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                                                                                     SERMON ILLUSTRATIONS

I recently started to catalogue pages of illustrations that I have accumulated over years and dumped into an 'Illustrations' file. This is the beginning of the result. I am still not half way through these but offer them as they are for the moment without an index. This, and the remaining illustrations will follow later. When I have finished this I may also offer a zipped wordprocessor file for download in a universal format like .rtf. This would be helpful because key words could be put into the 'find and replace' option to identify illustrations, rather than rely on my somewhat subjective headings. Let me know if you think this is a good idea and it may encourage me to expedite this! revpye@onetel.com

These illustrations have been obtained without charge to me and I offer them to you in a similar way as a resource. Should you wish to store this on your hard drive click on the "File" menu ( above) and use the "Save As" option.

If any of these are copyright and/or I have offended anyone who is the source of any illustration please let me know and I will delete it or add an acknowledgement. revpye@onetel.com

Want a laugh or ideas for wedding talks?...Wedding jokes

ACCEPTANCE

A number of years ago, Newsweek magazine carried the story of the memorial service held for Hubert Humphrey, former vice-president of the United States. Hundreds of people came from all over the world to say good-bye to their old friend and colleague. But one person who came was shunned and ignored by virtually everyone there. Nobody would look at him, much less speak to him. That person was former president Richard Nixon. Not long before, he had gone through the shame and infamy of Watergate. He was back in Washington for the first time since his resignation from the presidency.
Then a very special thing happened, perhaps the only thing that could have made a difference and broken the ice. President Jimmy Carter, who was in the White House at that time, came into the room. Before he was seated, he saw Nixon over against the wall, all by himself. He went over to [him] as though he were greeting a family member, stuck out his hand to the former president, and smiled broadly. To the surprise of everyone there, the two of them embraced each other, and Carter said, "Welcome home, Mr. President! Welcome home!"
Commenting on that, Newsweek magazine asserted, "If there was a turning point in Nixon's long ordeal in the wilderness, it was that moment and that gesture of love and compassion."


ATTITUDE

Dr. Viktor Frankl, author of the book "Man's Search for Meaning," was imprisoned by the Nazis in W.W.II because he was a Jew. His wife, his children, and his parents were all killed in the holocaust.
The Gestapo made him strip. He stood there totally naked. As they cut away His wedding ring, Viktor said to himself, "You can take my wife, you can take away my children, you can strip me of my clothes and my freedom, but there is one thing no person can ever take away from me--and that is my freedom to choose how I will react to what happens to me!" Even under the most difficult of circumstances, happiness is a choice which transforms our tragedies into triumph.

BELIEVING

A junior high school teacher was telling her class about evolution and how the way everything in the world was formed proved that God doesn't exist.
She said, "Look out the window. You can't see God, can you?" The kids shook their heads. "Look around you in this room. You can't see God, can you?" The kids shook their heads. "Then our logical conclusion is that God doesn't exist, does He?" she asked at last, certain that she had won her audience over.
But one girl from the back of the classroom said, "Miss Smith, just because we can't see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. We could do brain surgery and investigate the parts of your brain and we could do a CAT scan and see the brain patterns in your head. But we couldn't prove that you've had a single thought today. Does that mean that you haven't thought anything today? Just 'cause you can't see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist." Seeing is believing, right? But, "just 'cause you can't see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."
"Seeing Is Believing," by C. T. Powell


...............................

A colleague shared about a church he served in Tennessee where an eccentric and flamboyant elder impressed him with her intense commitment to the faith. She did not have a pietistic bone in her body, but her devotion was nonetheless clear and articulate. One evening at a dinner party in her home we were animatedly discussing some theological idea. In the midst of the give and take her teenage daughter, probably frustrated with all of the high-blown discussion of religion, asked, "Mother, you talk about religion all the time. Why are you so religious anyway?" This query brought a loud hush to the dining table. Her mother paused dramatically, pushed her chair back from the table, stood and responded, "Every morning before you are awake, I rise and walk into the living room. I lift my arms and ask, `Who's in charge here?' The answer always comes back: `Not you!' That's why I am religious. Because I am not in charge!" Religious life begins with the realization that we are not in charge, and from there we can proceed to align ourselves to the One who is in charge. Jesus is declaring to the disciples: Go into the world knowing who is in charge and what it will mean to act upon that knowledge!
Jesus is clear, however, that to act on that knowledge is not always easy.


Be Prepared
There was once an absent-minded professor who became so absorbed in his work that he forgot the simplest details. One morning his wife said, "Now Henry, remember, we are moving today. Here, I'm putting this note in your pocket. Don't forget."
The day passed by and the man came home to his house. He entered the front door, and found the place empty. Distraught, he walked out to the curb and sat down. A young boy walked up to him, and he asked him, "Little boy, do you know the people who used to live here?"
The boy replied, "Sure, Dad, mother told me you'd forget."

How often do we become so absorbed in "the little things of this world" that we forget who we are and whose we are and where we are going...


BIBLE

The author Hans-Ruedi Weber relates a story which is often told in East Africa. A simple woman always walked around with her bulky Bible. She never was parted from it. So the villagers began to tease her: "Why always the Bible?" they asked. "There are so many other books you could read." Yet the woman kept on living with her Bible, neither disturbed nor angered by all the teasing. But finally one day, she knelt down in the midst of those who laughed at her. She held up the Bible, high above her head, and said with a great smile: "Yes, of course there are many books which I could read. Yet there is only one book which reads me."

There was once a little girl who wanted to give her grandmother a very special gift. She bought a beautiful Bible, but decided that she needed to write something special in it. She looked through some of her father's books, and in one of his favorite books she found an inscription she liked that she copied into the Bible. When the grandmother opened the Bible, she opened the front cover and there read, "To Granny, with the compliments of the Author." That is who Jesus is, the gateway to heaven, compliments of the Author.


In the 1990's the "Leaning Tower of Pisa" was finally reopened to the
public, after having been closed for several years. During that time,
engineers completed a 25 million dollar renovation project designed to stabilize the tower. They removed 110 tons of dirt, and reduced its famous lean by about sixteen inches. Why was this necessary? Because the tower has been tilting further and further away from vertical for hundreds of years, to the point that the top of the 185-foot tower was seventeen feet further south than the bottom, and Italian authorities were concerned that if nothing was done, it would soon collapse. What was the problem? Bad design? Poor workmanship? An inferior grade of marble? No. The problem was what was underneath. The tower was built on the shifting sands of a former estuary.
The soil was not stable enough to support a monument of this size. The tower had no firm foundation.


BLAME

A Chinese man and a Jewish man were eating lunch together. Suddenly, without warning the Jew gets up, walks over to the Chinese fellow and smashes him in the mouth, sending him sprawling. The Chinese man picks himself up, rubs his jaw and asks, "What in the world did you do that for?" And the answer comes back: "For Pearl Harbor!"

His response is total astonishment: "Pearl Harbor? I didnt have anything to with Pearl Harbor. It was the Japanese that bombed Pearl Harbor!"

The Jew responds, "Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese--theyre all the same to me. With that they both sit down again, and before too long the Chinese man gets up, walks over to the Jew and sends him flying with a hard slap to the jaw.

The Jew yells out, "What did you do that for?" And the answer comes back: "The Titanic." "The Titanic?

Why, I didnt have anything to do with the Titanic!" Whereupon the Chinese man replies, "Goldberg, Feinberg, Iceberg -- they're all the same to me!"

CHANGE

In a rural area near Cairo, Georgia two brothers grew up on a farm. One brother took to education like a duck to water. He graduated from Georgia Tech and became a renowned engineer in Chicago. The other brother was content to stay home and farm. Some years later the learned brother was invited to give a speech in Atlanta at the Peachtree Plaza Hotel. He had not seen his brother in a long while so he invited him to bring his family to the hotel and spend a little time with him.
The rural brother had never been in a town bigger than Cairo. He and his wife and son piled into their pickup truck and headed for Atlanta. After a fearful experience on the interstate highways, they pulled up in front of the Peachtree Plaza. The farmer left his wife in the truck. He and his son went inside to check in. Just inside the entrance were a number of elevators. The farmer had never seen one before. He watched a large, very plain, middle aged lady step inside one of those little rooms. The doors closed. After about a minute, the doors opened and out stepped a young lady who was a vision of loveliness. The farmer's eyes bugged out. Quickly he punched his son and said, "Boy, go get Your Maw. I'm gonna run her through that thing one time."


