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

The Story Of Ernest Gordon

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2011

THE STORY OF ERNEST GORDON There is a book (and now a movie) called To End All Wars that tells of the extraordinary life of Ernest Gordon, a British Army officer captured at sea by the Japanese at the age of 24. Gordon was sent to work on the Burma-Siam railway line that the Japanese were ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-14

Tags: Heroism

Serving Others

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever the cost”. - Arthur Ashe In a small, dusty town in western Oklahoma one November there lived a young single mother struggling to make ends meet. ...read more

Scripture: John 13:12-14

Tags: Humility, Christian Service

Denomination: Charismatic

Compassion

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson She was a nurse employed at a residential care home in Western Oklahoma. It was a muggy summer night and many of the residents seemed more restless than usual. One of the patients, an ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1

Tags: Compassion, Acts Of Kindness, Kind To The Unkind, Showing God's Love

Denomination: Charismatic

The Manor - A Story About The Master Coming Back

Contributed by John Gullick on Jul 31, 2017

Here is a story- Driving up to the mansion seemed quite grand. The turrets bathed in the bright sunlight - windows glistened sending wild cascades of light over the pastures. The driveway was, well, elegent to say the least. But immediately Bernard sensed something was wrong. The hedges and shrubs ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:33-43

Tags: Obedience, Disciple Of Jesus

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Rain On The Rocks

Contributed by Jack Kale on Sep 30, 2017

Rain on the Rocks We were on the last morning of a five day float down the Buffalo River in Arkansas. Our family joined another for the second annual Kale-Parker river trip. Everyone had their own boat and each was packed with supplies ranging from coolers, cook-wear, clothes, fishing gear, and ...read more

Tags: Beauty, Color, Rain, Rocks, Stones  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: *other

What God Told Me At 4 A.m. In Guangzhou, China

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 13, 2018

Note: this story is told by me - Jim Butcher of Madison WV. I want to tell you a story about an insight that God gave me into John 14:1-4, the passage where Jesus speaks of going to prepare a place for us. This is the story of something that happened to me several years ago while I was in ...read more

Tags: China, Adoption, New Jerusalem, Eternity, Father, Family, Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Pioneer

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 27, 2020

Time Magazine's obituary - Dr. Wilfred Thomason Grenfell's October 21, 1940. Oct. 21, 1940 - Wilfred Grenfell spent his boyhood on the Sands of Dee near Cheshire, England. He used to filch biscuits and wine from his school larder to give to fishermen as they left at dawn to catch the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Romans 12:1-8

Tags: Service, Sacrifice, Commitment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Reprove An Erring Brother, Do Not Reproach Him

Contributed by James Dina on Oct 7, 2020

REPROVE AN ERRING BROTHER, DO NOT REPROACH HIM Huwag mong pagsabihan ang isang scoffer, o kapopootan niya kayo, pagsabihan ang isang matalinong tao at mahal niya kayo. Magbigay ng tagubilin sa isang matalinong tao at magiging mas matalino pa rin siya, turuan ang isang mabuting tao at pag-iibayuhin ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:8

Tags: Reprove, Correct In Love

Denomination: Pentecostal

H. A. Ironside Recounted His Experience With ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jun 4, 2007

H. A. Ironside recounted his experience with work: Illustration: Do All in the Name of the Lord Jesus “Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:17). When I was a boy, I felt it was both a duty and a privilege to help my widowed mother make ends meet by finding employment in vacation time, on ...read more

Denomination: Other

Complete Silence  PRO

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Dec 29, 2008

COMPLETE SILENCE In college, one of the jobs I had was working in a medical file warehouse. Talk about mundane, boring, monotonous. These were huge warehouses that contained millions of files from hospitals all over the San Francisco Bay Area. I did one of three things: I pulled a file for a ...read more

Tags: Disciplines Silence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroes: The Four Great Men Of Samaria

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 11, 2022

Introduction: There was war between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, where Israelites on each side fought, died, were captured and who knows what else. In this battle, the northern kingdom of Israel had won a great victory and were headed back home, loaded with the spoils of war. But that joy ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 28:12-15

Tags: Ahaz, Pekah, Unsung Heroes, Oded, Captives  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Parallels Between The Serpent On The Pole And Christ On The Cross

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 8, 2023

Parallels between the Serpent on the Pole and Christ on the Cross: 1. The bronze serpent was God’s means of salvation for the Israelites who were bitten by the serpents in the wilderness. Jesus Christ crucified is God’s means of salvation for everyone who has been bitten by the deadly venom of sin ...read more

Scripture: John 3:14-16

Tags: Redemption, Judgment, Christ, Forgiveness, Easter, Sin, Israel, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Lesson Of Grace

Contributed by Jm Raja Lawrence on Sep 23, 2023

The Lesson of Grace In a serene, sunlit park nestled within a bustling city, an old man sat on a weathered bench, enjoying the simple pleasures of life. His wrinkled face bore the marks of wisdom, and his eyes held stories of countless yesterdays. Passersby often found themselves drawn to his calm ...read more

Scripture: James 3:17, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 4:6, Colossians 3:13

Tags: Grace, Forgiving One Another, Kind To One Another

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Misapplied Scriptures: "God Is No Respecter Of Persons”, Acts 10:34

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 25, 2023

Introduction: “God is no respecter of persons!” How many times have we heard that during an invitation? It’s sad, but this is another verse that’s been misapplied over the years. Text: Acts 10:34, KJV: 34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 10:34

Tags: Salvation, Peter, Cornelius

Denomination: Baptist

[198]. A Message From A Poem – O Forest, How You Weep In Pain

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 13, 2025

[198]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – O FOREST, HOW YOU WEEP IN PAIN This is a serious poem and I like it very much. Like most of my poems it comes out of some personal experience. If this was a musical composition it would be in a minor key. The summary is, “O forest, how you weep in pain, but ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 3:22-23, Amos 4:7-8

Tags: Tropical Rainforest, Drought, Weeping, Barrenness, Signs Of The Times, Christian Poems, Rainforest, World, Sin, Persecution, Forest, Barren, Dryness, Pain  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[340]. A Message From A Poem - When I Arrive In Heaven

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 24, 2026

[340]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WHEN I ARRIVE IN HEAVEN This is a poem of speculation. What is heaven really like? Please do not think of heaven as some sort of materialistic place. Some Christians think more of mansions and golden streets and riches than they do of the Lord Jesus. The title ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:13, Matthew 27:25, Hebrews 1:3, Acts 7:55-56

Tags: Jesus, Heaven, Arrival, The Glory Of Heaven, Stephen Martyred, Jesus Standing, Christian Poems, Center Of Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[348]. A Message From A Poem - Without Christ The Life Is Wasted

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 12, 2026

[348]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WITHOUT CHRIST THE LIFE IS WASTED This poem covers the two states of mankind. One of those is lost and one is found. One is salvation and one is destruction. This is an examination of life and the two destinies. Both are considered. We live in a sinful world ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14, Psalm 1:5-6

Tags: Wasted Life, Two Ways, The Broad Way, The Righteous, The Wicked, The Narrow Way, Wasted, Two Destinies, Christian Poems, Two Eternal States  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Shorted-Sightedness  PRO

Contributed by Dru Ashwell on Dec 16, 2001

SHORTED-SIGHTEDNESS "Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." --Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949 "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." --Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943 "I have traveled the length and ...read more

Tags: Post Easter, Memorial Day, Leadership General, Reason, Purpose, Endurance, Emmaus Road, Answer, Workplace Evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

That Poor Young Boy!", Thought The Older ...  PRO

Contributed by Joshua Moran on Jan 31, 2005

"That poor young boy!", thought the older gentleman. The sanctuary was somewhat inactive as music was playing quietly, and the building seemed to be sheltering the people from the bitter cold of a New England winter. A young boy had just walked in with only a tattered sweatshirt, dirty jeans, and ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Tags: Giving General, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Pentecostal

On The Other Hand?" Mark 13:9-13 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 26, 2005

“On The Other Hand?” Mark 13:9-13 Key verse(s) 13:“‘All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.’” Often times what determines whether or not we are standing tall in this life is measured by the depth of our convictions. There was a time not so long ago ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:9-13

Tags: Faith General, Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran