In Sermon Illustrations: "2 Samuel 9 3a6 13"

My Name Is Gossip

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 11, 2025

I am more deadly than a shell from the howitzer. I win without killing. I tear down homes, break hearts, and wreck lives. I travel on the wings of the wind. No innocence is strong enough to intimidate me, no purity pure enough to daunt me. I have no regard for truth, no respect for justice, no ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:20

Tags: Gossip, Power Of Words

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Gossip Test

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 11, 2025

Do I get excited when I hear, “Have you heard…?” Does my heart do a little dance when someone starts with, “You won’t believe what I just found out!” If so, you know the answer—it’s gossip. If you find yourself pulling up a chair and grabbing some popcorn, it’s time to rethink your choices. The ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:20

Tags: Prayer, Gossip, Power Of Words, Test

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Makes A Difference For That One

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2025

Thousands of star fish washed on the beach after a storm. One boy was busily throwing them back. A watching man said, “There’s thousands and thousands washed ashore. How can you make a difference.” Boy says, “You are ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:2

Tags: Discipleship, Personal, Individual, Mentoring, One At A Time, Reforming  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Becoming Rich Requires Hard Work

Contributed by Saumiman Saud on Feb 20, 2025

BECOMING RICH REQUIRES HARD WORK My Father in Heaven, forgive me, for sometimes I feel that You are unfair. Why is it that despite my efforts, I never seem to have as much wealth as others? I often feel disappointed and even angry, but I am thankful that to this day, I remain in Your care and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:10

Tags: Rich, Hard Work

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Little Things Add Up

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Mar 15, 2025

MY SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER TOLD A STORY OF A MAN THAT WORKED IN THE COAL MINES IN EAST TENNESSEE. The man drove a coal truck from the coal temple to the rail road loading dock. It was a short quick trip. Each time the driver drove by the house where he lived. He made a quick stop threw a very large ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:13

Tags: Small, Little

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Unwanted Items-Fresh Meat On The Street?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 2, 2025

Introduction: This illustration is the first in a series about things that either aren’t wanted, left behind, or otherwise abandoned. Here’s hoping some of these illustrations will be useful! Text: 2 Kings 7:7, KJV: 7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 7:7

Tags: Caution, Meat, Unwanted, Abandoned Things

Denomination: Baptist

Renewal

Contributed by David Tack on May 31, 2025

WE TRADE OUR CURRENT TODAY AS an outward and perishing status of a sinner condemned to eternal separation from God FOR an inwardly renewed, saved by grace (day by day), redeemed and adopted ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Tags: Eternity, Renewed

Denomination: Baptist

Now Is The Appointed Time For Salvation

Contributed by William Akehurst on Sep 28, 2025

Dwight L. Moody once preached in Chicago and told people, “Go home and think about Christ.” That night, the Great Chicago Fire swept through, killing hundreds. Many never had another chance. From then on, Moody always pressed for immediate decision. QUOTE: Billy ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:2

Tags: Billy Graham, Hour Of Decision, Be Ready Now, Dwight L Moody, Don't Delay  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Boxes Of Chocalates

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

A young man went into a Pharmacy to buy 3 boxes of chocolate: small, medium, and large. When the pharmacist asked him about the three boxes, he said, ... "Well, I'm going over to my new girlfriend's house for supper. Then we are going out for the evening. If she only lets me hold ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 16:12

Tags: Pharmacist, Chocolates

Denomination: Anglican

What Is Knowledge?

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 5, 2026

Today, we tend to think of knowledge as something learned and stored in the brain. It’s all about the head. In the Bible, knowledge refers to a relationship. If we know God, then we have a relationship with Him through the Blood of Jesus Christ. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:2

Tags: Salvation, Knowledge, Relationship

Denomination: Methodist

No Coasting

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 7, 2026

Whenever the price of gas goes up, people start thinking about saving gas by coasting their cars downhill. I have a vague memory of a news story from way back in the 1970s about a guy who was going downhill and decided to turn the car off to save gas. One little problem – that was when new cars ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:10-11

Tags: Assurance, Falling

Denomination: Methodist

Add To Your Faith

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 9, 2026

“We must not be content, Peter suggests, with a B- in “goodness” or “knowledge” or “self-control” or “godliness” or “brotherly kindness” or “love.” We should not be content until we have an A+ in each one.” (Moo, p. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-7

Tags: Love, Godliness, Knowledge, Goodness, Self Control, Brotherly Kindness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

On Evangelism Tactics

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Apr 9, 2021

Many Christians have a wrong interpretation of 1 Corinthians 9:22. Paul would not have gotten a tattoo, a Mohawk, piercings etc. to witness to a group like that because it would have hindered him in witnessing to other groups. He spoke to them from their frame of reference, like all great teachers, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:22, 2 Corinthians 6:17

Tags: Evangelism, Separation, Piercings, Tattoos

Denomination: Baptist

At What Age Should A Pastor Retire?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 3, 2020

AT WHAT AGE SHOULD A PASTOR RETIRE? TEN DIAGNOSTIC QUESTIONS There are a lot of Baby Boomer pastors and Christian leaders around. And it’s cliché, but they aren’t getting any younger. It’s a quiet question that many are asking, but they are asking it nonetheless: What age should I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Hebrews 12:1-3

Tags: Retirement, Aging, Pastors, Missionaries, Paul And Timothy, Baby Boomers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Epiphany On Generosity

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Jun 23, 2023

I recently drove my adult son to the airport for a trip he was taking with some friends. He lives in Arkansas but was flying out of DFW, so he drove to our home in Denison to spend a little time with us. While he was gone I drove his car a few times just to make sure it was running well. I guess ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7, James 1:17

Tags: Generous, Steward, Giving, Stewardship, Give, Generosity, Selflessness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Four Descriptions Of A Life Without Christ

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 2, 2023

Satan hates God and everything and everyone in the Kingdom of God. He fights the Kingdom on a daily basis and will continue to try to stop the Gospel from spreading (I Thess. 2:18, Ephesians 6:11-12). Paul described the condition of all of those who are unbelievers and living in the Kingdom of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:10, 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, Acts 16:31, 1 Corinthians 1:23, 2 Corinthians 4:1-4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Satan, Salvation, Gospel, Lost, Unsaved, Spiritual Blindness, Unbelievers, Perishing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Corrupt Form Of Godliness

Contributed by Charles Jones on Sep 6, 2011

CORRUPT FORM OF GODLINESS Their are individuals who are hanging around the Church that don't know God, "they have a form of godliness but they are denying the power thereof." The Bible gives us a word about 2 people who were in this kind of predicament. In 1 Samuel 2:12-36 with focus ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Lost Donkeys That Found A King

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 24, 2025

The Lost Donkeys That Found a King My name? Oh, I’m Dusty—one of the donkeys that belonged to Kish, a farmer from the tribe of Benjamin. Life was simple for us: graze, walk, carry, rest, repeat. I never imagined I’d be part of something royal! But one morning, our fence gate swung open, and off ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 22:28-31, Genesis 22:3, 1 Samuel 9:3-20, Judges 15:15, Matthew 21:1-7  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Purpose, Faith, Service, Humility, Obedience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Trojan Horse! It Appears Innocent Enough, But It ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Aug 14, 2010

TROJAN HORSE! It appears innocent enough, but it is a harmful piece of software that looks legitimate. It tricks people into loading the wrong things into their systems. It gives a hacker access to cause damage. Unless you have a good ANTIVIRUS PROGRAMME, you will get infected and your whole ...read more

Tags: Temptation, Lies

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Captain Of The Lord's Hosts

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 17, 2023

The “Captain of the Lord’s Hosts” is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. We call this a CHRISTOPHANY. The word translated as, “Angel”, is another word for “Messenger” and does not limit the Divinity of Christ or make him a mere angel. What does Scripture say about the ...read more

Tags: Joshua, Jesus, Christophanies, Worship, Angels, Captain, Sovereignty Of God, Types, Christ In The Old Testament  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational