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HomeIllustrations

8,971 Illustrations

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Sermon Illustration

The Heart That Trusted a Stranger's Gift

On December 3, 1967, a grocer named Louis Washkansky lay on an operating table in Cape Town, South Africa, and made a decision that no...

Universaltrust

253 words

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Sermon Illustration

The Deep-Sea Diver's Lifeline

In 2012, saturation diver Chris Lemons was working 300 feet beneath the North Sea when his umbilical — the cable supplying his air, heat, and...

Colossians 3:1-4Universal

231 words

Sermon Illustration

The Man Who Carried His Son Across Every Finish Line

In 1977, fifteen-year-old Rick Hoyt told his father Dick that he wanted to participate in a five-mile charity run. Rick has cerebral palsy and uses...

Universallove

230 words

Sermon Illustration

A Modern Story of Questioning Traditional Doctrines

In our modern world, the act of questioning traditional doctrines can feel like sailing into uncharted waters. Picture a weary sailor, navigating a darkened sea, confronting towering waves and unpredictable winds. This sailor, much like us, grapples with the age-old...

Acts 10:34-35Reformed

282 words

Sermon Illustration

The Night the Power Returned

Elena Ramirez had lived in the dark for three days. Hurricane Maria had torn through her neighborhood in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, in September 2017, and...

Titus 2:11-12Universal

251 words

Sermon Illustration

The Brain That Refused to Stay Fixed

For over a century, neuroscience held an iron law: the adult brain cannot produce new neurons. Santiago Ramón y Cajal, the Nobel Prize-winning father of...

Universalfreedom

239 words

Sermon Illustration

The Signal That Won't Stop

In 1977, NASA launched Voyager 1 into space carrying a golden record of sounds from Earth — a baby's cry, ocean waves, Chuck Berry's *Johnny...

Universalhope

236 words

Sermon Illustration

The Guard's Outstretched Hand

In 1947, Corrie ten Boom stood in a church basement in Munich, face to face with a man she recognized instantly — a former guard...

James 4:7Universal

226 words

Sermon Illustration

The Quiet Greatness of Tim Duncan

In twenty-one years with the San Antonio Spurs, Tim Duncan never once demanded a trade, never called a press conference to celebrate himself, never posted...

Universalhumility

237 words

Sermon Illustration

The Family That Sang for Generations

For nearly two hundred years, the Bach family of Thuringia, Germany, produced musicians so consistently that in their region the word "Bach" became a synonym...

Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29Universal

235 words

Sermon Illustration

Running Free on Your Own Terms

In the summer of 2021, Simone Biles stood on the world's biggest stage at the Tokyo Olympics and did something no one expected. The most...

Universalfreedom

248 words

Sermon Illustration

The Race Nobody Expected to Finish

In the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, British sprinter Derek Redmond lined up for the 400-meter semifinal with everything he had trained for on the line. Halfway...

Universalcourage

225 words

Sermon Illustration

Made to Run

In the 1924 Paris Olympics, Scottish sprinter Eric Liddell was the favorite for the 100 meters. But when he learned the heats fell on a...

Universalidentity

238 words

Sermon Illustration

Thirty Thousand Dots

When Apple introduced Face ID in 2017 with the iPhone X, they built a tiny projector called the TrueDepth camera that floods your face with...

Universalidentity

246 words

Sermon Illustration

Finding The Peculiar Politics of Christ in Everyday Moments

As we navigate the swirling waters of our modern world, I am reminded of a poignant moment from my own life that illustrates the peculiar politics of Christ. A few years ago, I volunteered at a local homeless shelter. One...

Matthew 5:9Missional

266 words

Sermon Illustration

Don't Ever Give Up

On March 4, 1993, basketball coach Jim Valvano walked to the stage at the first ESPY Awards. Ten years earlier, he had led North Carolina...

Universalhope

224 words

Sermon Illustration

A Contemporary Inclusive Language for God Story

In a small town, there was a community center known for its vibrant gatherings. Every Sunday, families from all walks of life would come together, sharing meals and stories, forging bonds that reflected the love of Christ. One year, the...

Revelation 11:18Anglican

290 words

Sermon Illustration

The News That Came to Galveston

On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and read General Order Number Three aloud in the public square. The war...

Mark 16:1-8Universal

257 words

Sermon Illustration

The Music He Gave Away

In 1979, Christian musician Keith Green made a decision that baffled the music industry. At the height of his popularity, with albums climbing the charts...

Universalsacrifice

244 words

Sermon Illustration

The Save You Never Had to Click

Every writer over forty remembers the sickening moment: a power surge, a frozen screen, and the realization that you hadn't clicked "Save" in the last...

Universalgrace

220 words

Sermon Illustration

The Songwriter Who Never Knew His Wealth

Rich Mullins wrote *Awesome God*, one of the most recognizable worship songs of the twentieth century. His royalties could have afforded him a comfortable life...

Universalsacrifice

238 words

Sermon Illustration

More Than Gold

In 1924, Scottish sprinter Eric Liddell arrived at the Paris Olympics as the fastest man in Britain, favored to win the 100 meters. Then he...

Universalidentity

214 words

Sermon Illustration

The Traitor Who Was Never Reminded

In C.S. Lewis's *The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe*, young Edmund Pevensie sells out his own family for a box of Turkish Delight. He...

Universalgrace

240 words

Sermon Illustration

Wesley's Last Letter

In January 1791, William Wilberforce sat exhausted in his London study, nearly ready to abandon his campaign against the slave trade. Four years of parliamentary...

Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10Universal

246 words