In Sermon Illustrations: "Fallen Nature"

Three Types Of Suffering

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 25, 2025

“Wesley adopted a traditional Christian distinction between types of suffering: natural, moral, and penal. People suffer because of disease and natural disaster; people suffer because other people harm them; and people suffer because they are punished for wrongdoing. (Natural Suffering) Wesley ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:17

Tags: Suffering, Moral, Natural, Penal

Denomination: Methodist

How Not To Market The Church

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2011

HOW NOT TO MARKET THE CHURCH When we speak of marketing the church (writes David Wells) we are not referencing such things as advertising church events, providing excellence in church programming, being kind to visitors, or providing ample parking. No one is arguing the importance and value of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:14-16

Tags: Church Practices

The Flea Jar And Our Spiritual Limitations

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 16, 2024

In a scientific study, fleas capable of jumping several feet high were placed in a jar with a lid. Initially, they jumped high and hit the lid. Over time, they adjusted and started jumping just high enough to avoid hitting the lid. Eventually, the lid was removed, but the fleas continued to jump ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:19-21

Tags: Purpose, Liberation, Breaking Free, Learned Limitations, Innate Potential, Impact Of The Fall  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

I Stay Away From Natural Foods. At My Age I Need ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

I stay away from natural foods. At my age I need all the ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Doctrine Of Atonement

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 1, 2025

We need to have core beliefs that do not change over time – NO MATTER WHAT! The doctrine of atonement is under attack today. It is attacked by folks who look at humans and see each one as basically good who occasionally do bad things. They talk about each person’s freedom to become your ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:17

Tags: Scripture, Atonement, Authentic, Holy God, Fallen World  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

You Have Inherited The Divine Nature, Says Peter ...(2 Peter 1:4)

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jun 16, 2012

You have inherited the Divine nature, says Peter (v.4), now turn your attention to add good habits. Be diligent and concentrate and work on your character. No man is born either naturally or supernaturally with character, he has to make character. Nor are we born with habits; we have to form ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1-20, 2 Peter 1:4

Tags: Service, Discipleship

Denomination: Anglican

If I Had But One Sermon To Hear

Contributed by David Parks on Jun 16, 2021

IF I HAD BUT ONE SERMON TO HEAR In 1906 Charles Reynolds Brown was preaching in the San Francisco Bay area of California. That spring, on the Sunday generally designated as Easter, he and the other preachers of the region spoke to full houses. Years later, he mentioned that particular Sunday in his ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-14

Tags: Death, Decision, Judgment, Natural Disasters

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Rainbows

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 16, 2008

I saw the greatest rainbow ever coming home from work the other day. Often you see bits of a rainbow or both legs but this was a perfect bow that seemed to stretch from downtown Terrell to downtown Crandall. It was vivid as none before. I was awestruck. Yet, if you looked closely there was a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:38-39

Tags: Nature, Broken, Promises Of God, Storms, Promises  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Dna Points To A Creator

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 23, 2019

DNA is found in every cell of our bodies (in at least some stage of its development) and has a beautiful appearance, having the shape of a spiral staircase. The steps (or rungs) are like letters in our alphabet and, ascending or descending the staircase, the letters taken together spell words which ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:19-22

Tags: Creator, Dna, Intelligent Design, Natural Revelation

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Responsiblity To All Living Creatures

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 18, 2022

Genesis 9:1-7 Devotional From Gen. 9:1-3 we note God blessed Noah and his sons. What was the command? – same as for the first man and woman – populate the earth (somewhat of a new beginning) What were given to man in v2? – man was given the responsibility to rule over all other creatures on ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 9:1-7

Tags: People, Nature, God's Love, Responsibilty On Earth

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Is Venom In Our Veins

Contributed by Matt Neace on Oct 5, 2018

Describing the new movie, Venom, Greg Morse writes: He was a journalist once. Eddie Brock investigated corruption, fought on behalf of the oppressed, and tried to make a difference in the world. He was trying to take down evil - until he was "taken" by it. An alien, a symbiote, a hungry beast ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:15-20, Romans 8:20-21, John 1:5

Tags: Human Condition, Human Nature, Sin Nature, Sin, Evil, Satan, Devil, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[299]. A Message From A Poem – The World Imitates The Forest In Drought

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 27, 2026

[299]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE WORLD IMITATES THE FOREST IN DROUGHT This poem is a comparison. The first 5 stanzas describe trees affected by a long, dry spell, and the remainder of the poem transfers those conditions to a sinful world suffering a spiritual drought. Sometimes I like to ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5-6, Lamentations 3:22-23

Tags: Drought, Desertion, Sustain, Spiritual Drought, Christian Poems, Fallen Leaves  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thy Great ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Thy Great Salvation Regeneration “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:5-6

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Is Tremendous Relief In Knowing That His ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 8, 2001

There is tremendous relief in knowing that His love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery can disillusion Him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench His determination to bless me. There is, ...read more

Tags: God's Love, Disillusioned, Disillusionment, Fleshly Nature, Corruption  (view more)  (view less)

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

Creation Shows The Glory Of God!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 2, 2020

"The stars are God's fingerprints. The sun is a mere smidgen of His radiance. The moon is to remind us that He doesn't sleep at night. The vastness of space proclaims the infinity of His wisdom, while the sand pebble indicates His thoroughness with the puniest details. The lion hints ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-3

Tags: Creation, Glory, God, Nature, Agnosticism, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

C S Lewis - The Choice

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Sep 19, 2022

I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Jesus. “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 1:15

Tags: Jesus, Jesus Divinity, Nature Of Jesus, Moral Teacher

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Dangers Of Toying With Sin

Contributed by Garris Hudson 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: Sin, Salvation, Temptation, Deceit, Sinners, Sin Nature  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[181]. A Message From A Poem – Man’s Departure Is Away From God

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 3, 2025

[181]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – MAN’S DEPARTURE IS AWAY FROM GOD We live in a world in decline and it was prophesied that way – {{2 Timothy 3:1-5 “Realise this, that IN THE LAST DAYS DIFFICULT TIMES WILL COME, for men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 2 Timothy 3:13

Tags: Getting Worse, Sinful Nature, Departure, Old Nature, Christian Poems, Britian, Wales, Sin, New Birth, Tribulation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Deity Of Christ In Scripture

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 6, 2022

While Jesus was and is a man, He was and is also God. What does the Bible say? • He is omnipresent – Matt, 18:20; Matt. 28:20 • He is omnipotent – Matt. 28:18; Heb. 1:3 1. Over disease – Matt. 4:23 2. Over Satan – Heb. 2:14 3. Over demons – Matt. 8:16 4. Over men – John 17:2 5. ...read more

Tags: Virgin Birth, Deity Of Christ, Two Natures, Christmas, Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational