In Sermon Illustrations: "Holy"

What's That?

Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 12, 2011

WHAT'S THAT? What a tragedy if Clark Kent never knew that he was Superman? Can we imagine Clark Kent on his deathbed, looking down and muttering, "What’s that big 'S' on my T-shirt? Superman? What’s that?" How sad! All his life he could have been catching speeding bullets and leaping tall ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

As One Biblical Scholar Put It, "Christianity ...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Jan 26, 2012

As one Biblical scholar put it, "Christianity can never become our responsibility until we acknowledge that it is primarily ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: *other

The "Wrapping" Of Pentecost

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 5, 2012

THE "WRAPPING" OF PENTECOST We must put this in proper perspective. Those who see Pentecost's main significance as miraculous powers are missing the new thing that was being done, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is like someone who receives a beautifully wrapped birthday gift. After ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Spurgeon's Poor Sermon

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 14, 2012

SPURGEON'S POOR SERMON Mr. Spurgeon once preached what in his judgment was one of his poorest sermons. He stammered and floundered, and when he got through felt that it had been a complete failure. He was greatly humiliated, and when he got home he fell on his knees and said, "Lord, God, thou ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:26

Tags: Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Baptist

The Issue Isn't Whether Or Not God Is Speaking; ...

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 15, 2012

The issue isn't whether or not God is speaking; it’s whether we will have ears to hear what he says. [Hybels, Bill (2010-07-27). The Power of a Whisper: Hearing God, ...read more

Scripture: John 14:26

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Baptist

The Keeper Of The Springs By Peter Marshall  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

THE KEEPER OF THE SPRINGS by Peter Marshall Once upon a time, a certain town grew up at the foot of a mountain range. It was sheltered in the lee of the protecting heights, so that the wind that shuddered at the doors and flung handfuls of sleet against the window panes was a wind whose fury was ...read more

Scripture: John 4:4-42

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

It's What's Under The Hood That Counts  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 25, 2012

IT'S WHAT'S UNDER THE HOOD THAT COUNTS Harry Reider tells a story about the first car that he ever owned. He was sixteen years old and his father took him to a car auction and bought a pink car for $75. It was a 1957 Ford that his dad insisted that the color was really "coral." "I can't drive a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Sometimes We Need A Steward

Contributed by Francis Balla on Nov 15, 2012

SOMETIMES WE NEED A STEWARD If you ever get to Venice, one of the places to see is Saint Mark's Square, the spot Napoleon called "the drawing room of Europe." But if you go there, make sure your belly is covered up. It’s not that there's exactly a dress code, but there is an expectation of ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Baptist

It Is Said That God Doesn't Call The Qualified ...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Dec 2, 2012

It is said that God doesn't call the qualified but qualifies the called. Joshua who succeeded Moses was not that great leader's biological son but rather was hand-picked by the Almighty out of His grace alone to replace Moses (Numbers 27:12-23). Cannot the same be said of Jesus' disciples? They had ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit Attributes

Denomination: *other

A Woman Sees A Father Shopping With A Fussy ...  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Jun 3, 2013

A woman sees a father shopping with a fussy two-year-old in his grocery cart. “Be patient, Billy,” he whispers. “You can handle this, Billy. It’s okay, Billy.” The woman said to him, “I don’t mean to interrupt your shopping, but I just had to tell you how wonderfully loving and patient you are ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-33, Genesis 15:1-6

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Baptist

When We Are Best For Communities

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 21, 2014

J. K. Jones, professor at Lincoln: "We are best for our communities when we are ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:17

Tags: Community, Holiness, Distinctiveness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Simpson's Cocoa Powder

Contributed by Jason Albertson on Nov 8, 2014

There was a little boy once who was reading an advertisement for Simpson’s cocoa powder and asked his mother, “Mom, what does ‘100% pure’ mean?” “It means completely clean, with nothing bad in it.” Later, as she knelt by him as he prayed before going to bed, she heard him say the words, “Dear ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:8

Tags: Purity, Personal Holiness

Denomination: Methodist

Clean Pigeon

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 9, 2015

Lester Roloff told about visiting a friend in Massillon, Ohio who had a number of pigeons. During the visit his friend showed him one of the birds and said, “See this bird. She just flew 500 miles from St. Louis to Massillon non stop.” Roloff interrupted his host: Come on, non stop! How do you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Tags: Clean, Holiness, Sanctify

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Christians Should Live In The World, But Not Be Filled With It.

Contributed by Tony Abram on Jan 15, 2016

Christians should live in the world, but not be filled with it. A ship lives in the water; but if the water gets into the ship, she goes to the bottom. So Christians may live in the world; ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-3, Romans 12:2, Romans 12:2

Tags: World, Holy Living

Growing Up

Contributed by Tony Abram on Jan 21, 2018

I am not what I might be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be. But I thank God I am not what I once was, and I can say ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-3

Tags: Sanctified, Holiness Walk

Growing Through Pain

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Oct 2, 2020

Paul Tournier, the famous Swiss physician and counselor, reported his surprise in his book Creative Suffering upon reading an article entitled “Orphans Lead the World.” The article appeared in a respected medical journal and surveyed the lives of 300 leaders who had an impact on world history. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:14-27

Tags: Holy Spirit, Suffering

Denomination: Baptist

Stopping To Focus

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 28, 2022

Have you ever wondered why a pigeon walks so funny? According to an interesting article in the Detroit Free Press, a pigeon walks the way it does so it can’t see where it’s going. Because it can’t adjust its focus as it moves, the pigeon actually has to bring its head to a complete stop between ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1, John 15:1-11

Tags: Holy Spirit, Dependence

The 100% Solution!

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2022

Since the beginning of time, mankind has craved peace! When Adam and Eve came upon the body of their son Abel, slain by his brother Cain, they no doubt longed for peace. The peculiar thing about peace is this; man has always longed for the time when peace was in his life––yet peace has so seldom ...read more

Scripture: John 14:25-27

Tags: Holy Spirit, Peace

Are We Hypocrites?

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 13, 2025

I once saw a video of a pastor who had figures, covered with sheets, up in the front of the church. As he started to preach, they were uncovered and you could see monsters and scary characters related to Halloween. The preacher kept asking, “Should these be in the House of God?” The congregation ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:11-12

Tags: Holiness, Halloween, Hypocrite

Denomination: Methodist

Woe Is Me!

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on May 13, 2026

There’s a shift that happens in the soul when we truly see God. In Book of Isaiah 1-5, the prophet looks out at the world and says, “Woe to them…” Corruption, injustice, pride-it’s all clear. Easy to name. Easy to condemn. But then comes the vision in Book of Isaiah. “I saw the Lord…” And ...read more

Tags: Holiness, Wonder, Woe

Denomination: Pentecostal