“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises” (Psalms 98:4). The following is an excerpt from a letter sent by a parishioner to her pastor:…
Sermon Illustrations
“No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matthew…
The late Clarence W. Cranford often told the story of a wife’s correspondence with her husband who was serving time in prison for armed robbery. “When is the best time to plant the potatoes?” she…
There was an old Pennsylvania farmer who was also an elder in his Church. Since his religion forbids war, the farmer decided that he wouldn’t fight, nor would he pay taxes that might be used…
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from…
Occasionally I talk with a person who can’t figure out why God had to become a man to save us. It reminds me of something I observed during the summers I worked on my Grandfather’s…
The family was gathered at dinner. The oldest boy announced he was going to marry the girl across the street. “But her family didn’t leave her a penny,” objected his father. “And she hasn’t saved…
“ . . . let people learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs” (Titus 3:14). A middle-aged bookstore customer was expressing her obvious annoyance to one of the store…
A reporter once said to Alfred Hitchcock, “You never watch your films with an audience. Don’t you miss hearing them scream?” Hitchcock replied, “No. I can hear them when I’m making the picture.”
“The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (II Corinthians 9:6). A man became disenchanted with his life in the…
(“King Nebuchadnezar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the palin of Dura, in the province of Babylon” Daniel 3:1) This verse…
A science professor was delivering a slide lecture. A forest scene flashed onto the screen. In the center of the picture stood an oddly-shaped tree. “I want you to look closely at that tree,” said…
John Cheever, who had few illusions about his fame in his home village of Ossining, NY, recounted a time when someone stopped him on the street and said, “You’re David Wayne, the actor.” ”No I’m…
Actor Kirk Douglas recalled an encounter with a hitchhiker he picked up one afternoon. I picked up a young sailor who was on a weekend leave. He jumped into the car, took one look at…
A few years ago, the Christmas catalog of a California publishing house featured a “made-to-order” children’s gift item: a “Me-Book.” All the “Me-Books” contained the same full-page color illustrations and a bit of the prose…
“Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is their hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered” (Luke 12:1,2). A middle-aged businessman, returning from a business trip, was met at the airport…
Oliver Wendell Holmes, the physician, author, and father of Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., had little sympathy for patients who thought they were sicker than they actually were. He was once treating a…
Some time ago there was a marvelous newspaper ad which the news services picked up and sent over the news wires. It read: I would like to announce that the notice I put in this…
Dr Abby: My husband hates to spend money! I cut my own hair and make my own clothes, and I have to account for every nickel I spend. Meanwhile he has a stack of savings…
For many years, sociologists and others have been commenting on “America’s love affair with the automobile.” Recently, a man named George fell in love with a new car, bought it, and proceeded to pamper it…