Illustrations from John
1085 illustrations referencing John
John Calvin on Reflecting Christ's Light - Reformed (Matthew 5:14-16)
"We are light only because Christ is THE Light. We shine with borrowed brightness, reflected glory. The purpose: that they may glorify YOUR FATHER—soli Deo Gloria. We are not the source but the lampst
Billy Graham on Personal Assurance - Baptist (John 16:33)
"Whatever trouble YOU face—Jesus has overcome. YOUR difficulties, YOUR opposition, YOUR struggles—He has conquered. Take heart, YOU personally: the world that oppresses YOU is a defeated world. In Chr
John Calvin on Christ Alone as Access - Reformed (John 14:6)
"We are not to imagine that there is any other way of access to the Father, for all intercourse between God and humanity has been cut off. Christ alone opens the door and is Himself the door. All who
Pope John Paul II on Hope in Suffering - Catholic (John 16:33)
"'Be not afraid'—even of tribulation! Christ has overcome the world; the Church participates in His victory. Through sacramental grace, we are strengthened for trouble. Through the communion of saints
R.C. Sproul on Sovereign Victory - Reformed (John 16:33)
"'I have overcome'—past tense. The victory is accomplished, not merely anticipated. In Christ, the world is already conquered; trouble is real but penultimate. God's sovereignty ensures the outcome. O
Bill Johnson on Enforcing Victory - Charismatic (John 16:33)
"Jesus has OVERCOME—past tense! The victory is WON! Our job isn't to win; it's to ENFORCE the victory already accomplished! When trouble comes, DECLARE: 'You're defeated! Jesus has overcome!' Live fro
Bill Johnson on Abundant Life Gift - Charismatic (Romans 6:23)
"God's gift is LIFE—and not just barely alive! ETERNAL life! ABUNDANT life! SUPERNATURAL life! Sin pays death; God gives LIFE with POWER! The same Spirit that raised Christ LIVES IN YOU! Receive the g
Gustavo Gutiérrez on Life for the Poor - Liberation (John 10:10)
"The thief is the system that steals life from the poor—resources, dignity, opportunity. Jesus brings abundant life: food, justice, community, hope. Abundant life for the poor is not spiritual escapis
Tim Keller on Life-Giving Mission - Missional (John 10:10)
"Jesus came to give life—this is the missionary message. Not rules but life. Not religion but relationship. Not scarcity but abundance. The mission offers what every culture seeks: life to the full. W
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
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
Martin Luther on Gospel Love vs. Law Fear - Lutheran (1 John 4:18)
"The law creates fear—fear of punishment, fear of failure. The gospel creates love—security in grace, rest in Christ. Perfect love is the gospel's gift: knowing our sins are forgiven, knowing we are a
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
Howard Thurman on Trouble and Hope - Black Church (John 16:33)
"The disinherited know trouble intimately—trouble from oppression, from hatred, from systems designed to crush. But hear Jesus: 'Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.' The powers that oppress a
Stanley Hauerwas on Community as Branches - Anabaptist (John 15:5)
"The branches are plural—we abide together. Individual spirituality divorced from community is a severed branch. The church abides in Christ as a body; we bear fruit through shared life. Isolated Chri
Walter Brueggemann on Life Against Death Systems - Progressive (John 10:10)
"The thief is empire—stealing dignity, killing bodies, destroying communities. Jesus brings abundant life: justice, dignity, flourishing for all. Life abundant is not individual prosperity but communa
Pope Benedict XVI on Love as God's Identity - Catholic (John 3:16)
"God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God. These words from the First Letter of John express with remarkable clarity the heart of the Christian faith: the Christian image of God and the re
Lesslie Newbigin on Mission and Truth - Missional (John 14:6)
"The claim that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life is not arrogance but witness. Missionaries don't impose; they share what they have found to be true. We cannot offer Christ apologetically; He
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.
Biblical Truth About Safety - Application
The biblical text of John 3:16 provides timeless wisdom that helps navigate the complexities of Safety in today's society. It encourages individuals to examine their attitudes and actions, promoting a faith lived out with integrity and compassion amidst modern challenges.
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
Karl Barth on Christ Alone as Source - Christocentric (John 15:5)
"'I AM the Vine'—Christ Himself is the source of all spiritual life. Not Christ plus our effort; not Christ and our additions—Christ alone. The branches exist only in relation to the Vine; apart from