If we can be courageous one more time than we are fearful, trusting one more time than we are anxious: cooperative one more time than we are competitive, forgiving one more time than we are…
Sermon Illustrations
Some years ago, a noted theologian commented on the apparent inability of many people to retain a sense of God’s Presence and power around them. He said, “If it is true that the beauty of…
Jesus and Moses decided to have a game of golf one fine Autumn day. The twosome walked up to the first tee and they decided that Moses would hit first. He pulled out his seven…
In most Christian traditions, the symbol of the Cross is fashioned from an upright piece joined to one crosspiece. However, in the Russian Orthodox tradition, it is shaped somewhat differently. In addition to the usual…
Author Elie Wiesel, a Jew, gives a deeply moving reflection on the Good Friday reality of God’s presence in the following account of an episode in a Nazi concentration camp: One day when we came…
A little nine-year-old girl came home from school on the Monday before Easter and announced to her mother that this was to be the last week of school for the year. Knowing that there were…
A man whose wife was sick decided that he would do the cooking. He did quite well at it until one day when he became very ambitious. He thought he would bake some bread. As…
“The reign of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field . . .” (Matthew 13:44). “So long as he is in this world, man is like a sick person lying upon a bed more…
At the end of His work on the sixth day, the Creator of the Universe made Adam and Eve. And He made them like Himself — full of His own goodness and love. And the…
In Alan Paton’s beautiful novel, “Cry the Beloved Country,” there is a young man who was born late in his parents’ lives. He leaves his home in the hill country and goes down to the…
In A.J. Cronin’s best-selling novel, “The Keys of the Kingdom,” a young doctor struggles to believe in God, but he can’t. A sensitive, compassionate person, he goes to China to do what he can to…
“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world…
A third-grader was asked to write a theme for school on the topic, “What is a Grandma?” She said, “A grandma is a lady who has no children of her own, so she likes other…
“The Dreamer” is an ancient story about an ambitious man (“The Dreamer”) who was always on the alert to take advantage of a situation to his own profit... One day, he met a travelling man…
Leo Tolstoy wrote a story about a rich man who was never satisfied. His heart was filled with greed. He always wanted more and more. He lived as though he had placed his absolute trust…
Leo Tolstoy once wrote a story about a successful farmer who owned much land but was not satisfied with his holdings. He wanted more of everything. One day, he received a novel offer. For a…
An enterprising optician was giving his son a lecture on the technique of getting the highest price out of a customer. “Son,” he said. “after you’ve fitted the glasses to the customer, and he asks,…
There’s a trick to the “Graceful Exit.” It begins with the vision to recognize when a job, a life stage, a relationship is over — and to let go. It means leaving what is over…
A minister greeted an old rabbi whom he had not seen for many years. “Why, you haven’t changed a bit since the last time I saw you,” the minister offered. The old rabbi looked over…
“Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers,…
