In Sermon Illustrations: "Life In Christ"

The Smelly Man

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: The only thing that can wash away sin is the blood of Jesus. Verse: “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6 NKJV). Illustration: A smelly man came to visit me. He needed a bath so bad. He wanted to hug me and talk to me. I ...read more

Tags: Blood Of Jesus, Wash Away Sin, Sin

Denomination: Charismatic

Saint Or Sinner

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 19, 2021

In the “Freedom in Christ” course, Neil Anderson and Steve Goss, share an illustration that I just love – “You know the fairy tale of the princess who decided to kiss a frog? When she kissed the frog, he changes into a handsome prince. Now imagine they go out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:2

Tags: Princess, Prince, Sinners, Saints, Frog  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Church Attendance In The Usa At An All-Time Low

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 5, 2022

During the First Great Awakening, 20 percent of the colonial population came to Christ and joined churches. Today, less than 20 percent regularly attend church. Discussed at length in his book The American Church in Crisis, David Olson conducted research showing that only 17.5 percent of the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Evangelism, Church, Worship, America, Revival, Church Attendance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Holy Spirit Had A Monopoly On Moody

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 13, 2022

Dwight L. Moody was a shoe salesman from Chicago who fell in love with Jesus and started sharing his faith with everyone he met. Even though he was never ordained or had formal training, God used him to reach thousands for Christ as an evangelist. There was a group of British pastors who were ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit, Preaching, Revival, Jealousy, Moody, Critical Spirit, Preachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Faith Is Resting My Whole Weight On God!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 23, 2023

When missionary John Paton was translating the Scripture for the South Sea islanders, he was unable to find a word in their vocabulary for the concept of believing, trusting, or having faith. He had no idea how he would convey that to them. One day while he was in his hut translating, a native came ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Faith, Revival, Faithfulness, Spiritual Fruit, Fruit Of The Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Haman Is A Type Of The Antichrist

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 28, 2023

Some Bible students have seen in Haman an illustration of the “man of sin”, or the Antichrist, who will one day appear and ruthlessly rule over humanity (2 Thess. 2; Rev. 13). Haman was given great authority from the king, and Satan will give great power to this wicked world ruler we call the ...read more

Tags: Esther, End Times, Man Of Sin, Prophecy, Second Coming, Antichrist, Rapture, Tribulation, Haman  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Whole New Understanding Of Patience

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 22, 2024

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to "run with endurance" the race set before us. George Matheson wrote, "We commonly associate endure or patience with lying down. We think of it as the angel that guards the couch of the invalid. Yet, there is a patience that I believe to be harder -- the ...read more

Tags: Patience, Prophets, Waiting On The Lord, Job, Endurance, Second Coming  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Goal Of Spiritual Gifts

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 24, 2025

Spiritual Gifts were documented in Class Meetings within the Wesleyan tradition. It was there that members shared their lives – the successes and the struggles. They would search the Scriptures for answers, and they would pray for each other. Those prayers included listening for a Word from the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10-11, 1 Corinthians 12:28

Tags: Small Groups, Class Meeting, Love, Spiritual Gifts

Denomination: Methodist

People Generally Don't Like Change

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 30, 2025

People generally don't like change. As Mark Twain famously said, "The only person who likes change is a wet baby." There's a lot of truth to that quote. Many times, we think of change as being a bad thing, and we older people have seen a lot of bad changes in our lifetimes. *But ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:16-34

Tags: Demon Possession, Spiritual Transformation, Paul, Salvation, Missions, Silas, Christian Service, Philippian Jailer, Evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

No Man Is Worth His Salt Who Is Not Ready At All ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Infanzon on Apr 10, 2001

No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his body… to risk his well being… to risk his ...read more

Tags: Faith, Finding Fulfillment, Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

D.l. Moody: Approached One Day By A Man Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on May 6, 2001

D.L. MOODY: Approached one day by a man who claimed to have no sin in his life: ’Well, I would ...read more

Tags: Marriage Obligations, Sin General

Growing Old — Phyllis Diller

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Joke- Growing Old- Phyllis Diller Maybe it’s true that life begins at fifty...but everything else starts ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Eugene Kennedy: "The Real Test Of Friendship Is: ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Eugene Kennedy: "The real test of friendship is: can you literally do nothing with the other person? Can you enjoy those ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony

A Police Officer Under Extreme Stress Is Five ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

A police officer under extreme stress is five times more likely to take his own life than to be shot in the ...read more

Tags: Stress

Smalley Says, "Beliefs Are So Powerful That They ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 4, 2008

Smalley says, "Beliefs are so powerful that they not only change your perception of life but also how you act in response to ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Think Of Death As A Glad Awakening From This ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"I think of death as a glad awakening from this troubled sleep which we call life, as an emancipation from a world which, beautiful ...read more

Tags: Death

To Me, My Son Didn't Diehe's More Alive Than ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"To me, my son didn't diehe's more alive than ever. Each of us has to keep a rendezvous with deathbut I believe ...read more

Tags: Death

He Is Your Friend, Your Partner, Your Defender, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his leader. He will be yours, faithful ...read more

Tags: Family

There Is A Common Tendency To Cling To Old Ways ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"There is a common tendency to cling to old ways and methods. Every innovation has to fight for its life, and every good thing ...read more

Tags: Thought

If There Is Any Great Secret Of Success In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"If there is any great secret of success in life, it lies in the ability to put yourself in the other persons place and to see things ...read more

Tags: Workplace Success