32 Sermon Illustrations on Personal Relationship with Christ

At a reception, a famous actor was asked to give a recitation. An old preacher suggested the Twenty-third Psalm. He did it with great oratorical skill and sat down to prolonged applause. Then he turned to the old preacher and asked him to recite the Psalm also. In a weak and trembling voice, the kindly man uttered the same simple verses. But no one applauded this time. People began surreptitiously to wipe away their tears. The actor rose again, "Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "I communicated with your ears and your eyes. I know the words. But my old friend here communicated with your hearts. He knows the Shepherd." Do you know Him?

Henry M. Stanley found Livingstone in Africa and lived with him for some time. Here is his testimony: "I went to Africa as prejudiced as the biggest atheist in London, but there came for me a long time for reflection. I saw this solitary old man there and asked myself, 'Why on earth does he stop here-is he cracked, or what? What is it that inspires him?' For months after we met, I found myself wondering at the old man carrying out all that was said in the Bible- 'Leave all things and follow Me.' But little by little his sympathy for others became contagious. My sympathy was aroused, seeing his piety, his gentleness, his zeal, his earnestness, and how he went about his business. I was converted by him, although he had not tried to do it." The Philosopher's Answer A heathen philosopher, on being asked the question, "What and where is God?" desired two days in which to prepare an answer. Partly pressed with the difficulties of the subject itself, and partly encumbered and confounded by polytheistic prejudices, he doubled and redoubled the time. When required to state the reason for his delay, he acknowledged, "It is a question in which my insufficient reason is lost. The oftener I ask myself, 'What is God?' the less able I am to answer." How much more are you unable to reason why the omnipotent God, in order to save your soul, had to become man in the person of Jesus Christ and die on a cross. That is beyond reasoning, but it is within grasp of one's experience.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20

An old woman was in great distress because of deep poverty. She was living in a little garret in London, England, and was dreadfully afraid the landlord and the bailiff would come to dispossess her, and perhaps, sell her bed from under her because of her debt. It happened that a certain Christian minister heard of her need and by interesting some friends raised sufficient money to go to her creditor and pay everything. Then, with the receipt in his hand, he went to see her. Her neighbors knew her only by the name, “Old Betty.” When the clergyman arrived at the house, he said, “Can you tell me where Old Betty lives?”

They told him to go up the stairs to a certain room; he went up, knocked at the door and waited but there was no answer. He knocked again and still there was no answer. He called, “Old Betty, are you there?” but no answer.

He started down the stairs and was going away when the neighbors said, “Did you find her?”

“No, she is evidently not in.”

“Oh, she’s in all right, she just wasn’t going to let you in,” they said. “She’s afraid to open the door.”

And so he went up again and knocked and then one of the neighbors called, “Old Betty, let him in; it’s the clergyman come to see you.”

“Oh,” the voice came from within, “I thought it was the bailiff and I wasn’t going to open,” and she opened the door and received the minister.

He said, “I have come to tell you that some friends have heard of your need and have paid all your debt. They have asked me to bring you the receipt, and here is a little gift to help for the future.”

“Just to think,” she said, “and I locked and bolted the door against you. I was afraid to let you in.”

Is that not the way people are treating the Lord Jesus Christ? I am wondering whether you, unsaved one, have been treating Him like that. For years He has been knocking at your heart’s door, He wants to come in to bring you peace and joy with the knowledge of sins atoned for and guilt put away, but you have bolted and barred your heart’s door against Him, you have kept your best Friend out. But He is waiting still and continues to knock. Why not open your heart’s door at once and receive the salvation so freely proffered?

I remember when I was a boy I went several miles from home with an older brother. That seemed to me the longest visit of my life. It seemed that I was then further away from home than I had ever been before, or have ever been since. While we were walking down the street we saw an old man coming toward us, and my brother said, "There is a man that will give you a cent. He gives every new boy that comes into this town a cent." That was my first visit to the town, and when the old man got opposite to us he looked around, and my brother not wishing me to lose the cent, and to remind the old man that I had not received it, told him that I was a new boy in the town. The old man, taking off my hat, placed his trembling hand on my head, and told me I had a Father in heaven. It was a kind, simple act, but I feel the pressure of the old man's hand upon my head to-day. You don't know how much you may do by just speaking kindly.

"As at a feast, when there is a dish for which we have a great liking set upon the table, though all the company be welcome to partake of it, yet we say, 'Here is a dish for me.' So should you apply and take to yourselves your own portion of the word. Though it be propounded generally, yet, when God directeth the tongue of his messengers to speak expressly to your case, you should say, 'This is for me.' This is all the calling by name which you can look for." How often has this been the case when reading the word of God, or hearing it! We have felt an inward relish and delight in divine truth, and our spiritual instincts have taught us that it was intended for us. A man may be misled by his natural appetite, but the spiritual man's holy taste never deceives him. If he can feed upon the word, this is clear evidence that it is "food convenient for him," and that the Lord intends it for him. The Holy Ghost has said, "Eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness," plainly indicating that the truth which gives delight to the renewed soul may be safely feasted on, and that we have full license to enjoy it without stint. My heart, here is good news for thee! Be not slow to avail thyself of the divine permit. At the feast of love, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and bless the Lord who satisfieth thy mouth with good things.

When Bishop Bonner told John Audly of the pain connected with burning, with a view of leading him to recant, he replied, "If I had as many lives as there are hairs on my head, I would lose them all in the fire before I would lose Christ."

There is no food for soul or body, which God has not symbolized. He is light for the eye, sound for the ear, bread for food, wine for weariness, peace for trouble. Every faculty of the soul, if it would but open its door, might see Christ standing over against it, and silently asking by his smile, "Shall I come in unto thee?" But men open the door, and look down, not up; and thus see him not. Beecher.

Christianity, as it works in the heart, is mightier than it is when explained and enforced in a thousand volumes. Christianity in books is like seed in the granary, dry, and all but dead. It is not written, but living characters, that are to convert the infidel. The life of good men, and not the library of theologues, is the converting power. Dr. Thomas.

While Hopp, a young Sandwich-Islander, was in America, he spent an evening in a company where an infidel lawyer tried to puzzle him with difficult questions. At length the native said, "I am a poor heathen boy. It is not strange that my blunders in English should amuse you. But soon there will be a larger meeting than this. We shall all be there. They will ask us all one question, namely, 'Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ?' Now, sir, I think I can say 'Yes.' What will you say, sir?' When he had stopped, all present were silent. At length the lawyer said, that, as the evening was far gone, they had better conclude it with prayer; and proposed that the native youth should pray. He did so; and, as he poured out his heart to God, the lawyer could not conceal his feelings. Tears started from his eyes, and he sobbed aloud. All present wept too; and, when they separated, the words, "What will you say, sir?" followed the lawyer home, and did not leave him till he was brought to the Saviour.

A German, just converted, was greatly surprised at the goodness of God to him, which he now realized. One day, he was overheard in prayer saying, "O Lord Jesus! I didn't know you were so good." How general is this ignorance!

A soldier of Napoleon's great army was wounded one day by a bullet, which entered his breast above his heart. He was carried to the rear, and the surgeon was probing the wound with his knife; when at length the guardsman exclaimed, "An inch deeper, and you will find the emperor!" And the Christian soldier, even when most sorely pressed and pierced by his foes, is conscious, that, were his heart laid open by their wounds, it would only discover the name of his great Captain deeply engraven there.

— Independent

A well-known minister asked Bishop Beveridge, on his deathbed, if he knew him. "Who are you?" said the bishop. He had forgotten both the face and the name. His wife came to his bed-side, but was not recognized. Some one then said, "Bishop Beveridge, do you know the Lord Jesus Christ?" At the mention of that wonderful name, he said, "Jesus Christ; oh, yes! I have known him these forty years. Precious Saviour, he is my only hope!"

When Archimedes had found out the resolution of a question in mathematics, he cried out, as one ravished, "I have found it, I have found it!" So when I soul that has been seeking Jesus Christ meet with him, she, ravished with joy, cries out, "I have found Him whom my soul loveth!"

— Venning

I was in Italy last year; and, in crossing the Alps with my wife, the sun was so hot, that it scorched her face. She asked me to get her some elder-flower water. I started off to a chemist; and, as I did not know a word of the Italian language, I looked through the jars and bottles in his shop, but could not find any thing of the kind. I tried to jabber something in French; but he did not understand me, because it was no language at all. I went down to a little brook that ran through the town, and, walking along the edge, I came to an elder-flower-tree. I got a handful of flowers, walked off to the shop, and held it up to the man; and he knew in an instant what I meant. I think it is not easy to convey the gospel to the heart by merely talking of it; but if you can say by your own life, "This is the life of Christ, this is the joy of being a Christian," you will be much more likely to make converts.

— Spurgeon

When the celebrated Tencent was travelling in Virginia, he lodged one night at the house of a planter, who informed him that one of his slaves, a man upwards of seventy, who could neither read nor write, was yet eminently distinguished for his piety, and for his knowledge of the Scriptures. Having some curiosity to learn what evidence such a man could have of their divine origin, he went out in the morning, alone, and without making himself known as a clergyman, entered into conversation with him on the subject. After starting some of the common objections of infidels against the authenticity of the Scriptures, in a way calculated to confound an ignorant man, he said to him, when you cannot even read the Bible, nor examine the evidence for, or against its truth, how can you know that it is the word of God? After reflecting a moment, the negro replied, "You ask me, sir, how I know that the Bible is the word of God:—I know it, by its effect upon my own heart."

A gay, thoughtless young lady, who had not unfrequently indulged in ridiculing "the orthodox," as she was pleased to term those who pretended to any thing more than external morality, after having been in the society of a pious, devoted friend, observed, "Mrs. — is always talking religion, but she does seem to enjoy it so much, that I admire to listen to her, and have been sitting a whole hour to hear her converse." 108. Advantage of Skill and Prudence.