In Sermon Illustrations: "Parable Lost Son"

The Parable Of The Fig Tree  PRO

Contributed by Ty Tamasaka on Jul 26, 2011

THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE 6 "Then Jesus told this story: 'A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, 'I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:6-9

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Denomination: Other

A Little Parable For Mothers  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 24, 2012

A LITTLE PARABLE FOR MOTHERS The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is the way long?" she asked. And her guide said: "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning." But the young mother was happy, and she ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10-31

Tags: Mother's Day

Barefoot Christians: A Parable  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2009

BAREFOOT CHRISTIANS: A PARABLE "I arrived in the city of EVERYWHERE early one morning. It was cold, and there were flurries of snow on the ground. As I stepped from the train to the platform, I noticed that the baggage man and the redcap were warmly attired in heavy coats and gloves, but oddly ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:10-12

Tags: Christian Love

Keys To Understanding The Parables

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 13, 2022

KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE PARABLES Parables provide insight into the nature, coming, growth and of the Kingdom of God. Parables are by design intended to be surprising. They often sneak up on us. Parables are used to simulate thinking and cause the hearer to carefully contemplate what they ...read more

Tags: Teaching, Truth, Kingdom Of God, Parables, Preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seed Corn Parable

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 24, 2023

The kingdom of God is like a farmer who shared his award winning seed corn with his neighbors. One year a newspaper reporter asked him. “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked. “Why ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-52

Tags: Parable, Seed, Farmer

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Pearl Tree Parable

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 24, 2023

The kingdom of God is like a seed which a woman planted in her garden, and when the time came for the harvest, the tree branches were groaning under the weight of hundreds of large and beautiful pearls which rained down upon everyone who had taken shelter there, and they all became rich beyond ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-52

Tags: Kingdom Of God, Reward, Hidden Future, Fruit

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

[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

Motley, Cross-Breed, Half-Baked Sheep  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Nov 12, 2010

MOTLEY, CROSS-BREED, HALF-BAKED SHEEP Before I went off to train for ministry, I used to live in an old house in Oamaru with an acre and a half of land. I had the usual garden and lawn, but I also had about an acre and a quarter of pretty rough hillside that was planted in a variety of trees and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:3, Numbers 6:22-27

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Lost Ladle

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

THE LOST LADLE Helen was a wonderful Christian woman, She was a single mother raising her only son Tom as best she could to love God. But Helen was very worried when Tom told her he was moving to the Big city. A year went by and all seemed well, when Tom called his mother one day and told her his ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

Sam Haughey (Commercial Salmon Fisherman From ...

Contributed by Scott Bradford on Jun 2, 2008

Sam Haughey (commercial Salmon fisherman from Alaska)told me a story recently, as I gave him a ride back from Methodist Hospital, how when he wakes up in the middle of the night in Alaska, he looks out the window, and he counts his boats. One night, several years ago, he looked out and one was ...read more

Tags: Parable Lost Coin

Denomination: United Methodist

That's When The Angels Rejoice  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2004

THAT’S WHEN THE ANGELS REJOICE There’s a gospel song entitled, “That’s When The Angels Rejoice” written by Larry Bryant: When the Model T first hit the street, It didn’t bring all heaven to its feet. And when the first computer was born, They didn’t blow Old Gabriel’s horn. There’s only one thing ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32, Luke 15:1-31

Tags: Evangelism The Lost, Parable Prodigal Son, Promises Of God

God Is Seeking Me Out  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2004

GOD IS SEEKING ME OUT Nikki was a Jewess. Born of Jewish parents and raised in the Temple, she had never wanted anything to do with the church. But just because her friend Dana had invited her, she agreed to attend go - just this once. The next week she came back. And the next week, and the next. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-31

Tags: Evangelism The Lost, Parable Prodigal Son, Promises Of God

Servants And Sons

Contributed by Jim Blevins on May 2, 2009

SERVANTS AND SONS Imagine at Mt. Sinai with all the lightning, thunder, smoke and the threat of death to any person or animal that even came close to the mountain, and how the people shuddered with fear as God was soon to speak His commandments. How would it have been if, after God had spoken ...read more

Tags: Arrogance

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Parable From The Chilean Mining ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Oct 16, 2010

A PARABLE FROM THE CHILEAN MINING DISASTER Once upon a time there was a wise, good and powerful King. His kingdom was known as the kingdom of Hope and it was the richest kingdom in the world. He ruled his people with love and justice. The kingdom of Hope was known throughout the world and other ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Sleep Son  PRO

Contributed by Daniel Harman on Aug 28, 2006

THE SLEEP SON A mother watched her son begin to drain of energy as the week went on. By the end of the week he’d lost his desire to get out of bed. She heard the alarm go off through his bedroom door. Apparently he just kept punching the little snooze button on the top. Finally, after 3 or 4 extra ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Malcolm Britton (One Of Our Readers) Has A ...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jul 5, 2008

Malcolm Britton (one of our Readers) has a wonderful definition of sheep. He says: “From the day they are born, assuming they are born alive they are looking for ingenious ways ...read more

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

Denomination: Anglican

The Wandering Sheep

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 23, 2010

THE WANDERING SHEEP Dr. Andrew Bonar tells of how in the Highlands of Scotland, a sheep would often wander off into the rocks and get into places that they can't get out of. The grass on these mountains is very sweet and the sheep like it, and they will jump down ten or twelve feet, and then ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:6

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

Denomination: Brethren

The Voice Of The Shepherd  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2011

THE VOICE OF THE SHEPHERD There once was a shepherd that lived in the Scottish highlands. This shepherd had a daughter and he would take her with him when he went out on the moors to take care of the sheep. The thing that the little girl liked best was to hear the call of shepherd. His voice ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-18, Mark 4:26-34

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

The "Broken" Sheepdog And The Shepherd  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2011

THE "BROKEN" SHEEPDOG AND THE SHEPHERD Philip Keller tells a story in his book, Lessons from a Sheep Dog, about how a bedraggled collie named Lassie came into his possession. One day he happened to notice an ad in the paper that simply said: "Border collie to good owner. Currently uncontrollable ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-18

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

The Sheep Dog  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 9, 2011

THE SHEEP DOG A man by the name of Keith Miller told of the time when his daughters were very young. They’d drop them off at the church’s children’s chapel on Sundays before the 11 am service. But one day Keith chanced to be in the class when the preacher was telling the story for the day to the ...read more

Scripture: John 10:11-18

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep