Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas

Sermon Illustrations

Many today try to explain away their sin by denial. "I live a good moral life" they say or "I’m just as good as the next guy". They over estimate themselves with too high a view of their condition.

Muhammad Ali, who is one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century and maybe the best boxer of all time is well known for his personal view of himself. He said of himself, "I am the greatest". One day Ali was in flight to a major city when the plane began to experience some major turbulence. The captain ordered all passengers to return to their seats and buckle their seatbelts. One of the flight attendants noticed one of the passengers had not buckled his seat belt. It was Ali, but the flight attendant did not follow boxing and did not know who he was. She approached him and said "Sir, the captain has ordered everyone to buckle up." Ali did not respond but just glared straight ahead ignoring her. She verbally confronts him again and he continues to ignore her. Finally she reaches down to buckle his seatbelt herself. He quickly and firmly grabs her hand glares into her eyes and says, "Superman don’t need no seatbelt" To which the young attendant quickly responds "Superman don’t need no airplane, now buckle your seatbelt" Sometimes our view of our condition is too high.

Related Sermon Illustrations

Related Sermons