In Sermon Illustrations: "Wash Away Sin"

I Once Heard A Humorous Story About The Pope Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Philip Makari on Jan 8, 2001

I once heard a humorous story about the Pope who was on a visit to America for a period of time. On his last day of the visit, he was delayed due to meetings and was unable to break away to catch a flight. Since he couldn’t depend on his Pope Mobile, he phoned for a limousine. When the limousine ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-16, Luke 24:13-16

Tags: Mistakes, Patience, Humility, Substitute, Sin General, Scapegoat, Temptation Pride  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Dual Citizenship In The Kingdom Of God And The Kingdom Of Darkness?

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Feb 12, 2019

Try to imagine this. It is the year 1944 and Germany is at war with England. Now suppose you have dual citizenship in both Germany and England and you are living in Germany. How will you be treated? Conversely, suppose you have dual citizenship in both Germany and England and you are living in ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:4-10, Matthew 6:24, Romans 6:22-23, 1 John 1:6

Tags: In Christ, Living In Christ, Carnal Christian, Sinful Life, Holilness, Righteous Christian, Alive In Christ, Living In Sin, Living In Darkness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene

Kaboom!  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Chan on May 25, 2001

True story happened Friday in Montreal - A hospital patient who insisted on lighting a cigarette while hooked to an oxygen supply caused a small explosion, according to a hospital spokesperson. The 73-year-old, who suffered minor burns in the blast, had been told not to light up but she ignored ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:13-15

Tags: Sin, God's Omniscience, Authority, Faith, Free Will, Freedom, Doing God's Will, Warning  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Buried In The Deepest Sea  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Mar 8, 2002

BURIED IN THE DEEPEST SEA Several years ago Rick Stacy baptized a man in Lake Superior. It was late October and about 9:00 PM. Rick had been talking with Myron and his wife about accepting the Lord as their personal savior and sealing that decision with baptism into Jesus. Myron was hesitant ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17, John 3:3, Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:11-15

Tags: Grace, God's Forgiveness, Forgiveness, Baptism, Atonement, Born Again, Redemption, New Life, Sin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[030] A Message From A Poem – Beauty From Ashes

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 18, 2025

[030] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BEAUTY FROM ASHES One of the deepest emotions we have is shame. Shame happens when sin has caused havoc in a person’s life, and the realisation of it bursts like a cloud over the person. Shame brings guilt and guilt can affect a person greatly, even causing ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:10, Psalm 51:1-2, Psalm 51:12, 1 John 1:7-9

Tags: Ashes, Sinning, Repentance, Guilt, Shame, Bathsheba, Conviction, Poetry, David, Forgiveness, Beauty, Holy Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Right From Wrong  PRO

Contributed by Lynn Floyd on Apr 25, 2001

Every day: 1,000 unwed teenage girls become mothers 1,106 teenage girls get abortions 4,219 teenagers contract sexually transmitted diseases 500 adolescents begin using drugs 1,000 adolescents begin drinking alcohol 135,000 kids bring guns or other weapons to school 3,610 teens are assaulted; 80 ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 3:1-22

Tags: Sin Exposed, Suicide, Teen, Music, Abortion, Evangelism The Lost  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

As A Boy Growing Up In The Country I Had Heard ...  PRO

Contributed by Johnny Carver on May 12, 2001

As a boy growing up in the country I had heard scary stories about a snake called a "Black Racer" that would chase you. These stories kept me very alert as I walked up and down the gravel roads around where we lived. One day mom asked me to go to the neighbors house and borrow an iron because ours ...read more

Tags: Direction, Fear And Worry, Perspective, Obedience, Sin Fall Of Man  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

On The Tv Show Called The X-Files, They Had A ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Oct 25, 2001

On the TV show called the X-Files, they had a story about a family that used to keep an ugly looking creature in their basement. And what was even stranger was that people would bring their sick and dying family members over to see this creature and they would come back healthy. When Scully and ...read more

Tags: Sin Hurtful To God, God's Provision, Bill Bendert, Cross

Denomination: Lutheran

During The Mau Mau Uprising In Kenya In 1960, ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Oct 17, 2004

During the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya in 1960, missionaries Matt and Lora Higgens were returning one night to Nairobi through the heart of Mau Mau territory, where Kenyans and missionaries alike had been killed and dismembered. Seventeen miles outside of Nairobi their Land Rover stopped. Higgens ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered, Remission Of Sin, Peace, Prayer Adoration, Fear  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Many People Have Trouble With The Concept Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Nov 22, 2004

Many people have trouble with the concept of total depravity. While not denying they are sinners, many people feel that their sin isn’t bad enough to condemn them. What they don’t understand is that any sin is wholly unacceptable to God. Let’s suppose I invite you over to my house this Saturday ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:6-9, Romans 3:9-20

Tags: Sin Separates From God, Basket, Fish And Loaves, Leftovers

Denomination: Baptist

A Man Wanted To See Buckingham Palace. His Guide ...  PRO

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Aug 25, 2005

A man wanted to see Buckingham Palace. His guide took him to the gate. “Oh, I don’t mean here. I want inside.” “I’m sorry sir,” replied the guide, “I don’t have ...read more

Tags: Authority, Commitment To Christ, Confession Of Sin, Jesus, God, Power  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

Being Crucified With Christ

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Aug 11, 2016

As I was typing up the many pages of notes I would use for my weekly podcast sermon, I needed to replace some letters in a name in part of my document with "M-E," so it would read correctly as I recorded. I was trying to use the ’Find & Replace’ command, but it looked a little ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Sin, Flesh, Self, Crucified With Christ, Crucify Flesh, Crucified  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

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

Face The Music

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 8, 2020

Many years ago a man conned his way into the orchestra of the Emperor of China, though he could not play an instrument or read music. Whenever the group practiced or performed, he would just hold his flute against his lips, pretending to play, but not making a sound. For years he received a good ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-3

Tags: Sin, Judgment, Pride, Luke 18, Ii Timothy 3  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Naming Our Children

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 2, 2022

At some point we stopped worrying about whether we were sinful or whether it was possible to be righteous and instead sought to avoid being unhealthy and to be healthy... we stopped naming our children “Charity” or “Grace” and began ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:1-4

Tags: Gospel, Identity, The Cross, Names, Children, Sin, Family, Salvation  (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: Holiness, Government, Politicians, Sin, America, Prayer, Revival, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Works Of The Flesh Outlined

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 23, 2023

List of sins that are the works of the flesh: 1. Sexual sins (19-21) (1) Adultery (2) Fornication (3) Uncleanness (4) Lasciviousness (5) Drunken revellings (orgies) 2. Superstitious sins (20) (1) Idolatry (2) Witchcraft 3. Social sins (20-21) (1) Hatred (2) Emulations or jealousy (3) ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-23

Tags: Idolatry, Holy Spirit, Sin, Sex, Flesh, Witchcraft, Adultery  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Have Enough Points To Get To Heaven?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 12, 2023

I heard a story the other day about a guy who died and stood before the gates of heaven. An angel met him and said, “We have a new plan for getting into heaven. We’re now using a point system and you need 1,000 to enter.” The man told the angel that this would be no problem as he started rattling ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: Justification, Sinners, Evangelism, Grace, Forgiveness, Sin, Heaven, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

His Cross

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Mar 14, 2023

HIS CROSS The idols of my heart were many, I sunk low beneath the Law’s demand. Satan’s chains held me a prisoner, Burdened down by sin, I could not stand. Then there before me stood the answer! Guilt and slavery would soon be loss. For my shackles broke and fell from me, When I knelt humbly ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:1-18

Tags: The Cross, Poems Of The Crucifixion, Salvation Poems, Chains Of Sin, Redemption  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Bridge That Wouldn't Break

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 8, 2024

As the Union Pacific Railroad was being constructed, an elaborate trestle bridge was built across a large canyon in the West. Wanting to test the bridge, the builder loaded a train with enough extra cars and equipment to double its normal payload. The train was then driven to the middle of the ...read more

Scripture: James 1:10-15

Tags: Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Victory, Defeat, Jesus, Sin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational