Sermon Illustrations

The great British Baptist pastor Alexander McClaren reminds us, “Only he who can say, ‘The Lord is the strength of my life,’ can say, ‘Of whom shall I be afraid?’” [--Alexander McClaren, Christian Reader, Vol. 32, no. 3. Thomas a Kempis, the 14th century German Catholic monk, wrote in The Imitation of Christ, “He who loves God with all his heart dreads neither death, torment, judgment, nor hell, for perfect love opens a sure passage to God.” [--Thomas a Kempis in The Imitation of Christ. Christianity Today, Vol. 41, no. 3.]. Courage comes in loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.