In Sermon Illustrations: "Wash Away Sin"

Nicky Gumbel Says: "The Man Blamed The Woman, ...  PRO

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on Oct 7, 2002

Nicky Gumbel says: “The man blamed the woman, the woman blamed the serpent, and the serpent ...read more

Tags: Marriage General, Satan, Sin Fall Of Man

Denomination: *other

Dead In Unrighteousness  PRO

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Oct 18, 2002

DEAD IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS Several years ago a movie came out called “Death Becomes Her”. I don’t recommend it. It was dark humor at best, but the few funny parts weren’t worth the cost of the movie rental; much less, a theatre ticket. But the basic premise of the movie turns out to be a great ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings, Evangelism The Lost, Dead To Sin

Denomination: Orthodox

How I Want To Go  PRO

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Oct 19, 2002

HOW I WANT TO GO An old preacher was dying. He sent a message for his Doctor and his Lawyer, both church members, to come to his home. When they arrived, they were ushered up to his bedroom. As they entered the room, the preacher held out his hands and motioned for them to sit on each side of ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ, Sin Separates From God

Life Magazine Did A Photo Essay A Few Years Ago ...  PRO

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on Feb 4, 2003

Life Magazine did a photo essay a few years ago – they took people from all walks of life, from street people to fortune 500 executives and photographed them each undressed except for a bath towel – the amazing thing was you really could not tell who was who: they basically looked the same! This ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian, Kingdom Of God, Sin General

Denomination: *other

John Newton: What Think You Of Christ?  PRO

Contributed by Stephen Wright on Mar 30, 2003

John Newton: What think you of Christ? is the test, To try both your state and your scheme: You cannot be right in the rest Unless you think rightly of him. As Jesus appears in your view, As he is beloved or not, So God is disposed to you And mercy or wrath is your lot. Some take Him a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 71:13

Tags: Becoming A Christian, Confession Of Sin, Salvation, Protection

Denomination: Baptist

The Verdict Is In On Martha Stewart. She Has A ...  PRO

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Sep 15, 2004

The verdict is in on Martha Stewart. She has a net worth in the billions, but she risked everything to save $60,000 in stock value. And now she faces prison time for something that must have seemed like a small infraction to her. Like her, we may think that small departures ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Workplace Integrity, Sin General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

An Image Better Than Adam's!" Isaiah 59:1-8 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 27, 2005

“An Image Better Than Adam’s!” Isaiah 59:1-8 Key verse(s): 1-2:“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear.” Oh if we could but live one ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 59:1-8

Tags: Sin Separates From God, Soul Immortal

Denomination: Lutheran

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 Dr. Larry Petton 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 Dr. Larry Petton 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 Dr. Larry Petton 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 Dr. Larry Petton 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

Watermelon Seed

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Watermelon seed In my first pastorate in Alabama, we had a Sunday night watermelon fellowship. We fellowshipped together eating watermelon. During our time, we began a watermelon seed-spitting contest. Unknown to us, a few seed made their way into the soil between a brick wall and the driveway. A ...read more

Tags: Harvest, Plant, Sow And Reap, Sin Bondage To

I Heard About A Young Lawyer Who Was Called In ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Peake on Sep 26, 2007

I heard about a young lawyer who was called in from the big city to represent a large railroad company that was being sued by a farmer. It seems that the farmer’s prize cow was missing from a field through which the railroad passed, and the farmer was suing for the value of the cow. Before the case ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34

Tags: Worry, Envy, Confession Of Sin, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

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 Dr. Larry Petton 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