CHILDREN

LETTERS TO GOD FROM CHILDREN


Dear God, Did you mean for the giraffe too look like that or was it an accident? - Norma


Dear God, Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don¹t you just keep the ones you have now? - Jane


Dear God, Who draws the lines around the countries? - Nan


Dear God, I went to a wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay? - Neil


Dear God, Thank you for my baby brother, but what I prayed for was a puppy. - Joyce


Dear God, Please send me a pony. I never asked for anything before. You can look it up. -Bruce


Dear God, I want to be just like my dad when I get big, but just not with so much hair all over. -Sam


Dear God, I bet it is very hard for you to love all the people in the world. There are only four people in my family and I can never do it. - Nan


Dear God, Of all the people who worked for you, I like Noah and David the best. -Rob


Dear God, If you watch me in church Sunday, I'll show you my new shoes. - Mickey


Dear God, We read that Thomas Edison made light. But in Sunday School, we learned that you did it. So I bet he stole your idea. - Donna


Dear God, I didn't think orange went with purple until I saw that sunset you made on Tuesday. That was cool! - Eugene


Dear God, Maybe Cain and Abel wouldn't have killed each other if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother and me. - Larry


..........................

If - children live with criticism, they learn to condemn and be judgmental.
If - children live with hostility they learn to be angry and fight.
If - children live with ridicule they learn to be shy and withdrawn.
If - children live with shame they learn to feel guilty
but If - children live with security they learn to have faith.


The story is told about a little boy who found a rat in his back yard. He jumped on it. He stomped on it. And he killed it. He was so proud of himself, & he ran to show it to his mother.
But he didn't realize that the preacher had come to call. So the excited boy ran into the house, carrying the rat by the tail, hollering to his mom, "Mom, look what I found. I found this rat. I jumped on it, I stomped on it, &..." Just then he noticed the preacher & he finished his sentence by saying, "And then the Lord called him home."

.........................................

A little boy found a rat in his back yard. He jumped on it. He stomped on it. And he killed it. He was so proud of himself, & he ran to show it to his mother.
But he didn't realize that the preacher had come to call. So the excited boy ran into the house, carrying the rat by the tail, hollering to his mom, "Mom, look what I found. I found this rat. I jumped on it, I stomped on it, &..." Just then he noticed the preacher & he finished his sentence by saying, "And then the Lord called him home."

.........................................

CHURCH

Several centuries ago in a mountain village in Europe, a wealthy nobleman wondered what legacy he should leave to his townspeople. He made a good decision. He decided to build them a church. No one was permitted to see the plans or the inside of the church until it was finished. At its grand opening, the people gathered and marvelled at the beauty of the new church.

Everything had been thought of and included. It was a masterpiece.

But then someone said, "Wait a minute! Where are the lamps? It is really quite dark in here. How will the church be lighted?" The nobleman pointed to some brackets in the walls, and then he gave each family a lamp, which they were to bring with them each time they came to worship. "Each time you are here'" the nobleman said, "the place where you are seated will be lighted. Each time you are not here, that place will be dark. This is to remind you that whenever you fail to come to church, some part of God's house will be dark"

...............................

Jesus appeared in heaven just after his ascension and is giving a progress report on all that has happened while he was on earth. Moses is there and he asks him, "Well Jesus, did you leave things in capable hands?" Jesus responds, "I did. I have left behind Mary and Martha and Peter and the other disciples."
Moses said, "What if they fail?"
Jesus said, "Well, I have established the Church and filled it with the Holy Spirit and they will carry on." And Moses said, "What if they fail?" Came the reply, "I have no other plan."

...............................

Christianity outside the Church

D.L. Moody once called on a leading citizen in Chicago to persuade him to
accept Christ. They were seated in the man's parlor. It was winter and
coal was burning in the fireplace. The man objected that he could be just
as good a Christian outside the church as in it. Moody said nothing, but
stepped to the fireplace, took the tongs, picked a blazing coal from the
fire and set it off by itself. In silence the two watched it smolder and
go out. "I see," said the man.

The Interpreter's Bible




COMMITMENT

A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.

Martin Luther

..................................................

Some years ago premier Khrushchev was speaking before the Supreme Soviet and was severely critical of the late Premier Stalin. While he was speaking someone from the audience sent up a note: "What were you doing when Stalin committed all these atrocities?" Khrushchev shouted, "Who sent up that note?" Not a person stirred. "I'll give him one minute to stand up!" The seconds ticked off. Still no one moved. "All right, I'll tell you what I was doing. I was doing exactly what the writer of this note was doing - exactly nothing! I was afraid to be counted!"

........................................

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said,"Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art. The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift." The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel.

"We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?"

There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted. "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."

But the auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?"

Another voice shouted angrily. "We didn't come to see this painting.. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!"

But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

"We have $10, who will bid $20?" "Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters." "$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?" The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!"

A man sitting on the second row shouted. "Now let's get on with the collection!"

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over."

"What about the paintings?"

"I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!"

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, "The son, the son, who'll take the son?" Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

COMMUNICATION

The Chevy Nova was a relatively successful American car for many years.
Encouraged by U.S. sales, Chevrolet began to market the American Nova throughout the world. Unfortunately, the Nova did not sell well in Mexico and other Latin American countries. Additional ads were ordered, marketing efforts were stepped up, but sales remained stagnant. Sales directors were baffled. The car had sold well in the American market; why wasn't it selling now? When they discovered the answer, it was rather embarrassing: In Spanish, Nova means "no go."

The business world is full of such stories. For example, when Perdue Farms, Inc., converted its popular slogan "It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken," into Spanish in hopes of expanding its chicken business, the results were less than desirable. Why? The translation was "It takes a virile man to make a chicken affectionate." Not exactly what Frank Perdue had in mind.


DEATH - JOKE

An Alberta man left the snow-filled streets of Calgary for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick E-mail message. Unable to find the scrap of paper on which he had written her E-mail address, he did his best to type it from memory. Unfortunately, he missed one letter in the E-mail address and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher's wife, whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her E-mail, she took one look at the computer monitor and let out a scream; and fell to the floor in a dead faint. At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen: Dearest Wife,
Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow. P.S. Sure is hot down here!

DEATH - HOW WE LIVE

"Even if they try to kill you, you develop the inner conviction that there are some things so precious, some things so eternally true that they are worth dying for. And if a person has not found something to die for, that person isn't fit to live!"
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


DECISION MAKING/CHOICES

There's an old story about a fisherman who was very successful. Every morning he went out on the lake in a small boat and when he returned a couple of hours later, his boat was loaded down with fish. He never failed.
People wondered how he did it, even when others were not catching anything at all. He always came in with his boat just overflowing with fish.
One morning a stranger showed up with his fishing tackle and said, "Mind if I go fishing with you this morning?" "No," said the fisherman. "Just hop in and we'll go over to a little cove where I always have good luck."
The man hopped in the boat and off they headed across the lake until they came to a small cove. The old fisherman stopped the boat and cut off the motor. He reached over in his tackle box and took out a red stick of dynamite. He lit the fuse and held it for a moment as the fuse burned down.
Then at the last moment he tossed it in the water and there was a tremendous explosion. Fish were everywhere on the water. He picked up his net and began scooping up the fish.
After watching this for a moment the stranger reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Opening it up, he showed a badge and said, "I'm a game warden and you are under arrest." The old fisherman simply reached over into his box and pulled out another stick of dynamite. He lit it and held it as the fuse burned down. Then, he tossed it to the game warden and said,
"Now, are you going to just sit there or are you going to fish?"
There comes a time when we all have to decide - who we're going to be and what we're going to do!

DIVISIONS - JOKE

Rabbi Feldman who was having trouble with his congregation; they couldn't agree on anything. The president of the congregation said, "Rabbi, this can't continue. There has to be a conference, and we have to settle all areas of dispute once and for all." The rabbi agreed.


At the appointed time the rabbi, the president, and ten elders met around a magnificent mahogany table in the conference room of the synagogue. One by one the issues were dealt with and on each issue, it became more and more apparent that the rabbi was a lonely voice in the wilderness. The president of the synagogue said, "Come, Rabbi, enough of this. Let's vote and allow the majority to rule." He passed out slips of paper and each man made his mark. The votes were collected and the president said, "You may examine them, Rabbi. It is eleven to one against you. We have the majority."


Offended, the rabbi rose to his feet and said, "So, now you think because of the vote that you're right and I'm wrong. Well, that's not so. I stand here," and he raised his arms impressively while looking heavenward, "and call upon the Holy One of Israel to give us a sign that I'm right and you're wrong."


No sooner were the words out of his mouth when there was a deafening clap of thunder and a brilliant flash of lightning that struck the mahogany table and cracked it in two. The room was filled with smoke and fumes, and the president and the elders were hurled to the floor. Surrounded by rubble the rabbi stood erect and untouched, his eyes and smile flashing with triumph.

Slowly, the president lifted himself out of the rubble. His hair was singed, his glasses were hanging from one ear, his clothing was in disarray. Finally he said, "All right, eleven to two. But we still have the majority."

DOUBT/THOMAS

It is unexpected, but extraordinarily convincing, that the one absolutely unequivocal statement in the whole gospel of the Divinity of Jesus should come from Doubting Thomas. It is the only place where the word God is used ... without qualification of any kind, and in the most unambiguous form of words .... And this must be said -- not ecstatically, or with a cry of astonishment -- but with flat conviction, as of one acknowledging irrefutable evidence: '2 + 2 = 4,' 'That is the sun in the sky,' 'You are my Lord and my God!'
Dorothy Sayers, The Man Born to Be King (London: Victor Collancz, 1943), 319-20.


There lives more faith in honest doubt, believe me, than in half the creeds.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, In Memoriam (1850).


EASTER

Some of us stay at the cross,
some of us wait at the tomb,
Quickened and raised with Christ
yet lingering still in the gloom.


Some of us abide at the Passover feast
with Pentecost all unknown,
The triumphs of grace in the heavenly place
that our Lord has made His own.


If the Christ who died had stopped at the cross,
His work had been incomplete.
If the Christ who was buried had stayed in the tomb,
He had only known defeat,


But the way of the cross never stops at the cross
and the way of the tomb leads on
To victorious grace in the heavenly place
where the risen Lord has gone.


by Annie Johnson Flint


Tomb, thou shalt not hold Him longer;
Death is strong, but Life is stronger;
Stronger than the dark, the light;
Stronger than the wrong, the right;
Faith and Hope triumphant say,
Christ will rise on Easter Day.
Phillips Brooks



EASTER VICTORY

Several hundred years before the birth of Jesus, a crucial battle occurred between the Greeks and the Persians upon the plains of Marathon. The battle raged for hours. In many respects it was a fight to the finish. Finally the numerically inferior Greeks, the underdogs, managed a tremendous tactical win, but there was a problem. Soon the Senate, many miles away in Athens, was to vote and would most certainly ratify a treaty of appeasement. In desperation they sent a runner in full battle gear to go the twenty-seven miles to tell of the news. By the time the young boy got to Athens he had run a Marathon. It is said he was totally spent, that he literally ran himself to death. In his exhaustion he was able to utter only one word to the Athenians: "Victory."
Today we come to church with the sound of the Hallelujah Chorus still resonating in our ears. We have been to the empty tomb. We have heard the glad news of resurrection. And now it is time for the church to send a message back to the world. What should that message be? May I suggest that it could be a single word: Victory.


FAITH

One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you." He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flame, smoke, and blackness. As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: "Jump! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you." The father replied, "But I can see you and that's all that matters."


...............................

"Unbelief puts our circumstance between us and God, but faith puts God between us and our circumstances."
F.B. Meyer

..............................

God does not expect us to submit our faith to him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make faith a necessity.
Augustine

FAITH and DEEDS - JOKE

There is a story about a pastor who was building a wooden trellis to support a climbing vine. As he pounded away, he saw that a little boy was watching him. The youngster didn't say a word, so the pastor kept on working, thinking the lad would just leave. But he didn't. Finally the pastor asked, "Well, son, are you trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?" "No," he replied, "I'm just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer."

FAITH and DEEDS

In his classic novel, "The Robe," Lloyd C. Douglas has a character called Marcellus, who had become enamored of Jesus. He wrote letters to his fiancè Diana in Rome. He told her about Jesus' teachings, about his miracles, then about his crucifixion, and then about his resurrection. Finally he informed her that he had decided to become a disciple of Jesus. In her letter of response, Diana said, "What I feared was that it might affect you. It is a beautiful story. Let it remain so. We don't have to do anything about it, do we?"

