314 Sermon Illustrations on Christ

A picture that may not be all imaginary is given by Margaret Ashmun in this poem from _The New England Magazine_:

And they released Barabbas, and he went Forth from his dungeon, joying in the grace Of life regained; yet, as he passed, a face Shone out from the dim corridor, and bent Its gaze upon him; questioning, intent. He knew that brow where anguish had its place, Those lips prophetic, sealed now for a space, Those eyes, deep-welled with awful, still content. The robber paused to marvel at the Man Whose death should serve for his; nor spoke aloud The foul jest in his throat. He stayed to scan Once more that visage calm; then, trembling, bowed With fear and harsh soul-harrowing grief, he ran And hid himself, sick-hearted, in the crowd.

The most remarkable of the floral emblems is the passion-flower--the common blue one. Its leaves are thought to represent the head of the spear by which Christ’s side was pierced; the five points, the five sacred wounds; the tendrils, the cords which bound Him; the ten petals, the ten faithful apostles, omitting the one who denied Him (Peter); the pillar in the center is the cross, the stamens, the hammers; the styles, the nails; the circle around the pillar, the crown of thorns; the radiance, the glory. It is used on Holy Thursday. The fleur-de-lis, or conventional form of the lily, is the symbol of the Virgin Mary, adopted in the Middle Ages. It is also an emblem of purity. It is always placed by the medieval painters in the hand of the Angel Gabriel, and sometimes in the hand of the Infant Savior, and of St. Joseph. Lilies-of-the-valley are the floral emblem of Christ. “The Rose of Sharon” and the “Lily-of-the-valley” are emblems of humility. The rose is also an emblem of Christ. The laurel is an emblem of victory and glory, also of constancy, as the leaf changes only in death. Ivy denotes immortality. The laurestinus has the same meaning. (Text.)--_The Decorator and Furnisher._

The story is told of how Mr. John Wesley, founder of Methodism and sometime school teacher, dealt with a situation in a neighboring school. It took place while he was ministering in the city of Savannah during the mid-1700's. It seems that there was a great deal of ridicule being directed toward the poorer boys in a nearby school because they had no shoes or socks. One day, as the teacher of that school was lamenting the problem, Mr. Wesley suggested that they exchange schools the next week. On the first day, Wesley took his books, and other teaching materials and headed for the neighboring schoolhouse -- minus his

shoes and socks. Not a word of explanation was offered as he entered the classroom and although the boys looked on, almost bursting with curiosity, the "grand old man of Methodism" acted as if nothing unusual was going on. By the end of the first day, the poor boys who had no shoes or socks began to exhibit a different attitude -- one of confidence and self-assurance. And, -- by the end of the week -- many of the boys who owned shoes and socks began showing up bare-foot! (Frederick Pilkington, "An Annotation to Wesley's Journal" London Quarterly and Holborn Review, 177 (October 1953): 269

A woman, discovered by a missionary in the depths of Central

Africa,

is reported to have broken out in the most affecting demonstrations of

joy, when Christ was presented to her mind, saying, "Oh, that is He

Who

has come to me so often in my prayers. I could not find Who He was!"

"To disobey Him is the ultimate treason. To say, `No, Lord,' is a

contradiction of terms. He is not Lord when He is told, `No'"

--Dr. E. H. Henderson, 3-31-91.

Some twenty years ago delegates to the Southern Baptist Convention got an old-fashioned treat in the eloquent preaching of a black minister, Rev. S. M. Lockridge. Typical of the poetic phrases used to describe the glory of Christ's Lordship were these:

He "precedes all others...

He is Captain of the conquerors,

Leader of the legislators,

Hero of the heroes,

King of princes and

Lord of lords... "

He didn't have to put His signature at the corner of a sunrise because He's the owner," the black preacher thundered with a deep, resonant voice. "He didn't have to put His name on a laundry tag for the meadows ... or carve His initials on the mountains or take out a copyright on the songs He gave the birds to sing," Lockridge sang in his tribute to Christ's ownership of all Creation.

The black preacher prompted applause from the audience in his criticism of those who say that God is dead: "Who assassinated Him?" he wondered. "What coroner was called? Who was so well acquainted with Him that he could identify the deceased? Why was I not called as a member of the family?" he asked amid applause and amens.

When the black preacher concluded his sermon, Convention President W. A. Criswell held his right arm high and cried, "Somebody hold this gavel while I shout!"

