In Sermon Illustrations: "First Love"

Story: At A Comparative Religions Conference, The ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Dec 31, 2003

Story: At a comparative religions conference, the wise and the scholarly were in a spirited debate about what is unique about Christianity. Someone suggested what set Christianity apart from other religions was the concept of incarnation, the idea that God took human form in Jesus. But someone ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8, John 3:16

Tags: God's Love, God The Father, Love

Denomination: Anglican

The Prominent Psychiatrist Karl Menninger Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Santos on Sep 24, 2004

The prominent psychiatrist Karl Menninger was featured in an article carried by the "Chicago Daily News" entitled, "Love working miracles for the mentally Ill in Kansas." Dr. Menninger contended that love is one of the most effective cures in healing mental illness. When reporters asked Menninger ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Compassion, Unconditional Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Judge A Man By The Reputation Of His Enemies. ...  PRO

Contributed by Carlton Coon on Dec 27, 2000

Judge a man by the reputation of his enemies. ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Love Of The Disciples, Holiness

Denomination: Pentecostal

A Young Man Wrote This To His Girlfriend. ...  PRO

Contributed by John Walls on Jan 31, 2001

A young man wrote this to his girlfriend. “Sweetheart, if this world was as hot as the Sahara desert, I would crawl on my knees through the burning sand to come to you. If the world would be like the Atlantic Ocean, I would swim through shark infested waters to come to you. I would ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:18

Tags: Holiness, Unconditional Love, Romantic Love

Denomination: Baptist

H. John Wesley Once Had For A Traveling ...  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 13, 2001

H. John Wesley once had for a traveling companion an officer who was intelligent and agreeable in conversation; but there was one serious drawback- his profanity. When they changed vehicles, Wesley took the officer aside and, after expressing the pleasure he had enjoyed in his company, said he had ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Love Of The Disciples, Humility

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

To Be One, To Be United Is A Great Thing. But To ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2002

To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Unconditional Love, Unity

One Of The Greatest Theologians That Ever Liv...

Contributed by Lalachan Abraham on Dec 24, 2015

One of the greatest theologians that ever lived, Karl Barth, was asked to be a guest lecturer at the University of Chicago Divinity School. At the end of a captivating closing lecture, the president of the seminary announced that Dr. Barth was not well and was quite tired, and though he thought ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-17

Tags: Christmas Love, God's Love For Us

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Get Caught  PRO

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 3, 2008

DON'T GET CAUGHT So often people do what is wrong as long as they know they won't get caught. I've seen surveys where people were asked about doing certain things like stealing and having an affair if they were assured they would never get caught. Would they do them? Amazingly, some of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-4, Matthew 6:1, Matthew 6:1-4

Tags: Love, Christian Love, Secrets, Serving

Denomination: Church Of God

I Have Never Forgotten You

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Feb 12, 2009

I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN YOU On Jan. 27, 2009 and I got to go to part of the state evangelism conference in Ruston, LA. Charles Thornton from Texas was one of the preachers. God is using his life in a fantastic way to help reach people in apartment complexes. Their ministry moves CARES Teams into ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32

Tags: Encouragement, Love Of God, Family Love

Denomination: Baptist

[062a]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062A]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE FIRST PART PART 1 INTRODUCTION TO THIS POEM This is my most serious poem because it addresses ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Comfort, Suffering, Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love, Hurt, Pain, Love, Compassion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Was A Great Theologian Who Came To The Usa ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Wood on Jun 6, 2002

There was a great theologian who came to the USA from England and was being interviewed by a group of seminary students. The question was asked, “What is the most profound thought that ever occupied your mind.” The answer was, “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.” You may go ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-17

Tags: Amazing Love, Ultimate Gift, Unconditional Love, Love For God

Denomination: Baptist

Mr. Rogers Cardigan

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Apr 13, 2025

We learn how God so loved the world. God sent His Son. He didn’t just say, “I love you.” He showed it. He gave something deeply personal. Something costly. Something that met our greatest need. And in a much smaller, but still powerful way, Fred Rogers—yes, Mister Rogers—modeled that kind of ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34

Tags: Love, Give, God Gave, Love Gives, Love Costs  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Leadership

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Mar 1, 2016

I remember hearing a story about a famous film producer. As a child, he had a fight with another boy and lost. While his mother was bathing his black eye, he told her how it was entirely the fault of the other boy. It was the other boy who had started the fight, he claimed. His mother said ...read more

Scripture: John 13:2-17

Tags: God Is Love, Giving In Love, Jesus Leadership

Denomination: Baptist

I Love My Dentist?" Luke 1:26-37 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 7, 2005

“I Love My Dentist?” Luke 1:26-37 Key verse(s): 31:“You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.” I love my dentist? Do you love yours? Unfortunately dentists have really gotten a bad rap over time. Many see them as the evil pain-giver, the one who ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-37

Tags: Peace, Joy

Denomination: Lutheran

The Important-Looking Lawyer  PRO

Contributed by John Perry on Jul 28, 2010

THE IMPORTANT-LOOKING LAWYER A young lawyer was setting himself up in his first private practice. As he sat in his office, which was basically bare except for his desk with a telephone on it and a book case filled with important-looking legal books, he wondered how long it would be before he got ...read more

Tags: Love, Hypocrisy, Hate

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Cold Within By James Patrick Kinney  PRO

Contributed by Martin Wiles on May 9, 2002

The Cold Within by James Patrick Kinney Six humans trapped by happenstance In bleak and bitter cold. Each one possessed a stick of wood Or so the story’s told. Their dying fire in need of logs The first man held his back For the faces around the fire He noticed one was black. The next ...read more

Tags: Unity, Christian Love

Denomination: Baptist

The Animal Kingdom Is Fascinating To ...  PRO

Contributed by Gerald Cornelius on Dec 15, 2000

The animal kingdom is fascinating to observe. There is fierce competition that exists within various species. For example, the wild Dogs of Africa are competitive for their mates. In a documentary one pack of dogs revealed this struggle for dominance. The male dog had two ...read more

Tags: Envy, Christian Love

Denomination: Baptist

Church Conflicts Happen For Pretty Unusual ...  PRO

Contributed by Dan Erickson on Jan 28, 2001

Church conflicts happen for pretty unusual reasons. In the 1890s there was a small Baptist church in Mayfield County, Kentucky. The church had just two deacons, and those two men seemed to be constantly arguing and bickering with each other. On a particular Sunday, one deacon put up a small wooden ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, Colossians 3:13, 1 Corinthians 16:14, Philippians 2:14

Tags: Christian Love, Unity

Denomination: Baptist

In One Of His Books, James Emery White Tells Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Sep 4, 2005

In one of his books, James Emery White tells of the Russian-American comic, Yakov Smirnoff’s, initial response to the incredible variety of instant products available in American grocery stores. He said, "On my first shopping trip, I saw powdered milk--you just add water, and you get milk. Then I ...read more

Tags: Discipleship, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Church Of God

John 14:15 "If You Love Me, You Will Obey What I ...

Contributed by Steven Cannon on Jan 15, 2007

John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- John 14:17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