In Sermon Illustrations: "Ephesians 1"

Hans Christian Andersen's Tale Of "The Ugly ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006

Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of “The Ugly Duckling” illustrates the truth that what you know and believe to be truth determines your behavior. Although hatched in the same nest as the other eggs, this “duckling” looked different. He was big and ugly, not soft and yellow like the other ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-3, Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27, Mark 7:1-23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith, Storm, Trial, Trust

Denomination: Baptist

Fred Craddock Was A Seminary Professor. Once, ...  PRO

Contributed by Tom Mccrossan on Dec 10, 2003

Fred Craddock was a seminary professor. Once, while he was lecturing at Yale University, he told of going back one summer to Gatlinburg, TN, to take a short vacation with his wife. One night they found a quiet little restaurant where they looked forward to a private meal—just the two of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:11-23

Tags: What Is Evangelism?, Evangelism Urgency, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

At First I Saw God As My Observer, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 2, 2004

Illustration: At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like the president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn’t really know Him. But later on when I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:45-51, Ephesians 1:19-20, Luke 7:1-10

Tags: Great, Benefactor, Servant

John Wesley Provides The Most Convicting Analysis ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Jul 20, 2004

John Wesley provides the most convicting analysis on what it means to be a true servant: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you can.” Rick ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:11-13

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Pentecostal

Godlessness Whether You Call It By Its Right ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Godlessness Whether you call it by its right name or another, it is at the root of the disintegration of any people or nation. Godlessness is not atheism ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:5, Philippians 2:13

Tags: Cults

If Our Greatest Need Had Been Information, God ...  PRO

Contributed by Martin Kim on Dec 28, 2004

“If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent an economist. But, our ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:7

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Adventist

You See Many People Want The Benefits Of Being ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

You see many people want the benefits of being in the Son without actually “being in the Son.” They want ‘heaven without the hassle’. So it is pretty common for people to believe in Christ and yet still walk in darkness. In 2 Corinthians 11:14, “And no wonder For Satan himself masquerades as an ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:13-14

Tags: Satan

The Predestination Talks

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

THE PREDESTINATION TALKS Ligon Duncan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS, tells the following story: I well remember as a fifteen year-old boy at my grandparents’ house, reading through Ephesians 1 with grandmother and granddad and my aunt and the family for our morning ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Although We Cannot Conceive Either By Argument Or ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Jun 2, 2009

Although we cannot conceive either by argument or reason how God has elected us before the foundation of the world, yet we know it by His declaring it to us; and experience itself vouches for it sufficiently, when we are ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:4

Tags: Election

Denomination: Baptist

A Forever Family

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

A FOREVER FAMILY Author Keith Miller tells of an outgoing 40-year-old woman who was part of a sharing group he led. Here is her story: "When I was a tiny little girl, my parents died and I was put in an orphanage. I was not pretty at all and no one seemed to want me. But I longed to be adopted ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: Adoption

Look At Yourself As What You'll Be

Contributed by Rickey Bennett on Aug 19, 2009

LOOK AT YOURSELF AS WHAT YOU'LL BE The Puritan Richard Sibbes offers encouragement along those lines in his book The Bruised Reed. He said, "Let us not therefore be discouraged at the small beginnings of grace, but look on ourselves as elected to be 'holy and without blame' ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:30, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 1:4, Colossians 3:1-4

Tags: Gospel, Truth, Encouragement, Integrity

Denomination: *other

What Is The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2009

What is the Church? They tell me the story that long ago there was a small church, in a small town, in a small county, where a small congregation had tried for years to get the biggest “sinner” in town, Sam, to come to church. Sam the sinner would have nothing to do with the church. He wouldn’t ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:22-23

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

The Church's Identity And Purpose

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 15, 2009

THE CHURCH'S IDENTITY AND PURPOSE In his book, The Family of God, Batsell Barrett Baxter says the following: "There are some who think of the church as an organization like other organizations. It is true that the church is an organization, but it is not primarily an organization. Rather, it is ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 1:21-23

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Charles Wesley Would Not Be Adopted  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

CHARLES WESLEY WOULD NOT BE ADOPTED In 1721, a wealthy Irishman offered to adopt Charles Wesley and make him his legal heir. The 13-year-old boy refused the offer, choosing to continue his way through school under very difficult circumstances. This turned out to be one of the most momentous ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:4-6, Ephesians 1:5-6

Tags: Adoption

It Is Safe To Die In Jesus

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2010

IT IS SAFE TO DIE IN JESUS Max Lucado in his book Fearless, says, "There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you." We Westerners might miss the wedding images, but you can bet your sweet chuppah that Jesus' listener's didn't. This was a groom-to-bride ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:5-6

Tags: Death

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Adoption In Christ Frees Us From ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 10, 2010

Adoption In Christ Frees Us From Satan An illustration from history past can help us realize the significance of being children of Almighty God - an amazing concept! The image of emaciated babies and young children sitting in cribs, in a stark, ill-equipped Romanian orphanage blazed across the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:5

Tags: Adoption

Lincoln's Planned Treatment Of Southerners After ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 10, 2010

Lincoln’s Planned Treatment of Southerners After the Civil War Likened to God’s Forgiveness of Our Sins Abraham Lincoln was interviewed by someone right before the end of the Civil War. The reporter said “What are you going to do to those rebellious southerners after the war is over? How are you ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:7-8

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Philip Henry's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 29, 2010

Philip Henry’s Romance D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells the story of Philip Henry, the father of Matthew Henry the commentator. He and a young lady had fallen in love with each other. She belonged to a “higher” level of society than he did, and although she had become a Christian and therefore regarded ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-23

Tags: Christian Values

A Boy Without Athletic Ability Is Chosen To Play ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 30, 2010

A Boy Without Athletic Ability is Chosen to Play a Game There was a boy who did not have much athletic ability. Every time he and his friends would play some game, he was always the last to be chosen. One day two new fellows came to play with them and were allowed to be team captains because they ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:11-13

Tags: Compassion

The Authority Of The Believer  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2010

THE AUTHORITY OF THE BELIEVER In Santa Cruz there's a strip called Pacific Avenue, and there's a number of bars. And I remember walking down Pacific Avenue, and it was getting a little rowdy. And there was two or three very burly guys in kinda tight T-shirts that looked like they could kill you, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14, Luke 4:31-38

Tags: Authority