Browse Sermon Illustrations
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Rocky: Power, Love, and Self-Discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
Rocky Balboa is not the most talented boxer—he knows it, everyone knows it. But he has something fear cannot defeat: heart. "It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and ke
Parasite: The Rich and the Poor (Proverbs 22:7)
The Kim family lives in a basement apartment that floods with sewage. The Park family lives on a hill in architectural splendor. When Ki-taek, the poor father, asks what the rich Mr. Park's plan is, h
The Impossible: The Foundation That Survived (Matthew 7:24-27)
In The Impossible, the Belon family is separated by the 2004 tsunami. Maria and Lucas are swept miles away; Henry searches with the younger boys. Against all odds, they reunite. What survived the wave
Contact: Confidence in What We Hope For (Hebrews 11:1)
In Contact, Dr. Ellie Arroway dedicates her life to SETI—searching for extraterrestrial intelligence with no evidence it exists. Her colleagues mock her faith in what cannot be seen. Yet she keeps lis
American History X: Transformed by Renewing the Mind (Romans 12:2)
In American History X, Derek Vinyard is a neo-Nazi whose hatred landed him in prison. There, a Black inmate named Lamont befriends him, slowly dissolving Derek's ideology through ordinary kindness—fol
Indiana Jones: The Leap of Faith (Proverbs 3:5-6)
In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indy faces the "leap of faith"—a chasm with no visible bridge. His dying father's only hope is the Holy Grail on the other side. The clue says: "Only in the leap
The Count of Monte Cristo: What You Meant for Evil (Genesis 50:20)
In The Count of Monte Cristo, Edmond Dantès is betrayed by his best friend and imprisoned for fourteen years. He emerges with treasure, new identity, and elaborate revenge. But the revenge brings no p
The Kings Speech: The Power of Spoken Faith (Romans 10:9-10)
In The Kings Speech, King George VI cannot speak without stammering. His private belief in himself means nothing until he can speak publicly. The entire nation needs to hear his voice at war's outbrea
Steel Magnolias: Weeping with Those Who Weep (John 11:35)
In Steel Magnolias, M'Lynn holds her daughter Shelby as she dies from diabetic complications. At the funeral, M'Lynn's rage explodes. Then her friends surround her—crying, laughing, holding her. At La
Lawrence of Arabia: My Soul Thirsts for God (Psalm 42:1-2)
In Lawrence of Arabia, T.E. Lawrence crosses the Nefud Desert—the Sun's Anvil—where no water exists for days. Men die of thirst; mirages taunt survivors. When they finally reach the well, the drinking
Ford v Ferrari: Sharpening Through Friction (Proverbs 27:17)
In Ford v Ferrari, Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles clash constantly—about design, about driving, about ego. But the clash produces the GT40 that beats Ferrari at Le Mans. Miles pushes Shelby past bureauc
Remember the Titans: Building Each Other Up (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
In Remember the Titans, Coach Boone forces his racially divided football team to room together, eat together, learn each other's stories. Gary and Julius—white captain and Black leader—start as enemie
Cast Away: Testing Produces Steadfastness (James 1:2-4)
In Cast Away, Chuck Noland survives four years alone on a Pacific island. He loses everything—fiancée, career, civilization. He nearly loses his mind. But he survives, is rescued, and gives a speech t
The Visitor: Entertaining Angels Unaware (Hebrews 13:2)
In The Visitor, Walter Vale—a disconnected economics professor—returns to his New York apartment to find immigrants Tarek and Zainab living there illegally. He could call the police. Instead, he lets
The Visitor: I Was a Stranger (Matthew 25:35-40)
In The Visitor, Walter Vale discovers illegal immigrants living in his New York apartment. He could call ICE. Instead, he lets them stay. When Tarek is detained, Walter fights for his release. I was a
Big Fish: Loving Neighbors into Legend (Matthew 22:37-39)
In Big Fish, Edward Bloom tells fantastical stories his son Will dismisses as lies. Only at his father's deathbed does Will understand: the stories were how Edward loved—transforming ordinary people i
A Quiet Place: The Still Small Voice (1 Kings 19:11-13)
In A Quiet Place, the Abbott family survives alien invasion by living in absolute silence. Any sound draws lethal creatures. They communicate in sign language, walk barefoot, eat without silverware. S
Gladiator: Strength and Honor (Philippians 4:8)
"Strength and honor"—the greeting shared between Maximus and his loyal soldiers. Two words that defined their brotherhood and their code. Paul gives the church a similar code: "Whatever is true, whate
About Time: Love God, Love Neighbor, Be Present (Matthew 22:37-39)
In About Time, Tim discovers he can travel through time. He could use this power for wealth or fame, but he learns its best use: being fully present with the people he loves. His father advises: "Live
Stand By Me: Two Are Better Than One (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
In Stand By Me, four 12-year-old boys walk twenty miles to find a dead body. The journey isn't really about the body—it's about friendship forged in shared adventure. Gordie, the narrator, reflects: "
The Pursuit of Happyness: He Will Direct Your Paths (Proverbs 3:5-6)
In The Pursuit of Happyness, Chris Gardner invests his last $250 in a bone density scanner—a gamble that leaves him homeless with his son. Everyone thinks he's foolish. But he sees a path no one else
The Help: The Least of These (Matthew 25:35-40)
In The Help, Skeeter Phelan writes the stories of Black maids in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi. These invisible women become visible; their humanity becomes undeniable. I was hungry and you gave me somet
Dallas Buyers Club: Calling Sinners, Not the Righteous (Mark 2:17)
In Dallas Buyers Club, Ron Woodroof—a rodeo cowboy dying of AIDS—becomes an unlikely advocate for HIV patients. Homophobic and self-destructive, Ron initially wants only to save himself. But smuggling
Dead Poets Society: Numbering Our Days (Psalm 90:12)
"Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary." Mr. Keating stands his students before photos of former students—now dead—and whispers their message: "We are food for worms, lads." T