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187 illustrations for sermon preparation
Deborah was a woman of remarkable faith, a leader in a time when her people were struggling under oppression. One day, she found herself at a crossroads. The enemy was closing in, and despair lurked in every shadow. Yet, instead...
In our rapidly changing world, the concepts of diversity and inclusion can feel overwhelming, much like the fascinating but turbulent waters of the Sea of Galilee, which can shift from serene to stormy in a heartbeat. Yet, as people of...
1 Corinthians 13 describes covenant love—love that binds despite circumstances.
In a small town, there lived an elderly woman named Ruth. She had a garden that was the envy of all, bursting with vibrant colors and fragrant blooms. Yet, Ruth’s secret to her garden's beauty wasn’t just her green thumb;...
Gustavo Gutiérrez defined love as "effective solidarity" with the poor. "Love does not insist on its own way"—this applies to nations insisting on policies that harm the vulnerable. "Love is not arrogant"—neither are liberation movements that honor the dignity of those they serve.
In 1928, a young pianist named Ervin Nyiregyházi dazzled New York critics with his astonishing technique. He could play Liszt with a ferocity that left...
When Dr. Sarah Chen retired from pediatric oncology at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis after thirty-one years, her colleagues expected a ceremony full...
When Dorothy Henderson died at ninety-three in Macon, Georgia, nearly four hundred people filled the sanctuary at First Baptist. The pastor admitted he was stunned....
Try reading 1 Corinthians 13 with "Christ" substituted for "love": "Christ is patient, Christ is kind. Christ does not envy, does not boast, is not proud..." It works perfectly—because Christ IS love incarnate. Now substitute YOUR name. Uncomfortable? That's the point.
Henry Drummond called 1 Corinthians 13 "the greatest thing in the world." Everything else fails: prophecy ceases, tongues stop, knowledge passes away. Only love remains. Billy Graham preached on this chapter at countless crusades, emphasizing that God's love for individuals is eternal and unfailing.
Luther described love as "seeking not its own" but flowing outward toward the neighbor. "Love does not insist on its own way." In marriage, friendship, community, love asks: what does the OTHER need? Not: what do I want? A Lutheran...
1 Corinthians 13 is sandwiched between chapters about spiritual gifts. Paul's point: gifts without love are nothing. A church known for prophecy and healing lost its pastor to moral failure. What remained? Not the miracles but the love—members who cared...
A man came forward at a healing service—not for physical healing but for the wound of never hearing his father say "I love you." The ministry team prayed, asking the Father to speak. The man began weeping, overwhelmed by a sense of being loved.
"Love does not insist on its own way." Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, represents death row inmates—many who can't pay. He could make more money elsewhere; he stays.
"Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away." In dispensational perspective, some gifts are for this age; love is for all ages. In the millennial...
Robertson McQuilkin was president of Columbia Bible College when his wife Muriel developed Alzheimer's. As her condition worsened, he faced a choice: career or caregiving. He resigned to care for her full-time. "Love is patient, love is kind...
A Pentecostal pastor told his congregation: "I'd rather have someone with fruit and no gifts than gifts and no fruit." The Spirit gives gifts (1 Corinthians 12) AND produces fruit (Galatians 5). Both matter, but fruit is the foundation.
A missionary couple worked in a Muslim country for 20 years before seeing their first convert. Twenty years. "Love is patient." They built relationships, served needs, learned culture—without visible fruit.
Lewis observed that it's easier to love humanity in general than the specific person annoying you. "Love is not irritable"—but your spouse, coworker, or neighbor can be genuinely irritating. Lewis said real love isn't warm feelings; it's willing the other's...
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