sri Lanka doesn't. Bermuda doesn't. The Dominican Republic turned her away. So did the Netherlands, the Antilles, and Honduras. The problem is not the boat. Though ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:5, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Philippians 4:8

Tags: Guilt, Pessimism, Deceit, Sin, Anxiety, Transformation, Bitterness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God Means Business

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on May 28, 2022

Little Johnny was going to a public school and he was doing very poorly in math. So his mother decided to put him into a Catholic school. When she got his report card at the end of the term, his grades in math had improved tremendously. So she asked him why. He replied, "When I saw that ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Cross, Hope In Jesus, Sin's Penalty, Law Upheld

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Misusing The Image Of God

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 27, 2022

Genesis 11:1-9… v1: as Noah and his family continues life from the ark (likely they had other children) A couple of things in context helps us: Genesis 10 talks about the nations of people and their own languages Gen 10:24 on – we only read about Joktan’s sons, not Peleg’s Gen 11:10 – only 2 ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 11:1-9

Tags: Man, Sin, Babel, God's Image, Nations, Languages  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

3 Temptations Satan Uses Against Us

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2023

Eve’s descent into depravity is an illustration of James 1:14-15: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” This is the Bible’s description of sin’s slippery ...read more

Scripture: James 1:14-15

Tags: Eve, Sin, Satan, Temptation, Garden Of Eden, Backsliding  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational