In Sermon Illustrations: "Galatians 1:1-15:2"

What A Young Boy Saw In The Face Of A Missionary

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 2, 2023

Many years ago when the great missionary Adoniram Judson was home on furlough, he passed through the city of Stonington, Connecticut. A young boy playing about the wharves at the time of Judson’s arrival was struck by the man’s appearance. Never before had he seen such a light on any ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:19-23, Acts 1:8

Tags: Evangelism, Children, Missions, Testimony, Witnessing, Fruit Of The Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Does It Mean To Have Joy?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 2, 2023

Joy is God’s gift to believers. Paul speaks of more than just a mood. This is a deep confidence that was rooted in God’s sovereign control of the universe, His on unchanging divine promises and eternal spiritual realities including the assurance of ultimate victory for those in ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:19-22, Philippians 4:4

Tags: Spirit Filled Life, Happiness, Joy, Fruit Of The Spirit

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

No More Spit In Soup!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 27, 2023

During WWII, a military unit in the Pacific hired a local boy to cook and clean for them. Being a bunch of jokesters, they quickly took advantage of the boy’s seeming naiveté. They smeared Vaseline on the stove handles so it would get all over his hands. They put buckets of water over the door ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:12-15, Galatians 6:7

Tags: Judgment, Revenge, Sowing And Reaping, Confessions, Paybacks, Apologies  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Worst Dad Joke Ever

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jul 17, 2023

I usually begin every one of my Sunday sermons with a funny story to get our congregation comfortable before I begin to dive in deeply to the Word of God. If you like dad jokes or puns (old name) and you want to make your congregation groan a little bit.........check this dad joke out! CHESS ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22, Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Happiness, Joy, Humor, Laughter, Medicine, Dad Jokes  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sowing And Reaping

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 16, 2023

John Smith was a loyal carpenter, working for a very successful building contractor who called him into his office one day and said, "John, I'm putting you in charge of the next house we build. I want you to order all the materials and oversee the whole job from the ground up." John ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7, Numbers 32:23

Tags: Sowing, Reaping, Cheating, Stealing, Judgment, Selfishness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

High Goats

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 3, 2024

Ben Hooper or UPI writes, “A flock of sheep found their way into a greenhouse in Greece and ate more than 600 pounds of marijuana plants being cultivated for medical use. “Yiannis Bourounis, owner of the greenhouse in Magnesia …estimated the sheep munched their way through more than 600 pounds of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:8, Galatians 5:19-21

Tags: Drugs, Mistakes, Surprise, Medicine, Marijuana  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Trapped

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Mar 15, 2024

Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. When my son was practicing with his little league baseball team there was a practice field. The practice field was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:18, Galatians 5:7

Tags: Change, Trapped

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Fullness Of Time

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 10, 2025

Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” Part of the “fullness of time” is that Jesus would be condemned to die, and it would include being bruised and bleeding. It would include a whipping so we can know “by His ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-6, Galatians 4:4

Tags: Bleeding, Fullness Of Time, Stripes, Healed

Denomination: Methodist

[069]. A Message From A Poem – Evolution Owns Not The World

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 28, 2025

[069]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EVOLUTION OWNS NOT THE WORLD Evolution is a nasty belief for it comes directly from Satan himself, and is a denial of the creation of God. Don’t you think it is strategically planned that evolution is a fiercely held belief by atheists, humanists, most University ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7-8, Colossians 1:15-16

Tags: Poem, Humanism, God Is Not Mocked, Stupidity, Flea Brain, Creation, Evolution, Creator, Adam And Eve, Poetry, Big Bang Theory  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Wesley Fetter Lane

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 5, 2025

Each year, on May 24, we remember the date in 1738 when John Wesley had his heart “strangely warmed” in the Bible study on Aldersgate Street. I tend to agree with the folks that claim this is the day Wesley became a Believer and after this, he had a great assurance of his salvation. Have you ever ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-4, Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Aldersgate, Fetter Lane, Holy Spirit, Power, John Wesley  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

When Rules Can’t Save

Contributed by David Dunn on Sep 27, 2025

The great Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy inherited vast wealth and hundreds of serfs. Though he freed them and gave away his book royalties, he was tormented by guilt and could not find peace. He invented endless rules —rise early, eat little, conquer lust —to perfect himself, but slid deeper into ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:18-25, Galatians 2:16

Tags: Grace, Freedom, Justification, Sanctification

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

I Need A Push

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 25, 2025

A man and his wife are awakened at 3 a.m. by a loud pounding on their door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger in the pouring rain is asking for a push. “Not a chance,” says the husband- “It’s three o’clock in the morning!” He slams the door and returns to bed. “Who ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:2, Luke 6:31

Tags: Service, Compassion

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

There’s Another Beautiful Picture Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Edward Frey on Jul 18, 2001

There’s another beautiful picture of baptism given here: “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Did you catch it? Baptism clothes us with Christ. We’re wrapped up in Jesus and all of his goodness in baptism. We’re clothed with his work and his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:13-17, Galatians 3:27, Luke 1:39-56

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Baptism, Church Practices, Come, Cross, Follow, Disciples  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

From The Book: Stories For The Heart (P. 246, ...  PRO

Contributed by Melinda Richardson on Aug 20, 2001

From the book: Stories for the Heart (p. 246, Catherine Marshall) There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22, Philippians 4:6-7, Luke 24:36

Tags: God Brings Hope, Peace

Denomination: Pentecostal

James Calvert (1813-1892) Was A Zealous ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 7, 2002

James Calvert (1813-1892) was a zealous missionary to cannibals on the Fiji Islands. His faithful work bore fruit in the lives of those accustomed to taking the life of others. Years later and English earl visited the Fiji Islands and was critical of a chief’s conversion to Christianity. "You’re a ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:15, 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Born Again, Christian Love, Joy, New Life, New Creation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

What's God Got To Do With It?  PRO

Contributed by John Harvey on Feb 12, 2004

WHAT'S GOD GOT TO DO WITH IT? If you “Google” the word love, and you have to be very careful doing this, you will find all sorts of websites,120,000,000 to be exact. Here are some examples that you will find: I love Dogs.com I love Cats.com (Although this one is a plea to spay or ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Galatians 5:20-22

Tags: Love, Romantic Love

Denomination: Baptist

No Contest  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 28, 2004

NO CONTEST When we get to heaven, there will be no contest to see who was the most deserving of God’s grace because no one deserves it. There will only be one contest in heaven. When we look back and see what we were before, when we see the pit from which he rescued us, when we recall how ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16, Galatians 2:20-21, Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Promises Of God, Parable Vineyard, Grace

Another Poll Sheds Light On This Paradox Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

Another poll sheds light on this paradox of increased religiosity and decreased morality. According to sociologist Robert Bellah, 81 percent of the American people also say they agree that “an individual should arrive at his or her own religious belief independent of any church or synagogue.” Thus ...read more

Scripture: John 15:5, Galatians 6:3, Matthew 7:21-23

Tags: Idolatry, Worship, Christ, Apologetics General, Dependence  (view more)  (view less)

Abraham Lincoln: Merit Your Freedom  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2013

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: MERIT YOUR FREEDOM In the last days of the Civil War, the Confederate capital, Richmond, Virginia, fell to the Union army. Abraham Lincoln insisted on visiting the city. Even though no one knew he was coming, slaves recognized him immediately and thronged around him. He had ...read more

Scripture: John 21:3-14, Romans 6:1-23, Galatians 5:13-15

Tags: Christian Liberty

Denying The Flesh What It Wants

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Apr 16, 2020

When you get saved later in life like I did (I was 36), your spirit gets recreated, you’re all in on this salvation deal, but your flesh is still out there in the world, and it don’t know yet the program has changed. It’s like when you go on a diet. You stop eating all the ice cream, and donuts ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24, Galatians 2:20, Luke 9:23

Tags: Sin, Flesh, Fleshly Desires, Denying The Flesh, Walking In The Spirit, Crucifying The Flesh, Dieting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic