In Sermon Illustrations: "Grace Alone"

No Contest  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 28, 2004

NO CONTEST When we get to heaven, there will be no contest to see who was the most deserving of God’s grace because no one deserves it. There will only be one contest in heaven. When we look back and see what we were before, when we see the pit from which he rescued us, when we recall how ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16, Galatians 2:20-21, Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Promises Of God, Parable Vineyard, Grace

Wanted: Movers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 28, 2004

WANTED: MOVERS Suppose that one of the local businessmen had purchased a new building and was planning to move all of his stock into the new store. He placed an ad in the paper offering $100.00 per day to anyone who would come to help him make the move. The first workers were there early on the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Grace, Parable Vineyard, Promises Of God

An Invitation (And A Rejection Form)  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2004

AN INVITATION (AND A REJECTION FORM) Dearest (your name), You are cordially invited to come and enjoy the delicious banquet of my salvation. Serving will begin at My House and will continue for eternity. I’d love for you to come and get to know Me personally–and join my Family. This feast is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:12-24

Tags: Grace, Salvation, Parable Great Banquet

People Talk About Being Saved By Faith Plus Good ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

People talk about being saved by faith plus good works. This is not true. Good works are the necessary consequence of our salvation. They are not necessary to be saved; they are the necessary ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, By Grace Through Fai

While We Were In Jerusalem We Visited A Jewish ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Jan 25, 2010

While we were in Jerusalem we visited a Jewish shop “Treasures of the Temple” which was a sort of museum. These Jews are currently recreating all the temple items in preparation of rebuilding the temple to worship in O.T. style. Photos 796-798 We stopped by the Western Wall and there were dozens ...read more

Tags: Grace, Sin Separates From God

Denomination: Baptist

Open Our Eyes...?  PRO

Contributed by Paul Green on Feb 5, 2010

Open Our Eyes...? I have a book called 'Tall Tales of a Big God' written by a man called Maurice Smith. Maurice is (or at least was) an international Christian Speaker travelling all over the UK, and Europe and particularly the USA. And his book is a compilation of some of the most embarrassing ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1, Acts 4:1-21

Tags: Grace, Service, Humility, Pride, Embarrassment  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Your Sins Have Been Your Downfall, Is Where The ...

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Aug 18, 2012

"Your sins have been your downfall", is where the tar starts sticking to the tyres. Most people generally don’t like the whole “s” word thing. For some reason there is an issue with the human brain that tells us to kick up stink when we are having a good time, a pleasurable time and someone, some ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:23

Tags: Repentance, Sin Bondage To, Sin And Grace

Denomination: Salvation Army

Robes Of Righteousness

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Feb 28, 2015

Dr Ravi Zacharias came up with a true witty story of a New Zealand Shepherd who was happy on a Christmas morning, sad in the afternoon but once again happy in the evening. What exactly contributed to his mood swings? Here goes…in the morning two of his ewes’ “A” and “B” gave birth to two lambs “a” ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 61:10

Tags: Grace, Gratitude, God's Righteousness, Grimy

Denomination: *other

Salvation Is About Relationship

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

On May 31, 1975 Jeanie and I were legally married. A record of that translation is documented at Potter County in Amarillo, Texas. Because of that, I can introduce her as my wife. She can sign papers as Jeanie Tow. A legal transaction occurred. But what if that were all there is to our marriage? We ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14, 2 Corinthians 6:1

Tags: Grace, Relationship To God, Love And Faith

Denomination: Charismatic

George Floyd

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Jun 11, 2020

God can use you to make a difference in our broken world no matter your past. Just commit your way to the Lord like Jephthah did and depend on His Holy Spirit. When I think about Jephthah, I think about George Floyd, who was recently murdered in Minneapolis. George was a towering 6-foot by 6-inch ...read more

Scripture: Judges 11:1-3, Judges 11:29, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

