In Sermon Illustrations: "Gospel of John" showing 2,621-2,640 of 5,222

Prayer By Sir Francis Drake - Disturb Us Lord

Contributed by John Gullick on Mar 13, 2018

Sir Frances Drake Quoted in OC Missionary Prayer Letter of Jeanie Curryer, September, 1997 Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb ...read more

Tags: Vision, Prayer

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

When Mary Almost Turned Back

Contributed by John Allen on Dec 8, 2020

Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been rightly regarded as one of the godliest people in history. But she was also human, subject to the same doubts we have. Why, after the biggest announcement in history, does she "hurry away" from her family? Why did she go by herself? Why did she stay ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-56, Matthew 1:18-25

Tags: Mary, Christmas

The Horse Won't Stop!

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

There's this guy who had been lost and walking in the desert for about 2 weeks. One hot day, he sees the home of a missionary. Tired and weak, he crawls up to the house and collapses on the doorstep. The missionary finds him and nurses him back to health. Feeling better, the man asks the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:35

Tags: Supplication, Prayer

Denomination: Methodist

Hiring A Dog

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

A sign was hung in an office window. It read: Help wanted. Must type 70 words a minute. Must be computer literate. Must be bilingual. An equal opportunity employer. A dog was ambling down the street and saw the sign. He looked at it for a moment, pulled it down with his mouth, and walked into ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:26

Tags: Service, Gifts

Denomination: Methodist

Old Bible

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

A collector of rare books ran into an acquaintance who told him he had just thrown away an old Bible that he found in a dusty, old box. He happened to mention that Guten-somebody-or-other had printed it. "Not Gutenberg?" gasped the collector. "Yes, that was it!" "You ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Word Of God, Bible

Denomination: Methodist

The Witness Barber

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

There was a barber that thought that he should share his faith with his customers more than he had been doing lately. So the next morning when the sun came up and the barber got up out of bed he said, "Today I am going to witness to the first man that walks through my door." Soon after ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Witness

Denomination: Methodist

Monkey Reading The Bible

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

One day the zoo-keeper noticed that the monkey was reading two books - the Bible and Darwin's The Origin of Species. In surprise he asked the ape, "Why are you reading both those books"? "Well," said the monkey, "I just wanted to know if I was my brother's keeper ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:25

Tags: Evolution, Darwin

Denomination: Methodist

Boy Eating Apple

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

A four-year-old boy was eating an apple in the back seat of the car, when he asked, "Daddy, why is my apple turning brown?" "Because," his dad explained, "after you ate the skin off, the meat of the apple came into contact with the air, which caused it to oxidize, thus ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:28

Tags: Bible, Understanding

Denomination: Methodist

Saint Or Sinner

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 19, 2021

In the “Freedom in Christ” course, Neil Anderson and Steve Goss, share an illustration that I just love – “You know the fairy tale of the princess who decided to kiss a frog? When she kissed the frog, he changes into a handsome prince. Now imagine they go out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:2

Tags: Princess, Prince, Sinners, Saints, Frog  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Can You See It?

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 24, 2021

We are surrounded by things we can’t see, so are they real? It was really windy here this week. Did you see it? Of course not! We can’t see the wind. I saw the trees moving. I heard the wind chimes on the porch. I felt it on my skin. I never saw it… so is the wind real? Last week, during ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:35

Tags: Physics, Light, Demons, Wind, Invisible, Gravity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Get Back In The Game!

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 19, 2021

What if God started telling your church to do something we had never done before? How hard would you work against it - unwilling to change? There is an old saying – do you know what they put on the tombstone in front of a closed church? “WE NEVER DID IT THAT WAY BEFORE” If that’s the case, we ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:12-26, Ephesians 4:11-12

Tags: Laity, Sports, Pastor, Basketball

Denomination: Methodist

Three Types Of People

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 3, 2021

It has been well said that there are only three classes of people in the world today: those who are afraid, those who do not know enough to be afraid, and those who know ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7

Tags: Bible, Fear

Denomination: Methodist

Be Quiet In Church

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 27, 2021

One Sunday School teacher asked her class, “Why do we have to be quiet in church?’ A little boy quickly ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:46-47

Tags: Church, Children, Worship

Denomination: Methodist

They Keep You Quiet In Church

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 27, 2021

A 6-year-old girl was sitting in church with her very fidgety 4-year-old brother. She spoke to him with a stern voice, “You’re supposed to be quiet in church.” So her brother asked, “Whose gonna make me?” She ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:46-47

Tags: Church, Children, Worship, Quiet

Denomination: Methodist

Love Is Like Candy

Contributed by John Bright on May 22, 2021

I’m talking about love that is a real, tangible – like candy! Since you are watching on video (or reading this at home), you will have to imagine I have a big bag of Hershey Kisses right here. I have LOTS OF CANDY! So - I can claim to be full of candy. What if this candy is the love we have to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:27-36

Tags: Love, Enemies

Denomination: Methodist

Tv Remote

Contributed by John Bright on May 24, 2021

A woman was pulling her offering out of her purse when a TV remote control fell out and hit the floor of the sanctuary. The usher picked it up and asked if she always carried it with her? "No," she replied. "My husband would not come to church ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:25

Tags: Husband, Wife

Denomination: Methodist

The Gossip Test

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 1, 2021

Another basic concept – sin creates spiritual blindness. Let me illustrate with my favorite sin to talk about… GOSSIP. I’ll stop right here and make sure you know how I define gossip. Before you tell someone a story about another person (even disguised as a prayer request), it needs to pass all ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:37-45

Tags: Sin, Gossip, Spiritual Blindness

Denomination: Methodist

Power Of Holy Spirit In You

Contributed by John Bright on May 24, 2022

There is NO COMPARISON between the power of satan and the power of the HOLY SPRIT IN YOU. The power of satan is like a little firecracker while the power of the Holy ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:20, 2 Timothy 1:7, Acts 1:8

Tags: Holy Spirit, Satan, Power

Denomination: Methodist

What Is Truth?

Contributed by John Bright on Oct 17, 2022

I hate to be the bearer of bad news… but there is a deep divide in this sanctuary. No – it’s not what you think. It’s not political parties. It’s not hot-button social justice issues. Nope, it’s our view of “What is truth?” Here’s a way to view our divide from Os Guiness: “Three baseball ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:24-36

Tags: Baseball, Absolute Truth, Umpires

Denomination: Methodist

How I Found Hope

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 7, 2023

HOW I FOUND HOPE By Danielle Strickland — I stole my first car when I was twelve years old. In family court, when my fate seemed to be incarceration, a leader from my church insisted I was going through a hard patch, but I could be sentenced to community service at a camp. The judge jumped at the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-9

Tags: Jesus, Hope

Denomination: Methodist