Grace – Sermon Illustration Ideas

Tantrums

directions, God's Grace, Grace, instruction, Revelation

Have you ever had to teach a group of lower elementary children? You have to be very clear in your instructions or else you…

A Second Look

believe, Compassion, Crucifixion, disarmament, Disciples, empty tomb, Grace, validity

In this short video, Tim and Kathy Keller explain the historical validity of the resurrection: https://youtu.be/B4vvN5DGe50?si=uy30Bc0IbY0ribmj. Kathy gives an example of how, during the…

An Illustration of Grace

Forgiveness, Foundation, Grace, Jesus, Suffering, Trusting God

God’s grace is the foundation for the formation of Christian character. Our ability to persevere through suffering and develop the hope that Paul describes…

Make-A-Wish

Dreams, Foundation, Grace, make-a-wish, Sickness

Make-A-Wish is a wonderful foundation that makes dreams come true for children who have major sicknesses. It’s a wonderful example of grace. The children…

Already Been Paid

Blame, by grace, cover up, Father, Grace, lies, Mistakes, paid

In the children’s book Eric Says Sorry, Eric breaks a neighbor’s flowerpot. This begins a series of mistakes (sins) as he tries to cover…

Home Alone

disappear, Grace, Mother, Parable, Power, regret, Son, wish

The Christmas classic Home Alone (directed by Chris Columbus, distributed by 20th Century Fox, 1990) could be seen as a kind of parallel to this parable….

See Them, Serve Them, Love Them

Community, Grace, Jesus, Love, Serve, Service

In China Miéville’s The City & The City, two cities coexist at the same time andplace. The residents of each dislike the other and…

Shame Into Grace

Brokenness, Burdens, Grace, Relationship with God, Shame

The Avett Brothers sing, “Shame, boatloads of shame … Please make it stop.” What is the remedy to this heavy burden? God’s movement toward…

Changes

Bridegroom, Change, Church is the Bride, Grace, Marriage, Process

When a bride and groom get married, the bride’s name (usually) changes immediately. One or both of their addresses change and often so do…

Church Burnout

Burnout, Church, Church Body, Community, Grace, Limits, Stress, Tired

If you’ve ever experienced a broken bone or thrown-out back, or left your glasses at home, then you understand the challenges that come when…

Hiding

Forgiveness, God Knows All, God sees all, Grace, Hiding, Shame, Sin

According to this HuffPost article, kids hide things from their parents for three reasons: they don’t want to share, they think the parents won’t…

All Sins Washed Away

Baptism, Cross, Forgiveness, Grace, Healing, Purity, Salvation, Washed Clean

Marilynne Robinson’s novel Lila follows the story of a young woman—a drifter from birth, without home or family—who finds hope in the church and…

Freedom From Condemnation

Condemnation, Forgiveness, Freedom, Gospel, Grace, Kindness, Second Chances, Sin

An illustration of our freedom from condemnation can be seen in the novel Do We Not Bleed? In that novel, the character Jon Mote…

Opportunity To Give Witness

Defense, Grace, Judgment, Opportunity, Sharing the Gospel, Witness

Many people have been caught in an unwanted spotlight, either because of their own or someone else’s wrongdoing. Based on a true story, the…

The Process of Forgiveness

Forgiven, Forgiveness, Grace, Process, Seeking Forgiveness

The 2015 shooting of nine people at a Bible study at the Charleston Emanuel AME church was horrendously shocking. But what was even more…

Dormant Volcanoes

God's Judgment, Grace, Judgment, Repentance

Volcanoes can lie dormant for years before erupting. However, many times there are warning signs, and local residents can be evacuated safely beforehand. Iceland…

Renewed Faith

Confessing Sin, Confession, Faith, Grace

In an episode of House, the title character treats a disgraced priest. The priest has been accused of molesting a teenage boy and has…

“Every Scrap of Grace”

Grace, Gratitude, Peace In Christ, Presence of God

Chloé Zhao’s film Nomadland (Searchlight, 2020) demonstrates how peace can be found in less than ideal circumstances. The film centers around Fern, a woman…

Extending Mercy

Forgiven, Forgiveness, Forgiving Others, Grace, Mercy

This powerful scene from Invictus (directed by Clint Eastwood [Warner Bros., 2009]) recounts the story of Nelson Mandela insisting that his leaders extend forgiveness…

Task Lists

Disciplines, Faith, Goals, Grace, Works

Many of us are list people. We love to organize our charts. If salvation came through works and not grace, some people would have…