Ramsay MacDonald, one-time Prime Minister of England, was discussing with another government official the possibility of lasting peace. The latter, an expert on foreign affairs, was unimpressed by the Prime Minister’s idealistic viewpoint. “The desire…
Sermon Illustrations
Years ago, a London newspaper reported the fascinating story of a middle-aged man who regained his sight after being blind since he was just two years of age. The man of course had not remembered…
One afternoon, according to an old Sufi tale, Nasruddin and his friend were sitting in a cafe, drinking tea, and talking about life and love. ”How come you never got married, Nasruddin?” asked his friend…
A neighborhood clothing store advertised a “Going Out of Business” sale. It seems the store really was going out of business and the advertised bargains were fantastic. On the morning of the sale, over two…
There is an old Buddhist tale of a dead dog, lying by the roadside. Many passed and expressed their aversion. Then came a wise man, and as he looked upon the repulsive object, he said:…
There is a Peanuts cartoon in which little Lucy is telling her brother Linus to get with it, get on the ball, get involved. As Linus stands sucking his thumb and hanging on for dear…
A farmer ordered a dozen chickens from his livestock dealer. “I’ll be away all day,” he advised the merchant, “so just leave them on my front porch.” When he returned home that evening, the farmer…
The legendary Hollywood motion picture executive, Samuel Goldwyn, was one of those people who “saves” everything. Through the years, he refused to allow his staff to throw anything away. His secretary began to get the…
Dick Van Dyke has recorded some delightful anecdotes about children and religion: A little girl assured her mother that she had said her prayers the night before, but added, “When I got on my knees…
A certain pastor delights in telling the true story of a wonderful experience he once had on a clergymen’s retreat. He was assigned to a room which had just been vacated by a little girl…
The legendary Jenny Lind, who toured the United States more than a century ago, was known as the “Swedish Nightingale.” Music experts of her time marvelled at her rich, warm, colorful voice and her remarkable…
During an adult Bible Class, the discussion turned to the meaning of prayer. “Ask, and it will be given to you ... for everyone who asks, receives,” the pastor quoted from Jesus’ “Sermon on the…
In a religious midwestern farming community a drought had threatened to ruin the entire season’s crop. In a last ditch effort, the local pastor asked that the entire community assemble at one of the farms…
The Notre Dame football team was en route to a long awaited game against one of its chief rivals. A reporter met the team at the airport and quickly cornered the team’s coach. “It has…
Many children have amazing faith in the power of prayer to answer their immediate needs. One twelve-year-old girl went a bit too far with that attitude. Sitting at the kitchen table, the girl’s mother overheard…
One Thanksgiving Day, a mother decided to serve her family a genuinely healthy feast. She served a turkey (guaranteed to have been fed on grains free of chemical additives), but she skipped the potatoes and…
The famous “Praying Hands” painting was created by Albrecht Durer. Born in Germany in 1471, it is said that, while studying art, Durer and a friend roomed together. However the meager income they earned on…
Worship is the submission of the whole being to the object of worship. It is to declare the need to be fulfilled by God, It is to declare the desire to be under the control…
We eat, we work, we shop, we run around, and we tire. We get physically weary. We get emotionally weary. We get spiritually weary. And we wonder why our life seems to be going full…
There is a wonderful story about a bishop and a young clergyman who were travelling together. One bitterly cold night they stayed in a farmhouse in which the bedrooms were unheated. The old bishop undressed…
