Following Jesus Archives - Sermon Illustration Ideas

Set Apart

Christian Life, Different, Following Jesus, Light, Purpose, Set Apart

In the Harry Potter series, Harry struggles with being the one set apart and considered special. He wishes he were just normal, like everyone…

Inside And Out

Ambassadors, Christian Life, Following Jesus, genuine, Integrity, The Church

In the movie The Dark Knight (directed by Christopher Nolan [Warner Bros., 2008]), the Joker and his goons overtake a police honor guard, tying them up…

Freedom

Christian Freedom, Following Jesus, Freedom, Relationship with Christ

However, freedom for a Christian does not mean the absence of rules or laws to live by. Christian “rules” for living are summed up in…

Trained For Godliness

Following Jesus, Godliness, Sanctification, Transformation

We want to be changed to follow God’s way of living. That transformation comes through being trained (discipled) in his ways. If you’ve ever…

Reflection Of Christ

Character, Christian Life, Disciples, Following Jesus, The Church

If you look into a handheld mirror you will see your reflection. Your reflection is what the world sees (that’s why you look in…

Build-A-Faith

Belief, Christianity, Faith, Following Jesus, genuine

Have you ever had been to a Build-A-Bear store? At these attractions throughout the United States, you can customize a teddy bear or other…

Who’s On First

Commandments, Context, Following Jesus, Knowing God, Ten Commandments

In the classic skit “Who’s on First?” Abbot and Costello create a humorous situation between a peanut vendor and a baseball manager. The players…

Christ-Like Empathy

Christlikeness, Empathy, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Loving Our Neighbor

Empathy is not impossible, but it is an exercise. Jesus expects us to be empathetic because he is empathetic. However, we have to learn…

You Follow Me

Calling, Challenge, Disciples, Discipleship, Following Jesus, Peter

As a child did you ever try and deflect responsibility from yourself to another by asking, “What about So-and-so?” Do your children ever do…

No Fear In Love

Fear, Following Jesus, Grace

Love is the result of the grace we’ve been given in Christ—yet we’re often motivated by fear. In an article in Psychology Today, Robert…

Founder and Perfecter

Encouragement, Faith, Following Jesus, Hebrews, Parenting

Jesus is “the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). We may be able to understand this more in terms of a parent and…

Know His Voice

Dependence, Following Jesus, Knowing God, Sheep, Shepherd, Trusting God

Consider the relationship between a herd of sheep and their shepherd. A shepherd guides, nourishes, and protects the sheep of his flock. The role of…

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…

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)…

On Track

Christian Life, Direction, Faithfulness, Following Jesus, Path, Race, Run The Race, The Way

In car races, even the smallest errors can cause the difference between being favored and winning or losing. In the 2018 Formula 1 season…

When The Storms Come

Following Jesus, Foundation, Luke 6, Obedience, Perseverance, Sand, Storms, Struggles, The Rock

There is a parable many of us are familiar with in Luke 6, about two men who build houses for themselves. One builds on…

I Make My Own Hours

Christ, Following Jesus, Lord, Lordship, Luke 6, Obedience, Salvation, Submission

Several years back, the satirical news site The Onion ran a fake story with the headline “‘I Make My Own Hours,’ Says Man about…

Abandoning Comfort

1 John 3:1-3, 2 Peter 1:3, Abandoning Comfort, Following Christ, Following Jesus, Galatians 2:20, Give, Luke 14:27, Luke 9:23-24, Matthew 16:24-25, Sacrifice, Serve, Take Up Your Cross

In the 19th century, a Belgian priest named Father Damien left the comforts of home behind and moved to the Hawaiian island of Molokai…

Picket-Fence Christianity

Community, Discomfort, Dying to Self, Following Jesus, Galatians 2:20, Living for God, Luke 14:27, Luke 9:23, Mark 8:34, Matthew 10:38, Matthew 16:24, Matthew 8:19-20, Religion

McCracken writes, “Following Christ is not one’s golden ticket to a white-picket-fence American dream. It’s an invitation to die, to pick up a cross”…