In Sermon Illustrations: "Sacrifice For Others"

Can I Serve Your Sentence For You?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 10, 2022

Chuck Swindoll once told the story of a seminary student in Chicago who faced a forgiveness test. Although he preferred to work in some kind of ministry, the only job he could find was driving a bus on Chicago's south side. One day a gang of tough teens got on board and refused to pay the ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness, Forgiving Others

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Respond Like Jesus

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 20, 2025

I think that God expects us to respond (not react) when the world pushes back like Jesus responded to the folks who were unable to see what He was doing. It won’t make sense. Here’s an example of what Peter’s teaching would look like in his day: “Peter is telling the Christian merchant in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15-16

Tags: Anger, Blessing Others

Denomination: Methodist

The Pit

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 18, 2026

The Pit man fell into a pit and couldn't get himself out. A subjective person came along and said: "I feel for you down there." An objective person came along and said: "It's logical that someone would fall down there." A Pharisee said: "Only bad people fall into ...read more

Scripture: James 1:22-27

Tags: Jesus, Helping Others

Denomination: Methodist

Moonlight

Contributed by Kelly Benton on Feb 3, 2026

The moon doesn’t produce light. It has no power source of its own. No battery. No glow stick taped to the back. It simply reflects the sun. That’s us. We don’t generate love through effort, emotion, or religious hustle. We reflect Christ’s love as we remain in Him. When we stay close, obedience ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-10

Tags: Loving Others, Reflections

Denomination: Other

August 22, 1741, Was A Sweltering Day In The ...  PRO

Contributed by John Hamby on Mar 27, 2001

“August 22, 1741, was a sweltering day in the city of London. An elderly stooped-shouldered man wandered through the streets. His nightly aimless wandering through the streets of the city had become a familiar ritual. His angry mind raced back to the memories of great adulation and then looked at a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:1-31

Tags: Sacrifice, God In The Hardships, Endurance

Denomination: Baptist

Little Things - Big Blessings  PRO

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Oct 5, 2009

LITTLE THINGS - BIG BLESSINGS When we lived in Houston, Texas, our oldest Spencer was born. Spencer was placed in one of the vast Texas-sized nurseries at this hospital. There in that nursery, I met a group of volunteers who were all from a nearby church. The job of these volunteers in the nursery ...read more

Tags: Sacrifice, Obedience, Security, Success

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

He Gave The ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on May 24, 2010

He GAVE the Blood! Ed Freeman, quoting Herb Cain, told in the San Francisco Chronicle about a poster for a blood bank. The poster read, “Be a volunteer Blood Donor.” Someone had wisely printed on the poster these words: “That’s the best kind.” If someone is taking your blood, and you are not a ...read more

Tags: Blood Of Christ, Christ's Sacrifice

Denomination: Baptist

Substitute Soldiers

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

Here in the South, there are memorials in most towns to the bloodiest war fought on American soil – the Civil War. Over 600,000 died in that conflict. What is often not known is that both the North and the South allowed “substitute soldiers.” A man drafted for military service could literally ...read more

Tags: Memorial Day, Sacrifices, Substitute

Denomination: Christian Church

Be Thankful

Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 2, 2014

When I was young I lived about a half hour from Defiance, Ohio. General Anthony Wayne built Fort Defiance in August 1794. He surveyed the land & declared to General Scott, "I defy the English, Indians, & all the devils of hell to take it." I defy anyone and all the devils of hell ...read more

Scripture: Job 13:15

Tags: Joyful, Defiance, Sacrifice Of Praise

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bacon And Eggs

Contributed by Silas Eke on Feb 26, 2015

The story is told of the pig and the chicken that went to Church and heard the Pastor was going to do his birthday. Each offered to donate towards the birthday. The Chicken offered to donate eggs and asked the pig to give bacon so that the pastor would have a good breakfast. The pig looked at the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 24:24

Tags: Sacrificial Giving, Perfect Sacrifice

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Consecration To God--Making A Personal Stand For Jesus

Contributed by Richard Tow on Dec 14, 2017

I read the story of a young woman who out of curiosity entered a little Presbyterian church one evening. She heard the gospel for the first time and was converted. Later she heard God’s call on her life to go to China as a missionary. She was the only daughter of a multi-millionaire. She was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:1-50

Tags: Sacrifice, Missions, Consecrated Life

Denomination: Charismatic

A Living Memorial

Contributed by James Chandler on May 29, 2018

When our children were young, we took a vacation to Washington D.C. We saw the many different memorials. The highlight of our trip was Arlington National Cemetery. It was quite a moment standing there with my wife and children watching the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier. ...read more

Tags: Sacrifice, Memorial, Empty Tomb

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Punishment In Another’s Place

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

Main Idea: When Jesus died on the cross, He took the punishment we deserve. Key Verses: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23-25

Tags: Salvation, Propitiation, Sacrifice Of Christ

Denomination: Charismatic

Circuit Riders

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Jun 19, 2020

In the early years, Circuit riders were most often lay preachers without formal education. They were young, poor, and, for the most part, single. Traveling thousands of miles a year. Though circuit riders eventually represented many different denominations but none were more aggressive or ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:35

Tags: Personal Sacrifice, Teaching And Preaching

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Service

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 21, 2022

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif - NFL Lineman And Medical Student Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (31) is a Canadian born professional football player for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He is 6’ 5” and 321 pounds. He played university football and attended medical school at McGill University ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11, 1 Corinthians 3:5, 1 Corinthians 4:1, 2 Corinthians 4:5

Tags: Service, Sacrifice, Servant, Humility

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Bridge Operator

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 5, 2025

There was once a man whose job was to operate a drawbridge for passing trains. Most of the time the bridge stayed raised to allow ships to move freely along the busy waterway. But when a train was scheduled to cross, he would lower the bridge, lock it in place, and signal that the way was ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, Romans 5:8

Tags: Grace, Atonement, Sacrifice, Redemption

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Hardships Further His Kingdom  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Feb 6, 2011

HARDSHIPS FURTHER HIS KINGDOM Bill Hybels' The Power of a Whisper (p.110-111): "Don't ever buy into the idea that everything God prompts His followers to do will be uncomplicated or low-cost. Sometimes God asks His children to carry heavy loads, as He did with the apostle Paul. But even--and ...read more

Tags: Love, Others, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Great Example Of Leadership

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 14, 2022

One of the best leaders and models of loving leadership was Dawson Trotman, who died after helping to rescue two drowning girls. Trotman died in Schroon Lake, New York. He died in an area that he was an expert in — he drowned. He was an expert swimmer. The last few moments of his life, he ...read more

Tags: Leadership, Mentoring, Love, Sacrifice, Discipleship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Alex Navalny - Russian Dissident

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 19, 2024

Russian opposition leader and outspoken Christian, Alexei Navalny. Navalny voluntarily returned to Russia - knowing he would be arrested and imprisoned. Navalny, 47, dies while serving a 19-year sentence in a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle. In Navalny’s closing statement during his 2021 ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6

Tags: Righteousness, Sermon On The Mount, Sacrifice, Integrity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Rich Family In Church  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Jan 29, 2006

The Rich Family in Church by Eddie Ogan I’ll never forget Easter 1946. I was 14, my little sister Ocy was 12 and my older sister Darlene was 16. We lived at home with our mother, and the four of us knew what it was to do without many things. My dad had died five years before, leaving Mom with ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Tags: Giving, Giving General, Sacrifice, Tithe

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