In Sermon Illustrations: "Jesus The Light"

Helping People Go Home

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

The conductor of a railroad was on his last day before retiring. As he was going through the cars punching tickets, he came to the third car and there was a man who had ridden that car through the years with the conductor. He stopped him by grabbing his shirt sleeve and said, “Hey Jim, how do you ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-18

Tags: Evangelism, Death, Salvation, Going Home

Denomination: Methodist

Betty's White Cake Is For Whoever

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 11, 2017

I walked into the kitchen one afternoon and saw a big white cake that had just been frosted. I love white cake. It’s my favorite. And my wife Betty can really make a mean one. So I found Betty and asked her, “Who is that white cake for?” She looked at me and shrugged, “Whoever.” Now she didn’t ...read more

Tags: Whosoever, Whoever, Anyone

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Monkey In The Quicksand

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: You cannot pull yourself out of sin. Verse: “…no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law…” (Romans 3:20 NIV). Illustration: A little monkey fell in the quicksand. As he was sinking into the sand, a monkey on the bank started giving him advice. He said, ...read more

Tags: Need For Christ, Sin, Salvation

Denomination: Charismatic

Old Nature

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

OLD MAN Some time ago, a person I worked with came up to me and said, “if I didn’t know you, I would be terrified to meet you on the street”. If my coworker only knew half of what I’d been, He would never even talk to me. God took the most vile, evil, misguided person in the world and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:22-32

Tags: New Man, Old Man

Denomination: Pentecostal

Starving For God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 23, 2020

BEATITUDE #4 - "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." “What Jesus is talking about is no mere reference to hunger which could be satisfied by a mid-morning snack. The thought is that of STARVATION. Are you longing for God like that? ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Beatitudes, Hungry For God, Thirsting For God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Freedom

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jun 11, 2020

Freedom: “You feel you were hedged in you dream of escape; but beware of mirages. Do not run or fly away in order to get free: rather dig in the narrow place which has been given you; you will find God there and everything. God does not float on your horizon, he sleeps in your substance. Vanity ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:39

Tags: Freedom, Future, Self

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Want To Quit?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

There was a story of a British soldier in the First World War who lost heart for the battle and deserted. Trying to reach the coast for a boat to England that night, he ended up wandering in the pitch black night, hopelessly lost. In the darkness he came across what he thought was a signpost. It ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2, Colossians 3:1-4

Tags: Fear, Commitment, Endurance, Apostasy, Perserverance, Quitting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Soldier For Life

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jul 2, 2021

While I am honored and privileged to have served in my country's military, my desire now is to serve honorably in the army of Jesus Christ. I want to be able to serve on the battlefield, I want to live the life of a warrior. I am too old to serve my country, but I pray for many years to do ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Tags: Obedience, Victory, Warfare, Weapons

Denomination: Baptist

Bible Characters Who Prayed

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

BIBLE CHARACTERS WHO PRAYED: * Abraham prayed and God gave him a son. • Moses prayed, and the Israelites were delivered from Egypt. • Joshua prayed and the sun stood still in the valley of Aijalon • Gideon prayed, and He defeated the Midites with three hundred men. • Hannah prayed, and God gave ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Prayer, Miracles, Bible Characters, Answers To Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Parable Of The Sower

Contributed by Polimetla Joy on Jan 30, 2023

In this parable, Jesus teaches about the importance of having a receptive heart to receive the word of God. He explains how the seed (word of God) can fall on different types of soil, representing different hearts. Some seed falls on the wayside, representing those who hear the word and do not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9, Luke 8:4-8

Tags: Scripture, Word Of God, Hearing, Responding

Thank God For Blessed Subtractions!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 10, 2023

Three local pastors were discussing their Easter Sunday results with one another on the Monday after Easter. The Methodist minister said, "Easter services worked out great for us! We gained four new additions at First Methodist!" Praise God! The Baptist preacher grinned ...read more

Tags: Arrogance, Bragging, Preachers, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, Easter, Revival, Church Growth, Pride, Pastors  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rest In Peace Until I Come

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Aug 7, 2023

The wife ... of a man who had recently died ... assumed ... they were well off financially, ... so she gave him a very nice funeral ... and a fancy tombstone that read, ... Rest in Peace. However, ... when the estate was settled ... she was informed by their attorney ... that he had wasted all ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:9-10, Mark 2:23-28, Exodus 34:21, Matthew 11:28

Tags: Peace, Sabbath, Rest

Denomination: Anglican

God's Mercy

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 2, 2024

Henri Nouwen tells the story of a family from Paraguay. The father spoke out against the military regime and its human rights abuses. The police arrested his teenage son and tortured him to death. Enraged townsfolk wanted to turn the boy's funeral into a huge protest march, but the doctor ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-18, Romans 5:1-11, Ephesians 2:1-5

Tags: Mercy, Sin, Evil, Salvation, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Girolamo Savonarola

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

At the very start of his ministry there, Savonarola noticed an elderly woman who used to come and pray regularily before that statue of the Virgin Mary. One day, he took an elderly priest aside who had been serving in the cathedral for many years and said, "Look how devoted this woman is. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Tags: Girolamo Savonarola, Faith

Denomination: Anglican

Evangelism Quotes And Illustrations  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Apr 19, 2004

Evangelism Quotes and Illustrations 1. Paul Harvey said, "Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium." 2. Paul Little in his book "How to Give Away Your Faith" defines witnessing: "Witnessing is that deep-seated conviction that the greatest favor I can do for ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Tags: Men, What Is Evangelism?, Wise

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Courage Of Shannon Wray  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jun 11, 2002

THE COURAGE OF SHANNON WRAY After winning a hard fought battle over an attempt to censor religious references from her speech, Shannon Wray delivered her non-censored salutatorian speech on Friday during the Hollidaysburg Area High School graduation ceremony. Shannon was represented by Mat ...read more

Tags: Humility, Endurance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Were Three People In Heaven Who Decided One ...  PRO

Contributed by Wayne Major on Aug 10, 2002

There were three people in heaven who decided one day to play a round of golf at the heavenly country club. The first man stepped up to the tee, hit his drive, and watched as it headed straight for the water hazard. Just as the ball was about to land in the water, he raised his club, pointed it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Uncertain, Unknown, Communication General

Denomination: Methodist

Una Noche De Navidad

Contributed by David Lema on Nov 23, 2003

ILUSTRACION: Una noche de Navidad en el año 1944 en un campo de concentración alemán en Viena ocurrió algo verdaderamente extraño, misterioso. El autor de esta historia cuenta que en aquella noche jamás se había podido sentir tanto abatimiento de espíritu, tanta soledad, tanta impotencia como las ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

Charles Smith Was A Jehovah's Witness, Working ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Dec 28, 2004

Charles Smith was a Jehovah’s Witness, working his way up in the organization for 37 years. Outside one of their meetings, he noticed someone with a sign that simply said, “1 John 5:13.” He decided he would read it later. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of ...read more

Tags: World Religions

Denomination: Baptist

Carl Boyle Is A Sales Representative, And He Was ...

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jun 12, 2005

Carl Boyle is a sales representative, and he was driving home through his suburban neighborhood one day when he saw a group of young children selling Kool-Aid on a corner. They had taped the typical hand-scrawled sign on their stand: “Kool-Aid, 10 cents.” As a salesman, Carl was intrigued. He ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony, Evangelism Urgency, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Methodist