sermon-illustrations
Search by topic, scripture, category etc..
54 Results in 73ms
Display
Sorted By
-
illustration
In an essay on friendship, the renowned poet
In an essay on friendship, the renowned poet Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “My entire success, such as it is, is composed of particular failures.” There’s a deep truth in that line—one many of us need to... -
illustration
Read any study on human satisfaction
Read any study on human satisfaction and you will see the paramount role of relationships with others. And yet, so many of us readily exchange friendship and community for success and achievement, onl... -
illustration
The Worship of the god "Success"
William James, in a famous letter to H. G. Wells in 1906, credited what he called American “moral flabbiness” to “the exclusive worship of the bitch-goddess Success. That—with the squalid cash interpr... -
illustration
The Difference between Success & Fruitfulness
There is a great difference between successfulness and fruitfulness. Success comes from strength, control, and respectability. A successful person has the energy to create something, to keep control o... -
illustration
In His Will is our Peace
One of the greatest struggles we face in this life is the temptation to compare ourselves to others. As Teddy Roosevelt famously said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” But in the final part of ... -
illustration
Scarcity vs. Abundance
Nick believed his purpose was to speak to audiences, to become a motivational speaker, yet he had no experience, no resources, and no invitations. He decided to begin calling schools and offering to s... -
illustration
Who are You to Think You are Better than Our Lord?
While exploring an experience of deep guilt and shame with her spiritual director, the author of Madeleine L’Engle, wrote One time I was talking to Canon Tallis, who is my spiritual director as we... -
illustration
A Successful Book & A Failed Political Campaign
In his famous 1934 campaign for the governorship of California, the author and activist Upton Sinclair took an unusual step. Before the election, he published a short book titled I, Governor of Cal... -
illustration
Crafting Excellence Amid Constant Shifts
The wonderful word master used to describe the person who is at the top of his or her craft, whatever the profession. It was a title that one could work toward and with some degree of confidence ascri... -
illustration
The Value of a Stradivarius & our Answering our True Calling
Have you ever heard of a Stradivarius violin? It’s the gold standard of violins—instantly recognizable and famously expensive. These aren’t $29.95 instruments. One sold for $1 million, another for $4 ... -
illustration
Beethoven is Everything
The renowned conductor Arturo Toscanini once led a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in London. His mastery and the orchestra’s precision resulted in thunderous applause from the audience. At ... -
illustration
The Two Runners
The true story of Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, two British sprinters who qualified for the 1924 Olympic Games, illustrates two contrasting approaches to life and identity. Abrahams was driven by ... -
illustration
Criticizing Everything
In life, whenever someone achieves success, criticism usually follows—regardless of their skill or the effort they’ve invested. An old story illustrates this truth. A woman crafted artificial fruit so... -
illustration
Early is on Time
Lord Nelson once said that all his achievements in life came down to one simple habit: he was always there a quarter of an hour early, never a quarter of an hour late. -
illustration
Don't Be Ridiculous
Sometimes, older relatives find it hard to grasp the success of their younger family members. Shortly after Woodrow Wilson’s victory in the 1912 election, he visited his elderly aunt. “What are you do... -
illustration
Starting With the Boots
In 1878, when William Booth’s Salvation Army was beginning to make its mark, men and women from all over the world began to enlist. One man, who had once dreamed of becoming a bishop, crossed the Atla... -
illustration
Pastors Experience Success from Status
If we lack money and power, we can still feel successful if we have the respect of our peers. As a young minister without wealth or power, I loved being called “Reverend.” It was an ego trip for me wh... -
illustration
Changing Portraits
Writer Philip Yancey notes that toward the end of his life, Albert Einstein removed the portraits of two scientists–Newton and Maxwell–from his wall. He replaced those with portraits of Gandhi and Sch... -
illustration
Beware the Dangers of Success
The following advice on success, written by the Trappist monk Thomas Merton, is extremely different from what we are used to (at least in the West,) where success is often seen as an absolute good. ... -
illustration
Keeping Score
All games involve score keeping. The rules of scoring in any game tell the players which achievements count; what to do in order to be a winner. Monopoly players keep score with money; football player... -
illustration
Teams with Vision
Teams with a vision also perform better. Abraham Maslow is well known as one of the most significant psychologists of the last century. His research into high-performing teams found that the most stri... -
illustration
A Father’s Judgment
A young man won admission to college. Instead of writing a letter of congratulations, his father penned this note: Now it is a good thing to put this business very plainly before you. Do not think I... -
illustration
You’re Sicker Than You Think
My wife, Susan and I were sitting in the office of a fellow pastor, Jack Harrison, in the fall of 1992. The recommendation of friends had led us to Jack’s office. “He’s an amazing counselor,” they sai... -
illustration
Success vs. Excellence, A Poem
Success is the key they hand you when they like you. It doesn’t matter why. They just give you the key that unlocks an upscale condo, triggers the powerful purr of your new Mercedes, and accesses ... -
illustration
Giving Advice to (Bob) Dylan
When Bob Dylan was recording Blood on the Tracks – possibly the single greatest album in popular music history – he had to deal with a junior recording engineer who “explained” to him that he was goin... -
illustration
The Shining City
Success is a shining city, a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. We dream of it as children, we strive for it through our adult lives, and we suffer melancholy in old age if we have not reached it.... -
illustration
The CEO & The Service Station Attendant
Not too long ago, there was a CEO of a Fortune 500 company who pulled into a service station to get gas. He went inside to pay, and when he came out, he noticed his wife engaged in a deep discussion w... -
illustration
Success vs. Excellence (Part II)
Success offers a hoped-for future goal. Excellence provides a striven-for present standard. Success bases our worth on a comparison with others. Excellence gauges our value by measuring us against ... -
illustration
The Good Life
One way of redefining success is to redefine “the good life.” We have to unlearn what we’ve been taught because we’ve been sold a lie. I believe you know that as well as I do. Or at least you feel it—... -
illustration
The Basis of Life
The basis of life is people and how they relate to each other. Our success, fulfillment, and happiness depend upon our ability to relate effectively. The best way to become a person that others are dr...
Page 1 of 2
Index by Topic
A
B
C
- Calling (4)
- Career (1)
- Celebrities (1)
- Challenges (2)
- Change (1)
- Children (1)
- Christian Character (1)
- Christian Identity (1)
- Church Scandals (1)
- Climbing the Ladder of Success (8)
- College (1)
- Comparison (2)
- Competition (1)
- Confidence (2)
- Conscience (1)
- Consequences (1)
- Contentment (2)
- Controversy (1)
- Covetousness (1)
- Craftsmanship (1)
- Criticism (1)
- Crowds (1)
D
E
F
G
H
M
P
- Pain and Growth (1)
- Pastors (1)
- Peace (1)
- Perfection (1)
- Perfectionism (1)
- Performance (1)
- Personal Attacks (1)
- Planning (1)
- Pleasure (1)
- Political Leaders (1)
- Politicians (1)
- Power (2)
- Praise Music (1)
- Preparation (1)
- Prepared (1)
- Presidential Elections (1)
- Presidents (1)
- Pressure (1)
- Pressure to Succeed (1)
- Pride (4)
- Prison (1)
- Progress (1)
- Punctuality (1)
- Purpose (1)
R
S
- Sabbath (1)
- Satisfaction (2)
- Scarcity (1)
- Science (1)
- Searching (1)
- Seeking Power (1)
- Self-Achievement (2)
- Self-Awareness (1)
- Self-Deception (1)
- Self-Glory (1)
- Self-Image (2)
- Self-Importance (1)
- Self-Judgment (1)
- Self-Promotion (1)
- Servant Leadership (1)
- Servanthood (1)
- Service (1)
- Serving Jesus (1)
- Shame (1)
- Social Status (1)
- Speeches (1)
- Spiritual Disciplines (1)
- Spiritual Formation (1)
- Sports (2)
- Status (1)
- Staying Humble (1)
- Staying Positive (1)
- Strength of Character (1)
- Struggles (2)
- Study (1)
- Success (54)
- Suffering Fools (1)
- Superiority (1)
- Surprise (1)
- Surrender (1)
T
Index by Reference