01/01/2026
Sermon Title: “Ebenezer: The Stone That Speaks”
Text: 1 Samuel 7:12 – “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’” (NIV)
🔥 Introduction: A Stone with a Story
Beloved, have you ever paused in your journey and looked back—not with regret, but with reverence?
In 1 Samuel 7:12, we find the prophet Samuel doing just that. After a miraculous victory over the Philistines, he sets up a stone and names it Ebenezer, meaning “stone of help.” Why? Because he recognized something we often forget:
“Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
This was not just a monument. It was a message. A declaration. A spiritual anchor.
🧱 1. The Stone Reminds Us of God’s Faithfulness
The Israelites had just returned to the Lord after years of idolatry. They repented. They fasted. And when the enemy came, God thundered from heaven and gave them victory.
Samuel didn’t take credit. He didn’t say, “Look what we’ve done.” He said, “Look what God has done.”
“Faith builds altars; fear builds excuses.”
Your Ebenezer is not a trophy of your strength—it’s a testimony of God’s grace.
Application:
Pause today and look back. Through every valley, every battle, every unanswered question—hasn’t God helped you? You’re still standing. That’s your Ebenezer.
⚔️ 2. The Stone Marks a Turning Point
This moment was a spiritual reset for Israel. They had wandered, but now they were returning. The stone marked a before and after.
“You can’t change your past, but you can mark your pivot.”
Maybe today is your Mizpah moment. Maybe you’ve been drifting. Maybe fear, failure, or fatigue have worn you down.
But hear this: God is not finished. The same God who thundered for Israel will thunder for you.
Application:
Set your own Ebenezer. Not a literal stone, but a decision. A prayer. A journal entry. A moment where you say, “From this point on, I walk by faith.”
🌄 3. The Stone Points to a Greater Deliverer
Centuries later, another stone would be rolled away—not to mark a battle won, but a grave defeated.
Jesus is our ultimate Ebenezer. He is the Rock of Ages, the Cornerstone rejected by men but chosen by God.
“Christ is not just our help—He is our victory.”
When we say, “Thus far the Lord has helped us,” we’re not just looking back—we’re looking forward. Because the same God who brought us this far will carry us home.
🙌 Conclusion:
Raise Your Stone
So today, I challenge you:
- Remember what God has done.
- Repent where you’ve drifted.
- Recommit to the journey ahead.
Raise your Ebenezer—not in pride, but in praise. Let it be a reminder that you are never alone.
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”
— Philippians 1:6
Thus far—yes, even through the tears, the trials, the waiting—the Lord has helped you.
And He’s not done yet.