Meaning Archives - Sermon Illustration Ideas

Priority Of Christmas

Christ's Birth, Christmas, Family, Friends, Love, Meaning, Priorities

The 2000 film version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas stars comedian Jim Carrey (directed by Ron Howard [Universal Pictures, 2000]). The movie asks…

“Giving has to Mean Something!”

Charity, Giving, Meaning, Purpose

Giving has to mean something! In the 2002 movie About a Boy (directed by Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz [Universal Studios, 2002]), the cynical…

Empty Promises

Fulfillment, Happiness, Life, Meaning, Pleasure, Pursuit

Did you ever get what you always wanted just to be let down? Ecclesiastes wants to stress the limitations that pursuing good pleasures will…

Searching for Meaning

Life, Material Things, Meaning, Possessions, Purpose

What is the meaning of Christmas? The 2000 film How the Grinch Stole Christmas shows the existential crisis of the character Cindy Lou Who,…

“Can’t Get No Satisfaction”

Happiness, Life, Meaning, Purpose, Satisfaction

The 1965 Rolling Stones song “Satisfaction” relates to Qoheleth’s experience when it says, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” In chapter 2, the Preacher tries…

“A Show About Nothing”

Life, Meaning, Perspective, Purpose

“A show about nothing!” This was the main premise from characters Jerry and George in an episode of the hit sitcom, Seinfeld. The episode…

“Every Day Is Exactly the Same”

Calling, everyday purpose, Life, Meaning, Purpose, Repetition, Routines

In the Nine Inch Nails song “Every Day Is Exactly the Same,” Trent Reznor describes his struggle of life, saying, “I believe I can…

Cyclical Trends

Culture, Generation, Meaning, Trends, Vanity

Do you remember when bell-bottoms were cool? Some of you might ask, “Which time: the 1970s, or when they came back into fashion twenty…

Minor Characters, Vital Roles

Being Used By God, Making A Difference, Meaning, Purpose, Serving God, Serving Others

What are some minor characters with important roles? We might think of Tiny Tim from Charles Dickens’s classic, A Christmas Carol. He appears a few times…

No Small Roles

Bible Characters, Importance, Meaning, Purpose, Serving God, Serving Others

“There are no small roles, only small actors.” This famous line was spoken by Konstantin Stanislavski, the “father of modern acting,” who “required actors…

Behind The Music

Meaning, Sacrifice, Song, Surrender, Switchfoot

Jon Foreman is a singer–songwriter best known for his work with the band Switchfoot. On a series of solo albums entitled Seasons, Foreman penned a…

If There Was No Resurrection

Christian Life, Christianity, Faith, Hope, Meaning, Resurrection

Let’s say you knew it was going to rain and you even saw the storm clouds on the horizon. But you decide you are…

The Holiness of God

1 Peter 1:16, Affection, Attribute, Awe, Character, God's Holiness, God's Love, Habakkuk 1:13, Isaiah 43:15, Isaiah 57:15, Isaiah 6:3, Meaning, Overlook, Overwhelming, Repetition

In an adapted excerpt from his book, Yawning at Tigers: You Can’t Tame God So Stop Trying, Drew Dyck writes, “The cruel irony of…