If you’re searching for sermon illustration ideas for your next sermon or simply looking for inspiration, here are my top 3 YouTube favourites.
Jesus constantly used illustrations in his preaching and teaching to help explain a point He was making.
Stories and practical illustrations hold people’s attention and help them to listen to your sermon.
Aside from engaging your congregation, sermon illustrations shine the light on a particular point you’re trying to make.
Sermon illustrations put flesh on the truth you’re trying to convey and help to give people understand.
Most importantly, people always remember illustrations. If it’s memorable it’s portable, meaning that people can carry your preaching with them throughout the week and beyond.
People might not remember your scripture references or sermon outline, but they will remember your stories.
To help get your creative juices flowing here are the best sermon illustrations I’ve found after trawling YouTube.
Each sermon illustration comes with a short video snippet so you can watch them for yourself.
Enjoy!
1. Be a pizza box for God
Although it may sound strange at first, Pastor Jentezen Franklin shows a powerful illustration about how you are a pizza box and God is the pizza.
We can choose to allow God to work in us if we make ourselves available. You are a pizza box!
You don’t have to be good-looking or super-talented. Just be clean and empty.
God says “If you give me a vessel I’ll give my all, my purpose, my will for your life.”
Check out this great 2 minute excerpt:
“God says: Give me a vessel and I’ll give my all, my will for your life.” [Tweet this]
2. The rope of eternity
The best sermon illustrations are always the simplest and my 2nd top pick is no different. This video snippet comes from Francis Chan’s sermon talking about living with an eternal mindset.
“Imagine this rope goes on forever and imagine that this rope is a timeline of your existence. You see this red part? This would represent your time on earth.”
Francis goes on to say “And what blows me away is that for some of you, all of you consumed with thinking about this small red part.”
This is a clear and memorable illustration of how, if we’re not careful, we can fall into the world’s trap of focusing too much on the here and now instead of the eternal prize that awaits us in the glory to come.
Here’s a snippet:
3. The walk of faith
This is a powerful reminder of what living by faith looks like, demonstrating our need to recognise and follow the voice of God as the Holy Spirit directs and leads our steps.
You’ll need a volunteer for this simple and effective sermon illustration from Pastor Marcus Martinez.
Although there are any variants of this walking by faith concept, here’s my favourite:
https://youtu.be/BMFYKxVHe94?list=PLseJjrhwCwTAB2rT7MTDmw48i4xUBu6Fp
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Got any sermon illustration ideas?
What’s the best sermon illustration you’ve ever seen or done?
I’d love to hear from you! Scroll down and share your stories in the comments.
