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HomeIllustrations

9,000 Illustrations

Browse Sermon Illustrations

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Top Rated Newest Oldest|All Sources Biblical Illustrator Spurgeon Maclaren

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Sermon Illustration

The Chemistry of Tears

Dr. William Frey, a biochemist at the St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center in Minnesota, spent years studying something most of us try to hide — our...

Universalhealing

219 words

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Sermon Illustration

Finding Environmental Stewardship in Everyday Moments

In our bustling world, where the signs of climate change become ever more evident, we find ourselves at a crossroads—called not just to observe the shifting tides of nature but to respond with urgency and hope. Let me share with...

1 Peter 5:3Missional

285 words

Sermon Illustration

When Economic Inequality & Generosity Meets Faith

In our world today, we often find ourselves confronted with the stark realities of economic inequality. Picture a bustling city street, where on one side, a young mother juggles her two children, her worn shoes clapping against the pavement as...

Philippians 4:6-7Roman Catholic

330 words

Sermon Illustration

The Father Who Kept the Light On

In 1646, Rembrandt van Rijn began what would become one of history's most celebrated paintings. But it was not until the final years of his...

Hosea 11:1-11Universal

233 words

Sermon Illustration

The Last Twenty Percent

If you have ever watched your phone charge, you have noticed something frustrating. The battery climbs from ten percent to eighty percent in what feels...

Universalpatience

254 words

Sermon Illustration

When Self-control - Story

There once was a small-town baker named Martha, known for her exquisite pastries and warm spirit. Every morning, she would wake before dawn, kneading dough with her strong hands, her heart full of love for her craft and her community....

Galatians 5:22-23Progressive/Social Justice

262 words

Sermon Illustration

The Day They Opened the Spillways

In the summer of 1983, record snowmelt from the Colorado Rockies forced engineers at Glen Canyon Dam to open the spillways for the first time...

Psalm 29Universal

232 words

Sermon Illustration

Francis and the Choir of All Things

In the autumn of 1225, nearly blind and wracked with pain, Francis of Assisi lay in a small hut beside the church of San Damiano....

Psalm 148Universal

226 words

Sermon Illustration

The Surgeon's Hands

Dr. Elena Vasquez had performed over three thousand surgeries at Chicago's Cook County Hospital, but the one she remembers most happened on a Tuesday in...

Isaiah 53:5Universal

230 words

Sermon Illustration

The Barefoot Millionaire

In the early 1990s, Rich Mullins was one of the most successful artists in Christian music. His song "Awesome God" had become an anthem sung...

Universalsacrifice

243 words

Sermon Illustration

The Network That Heals Itself

When Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, cell towers collapsed and traditional communication networks went dark. But a small team deployed something remarkable: goTenna...

Universalcommunity

237 words

Sermon Illustration

The Power of Patience - Story

Maria stood in her garden, hands deep in rich, dark soil, her heart heavy with grief. Just a year ago, her husband had passed, and with him, a joy that had filled their shared life. As spring approached, the once-vibrant...

Philippians 4:13Arminian/Wesleyan

265 words

Sermon Illustration

The Stranger at the Rest Stop

In 2019, a young National Guard sergeant named Marcus Rivera drove through the night after spending three grueling days helping evacuate families during Hurricane Dorian...

Genesis 14:18-20Universal

240 words

Sermon Illustration

Nine as One

In 1936, nine young men from the University of Washington did something no one expected. They were loggers' sons, shipyard workers' kids, boys who had...

Universalcommunity

233 words

Sermon Illustration

Lessons from Compassion - Quote

Hannah was a single mother in our community, raising her young son alone. Life had dealt her a tough hand—job loss, health issues, and a constant struggle to make ends meet. Yet, every Sunday, she brought her son to church,...

1 Corinthians 13:4-7Eastern Orthodox

251 words

Sermon Illustration

Modern Examples of Fear

Fear can feel like a heavy fog, wrapping around us, making it difficult to see the way forward. It creeps into our lives, whether it's the fear of losing a job, the uncertainty of a diagnosis, or the anxiety of...

Acts 1:8Traditional

302 words

Sermon Illustration

The Day Coach Morales Didn't Cut Me

Marcus Webb had every reason to expect the axe. He'd skipped two preseason practices, talked back to an assistant coach, and his attitude had poisoned...

Titus 2:11-12Universal

261 words

Sermon Illustration

The Woman Who Walked Every Street

In 2019, a retired postal worker named Ruth Hadley set out to walk every single street in her hometown of Coventry, England. Not for exercise...

Psalm 119:1-8Universal

237 words

Sermon Illustration

The Time That Is Given to Us

In J.R.R. Tolkien's *The Fellowship of the Ring*, Gandalf has just revealed a terrible truth: the simple gold ring Frodo inherited from his uncle is...

Universalpurpose

240 words

Sermon Illustration

Lessons from Self-control - Biblical Analogy

There once was a young gardener named Samuel, who inherited a small plot of land from his grandfather. The soil was rich and teeming with potential, but it was also overrun with weeds. Samuel often felt overwhelmed, unsure of where...

Galatians 5:22-23Roman Catholic

245 words

Sermon Illustration

The Porch Light That Never Went Off

In 2019, a diner owner in Tuscaloosa, Alabama named Gerald Tate got a call from the county jail. His daughter Marissa — the one who...

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32Universal

226 words

Sermon Illustration

The Satellite That Knew Its Orbit

Every GPS satellite in orbit around Earth has one job: broadcast a signal. That is it. It does not steer your car. It does not...

Universalpurpose

244 words

Sermon Illustration

The Bishop Who Knew Which Throne Mattered

In 155 AD, the Roman proconsul in Smyrna gave the aged Bishop Polycarp one simple command: say "Caesar is Lord," sprinkle a pinch of incense...

Psalm 110:1-4Universal

228 words

Sermon Illustration

When Salvation - Story

There’s a story about a young woman named Clara who found herself at a crossroads in life. After losing her job and experiencing a broken relationship, she felt consumed by uncertainty. Every decision seemed overwhelming, and the weight of her...

Psalm 23:1-6Black Church

291 words