I once attended a man in a North of England town who had all all his life prided himself upon his atheism. He had disowned his only daughter because she married a schoolmaster who was…
Sermon Illustrations
“I will extol You, my God and King and bless Your Name forever and ever . . On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wondrous works I will meditate” (Psalms 145:1,5) During…
At the age of four I knew that God was everywhere. I spoke to Him, and sometimes He listened with sympathy. It was an unforgettable occasion in boyhood when He sent me a bicycle with…
”Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ’You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ “ (Matthew. 14:31). The story is told of a monastery in Portugal, perched high on…
A woman who was a very faithful church-goer had just received her drivers license. Before putting the key in the ignition for her first solo trip, she prayed for a safe journey: “Lord, please guide…
“Waiting for Godot” is a modern drama in which playwright Samuel Beckett offers a very pessimistic view of the human condition. The action centers around two tramps who wait in vain for a person named…
Many years ago, a book called “The Big Fisherman,” by Lloyd C. Douglas, made the best-seller lists. The book contains a scene in which several of the Apostles are wondering aloud about Jesus: “Why did…
There were times in the life of the saintly Theresa of Avila (1515-1582) when she must have felt that she was enduring more than her fair share of sickness and trouble. On one occasion, so…
When they were at the peak of their power, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams hated each other with a passion. Although they were real political enemies, each was blessed with a long, creative retirement which…
A young boy was asked, in religion class, to define “faith.” He said, “Faith is believing what you know isn’t true.” His definition is wrong all the way through. Faith is accepting. Faith is receiving.…
Doubt sees the obstacles, Faith sees the way; Doubt sees the blackest night, Faith sees the day; Doubt dreads to take a step, Faith soars on high; Doubt questions, “Who believes?” Faith answers, “I!”
984 The English Playwright, Oscar Wilde, arrived at his club late one night after witnessing the dismal opening performance of his latest play. ”How did your play go tonight, Oscar?” someone asked. “Oh,” said Wilde,…
Charlie Brown, in a “Peanuts” cartoon, walks away from Lucy after a baseball game, head down, totally dejected. “Another ball game lost! Good grief!” Charlie moans. “I get tired of losing. Everything I do, I…
“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been…
“Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation” (Mark 16:15.) In a “Peanuts” comic strip, Linus listens attentively as his little sister tells him about her potential as an Evangelist.…
There is a fable that goes like this: Once upon a time there were four men on a trip through the woods. Suddenly, they came upon a high wall. Intrigued, they built a ladder in…
It was a day when the threat of rain hung in the air. A young woman drove up to a drive-through market to buy milk and was waited on by a man wearing a turban.…
It is enough if you don’t freeze in the cold, and if thirst and hunger don’t claw at your insides, if your back isn’t broken, if your feet can walk, if both arms can bend,…
There is a huge nursery in Canada where they grow trees and plants. On the wall, as you enter, there is a big sign that reads: “The best time to plant a tree is twenty-five…
The artist, Benjamin West, tells how he actually became a successful and important painter. When he was young, his mother went out and left him in charge of his sister Sally. In the meantime, little…