Jump directly to the Content
Jump directly to the Content

Sermon Illustrations

Home > Sermon Illustrations

Mike Tyson Declares His Life a Waste

At one time, Mike Tyson was the most feared heavyweight boxer in the ring. Based on an interview with Tyson, Jon Saraceno revealed what went wrong:

Mike Tyson is anything but at peace. Confused and humiliated after a decadent lifestyle left him with broken relationships, shattered finances, and a reputation in ruin, the fighter cannot hide his insecurities, stacked as high as his legendary knockouts….
"I'll never be happy," he says. "I believe I'll die alone. I would want it that way. I've been a loner all my life with my secrets and my pain. I'm really lost, but I'm trying to find myself. I'm really a sad, pathetic case."
The divorced father of six is blunt, gregarious, funny, vulgar, outrageous, sad, angry, bitter, and, at times, introspective about the opportunities he squandered over the last two decades. He discusses his drug use ("The weed got me"), lack of self-esteem, and sexual addiction.
He says, "My whole life has been a waste—I've been a failure."

Related Sermon Illustrations

Billy Joel's Unmet Need

Musician Billy Joel has won many awards, including Male Artist of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year. Joel recorded an astounding twenty top-40 hits ...

[Read More]

Henry Ford's Undoing

Henry Ford is one of the biggest names in American life. His use of mass production in manufacturing the Model T automobile shaped not only the economy and industry, but the values ...

[Read More]