Sermon Illustrations

Many years ago, I failed the Lord in a stupid teenager deed.

I can painfully remember January the 1st, 1968.

I was raised in the parsonage,

I was 16 years old, I knew right from wrong.

But I failed the Lord!

1/1/68 was always a painful memory of my stupid

failure.

Before the sun went down Jan. 1, 1968 I begged God

to forgive me for breaking the very heart of God.

On Jan. 2nd, I begged God for His forgiveness.

On Jan. 3rd I begged God for His forgiveness.

And this continued for many years as the enemy oft

reminded me of my failure.

In 1970 I started college and moved to Tennessee

for my education.

One day as I was driving to class my enemy

rightfully accused me of my failure.

And I again asked the Lord to forgive me.

In 1973 I had been to classes, my junior year,

and driving home I remembered Jan. 1, 1968

and the enemy laughed at me for my failure.

I went to my apartment where Linda and I lived and

laid on the couch.

I know not that I was awake or asleep,

but as I lay there remembering my failures of

Jan. 1, 1968,

Jesus appeared right in front of me.

And I immediately cried and told him I was so sorry

for breaking his heart on Jan 1, 1968.

He said, Hum, Hum, as he stroked his beard, and he

reached for the book of my life.

I could see the tops of the pages,

I could see the headings : 1961, 1962..etc.

As he neared the end of 1967 my heart was broken

because I knew that he was getting close to a

terrible page in my life.

Finally, Jesus turned to the page for which I had

long dreaded.

He took his right hand and stroked his beard several

times and said, Hum!

I then had a fear come over me.

I looked in His eyes and I wondered,

I reached over and I touched the book and I pulled

it down where I could see the whole page of

Jan. 1, 1968 and to my surprise it was totally

clean!

WHITE! Snow white!

There was not one blot of dirt or anything on that

page.

I said to Jesus, "I very clearly remember

Jan. 1, 1968.

To which He replied to me,

"Son, you asked forgiveness for that on that

evening and I took my blood and

I washed your black sin and made it white as snow

and removed it as far as the East is from the West.

As far as I am concerned, you have been...

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