In Sermon Illustrations: "Identifying With Christ"

Christ Emptied Himself

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 25, 2019

Kenosis: “The term kenosis comes from the Greek word for the doctrine of Christ’s self-emptying in His incarnation. The kenosis was a self-renunciation, not an emptying Himself of deity nor an exchange of deity for humanity. Philippians 2:7 tells us that Jesus “emptied Himself, taking the form of a ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11

Tags: Christmas, Incarnation, Kenosis, Christ's Humility, Emptying  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Love For Christ And People

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

In the early years, Circuit riders were most often lay preachers without formal education. They were young, poor, and, for the most part, single. Traveling thousands of miles a year. Though circuit riders eventually represented many different denominations but none were more aggressive or ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:1-5

Tags: Service, Servant, Dedication

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Quotes On Suffering For Christ

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

There is a certain kind of maturity that can be attained only through the discipline of suffering. - D. A. Carson Do not kick against suffering, for in so doing you may be fighting against God. - Spurgeon Life without struggle and difficulty is thin and tasteless. How can a noble life be ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:10-12

Tags: Pain, Spiritual Warfare, Discipleship, Suffering, Take Up Your Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bee The Body Of Christ

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Jan 14, 2022

My dad has bees. Today I went to his house and he showed me all of the honey he had gotten from the hives. He took the lid off of a 5 gallon bucket full of honey and on top of the honey there were 3 little bees, struggling. They were covered in sticky honey and drowning. I asked him if we could ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:27, Galatians 6:2

Tags: Caring, Bees, Love, Church, Family, Body Of Christ, Helping  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Brethren

The Humanity Of Christ In Scripture

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 6, 2022

The result of the virgin birth is that God became a man. He was born like a man. He lived like a man. He died like a man. In the Gospels, Jesus Christ exhibits all the signs of being human. But He was God wrapped in flesh (John 1:14). • He had a human parentage – Luke 1:31; Gal. 4:4. • He had a ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Jesus, Virgin Birth, Humanity Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Deity Of Christ In Scripture

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton 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

The Unsearchable Riches In Christ

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Mar 6, 2023

There was a news story reported in July 2011 that a well known Hindu temple in southern India revealed vast treasures and hidden secrets. The temple itself was well known and previously unguarded. (The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum, India) The temple had been there for hundreds of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-13

Tags: Gold, Diamond, Hidden Treasure, Unknown Riches, Mystery Revealed  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Face To Face With Christ

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 12, 2023

Fanny Crosby was one of the greatest hymn writers in the history of the Church. However, she was born blind, but never used her issue to blame God or play the victim. In fact, she once praised God for her blindness and said, "God did her a favor by making her blind" because the first ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:1-3

Tags: Blindness, Hymns, Fanny Crosby, Sovereignty Of God, Death, Glory, Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christ Died For You!

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

There’s an old saying: If you were the only one, Jesus would have still died on that cross. Here’s how a couple of folks put it: “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” St. Augustine of Hippo(354-430 AD) “When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8

Tags: Salvation, Personal

Denomination: Methodist

Luther: Asleep In Christ

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 1, 2025

(Martin Luther quotes about death.) “What is our death but a night’s sleep? For as through sleep all weariness and faintness pass away… so at the Last Day we shall rise again as if we had only slept a night.” Source: It’s widely reproduced in quotation databases such as AZ Quotes and Luther’s ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, John 11:25

Tags: Resurrection, Hope

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

When Paul Gave Christ Access, He [christ] Gave ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"When Paul gave Christ access, He [Christ] ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Connotations For Us As Disciples Of Christ

Contributed by Gordon Mcculloch on Feb 11, 2018

Jesus also tells us in Matthew 28, (the most familiar version of the Great Commission), that, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 9:2-9

Tags: Transfiguration, Great Commission

Denomination: Episcopal

What Does It Mean To Be Crucified With Christ?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

To participate in the life of Christ, we must first be identified with Him in His death. "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Ro 6:5-note). Those of us who now have eternal life have died in the person ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:1-11

Tags: Discipleship, Self, Dying To Self, Crucified Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

One Source Says, That Denying Ourselves "Means In ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Aug 12, 2008

One source says, that denying ourselves “means in every moment of life to say no to self and yes to God.” It is, he continues, “a life lived in the constant hourly awareness of the demands of God and the need of others.” Dr. Warren Wiersbe, pastor, author and theologian: “To deny self does not ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Cost For Preaching The Truth About Baptism

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 22, 2024

Baptism is identification with Christ. Baptism allows the believer in Christ to openly identify with Christ who died, was buried and who rose again on his behalf. It is a public testimony to say I have identified with Christ. I will live for Christ. On October 15, 1517, an Augustinian monk nailed ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:25-34

Tags: Baptism, Persecution, Immersion, Reformation, Church History, Count The Cost  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Joy In Christ Requires A Commitment To ...  PRO

Contributed by John Hamby on Jan 8, 2001

“Joy in Christ requires a commitment to working at the Christian lifestyle. Salvation comes as a gif, but the joy of salvation demands disciplined action. Most Christians I know have just enough of the Gospel to make them miserable, but not enough to make them joyful. They know enough about the ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Joy, Disciplines General

Denomination: Baptist

The Life Of Jesus Christ Was An Absolute ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jan 17, 2001

"The life of Jesus Christ was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God’s. But what seemed to be failure from man’s standpoint was a triumph from God’s standpoint, because God’s purpose is never the same ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Tags: Promises Of God, God's Omniscience, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Strongs Says It This Way "Christ And The ...  PRO

Contributed by Emile Wolfaardt on Jul 13, 2001

Strongs says it this way "Christ and the believer have the same life. They are not separate persons linked together by some temporary bond of friendship,-they are united by a tie as ...read more

Tags: Divinity Of Christ, Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: *other

Do You Know Christ?  PRO

Contributed by Terry Cavanaugh on Mar 20, 2002

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST? Billy Graham said in his message “Saved or Lost” in Texas in 1965. “..one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy. You might not be able to work up joy yourself, but God the Holy Spirit living inside of you can produce this joy supernaturally, and a Christian is to have joy. He ...read more

Scripture: John 15:11, John 15:11, Galatians 5:13-25, John 15:11

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Methodist

The Probability Of A Person Accepting Christ ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2002

The probability of a person accepting Christ between the ages of 5 - 13 is 32 percent. There is a four percent probability of doing so within the ages of 14 - 18; and a six percent ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of, Evangelism Urgency, Great Commission