In Sermon Illustrations: "Spiritually Dead"

Praying The Armor Of God

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 12, 2019

PRAYING THE ARMOR OF GOD This is a prayer I shared with our congregation after teaching a series on Spiritual Warfare based upon an exposition of Ephesians 6:10-18. "Good morning, Lord. It’s going to be a great day because I am preparing to win spiritual battles for Your glory and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

While Using This Illustration You Need A Clear ...

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Nov 12, 2008

While using this illustration you need a clear pitcher with a small amount of diluted coffee in it, and a pitcher of clear water to pour into the coffee to illustrate the point Jesus Christ gives us living water (John 4). So water mixed with dirt makes mud. So when we are saved we receive the ...read more

Tags: Sanctification, Spiritual Growth

Denomination: Baptist

Stop Look And Listen

Contributed by David Parks on Oct 11, 2023

Stop Look and Listen Early in the 20th century, with the advent of the automobile, the country's largest railroad became concerned about the many collisions at crossings. The company offered $2,500 for the three best words to use on a warning sign. The top prize winner was paid $833 for ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:15-21, Romans 10:17, Psalm 19:1

Tags: Faith, Spirituality, Materialism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What Are You Willing To Camp Out For?

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

A few years ago, a Chick-fil-A opened up in Murfreesboro and they ran that “First 100” promotion. The first 100 adults through the doors at 6 a.m. would get free Chick-fil-A for a year, basically a free meal every week. So people did what people do when something is on the line. They showed up ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:25-27

Tags: Priorities, Spiritual Discipline

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Higher You Climb

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

In college I was certified in belaying at Texas Tech's rock climbing wall, and we would go and climb there many times a week. Many of the routes, when you're at the bottom looking up, you might think, "That doesn't look so bad. I bet I could climb that pretty easily." But as ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-15

Tags: Humility, Spiritual Growth

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Muscle Memory Of The Violin

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

From 5th grade through high school graduation, I played the violin. I was serious about it, participating in all-region orchestras, competitions, all of that. My senior recital was performing the Bach Double Concerto with one of my best friends. Here's the thing about playing a string ...read more

Scripture: John 21:3, Romans 7:15

Tags: Spiritual Drift, Sanctification

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Year I Thought I Killed The Vine

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 20, 2026

Years ago, my wife and I moved into a new house in Michigan. There was a grapevine growing along the fence. We were getting into gardening, and I thought, “This is fantastic. We have a grapevine.” The first year, the vine looked amazing. It was long and healthy. It stretched along the fence, ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-8

Tags: Spiritual Fruit, Spiritual Growth, Abiding In Christ, Pruning

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

In 1936 Revival Fires Broke Out On The Campus Of ...

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 9, 2008

In 1936 revival fires broke out on the campus of Wheaton College west of Chicago. A senior named Don Hillis arose in chapel to voice a plea for revival. Students responded with an all-day prayer meeting on Saturday. Both faculty and students confessed sin and made things right with one another. ...read more

Tags: Acting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jesus Stated, "Unless You Eat The Flesh . . . And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

Jesus stated, “Unless you eat the flesh . . . and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (v. 53). Eating flesh and drinking blood sounds like the Lord’s Supper or Communion, where Jesus spoke of the bread as his body and the cup as his blood (Matthew 26:26-28). Warren Wiersbe tells us, “I do not ...read more

Romans 6,7 & 8 Compared & Contrasted

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 15, 2019

Romans 6 deals with the believer being dead to Sin. Romans 7 deals with the believer being dead to the Law. Romans 8 deals with the believer being alive in the Spirit, who gives us the power to life the "victorious ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1-13

Tags: The Law, Sin, Dead To Sin, Alive In Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Impressive Record

Contributed by Elijah Stepp on May 11, 2008

AN IMPRESSIVE RECORD An anonymous author made this striking observation: Socrates taught for forty years, Plato for fifty, Aristotle for forty, and Jesus for only three. Yet the influence of Christ's three-year ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined 130 years of teaching ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Buttprints In The Sand  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2004

Buttprints in the Sand One night, I had a wondrous dream; One set of footprints there was seen. The footprints of my precious Lord, But mine were not along the shore. But then some stranger prints appeared, And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?" "Those prints are large and round and neat, But, ...read more

Tags: Growth, Servanthood, Service, Spiritual

Superficiality: The Curse Of Our Age

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Oct 20, 2013

"Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a great number of intelligent ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Tags: Disciplines Meditation, Spiritual Discipline

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Gossip Test

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 1, 2021

Another basic concept – sin creates spiritual blindness. Let me illustrate with my favorite sin to talk about… GOSSIP. I’ll stop right here and make sure you know how I define gossip. Before you tell someone a story about another person (even disguised as a prayer request), it needs to pass all ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:37-45

Tags: Sin, Gossip, Spiritual Blindness

Denomination: Methodist

An Appetite For God

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Mar 5, 2026

It is the desire for God which is the most fundamental appetite of all, and it is an appetite we can never eliminate. We may seek to disown it, but it will not go away. If we deny that it is there, we shall in fact only divert it to some other object or range of objects. And that will mean that we ...read more

Scripture: John 6:35, John 6:58

Tags: Faith, God, Spiritual Hunger

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Scratch Resistant

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 6, 2022

I was emailing with a friend about the intense testing we all seemed to be experiencing when she emailed back to me: I think a very good analogy for the unending intense spiritual attacks is to liken it to how a diamond is formed… Diamonds are formed under extreme pressure and intense heat, ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 13:9

Tags: Endurance, Fiery Trials, Spiritual Strength, Refining, Tests, Spiritual Attacks  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Movie – Saving Private Ryan. It Is Loosely Based ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on May 6, 2007

Movie – Saving Private Ryan. It is loosely based on the story of four brothers who served during WW II. Because it was believed three of them had died in battle, a Division was sent deep into enemy lines to bring the last one home alive. It is this scene where Tom Hanks, playing Captain John ...read more

Denomination: Salvation Army

A Joke To Share When Attendance In The First Service Begins To Drop

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 12, 2024

One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the church. The plaque was covered with names, and small American flags were mounted on either side of it. The seven-year-old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:25

Tags: Church, Worship, Pastors, Attending Church, Dead Churches  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If There Is No God, Who Decides?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Mar 6, 2026

In 1882, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote a short parable that still echoes through Western culture. He imagines a man running into a crowded marketplace in broad daylight, holding a lantern. He cries out, “Where is God? I will tell you—we have killed Him. You and I. We are His ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17, Judges 2:10-15

Tags: Evil, Culture, Meaning, Good, Values, God Is Dead  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Unexpected Answer

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 26, 2021

My sister didn’t do as well on her driver’s-ed test as she’d hoped. It might have had something to do with how she completed this sentence: “When the ______ is dead, the car won’t start.” She ...read more

Tags: Spiritual, Power, Leadership, Animation, Empowered, Fiath  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible