Dave Shrein – Page 3 – Sermon Illustration Ideas

Prayer for Beginners

Grace, Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Growth

Popular films have often done the best job of depicting the awkwardness of prayer for novices. One such classic prayer scene happens in Meet the Parents,…

Spiritual Prepration

Discipline, Physical Training, Preparation, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Growth

Many people have likened the practice of spiritual disciplines to such physical training. Scripture itself does so in passages like 1 Corinthians 9:24–27; 1 Timothy…

Blessed Are The Meek

Blessed, Blessing, Humility, The Beatitudes

An example of meekness can be seen in the character Mr. Bates in the PBS television drama Downton Abbey. Mr. Bates is the valet for…

Letting Go

Following Jesus, Surrender, Trusting God

Toward the end of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana Jones is hanging perilously over a cliff, with his dad holding on to…

About the Author

Author, Daniel, Old Testament, Prophecy

We can usually recognize the handwriting of the people we know the best. Try to imagine the handwriting of a best friend, a parent,…

Trapped

Freedom, Possessions, Surrender, Treasure

So often our possessions possess us. In the novel Where the Red Fern Grows, a grandfather builds a raccoon trap for his grandson. He…

Costume Party

Church, Community, Connection, Vulnerability

Can you imagine hosting a dinner party where instead of having friends come over and share their lives with you, they came dressed for…

Happily-Ever-After Moments

Christian Living, Growth, Movies, Sanctification

In a movie or sitcom, so many of life’s problems or grand adventures happen in less than three hours. One short montage wraps up…

The One

Divinity, Jesus Christ, John The Baptist, Messiah, Prophecy

Many movies describe a hero who is set to fulfill a role or a prophecy. Throughout the story, some doubt if the hero is…

A Beautiful Book

Creation, Creator, Psalm 19, Romans, Universe

The historic Belgic Confession says the entire universe has been set before our eyes “like a beautiful book in which all creatures, great and…

God and His Creation

Art, Creation, Romans

Consider an artist like Bob Ross: he is famous for his naturescapes, his distinctive “wet on wet” style of painting, and for his signature…

Grace Empowers

Evangelism, Forgiveness, Grace

Pastor Tim Keller tells the story of a woman who started attending the church he pastored and wanted to meet with him. One day…

Serenity Now!

Confidence, Contentment, Peace

In a Seinfeld episode, Kramer adopts the mantra “Serenity now!” to calm himself down. Things come to a head when some children in the…

In Person

Church, Community, Gathering, Technology

While the internet provides very valuable tools, tutoring for our children, directions on fixing the washing machine, and online Bible studies galore, nothing can…

Walkie-Talkie Prayers

Conversation, Listening, Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines

Have you ever tried to communicate via walkie-talkie with someone who doesn’t really understand how they work? They might not hold down the button…

Ear Service

God's Word, The Bible, Trust

You can tell what someone trusts by their actions. No one trusts a car alarm because no one ever reacts to hearing a car…

Good Habits

habits, Prayer, Spiritual Growth

We all have habits. Hopefully most of us brush our teeth every night, many of us go on a run or hit the gym…

The Good In Pain

Healing, Hurting, Pain, Suffering

Most of us like to avoid pain at all costs. But world-famous surgeon Paul Brand will tell you that pain is an important and…

The Author

Author, Bible Characters, Knowing God, The Bible

You can learn a lot about an author by reading the book they’ve written. Even if the work isn’t autobiographical, an author’s plot points…

All-Seeing God

Ezekiel, God's Omnipresence, God's Omniscience

Remember when your mom or your teacher would tell you that they had eyes on the back of their heads? Now as the parent,…