In Sermon Illustrations: "John 15:1-17:20"

Pursuit Of Happiness

Contributed by Larry Hinkle on Dec 12, 2019

A disgruntled early American once complained to Ben Franklin, “so where is all this happiness that the Constitution was supposed to guarantee me?” Franklin is said to have responded, “The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it ...read more

Scripture: John 15:11

Tags: Happiness, Joy

Denomination: Methodist

What Jesus Believed About The Scripture

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2020

WHAT DID JESUS BELIEVE ABOUT THE SCRIPTURE? The Scripture is without error (John 17:17). The Scripture is historically reliable (Jonah – Matthew 12:40). The Scripture is God’s authority over Satan (Matt. 4:1-11). The Scripture is accurate according to Creation (Matt. 19:4). The Scripture is ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, John 17:17

Tags: Bible, Scripture, Apologetics, Truth, Inspiration, Inerrancy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Persuade A Burglar

Contributed by Larry Hinkle on Jun 12, 2020

An elderly Widow woke in the middle of the night, alerted by a noise> She tiptoed down steps to discover she had a Burglar in her home. She shouted at the intruder, “Stop in the name of the Lord, repent for the forgiveness of your sins. Acts 2:38!” the burglar immediately froze, raised both arms ...read more

Scripture: John 16:8, Acts 2:38, Hebrews 9:14

Tags: Persuasion, Communication, Conscience, Conviction

Denomination: Methodist

Why Its Called An Idiot Light

Contributed by Larry Hinkle on Jun 12, 2020

Six months after I bought my first car, the "service engine" light came on. I called my dad from college, "What does that service engine light mean? Can I still drive it, or do I need to fix something?" He chuckled and said, it was an idiot light, "It is set to trigger ...read more

Scripture: John 16:8, Acts 2:38

Tags: Maintenance, Discipleship, Warning, Conscience, Conviction  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

You Are Who He Says You Are

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 18, 2020

Because you are in Christ, EVERY ONE of these statements is true of you. • I am loved. 1 John 3:3 • I am accepted. Ephesians 1:6 • I am a child of God. John 1:12 • I am Jesus' friend. John 15:14 • I am a joint heir with Jesus, sharing His inheritance with Him. Romans 8:17 • I am united with ...read more

Scripture: John 1:12, John 15:14

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Identity, New Creation, Position In Christ, In Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Room At The Cross For You

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 1, 2020

On the deck of a sinking ship stood an African slave- the last man on board. He was to be the last person to get on the last lifeboat. The life boat was loaded to the water line. The slave had something in his arms and the sailors refused to take him until he let that go. He pressed to his ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:12, John 3:16, John 15:13

Tags: Salvation, Cross, Eternal Life, Perish

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God's Story

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Dec 20, 2020

Story of God does not end with the resurrection or with the disciples. The story is still being written and lived through the Body of ...read more

Scripture: John 15:26

Tags: Christmas, The Body Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Would The World Be Without Apple Fritters?

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 24, 2021

Stress is not something new in my life or anybody else's, for that matter. The thing about stress is that you never get used to it, or at least I don't. I don't know what I would do if one week I had no stress at all. When that happens, I'll let you know. This past week has not ...read more

Scripture: John 16:33

Tags: Stress, Pleasure

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Yours Is Mine

Contributed by Gaither Bailey on May 14, 2021

When my grandparents received their social security checks in the mail, my grandmother would tell my grandfather, “what’s yours is mine and what’s mine is my own.” She was letting him know that what belonged to him also belonged to her. They shared what is known in legal language as “joint ...read more

Scripture: John 17:6-19

Tags: Possession, Joint Tenancy

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Stopping To Focus

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 28, 2022

Have you ever wondered why a pigeon walks so funny? According to an interesting article in the Detroit Free Press, a pigeon walks the way it does so it can’t see where it’s going. Because it can’t adjust its focus as it moves, the pigeon actually has to bring its head to a complete stop between ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1, John 15:1-11

Tags: Holy Spirit, Dependence

Shane Claiborne Tells About How His Little ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Feb 4, 2008

Shane Claiborne tells about how his little community of faith received some money. First, they won a lawsuit against the police of New York for misconduct. Shane with several hundred people had protested the arresting of people for sleeiping outside by sleeping outside. They were arrested, charged, ...read more

Scripture: John 17:20-26

Denomination: Church Of God

Every Branch That Bears Fruit Must Be Pruned To ...  PRO

Contributed by Stephen Smarowsky on Jun 14, 2008

Every branch that bears fruit must be pruned to bear much more fruit. I have a tomato plant that has been living for over two years now. Every winter the cold weather and heavy breeze kill more than half of the vines and leafs. If I don't prune the dead, it will spread and kill the whole plant. ...read more

Scripture: John 17:13, John 17:13-21

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Baptist

What A Friend We Have In Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Jun 24, 2008

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS Only the Lord and the man in question really know what burdens of sorrow and affliction were heaped upon the writer of this great hymn. One thing we do know, however, is that this beautiful and blessed hymn would never have been penned if the author had not known ...read more

Scripture: John 15:15

Tags: Music

Blind Man Learned To Read Bible With Tongue

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jun 28, 2008

A man in Kansas City was severely injured in an explosion. The victim’s face was badly disfigured, and he lost his eyesight as well as both hands. He was just a new Christian, and one of his greatest disappointments was that he could no longer read the Bible. Then he heard about a lady in ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-8, Proverbs 3:1-10, 1 Peter 2:1-3

Tags: Bible Study, Bible Influence

Denomination: Baptist

True Peace And Joy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 9, 2008

True Peace and Joy As a third-century man was anticipating death, he penned these last words to a friend: "It’s a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy which is a thousand times ...read more

Scripture: John 16:33

Tags: Joy

The Powerhouse  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 22, 2008

The Powerhouse Stephen Kuusisto grew up feeling a stigma about being legally blind. For him, sight consisted of a kaleidoscope of shapes, colors, and shadows. Privately he would press his face close to the page of a book and memorize street names in an exhausting attempt to appear more able to see ...read more

Scripture: John 16:13

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Escaped ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

ESCAPED CONFLICTS In the 1980’s a retired couple was alarmed by the threat of nuclear war so they undertook a serious study of all the inhabited places on the globe. Their goal was to determine where in the world would be the least likely place affected by a nuclear war -- a place of ultimate ...read more

Scripture: John 16:33

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Paul Harvey Told About A 3-Year-Old Boy Who Went ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Paul Harvey told about a 3-year-old boy who went to the grocery store with his mother. Before they entered the grocery store she said to him, "Now you’re not going to get any chocolate chip cookies, so don’t even ask." She put him up in the cart & he sat in the little child’s seat while she ...read more

Scripture: John 16:23-24

Tags: Faith

One Day The Reformer Martin Luther Was Feeling ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One day the reformer Martin Luther was feeling rather down. The Pope was after him. His colleagues were bickering among themselves. He felt the heavy pressure that came with being a professor, pastor, and father. And he was in excruciating pain from kidney stones. As he moped around the house ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 14:27, John 16:32-33

Tags: God's Provision

The Sunflower Is Probably The Most Amazing ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The Sunflower is probably the most amazing flowers God created. They literally follow the sun. No I don’t know about you, but one the most amazing things I have seen is a field of sunflowers. Watching one follow the sun through is cute. Watching hundreds in absolute unison follow the sun is ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-31, Acts 4:32, John 17:11, Psalm 133:1

Tags: Relationships, Faith General