Zombies are Real
Sermon illustration: Zombie Apocalypse! This is a good attention-grabber. With the current fascination with zombies (seen in TV shows like "The Walking Dead" and on bumper stickers, etc.), many might be surprised by how well these images depict the spiritually dead. A zombie is "undead," that is, dead, but still moving around. Also, they are rather dimwitted, brutish, and out to harm others. Spiritually speaking, those who have sinned have died (Gen. 2:16-17, Rom. 7:9-11). Jesus refers to them as "the dead" (Luke 9:60) even though they are still alive in the flesh (very zombie-like!) Spiritual zombies are led by Satan (Eph. 2:1-6). They have their "understanding darkened" and "being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness" (Eph. 4:17-19, ESV). They are "filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness" (Rom. 1:29, ESV). While they continue in unbelief, they are condemned already (John 3:18).
Study these passages:
Genesis 2:16-17 you will die
Ephesians 2:1-6 still alive but dead
Ephesians 4:17-19 Paul describes the zombie
Revelation 3:1 church was alive / dead
1 Timothy 5:6 widow dead while she lives
Colossians 2:20 dead with Christ but living in the world
Colossians 3:3 you are dead
Romans 6:13 you are alive from the dead
The zombie apocalypse is real, and it's here. We are surrounded by the walking dead. But this is where the Good News breaks with zombie fiction. In the fictional stories, there's no hope for the zombies. They can only be destroyed. But in God's story, this state of spiritual death can be reversed (Eph. 2:4-5 and many others). God's story is far and away better than anything man makes up. Jesus came and walked among the dead to give us life again.