In Sermon Illustrations: "Gospel Of John"

The Voice - Billy Graham Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 2, 2026

In 1948, ...a remarkable religious phenomenon occurred... in the United States. It began in a tent ... near Hollywood California, ...under the preaching ... of a young evangelist. The crowds were sparse at first ... but as the preaching continued, ... the crowds began to grow. At first, ... the ...read more

Scripture: John 1:6-7, John 1:19-21, John 1:23-24, John 3:30

Tags: Good News, Voice, Preach, Witness, Light, Wilderness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Who Really Is Jesus?

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 27, 2025

Story: A Jew called Sholem Ash wrote this Jesus Christ is the outstanding personality of all time... No other teacher -Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Mohammedan - is still a teacher whose teachings is such a guidepost for the world we live in. Other teachers may have something basic for an ...read more

Scripture: John 5:24-27

Tags: Jesus, Napoleon, Eddie Snipes, Ash, Sholem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

: "The Boy Who Believes In The Holy ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on May 30, 2001

Illus.: “The Boy Who Believes in the Holy Spirit Isn’t Here” A children’s catechism class was learning the Apostles Creed. Each child had been assigned a sentence to repeat. The first one said, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” The second child said, “I believe ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-7, John 14:21-22, John 14:15-21

Tags: Creed, Children, Believe, Basics Of Christianity, Holy Spirit General, Holy Spirit, Third Person  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Wesleyan

Willing To Be Corrected, Citation: Jack Hayford, ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Feb 8, 2003

[Willing to Be Corrected, Citation: Jack Hayford, Midday Connection (11-28-01), used with permission from the Moody Broadcasting Network] Pastor Jack Hayford tells the following story… Early in his career, Matt Redman, the popular Christian musician in Britain, was singing with his church’s praise ...read more

Scripture: John 4:24, John 4:24, John 4:24

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Temptation Pride

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Right Name Opens Doors  PRO

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Aug 15, 2011

THE RIGHT NAME OPENS DOORS Mark Roberts wrote of a time when he visited the Capitol as a guest of Congressman John Campbell. As long as he was with the congressman, he could walk freely around the Capitol, entering many areas that were reserved "for authorized personnel only," reserved for members ...read more

Scripture: John 15:16, John 16:23-24, John 14:13-14

Tags: Prayer How To

Denomination: Baptist

Ignorance Of Sheep

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 16, 2022

City dwellers generally have limited knowledge of sheep; not usually pets. “What are you doing with that sheep? You should take it to the zoo,” the officer said. The following week, the same police officer sees the same man with the same sheep in the front seat, with both of them wearing ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-27, John 10:7-10, John 10:1-18

Tags: Sheep, Ignorance, Shepherd

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Free Indeed!

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Sep 30, 2023

Once a pastor was speaking on the topic of Spiritual Freedom. He began to wax poetical in his delivery as he repeated over, and over this phrase… “I’m free! I’m free! Praise God I’m free indeed!” After service a little boy shook his hand and said, “Preacher, I’m free! I’m free! I’m free indeed!” ...read more

Scripture: John 8:32, John 8:36, John 8:21-36

Tags: Freedom, Sermons Of Jesus, Pastor Jokes, Laughter The Best Medicine

Denomination: Baptist

Parallels Between The Serpent On The Pole And Christ On The Cross

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 8, 2023

Parallels between the Serpent on the Pole and Christ on the Cross: 1. The bronze serpent was God’s means of salvation for the Israelites who were bitten by the serpents in the wilderness. Jesus Christ crucified is God’s means of salvation for everyone who has been bitten by the deadly venom of sin ...read more

Scripture: John 3:14-16

Tags: Redemption, Judgment, Christ, Forgiveness, Easter, Sin, Israel, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

False Converts

Contributed by Rick Palmer on Oct 5, 2018

As an archery deer hunter I walk a lot out in nature. Yesterday as I was walking across a corn field I found a small branch of pretty colored leaves. My wife loves collecting leaves and doing crafts with them. I looked around and there were no trees with in a great distance from the leaves. How ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6, Matthew 4:17, John 3:16-18

Tags: Grace, Believe, Salvation, Repentance

We'll Stay Out Of The Way  PRO

Contributed by Bob Hager on Apr 26, 2001

WE'LL STAY OUT OF THE WAY The Call to Worship had just been pronounced starting Easter Sunday Morning service in an East Texas church. The choir started its processional, singing "Up from the Grave He Arose" as they marched in perfect step down the center aisle to the front of the church. The ...read more

Scripture: John 11:25, John 17:6-19, John 11:1-25, John 11:1-44, John 4:23-24, John 20:26-29, Mark 8:33  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Easter Resurrection, Wholehearted, Indifference, Hope

Denomination: Methodist

Dirty Windows

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 12, 2023

"A friend of mine, Bud Wood, founded Shepherds Home in Wisconsin for boys and girls with developmental disabilities. The original ministry opened its doors in 1964 to 36 children, providing them a loving residential environment and a school that would focus on their unique needs, helping them ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, Philippians 3:20, 1 John 3:1-3

Tags: Revelation, Children, Heaven, Second Coming, Rapture, Return Of Christ, Disabled Children  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[154]. A Message From A Poem – Jesus Christ My Lord

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 6, 2025

[154]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JESUS CHRIST MY LORD This is a factual poem about Jesus Christ the Lord. I won’t list all the things I said in the poem. Read through and see them as you go. Jesus is my Lord but only those who have surrendered to Him can say that. {{John 13:13 “You call Me ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14, John 13:13, John 1:1-2, Revelation 19:16, Philippians 2:10-11  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Lord, The Word, King Of Kings, Lord Of Lords, Every Knee Shall Bow, Jesus Christ Is Lord, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Story Of Hudson Taylor

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

Hudson Taylor began the study of medicine as well as Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. He realized, however, that the most important preparation of all must take place in the realm of his own soul. In China he would have to depend utterly upon his Lord for protection, supplies -- everything. Lest a ...read more

Scripture: John 14:13-26

Tags: Hudson Taylor, Trust

Denomination: Anglican

A Twelve Year Old Boy Became A Christian During ...  PRO

Contributed by Jon Sigler on Jun 20, 2001

A twelve year old boy became a christian during a revival. The next week at school his friends questioned him about the experience. "Did you see a vision?" asked one friend. "Did you hear God speak?" asked another. The youngster answered no to all these questions. "Well, how did you know you were ...read more

Scripture: John 6:41-51, John 6:44-47

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation, Lordship Of Christ, Promises Of God

Denomination: Holiness

We Must Be Wary Of Defining Friendship With God ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2001

We must be wary of defining friendship with God in terms of our relationships with one another. Friendship is a divine idea, and it must, therefore, ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13-15, John 15:14-15

Tags: Friendship General, Church Small Groups

An Old Lady Spent Much Of Her Summer Setting And ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 27, 2002

An old lady spent much of her summer setting and swinging in the old swing hanging on her front porch. Her husband had been dead several years and she had withdrawn from all but the closest family. Her lonely time grew and grew?? One spring day, the old lady went out in the garage and dug the old ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1, John 11:1-44

Tags: Disappointment

Denomination: Assembly Of God

If God Intended Man To Live On Bread, Why Didn't ...  PRO

Contributed by Don Hawks on Jul 31, 2002

‘If God intended man to live on bread, why didn’t he create a bread tree?’ And the answer, in effect, is that God could have created a tree that produced crusty loaves of bread, but he prefers to offer us a grain and invite us to buy a field and plant the seed. He prefers that we till the soil ...read more

Scripture: John 6:54, John 6:51

Tags: Giving Yourself

Denomination: Methodist

There Is Little Doubt To The Fact That Every ...  PRO

Contributed by David Taylor on Apr 23, 2003

There is little doubt to the fact that every person here has most likely heard the old adage, “Seeing is believing.” In a world filled with insatiable claims it has become commonplace for a person to respond, “I won’t believe it, until I see it.” It is this very principle that brought Robert ...read more

Scripture: John 12:37, John 6:30

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In Middle Eastern Countries, It Was The Slaves ...  PRO

Contributed by Chad Wright on Mar 30, 2004

In Middle Eastern countries, it was the slaves who washed the feet of guests; here Christ took the place of a slave. He makes this clear to His disciples: if their Lord and Teacher has washed their feet, then they should wash one another’s feet, that is, serve each other in humility. This must have ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1-38, John 13:1

Tags: Easter Maundy Thursday

Denomination: Lutheran

I Remember Our Friend Taylor Hendley Who Took ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 28, 2004

I remember our friend Taylor Hendley who took teams of missionaries to Russia when it first opened it’s doors to us. He described how people would walk from miles around (many all night) to come to worship in a small one-room church with no heat. How to accommodate as many people as ...read more

Scripture: John 12:1-11, John 12:9-11

Tags: Worship Definition

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational