illustrations – Sermon Illustration Ideas

The Way

Glory, Mandalorian, Process of Jesus, The Way

The Disney+ series The Mandalorian (created by Jon Favreau, Lucasfilm, 2019) revolves around the diverse adventures of a stoic bounty hunter who is resolutely…

Putting Others First

Choices, choosing others, Paul

In the movie Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, Paramount Pictures, 2023), a clever crook (Edgin)…

Turn a Bad Thing Good

bad, Good, human spirit, optimism, outdoorsman, Paul, Resilience, trapped

The movie 127 Hours (directed by Danny Boyle, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2010) tells the true story of Aron Ralston, an adventurous outdoorsman who was…

Finding the Beauty

Beauty, holocaust, jewish, optimism, Paul, real life, Suffering

In the Italian film Life Is Beautiful (directed by Roberto Benigni, Miramax, 1997), an optimistic, charismatic, charming Jewish Italian father, Guido, must shield his…

Grateful to Repent

Behavior, Forgiveness, Humble, repent

It can be frustrating or embarrassing to be called out for a mistake (or a deliberate action) by others. When our parents or teachers…

Not Really Dead

died in Christ, loved ones, not dead, Reunited, Salvation

Just like in movies where one character thinks another character has died while fighting the villain and then celebrates when they see their friend…

Opportunities to Wait

anticipated, Pause, Stand Firm, Waiting

From the pickup line at our school to waiting for much anticipated events and activities, everyday life brings plenty of opportunities to wait. Understanding…

Take Action Now

Change, Christ's Return, Evil, Good, Jesus returns, Triumph

In the Disney+ series Andor, Cassian Andor undergoes a transformation from a self-centered person with a dark past to someone willing to put others…

Healing Lands

Healing, Nature, Restoration

We’re privileged to see glimpses of God’s future restoration in the resilience of the natural world around us now. The American Dust Bowl in…

Light Up The Dark

dark, Darkness, Light, mirrors, real thing

Mirrors can give us what we need, but it’s nothing like the real thing. On Mythbusters (season 9, episode 11, “Let There Be Light,”…

Absorbing Others Pain

Empathy, Others, Pain

Empathy is often defined as being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. But it means much more when we actually work to…

Gifts From God

Anticipation, Excitement, Gifts, god's gifts, Good Gifts, Timing

The image of a parent giving “good gifts” (v. 11) to their children gives us a foretaste of how God wishes to give to…

Free From Bondage of Promise

Freedom, Promises

Human promises made can easily be ignored when there are greater powers at play. In the Netflix series The Dragon Prince, Rayla is an…

The Right Thing

accolades, convinced, Law, Listening, mentality, Pride

The Pharisees seem to have a collective “better than you” mentality because of their focus on the law. Their belief that they are doing…

Influencer For The Gospel

changed your life, Experience, Gospel, influencer, Social Media

The most compelling way to share the good news is by sharing how the gospel changed your life. Just think of all the social…

Jesus Has Sealed Your File

expunged, files, Forgiven, Past, record, sealed

In the state of Ohio, the process for sealing a court file and expunging a criminal record are combined into the same thing. If granted, the…

Fruit Producing Branches

Branch, Community, Fruit, isolation, Jesus

Followers of Jesus need to be connected to the vine, but not in singularity. To bear fruit, the fruit-producing branches need other fruit-producing branches….

Against The Flow

against the flow, Bully, Christian Life, Different, Generation, Suffering

When we do not follow the crowd of our generation, when we walk against the flow, we can experience suffering. If you were ever…

A New Chapter

born, Life, new chapter, New Life, new responsibilities, stages of life

Wright explains life change with this illustration: “When a new world is born, a new way of living goes with it. This is true…

Study The Failure of Others

Failures, financial, Learning, Mistakes, repeat, sins, Success

In this clip, Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger talk about the importance of being “a student of folly.” They suggest that studying other people’s…