-- SWORD

[see also HolwickID #4269]

At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there, sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I really didn’t know Him.

But later on when I met Christ, it seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike. and I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal.

I don’t know just when it was that He suggested we changed places, but life has not been the same since.

When I had control. I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable… It was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places at breakneck speeds, it was all I could do to hang on!! Even though it looked like madness, He said, “Pedal!”

I worried and was anxious and asked, “Where are you taking me?” He laughed and didn’t answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I’d say, “I’m scared,” He’d lean back and touch my hand. He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey, my Lord’s and mine.

And we were off again. He said, “Give the gifts away; they’re extra baggage, too much weight.” So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He’d wreck it; but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jumps to clear high rocks, fly to shorten scary passages.

And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I’m beginning to enjoy the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Christ.

And when I’m sure I just can’t do anymore, He just smiles and says… “Pedal.”

In an evangelistic meeting in Ireland the speaker was explaining

what it means to abide in Christ and to trust Him completely in

every trial. Concluding his message, he repeated several times,

"It means that in every circumstance you can keep on saying, 'For

this I have Jesus.'" The meeting was then opened for testimonies.

The young lady who had been at the piano stood up and said, "I

have to leave shortly so I'd like to be the first to testify.

Just a few minutes ago I was handed this telegram. It reads,

'Mother is very ill; take train home immediately.' When I saw

those words, I knew that tonight's message was meant just for me.

My heart looked up and said, 'For this I have Jesus.' Instantly a

peace and strength flooded my soul."

After pausing a moment, she

continued, "I have never traveled very far alone, but for this I

have Jesus. And for all the strain and suspense that goes with

the thought of Mother's severe illness, I praise God that for this

too I have Jesus."

I'll be your candle on the water My love for you will always burn I

know you're lost and drifting But the clouds are lifting Don't give

up; you have somewhere to turn

I'll be you candle on the water 'til every way is warm and bright My

soul is there beside you Let this candle guide you Soon you'll see a

golden stream of light

A cold and friendless tide has found you Don't let the stormy darkness

pull you down I'll paint a ray of hope around you Circling in the air

Lighted by a prayer

I'll be your candle on the water This flame inside of me will glow

Keep holding on; you'll make it Here's my hand so take it Look for me

reaching out to show As sure as rivers flow I'll never let you go I'll

never let you go I'll never let you go

- Al Kasha & Joel Hirschhonn, {Candle On the Water, }(Walt

Disney, {Pete's Dragon)}

Englishman George Atley, a missionary to Africa, was attacked by a

party of natives. He had with him a Winchester repeating rifle with

10 loaded chambers. The attackers were completely at his mercy.

Calmly and quickly the missionary summed up the situation. He

concluded that if he killed the natives he would do more harm to the

mission than if he allowed them to take his life. When his body was

found in the stream, his rifle also was found with its 10 chambers

still loaded.

George Atley could have saved himself. He chose to give his life

for others - for the cause of Christ.

Jesus did not have to go to the cross. He could have saved

Himself. He chose to give His life to save sinners from the power and

penalty of sin. In His sacrificial death, He came to "give his life a

ransom for many" (\reference{Mark 10:45}{Mark 10:45}).

- {Open Windows}

I've tried in vain a thousand ways, My fears to quell, my hopes to

raise; And all I need, the Bible says Is Jesus.

My soul is night, my heart is steel, I cannot see, I cannot feel; For

light, for life I must appeal To Jesus.

He dies, He lives, He reigns, He pleads, There's love in all His words

and deeds; All, all a guilty sinner needs Is Jesus.

Though some will mock, and some will blame, In spite of fear, in spite

of shame, I'll go to Him, because His name Is Jesus. {- Author

Unknown}

- George W. Truett, {Follow Thou Me} (Nashville: Broadman

Press, 1932) 144

"What is your minister like? Is he eloquent and intellectual?" What

answer can be true of you? "Well, I cannot tell you about his sermons;

I always think of Christ when I see him." Is that true of you? Then,

to you to live is Christ. In a famous Russian palace, in the salon of

beauty, a certain artist was asked to paint a great number of pictures

for the salon. Eight hundred and fifty of the most beautiful women

were chosen as subjects. He finished his work, and in so doing paid a

marvelous tribute to the empress. In every individual picture he

painted something like Catherine. Here, Catherine's hair; there, a

dress like Catherine's; over there, Catherine's favorite flower. This

one had Catherine's pose; that one some feature of Catherine; some

other one had Catherine's eyes or Catherine's hands; and so, your

could go over the canvas, and, taking the different parts, you could

have made a picture of Catherine.

