In Sermon Illustrations: "Personal Holiness"

Rearranging Ashes

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 8, 2010

Rearranging Ashes The story is told of an eastern ascetic holy man who covered himself with ashes as a sign of humility and regularly sat on a prominent street corner of his city. When tourists asked permission to take his picture, the mystic would rearrange his ashes to give the best image of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 2:1-14, Matthew 6:1-18

Tags: Hypocrisy

In March 2009, A 62-Year Old Woman Was Charged ...

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Jun 23, 2010

In March 2009, a 62-year old woman was charged with stealing more than $73,000 from her church in the state of Washington. When the detectives interrogated her, she told them: “Satan had a big part in the theft.” It sounds like she was saying that the devil made her do it. Satan may have played a ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Holding Confirmed Tickets

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Dec 31, 2010

HOLDING CONFIRMED TICKETS Sometime when you're in an airport, observe the difference between passengers who hold confirmed tickets and those who are on standby. The ones with confirmed tickets read newspapers, chat with their friends or sleep. The ones on standby hang around the ticket ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: *other

The "Going Out"

Contributed by Terry Barnhill on Feb 26, 2012

THE "GOING OUT" We read in John 15:26, "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me." The "sending" the "going out" which Jesus refers to here is not like a king sending a servant. It is an extending ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Life's Challenges

Contributed by T.j. Conwell on Apr 18, 2017

Whenever I think about how difficult life is, I'm always reminded and encouraged by these two verses, especially this week. Imagine this: Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and God's only Son, who is about to be arrested and crucified for me ... prays for me. What if we treated one another like this ...read more

Scripture: John 17:11-12

Tags: Life Challenge, Servanthood, Faith In Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Strongs Says It This Way "Christ And The ...  PRO

Contributed by Emile Wolfaardt on Jul 13, 2001

Strongs says it this way "Christ and the believer have the same life. They are not separate persons linked together by some temporary bond of friendship,-they are united by a tie as ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ, Divinity Of Christ

Denomination: *other

70 Million Americans Are Social Drinkers; The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

70 million Americans are social drinkers; the amount of alcohol consumed per person has risen 40% in the U.S. in the past ...read more

Tags: Addiction

At A Recent Missions Conference Attended By ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 11, 2002

At a recent missions conference attended by thousands of evangelical students, only one third of the participants indicated their belief that "a person who does not hear the ...read more

Tags: Great Commission, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What I See In Nature Is A Grand Design That We ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"What I see in Nature is a grand design that we can understand only imperfectly, one with which a responsible person must look at with humility. This is a genuine ...read more

Tags: Creation

Your Love Is Your Own Private Possession, But ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Your love is your own private possession, but marriage is more than something personal it is a status, an officeit is marriage, and not merely your love for each ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

6 In 10 Catholics Describe God As

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2009

6 in 10 Catholics describe God as "a person with whom people can have a relationship," while 3 in 10 described God as an ...read more

Tags: Religion

Sometimes God Sends The Brilliant Light Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

Sometimes God sends the brilliant light of a rainbow to remind us of His presence, lest we forget in our personal darkness His great and gracious ...read more

Tags: Disappointment, God's Provision, Promises Of God

Most Generous: The Wesleyan Church, Christian ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2006

Most Generous: The Wesleyan Church, Christian Missionary & Alliance and the Assemblies of God are the only denominations that report contributions over 5% of annual ...read more

Tags: Giving General

A Famous Atheist Once Said, "If I Believed In ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jun 1, 2002

A famous atheist once said, "If I believed in hell as Christians do I would crawl on my hands and knees around the world to tell ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In 'a Guide To Spiritual Success', There Was A ...

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Aug 25, 2008

In 'A Guide to Spiritual Success', there was a chapter devoted to the importance of the local church. In it, Tony Evans said this, "Our relationship to the corporate body of Christians is crucial ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Children's Talk: Running A Race. ...

Contributed by C Vincent on Feb 13, 2009

Illustration: Children’s Talk: Running a race. Share what you have in life with others. Pass the baton to the next person. God started this race and was at the ...read more

Tags: Missions

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Listening To What People Say Is The Starting ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Listening to what people say is the starting point toward understanding them. The supervisor who listens with an open mind, giving thought to the significance of what is said, ...read more

Tags: Leadership Listening

Leadership Is Stirring People So They Are Moved ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Leadership is stirring people so they are moved from inside themselves. It is stating goals that excite them and lift their sights. It is setting the personal example, putting enthusiasm into the ...read more

Tags: Gifts Leadership

How Much Would It Take For A Lady To Give Up Her Mirror?

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Sep 1, 2009

How much would it take for a lady to give up her mirror? That might be the 56 and a quarter million dollar question. I thought about a show of hands here, ...read more

Tags: Mirror, Sacrifices, Tent Of Meeting, Community Worship

Denomination: Salvation Army

God Stops To Hear Your Cry

Contributed by Tony Abram on Sep 11, 2012

GOD STOPS TO HEAR YOUR CRY As a young person sitting in the choir of Kathryn Kuhlman I heard her say many times, "God will stop making ...read more

Tags: God's Love