In Sermon Illustrations: "Temptation Pride"

We Recently Watched A Movie Titled, "Behind Enemy ...

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Nov 15, 2003

We recently watched a movie titled, “Behind Enemy Lines”. An American pilot is down behind enemy lines in Croatia, and trying to avoid search parties while making it to his pick up spot. A professional assassin has been given the task of hunting him down, and this assassin has been required to ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Temptation General

Denomination: Orthodox

A Good-Looking Society Woman Was Invited To An ...  PRO

Contributed by Dawn Marie Turner on Nov 2, 2004

A good-looking society woman was invited to an expensive fund-raising dinner in New York City. She was seated next to a wealthy lawyer. During the meal, they had a chance to get to know each other and were having a good time. When the meal was finished, the lawyer leaned over and asked the woman if ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed, Temptation Resisting

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Two Men Are Seated In A Plane. The First Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Two men are seated in a plane. The first is given a parachute and told to put is on as it would improve his flight. He’s a little skeptical at first because he can’t see how wearing a parachute in a plane could possibly improve the flight. After a time he decides to experiment and see if the claim ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 39:1-23, Psalm 66:10

Tags: Temptation, Tempt, God's Provision

Dove Candy Bars Have Came Up With Some ...

Contributed by Timothy Mcmillan on Aug 14, 2008

Dove candy bars have came up with some chocolates that are individually wrapped that provide different messages for today. From the Promises Messages came this promise for today. “Temptation is ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:23

Tags: Sin Wages Of, Temptation And Sin

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What Happened To King Neb Was Unique --- ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Oct 17, 2012

What happened to King Neb was unique --- I’ve never heard of anything quite like it --- a King eating grass for 7 years like an animal. But on the other hand, the spiritual experience it represents is more common than we’d like to think. I remember a father of one of my youth group kids years ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To, Temptation General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Seared Conscience  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 27, 2013

Years ago a wise man wrote this, "In my heart is an arrowhead with sharp edges. If I do wrong, it turns and it cuts me. If I do wrong too much, I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:2, Nehemiah 1:4-10

Tags: Sin, Conscience, Temptation General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Visiting Preacher  PRO

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 13, 2014

A pastor went out visiting his church members on a Saturday afternoon. At one house, it was obvious that someone was home, but nobody came to the door even though the preacher knocked several times. Finally, the minister took out his church business card and wrote out "Revelation 3:20" on the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-10

Tags: Temptation, Adam And Eve, Sin

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Trials And Tea Bags

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 14, 2014

Christians are like tea bags --- they always do their best when ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Tags: Temptation, Christians, Troubles, Trial

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Man Uses Gun For Backscratcher, Shoots Himself

Contributed by Matt Neace on Jun 19, 2018

Jorge Espinal was drinking beer and playing poker around 3 a.m. on a Sunday morning in his house, when he got up from the table and walked into another room. His poker buddies probably thought, "Oh, well. He has to go to the bathroom or to get something to drink." But while he as in the other ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 38:5-8

Tags: Temptation, Mistakes, Alcohol, Choices

Denomination: Baptist

Keep Looking Up!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 9, 2020

A father and son were driving down a country road and saw a watermelon patch a little way off the highway. The father told his son to keep a lookout while he went to get a melon. He snuck into the patch, took a melon and called to the boy, "Is anyone coming? Look both ways." The boy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, Colossians 3:1-4

Tags: Temptation, Stealing, Looking Up

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Drugs Are No Game

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 7, 2020

You’ve probably heard and seen it all when it comes to warnings about “don’t do drugs,” and so forth. Frankly, I’ve seen and heard a lot of them, and I’m sure glad someone told me about the dangers of drugs and drug abuse. Someone took a lot of time to get the information out and thanks to those ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Drugs, Temptations, Drug Abuse

Denomination: Baptist

The Deceitfulness Of Sin

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 8, 2020

One of the largest freshwater turtles is the alligator snapping turtle. Found primarily in the southeastern United States, these massive turtles have been known to weigh close to 250 pounds. They are carnivorous, and while their diet is primarily fish, they have been known to eat almost anything ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-3, Luke 18:9-14, Romans 3:23

Tags: Sin, Deception, Temptation, Deceit

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Open Our Eyes...?  PRO

Contributed by Paul Green on Feb 5, 2010

Open Our Eyes...? I have a book called 'Tall Tales of a Big God' written by a man called Maurice Smith. Maurice is (or at least was) an international Christian Speaker travelling all over the UK, and Europe and particularly the USA. And his book is a compilation of some of the most embarrassing ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1, Acts 4:1-21

Tags: Grace, Service, Humility, Pride, Embarrassment  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Take My Hand  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 7, 2011

TAKE MY HAND The story is told of a man and his boy who was with him, when a little fellow, in Scotland, and for the first time he possessed what in that country is known as a top-coat. They were walking out one cold day, and the way was slippery. The little fellow's hands were deep down in his ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 16:18-33

Tags: God, Hands, Pride, Hold, Pluck  (view more)  (view less)

Grant Vs. Custer  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2011

GRANT VS. CUSTER There is a story of two Civil War Generals: George A. Custer and Ulysses S. Grant. Both graduated from West Point--Gen. Grant, being the oldest, graduated in the 1840's and Gen. Custer in 1861. Grant fought in several wars and was a field General in every sense of the word. In ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:1-11, Matthew 23:23-24

Tags: Humility, Pride, Show Off, Comparison

You Don't Impress Him

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 15, 2020

“You don’t impress the officials at NASA with a paper airplane. You don’t boast about your crayon sketches in the presence of a Picasso. You don’t claim equality with an Einstein because you can write H2O. And you don’t boast about your goodness in the presence of the Perfect One. Mark it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Humility, Beatitudes, Pride, Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Proud People Vs Broken People

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 20, 2022

Proud people focus on the failures of others. Broken people are overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need. Proud people have a critical, fault-finding spirit; they look at everyone else’s faults with a microscope but their own with a telescope. Broken people are compassionate; they can ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23, Galatians 2:20

Tags: Humility, Revival, Repentance, Pride, Brokenness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Flying Turtle

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 25, 2025

An ancient Indonesian parable tells of a turtle who flew through the air by biting hard on a stick that was carried by two geese. The turtle was enjoying his flight, but when he heard what the onlookers from the ground were saying, he became troubled. The onlookers were saying, "Aren’t those ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:18, James 4:10, Philippians 2:3, Proverbs 27:2, 1 Corinthians 4:7  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Humility, Gratitude, Pride, Restraint, Wisdom  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Buckle Up

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 25, 2025

During the days when Mohammed Ali was a great boxer, he would go around in his arrogance and say that, "He was the greatest." Humility was never his strong suit. One day, back in his prime, he was on an airplane and the plane was ready to take off and the flight attendant had repeatedly ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3, Micah 6:8, Proverbs 16:18, James 4:6, Luke 14:11  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Strength, Pride, Humility, Submission, Character  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Being Humble - Young Seminarian Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 24, 2026

A young seminarian ... was excited about preaching his very first sermon ... in the small church ... he grew up in. After three years in seminary, ... he felt adequately prepared, ... and when he was introduced to the congregation, ... he walked boldly ... to the pulpit, ...his head high, ... ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-6, Matthew 6:16-21, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5

Tags: Pride, Boldness, Confidence, Embarrassed, Humble  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican