In Sermon Illustrations: "Parable Great Banquet"

Why Would God Go To All The Trouble To Endure Our ...  PRO

Contributed by David Simmons on Jan 18, 2001

Why would God go to all the trouble to endure our bad choices and our flagrant sinning in order to have relationship with us? Hear the story of the lost son from the modern setting as told by Philip Yancey in his book What’s so Amazing about Grace. Yancey tells the story of a prodigal daughter ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:18, Luke 5:17-26, 1 Samuel 23:1-25

Tags: Nobody, Parable Prodigal Son, God's Provision, Forgiveness In Jesus, Everybody, Anybody, Somebody  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Lessons From A Gps  PRO

Contributed by Coz Von on Jul 13, 2016

A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Prov 16:9, 3:6. I’m sure you’ve driven a car with a Global Positioning System (GPS). A number of years ago I settled into the passenger’s seat of a fully equipped ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:9

Tags: Gps, Eternally Lost, Divine Direction, Heart For The Lost, Parable Lost Son  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

On The Other Side Of The Equation, John Piper ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 18, 2008

On the other side of the equation, John Piper observes: “This was one of Luke’s great passions—that Christians use their possessions for the needs of others and not just for their own comforts. Luke alone tells the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30–37). Luke alone tells the parable of the ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Willingness Of God To Answer Your Prayer

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 8, 2022

"My friend, do you think that God is asleep? Do you feel that He has gone to bed when you pray, and you cannot get Him up? Do you believe that He does not want to answer your prayers? God does want to answer your prayers and He will. That is what this parable is saying. You do not have ...read more

Tags: Prayer, God's Love, Parables, Persistence, God The Father, Importunity, God's Willingness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lucky Dog

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 15, 2022

A family put the following ad in the "Lost and Found" section of the paper: "Lost Dog: Crippled in front paw, blind in left eye, mange on back and neck, tail missing. Recently neutered. Answers to the name 'Lucky'". He truly was a lucky dog, because in spite of all ...read more

Tags: Lost, Lost Sheep, Prodigal Son, Luke 15, God's Love, Parables  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Cheapest Way To Park A Rolls Royce!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 26, 2023

In Mattew 25, Jesus taught the Parable of the Talents to His disciples. The parable shows the value of investing wisely by those who took their talent and multiplied it through wise negotiation. The one who buried his talent and did not invest was scolded by the Lord. Here is a funny ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30

Tags: Talents, Investing, Saving Money, Parables, Business, Kingdom Of God, Money Management  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

V. Mcgee Estimates That 75% Of The Members Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Jan 31, 2001

.V. McGee estimates that 75% of the members of the average church might not be genuinely saved.(religious club) Billy Graham states that 80% of those who make salvation ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 7:1-8

Tags: Great Commission, Legalism, Jesus Teachings, Eleven Disciple, Becoming A Christian, Assurance Of Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Keepers Of The Aquarium

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 14, 2023

The late Sam Shoemaker, an Episcopalian bishop, summed up the situation this way: "In the Great Commission the Lord has called us to be--like Peter--fishers of men. We've turned the commission around so that we have become merely keepers of the aquarium. Occasionally I take some fish out ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: Lost, Pastors, Churches, Great Commission, Evangelism, Grace, Sin, Salvation, Gospel, Witnessing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ridgecrest Is A Large Baptist-Run Assembly ...  PRO

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 24, 2000

Ridgecrest is a large Baptist-run assembly ground, nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina. All summer long, every year, thousands of Christians come to Ridgecrest for training, inspiration, Bible study, and challenge. A few years ago, during a conference, people began to notice a man ...read more

Tags: Parable General, Graduation Gift, Compassion, Abortion, Car, Christian Disciplines, Everything, Father  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Door Is Always Unlocked When You Come Home...

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 15, 2022

J. C. Ryle tells of a mother whose daughter ran away and lived a life of sin. For a long time, no one knew where she was, but she finally came back, turned to Christ in repentance, and believed in Him. Someone asked the mother what she had done to bring her daughter back and she replied, “I prayed ...read more

Tags: Parables, Rebellion, Lost, Lost Sheep, Prodigal Son, Daughters, Parents, Mothers, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Funnnnnny Story About The Fatted Calf!!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 15, 2022

FUNNNNNNNNNNY!! A Pastor was doing the children’s devotional in the church service one Sunday when he called all of the kids to the front and asked them this question: “Boys and girls, in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, who was the saddest of all to see the younger brother come back home from the ...read more

Tags: Fattened Calf, Humor, Parables, Prodigal Son, Jokes, Older Brother, Luke 15  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Budding Of The Fig Tree

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 16, 2023

Luke 21 records the parable of the Budding of the Fig Tree by Jesus. This parable is interpreted by many evangelical writers as a reference to the Regathering of Israel as prophesied by Ezekiel 38. It happened in 1948 as the nation was re-born miraculously as we prepare for the return of ...read more

Tags: Return Of Christ, Regathering, Israel, End Times, Prophecy, Second Coming, Parables, Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

"The Story Of Robert Moffit: One ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Mar 5, 2001

Illustration: “The Story of Robert Moffit: One Convert” I’m sure you’ve heard the classic story about the faithful pastor who was told by his superior that something was wrong with his work. The supervisor told him, “Only one person has been added to your church this year, and he is only a boy.” ...read more

Tags: Sharing Your Faith, What Is Evangelism?, Witness, Great Commission, Mentor, Missions, Evangelism, Encouragement  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Wesleyan

That Another Might Live—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on May 11, 2003

THAT ANOTHER MIGHT LIVE- COMMUNION MEDITATION About 6:00 A.M. on a Wednesday morning James Lawson of Running Springs, California (in the San Bernardino mountains) left home to apply for a job. About an hour later his thirty-six-year-old wife, Patsy left for her fifth grade teaching job ...read more

Tags: Unconditional Love, Sacrificial Love, Mothers Love, Parenting, Mother's Day, Love, Great Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[076]. A Message From A Poem – Expectations, Testimony And Pleading

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 11, 2025

[076]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EXPECTATIONS, TESTIMONY AND PLEADING The three words in the title are what the poem is about. Firstly there is expectation of our heavenly home when we are transported from the physical life. Then there is testimony and that is about the way God looks after us, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, Psalm 119:143, Psalm 119:77, Psalm 119:47

Tags: Great Things, Pleading, Expectations, Turn To The Lord, Scripture, Testimony, Poetry, New Home, Delight, Poem  (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: Lost And Found, Rejoicing, Heart Of God, The Heart Of God, Grieved, Christian Poems, Parable, Lost, Lost Coin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Kiss That Changed A Prodigal Into A Preacher!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 15, 2022

The late Joe Bayly was a gentle, godly Christian leader. I once heard him tell how one of his sons rebelled back in the days of the hippie movement. He grew his hair long and moved into a communal flophouse. Late one night, Bayly received a call informing him that his son was being held at one of ...read more

Tags: Prodigal Son, Fathers, Fathers And Sons, Luke 15, Parables, Lost, Father's Love, Unconditional Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Be Doers Of The Word

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Oct 8, 2022

There is a made-up story about a man who had a dream about heaven. The story is not true but the point it illustrates is true. In this story a man had a dream he died and went to heaven. He toured heaven and it was marvelous just as he imagined it would be. He sees mansions, streets of gold and ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-25

Tags: Doing, Great Sermons, Doers Of The Word, Practical Faith, Not Hearers Only, Do What It Says, James On Doing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Greatest Commandment

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 22, 2025

From the Talmud: Rabbi Simlai taught "Six hundred and thirteen commandments were given to Moses; then David came and reduced them to eleven in Psalm 15.; Isaiah (33:15), to six; Micah (6:8), to three; Isaiah again (56:1), to two; and Habakkuk ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-17, Mark 12:28-34, Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 5:1, Matthew 22:36-40  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Greatest Commandment, Law Keeping, Justification By Faith, Two Great Commands, Torah, Faith And Works, Ten Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

[290]. A Message From A Poem – The Roman Harlot Of Revelation 17

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 15, 2026

[290]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE ROMAN HARLOT OF REVELATION 17 This poem has its setting in Revelation chapter 17. Some of the expressions are taken from that chapter which I draw upon. Some find revelation 17 a mystery but there is no mystery to it when it is all placed in context. This is ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 17:4, Revelation 17:18, Revelation 17:9, Revelation 16:8-9, Revelation 9:20-21  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Mother Of Harlots, Alexander Hislop, Christian Poems, The Harlot, The Whore, Rome, Antichrist, Tribulation, False Prophet, Babylon The Great  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational