Browse Sermon Illustrations
816 illustrations available
Tim Keller on Gospel Delight - Missional (Psalm 37:4)
"When we delight in the Lord—truly find Him beautiful, satisfying, sufficient—we begin to desire what He desires: His glory among the nations. Missional passion flows from delight in God. Those who tr
John Howard Yoder on Nonviolent Confidence - Anabaptist (Deuteronomy 31:8)
"God goes before—we need not fight with violence; He fights for us. God is with—we need not fear the powerful; His presence protects. The community that trusts this promise can lay down weapons and wa
Stanley Hauerwas on Communal Wisdom - Anabaptist (James 1:5)
"Wisdom comes through community. We ask individually but discern together. The brother, the sister, the gathered church—wisdom emerges through the body's counsel. God gives wisdom through one another.
Bill Johnson on Soaring in the Spirit - Charismatic (Isaiah 40:31)
"Mount up with wings like eagles—this is life in the Spirit! The Spirit is the wind beneath our wings. When we wait in His presence, soaking in worship, we receive supernatural lift. Don't just walk;
Howard Thurman on God's Love for the Disinherited - Black Church (John 3:16)
"The religion of Jesus makes the love of God the ultimate ground of trust and security. God so loved the world—including those whom the world despises—that He gave His Son for ALL. There is no one out
A.W. Tozer on God's Presence Against Fear - Traditional (Isaiah 41:10)
"Fear not—because I AM with you. The remedy for fear is presence, not explanation. God does not always tell us why we suffer; He tells us He is there. 'I will strengthen you'—this is promise upon prom
John Chrysostom on the Incomprehensible Gift - Orthodox (John 3:16)
"Consider how great a gift it is that He gave—His only-begotten Son. Not a servant, not an angel, not an archangel, but His own Son. And for whom? For ungrateful enemies. This is the wonder of God's l
John Stott on Trust and Wisdom Together - Anglican (Proverbs 3:5-6)
"'Lean not on your own understanding' does not mean abandon reason but submit it. Proverbs values wisdom highly—and then says trust God above it. Use your mind fully, but hold conclusions humbly. Divi
A.W. Tozer on Faith That Sees God Working - Pentecostal (Romans 8:28)
"Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible. Romans 8:28 requires faith-eyes: circumstances may look hopeless, but the Spirit within witnesses that God is working
Pope Benedict XVI on God IS Love - Catholic (Romans 8:38-39)
"God IS love—and nothing can separate us from this divine love revealed in Christ. The love from which nothing separates is not sentiment but the very being of God. United to Christ through baptism, s
Tim Keller on Contentment and Mission - Missional (Philippians 4:13)
"Philippians 4:13 in context is about contentment in any circumstance—plenty or hunger, abundance or need. The missionary learns: I can be content anywhere because Christ sustains me. This contentment
Charles Ryrie on Trust in God's Revealed Plan - Dispensational (Proverbs 3:5-6)
"We can trust the Lord because He has revealed His plan in Scripture. The paths He makes straight align with His prophetic program. Trust includes studying His Word to discern His will. He guides thro
James Cone on Survival Strength - Black Church (Philippians 4:13)
"The enslaved sang and testified: 'I can do all things through Christ.' This was survival faith, not triumphalism. Christ's strength got them through chains, through beatings, through family separatio
Karl Barth on Christ as Mercy - Christocentric (Lamentations 3:22-23)
"God's mercies find their fullness in Christ—He is the steadfast love that never ceases. Each morning we wake to Christ, to His finished work, to His living presence. 'Great is Thy faithfulness' is su
St. John Climacus on Purified Heart - Orthodox (Psalm 51:10)
"The clean heart sees God—this is theosis. Through repentance, through the Jesus Prayer, through ascetic struggle, the heart is purified. 'Create' is ongoing: God continually cleanses those who contin
Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Christ as Our Courage - Christocentric (Joshua 1:9)
"Christ is our courage. He went to the cross without fear; He descended to hell and rose. In Him, fear has been conquered. 'I am with you'—now means Christ is with us. Our courage is not self-generate
Thomas Cranmer on Prayer Book Renewal - Anglican (Psalm 51:10)
"'Create and make in us new and contrite hearts'—so we pray in the Collect. Weekly, daily, we ask for cleansing. The liturgy forms us: confession, absolution, renewal. The clean heart is the praying h
Jon Sobrino on Hope Through Suffering - Liberation (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
"The crucified peoples know bodily wasting—martyrdom, poverty, violence. But inner renewal persists; hope refuses to die. Light affliction? The suffering is not light—but the coming glory is heavier s
Kallistos Ware on Providence and Theosis - Orthodox (Romans 8:28)
"The promise of Romans 8:28 points toward theosis: God works all things for our 'good'—and that good is nothing less than our deification, our participation in the divine nature. Everything serves thi
Pope Benedict XVI on Grace and Cooperation - Catholic (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Grace is entirely God's gift—the Council of Trent affirmed this clearly. Yet grace invites our cooperation; it transforms us from within, enabling the good works that flow from salvation. We are save
J. Vernon McGee on Waiting for Israel's Comfort - Dispensational (Isaiah 40:31)
"Isaiah 40 opens with 'Comfort my people.' This is prophetic promise to Israel, awaiting ultimate fulfillment when Messiah returns. But in this church age, we too wait and receive renewed strength. Th
Oscar Romero on Courage to Denounce Injustice - Liberation (Joshua 1:9)
"The prophet needs courage to denounce injustice, to name oppression, to stand with victims against their victimizers. 'Be not afraid'—but the powerful want us afraid. God's presence emboldens us to s
Lesslie Newbigin on Missionary Trust - Missional (Proverbs 3:5-6)
"The missionary cannot rely on cultural competence or strategic planning alone. 'In all your ways acknowledge Him'—in every context, every culture, every challenge. Trust opens us to God's leading int
Howard Thurman on Light in Darkness - Black Church (Psalm 27:1)
"The disinherited have much to fear—real enemies, real threats. But the LORD is light in the darkest night, salvation when all seems lost, stronghold when nowhere is safe. This confidence sustained sl