In Sermon Illustrations: "Sin Cycle"

Cheap Grace

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 15, 2010

CHEAP GRACE (defined and adapted from Dietrich Bonhoeffer) a). Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace. b). Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means forgiveness of sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Crown Of Thorns  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

CROWN OF THORNS Nearly thirty years ago on Saturday night I sat in an indoor arena excitedly watching a beautiful Arabian stallion receive the very high honor of "Legion of Merit." The lights were turned off and a large spotlight appeared at the entrance gate. Music played as this beautiful bay ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:28-30

Tags: Easter Good Friday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[062c]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062C]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE THIRD PART. THE INTRODUCTION FOR THE POEM IS IN PART 1. PART 3 SECTION C - PART 1 (GOD ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love, Pain, Love, Christ, Compassion, Comfort, Suffering, Hurt  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[291]. A Message From A Poem – The Stamp On Our Lives As Christians

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 18, 2026

[291]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE STAMP ON OUR LIVES AS CHRISTIANS This poem is set out with three sets of three making 9 stanzas. The final line in the stanza marks what set it is in. The title means the ownership of our lives by God, similar to the wax seal that used to be applied in days ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:7-9, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Tags: Belong, Holy Spirit, Sealed, Own, Stamp, Christian Poems, Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Magnify Yourself Against Those That Are Fallen

Contributed by James Dina on Oct 9, 2020

DON'T MAGNIFY YOURSELF AGAINST THOSE THAT ARE FALLEN "If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach" (Job 19:5) 1. Many people forget their own frailty, how easy is it for them to fall. We should be taught by the mistakes of others to avoid being ...read more

Scripture: Job 19:5, Psalm 35:26

Tags: Love, Exaltation, Correction

Denomination: Pentecostal

Heaven, A Holy Place

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Heaven, A Holy Place Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[099]. A Message From A Poem – Glorious Truths From Romans

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 7, 2025

[099]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GLORIOUS TRUTHS FROM ROMANS Romans is the most doctrinal book in the Bible so it would be impossible to cover all the points in a poem. I am currently working through Romans in a commentary – ...read more

Scripture: Romans 4:25, Romans 5:15, Romans 3:24, Romans 5:11, Romans 5:18, Romans 4:5, Romans 5:16  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Grace, Romans, Law, Reconciliation, Redemption, Justification, Righteousness, Doctrine, Condemnation, Poem, Transgression, Christian Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[062b]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062B]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE SECOND PART THE INTRODUCTION FOR THE POEM IS IN PART 1. PART 2 SECTION B - PART 1 (THE CHRISTIAN ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Hurt, Pain, Love, Compassion, Comfort, Suffering, Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[321]. A Message From A Poem - Uniquely First In Many Ways - Cain

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 25, 2026

[321]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - UNIQUELY FIRST IN MANY WAYS - CAIN Cain is never considered in a good light. He is mentioned three times in the New Testament and this is one of them – {{1 John 3:12 “not as Cain who was of the evil one and slew his brother, and for what reason did he slay him? ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:6-7, Jude 1:11, 1 John 3:12

Tags: Sacrifice, Unique, Rejection, Cain, Abel, Disobedience, Murderer, The Way Of Cain, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dr. Karl Menninger, The Famed ...  PRO

Contributed by Larry Sarver on Apr 30, 2001

Illustration: Dr. Karl Menninger, the famed psychiatrist, once said that if he "could convince the patients in psychiatric hospitals that their sins were ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Forgiveness For Others, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In This Life, Christ Is An Example, Showing Us ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"In this life, Christ is an example, showing us how to live; in his death, he is a sacrifice, satisfying for our sins; in his resurrection, a conqueror; in his ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:1-19

Tags: Jesus Christ

General Oglethorpe Once Said To John Wesley, "I ...

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Apr 20, 2009

General Oglethorpe once said to John Wesley, "I never forgive, and I never forget." To which Wesley replied, "Then, Sir, I hope ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Sense Of Humor Keen Enough To Show A Man His ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"A sense of humor keen enough to show a man his own absurdities, as well as those of other people, will keep him from the commission of all sins, or ...read more

Tags: Humor

We Love Because He First Loved Us

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Jul 24, 2007

We love because He first loved us. It is because of the love of God, that even though Adam and Eve sinned, God provided a covering for them in their ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

George Mason, A Founding Father Of Our Nation ...  PRO

Contributed by Daniel Becker on Sep 15, 2001

George Mason, a founding father of our nation prophetically proclaimed, “As nations can not be rewarded or punished in the next world they must be in this. By an inevitable chain of causes and ...read more

Tags: God's Judgment, Holidays Civic, Providence, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

British General James Oglethorpe, Founder Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Jul 11, 2002

British General James Oglethorpe, founder of the colony of Georgia, bluntly told John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church, "Preacher, I never ...read more

Tags: God The Father, Forgiveness For Others, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Congregational

Our Peace And Confidence Are To Be Found Not In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 8, 2006

"Our peace and confidence are to be found not in our empirical holiness, not in our progress toward perfection, but in the alien righteousness of Jesus Christ that covers our sinfulness ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Our Peace And Confidence Are To Be Found Not In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 8, 2006

"Our peace and confidence are to be found not in our empirical holiness, not in our progress toward perfection, but in the alien righteousness of Jesus Christ that covers our sinfulness ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

The True Man Of God Is Heartsick, Grieved At The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 8, 2006

"The true man of God is heartsick, grieved at the worldliness of the Church...grieved at the toleration of sin in the Church, grieved at the prayerlessness in the Church. He is disturbed that the corporate prayer of the ...read more

Tags: Church General

Spirit Filled Souls Are Ablaze For God. They ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 9, 2006

"Spirit filled souls are ablaze for God. They love with a love that glows. They serve with a faith that kindles. They serve with a devotion that consumes. They hate sin with fierceness that burns. They rejoice with a ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit General