Sin

The story is told of a man who sold his house for an incredible bargain with just one stipulation: he would retain ownership of one small nail protruding over the door.

After several years, he wanted the house back, but the new owner was unwilling to sell it. So the first owner went out, found the carcass of a dead dog, and hung it from the single nail he still owned. Soon the house became unlivable and the family was forced to sell the house to the owner of the nail.

If we leave even one small sin in our life Satan will hang his rotting garbage on it.

By the time young people reach the 10th grade, only three in ten are non-drinkers. Results of a study indicate that about a third of high school students are moderate to heavy drinkers in the classification of scientists who organized students into six categories: abstainers, infrequent, light, moderate, moderate-to-heavy, and heavy drinkers. Ease of availability is related to heavier drinking. Those states that allow 18-year-olds to purchase alcohol have heavier drinking.

The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
An evil soul producing holy witness
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
A goodly apple rotten at the heart:
O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!—Shakespeare

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman told of a distinguished minister, Dr. Howard, from Australia who preached very strongly on the subject of sin. After the service, one of the church officers came to counsel with him in the study. “Dr. Howard,” he said, “we don’t want you to talk as openly as you do about man’s guilt and corruption, because if our boys and girls hear you discussing that subject they will more easily become sinners. Call it a mistake if you will, but do not speak so plainly about sin.” The minister took down a small bottle and showing it to the visitor said, “You see that label?

One little boy gave an interesting answer when his Sunday school teacher was talking about the difference between sins of commission and sins of omission. Derek explained to his teacher that the sins of omission are, “Those sins that we want to do but we just haven’t gotten around to yet.”

Source: Living Obediently, Brian Harbour

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

Gary Richmond gained an interesting perspective on snakes while working with a snake handler in a zoo. Richmond and four others milked the venom of a King Cobra. This was an extremely dangerous task as the King Cobra has enough venom to kill one thousand adults.

A hunter raised his rifle and took careful aim at a large bear. When he was about to pull the trigger, the bear spoke in a soft soothing voice, “Isn’t it better to talk than to shoot? What do you want? Let’s negotiate the matter.” Lowering his rifle, the hunter replied, “I want a fur coat.”

“If I had a brother who had been murdered, what would you think of me if I ... daily consorted with the assassin who drove the dagger into my brother’s heart; surely I too must be an accomplice in the crime. Sin murdered Christ; will you be a friend to it? Sin pierced the heart of the incarnate God; can you love it?”—Charles Spurgeon

Source: One Thousand Evangelistic Illustrations, Aquilla Webb

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

During the fourteenth century Raynald III, was a duke in what is now Belgium. As the result of a violent quarrel, Raynald’s younger brother Edward successfully revolted against him. When Edward captured Raynald he built a room around him featuring windows and a door and promised him that the day he left the room his title and property would be returned to him.

Woodrow Wilson’s father was a minister in the South. One day he joined a group of men caught up in a heated discussion. One of the men lost his temper and swore loudly. Only then did he see the Reverend Wilson in their midst. The man apologized profusely and said, “Sir, I had forgotten that you were present. Please pardon me.”

Dr. Wilson replied, “It is not to me that you owe an apology, but to God.”

Source: The Quiet Hour, Larry Brook, September-November, 1997

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

In Words We Live By, Brian Burrell tells of an armed robber named Dennis Lee Curtis who was arrested in 1992 in Rapid City, South Dakota. Curtis apparently had scruples about his thievery. In his wallet the police found a sheet of paper on which was written the following code, sort of a robber's rules: 



A Japanese soldier by the name of Shoichi Yokoi lived in a cave on the island of Guam to which he fled in 1944 when the tides of war began to change. Fearing for his life, this man stayed hidden for twenty-eight years in the jungle cave, coming out only at night. During this long period of time, this self-imposed hermit lived on frogs, rats, snails, shrimp, nuts, and mangoes. He had carried a pair of trousers and a jacket from a burlap-like cloth made from tree bark.

A businessman well known for his ruthlessness once announced to writer Mark Twain, “Before I die I mean to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I will climb Mount Sinai and read the Ten Commandments aloud at the top.”

”I have a better idea,” replied Twain. “You could stay in Boston and keep them.”

Source: Today in the Word, September 1991, Moody Bible Institute

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

Suppose you had a thousand-acre farm and someone offered to buy it. You agree to sell the land except for one acre right in the center which you want to keep for yourself. Did you know that in some areas the law would allow you to have access to that one lone spot? And that you would have the right to build a road across the surrounding property in order to get to it?

A certain missionary society, in order to gain access for a missionary to work in some of the African tribes, sent down trinkets to be bartered with the natives. Among them was a package of little hand mirrors, such as ladies use.

The natives had never seen their own faces except in the waters of some lake or stream. So the news of this wonderful instrument by which people could see their features was spread abroad. The missionary was invited by the tribe after tribe to visit them with his hand glass.

In 1969, in Pass Christian, Mississippi, a group of people were preparing to have a “hurricane party” in the face of a storm named Camille. The wind was howling outside the posh Richelieu Apartments when Police Chief Jerry Peralta pulled up sometime after dark. A man with a drink in his hand came out to the second-floor balcony and waved. Peralta yelled up, “You all need to clear out of here as quickly as you can. The storm's getting worse.” But as others joined the man on the balcony, they just laughed at Peralta's order to leave.

Satan promises the best, but pays with the worst;
He promises honor and pays with disgrace;
He promises pleasure and pays with pain;
He promises profit and pays with loss;
He promises life and pays with death.—Thomas Brooks

A recent survey of Discipleship Journal readers ranked areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them:

1. Materialism
2. Pride
3. Self-centeredness
4. Laziness
5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness
5. (Tie) Sexual lust
6. Envy
7. Gluttony
8. Lying

Source: Discipleship Journal

Researchers have found that teenagers who listen to raunchy, sex-filled lyrics are more likely to indulge in early sexual activity than their counterparts who don't.

There was a squadron of men in S.E. Asia who got involved in every form of wickedness possible. Every time they had leave, they would go to the bars and houses of prostitution. One man said, "I have a girl back home. I love her. I'm going to save myself for her." The men became filled with disease except for this one man. When he saw his bride-to-be he was so glad he had been faithful. One day soon, we will marry Jesus! Keep yourself pure and unspotted.