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HomeIllustrations

10,079 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 Estate That Became a Movement

In 1722, a twenty-two-year-old German nobleman named Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf offered a corner of his family estate in Saxony as refuge for a small...

2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16Universal

218 words

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Sermon Illustration

The Bamboo That Waited Five Years

Chinese bamboo is one of the most remarkable lessons in patience the natural world has to offer. A farmer plants the seed, waters it, and...

Universalpatience

242 words

Sermon Illustration

Ground for Glory

When NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope in April 1990, engineers expected the most powerful eye humanity had ever turned toward the heavens. Instead, every...

Universalpurpose

254 words

Sermon Illustration

The Love That Recalculates

If you have ever missed a turn while using Google Maps, you know what happens next. There is no lecture. No guilt trip. No long...

Universallove

226 words

Sermon Illustration

The Circuit That Bears the Blow

Inside every surge protector is a small component called a Metal-Oxide Varistor — an MOV. Most of the time, it does nothing. Electricity flows past...

Universalsacrifice

228 words

Sermon Illustration

The Marsh-Wiggle Who Stamped Out the Lie

In C.S. Lewis's *The Silver Chair*, there is a scene that has stayed with preachers and readers for generations. Deep underground, the Green Witch has...

Universalfaith

253 words

Sermon Illustration

Bunyan's Cathedral of Stone and Iron

In 1660, John Bunyan was locked inside Bedford County Gaol for the crime of preaching without a license. The cell was cramped, damp, and dark....

Psalm 27:1, 4-9Universal

227 words

Sermon Illustration

The Neighbors Who Refused to Leave Him Alone

In Fredrik Backman's novel *A Man Called Ove*, we meet a fifty-nine-year-old widower who has decided he is done with the world. After losing his...

Universalcommunity

234 words

Sermon Illustration

The Power of Righteousness - Story

There was once a small village nestled in a valley, where the people lived simple lives, yet their hearts brimmed with a deep-seated joy. Every year, they celebrated a festival to honor their heritage, a gathering infused with laughter, music,...

Matthew 28:19-20Pentecostal

254 words

Sermon Illustration

The Lion's Sacrifice at the Stone Table

In C.S. Lewis's *The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe*, there is a moment that has brought readers to tears for over seventy years. Aslan,...

Universallove

245 words

Sermon Illustration

Someone Else's Blood

After a bone marrow transplant, something remarkable happens. The recipient's blood cells gradually die off, replaced entirely by cells produced from the donor's marrow. Within...

Universalidentity

225 words

Sermon Illustration

The Man Who Gave Himself Away

In Victor Hugo's *Les Misérables*, Jean Valjean has built a new life. The former convict has become Monsieur Madeleine — a respected mayor, a factory...

Universalcourage

230 words

Sermon Illustration

The Master's Paintbrush

A famous artist was creating his masterpiece when his young apprentice accidentally knocked over a jar of black paint, splattering it across the canvas. The apprentice was horrified, certain he had ru...

Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 18:6Reformedsovereigntydivine_purpose

mixed

206 words

Sermon Illustration

The Painter Who Trusted What He Could No Longer See

In the early 1900s, Claude Monet noticed the colors in his beloved garden at Giverny beginning to blur. Cataracts were slowly stealing his sight. The...

Universalfaith

241 words

Sermon Illustration

The Mental Health & Spirituality Challenge - Story

In our churches, mental health struggles often lie beneath the surface, like a calm lake hiding the turbulent waters below. Each of us knows someone, perhaps even ourselves, who grapples with anxiety, depression, or trauma, yet feels silenced by fear...

James 1:27Black Church

286 words

Sermon Illustration

Lessons from Self-control - Biblical Analogy

In the quiet of a bustling city, there lived a young man named Daniel, who felt trapped in a cycle of poor choices. Each morning, he awoke with hopes of change, yet by evening, he found himself ensnared once more...

Matthew 28:19-20Reformed

256 words

Sermon Illustration

Finding God in Climate Change & Stewardship - Contemporary Example

Imagine a small church nestled in the heart of a bustling town, where the sound of laughter and the smell of fresh soil mingle as the community gathers for “Green Sunday.” David, a passionate youth leader, stands at the helm...

Psalm 23:1-6Anabaptist

275 words

Sermon Illustration

The Deeper Scratch

In C.S. Lewis's *The Voyage of the Dawn Treader*, the insufferable boy Eustace Scrubb falls asleep on a dragon's hoard and wakes to discover he...

Universalhealing

245 words

Sermon Illustration

Science Illustration: Truth-Seeking and Integrity in Research

A few years ago, I had the privilege of attending a science fair where young minds presented their innovative projects. One particular exhibit caught my attention: a group of high school students had built a miniature ecosystem in a clear,...

Matthew 6:25-34Universal

251 words

Sermon Illustration

The Power of Mercy - Biblical Analogy

There was a time I witnessed a remarkable display of mercy at a local soup kitchen. A young man, disheveled and weary, shuffled in. His eyes told stories of pain and hardship. As he approached the serving line, he hesitated,...

Galatians 5:22-23Lutheran

271 words

Sermon Illustration

The Courage That Walks Toward What It Fears

In Harper Lee's *To Kill a Mockingbird*, young Scout asks her father why he agreed to defend Tom Robinson — a Black man falsely accused...

Universalcourage

250 words

Sermon Illustration

The Route That Doesn't Make Sense

If you've ever used Waze, the crowd-sourced navigation app, you know the experience. You're heading somewhere familiar, and suddenly Waze tells you to exit the...

Universalfaith

236 words

Sermon Illustration

The Power of Humility - Biblical Analogy

There was a small village nestled in the valley of a great mountain, known for its breathtaking views and rich harvests. One autumn, a severe drought struck, leaving the crops parched and the villagers anxious. Amidst their distress, an old...

Galatians 5:22-23Black Church

277 words

Sermon Illustration

The Example of Compassion - Story

A few years ago, I met a man named David at a local community center. David had recently lost his job and was struggling to make ends meet. When I first spoke to him, I noticed the heaviness in his...

Psalm 23:1-6Traditional

259 words