In Sermon Illustrations: "Introductions"

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: Micah’s Misfortunes, Part 2

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 11, 2024

Introduction: The first verses of Judges 17 tell the story of Micah. In a word, he stole a lot of money from his mother, but returned it to her after she pronounced a curse on the stuff—and, probably, the thief whoever it may have been. The section concludes with Micah establishing his own ...read more

Scripture: Judges 17:7-13

Tags: Micah, Idolatry, Levites, Mount Ephraim

Denomination: Baptist

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: Look What I Just Made!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 27, 2024

Introduction: Idols, man-made objects of worship, have been around and have been used for thousands of years. These items were made out of stone, clay, various metals, as well as wood. Now imagine the carpenters or other craftsmen who made these objects, knowing what they had made, and what they ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 44:12-17

Tags: Isaiah, Idols, Types Of Trees

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: An Egyptian Slave Who Helped David

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 20, 2024

Introduction: He had been taken as a slave and now was far from his homeland. He was so sick he almost died but David and his men found him. When this slave had recovered, he gave David some very vital information which helped David a great deal! Text: 1 Samuel 30:13-19, KJV: 11 And they found an ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:13-19

Tags: David, Amalekites, Ziklag

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: Hur, A Man Who Helped Moses

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 6, 2024

Introduction: Aaron and Joshua are mentioned often as men who helped Moses as Israel journeyed from Egypt to Canaan. There was one other man who assisted Moses, when Moses really needed some help. His name is Hur and he is another unsung hero. Text: Exodus 17:8-16, KJV: 8 Then came Amalek, and ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:8-16

Tags: Moses, Amalekites, Hur

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes At The 'battle Of The Ditches'!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 30, 2024

Introduction: Ask any veteran or anyone who served in the military for the strangest duty they ever performed and you may get some interesting replies! The soldiers in this story were asked (!) to put down their swords and take up some shovels in order to dig a lot of ditches! This story also has ...read more

Tags: Jehoshaphat, Elisha, Unsung Heroes, Ditches

Denomination: Baptist

The Ministry Of Truth And Honesty

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 6, 2024

Introduction: If there’s one thing that’s sorely and surely needed these days, it’s truth and honesty. It’s no secret that both and each are in short supply. Just look at some of the so-called testimony which “witnesses” utter before either house of the U S Congress, for example. The concept if not ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:21

Tags: Paul, Truthfulness, Honesty

Denomination: Baptist

[062a]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062A]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE FIRST PART PART 1 INTRODUCTION TO THIS POEM This is my most serious poem because it addresses ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Comfort, Suffering, Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love, Hurt, Pain, Love, Compassion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[090]. Poem Message – Specific – For Elderly Christians - The Three Ds

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 26, 2025

[090]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – SPECIFIC – FOR ELDERLY CHRISTIANS - THE THREE Ds We come to the last poem in the 9 Part trilogy, and it is in the section SPECIFIC, addressed to Elderly Christians. Older Christians are the workhorse in the Church, plodding along for decades bearing the load. In ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:38-39, Romans 6:8-9, Romans 5:5, 1 Peter 2:6, James 1:5-6  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Regret, Doubts, Elderly Christians, Poems, Old Christians, The Door To Heaven, Death, Heaven, Elderly, Disappointment, Poetry, Old Age, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroes: The Servants At The Wedding In Cana

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 12, 2020

Introduction: Wedding feasts were happy times, especially in the days of the Bible. This story describes how a handful of people kept a disaster from taking place! Text (John 2:1-11, KJV): 1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11

Tags: Weddings And Marriages, Miracles, Jesus Christ, Servants, Cana Of Galilee  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: She Needed Help And They Responded

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 17, 2020

Introduction: widows, especially those with young children, have faced hardships for many, many years. This young wife was now widowed, and even worse, she had a creditor demanding either payment of a bill—or she would have to give up her two sons. The LORD, however, had another plan to help this ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:1-7, Deuteronomy 15:1-6

Tags: Miracles, Elisha, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: The Servants Of Cornelius

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 18, 2021

Introduction: The Gospel was still being proclaimed but almost exclusively to Jews when this incident occurred. A number of Samaritans (a mixed race of Jews and other peoples from several different locales, 2 Kings 17) had believed and even a high official of Ethiopia had believed in Jesus (Acts ...read more

Scripture: Acts 10:1-6, Acts 10:21-23, Luke 7:1-10

Tags: Peter, Cornelius, Centurions, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-Rizpah

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 3, 2022

Introduction: Rizpah is only mentioned in a couple of places in the Bible. We don’t know much about her aside from this tremendous act of love she demonstrated in this story. Text: 2 Samuel 21:8-11, KJV: 8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 21:8-11

Tags: Famine, Gibeonites, Rizpah, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

Beverage Drinking Woes

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 19, 2022

Introduction: The Bible doesn’t mention coffee, tea, soft drinks, or other beverages such as what we have these days but there’s still a verse that comes to mind when I think about it. Here’s the verse, and I’ll share some thoughts in a moment: Text: Revelation 3:16, KJV: 16 So then because thou ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:16

Tags: Water, Lukewarmness

Denomination: Baptist

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: "Don’t Ask Me, It Just Happened!”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 2, 2024

Introduction: Chances are either you, me, or someone we know has tried to excuse something that whoever it was, did. Excuses vary, but more often than not, the reply is something along the lines of “I don’t know how this happened!” One of the clearest cases of “I-don’t-know-itis” took place at the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:21-24

Tags: Moses, Aaron, Golden Calf

Denomination: Baptist

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: Micah’s Misfortunes: "What Aileth Thee?”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 15, 2024

Introduction: Micah of Ephraim is one of the more unusual characters in Scripture. We’ve seen a couple of his misfortunes, but now, in another unintentionally humorous text, we’ll see he faced a problem he couldn’t possibly solve. Text: Judges 18:18-26, KJV: 18 And these went into Micah's ...read more

Scripture: Judges 18:18-26

Tags: Danites, Micah Of Ephraim, Idols

Denomination: Baptist

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: What Are They Doing Here?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 3, 2024

Introduction: David had fled to Achish, king of Gath, in the land of the Philistines once before to escape Saul, the king of Israel and his own father-in-law (1 Samuel 21)! Now it’s a few years later and, once again, Saul is chasing David and, again, David fled to Gath. This time, David and his ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 29:1-5

Tags: David, Philistines, Achish

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: Paul’s Nephew

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 19, 2024

Introduction: It’s interesting that we know very little about Paul except that he was a Jew, born in Tarsus, receiving an education in Jerusalem, and some of his days as Saul the persecutor of the new Church. We’re never told the names of his parents, siblings—or if he had any other siblings ...read more

Scripture: Acts 23:16-22

Tags: Paul, Unsung Heroes, Paul's Nephew

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-The Widow Of Zarephath

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 4, 2022

Introduction: this widow woman probably wasn’t even an Israelite but she believed the words of Elijah, the prophet of the LORD, God of Israel. She received much more than she gave Elijah! Text: 1 Kings 17:8-16, KJV: 8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:8-16

Tags: Elijah, Widow Of Zarephath, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-Rhoda Of Jerusalem

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 13, 2022

Introduction: She’s only mentioned in one passage, and often for what she didn’t do. But this unsung heroine knew what she had seen, and nothing was going to change her mind! Text: Acts 12:11-17, KJV: 11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:11-17

Tags: Prayer, Peter, Rhoda, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: When David Played The Fool!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 19, 2024

Introduction: David was known for many things: Saul’s minstrel, the champion against Goliath, and a man after God’s own Heart, among others. But there was an unintentionally humorous incident that didn’t put David in a very good light! Text: 1 Samuel 21:10-15, KJV: 10 And David arose, and fled ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 21:10-15

Tags: David, Gath, Achish

Denomination: Baptist