In Sermon Illustrations: "Illustration"

Paying The Bully  PRO

Contributed by William Neel on Jan 14, 2003

In his book Fuzzy Memories, Jack Handey writes: There used to be this bully who would demand my lunch money every day. Since I was smaller, I would give it to him. Then I decided to fight back. I started taking karate lessons. But then the karate lesson guy said I had to start paying him five ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Supernatural, Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Baptist

In 1942 Margeret Wise Brown Worte A Children's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 20, 2003

In 1942 Margeret Wise Brown worte a children’s book that continues to be published. "The Runaway Bunny" is a classic describing parental love. One day the young bunny informs his mother that he is going to run away. The mother responds with, "I will run after you." The young bunny retorts with ...read more

Tags: God The Father, Promises Of God

Love Truly Does Compel Us To Go The ...

Contributed by William Yates on Nov 8, 2003

Illustration: Love truly does compel us to go the distance for the object of our affection. Mel Gibson, playing cab driver Jerry Fletcher in “Conspiracy Theory,” said this to someone riding in his cab: “Love gives you wings! It makes you fly. I don’t even call it love—I call it Geronimo. You see, ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love

A Man Went To Church With An Angel As Guide. The ...  PRO

Contributed by Tom Doubt on Jan 28, 2004

A man went to church with an angel as guide. The church was filled, but oddly, there was no sound. The organist played, but no music could be heard; the choir’s lips moved, but no song came forth. The pastor went through the motions of preaching, but the man heard nothing. He asked the angel, ...read more

Tags: Worship Definition

Denomination: Baptist

Years Ago A Young Man Began A Small Cheese ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Santos on Jan 24, 2005

Years ago a young man began a small cheese business in Chicago. He failed. He was deeply in debt. “You didn’t take God into your business. You have not worked with Him,” said a Christian friend to him. Then the young man thought, “If God wants to run the cheese business, He can do it, and I’ll work ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Character  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Illustration- Character There is a story told among the Cherokee Indians… One evening an old Cherokee Indian told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, ...read more

Tags: Faith

Stubbornness  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Sep 16, 2007

Illustration: Stubbornness In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn’t a ...read more

Denomination: Other

Turn Around

Contributed by Lonnie Erwin on Sep 27, 2007

Illustration: Turn Around Repentance is not basically a religious word. It comes from a culture where people were essentially nomadic and lived in a world with no maps or street signs. It’s easy to get lost walking through the desert. You become aware that the countryside is strange. You ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Some Time Ago I Saw A Painting Of ...

Contributed by C Jordan on Mar 24, 2008

ILLUSTRATION: Some time ago I saw a painting of an old burned-out mountain shack. All that remained was the chimney...the charred debris of what had been that family’s sole possession. In front of this destroyed home stood an old grandfather-looking man dressed only in his underclothes with a ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: *other

Object Lesson: The Purpose Of A Teapot

Contributed by David Rumley on Apr 16, 2009

OBJECT LESSON: THE PURPOSE OF A TEAPOT Does a teapot serve a purpose until it has something to pour out? So too are we meant to be full – ready to pour out what we have been filled with. This is the Body of Christ - meant to become full of Christ so that we might be poured out on those in need. ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Pentecostal

Crab Grass Within Your ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Jan 25, 2010

ILLUSTRATION: Crab grass within your soul. Crab grass if gotten early in the spring can be eliminated from your yard but if you allow it an inkling of room to grow, it will take over your yard. That is what arrogant pride will do in your soul. Just as you need to apply grab grass preventative to ...read more

Tags: Sin Hurtful To God

Denomination: Baptist

Closed For Alterations  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 16, 2011

CLOSED FOR ALTERATIONS Billy Graham tells a story--a simple illustration--that I want to borrow. A preacher once passed a shop which was no longer open for business. A sign hung in the window that said, "Closed for Alterations." The owner had closed shop for a while in order to remodel the store. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

Tags: Rapture

Keeping Jesus In A Cradle

Contributed by Ken Pell on Dec 25, 2011

KEEPING JESUS IN A CRADLE The World prefers to keep Jesus in a cradle where He is innocent and powerless. the dare not allow Him to be Lord and God much less our suffering servant. When the Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci went to China in the 16th century, he brought samples of religious art to ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Nazarene

Horses And Teamwork

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 18, 2020

Teamwork can be illustrated by thinking of the combined strength of draft horses. A single draft horse can pull a load up to 8,000 pounds. So we would expect that two draft horses linked together should be able to pull 16,000 pounds. But here’s the surprise! Two draft horses pulling together can ...read more

Tags: Church, Teamwork, Body Of Christ

Denomination: Pentecostal

Super Bowl Sunday Joke!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 6, 2023

Surprised to see an empty seat at the Super Bowl stadium, a diehard fan remarked about it to a woman sitting nearby. "It was my husband's," the woman explained, "But he died." "I'm very sorry," said the man. Then he continued. "Yet, I'm really ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Death, Sports, Humor, Goodness, Kindness, Super Bowl, Football, Fruit Of The Spirit, Funerals, Widows  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Natural Lesson On Spiritual Battles

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 8, 2024

In the Australian bush country grows a little plant called the "sundew." It has a slender stem and tiny, round leaves fringed with hairs that glisten with bright drops of liquid as delicate as fine dew. Woe to the insect, however, that dares to dance on it. Although its attractive ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-13

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Tests, Trials, Battles, Sin, Lust, Deception, Satan  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Missionary In Abidjan, Ivory ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

Illustration: A missionary in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, reports that recently an African pastor passed through on his way home to Chad, where civil war was raging. "What would you like to take to complete your forty-four pounds of baggage allowance?" asked the missionary. "Sugar? Powdered milk? ...read more

The Concept Of Grace  PRO

Contributed by Rick Labate on Feb 19, 2003

THE CONCEPT OF GRACE There is a great article that illustrates the concept of grace written by Charles Stanley. “One of my more memorable seminary professors had a practical way of illustrating to his students the concept of grace. At the end of his evangelism course he would distribute the exam ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, Matthew 13:1-9

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness In Jesus, Two Or Three, Surrender

Denomination: Adventist

One Vote  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 21, 2002

You are wrong if you do not vote. You are to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. Our Caesar [in the United States] is a government of the people by the people for the people. One vote may make the difference. ONE VOTE made Oliver Cromwell Lord Protector of the Commonwealth and gave ...read more

Tags: Independence Day, Political Freedom

Unity: Members Of The Body Of ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Nov 10, 2007

ILLUSTRATION : Unity: Members of the body of Christ are truly dependant on one another. Three Indonesian mothers, Eti , Rebekka, and Ratna, were imprisoned two years ago for teaching Muslim children in their Sunday School. Prison was shocking, discouraging and very hard at first. One of the women ...read more

Denomination: Other