It would be a marvelous thing if people would say to me, "Show me

Christ," and I would take them to the man who wrote "My Jesus, as thou

wilt." You know how he wrote it. He was blind, but he wrote, "My

Jesus, as thou wilt."

Campbell Morgan used this text at Winona, and he said: "Suppose I

change it -- for to me to live is myself. It is my sermon, my house,

my family, myself." Then, for me to die, what is that? "For to me to

live is pleasure." A Christian might say that and still be a

Christian; then what is it to die? "For to me to live is sin"; then

what is it to die? If there is sin in your heart and mine, whether it

be great or little, it amounts to the same thing then. If to me to

live is sin, what will it be to die? -- J. W. C.

By J. Wilbur Chapan, "Present Day Parables."

Man's title is, then, nothing. It means nothing. It is nothing. But

is Christ's title like man's? Here he affixes to His name a title he

has won, and right royally do stand these letters of success in the

"capping" of Messianic graduation. In the calendar of grace he is

inscribed, "The Lord Jesus Christ, A. Z." "I am Alpha and Omega" to

the Greek; I am A. and Z." to you. "I am A. and Z., the beginning "and

the end, the first and the last," "the all and in all." And this title

A. Z. is full of meaning. The Lord used it himself, and he used it

because it means what be says, and it says what he is. Let us look at

it this evening, and may God the Spirit guide us into its "all truth."

Three times in three different connections does the title occur,

and the fact is very remarkable, for a grand and glorious truth lies

in each setting. Legh Richmond, in his "Dying Cottager," tells of his

last visit to the death-bed of that young convert he had led to Jesus.

He asked the girl in the valley of the shadow what was her hope for

eternity. Putting her thin, wasted fingers on the Bible that lay

beside her she said, "Christ here!" Then, placing her nigh transparent

hand on her bosom she said, "Christ here!" And then pointing upward,

she said, "And Christ there!" Glorious hope! Sure three-fold pledge of

the safe arrival in glory of that passing soul! And, my friends, even

just so, it is most striking to notice, has this Jesus himself done.

Three times to express the same identical truths he has used this.

First, Rev. i, 8, "I am A. and Z." of the written book; second,

Rev. xxi, 6, "I am A. and Z." of the thirsty heart; and third, Rev.

xxii, 13, "I am A. and Z." of the coming home. The Lord Jesus Christ,

the all and in all of that Bible, this soul and you heaven! -- J.

Robertson.

By J. Wilbur Chapan, "Present Day Parables."

In 1936 radio broadcast was transmitted to America from England. Just before the voice of King Edward VIII was to be heard, someone stumbled over a wire in the control room of WJZ (now WABC, New York) and snapped the only line of communication between the two great countries. The engineers were frantic. Then, with only a few moments remaining before air time a quick thinking apprentice grasped the two broken ends of the wire and bridged the gap. Seconds later the King addressed the nation. In a real sense, his words were being transmitted through the body of that man!

The most popular non-Biblical saint in Christendom, he is the

patron of children, sailors, merchants, bankers, thieves,

scholars, Greece, Sicily, Russia, and New York City.

Traditionally, he is identified as a fourth-century bishop of

Myra in Asia Minor. His relics were stolen from Myra in the

Middle Ages and removed to Bari, Italy. In southern Italy in

the early eighteenth century, wives wishing to get rid of their

husbands used vials of poison inscribed "Manna of Saint

Nicholas of Bari." Saint Nicholas legends have been said to

represent sexual dream symbolism. The English in colonial New

York adopted from the Dutch the now unrecognizable saint,

calling him Santa Claus, a contradiction of the Dutch Saint

Nicholas, and moved St. Nicholas's feast day, December 6, to the

English gift holiday, Christmas. Fat and jolly are recently

acquired characteristics. The secular symbol of Christmas has

changed often and drastically over the years. What a joy it is

to know the real symbol of Christmas reigns preeminently and

unchanging for all eternity!

An illiterate fisherman and pilot gave to Mark Guy Pearse a

touching chapter from his personal experience, and the

application he made of it. Mr. Pearse says he passed it along to

D. L. Moody, and the latter was so affected by it that he buried

his face in his hands and wept. The fisherman told how he was

lying aboard his boat in Plymouth Sound when he heard a splash

in the water not far off. He jumped out of his berth, for he

thought he knew what it was; there was another fishing boat not

far off, and the man with it was a drinking man. He rowed there

in his small boat with all speed, leaning over the side and

praying God for help.

Presently he got hold of the other man's arm and pulled him up, and

he was drunk, sure enough. He lifted him back onto his boat and put

him in his berth and worked over him and rubbed him an hour or more,

till he began to come to himself. Doing everything possible to make

the man comfortable, he came away.

The next morning he pulled over to see how the man was. He was

standing leaning over the side of his craft. To a "good morning," he

returned no answer. "How are you this morning?" his rescuer said.

"What's that to you?" was the surly response. "Why," said the first

man, "I can't help taking an interest in you. I saved your life last

night." "Get out," responded the other, and roundly cursed him for a

liar.

"I turned round my little boat and pulled away to my craft," he

said in telling Mr. Pearse. "My heart was like a thing broke. The

tears ran down my cheeks. I looked up to Heaven and could hardly get

out the words that choked me. 'O Lord Jesus,' I said, 'my blessed Lord

Jesus, I am sorry for Thee! I know now how Thou dost feel. That is how

the world is always treating Thee. I am terribly sorry for Thee, my

dear Lord.'" --The King's Business

A former missionary told the story of two rugged, powerful mountain

goats who met on a narrow pathway joining two mountain ridges. On one

side was a chasm 1,000 feet deep; on the other, a steep cliff rising

straight up. So narrow was the trail that there was no room to turn

around, and the goats could not back up without falling. What would

they do? Finally, instead of fighting for the right to pass, one of

the goats knelt down and made himself as flat as possible. The other

goat then walked over him, and they both proceeded safely.

In a sense, this is what Jesus did for us when He left heaven's

glory and came to this earth to die for our sins. He let us "walk

over Him" so that we could receive forgiveness and eternal life.

A little girl was rescued from a burning house by her mother. The

flames came so close that the very hands and arms that shielded the

baby from the deadly fire were permanently scarred in the process. As

the girl grew older, she became conscious of the fact that her

mother's hands and arms didn't look like those of other women. She

thought they were ugly. She was so ashamed of her mother's appearance

that she didn't want to be seen with her in public. One day the

mother told her daughter about the fire. When the daughter realized

that her own life had been spared because her mother sacrificed the

beauty of her hands and arms, she said, "Mother you have the most

beautiful hands in the world."

Her perspective changed when she

understood the effect of the sacrifice.

from "How Do I Know I'm Saved?" by Norman Bales, copyright 1989 by

Gospel Advocate Co.

"There is strong shadow where there is much light."

Goethe

see \reference{Matt 5:14-16}{Matthew 5:14-16}, \reference{John

1:4-5}{John 1:4-5}, \reference{John 1:6-9}{John 1:6-9},

\reference{John 12:46}{John 12:46}

Dr. Howard A. Kelly had a unique and effective way of "witnessing." He was never seen in public without a beautiful pink rose in his lapel. This practice gave him many opportunities to witness about his relationship with the Lord Jesus.

Someone meeting him on the street might remark, "That's a lovely rose, Dr. Kelly."

"Yes, it is," he would reply. "Actually, it's a 'Christian rose!'"

"Why do you call it that?" he would be asked.

The well-known physician would then turn back his lapel and display a tiny water bottle which held the stem of the flower and kept it fresh and sweet. "It's a 'Christian rose," he would explain, "because it has a hidden source of life and beauty. When our Savior pardons our sins, He also unites us with Himself and thereby nourishes and strengthens us. He becomes the secret reservoir of our joy, and any fragrance of testimony we exhibit to the world comes from Him."

In 1849, Dr. Duff was traveling near Simla, under the shadow of the

Himalaya mountains. One day his way led to a narrow bridle path cut

out

on the face of a steep ridge. Along this narrow path, that ran so near

a great precipice, he saw a shepherd leading his flock. Now and then,

the shepherd stopped and looked back. If he saw a sheep creeping up to

far on the one hand, or going too near the edge of the dangerous

precipice on the other, he would at once turn back, and go to it,

gently pulling it back.

He had a long rod, as tall as himself, around the lower half of

which was twisted a band of iron. There was a crook at one end of the

rod, and it was with this the shepherd took hold of one of the hind

legs of the wandering sheep to pull it back. The thick band of iron at

the other end of the rod was really a staff, and was ready for use

whenever the saw a hyena, or wolf, or some other troublesome animal,

come near the sheep; for, especially at night, these creatures prowled

about the flock. With the iron part of the rod he could give a good

blow when any attack was threatened.

In \reference{Psalm 23:4}{Psalms 23:4} we have mention made of "Thy

rod and Thy staff." There

is meaning in both, and distinct meaning. God's "rod" draws us back,

kindly and lovingly, if we go aside from His path. God's "staff"

protects us against the onset of our enemies, whether they be men or

devils. --Life Of Dr. Duff

Over lunch, British writer G. K. Chesterton once expounded to

fellow writer Alexander Woollcott on the relationship between power

and authority. "If a rhinoceros were to enter this restaurant now,

there is no denying he would have great power here. But I should be

the first to rise and assure him that he had no authority whatever."

Chesterton's vivid example is right. There is a profound

difference between power and authority--and Jesus possessed both.

Testified Ned Wright, a converted drunkard and thief: "Previous to

the Boer War I was sitting in a saloon in London drinking and gambling

when a recruiting serjeant of the Army came in and asked me to join

the army. I was so drunk I did not know what I was saying or doing. I

told him I would, so he took me to the barracks, where I was rigged

out in a full soldier's uniform.

It was not until the next morning that I realized what I had done.

"Soon after this the Boer war broke out and I was to be drafted out to

South Africa. I did not want to go, but a friend was wanting to go

badly, who had been refused by the doctors. So we agreed that he

should take my name and uniform, as we were about the same in height

and build, and I should take his name and clothes. "It was not long

after, that it was reported Ned Wright had been killed."

At this juncture of his address I well remember he paused for a

moment, looked all over the church, and then said, "He died for me."

Had I not exchanged with him I would have stood in the same place that

he stood. I would have received the same bullet that he received. He

died for me."

"Jesus the Son of God came down upon earth, took upon Himself our

human flesh that we might be clothed with His righteousness, was

tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin, conquered death

and hell, and has risen victorious for our justification, "He died for

me."

Dwight L. Moody told of the young man who did not want to

serve in Napoleon Bonaparte's army. When he was drafted, a

friend volunteered to go in his place. The substitution was

made, and some time later the surrogate was killed in battle. The same

young man was, through a clerical error, drafted again.

"You can't take me" he told the startled officers. "I'm dead. I

died on the battlefield."

They argued that they could see him standing right in front of

them, but he insisted they look on the roll to find the record of his

death. Sure enough, there on the roll was the man's name, with

another name written beside it.

The case finally went to the emperor himself. After examining the

evidence, Napoleon said, "Through a surrogate, this man has not only

fought, but has died in his country's service. No man can die more

than once, therefore the law has no claim on him."

Two thousand years ago, Jesus went to a cross to bear the penalty

that rightly belonged to us. He died in our place. And through Him,

our names are written in the book, with His name written beside ours.

The Scotch patriot, Robert Bruce, was once hiding in the mountains

from the forces of King Edward of England, when he heard the baying of

bloodhounds. Bruce suddenly recognized the baying as that of his own

dogs. His English enemies had put them on his track, sure that they

would lead straight to their owner. Although worn out from hardships

and lack of food, the Scotch patriot rose up at once and fled as

rapidly as possible. But in vain; only one end seemed possible. The

baying dogs came closer and closer. The fugitive was at the point of

despair when suddenly he came upon a brook. Quickly

he entered the water and walked downstream. Shortly afterward the

dogs were at the bank. The tone of the barking changed as they worked

upstream and down without finding the continuation of the trail. Bruce

was able thus to elude his enemies because the dogs were unable

to find the trail under the water.

Surely this is a picture of the sinner. Robert Bruce's own hounds

were his pursuers. The sinner is pursued by his sins. Every man's own

sins are sure to track him down and destroy him. What to do? There is

only one way; but thank God, there is one in which the guilty sinner

can be saved from the judgment of God. He must hide himself in the

current that flows from 'Calvary. There Jesus Christ paid with His own

blood in order to freely offer pardon to every sinner. The bloodhounds

of sin are at your heels but here is hope for you. God loves you

still. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin"

(\reference{1 John 1:7}{1 John 1:7}) --The Sword Of The Lord