Tags: Transformation, Grace Of God, George Floyd

Denomination: Evangelical Free

It's Too Late To Do Anything!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 8, 2020

Here is an illustration of these two basic approaches to righteousness: SAVIOR or SELF? An Englishman by the name of Ebenezer Wooten had just concluded a preaching service in the village square. The crowd had dispersed, and he was busily engaged in loading the equipment. A young man approached ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Salvation, Righteousness, Witnessing, Works, Grace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Tobymac On Faithfulness

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Aug 24, 2022

TobyMac wrote these words upon the tragic death of his 21 year old son; “My wife and I would want the world to knows this … We don’t follow God because we have some sort of under the table deal with Him, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18-27

Tags: Faith, Grace, Worship, Salvation, Grief  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Can Destroy Everything On Earth!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 12, 2022

Genesis 7:17-24 See Hebrews 11:7 – What can we learn from this? - faith includes God's instructions and obedience God gave Noah a huge task (almost an impossibility to load up all sorts of animals and necessities in 7 days!) We do not note God indicating to Noah that God was going to help, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 7:17-24

Tags: Judgement, Grace, God, Flood, Noah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Hound Of Heaven

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 2, 2023

In his book The Call, author Os Guinness writes: We cannot find God without God. We cannot reach God without God. We cannot satisfy God without God—which is another way of saying that our seeking will always fall short unless God’s grace initiates the search and unless God’s call draws us to Him ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-9, Titus 3:5

Tags: Grace, Salvation, Works, Sovereignty Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Gospel

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Dec 9, 2024

Pastor Martin Niemoeller confronted Hitler’s corruption of the German church and spent 8 years in prison. In 1945 he was freed by American forces. Remarkably he lived to the age of 92. A few days before his death he wrote - "when I was young I felt ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Galatians 1:1-5, Romans 1:1-5

Tags: Grace, Gospel, Discipleship, Devotion, Justification  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Judgement

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 23, 2025

I don’t believe that God’s Judgement should be our main focus, but I also believe it’s wrong to never mention the Judgement of God. Remember, God must judge humanity because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Our God is a Holy God who also wants us to be holy. (1 ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:5, Romans 3:23, 1 Peter 1:16

Tags: Grace, Holy Spirit, Judgment, Holiness

Denomination: Methodist

The Cookie-Jar

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 7, 2025

A pastor was teaching the Ten Commandments to a group of children. When he came to “Thou shalt not steal,” he leaned forward and said, “Now, children, what would the cookie jar say to you if it could talk?” A little girl lifted her hand and said, “It would say, ‘Suffer the little children to come ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:7, Romans 7:19, Galatians 5:17, 1 Corinthians 10:13, James 1:14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Temptation, Desire, Choice, Grace, Obedience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Two Mountain Goats

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 25, 2025

Martin Luther wrote about seeing two mountain goats meeting on a mountain trial that was narrow enough for only one to travel on. When they met up, Luther thought for sure they would butt heads and the strongest would survive. One would die and one would be injured. Instead, when the mountain ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-8, Romans 12:10, Matthew 20:26-28, John 13:14-15, Ephesians 4:2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Service, Humility, Selflessness, Christlikeness, Grace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Too Many Hypocrites

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

TOO MANY HYPOCRITES One of the most common excuses given for someone not surrendering to the Gospel of Christ is found in this statement, "There are too many hypocrites in the church." Many persons who are seen by outsiders to be "hypocrites" may be true, yet immature, Christians. Christians ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:25

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It’s Too Late To Hide

Contributed by Mark Beaird on Dec 31, 2015

It’s Too Late to Hide I first noticed him as he shuffled past me while making his way through the crowd of excited children swarming around the room at the school for deaf and blind children outside Saigon, Vietnam. He moved slow, but steady. His arms and legs were twisted and drawn in such a ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:15-16

Tags: Blessings In Christ, Accepted By Grace, Acceptance In Christ

Denomination: Independent/Bible