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HomeIllustrations

7,545 Illustrations

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Top Rated Newest Oldest|All Sources Biblical Illustrator Spurgeon Maclaren

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Sermon Illustration

The Tinker Who Chose the Cell Over Silence

In 1661, a Bedford tinker named John Bunyan stood before English magistrates who offered him a simple bargain: stop preaching and go home to your...

Acts 5:27-32Universal

231 words

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Sermon Illustration

The Example of Kindness - Contemporary Example

There’s a small café in my neighborhood where I often stop for coffee. One morning, I witnessed something that left a lasting impression on my heart. A young mother, visibly frazzled, walked in with her two children. As they shuffled...

John 3:16Reformed

257 words

Sermon Illustration

The Naturalist Who Fell to His Knees

In 1831, a young Charles Darwin stepped off the HMS Beagle onto the shores of Brazil and walked into a tropical rainforest for the first...

Psalm 104:24-34, 35bUniversal

251 words

Sermon Illustration

Science Illustration: Limits of Human Knowledge

A few summers ago, I found myself standing on a beach at twilight, the horizon stretching infinitely before me. The sun dipped low, splashing the sky with hues of orange, pink, and purple, as the gentle waves whispered secrets to...

Psalm 19:1-6Universal

265 words

Sermon Illustration

The Power of Goodness - Contemporary Example

There’s a little community garden in our town that has become a beacon of hope for many. A few years ago, it was just a neglected lot, overgrown with weeds and littered with debris. But then a few neighbors, fueled...

2 Timothy 1:7Roman Catholic

238 words

Sermon Illustration

Using brainstorming skill to explore angles first.

Let me think through several fresh technology angles for forgiveness before writing: **Possible angles:** 1. **Git revert/reset** — version control letting you undo mistakes cleanly,...

Universalforgiveness

424 words

Sermon Illustration

The Mental Health & Spirituality Challenge - Quote

In our churches, the struggle with mental health often remains hidden beneath the surface, like a deep well obscured by a placid pool. Yet, just as the woman who reached out to touch the hem of Jesus' garment—eluding notice in...

James 1:27Black Church

249 words

Sermon Illustration

The Reward of the Slain Lamb

On August 21, 1732, two young Moravian men named Leonard Dober and David Nitschmann boarded a ship in Copenhagen, bound for the Caribbean island of...

Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14Universal

232 words

Sermon Illustration

The Sloth Challenge

In our fast-paced, bustling lives, the insidious nature of Sloth often lurks in the shadows, waiting to pull us into its lazy embrace. Picture a weary parent, exhausted from a long day of work, plopping down on the couch, hoping...

Psalm 46:1Missional

313 words

Sermon Illustration

Lessons from AI & Human Dignity - Story

Imagine for a moment a young woman named Sarah, a passionate software developer, who has dedicated her life to creating artificial intelligence that can improve healthcare. With every line of code, she dreams of a future where AI can help...

Jeremiah 29:11Anglican

291 words

Sermon Illustration

The Climate Change and Hope Challenge - Story

In a small coastal town, a group of fishermen faced a crisis unlike any they had seen before. Rising sea levels and changing currents, a direct consequence of climate change, had drastically diminished their catches. As they gathered one evening,...

Hebrews 13:2Lutheran

300 words

Sermon Illustration

The Colors Beneath the Soot

For nearly five centuries, visitors to the Sistine Chapel gazed upward at Michelangelo's famous ceiling and saw muted, somber tones — dark figures emerging from...

Universalidentity

241 words

Sermon Illustration

Science Illustration: Biology and the Gift of Life

A few years ago, I stood in awe before a delicate butterfly emerging from its cocoon. I had never witnessed such a profound transformation. As the vibrant colors stretched across its wings, I couldn't help but think of Psalm 19:1-6,...

Psalm 19:1-6Universal

236 words

Sermon Illustration

A Contemporary Dismantling Tyrannical Leadership Story - Story

In a small community, nestled between the hills, there stood a vibrant church known for its unwavering commitment to justice and love. The church had seen its share of struggles, particularly against a local leader who had long held sway...

Matthew 22:37-39Christocentric

300 words

Sermon Illustration

The Words That Held Him

When Marcus Davis was fourteen, after six years in the foster care system, a couple in Memphis named Robert and Elaine finally signed the adoption...

Mark 1:9-15Universal

244 words

Sermon Illustration

Lessons from Joy - Story

A few years ago, I met a woman named Maria who lived in a small town. Maria was known for her radiant joy, a light that seemed to shine even on the cloudiest of days. Yet, her journey to this...

John 14:6Reformed

255 words

Sermon Illustration

The Comeback Nobody Drafted

In 1999, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected Josh Hamilton with the first overall pick in the MLB Draft. He was the golden boy —...

Universalredemption

251 words

Sermon Illustration

The Formerly Enslaved Woman Who Built a Legacy of Light

In 1856, Biddy Mason walked out of a Los Angeles courtroom a free woman. She had been enslaved for decades, carried across the American frontier...

Psalm 112:1-10Universal

245 words

Sermon Illustration

The Stockbroker Who Searched for the Lost Children

In December 1938, twenty-nine-year-old London stockbroker Nicholas Winton canceled his ski holiday and traveled to Prague. Jewish families were desperate, their children in grave danger...

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24Universal

236 words

Sermon Illustration

The Bales That Made England Weep

In the autumn of 1526, bales of cloth arrived at the London docks from Antwerp. Tucked inside the fabric were copies of William Tyndale's English...

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10Universal

236 words

Sermon Illustration

The Messenger Who Pointed Beyond Himself

In 1741, Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf stood before a skeptical audience in London, tasked with introducing the Moravian missionary movement to the English-speaking world. Zinzendorf...

Acts 13:22-26Universal

227 words

Sermon Illustration

A Modern Story of Dismantling Tyrannical Leadership

Imagine a small community in a town where the mayor had ruled with an iron fist for years, imposing unjust laws and silencing dissent. The people lived in fear, their dreams crushed under the weight of tyranny. Yet, among them...

Luke 6:20-21Anglican

285 words

Sermon Illustration

A Story of Faith - Contemporary Example

There’s a small community garden in our town, tended by a group of volunteers from different backgrounds. One spring, they decided to grow a variety of vegetables, but the soil was rocky and hard. Many doubted that anything could flourish...

Romans 12:2Arminian/Wesleyan

250 words

Sermon Illustration

A Pale Blue Dot

In 1990, astronomer Carl Sagan convinced NASA to point Voyager 1's camera back toward Earth one last time. The probe had been traveling since 1977...

Universalhumility

230 words

Browse Sermon Illustrations

The Tinker Who Chose the Cell Over Silence

The Example of Kindness - Contemporary Example

The Naturalist Who Fell to His Knees

Science Illustration: Limits of Human Knowledge

The Power of Goodness - Contemporary Example

**Using brainstorming skill to explore angles first.**

The Mental Health & Spirituality Challenge - Quote

The Reward of the Slain Lamb

The Sloth Challenge

Lessons from AI & Human Dignity - Story

The Climate Change and Hope Challenge - Story

The Colors Beneath the Soot

Science Illustration: Biology and the Gift of Life

A Contemporary Dismantling Tyrannical Leadership Story - Story

The Words That Held Him

Lessons from Joy - Story

The Comeback Nobody Drafted

The Formerly Enslaved Woman Who Built a Legacy of Light

The Stockbroker Who Searched for the Lost Children

The Bales That Made England Weep

The Messenger Who Pointed Beyond Himself

A Modern Story of Dismantling Tyrannical Leadership

A Story of Faith - Contemporary Example

A Pale Blue Dot

Using brainstorming skill to explore angles first.