52 Sermon Illustrations on Holiness

Several years ago a Christian girl told me about an incident with a young man who had been asking to date her. He was not a member of the church, and they just didn't have anything in common. She had turned him down twice and now she had said "no" to attending a rock concert with him. In a kind of mock exasperation, the young man asked, "What do you do for fun? You don't dance, you don't drink, you don't attend rock concerts, what do you do for fun?" To the young man she replied, "For fun I get up in the morning without feeling embarrassed, ashamed and guilty about what I did the night before." The young man had nothing more to say. She was right; it is fun not to feel guilty for your actions the night before. Come to think of it, there are many things in life that are fun. For example, that Christian girl is now married to a fine Christian man. They have a little girl and are building an outstanding Christian home together. I am thrilled thinking about the fun she is having! She is having fun every day living without the affliction of deep scars of fornication, drugs or alcohol, and regrets from her past. It's fun getting ready each afternoon to receive a husband home from work, knowing that he won't be stopping off at a local bar for a few drinks with the boys. It is fun knowing that while he is away from her, his Christian conduct won't allow infidelity or even flirting. It's fun watching him hold his little girl on his lap with loving, protecting arms. It's fun knowing that her little girl will never see her father in a drunken stupor or experimenting with drugs. It's fun living with assurance that the home will be led by a spiritual leader who will guide each family member toward heaven. The list of fun things for Christians is endless;what do you do for fun? Can Man Be Just a Christian? At times it appears that in our "Christian world" man is converted to a church rather than to Jesus Christ. Loyalty to a body of believers seems to have priority over allegiance to the Lord Jesus. Although each religion claims faith in the same Bible, because of certain doctrines peculiar to various denominations they separate themselves from one another. Frequently each denomination is divided into a number of sects. Is it possible for man simply to be a "Christian"? Must he separate himself with some denominational name as Baptist Christian, Methodist Christian, etc.? God doesn't divide believers into various denominations-man does. Even with his own church choice, man is frequently at variance with his brother over some biblical understanding. Also, world Bible scholars differ in matters pertaining to Scripture understanding. What authority does one believer have in saying, "I am right and you are wrong," or "I am more honest than you." Certainly the Bible is right, but does it necessarily follow that I am the one who has perfect understanding? Do you ever differ with members of your family over some conviction? Does it mean that you are no longer a member of that family? If there can be no unity in diversity, there is simply no possibility of unity, for we all differ in many things.

One day as a mother was scraping and peeling vegetables for a salad, her daughter came to ask her permission to go to an amusement center that had a bad reputation. On the defensive, the daughter admitted it was a questionable place, but "all the other girls were going." As the teenage daughter pleaded to go, she suddenly saw her mother pick up a handful of discarded vegetable peelings and toss them into the salad. Startled, she cried, "Mother, you are putting garbage into the salad." "Yes," her mother replied, "I know'but I thought that if you did not mind garbage in your mind and heart, you certainly would not mind a little garbage in your stomach. Thoughtfully, the girl removed the offending material from the salad, and with a brief, "Thank You" to her mother she went to tell her friends that she would not be going with them. If you have spiritual indigestion and a poor testimony, maybe it is because you have tossed too much garbage in the salad.

"Slutish corners are not seen in the dark. Things are naught that cannot brook an open investigation." Lord, let me have a religion which will bear the light of day, the light of self-examination, the light of the throne of judgment. If I hide my sin, how can I prosper? If I cannot bear to be judged of men, how shall I endure to be judged at Thy appearing?

"Some say,—'fundamentals are few, believe them, and live well, and you are saved.' This is as if a man in building should be only careful to lay a good foundation, and care nothing for roof, windows, or walls. If a man should untile your house, and tell you the foundation and the main buttresses are safe, you would not be pleased. Why should you be more careless in spiritual things?" This is well spoken. The least particle of diamond is diamond, and the least grain of truth is truth, and therefore to be prized above the rarest gems. That which is not essential to salvation may yet be essential to comfort, and necessary to our complete spiritual manhood. Our Lord threatens those who teach men to disregard the least of his commandments that they shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. It becomes not servants to trifle with the smallest commands of a perfect master. How can the church ever be a perfect house of God if one of the parts, which are "fitly framed together," should through our neglect be left out?

No, we must receive all the truth, that we may be built up "a holy temple in the Lord." Grave errors have been suggested and nurtured by what at first appeared to be trifling departures from scriptural rule, therefore we ought to give earnest heed even to minor precepts. Future ages may have to mourn over the defalcations of to-day, unless we are careful to do the building of the Lord's house with faithfulness. Lord, make me watchful in little matters, lest I grow careless in weightier concerns. Thou didst speak concerning the pins and cords of the tabernacle, and ordain that all should be made to pattern, and by this I perceive that thou regardest even the small things of thy service; I pray thee, therefore, give me both clear light, a keen eye, and a tender heart, that in all things I may please thee.

"Ears of corn do not catch our clothes and hang about them, but thorns and burrs will do so." In passing through the midst of this crooked and perverse generation we are far more likely to learn evil than good. It is well to keep our clothes well brushed when traversing this world's dusty roads, for it is not a fragrant spice, but a defiling dust, which we gather in our journeying. Often have we gone for a walk and brought home mire upon our shoes, but we never remember to have come home with our clothing improved by our perambulations. The tendency of all around is to soil us, and mar the beauty of our holiness. The Lord help us to be very careful on this point. May we be among those of whom there were a few even in Sardis, "who have not defiled their garments;" for the Lord Jesus says of them, "they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy." What a walk will that be! What joy had Enoch in such a walk on earth! What honour will be given us by such a walk in heaven!

Rev. W. Romaine being solicited to play at cards made no objection, and, when they were produced said, "Let us ask the blessing of God." "Ask the blessing of God at a game of cards!" "exclaimed the lady." "I never heard of such a thing." Mr. Romaine replied, "Ought we to engage in any thing on which we cannot ask his blessing?" This ended the game.

A French writer has said, that, to dream gloriously, you must act gloriously while you are awake; and, to bring angels down to converse with you in your sleep, you must labor in the cause of virtue during the day.

The very heathens themselves would not admit any to come to their religious services, unless they were first prepared: as that of Xness to his father Anchises, upon his return from the wars, Tu genitor cape snera manu, therefore they had one that cried out to the people, "All you that are unclean and profane depart hence, and come not near us." And shall Christians, then, who have learnt better things, touch holy things with unholy hands or unholy hearts? Spencer.

Legend of St. Lucia. "In the city wherein the blessed Lucia dwelt, there dwelt also a youth, who, having once beheld her, became enamoured of her beauty; and by messages, promises, and gifts, he ceased not to woo her: but Lucia, being a Christian, and fearing God, resisted all these attacks on her virtue. Now this youth, in his letters and his tender speeches, was accustomed to protest that it was the brightness of her eyes which inflamed him; and that it was for the sake of those beautiful eyes he pursued her, leaving her no rest, because those eyes left him no rest, by day or by night. Lucia, considering these things, and calling to mind the words of Christ, 'If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee,' and fearing lest her eyes should be the cause of damnation to the young man, and perhaps, also, to herself, called for a knife, and took out her beautiful eyes, and sent them to her lover in a dish, with these words: 'Here hast thou what thou hast so much desired; and, for the rest, I beseech thee, leave me now in peace.' Whereat the young man, being utterly astonished, and full of grief and remorse, not only ceased his pursuit, but became also a convert of Christ, and lived ever afterwards an example of virtue and chastity. But God would not suffer that the blessed Lucia, having given this proof of her courage and piety, should remain blind; for one day, as she knelt in prayer, behold! her eyes were restored to her more beautiful than before."

It is not necessary that we travel down into the valley to find the Pool of Siloam, and wait for the coming of the angel to trouble the waters, and for some strong man to lift us and put us in. No: the fountain is all around us, and flows divinely clear. The Son of God is waiting at this very moment to wash all our sins away. Have you a single stain upon your heart?—come to the fountain. Have you trouble and sorrow?—come at once and receive joy and comfort. Bp. Simpson.

At one of the ragged-schools in Ireland, a clergyman asked the question, "What is holiness?" A poor Irish convert, in dirty, tattered rags, jumped up, and said, "Please your Reverence, it's to be clean inside."

Lamartine in his "Travels in the Holy Land," when speaking of the great mountain-blocks of white marble, says, "In looking back upon them from a blatant standpoint, they appeared like great nasses of gold as the sun shone upon them,— weight and dazzling." The children of God are blocks of spiritual marble, and have a brightness superior to that of gold, when the polish of entire sanctification is put upon them.

— Rev. S. Cates

Alexander coming with his army against Jerusalem, Juddua, the high priest, went out of the city to meet him, adorned with his priestly robes, an upper garment of purple embroidered with gold, and a golden plate on the foreside, wherein the name of God was written. The sight was so grave and solemn, that the emperor fell to the ground, as reverencing the name that was thereon inscribed. In holiness, there is such a sparkling lustre, that whosoever beholds it must needs be astonished at it; nay, even those that oppose it cannot but admire it. Holiness is an excellent thing, a beautiful thing: it carries a graceful majesty along with it, wheresoever or in whomsoever it is truly and sincerely possessed. Spencer.

There is an energy of moral suasion in a good man's life, passing the highest efforts of the orator's genius. The seen but silent beauty of holiness speaks more eloquently of God and duty than the tongues of men and angels. Let parents remember this. The best inheritance a parent can bequeath to a child is a virtuous example, a legacy of hallowed remembrances and associations. The beauty of holiness beaming through the life of a loved relative or friend is more effectual to strengthen such as do stand in virtue's ways, and raise up those that are bowed down, than precept, command, entreaty, or warning. Christianity itself, I believe, owes by far the greater part of its moral power, not to the precepts or parables of Christ, but to his own character. The beauty of that holiness which is enshrined in the four brief biographies of the Man of Nazareth has done more and will do more to regenerate the world, and bring in everlasting righteousness, than all the other agencies put together. It has done more to spread his religion in the world, than all that has ever been preached or written on the evidences of Christianity. Dr. Chalmers.

If a physician were called to see a patient who had a cancer on his breast, the only thing to be done would be to cut it out from the roots. The physician might give palliatives, so that the patient would have less pain; or he might make his patient believe it was no cancer, or forget that he had a cancer near his vitals: but, if the physician were to do this instead of removing the evil, he would be a wicked man, and the enemy of his patient. The man's case was such, that the only favor which could be conferred upon him would be to cut out the cancer. Now all agree that sin is the great evil of the soul of man. Nothing can make man more spiritually happy here, or fit him for happiness hereafter, but the removal of sin from his nature. Sin is the plague-spot on the soul, which destroys its peace, and threatens its destruction unless removed. It is, therefore, certain, that, if the love of God were manifested towards man, it would be in turning man from sin which produces misery, to holiness which produces happiness. J. B. Walker.

"Why did you not take the arm of my brother, last night?" said one young lady to another. "Because I know him to be a licentious young man," was the answer. "Nonsense!" said the sister: "if you refuse the attentions of all licentious men, you will have none, I can assure you." — "Very well," was the reply, "then I can dispense with them all together: my resolution on this point is unalterably fixed."

Aim at perfection in every thing, though in most things it is unattainable. They who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable. Chesterfield.

"As the hermits were communing together, there arose a question as to which of all the virtues was most necessary to perfection. One said, chastity; another, humility; a third, justice. St. Anthony remained silent until all had given their opinion; and then he spoke. 'Ye have all said well; but none of you have said aright. The virtue most necessary to perfection is prudence; for the most virtuous actions of men, unless governed and directed by prudence, are neither pleasing to God, nor serviceable to others, nor profitable to ourselves.'"

We dress ourselves when we come to the table of some great monarch; so we should think with ourselves, we are going to the table of the Lord, therefore should prepare ourselves with holy meditation and heart-consideration.

To a young infidel who was scoffing at Christianity because of the misconduct of its professors, the late Dr. Mason once said, "Did you ever know an uproar to be made because an infidel went astray from the paths of morality?" The infidel admitted that he had not. "Then do you not see," said Dr. Mason, "that, by expecting professors of Christianity to be holy, you admit it to be a holy religion, and thus pay it the highest compliment in your power?"

St. Ranieri was a hermit, and dwelt for twenty years in the deserts of Palestine, performing many penances and pilgrimages, and being favored with many miraculous visions. On one occasion, when the abstinence to which he had vowed himself was sorely felt, he beheld in his sleep a rich vase of silver and gold, wrought with precious stones; but it was full of pitch and oil and sulphur. These being kindled with fire, the vase was burning to destruction: none could quench the flames. And there was put into his hands a little ower full of water, two or three drops of which extinguished the flames. And he understood that the vase signified his human frame; that the pitch and sulphur burning within it were the appetites and passions; that the water was the water of temperance. Thenceforward Ranieri lived wholly on coarse bread and water. He had, moreover, a particular reverence for water, and most of his miracles were performed by means of water; whence he was called in his own city San Ranieri dell'Acqua. In a Roman-Catholic country, St. Ranieri would now be the patron of temperance societies. This, however, did not prevent him from punishing a fraudulent host of Messina, who mixed water with the wine he sold his customers; and to whom the saint revealed the arch-enemy seated on one of his casks, in the shape of a huge cat, with hat-like wings, to the great horror of the said host, and to the wonder and edification of all believers. Returning to his own city of Pisa, after many years, he edified the people by the extreme sanctity of his life; and after performing many miracles, healing the sick, restoring the blind to sight, and expelling demons, so that the most obstinate were converted, he died, and was by angels carried into heaven. Mrs. Jameson.

Our associations with this word are largely of a material kind. A house, an edifice, bricks, stone, ornament, and splendor at once occur when we catch the word. But let us go up to the fountain-head of its meaning, and study it in the light of its primitive idea. It belongs to a large family of words. The root is "tem," and signifies "cut." Templum means a portion cut off. But whence its special religious associations? The Roman augurs, when they wished to observe the heavens, went forth with the sacred rod in their hands, and marked out therewith a portion of the sky. Whatever passed within that portion was the subject of their augury; no more. This was the "templum," the separated space, cut out of the blue heavens for sacred uses. Thence the word came to be appropriated to any enclosed spot which might be separated to sacred uses; thence to sanctuaries, houses of prayer, and the like. The fundamental notion is not construction, but separation, the severing of a portion of the material of the universe for higher use and honor than the residue enjoyed.

— J. B. Brown

A drunkard assailed a Washingtonian, but could only say, "There goes a teetotaler!" The gentleman waited until the crowd had collected, and then, turning upon the drunkard, said, "There stands a drunkard!—Three years ago he had a sum of $500, now he cannot produce a penny. I know he cannot. I challenge him to do it, for if he had a penny he would be at a public house. There stands a drunkard, and here stands a teetotaler, with a purse full of money, honestly earned and carefully kept. There stands a drunkard!—Three years ago he had a watch, a coat, shoes, and decent clothes; now he has nothing but rags upon him, his watch is gone, and his shoes afford free passage to the water. There stands a drunkard; and here stands a teetotaler, with a good hat, good shoes, good clothes, and a good watch, all paid for. Yes, here stands a teetotaler! And now, my friends, which has the best of it!" The bystanders testified their approval of the teetotaler by loud shouts, while the crest-fallen drunkard slunk away, happy to escape further castigation.

Mr. Nicholas Ferrar, a very learned and pious man, who lived early in the seventeenth century, on the third day before his death, summoned all his family around him, and then desired his brother to go and mark out a place for his grave, according to the particular directions he then gave. When his brother returned, saying it was done as he had wished, he desired them all, in the presence of each other, to take out of his study three large hampers full of books, which had been locked up for many years: "They are comedies, tragedies, heroic poems, and romances; let them be immediately burnt upon the place marked out for my grave; and when you have so done, come back and inform me." When information was brought him that they were all consumed, he desired that this might be considered as the testimony of his disapprobation of such books, as tending to corrupt the mind of man, and improper for the perusal of every serious and sincere Christian.

Once when I was returaing from Ireland, says Rowland Hill, I found myself much annoyed by the reprobate conduct of the captain and mate, who were both sadly given to the scandalous habit of swearing. First, the captain swore at the mate—then the mate swore at the captain—then they both swore at the wind—when I called to them with a strong voice for fair play. "Stop! stop!" said I, "if you please, gentlemen, let us have fair play: it's my turn now." "At what is it your turn, pray?" said the captain. "At swearing," I replied. Well, they waited and waited until their patience was exhausted, and then wanted me to make haste and take my turn. I told them, however, that I had a right to take my own time, and swear at my own convenience. To this the captain replied, with a laugh, "Perhaps you don't mean to take your turn?" "Pardon me, captain," I answered, "but I do, as soon as I can find the good of doing so." My friends, I did not hear another oath on the voyage.