Sermon Illustrations

JOHN NEWTON: Wrote many books, sermons & hymns. His most famous was ‘Amazing Grace’. Newton’s life proved the truth of that song.

He lived a very troubled life: Had a very godly mother but a wicked father who was often off to sea and then came home to live a wicked life.

Newton’s mother prayed for him and committed him to the Lord but John himself became a sailor on a slave ship and became involved in that terrible world.

Eventually he himself became a slave to a slave and found himself chained to a table and living off the scraps thrown to him.

Newton was given a book written in the 1400’s by Thomas A’kempis who at age 20 entered a monastery for 71 years. IT was called AN IMITATION OF CHRIST

Escaped to a passing ship and then while on the top deck during a ferocious storm he was swept overboard. He cried out to God and another huge wave washed him back upon deck.

His life was never the same.

‘Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me…I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see”

Newton understood GRACE