Love Illustrations

871 illustrations evoking love

sermon illustrationOrthodox

The Azusa Street Love - Pentecostal (John 3:16)

When the Azusa Street Revival erupted in 1906 Los Angeles, reporters came to mock. What they found shocked them: Black and white worshippers together, men and women leading side by side, rich and poor...

Azusa StreetrevivalunityJohn 3:16
adults
sermon illustrationAnglican

St. Maximilian Kolbe's Volunteer Death - Catholic (Philippians 4:13)

In Auschwitz, when a prisoner escaped, the Nazis selected ten men to die by starvation as punishment. One chosen man cried out for his wife and children. Father Maximilian Kolbe stepped forward: "I am...

KolbesacrificeEucharistPhilippians 4:13
adults
sermon illustrationAnglican

The Little Way of Love - Catholic (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

St. Thérèse of Lisieux discovered her vocation: "In the heart of the Church, I will be love." She couldn't be a missionary or martyr, but she could love in small ways—kindness to an irritating nun, ch...

ThérèseLittle Waysmall1 Corinthians 13:4-7
adults
sermon illustrationEvangelical

The Father Who Jumped - Traditional (John 3:16)

In 1989, a father and his young son were hiking near a river when the boy slipped and fell into the rapids. Without hesitation, the father dove in after him. Rescuers later found them—the father had d...

sacrificefatherloveJohn 3:16
adults
sermon illustrationBaptist

Divine Love Transforming Human Love - Orthodox (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

The Orthodox distinguish natural human love (eros, philia) from divine love (agape). 1 Corinthians 13 describes agape—love that is God's nature shared with humans. We don't generate this love; we part...

agapetheosisdivine1 Corinthians 13:4-7
adults
sermon illustrationMainline

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear - Wesleyan (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Wesley taught entire sanctification—a heart so filled with love that other motives are displaced. "Love is not jealous... not boastful... not proud." These negatives describe what love pushes out. Whe...

perfect lovesanctificationheart1 Corinthians 13:4-7
adults
sermon illustrationReformed

The Whole World Means Everyone - Progressive (John 3:16)

When the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was drafted in 1948, Eleanor Roosevelt insisted on the word "universal"—not just rights for some nations, but for every human being. Critics said it was ...

universalinclusionworldJohn 3:16
adults
sermon illustrationCatholic

The King Who Became a Servant - Reformed (John 3:16)

In medieval Europe, there's a legend of a king who fell in love with a peasant girl. He could have commanded her to marry him—she couldn't refuse a king. But he wanted her love, not her compliance. So...

sovereigngracekingJohn 3:16
adults
sermon illustrationInerrantist

Oscar Romero's Final Mass - Liberation (John 3:16)

On March 24, 1980, Archbishop Oscar Romero celebrated Mass in a hospital chapel in El Salvador. His sermon that evening reflected on John 3:16—God's love poured out in self-giving. "Those who surrende...

RomeropoorsolidarityJohn 3:16
adults
sermon illustrationWesleyan

Love That Endures Oppression - Black Church (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." The Black Church has borne much: slavery, Jim Crow, lynching, discrimination. Yet it kept loving—loving God, loving ...

enduranceoppressionlove1 Corinthians 13:4-7
adults
sermon illustrationNon-denom

When Immigration and Welcome Meets Real Life

In our modern world, Immigration and Welcome presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in their tim...

Philippians 2:5-8
sermon illustrationCatholic

A Contemporary Reconciliation and Forgiveness Story

In our modern world, Reconciliation and Forgiveness presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in th...

John 13:12-17
sermon illustrationEvangelical

Lessons from Technology and Human Connection

In our modern world, Technology and Human Connection presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in t...

John 13:12-17
sermon illustrationOrthodox

Modern Examples of Reconciliation and Forgiveness

In our modern world, Reconciliation and Forgiveness presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in th...

Romans 16:1-2
sermon illustrationReformed

Modern Examples of Inclusive Language for God

In our modern world, Inclusive Language for God presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in their ...

Luke 10:25-37
sermon illustrationMainline

A Contemporary Social Media and Community Story

In our modern world, Social Media and Community presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in their ...

1 John 4:19
sermon illustrationCatholic

A Modern Story of We are Imago Dei

The concept of Imago Dei - that all people are created in the image of God - is foundational to progressive Christian understanding of human dignity. Take the story of Marcus, a transgender man who fo...

Matthew 22:37-39
sermon illustrationAnglican

Modern Examples of Social Media and Community

In our modern world, Social Media and Community presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in their ...

Romans 8:19-22
sermon illustrationEvangelical

When Science and Faith Meets Real Life

In our modern world, Science and Faith presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in their time, we ...

Genesis 1:26-28
sermon illustrationEvangelical

Real-World The Peculiar Politics of Christ

In our modern world, The Peculiar Politics of Christ presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in t...

Galatians 3:28
sermon illustrationBaptist

When Climate Change and Hope Meets Real Life

In our modern world, Climate Change and Hope presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in their tim...

Genesis 1:26-28
sermon illustrationReformed

Real-World The Peculiar Politics of Christ

In our modern world, The Peculiar Politics of Christ presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in t...

Deuteronomy 10:19
sermon illustrationBaptist

Real-World Economic Justice and the Kingdom

In our modern world, Economic Justice and the Kingdom presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in ...

Luke 4:18-19
sermon illustrationLutheran

Lessons from Climate Change and Hope

In our modern world, Climate Change and Hope presents both challenges and opportunities for people of progressive Christian faith. Like the biblical characters who faced similar struggles in their tim...

Matthew 25:31-46
PreviousPage 14 of 37Next