Browse Sermon Illustrations
816 illustrations available
A.W. Tozer on Holy Stillness - Traditional (Psalm 46:10)
"Be still—cease striving, stop struggling, quit your frantic activity. And KNOW—not guess, not hope, but know with certainty—that I am God. In the stillness we discover what busyness obscures: God is
T.D. Jakes on Spirit-Led Paths - Pentecostal (Proverbs 3:5-6)
"When you acknowledge God in ALL your ways, the Holy Spirit guides every step! Don't trust your own mind—trust the Spirit's leading. He speaks, He guides, He makes crooked paths straight. Listen for H
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on Grace and Synergy - Orthodox (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Salvation is God's gift—entirely, completely. Yet Orthodoxy speaks of synergy: not that we add to grace, but that grace transforms us into participants. We are saved by grace through faith—faith that
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
Howard Thurman on Peace for the Anxious Soul - Black Church (Philippians 4:6-7)
"The disinherited know anxiety—fear of violence, uncertainty of tomorrow, weight of injustice. Yet Paul says: pray, and peace will guard. This is not denial but defiance—the soul refusing to let oppre
John Howard Yoder on Fearless Nonviolence - Anabaptist (Isaiah 41:10)
"'Fear not'—and therefore we need not rely on violence for security. God is with us; His right hand upholds. The fearful reach for swords; the trusting put down weapons. Divine presence replaces milit
Howard Thurman on Love for the Disinherited - Black Church (Romans 8:38-39)
"The disinherited have been told they are unloved, unworthy, separated from God by their race, their poverty, their status. But Paul declares: NOTHING can separate! Not the lies of oppressors, not the
St. Augustine on Restless Hearts - Catholic (Psalm 37:4)
"Our hearts are restless until they rest in You, O Lord. Delight in the Lord is the soul's homecoming. Through prayer, through Eucharist, through contemplation, we taste and see. The saints show us—th
St. Silouan the Athonite on Divine Love - Orthodox (1 John 4:18)
"Keep your mind in hell and despair not—because God's love reaches even there. Perfect love casts out fear because divine love is infinite, uncreated, all-embracing. In theosis, we participate in this
N.T. Wright on New Creation Completed - Anglican (Revelation 21:4)
"The new creation begun in resurrection is completed: heaven and earth joined, tears ended, death destroyed. This is not escape FROM creation but its RENEWAL. God dwells with humanity in a remade worl
Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Work as Discipleship - Christocentric (Colossians 3:23-24)
"Work 'as unto the Lord'—the Lord Christ. Not a concept but a Person; not a principle but a Master. Discipleship extends to the workplace; following Jesus includes following Him into Monday's labor. C
Martin Luther on Temptation and the Word - Lutheran (1 Corinthians 10:13)
"When the devil tempts, I flee to Christ. The way of escape is often the Word itself—Scripture spoken against temptation. 'It is written!' God is faithful; He has given us the armor of His Word. Tempt
Charles Spurgeon on Divine Wisdom - Traditional (James 1:5)
"If any lacks wisdom—and who does not?—let him ASK of God. Not buy, not earn, not discover through speculation—ASK. God gives generously and without reproach. He does not mock the asker or shame the i
Barbara Brown Taylor on Complexity and Trust - Progressive (Romans 8:28)
"Romans 8:28 does not promise that everything that happens is good. It promises that God is at work in everything, bringing good even from terrible circumstances. This is not passive acceptance but ac
Bill Johnson on God's Goodness in Everything - Charismatic (Romans 8:28)
"God is always good, and He's always working. Romans 8:28 doesn't mean God causes evil; it means He redeems everything the enemy meant for harm. Our job is to believe His goodness even when we can't s
Charles Spurgeon on Abiding and Fruitfulness - Traditional (John 15:5)
"Apart from Me you can do nothing—the branch cannot bear fruit by itself. Abiding is the secret: staying connected, drawing life from the Vine. Our activity without His life produces nothing eternal.
John Stott on Providence Within Purpose - Anglican (Romans 8:28)
"Romans 8:28 is not a promise that everything will be comfortable, but that everything serves a purpose. And that purpose is defined by the calling: to be conformed to Christ. God wastes nothing in th
John Wesley on Grace-Enabled Capacity - Wesleyan (Philippians 4:13)
"I can do all things—by the enabling grace that is freely offered and faithfully received. This strength is not ours by nature but ours by grace cooperated with. Christ strengthens those who walk with
Pope Benedict XVI on Gift of Eternal Life - Catholic (Romans 6:23)
"The gift of God is eternal life—not merely endless existence but participation in divine life. Through baptism we die to sin's wages; through Eucharist we receive life's gift. The sacraments mediate
T.D. Jakes on Free Gift - Pentecostal (Romans 6:23)
"You can't EARN eternal life—it's a GIFT! Sin pays wages; you work for death! But GOD gives FREELY! You don't deserve it; you can't afford it; but He GIVES it! In Christ Jesus—LIFE! Not wages, not pay
John Wesley on Christ as Universal Access - Wesleyan (John 14:6)
"Christ is the Way—but this way is open to all. He is the Truth—and this truth can be known by any seeking heart. He is the Life—offered freely to whosoever will. The exclusivity of Christ is the incl
Martin Luther on Christ as God Revealed - Lutheran (John 14:6)
"No one knows the Father except through the Son. If you want to see God, look at Christ. He IS the way to God—no other path works. He IS the truth about God—all else is speculation. He IS the life fro
Stanley Hauerwas on Following the Way - Anabaptist (John 14:6)
"Jesus says 'I am the WAY'—not 'I am the correct doctrine.' The way is walked, not merely affirmed. To claim Christ as the way is to follow His path of enemy love, nonviolence, and community. The way
C.S. Lewis on Grace as Gift - Traditional (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more, and nothing we can do to make God love us less. It is gift—pure, unearned, undeserved. We cannot boast because we contributed nothing.