In Sermon Illustrations: "Spiritual Success"

Worship At A Garbage Dump

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 21, 2012

WORSHIP AT A GARBAGE DUMP Imagine a town built atop an active landfill. That is "Garbage City" in Cairo, Egypt, longtime home to an impoverished, marginalized community of Coptic Christians for whom life is only going to get harder. The so-called Zabbaleen have been the trash collectors of Cairo ...read more

Scripture: John 4:24

Tags: Worship General

Business ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 26, 2012

BUSINESS CARD When someone sees an acquaintance that they haven’t seen in some time the first question is usually “How have you been?” The second question usually varies. For ladies it’s usually “How’s the family?” For guys it’s usually “So what have you been up to?” For guys it’s about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:20

Tags: Christian Witness

So Many Valuable Possessions  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Sep 26, 2012

SO MANY VALUABLE POSSESSIONS Waylon Prendergast, 37, of Tampa, Florida, committed a spur-of-the-moment robbery while on his way home from a late-night drinking session. A very inebriated Mr. Prendergast forced his way into the house through an open upstairs window, filling a suitcase with cash and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:25-31, Luke 23:28-34

Tags: Blessing, Forgive, Nightmare

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Loving Neighbour

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Feb 29, 2016

A Little Pointer on Keeping a Balance Here’s a little bonus tip that I’ve found helpful to keep my wits about me as I live next to these wild Vikings we call sinners, pagans, and wacko unbelievers while keeping my vertical relationship with God strong. It’s called “whimsical holiness,” which is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:34

Tags: Witnessing Tools, Loving Neighbor

Denomination: Baptist

Human Ingenuity And The Genius Of God

Contributed by Jerry Stephens on Mar 26, 2016

Recently, I was watching a documentary about the top 101 inventions of all time. Pretty cool stuff. Human ingenuity is pretty amazing. We’ve figured out how to do all kinds of things. What are some of the best things human imagination has come up with? I have to tell you, they may not be very ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-29

Tags: Faith, Trusting God, Eternal Life, Human Wisdom

Denomination: Vineyard

A Boost For Not Boasting!!!

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Oct 21, 2016

A Boost for not Boasting!!! Probably you have heard this story before but here it goes again...a tale involving a frog prone to self-boasting and his two crane friends who planned to “live happily together ever after” inhabiting as they were a pond overflowing with rich flora and fauna but that ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 9:23-24

Tags: Power, Prudence, Boasting In Christ

Denomination: *other

Eight Tests Every Christian Will Face

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 20, 2019

Below are brief descriptions of eight types of tests that every Christian will likely face: • Fiery trials: intense encounters or struggles; bursts of anger, grief, or lust • Infirmities: physical limitations and illnesses • Reproaches: ridicule and rejection on account of faith or ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:1-9

Tags: Trials, Temptations, Faith, Tribulation, Tests  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Just A Touch

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Dec 17, 2020

Mar 5:27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:27-34

Tags: Faith, Desire, Touch, Crowds

Denomination: Baptist

There Are Many Mysteries

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Aug 25, 2021

There are 12 or 13 diseases that Doctors know nothing about or very little. They are Mystery's. One such mystery disease is “the sleeping sickness”. From 1917 to 1928, half a million people were afflicted with a ghastly condition that could be part of the plot-line of a horror film. The ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: Mystery Of God Can Be Found, Mysteries

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Martin Luther And The Gospel

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 20, 2022

Martin Luther: 1483-1546 In 2017 – the 400th anniversary of the Reformation, I had the privilege to visit Wittenberg, Germany, birthplace of the Reformation. I walked the cobblestone streets, and even toured Luther’s home. The prodigious Martin Luther appeared headed for the legal profession but ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:17, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Galatians 1:1-9

Tags: Faith, Salvation, Gospel, The Cross, Reformation, Justification By Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sailing Into A New Harbor (Funeral)

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 1, 2023

BIBLE For I am already being poured out ... like a drink offering, ... and the time has come for my departure. ..... I have fought the good fight, .... I have finished the race, .... I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, .... which the Lord, .... the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Tags: Death, Ship, Funeral, Departure, Harbor, Horizon  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

The Sinner's Friend

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 6, 2023

There's the story told by Watchman Nee, the Chinese evangelist where he was talking to another Christian in his home. They were downstairs, as was his friend's son. The friend's wife and mother were in an upstairs room. All at once the little boy wanted something and called out to his ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-26, Luke 19:1-10, John 1:14

Tags: Evangelism, Incarnation, Friend Of Sinners

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Fathers Make A Difference

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 15, 2023

According to the 2022 U.S. Census Bureau, 18.4 million children, 1 in 4, live without a biological, step, or adoptive father in the home. That’s enough children to fill New York City twice or Los Angeles four times over. Research shows that a father's absence affects children in numerous ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:21

Tags: Dad, Fathers Day, Reading

Denomination: Methodist

Pray The Book Of Psalms

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 4, 2024

Wesley and Stacey Campbell describe in their book Praying the Bible: The Pathway to Spirituality: A few years ago, we were ministering in the mountains of Puebla, which is about a 4 hour drive from Mexico City. The situation was most desperate. The Indians of the area lived in villages built ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:164

Tags: Bible, Psalms, Prayer

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Susan Boyle Story

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 26, 2026

ARE WE FACING A STUMBLING BLOCK OR A STEPPING STONE? Do we allow problems and obstacles to define how we feel and what we accomplish? Ever heard of a lady named Susan Boyles? Many defined her by her handicaps. At birth Susan's brain was without oxygen for 5 minutes. Her family refused to become ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Proverbs 13:22

Tags: Obstacles, Opportunities

Denomination: Assembly Of God

You Probably Have Heard The Name Levi Strauss, ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Kolk on Jan 27, 2001

You probably have heard the name Levi Strauss, but do you know the name of Jacob Davis? You know of Levi Strauss because of Levi's blue jeans. Levi made the most of an opportunity given him by a man named Jacob Davis. I got the following story from the Levi's website. Levi Strauss was a dry ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Tags: Leadership General, Workplace

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Works  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 29, 2002

PRAYER WORKS George Muller was born in Prussia on September 27, 1805. His father was a collector of taxes and George seemed to inherit his father’s ability with figures. When Muller was converted to Christ he was impressed by the many recurring statements of Jesus for us "to ask." At this point ...read more

Scripture: James 4:2-3

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Adoration, Blessed, Blessing

Fear, Love, Joy  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 7, 2003

FEAR, LOVE, JOY In the movie First Knight, Lancelot (played by Richard Gere) is a wanderer and highly skilled swordsman who fights for whoever will pay him. Seeing a princess and her entourage under attack in the woods, he decides to save her. Attracted to the princess, Guinevere, he later visits ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, Love Of The Disciples, Joy

Years Ago Father John Powell Told The Story Aboit ...  PRO

Contributed by Erik Estep on Nov 13, 2003

Years ago Father John Powell told the story aboit a young girl named Norma Jean Mortenson. She was a young girl who spent much of her childhood in foster homes. In one of those foster homes, when she was 8 years old, she was abused physically and given a nickel and told to tell no one. ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Baptist

A Story Is Told About A Meeting Satan Had With ...  PRO

Contributed by Adam Deibert on May 7, 2004

A story is told about a meeting Satan had with his chief demons. Christianity was spreading rapidly and growing fervently, and they needed to devise a way to undermine the work. The arch deceiver called for suggestions. “We could bring some more hypocrites into the church” said one. “No,” said ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist