In Sermon Illustrations: "Philippians"

The Seven Things That Unite Us As Believers

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 2, 2023

Have you ever worked at a job where you felt a strong bond with your co-workers? Perhaps you were united by a sense of mission, or by a respect for your boss, or by the belief that a prosperous company will benefit everyone financially. The more points of agreement among members of a group, the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-13, Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Fellowship, Church, Unity, One, Undivided, Division  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Want To Play Beethoven's Piano?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 5, 2023

J Vernon McGee offers the following illustration of humility of mind and adds a practical application. The story is told of a group of people who went in to see Beethoven’s home in Germany. After the tour guide had showed them Beethoven’s piano and had finished his lecture, he asked if any of them ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-11, Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Humility, Spiritual Gifts, Position, Servants, Lowliness Of Mind, Service, Honor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Churches In Competition Against Each Other

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 5, 2023

Three churches, located on different corners of the same intersection, didn't get along together. One Sunday each of them opened their meeting with a rousing song service. It was a warm day and all the doors and windows were wide open. One congregation began singing the old hymn, "Will ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-7, Philippians 2:5-11

Tags: Critical Spirit, Hymns, Enemies, Division, Church, Worship, Competition, Rivalry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Call God A Liar With Joy

Contributed by John Allen on Mar 11, 2024

There is a sin committed by many Bible-believing Christians, a sin that borders on the curse of Revelation 22:19, taking away from the words of the Bible. More specifically, it is a common sin of the enemy: Redefining the words of Scripture. What word? Joy. A well-meaning Christian says, ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4, Matthew 13:44

Tags: Happiness, Joy

God With Us

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Dec 2, 2024

I started out by describing a song that I had been singing all week long. (I used Leaning on the Everlasting Arms but you can use any song). I spent about 5 - 7 minutes giving all the details of the song. The author, the beat, where it is used at, who sung the song, etc. I keep the title ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:23, Philippians 2:5-11

Tags: Emmanuel, Immanuel, God With Us

Denomination: Church Of God

Fully Divine And Fully Human

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 17, 2025

"Hypostatic union" sounds fancy in English, but it's actually a simple term. Hypostatic means personal. The hypostatic union is the personal union of Jesus's two natures: one fully human and one fully divine. What the doctrine of the hypostatic union teaches is that these two ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14, Philippians 2:7

Tags: Divine, Human, Hypostatic Union

Denomination: Methodist

Burned Bridges

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Jun 25, 2025

Burned Bridges When I chose To burn my bridges to you, O what a stupid choice I made, For I burned my fingers with the matches. When I changed My mind and wished to return, The way to you I found not, It lay before me now as smoldering ashes. When I looked, Hope had been consumed by coals, ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14, Ephesians 4:32

Tags: Forgiveness, Separation, Divorce, Past, Poetry, Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Just Call Me Vince

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 16, 2025

Vince Lombardi—legendary NFL coach—was said to have a healthy ego. After a big win he crawled into bed late; his wife was already asleep. His feet brushed her legs and she murmured, “God, your feet are ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 131:1-3, Philippians 2:3-5

Tags: Humility, Perspective

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

God Can Put Me Together Again - Humpty Dumpty Story - Humor

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 3, 2025

Remember Humpty Dumpty? Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall; All the king's horses ... and all the king's men Couldn't put Humpty together again. Did you have a Humpty Dumpty when you were a ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:9-14, Colossians 1:10, Philippians 3:10, Philippians 3:13-14, 1 John 2:9  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Brokenness, Prize, Love, Healing

Denomination: Anglican

Tale Of Two Kings  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2002

TALE OF TWO KINGS Two of the greatest love stories ever told. The one, at Camelot; the other, at Calvary. Two of the noblest kings ever to live. The one, King Arthur; the other, King of the Jews. The one is adorned with a jeweled crown; the other, with a crown of thorns. The comparisons ...read more

Scripture: Mark 15:33-35, John 10:15-18

Tags: Cross, Crucifixion, Forgiveness In Jesus

The Lord Was With Missionaries John Paton, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

The Lord was with missionaries John Paton, Alexander Duff, and William Carey Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. The Lord stood with me; the Lord gave me strength, with that strength the gospel was preached; and the aim was the Gentiles - all the nations. That was ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 5:9-10

Tags: Perseverance, Missions

Faith

Contributed by John Hardwick on Aug 1, 2015

Faith, as a mustard seed, is when it’s raining enough to need the windshield wipers once a minute, but not enough to set it on auto. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Faith, Amazing Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Great Quotes On Thanksgiving

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 21, 2019

GREAT CHRISTIAN QUOTES ON THANKSGIVING 1. God says to give thanks in everything. That doesn’t mean you need to give thanks FOR everything. You don’t need to give thanks FOR that bad day. Or FOR that bad relationship. Or being passed over at work. Financial hardship. Whatever it is – you are not ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving, Gratitude, Great Quotes

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seven Principles Of Finance For The Believer  PRO

Contributed by Dave Mcfadden on Feb 6, 2008

Seven Principles of Finance for the Believer By Jim and Pam Elliff One of the most recognizable differences in the believer and the world he lives in is his unusual relationship to money and possessions. However, even serious believers sometimes balk at the seeming extremities in the teaching and ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Who Do You Play For? Tjbts

Contributed by Blake Henson on Jun 6, 2023

Who Do You Play For? shows a player that is wearing a certain jersey but appears to be playing for the other team because he is doing everything to help the other team win. This is to make you examine your actions do they truly say you are a Christian? URL: https://youtu.be/xLEEMrkpspY SUMMARY In ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 20:11

Tags: Salvation, Actions

A Vicar Was Retiring After 25 Years In The ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 8, 2001

A vicar was retiring after 25 years in the parish. As he came to clear out his bedroom he found a small bowl with 5 eggs and £1,000 pounds in. Baffled he called his wife and said: Darling, what is this little basket under the bed with five eggs and £1,000 in. "Oh " she said " I must confess that ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-7, 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Tags: Leadership General, Gifts Encouragement, Gifts Prophecy, Love

Denomination: Anglican

From The Book: Stories For The Heart (P. 246, ...  PRO

Contributed by Melinda Richardson on Aug 20, 2001

From the book: Stories for the Heart (p. 246, Catherine Marshall) There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22, Philippians 4:6-7, Luke 24:36

Tags: God Brings Hope, Peace

Denomination: Pentecostal

On A Rather Insignificant Sphere  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on May 28, 2002

ON A RATHER INSIGNIFICANT SPHERE A senior angel is showing a very young angel around the splendors of the universe. They view whirling galaxies and blazing suns, and then flit across the infinite distances of space until at last they enter one particular galaxy of 500 billion stars. As the two ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:6-8, 1 Peter 1:12

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Baptist

F. B. Meyer Once Said, "I Used To Think That ...  PRO

Contributed by Mitchell Skelton on Apr 1, 2003

F. B. Meyer once said, “I used to think that God’s gifts were on shelves one above the other; and that the taller we grew in Christian character, the easier we could reach them. I now find that God’s gifts are on shelves one beneath the other. It is not a question of ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:4-6, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Philippians 2:5-11

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Alexander M. Sanders, Jr., Is The Chief Judge Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Mary Lewis on Jun 11, 2004

Alexander M. Sanders, Jr., is the Chief Judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals. When his daughter Zoe graduated from the Univ. of South Carolina in 1992, he told this story that happened what she was just three years old. Sanders came home from work one day to find his home – and especially ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16, Philippians 4:4

Tags: Children, Commandments Murder

Denomination: Baptist