In Sermon Illustrations: "Kill Sin"

Jonathan Edwards, Who Was One Of America's ...

Contributed by Bret Toman on May 20, 2010

Jonathan Edwards, who was one of America's greatest theologians, was a New England pastor of the 1700s. Edwards was brilliant. At age 6 he studied Latin. He entered Yale when not quite 13 and graduated when barely 15. He was ordained at 19, taught at Yale by 20 and later became president of ...read more

Tags: Sin Separates From God, Great Awakening

Denomination: Baptist

Pure White

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Jul 23, 2012

PURE WHITE A little girl went to the countryside on holiday. The cabin where she stayed was next to a grassy hillside on which sheep grazed. She had never seen sheep before. The girl could look from the front door of the cottage and see the sheep milling around on the slope of green. She exclaimed ...read more

Tags: Condition, Compare, God's Standard, Sin General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Adam & Eve's Old House

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 16, 2014

ADAM AND EVE’S OLD HOUSE One day Adam was out hunting with his two boys and came up to the Garden of Eden where he and Eve had been kicked out for for eating the forbidden fruit. Adam was staring at the Garden and one of his boys said, “Daddy, what is wrong with you? Why are you ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-10

Tags: Sin, Temptation, Adam And Eve, Blaming Others

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Buster, Get Your Heart Right!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 29, 2014

A professor from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas was preaching in Nevada. The normally reserved professor put his whole heart into the sermon and called for people in the congregation to repent and get their hearts right with God. At the end of his message, he ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Revival, Repentance, Confession Of Sin, Change Of Heart

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Importance Of Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2014

Life assurance is far more valuable and important than life insurance. One famous atheist said, "The one thing I envy about you Christians is that you have someone to forgive you." A man by the name of Val Patterson died on July 12th of this year due to cancer. He knew the end was coming, so he ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:1-5

Tags: Confession Of Sin, God's Forgiveness, Guilty Conscience

Gossip: Opie's Newspaper

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 7, 2014

"Opie's Newspaper" is an episode on the Andy Griffith Show. Opie's friend, Howie, received a small printing press as a gift, and the boys decide to go into the newspaper business. They work hard and produce an initial issue of what they call the Mayberry Sun. The boys soon find that business is ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:31-32

Tags: Gossip, Slander, Sins Of Tongue, Control Tongue

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Where Adam Used To Live

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 18, 2017

Adam and his two sons, Cain and Abel, were out hunting one day when Adam turned and started staring at something beautiful afar off. It was the Garden of Eden. Then Adam broke down and starting weeping. The boys didn’t understand. Finally, Abel asked his father, "Dad, why are you crying over ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:12

Tags: Marriage, Sin, Adam And Eve, Garden Of Eden

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It’s Only A White Collar Crime?

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Oct 16, 2018

C.S. Lewis died in 1963, but a comment in one of his writings speaks directly to the current opioid crisis. Lewis wrote: “The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid ‘dens of crime’ that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: White Collar, Opioid, Sin, Excuses, Business  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Worst People...

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 2, 2020

Spurgeon said - "Often those who are thought to be the worst of people turn out the best. Many of the most precious pearls have been found in the deepest sea; and some of the most grateful hearts have ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-3, Luke 17:14-19

Tags: Sin, Salvation, Redemption, Gratitude, Lost, Election  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Owe Our Whole Lives To God!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 3, 2022

Genesis 6:1-9 Some think that the “sons of God” in this passage are angels; how can we say not? - v3 tells us that these men will die and angels are eternal beings; also, Jesus Himself tells us in the Gospels that angels do not marry! What can we say about Gen 6:2? – God’s creations of people are ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:1-9

Tags: Love, Thanksgiving, Sin, Life, Jesus Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Seven Life Lessons From Samson

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 13, 2022

Certainly the story of Samson and the prostitute of Gaza stands as a cautionary tale to all of us. Here are some of the obvious lessons: 1) Just because we think we have conquered a certain sin doesn’t mean it will stay conquered forever. 2) The price of long-term spiritual victory is continued ...read more

Tags: Sin, Temptation, Judgment, Samson, Brokenness, Backslidden  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bible Characters Who Compromised

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 13, 2022

Sadly, such compromises are not exceptions; they have become the rule. But don’t think twentieth-century Christians are the only experts in the art of compromise. Scripture is full of people who compromised, including some very choice servants of God. • Adam compromised God’s law, followed his ...read more

Tags: Faith, Sin, Satan, Temptation, Compromise, Trials  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Brooklyn Bridge Scam

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 13, 2022

The greatest con artist in American history was George C. Parker. After the Brooklyn Bridge opened in NYC in 1883, George C. Parker saw a tourist admiring it, so he decided to try selling it to him. It was so easy, he decided to sell it again. Over a period of years he averaged selling the Brooklyn ...read more

Tags: Sin, Deception, Cheating, Fraud, Liars, Bewitched  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Redemption - Doctor Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

This story is reported as true ... though true or a parable ... it speaks to the importance ... of the One ... of one who can save. It was almost 1:00 in the morning... when the phone rang. Dr. Leo Winters, ...a highly acclaimed surgeon... was abruptly awakened ...from his nights sleep. There ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:21, Ephesians 1:7, John 8:36, Matthew 26:28, 1 John 1:9, Isaiah 43:25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Redemption, Lamb, Redeemed, Sin, Blood, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Paul Confronts Sexual Immorality In Ancient Rome

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Oct 22, 2023

Paul’s prohibition of (to use the Greek term) porneia—that is, illicit sexual activity, including prostitution—upended an ethical system in which male access to the female body was unquestioned and unquestionable. Whereas the Romans regarded male chastity as profoundly unhealthy, Christians prized ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Romans 1:18-32

Tags: Marriage, Ethics, Sin, Sexuality, Sexual Immorality  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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

Open Rebuke Is Better Than Secret Love.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 25, 2021

The Scripture tells us that "Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Proverbs 27:5-6).   Rebuke means sin is not only pointed out, it is condemned. The church really doesn’t do this ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Sin, Preaching, Repentance, Rebuke, Pastors, The Word Of God, Preachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Powerful Prayer Delivered To The Kansas State Senate

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 22, 2022

This prayer was delivered on January 23, 1996 by the Rev. Joe Wright in Kansas. It was said that most of those in attendance were outraged and some walked out. Without a doubt, it is a blunt and direct indictment on modern culture. Within just a few weeks, the Central Christian Church, where ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Politicians, America, Prayer, Revival, Repentance, Holiness, Government, Sin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mad Mike Hughes

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Feb 26, 2020

Mad Mike Hughes had a mission, to launch himself into outer space. He believed the earth was flat, and the only way to prove it was to go up into space and take a photo of the flat earth. He did not trust others to document the truth, he would only believe it if he saw it with his own eyes. In ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:11-13

Tags: Sin, Foolish, Self Importance, Self Righteousness, Flat Earth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[286]. A Message From A Poem – The Prodigal’s Return

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 6, 2026

[286]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE PRODIGAL’S RETURN This is a most serious poem, that of a penitent Christian who sinned before the Lord and really let the flag down. Sin is so evil and so deceptive it can catch anyone out, even sincere Christians. Just recently I have written about the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:19, Exodus 34:6-7, Hosea 2:14

Tags: Forgiveness, Compassion, Repentance, Restoration, Gracious, Confession Of Sin, Prodigal Son, God Is Gracious, Christian Poetry, Fallen Into Sin, Christian Poems, A Sinning Christian, A Prodigal Returns  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational