Browse Sermon Illustrations
967 illustrations available
Amazing Grace: Covenant Assurance Through Decades - Reformed (Isaiah 41:10)
As we consider the profound truth of Isaiah 41:10—“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God”—let us journey back to the late 18th century and enter the world of William Wilberforce. Picture a...
Les Misérables: Works as Evidence of Grace - Reformed (Matthew 25:31-46)
Imagine for a moment the dimly lit streets of 19th-century Paris, where shadows dance against the cobblestones, whispering tales of despair and hope. In the heart of this city roams Jean Valjean, a man marked by his past yet transformed...
Luther (2003): "Here I Stand" - Lutheran (1 Peter 3:15)
Picture the scene in April 1521, in the dimly lit halls of the Diet of Worms, a gathering echoing with the rustle of scrolls and the murmurs of powerful men. There stands Martin Luther, a monk whose heart beats fiercely...
Chariots of Fire: Faith Seeking Understanding - Anglican (Hebrews 11:1-6)
Imagine, if you will, the sun rising over the rolling hills of Scotland, casting a golden hue across the landscape as the sound of the starting gun pierces the morning air. It’s 1924, the Olympic Games in Paris are just...
Romero: The Way of the Crucified - Liberation (John 14:1-6)
Imagine, if you will, the twinkling lights of San Salvador in the late hours of the evening. The air is thick with the aroma of roasted coffee and freshly baked bread, but beneath this vibrant surface lies a deep, aching...
Harriet: Freedom's Season Comes - Black Church (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
Imagine a night heavy with the weight of despair, the kind of darkness that wraps around you like a thick fog. In that oppressive stillness, a figure emerges—Harriet Tubman, her silhouette against the moonlit fields of Maryland, heart pounding with...
The Passion of the Christ: Christ Our Armor - Christocentric (Ephesians 6:10-18)
Picture this: a bustling marketplace in Jerusalem, the air thick with spices and the sound of merchants calling out as they sell their wares. Among those people, a young woman named Miriam walks with purpose, her heart heavy with worry....
Babette's Feast: Vocational Salt and Light - Lutheran (Matthew 5:13-16)
In the heart of a bleak, coastal town, where the winds howled like a lament and the colors of life seemed to fade, stood a humble café run by a woman named Babette. She was a master chef, but her...
Amazing Grace: The Slave Trader Saved by Grace - Anglican (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Picture a stormy night at sea, waves crashing against the sides of a ship, lightning illuminating the dark skies. John Newton, a man whose heart had been hardened by years of participating in the slave trade, stood at the helm...
Les Misérables: Rest Through Responsive Grace - Wesleyan (Matthew 11:28-30)
Amid the cobbled streets of Paris, a weary man named Jean Valjean trudges through the dampness of twilight, a shroud of bitterness clinging to him like the heavy coat he wears. Years of imprisonment have etched lines of distrust on...
The Way: Pilgrimage Toward God's Purpose - Catholic (Jeremiah 29:11)
In the film *The Way*, we meet Tom, a man caught in the darkness of grief after the tragic death of his son. It is a poignant story that begins not with a grand plan, but with a heart heavy...
Selma: Transformed Minds Resisting Conformity - Progressive (Romans 12:1-2)
Picture a warm, sun-soaked day in Selma, Alabama, in March 1965. The air buzzes with anticipation, tension, and a powerful hope that stirs the soul. A sea of determined souls gathers along the banks of the Alabama River, their faces...
Left Behind: Love in Last Days - Dispensational (1 John 4:7-8)
Imagine a dimly lit church, worn by time but alive with fervent whispers of prayer. It's a scene from the film *Left Behind*, where believers gather amid the chaos of the end times. Among them is a woman named Sarah,...
The Lord of the Rings: The Temptation of the Ring - Traditional (Genesis 3)
Picture this: in the heart of Middle-earth lies Mount Doom, a towering, ominous volcano where shadows dance and the air crackles with a tense energy. Within its fiery depths, the One Ring rests—a simple band of gold, yet it pulses...
Les Misérables: Love, Joy, Peace Grown Through Grace - Traditional (Galatians 5:22-23)
In Victor Hugo's *Les Misérables*, we witness the remarkable transformation of Jean Valjean—a man shaped and reshaped by grace over the years, much like the unfolding of the fruit of the Spirit in our own lives. Imagine Valjean, a man...
Romero: Prophetic Courage Because God Accompanies - Liberation (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Imagine a dimly lit church in El Salvador, the air thick with tension and the scent of fear mingled with hope. It is the late 1970s, and in that sacred space stands Archbishop Óscar Romero, a man whose very presence...
The Letters: Mother Teresa's Beatitude Life - Catholic (Matthew 5:3-12)
Picture, if you will, the bustling streets of Calcutta, a cacophony of sounds—the honking of rickshaws, the chatter of vendors selling their wares, the distant wail of a child. In the midst of this vibrant chaos, there is a quiet...
Chariots of Fire: Fruit Growing Through Sanctification - Wesleyan (Galatians 5:22-23)
On a cool, crisp morning, the sun begins to rise over the rolling hills of Scotland, casting a golden hue across the fields where young Eric Liddell prepares for yet another day of training. Picture him, breath visible in the...
The Passion of the Christ: Christ the Beatitude Embodiment - Christocentric (Matthew 5:3-12)
Imagine for a moment a bustling neighborhood in Jerusalem, the sun casting a golden hue over the ancient stones. The air is thick with the scent of spices and the distant sounds of children playing. This is where Jesus walks,...
Courageous: Personal Responsibility for Justice, Mercy, Humility - Baptist (Micah 6:8)
In the film *Courageous*, we are drawn into the lives of four fathers—Adam, Nathan, David, and Javier—who find themselves at a crossroads. After a tragic accident claims the life of Adam's daughter, these men gather under the soft glow of...
The Mission: Fruit of the Spirit in Cross-Cultural Witness - Missional (Galatians 5:22-23)
In the film *The Mission*, we witness the profound journey of Father Gabriel, a Jesuit priest who ventures deep into the heart of South America to reach the Guaraní people. Imagine the lush green landscape, filled with the sounds of...
Of Gods and Men: Peace Facing Martyrdom - Catholic (Philippians 4:6-7)
In the heart of Algeria, a small monastery nestled against the ancient mountains became the unlikely stage for a profound test of faith. In the film *Of Gods and Men*, we witness the Trappist monks of Tibhirine as they are...
Chariots of Fire: Common Prayer for Common Life - Anglican (Matthew 6:9-13)
As we gather this morning, I want to take you back to a quiet church in Scotland, where the soft glow of candlelight flickers against the ancient stone walls, and the scent of polished wood mingles with the rich aroma...
Groundhog Day: Until We Get It Right (Romans 5:3-4)
Imagine the icy streets of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, blanketed in snow, as Phil Connors, a cynical weatherman, awakens to the same day over and over again—February 2nd. With each sunrise, he hears that same cheerful tune from the radio, the voices...