Sermon Illustrations

Last night at youth we watched Pay it Forward.

Anyone watched Pay it Forward?

I won’t tell you the entire story

but the concept of the story is centred around a young boy who begins High School and his teacher gives him a project.

The project is that he is to do something to change the world.

The young boy comes up with the idea that he will show love to three people for no reason at all.

And all they have to do is ‘Pay it Forward’ three people each, which means another nine people receive love,

and those nine show love to 3 people each, a further 27.

And so the concept grows.

And the first person the young boy chooses to show love to is a drug addict.

He discovers this drug addict on the way home from school,

Who is homeless, living in a rubbish dump of discarded furniture and housing materials.

He takes him home.

He gives him his spaghetti.

His mum’s not home, she works late.

He lets him take a shower.

And stay in the garage.

And of course his mum freaks.

This young boy shows this bloke love

And this bloke’s life starts to change.

The bloke moves out.

He gets a job.

Life is on the up.

However the drug addict reverts back to his old ways.

And the young boy finds out about it.

He is devasted.

He is disappointed he thinks love hasn’t worked.

However that is not the end of the story.

Sometime later in the movie.

The drug addict is walking on a bridge.

And a lady is about to jump off the bridge.

He pleads with her not to do it.

She wants to know why.

He pleads with her.

He says someone has shown love to me and I want you to receive some of that love.

He pleads with her to come down and have a cup of coffee.

And she comes downs and has coffee

But the sad part of that story is that the young boy,

Never found out about that instant.

Related Sermon Illustrations

Related Sermons

  • Honor One Another Series

    Contributed by David Owens on Sep 28, 2009
    based on 4 ratings
     | 33,924 views

    We discover in this sermon that to honor one another above ourselves, we must learn to be humble.

  • Living In Love Or Death Series

    Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jan 14, 2013
    based on 15 ratings
     | 28,528 views

    We are taught here in John that we know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brethren. Love of the brethren is a proof of sonship. People with a heart for God have a heart for people.

  • "True Success”

    Contributed by Alan Hughes on Apr 23, 2006
    based on 6 ratings
     | 22,779 views

    What is success? What does it mean to you this morning to live a successful life? If you asked 10 people you would most likely get 10 different answers.

  • The Primacy Of Love Series

    Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Oct 29, 2012
    based on 9 ratings
     | 17,981 views

    This paragraph again describes the Christian's responsibility toward all men. Our relationship to others can be summarized in one word, namely Love. Love one another is the basic principle of the Christian life.

  • Power

    Contributed by Michael Stark on Jun 2, 2007
    based on 5 ratings
     | 12,506 views

    The one necessary ingredient for effective service before the Lord is power. This is what few contemporary Christians have, perhaps because they are uncertain what they should look for.

Browse All Media

Related Media


Disciples
SermonCentral
Preaching Slide
Not Dead But Alive
Tim Kressin
Video Illustration