Browse Sermon Illustrations
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St. John Chrysostom on Pascha Eternal - Orthodox (Revelation 21:4)
"This is eternal Pascha—Christ is risen, death is trampled, tears are ended. The paschal victory extends to all creation; the new heaven and earth participate in resurrection. 'Let no one fear death'—
St. John of the Cross on Mystical Death - Catholic (Galatians 2:20)
"The soul must die to all that is not God, that Christ alone may live in it. This is the dark night—the crucifixion of ego, desire, attachment. When 'I' finally dies, Christ fills the emptied space. U
John Howard Yoder on Trust Beyond Security - Anabaptist (Proverbs 3:5-6)
"'Trust in the Lord'—not in armies, not in political power, not in violence. The world's understanding says secure yourself; God's way says trust Me. The straight path may look foolish to those who tr
John Stott on Gentle and Humble Christ - Anglican (Matthew 11:28-30)
"Jesus reveals His character: gentle and humble. This is not weakness but strength restrained. The one who could command legions chooses gentleness. In this gentle Master we find rest because we are n
A.W. Tozer on Total Surrender - Traditional (Romans 12:1-2)
"A living sacrifice—all on the altar, holding nothing back. The problem with living sacrifices is they keep crawling off the altar. Daily we must present ourselves again: mind, body, will, desires. To
Joyce Meyer on Releasing Worry to God - Pentecostal (1 Peter 5:7)
"Stop carrying what God wants to carry for you! Cast—release, let go, throw off—your anxiety! He CARES for you! Worry is not your job; trust is. Every time anxiety rises, cast it again. God's shoulder
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.
Gustavo Gutiérrez on Grace and Liberation - Liberation (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"Grace is liberation—freedom from sin AND from oppressive structures. The poor receive grace not because they are morally better but because God's grace goes to those with nothing. 'Not of works' mean
Dietrich Bonhoeffer on Christ With Us - Christocentric (Isaiah 41:10)
"'I am with you'—and this 'I' has now taken flesh in Jesus Christ. Emmanuel, God with us. Christ is the fulfillment of Isaiah 41:10. In Him, divine presence is complete; in Him, fear is finally conque
Pope John Paul II on 'Be Not Afraid' - Catholic (Isaiah 41:10)
"'Be not afraid!' This was my message to the Church, echoing Isaiah. God is with us—Emmanuel. Through the sacraments, through the communion of saints, through Mary's intercession, His presence is medi
Bill Johnson on Kingdom Peace - Charismatic (Philippians 4:6-7)
"The peace of God isn't just calm—it's KINGDOM atmosphere! When you pray and thank, heaven's peace invades your situation. This peace doesn't just guard; it DOMINATES. Anxiety flees when the King's pe
Karl Barth on Christ's Spirit - Christocentric (2 Timothy 1:7)
"The Spirit given is Christ's Spirit—the Spirit of Him who faced cross and grave without fear. In Christ, fear has been conquered. The power is His power; the love is His love; the sound mind is His w
R.C. Sproul on Perseverance of the Saints - Reformed (Romans 8:38-39)
"This is the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints—not that we hold onto God but that God holds onto us. Nothing can separate because nothing can overpower God's grip. He who began a good work wi
Joyce Meyer on Supernatural Deliverance - Pentecostal (Isaiah 43:2)
"When you pass through waters—WHEN, not if—God is WITH you! The river won't sweep you away! The fire won't burn you! This is SUPERNATURAL protection! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked through fir
Charles Stanley on Personal Love Casting Out Fear - Baptist (1 John 4:18)
"Do YOU know God loves YOU? Really know it—personally? That knowledge casts out YOUR fears: fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of death. God's perfect love for YOU—specifically, individually—is
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware on Theotic Journey - Orthodox (Isaiah 43:2)
"The journey through waters and fire is the journey of theosis—painful transformation into divine likeness. The fires purify; the waters cleanse. God accompanies through this cosmic baptism. We are no
Billy Graham on Your Personal Race - Baptist (Hebrews 12:1-2)
"YOU have a race set before YOU—not someone else's race, YOURS. Run it with endurance. Lay aside what holds YOU back. Keep YOUR eyes on Jesus. The witnesses are cheering YOU on. YOUR finish line await
Stanley Hauerwas on Community and Care - Anabaptist (Matthew 6:25-27)
"'Do not worry' is addressed to a community—we bear one another's burdens. The birds are fed; but we feed each other. Worry decreases as community increases. Together we practice trust, share resource
Billy Graham on Personal Trust - Baptist (Matthew 6:25-27)
"Jesus speaks to YOU: do not worry about YOUR life. YOUR heavenly Father knows what YOU need. He feeds the birds; He will feed YOU. He clothes the lilies; He will clothe YOU. This is personal: YOUR Fa
Billy Graham on Personal Cleansing - Baptist (Psalm 51:10)
"'Create in ME a clean heart'—this is YOUR prayer. God will cleanse YOUR heart if YOU ask. It's personal: YOUR sin, YOUR confession, YOUR cleansing. No one else can ask for you; no one else can receiv
John Howard Yoder on Life Versus Death Systems - Anabaptist (Romans 6:23)
"Sin's wages include the death-dealing systems of violence, war, and coercion. The gift of life creates an alternative: communities of peace, sharing, and reconciliation. We choose which economy to li
Charles Spurgeon on Wages and Gift - Traditional (Romans 6:23)
"Two words tell the whole story: wages and gift. Sin pays wages—death, earned and deserved. God gives a gift—life, unearned and undeserved. You get what you work for from sin; you get what you don't d
Lesslie Newbigin on Missionary Identity - Missional (1 Peter 2:9)
"Chosen for mission—that you may DECLARE. The royal priesthood exists not for itself but for the world. We mediate between God and nations, declaring His excellencies. Identity precedes mission; knowi
Gustavo Gutiérrez on Identity of the Poor - Liberation (1 Peter 2:9)
"The poor are chosen—preferentially, specially. In base communities, campesinos discover their royal identity: priests who need no patron, a holy nation that belongs to God not landlords. This identit