In Sermon Illustrations: "1 Samuel 12:1-41"

Let's See What Good Listeners You Are. Each Time ...

Contributed by Alistair Wearring on Jan 20, 2007

Let’s see what good listeners you are. Each time I say the name "Samuel," you are to jump up and say, "Here I am!" and then lie back down again. To begin, direct children to lie down and pretend they’re sleeping. Samuel (pause while children jump up and down) was a young person who loved God and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:1-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Be ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 27, 2009

HOW TO BE RENEWED William Hinson, Sr. retired pastor of First United Methodist Church in Houston, the largest church in American Methodism tells the story about a time when he was going to Columbia, South Carolina to preach in a revival. He had not slept well the night before and had gotten up ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:6

Tags: Restoration

General Ulysses S. Grant's Loyal Friend, John A. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 1, 2009

General Ulysses S. Grant’s Loyal Friend, John A. Rawlins General Ulysses S. Grant, who commanded the Union soldiers for Lincoln, was such a disciplined hard man on his soldiers that few knew of his weakness for liquor. One of those who was keenly aware of Grant’s shortcoming was his faithful ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 18:1-5

Tags: Friendship General

Which Horn?  PRO

Contributed by Gale Lambert on Aug 23, 2010

WHICH HORN? A young city boy went to the farm to spend time with his grandfather. While setting on the porch swing, the young lad noticed a cow behind the fence and asked grandfather, "What is that on the other side of the fence?" The grandfather replied, "A cow." "What is that on the cow’s ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:14

Tags: Animals

Denomination: Baptist

An Attack Of Conscience

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2011

AN ATTACK OF CONSCIENCE This was the story in MYFOX Boston from Friday 15 April 2011 41 years after the murder of 15 year old John McCabe of Tewksbury, three suspects finally go before the judge. 60-year-old Walter Shelley, of Tewksbury, and 57-year-old Michael Ferreira of Salem. New Hampshire are ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 24:5-7

Tags: Conscience

Prayer And 19th Century Revival

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

PRAYER AND 19TH CENTURY REVIVAL Dr. A. T. Pierson once said, "There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer." Let me recount what God has done through concerted, united, sustained prayer. [J. Edwin Orr. Personal Notes.] Not many people ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 7:1-13

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Miracle Mandy

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 5, 2012

MIRACLE MANDY The doctor told Marsha Mark and her husband they would never have biological children. In their disappointment, Marsha clung to a friend's words: "Somehow, God is going to use your struggle with infertility for his glory." Marsha began to pray for a glimpse of that glory. "I asked ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1-20

Tags: Prayer Answered

Denomination: Baptist

Listening To God Compared To Listening To The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2012

LISTENING TO GOD COMPARED TO LISTENING TO THE DOCTOR We should treat prayer for what it is, a two way conversation with God, and learn to be quiet long enough for him to get a word in edge ways. Nicky Gumbel, in his book Questions of Life compares it to a visit to the doctor, he writes “Suppose I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:10

Tags: Prayer How To

Community: "A Part Of Me Loved War"

Contributed by Perry Greene on Dec 2, 2013

"A part of me loved war. Now, please understand, I am a peaceful man, fond of children and animals. And I believe that war should have no place in the affairs of men. But, the comradeship our platoon experienced in that war provides a moving and enduring memory in me. A comrade in war is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 6:1-13

Tags: Fellowship, Community, Support, Encouragement, Vietnam  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When God Says...what?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 14, 2014

A young preacher in Ft. Worth, Texas was trying to make an impression on a Pastor Search Team who had come to his church to hear him preach. The young man was preaching on the time in the Old Testament when God had enough with His disobedient people and finally said to them, "Ichabod!", which ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 4:21

Tags: Mistakes, Humor, Glory Of God, Sermon Bloopers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Pastor's Dream Of His Own Worship Service  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2014

A PASTOR’S DREAM OF HIS OWN WORSHIP SERVICE The story is told of a pastor of a large church who had a dream one night that really opened his eyes. He dreamed that he could see his own church worship service on Sunday morning. But there was something very strange happening. The choir was ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7

Tags: Church, Worship, Devotion, Intimacy With God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Alone In A Dark Cave

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 14, 2019

Alone in the dark in the Cave Back in my teenage years we would go exploring caves. One day five of us went cave exploring, we only had two flashlights but being young , we thought that was enough. We were deep inside the cave and I decided to climb up a shelf, while the others waited and held the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 31:1-5

Tags: Fear, Trouble

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Man Of God Who Spoke To Eli, The High Priest

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 23, 2020

Text: 1 Samuel 2:27: And there came a man of God (identity unknown) unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house? Thoughts: This unnamed man of God was one of the first to be called a “man of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:27

Tags: Eli, Man Of God

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes—jonathan’s Armor Bearer

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 4, 2020

Unsung heroes—Jonathan’s armor bearer Introduction: some of the unsung heroes of the Bible never had their names revealed. The people they served with knew, and clearly their parents knew, but in His Wisdom, our Lord has chosen for these people to remain secret. Their deeds were well known, even ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 14:6-7

Tags: Philistines, Jonathan, Armor Bearers

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: He Helped David With The Sheep

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 14, 2020

Text, 1 Samuel 17:20-21, KJV: 20And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. 21For Israel and the Philistines had put the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:20-21

Tags: David, Sheep, Shepherding

Denomination: Baptist

Obedience

Contributed by Anitha Jabastion on Jan 2, 2021

There was a boy who went trekking on the mountain. He reached a great height when he realized that it was getting dark and he had to reach the bottom soon. He began climbing down. It was getting darker and darker, so dark that he could barely see. He was somehow managing to get down the mountain ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:22

Tags: Obedience, Listening To God

Unsung Heroes: Nabal's Servant

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 10, 2022

Introduction: David was God’s choice to be king over Israel, but that wasn’t going to happen as long as Saul was ruling as Israel’s first king. David had done some unusual, some might say questionable, things but at this time he and his men were protecting a large flock of sheep and goats. David ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 25:14-17

Tags: David, Nabal, Abigail, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

One Of The Highest Of Human Duties Is The Duty ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 17, 2007

“One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement… It is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:7-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Does God's Voice Sound Like?  PRO

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Feb 4, 2009

WHAT DOES GOD'S VOICE SOUND LIKE? Erwin McManus, a pastor in Los Angeles, tells a great story about recognizing God's voice. My son, Aaron, was five or six when he began asking me, "What does God's voice sound like?" I didn't know how to answer. A few years later, Aaron went off to his first ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:1-21

Tags: Hard Heart, Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Cheer Him, Boys!  PRO

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Feb 6, 2009

"Cheer Him, Boys!" There was a fire in the big city, and the firemen flung their ladders together, and went up in their brave fashion to the very topmost story to rescue the people that were trapped. One after another was rescued by the brave firemen. All had been rescued, it seemed, No! As the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:6

Tags: Encouragement, John Mark

Denomination: Christian Church