In Sermon Illustrations: "Scandal Of Grace"

Some Time Ago I Read About An Instant Cake Mix ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 4, 2004

Some time ago I read about an instant cake mix that was a big flop. The instructions said that all you had to do was add water and bake and you had your cake. The company couldn’t understand why it didn’t sell -- until their research discovered that the buying public felt uneasy about a mix that ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:8-9, Matthew 25:31-46

Tags: Work, Surrender, Commitment To Christ, Faith, Salvation, Righteousness, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

A Few Years Ago I Received An Excellent E-Mail ...

Contributed by Tim Richards on Sep 23, 2004

A few years ago I received an excellent e-mail that illustrates the very point the passage makes here. You can’t be right with God aside from accepting what Christ has done for you. In the story a man dies and goes to heaven. St. Peter meets him at he Pearly Gates and says, "Here’s how it works. ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Baptist

You See, I Understand What It's Like To Be Hooked ...  PRO

Contributed by Robbie Bankens on Aug 9, 2005

You see, I understand what it’s like to be hooked on prescription pain killers and muscle relaxers. I know what it’s like to wake up drunk in a ditch, laying in your own vomit and not remember how you got there. I know what it’s like to pass out in the middle of the night in a graveyard, because ...read more

Tags: Addiction

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Quote: One Hanging On A Tree

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jun 11, 2007

Quote: One Hanging on a Tree John Newton, 1725–1807 said: In evil long I took delight, Unawed by shame or fear, Till a new object struck my sight, And stopp’d my wild career: I saw One hanging on a Tree In agonies and blood, Who fix’d His languid eyes on me. As near His Cross I stood. Sure never ...read more

Denomination: Other

H. You Have Probably Heard The Old Story About ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

H. YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD THE OLD STORY ABOUT THE LATE, GREAT DR. A. J. GORDON, A FAMOUS PREACHER FROM ENGLAND WHO CAME TO A VERY DEAD, DULL, FORMAL, CHURCH IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON, MASS. I. HE WAS A FIERY PREACHER, WHO REFUSED TO WEAR A ROBE, WHICH WAS MANDATORY IN THAT CHURCH AND HE PREACHED ...read more

Scripture: Amos 6:1-8

Tags: Justice, Church Body Of Christ

Christian People Are Prayerful  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

E.M. Bounds says in his book on prayer: Nothing distinguishes the children of God so clearly and strongly as prayer. It is the one infallible mark and test of being a Christian. Christian people are prayerful. The worldly-minded are prayer less. Christians call on God. The world ignores God and ...read more

Tags: Communion, Lord's Supper, God's Provision

Out Of Our Depth

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Out Of Our Depth The 3-year old felt secure in his father’s arms as Dad stood in the middle of the pool. But Dad, for fun, began walking slowly toward the deep end, gently chanting, "Deeper and deeper and deeper," as the water rose higher and higher on the child. The lad’s face registered ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

One Of The Most Compelling Story Lost In The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One of the most compelling story lost in the invention of the phone was the urgency of the great inventor Alexander Graham Bell to make a breakthrough in communications for the sake of a loved one. No one had more vested interest than Bell, whose mother was deaf. It’s been said that “the telephone, ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

His Hands Are Twisted And His Feet Are Useless. ...

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jul 13, 2007

His hands are twisted and his feet are useless. He can’t bathe or feed himself. He can’t brush his teeth, comb his hair, or put on his underwear. His shirts are held together by strips of Velcro. His speech drags like a worn-out audio cassette. Robert Reed has a severe case of cerebral palsy. The ...read more

Denomination: Christian Church

I Will Die – Let My Baby ...

Contributed by Bill Butsko on May 9, 2009

“I Will Die – Let My Baby Live!” I knew him as a brilliant young member of a noted family. He was studying in one of the great universities. His physical development was well-nigh perfect. Tall, broad-shouldered, brawny, graceful in bearing and quick in movement, he was soon well-known as an ...read more

Tags: Mothers

Denomination: Christian Church

When My Father Passed Away, I Remember Going To ...

Contributed by Jeff Kennedy on Sep 9, 2009

When my father passed away, I remember going to church that morning. Our family had only been attending that church for a few weeks, and my dad was on his way to work that morning to put in some overtime, and he was going to meet us at the late service. The pastor later told us that it was the ...read more

Tags: Strength, Grief

Denomination: *other

Imagine You Are Watching The Olympics. All ...

Contributed by Tyler Edwards on Sep 22, 2009

Imagine you are watching the Olympics. All these different skaters come out with their impressive performances. Now in the Olympics the athlete will be judged on the difficulty of their routine as well as the precision and grace with which the carry it out. In evaluating then you are looking for ...read more

Tags: Shame, Productivity

Denomination: *other

Christmas Pants

Contributed by Charles Wilkerson on Nov 10, 2009

CHRISTMAS PANTS I told you about a pair of guys who had exchanged the same pair of moleskin pants for over a decade. Each year they tried to outdo one another with the only rules being they couldn’t damage the pants and they had to use scrap material. I’d left the story with Kunkel having received ...read more

Tags: Gifts General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

It Wasn't Long Ago In Australia We Saw Race ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 25, 2009

It wasn’t long ago in Australia we saw race horses being put down because of a disease that spread through the racing industry, threatening the lives of people also. Whatever the plague was in Egypt, it was severe, contagious and fatal. The only animals under the Lord’s quarantine were those in the ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Adhesive Oxymoron

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jan 3, 2010

ADHESIVE OXYMORON Why can’t we all just coexist? You believe what you believe, I believe what I believe. Whatever you believe is whatever you believe. Have you seen those "Coexist" bumper stickers? I always laugh when I see a "Coexist" bumper sticker. You know, the ones where a symbol from ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Queen

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Jan 9, 2011

THE QUEEN Duke of Lancaster, Lord of Mann, Duke of Normandy, Sovereign of the Most Honourable Order of the Garter (a dress shop?), Sovereign of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Sovereign of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Sovereign of the Most Illustrious Order of Saint ...read more

Tags: Examples Of Faith

Denomination: Anglican

Frederick And The Confession

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jan 18, 2011

FREDERICK AND THE CONFESSION Truth is we can't please God, that is, not on our terms. Nor does it do any good to try and hide our sin. Like Isaiah, we can only be used by God when we're willing to admit, "I am a person of unclean lips." It reminds me of the story of KING FREDERICK II, an ...read more

Tags: Confession Of Sin

Denomination: Baptist

Called To Testify

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Apr 5, 2011

CALLED TO TESTIFY In 1981, my father was called as a court witness to testify to a number of thefts that occurred at his employer. Now, we had just moved from Pennsylvania to Minnesota, and dad was brand-new to the job as the corporate purchasing agent. So, dad reports to the CEO on day one, ...read more

Tags: Jesus Temptation

Denomination: Lutheran

One Scheme Of The Devil Is To Create A Twisted ...

Contributed by Michael Walther on May 25, 2011

One scheme of the devil is to create a twisted view of God. USA Today ran an article on a very comprehensive religion survey conducted by Baylor University. This survey showed that 96% of Americans believe in some view of God. But of this group 40% , or almost half, believe in a God who does not ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

Denomination: Lutheran

Trees Don't Struggle To Grow

Contributed by Christopher Lanham on Jun 9, 2011

TREES DON'T STRUGGLE TO GROW Rich Ratts, former pastor of Grace Community Church here in Jackson and a now a church planter in Traverse City, once spoke at a pastor’s appreciation breakfast I attended. He began by talking about a cheery orchard outside his window. One night when he couldn’t go ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed