Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas

Sermon Illustrations

Consider the Queen Mary, now a floating museum in California. This great ship was built as a luxury liner, and it served the wealthy with lavish comforts. Part of the ship has been restored to show the way it was outfitted in all its regal glory, with grand dining rooms set with china and gold utensils and large, elegant staterooms. Three thousand people could travel the seas in the grandest luxury accommodations.

But if you move your eyes across the partition, you will see the way the ship was refitted for WWII: “The wartime austerities present a sharp contrast. One metal tray with indentations replaces fifteen plates and saucers. [Single beds are replaced by] bunks, not just double but eight tiers high.” No longer are 3,000 well-to-do socialites vacationing in comfort; now 15,000 are ferried to war. What would cause the owners of one of the most beautiful, elegant, luxurious ships ever made, to paint it dingy grey and submit it to the indignities of being stripped of its glory and filled with filthy soldiers? Nothing less than the survival of a nation depending on it.

Have we been lulled to sleep by the comforts of our wealth and forgotten we are at war?

Related Sermon Illustrations

Related Sermons

  • Misplaced Wealth Series

    Contributed by John Sears on Nov 27, 2013
    based on 5 ratings
     | 18,935 views

    How should American's handle our wealth? Should those who are wealthy feel guilty about special vacations and favorite hobbies. Should we sell everything if we want to be real follower of Jesus?

  • Longing For Jesus Series

    Contributed by Pat Damiani on Jan 24, 2011
    based on 4 ratings
     | 12,465 views

    We can either choose to long for Jesus and end up rejoicing or long for “stuff” and end up weeping and mourning.

  • Where Do We Turn In Troubled Times? Series

    Contributed by E. True Neilson on Dec 15, 2014
    based on 1 rating
     | 11,663 views

    At first glance the book of Numbers reads a bit like an operations manual. It’s got numbers of soldiers, lists of names, and a bit of repetition. Tucked between those lists and numbers are some stories of real people, dealing with real issues of faith!

  • Living For Giving Series

    Contributed by Chris Kelly on Aug 19, 2012
    based on 1 rating
     | 10,093 views

    What I at first thought was a dry and boring book with no relevance to my life, turned out to be one of the most profound and exciting books in the bible, with full of application to my life! Learn how to make it through the "wilderness" of this life succ

  • Materialism Series

    Contributed by Tim Smith on Jun 16, 2013
    based on 1 rating
     | 7,687 views

    When it comes to materialism, has any nation ever surpassed what we are seeing in the United States right now? We define our lives by how much stuff we have, social status by how much money we make, what we own and wear and where we live.

Browse All Media

Related Media