11 Sermon Illustrations on Gospel Power

It's fruit that you want when you present the gospel. Someone who had heard a moving sermon was asked by a friend what he remembered of it. "Truly," he said, "I remember nothing at all, but I am a different man as a result of it." Contrast that with what another man answered when he was asked what he thought of a sermon that had produced a great sensation among the congregation. His reply may hold an important lesson for some of us. "Very fine, sir; but a man cannot live upon flowers."

"A torch giveth nevertheless light though carried by a blackamoor; nor is the gospel less efficacious because managed by carnal instruments." It is not God's will that anyone who is himself living in sin should proclaim the gospel, or be an officer in his church, and yet when it so happens, the gospel itself is still a divine light, and those who see it live thereby. The faults of the preacher are very grievous; but if the truth of God be delivered by him, we should not be so foolish as to reject the doctrine, though we censure the man. The church itself may be, like Laodicea, in an ill state; but it is not for us to quarrel with the Scriptures on that account. Young persons are greatly stumbled when they hear of the fall of an eminent professor, and yet they need not be surprised, for there have been hypocrites in all ages. We must not rest our faith upon men, nor believe in God because we have confidence in a minister; that would be a sorry reason for faith, and would vitiate its nature. No, if the torch-bearer turns black as soot we will still rejoice in the light. Fit is it, however, that none but gracious men should touch the work of the Lord; all others are intruders. "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." "To the wicked God saith, 'What hast thou to do to declare my statutes?'"

You have noticed the lighting of the streets or of a public building,—how, when the first lamp is lit, it is plainly seen, and disperses, in part, the surrounding darkness; but when the second, third, fourth, and all the lamps are lit, the lights meets light, ray blends with ray, until the whole place is illuminated. Thus it is with the spread of Christian light. The light of life shining from one believer joins and blends with that of another; the light of one neighborhood, with an adjoining one; the light of nation with nation, until the whole world becomes filled with the light of the glorious gospel of the blessed God. Date.

"I preached up sanctification very earnestly for six years in a former parish," says the Rev. Mr. Bennet in a letter, "and never brought one soul to Christ. I did the same at this parish, for two years, without having any success at all; but as soon as ever I preached Jesus Christ, and faith in his blood, then believers were added to the church occasionally; then people flocked from all parts to hear the glorious sound of the gospel, some coming six, others eight, and others ten miles, and that constantly. The reason why my ministry was not blessed, when I preached up salvation partly by faith, and partly by works, is, because the doctrine is not of God."

The gospel is our Mons Meg, the biggest gun in the castle; but it is not out of date: it will carry a ball far enough to reach the heart of the sinner who is furthest from God. Satan trembles when he hears the roar of the gospel gun. Let it never be silent.

A striking illustration of this is found in the history of the noted African chief, Africaner, notorious in his day until reached by the gospel:

In 1819, finding it necessary to go to Cape Town, Moffat determined to take Africaner with him, attired as his attendant. The chief was an outlaw, with a price of one thousand rix-dollars upon his head, but finally agreed tc go. As they passed through the Dutch farms on his way, Moffat found that he was supposed to have been long before murdered by Africaner. One man told him that he had seen Moffat’s bones. Moffat told a farmer that Africaner (the chief being still in disguise) he knew to be a truly good man. This the man could not credit, and said that his one wish was to see that terror before he himself should die; whereupon Moffat turned and said quietly, pointing to his mild attendant, “This, then, is Africaner.” The farmer, looking at the Christian man before him, exclaimed: “O God, what a miracle of Thy power! What can not Thy grace accomplish!”

That which Africaner exhibited of the power of the gospel in character, is shown by a host of redeemed ones, such as Jerry McAuley, who through their careers, have magnified the power that saved them.--“Gloria Christi.”