In Sermon Illustrations: "Spiritual Success"

The Incredible Value Of One Child

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 12, 2023

An elderly preacher was rebuked by one of his deacons one Sunday morning before the service. "Pastor," said the man, "something must be wrong with your preaching and your work. There's been only one person added to the church in a whole year, and he's just a boy." The ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Evangelism, Children, Holy Spirit, Faithfulness, Success, Spiritual Fruit, Flesh, Fruit Of The Spirit, Souls  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Game Of Redemption And Unity

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 16, 2024

In Korea, there's a popular game called "Ice or Free." The rules are simple: one person is 'it' and chases others. Players can freeze themselves if cornered by shouting "Ice," becoming immune to being tagged. They remain frozen until a teammate tags them, setting ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-2

Tags: Spiritual Support, Christian, Responsibility, Redemption, Unity, Cycle, Spiritual Growth, Community  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Going Beyond Our Teachers  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jul 9, 2013

A well-known Bible teacher gives this insight: "Someone on our staff informed me several months ago that a woman had called the ministry office to find out what my 'official position' was on a biblically gray area. When she was told that it's not my policy to make 'official' public statements ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23

Tags: Legalism, Opinion, Spiritual Growth, Debatable

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hunting Mice

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 28, 2014

HUNTING MICE It is amazing how we can focus on things that don’t matter and neglect the most important things in life. We need to learn how to choose our battles better. Leonard Ravenhill said it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:32-33

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Priorities, Little Things

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mammon

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 2, 2014

The Blessed Life is a book written Robert Morris. He talks about a crucial weed that chokes out the truth of God, the teachings of God, the Word in our life – that weed or thorny vine is called mammon – greed – the love of money which supersedes the love of the Lord Jesus. It’s a real weed and it’s ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:24

Tags: Money, Greed, Riches, Spiritual Attack

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Commitment

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 28, 2015

Dave Hood tells the story of training to run a 5K run. Every time his wife and he would go running on their favorite trail, they’d walk a little faster, and with a little more gusto. One day, a half mile in and a young lady came at them sprinting towards them. They jumped out of the way so she ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Commitment, Spiritual Growth, Running The Race

Denomination: Methodist

Augmented Reality Device Guides The Blind

Contributed by Matt Neace on Jun 19, 2018

In World magazine, Michael Cochrane shares about a new technology called “augmented reality” (AR). Using this “augmented reality” a group of researchers from Cal Tech developed an app for Microsoft’s HoloLens. This app enables blind people to navigate through buildings. According to the MIT ...read more

Tags: Direction, Call, Discipleship, Spiritual Blindness

Denomination: Baptist

Yuri Gagarin Did Not See God.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 9, 2020

Do you know the name of Yuri Gagarin?? The year was 1961 and this Russian cosmonaut was the first human to travel into space. After circling the earth, the atheistic astronaut came back and declared that he looked outside his capsule and didn’t see God anywhere. To which Dr. W. A. Criswell ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Faith, Beatitudes, Atheism, Spiritual Vision

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Satan's Three-Fold Attack

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 9, 2020

Satan tempts us in three separate ways according to I John 2:15-16: "The lust of the flesh is the desire to DO something apart from the will of God. The lust of the eyes is the desire to HAVE something apart from the will of God. The pride of life is the desire to BE something apart from ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, 1 John 2:15-16

Tags: Lust, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If Ii Were Satan...

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 14, 2021

IF I WERE SATAN… I would delude their minds into thinking that they had come from man's effort, instead of God's blessings; I would promote an attitude of loving things and using people, instead of the other way around; I would convince people that character is not an issue when it comes ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7-9

Tags: America, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, The Devil

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fooled By Our Emotions

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 17, 2023

One of the most difficult things, all Christians must surely admit, is to differentiate between a truly spiritual fervor and a carnal, animal zeal and enthusiasm. Natural animal spirits and temperament may very well make one fervent and zealous.... There is nothing of which a preacher needs to be ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:21, Jeremiah 17:9

Tags: Spirituality, Enthusiasm, Martin Lloyd Jones

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

My Six-Eyed Mother

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

I grew up in Amarillo, Texas. And I remember watching my mom navigate the wonderful world of vision changes as I got older. First she started holding the newspaper at arm's length, squinting like she was trying to read smoke signals. Then came the reading glasses. Those little drugstore ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:22-25

Tags: Faith, Spiritual Blindness, Seeking Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Are Those Who Will Frown Upon Those Who ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"There are those who will frown upon those who set ambitious goals, and yet without goals there can be no achievement, and with ...read more

Tags: Success, Goals, Confidence, Achievement

An Executive Was Asked What Her Formula For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"An executive was asked what her formula for success was. It's very simple, she said. Just ten simple two-letter ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:12-13

Tags: Salvation, Work, Workplace Success

Little Things - Big Blessings  PRO

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Oct 5, 2009

LITTLE THINGS - BIG BLESSINGS When we lived in Houston, Texas, our oldest Spencer was born. Spencer was placed in one of the vast Texas-sized nurseries at this hospital. There in that nursery, I met a group of volunteers who were all from a nearby church. The job of these volunteers in the nursery ...read more

Tags: Sacrifice, Obedience, Security, Success

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Love Or Achievement

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Dec 9, 2019

I once heard a woman give a remarkable account of achievement. An early feminist, she gained renown in the male-dominated field of endocrinology. She brushes shoulders with Nobel laureates and world leaders, and has lived as full and rich a life as any I have known. At the end of her story she ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, 1 John 4:7-8

Tags: Love, Success, Meaning Of Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Swimming With The Sharks

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 4, 2024

A millionaire decides to throw a massive party for his fiftieth birthday. During the party he grabs the mic and he announces to his guests that down in the garden of his mansion he has a swimming pool with two great white sharks in it. “The man who dares to swim across that pool gets 1 MILLION ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-8

Tags: Spiritual Battles, Abraham, Spiritual Maturity, Trials, Problems, Temptations, Tests Of Faith, Faith, Discipleship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Devoting Yourself

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 21, 2014

DEVOTING YOURSELF When it says they "devoted themselves" it means they were steadfast or single minded in purpose or desire. They wanted it and they were going after it, so to speak. In 2008 Sanya Richards-Ross competed in the 400 Meter in Beijing. She started the race strong and built a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: Devotion, Church Body Of Christ, Spiritual Discipline

Where Are You Leading?

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 18, 2014

David Wheeler tells of a funeral procession that illustrates a leader’s influence. David officiated at a funeral. In accordance with custom, after the funeral, the attenders filed out of the funeral home and into their waiting cars to form a processional to the cemetery. The hearse led the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-13

Tags: Funeral, Role Model, Spiritual Leadership, Outhouse

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Singing

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 18, 2014

Do not neglect your gift. Susan Boyle, age 48, of Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland. REMEMBER HER? She thrilled England and the world when she stood on that stage competing in the Britain’s Got Talent contest on April 11, 2009, and sang, “I Dreamed A Dream.” That was the most watched youtube clip ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:14

Tags: Spiritual Gifts, Using Talents, Gifts Talents

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