Sermon Illustrations for Lent 4 (2012)
Illustration
Numbers 21:4-9
The people spoke against Moses and worshiped idols for they could not trust and believe. But through perseverance Moses was able to gain their trust, assure their faith in God, and lead them to the Promise Land.
John Wesley was returning home after conducting an evening worship service when he was robbed. The robber took his money and the religious literature that he was carrying. As the robber began to dart off into the darkness of the night, Wesley called to him saying, "My friend, you may live to regret this sort of life. If you ever do, here's something to remember: 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin!' "
Years later a distinguish businessman approached John Wesley. He introduced himself as the man who robbed Wesley that awful night. He had repented of his sins and is now an active Christian. The man said he owed his conversion to Wesley. To this remark the founder of Methodism replied, "Oh no, my friend, not to me, but to the precious blood of Christ that cleanses us from all sin!"
The robber turned Christian was led into the Promised Land.
Ron L.
Ephesians 2:1-10
Former president of Princeton Theological Seminary John Mackay's favorite New Testament book was Paul's "Letter to the Ephesians." In his book, God's Order, based upon Ephesians he explains how God's grace comes to individual seekers:
"Sometimes it booms like 'the bursting of the Sea... Sometimes it leads a man to say with Bunyan's Pilgrim, 'I was driven out of my native country by a dreadful sound that was in my ears; to wit, that unavoidable destruction did attend me, if I abode in that place where I was.' It came to Paul in a voice that pulled him up in his anti-Christian fervor, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me' (Acts 9:4)?
"At other times God's grace manifests less dramatically but nonetheless effectively. It comes to the soul 'like a still small voice.' It comes like 'the drift of pinions,' the filmy feathers of a bird's wing against 'clay shuttered doors.' Or it comes in sorrow, which turns out to be the shadow of God's hand 'outstretched caressingly.' "
Richard H.
Ephesians 2:1-10 We celebrated Christmas sometime back, and of course, one of the common sights at Christmas is the tree with loads of presents underneath. When I gave gifts to my family and friends last year, there was no thought in my mind, "Well, have they earned this gift? Do they really deserve it?" Once, when my wife and I gave a friend of ours a gift, she said, "I don't deserve this. I didn't earn it." I told her, "You didn't need to earn it. It's a gift. If you'd earned it, it would be a wage."
There are many of us who can't get the idea that we have to earn our salvation out of our heads. But what makes God's grace so amazing is that we don't have to earn it. It's totally free. God extended his hand to us before we ever reached for his. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (vv. 8-9).
Craig K.
John 3:14-21
When John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was six years old, the parsonage in which the Wesley family resided caught on fire. Yong John was trapped on the second floor. Two men, one standing on the shoulders of the other, were able to rescue the boy through an open window. Seconds later the roof collapsed.
Because of this incident, John, referencing to Zechariah 3:2, often referred to himself as a "brand plucked out of the fire."
God gave his Son to the world so all may come to believe. All of us must realize that we have been given to the world, as a "brand plucked out of the fire," to serve the Lord.
Ron L.
The people spoke against Moses and worshiped idols for they could not trust and believe. But through perseverance Moses was able to gain their trust, assure their faith in God, and lead them to the Promise Land.
John Wesley was returning home after conducting an evening worship service when he was robbed. The robber took his money and the religious literature that he was carrying. As the robber began to dart off into the darkness of the night, Wesley called to him saying, "My friend, you may live to regret this sort of life. If you ever do, here's something to remember: 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin!' "
Years later a distinguish businessman approached John Wesley. He introduced himself as the man who robbed Wesley that awful night. He had repented of his sins and is now an active Christian. The man said he owed his conversion to Wesley. To this remark the founder of Methodism replied, "Oh no, my friend, not to me, but to the precious blood of Christ that cleanses us from all sin!"
The robber turned Christian was led into the Promised Land.
Ron L.
Ephesians 2:1-10
Former president of Princeton Theological Seminary John Mackay's favorite New Testament book was Paul's "Letter to the Ephesians." In his book, God's Order, based upon Ephesians he explains how God's grace comes to individual seekers:
"Sometimes it booms like 'the bursting of the Sea... Sometimes it leads a man to say with Bunyan's Pilgrim, 'I was driven out of my native country by a dreadful sound that was in my ears; to wit, that unavoidable destruction did attend me, if I abode in that place where I was.' It came to Paul in a voice that pulled him up in his anti-Christian fervor, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me' (Acts 9:4)?
"At other times God's grace manifests less dramatically but nonetheless effectively. It comes to the soul 'like a still small voice.' It comes like 'the drift of pinions,' the filmy feathers of a bird's wing against 'clay shuttered doors.' Or it comes in sorrow, which turns out to be the shadow of God's hand 'outstretched caressingly.' "
Richard H.
Ephesians 2:1-10 We celebrated Christmas sometime back, and of course, one of the common sights at Christmas is the tree with loads of presents underneath. When I gave gifts to my family and friends last year, there was no thought in my mind, "Well, have they earned this gift? Do they really deserve it?" Once, when my wife and I gave a friend of ours a gift, she said, "I don't deserve this. I didn't earn it." I told her, "You didn't need to earn it. It's a gift. If you'd earned it, it would be a wage."
There are many of us who can't get the idea that we have to earn our salvation out of our heads. But what makes God's grace so amazing is that we don't have to earn it. It's totally free. God extended his hand to us before we ever reached for his. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (vv. 8-9).
Craig K.
John 3:14-21
When John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was six years old, the parsonage in which the Wesley family resided caught on fire. Yong John was trapped on the second floor. Two men, one standing on the shoulders of the other, were able to rescue the boy through an open window. Seconds later the roof collapsed.
Because of this incident, John, referencing to Zechariah 3:2, often referred to himself as a "brand plucked out of the fire."
God gave his Son to the world so all may come to believe. All of us must realize that we have been given to the world, as a "brand plucked out of the fire," to serve the Lord.
Ron L.
