In Sermon Illustrations: "Luke 15:1-15"

Lost And Found

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2012

LOST AND FOUND In London there is an official governmental office for lost and found items. It is the London Transports “Lost Property Office.” It is located on the side of the Baker’s Street Station, just across the street from the fictitious residence of Sherlock Holmes. It has been there since ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Tags: Parable Lost Coin

Christ Transforms A Prisoner

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 18, 2012

CHRIST TRANSFORMS A PRISONER Chuck Colson tells story after story of men in prison who had committed crimes, but who came to Christ and were thoroughly converted. No one would have guessed that some of these men would be devout followers of Christ one day. One such story was the account of a man ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Tags: Parable Prodigal Son

On Shepherds  PRO

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

What do we know about the shepherd's life? It's a full time commitment. Sheep are helpless to defend themselves against attack from their natural enemies: lions, bears, wolves, hyenas and foxes which can come in both the day and night so there is never a moment a shepherd can relax. Sheep must be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Tags: Shepherd, Shepherd's Life

Denomination: Methodist

On The Pharisees

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

Who are the Pharisees? In 332 BC, Alexander the Great conquered the Middle East, bringing Greek culture and philosophy to Israel. By 200 BC, Greek philosophy and its worldview called Helenism were significantly impacting Jewish young men. More and more of them were abandoning the Hebrew faith and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-2

Tags: Pharisees

Denomination: Methodist

World Trade Center Hero

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

Matt Chandler tells the story of Dave Karnes. When the World Trade Center tumbled to the ground on that dreadfully dark day, more than 3000 people lost their lives. But a few who were buried beneath the rubble miraculously survived. Two of these were Will Jimeno and John McLoughlin, a pair of Port ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Tags: Evangelism, 911, Incarnation Of Jesus, Saving Others

Denomination: Methodist

Anger Where There Should Be Joy

Contributed by Christopher Sweeney on Feb 19, 2017

When I was five years old, my sister was born. My brother’s birthday was March 7 and mine was October 6th. The logic of a five-year-old was that the older person’s birthday came earlier in the year. So when my little sister was born on August 9th before my birthday, I was naturally upset. Instead ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Joy, Anger, Selfish, Jealousy, Jealously  (view more)  (view less)

Who Is Really Lost?

Contributed by Pastor Norman Bailey, Overseer on Aug 12, 2018

Sometimes in life we are so quick to judge others when they have short comings. It may be true that we may know folk that have short comings in life. They may make wrong choices in life and end up trouble. It is our responsibility to always pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Everybody is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Attitude Of Christ, Love And Compassion

Denomination: Pentecostal

Lost Sheep

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Aug 9, 2019

When the sheep strayed, the shepherd left the 99 and searched for the lost one. I was that lost sheep, I got saved at an early age, and loved the lord with all my heart. Everything was great in my life, I married the girl of my dreams, then my world fell apart. In 1968, I got a letter from ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:4

Tags: Loss, Recovery

Denomination: Pentecostal

We Can Witness, But We Cannot Convert

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 18, 2019

We may use all means, by but we cannot command success. We may teach, but we cannot convert. We may show those around us the bread and water of life, but we cannot make them eat and drink it. We may point out the way to eternal life, but we cannot make others walk in it. ‘It is the Spirit that ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Tags: Evangelism, Family, Witnessing, Unbelief, Straying  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

What The Lost Coin Means

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 18, 2019

Ann Punton writes, “Although everyone dressed more or less alike according to social standing, each village had some distinguishing feature. Bethlehem women wore a conical cap. When they married, their husband gave them a number of silver coins which they fixed to their hat. The coins were their ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Tags: Search, Found, Parable Of The Lost Coin

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Anxiety And Relationships

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 27, 2020

Anxiety can be the ruin or the salvation of our relationships. It is an alarm mechanism. It alerts us to potential danger. But sometimes it goes off too often or quickly. Sometimes we do not seem able to regulate it. Shocked, we lash out, hold our ground, or retreat. However, anxiety can be our ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Anxiety, Relationships

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Lost & Found

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 29, 2022

Melissa Highsmith was kidnapped by a babysitter in 1971 at the tender age of 22 months. Over the next 51 years, Highsmith's family and the police searched for her without success. Finally, with the use of DNA technology, her identity was confirmed and she was reunited with her family. Melissa ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10, Luke 15:1-7

Tags: Salvation, Gospel, Lost, Saved, The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Losing Someone Or Something Is Very Heartbreaking

Contributed by Jm Raja Lawrence on Oct 17, 2023

In the midst of an unforgiving tempest, a cataclysmic convergence of nature's wrath struck with an unforgiving fury. Banda Aceh, Indonesia, and the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands found themselves entangled in the merciless grip of a relentless tsunami. At that fateful moment, I stood as the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-4, Isaiah 41:10, Galatians 6:2, Matthew 25:35-36, Luke 15:11-32, Psalm 107:28-30, Philippians 4:6-7  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Love, Tsunami Survival Tale, Banda Aceh, Andaman, Nicobar, Heartbreaking, Church, Earthquake, Care, Indonesia, Panicking, Islands  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[007]. A Message From A Poem - A Shepherd Left His Comfort Zone

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 1, 2024

[007]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A SHEPHERD LEFT HIS COMFORT ZONE Shepherds and sheep feature quite often in the biblical record and Jesus used parables and illustrations involving sheep. This poem was developed from a comment a Convention speaker made when teaching on the Lost Sheep. The ...read more

Scripture: John 10:9, John 10:10-11, John 10:14-15, Luke 15:4-6

Tags: Love, Night, Sheep, Lost Sheep, Crucified, The Good Shepherd, Jesus Our Shepherd, Jesus Died For The Sheep, 100 Sheep  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Reason For Evangelism

Contributed by John Bright on May 15, 2025

The Reason for Evangelism The “WHY” might be the most important missing part for choosing to not share a personal testimony and the Good News with other folks. I recently read the book, “Five Little Words to Change a Life,” by Nick and Rozanne Savoca (2022). Nick shares an experience that uses a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Evangelism, Prodigal Son

Denomination: Methodist

[178 ]. A Message From A Poem – Lost Three Things - Lost One Sheep

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 26, 2025

[178 ]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST THREE THINGS - LOST ONE SHEEP What are the best-known parables the Lord Jesus gave? I suppose there could be some debate about that but for me, I think The Prodigal Son, The Sower and The Good Samaritan. The Lost Sheep is near the top. Two of those I have ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1, Psalm 23:4, Luke 15:3-7, John 10:11, John 10:14  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Shepherding, The Lost Sheep, The Shepherd Psalm, One Sheep Lost, Sheep, Search, The Good Shepherd  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[179]. A Message From A Poem – Lost Three Things - Lost One Coin

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 27, 2025

[179]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST THREE THINGS - LOST ONE COIN In this trilogy of poems we are looking at three objects lost – a sheep, a coin and a son. All three were loved and precious and the owners knew stress at the lost. When each was found it resulted in great rejoicing. These three ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:8, Genesis 6:6, Luke 15:8-10

Tags: Heart Of God, The Heart Of God, Grieved, Christian Poems, Parable, Lost, Lost Coin, Lost And Found, Rejoicing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[180]. A Poem Message – Lost Three Things - One Son – The Prodigal Son

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 29, 2025

[180]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOST ONE SON – THE PRODIGAL SON The third of the lost parables is the son. It is the best know. Gospel preaching has made use of this parable over and over and that is fair enough. However its greater meaning is a wayward son of the family, who entered into a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:18, Luke 15:11-12, Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Repentance, Lost, Love Of The Father, The Prodigal Son, Parable Of The Lost Son  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational