Sermon Illustrations

GOD'S RICH GRACE

NPR Radio reported this week (July 5, 2011) that a well known Hindu temple in southern India has revealed vast treasures and hidden secrets.

The temple itself was well known and previously unguarded. It had been there for hundreds of years (since 1566) and open to the public. But someone recently decided to "explore" the temple a bit and found some hidden vaults and secret chambers within it. A huge treasure was found — gold, diamonds, silver, jewelry, and precious stones ... WORTH OVER 25 BILLION DOLLARS!

And it was just setting in an ancient public building.

Ephesians 3:14-19 says, "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

As we look at the Fruit of the Spirit we are reminded of what a treasure they are for us. They are God’s strength for our inner being as He dwells in our hearts; and they flow from His glorious riches!

And those riches are so often untapped and unguarded. They are there for the taking! God eagerly wants you to grow in His grace and power.

(Source: Dr. Ken Pell, Potsdam Church of the Nazarene, Potsdam, NY; www.potsdam-naz.org)

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