Endurance – Sermon Illustration Ideas

Strength to Endure in the Present

Endurance, Jesus, Meekness, Teacher

A cultural proverb states that one should “speak softly and carry a big stick.” The idea is to tread quietly but deter people with…

Following Jesus Into the Unknown

Endurance, High Priest, Jesus, Jesus's Example, Trials, Trust, Trusting God

Children taking swimming lessons are instructed to jump into the water from the edge of the pool. For many children, this is terrifying. It’s not…

Endurance And Patience In Marriage

Endurance, Love One Another, Marriage, Patience, Relationship, Struggles, Support

The depiction of the relationship between Jim and Mae Braddock in the movie Cinderella Man (directed by Ron Howard, Universal Pictures, 2005) is an…

Christ, The Focal Point

Christ-Centered, Endurance, Focal Point, Gospel, Hope Of the World, Son of God

In the world of image making (paintings, photography, etc.), focal points are necessary for successfully communicating the desire of the artist or photographer. “A…

The Easy Way Out

Endurance, Goals, Overcoming Temptation, Temptation

When we face temptations, it’s difficult to remember the larger goals we are pursuing. We want to take the easy way out when life…

Endure To The End

Endurance, Faith, Motivation, Strength

Most of us have no idea what it means to endure extremely difficult circumstances. The show Alone on the History Channel places people in the wilderness…

The Spectator Strategy

Cloud of Witnesses, Encouragement, Endurance, Faith, Hebrews 12, Race

Many marathoners and long-distance runners know what it means to “hit the wall.” One minute, they’re running with sustained energy and speed, and the…

Eyes on the Prize

Distracted, Distractions, Endurance, Focus, Following Jesus, Priorities, Prize, Race, Running The Race

We fix our eyes on Jesus by doing the following: (1) Remembering Jesus; he has run and endured the most difficult race ever. (2)…

Tangled Up

Distractions, Endurance, Hindrances, Running, Running The Race

Sin entangles and ensnares us (Hebrews 12:1). Sin hampers us from moving forward in our race for God. That is why we need to…

Finish The Race

Endurance, Faithfulness, Finish the race, Perseverance, Race, Run The Race

“Prior to the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania was just another marathon runner. An Olympic caliber runner, yes. He…

Finish The Race

Endurance, Faith, Father, God's Strength, Help, Perseverance, Promise, Race, Run The Race, Strength

Unlike most races, our spiritual race is not about coming in first. It’s about finishing. If we don’t give up, if we don’t quit,…

Running The Race

1 Corinthians 9:24, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Acts 9:1-19, Colossians 1:11, Endurance, Growing, Hebrews 10:36, Hebrews 12:1-3, Matthew 24:13, Paul, Philippians 3:12, Philippians 3:13-14, Salvation, Sanctification, Strength

Olympic runner Dave Wottle can teach us something about running a race: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=120Bi0vhRPg. In the Bible, the Apostle Paul describes the process of sanctification (growing…

A Worthwhile Suffering

1 Peter 4:12-19, 1 Peter 5:10, 2 Corinthians 4:17, 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, Endurance, Eternity, Glory, Pain, Patience, Priceless, Revelation 21:4, Reward, Romans 5:3-5, Romans 8:18, Romans 8:28, Suffering, Trials, Value, Worth

“Would you go through all the pain of childbirth again, just to be able to have that beautiful child of yours?” For most mothers,…

Tested And Proven

1 Peter 3:7, 1 Peter 4:12, 1 Peter 5:10, Attitude, Challenges, Endurance, Faith, Fire, genuine, Hope, James 1:12, James 1:2-3, James 5:10, Job 23:10, Persecution, Purity, Refinement, Refining, Romans 5:3-5, Romans 8:18, Suffering, Tests, Trial

Our faith is not only tested, but it is tested to the point of being proven genuine. Persecution and suffering may feel like they…

Sacrificial Friendship

1 John 4:12, Courage, Endurance, Faithful, Friendship, Hero, Isaiah 57:15, John 14:16, Journey, Lord of the Rings, Movie, Proverbs 13:20, Proverbs 18:24, Strength, Support

Frodo is one of many heroes in The Lord of the Rings. One overlooked hero is Samwise Gamgee, his hobbit companion and friend who…

Faithful Marriage

1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Commitment, Deuteronomy 23:21-23, Endurance, Faithful, Faithfulness, God's Glory, Hosea 2:20, Image of God, Joy, Love, Marriage, Pixar, Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 12:9

In the opening scenes of the Pixar movie Up, Carl and Ellie’s marriage is summed up by just a few moments, with no one…

The Stockdale Paradox

2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Comfort, Confidence, Endurance, Isaiah 40:29-31, Joy, Perseverance, Psalm 119:50, Psalm 22:24, Psalm 23:4, Running The Race, Seeking Truth, Suffering, Trust

In this video (3 minute mark), Dr. Dennis Charney explains the “Stockdale Paradox,” a way of thinking that acknowledges the challenge being faced while…

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

2 Corinthians 12:8-9, 2 John 1:9, Abiding, Debt, Endurance, Faith, God's Goodness, Grace, John 15:4, Legalism, Love, Perseverance, Romans 1:1-5, Romans 3:20-24, Salvation

“O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee….

The Privilege of Suffering

1 Peter 4:13, Endurance, Faith, Faithfulness, Joshua 1:9, Joy, Overcoming, Philippians 3:10, Psalm 27:1, Romans 8:17, Sacrifice, Submission, Suffering, Surrender, Trust

Helen Roseveare was an English missionary who served in the Congo, enduring imprisonment and torture during its civil war. Of that traumatic time, she…