..............................................

A minister was full of energy and enthusiasm for the Lord. One day he went to the hospital to visit one of his parishioners who was critically ill. The minister entered the room and saw the man lying in bed with a whole host of tubes and wires attached to his body. Without any delay the minister strode to his bedside and began to exhort him to be of good cheer. Soon the man started to wave his arms. This encouraged the minister, and so he exhorted him more and more enthusiastically. Finally the minister ended with a rather lengthy prayer. At the final "Amen" the minister opened his eyes just in time to see the man reach for a pad of paper and a pencil. Quickly he wrote something and handed it to the minister. Then the man turned his head and died. The minister was deeply moved to think that his visit to this man had occurred in the nick of time.

Then he looked at the pad and read these words: "You are standing on my oxygen tube."

Sometimes it is easy to misread people's actions. Not all arm-waving is an expression of exuberance. Not all laughter is the laughter of happiness. Not all tears are tears of sorrow. Not all shouting is the shouting of triumph and victory. And not everyone who says, "Lord! Lord!" will enter the kingdom of God.

...............................................

The story is told of a Kansan who owned a general store. He was a well-intending man who made a habit of offering a verse of Scripture whenever anyone purchased something from him. The group of people who sat around the store in this rural area enjoyed the exchanges, because some of the purchases challenged the imagination.

One winter day a Texan stopped in, wanting to buy a blanket for his horse. The locals knew that the store stocked two types of blankets. One sold for $60, and the expensive one cost $89.95.
He showed him the first. "No, that's not good enough. I need something warmer for my horse." He showed him the second blanket for $89.95. "That's not good enough, either. Don't you understand? This is for my horse, and nothing's too good for my horse. Now show me your most expensive blanket!"
The store became very quiet as the storekeeper reached under the counter to the $89.95 stock, pulled out a plaid one, and spread it on the counter with great finesse. "This is our finest and the only one I have. Colorfast, 100 percent wool, with a very tight weave. It sells for $250."

Now you are talking. I'll take it." He counted out the money, folded the blanket, and left with a big grin on his face. As the shopkeeper opened the cash drawer and carefully counted the money, he said, "Matthew 25:35, He was a stranger and I took him in."


......................................

Cecil B. DeMille did not want to take any chances with his opulent epic "King of Kings" (1927). His two stars, H. B. Warner, cast as Jesus Christ, and Dorothy Cummings as Mary, were required to sign agreements prohibiting them from appearing in film roles that might compromise their "holy" screen images for a 5-year period. DeMille also ordered them not to be seen doing any "un-biblical" activities during the film's shooting. These activities included attending ball games, playing cards, frequenting night clubs, swimming, and riding in convertibles.

.........................................

This is a true story of a man called Larry Walters. At 33 years of age, Larry decided he wanted to see his neighbourhood from a different perspective. So he went to the Army Navy surplus store and purchased 45 weather balloons.
That afternoon he strapped himself into a lawn chair to which several of his friends tied the now helium filled balloons. He took along a six-pack, a peanut butter sandwich, and a BB gun - figuring he could shoot the balloons one at a time when he was ready to land.
Larry thought the balloons would lift him about a hundred of so feet into the air, but when he was cut loose - the chair soared 10,000 feet into the sky - smack into the middle of the air traffic pattern for the Los Angeles Airport. He was too frightened to shoot any of the balloons and stayed in the air for more than 2 hours, forcing the airport to shut down it's run ways - causing long delays in flights.
After he was safely back on the ground, and cited by the police - reporters asked him three questions. "Where you scared?" - "Yes." "Would you do it again?" - "No." "Why did you do it?" - "Because, " Larry said, 'You can't just sit there."

.......................................................

The sign on the stage proclaimed: "The Motionless Man: Make Him Laugh. Win $100." The temptation was irresistible. For three hours boys and girls, men and women, performed every antic and told every joke they knew. But Bill Fuqua, the Motionless Man, stood perfectly still. Fuqua is the Guinness Book of World Records champion at doing nothing. In fact, he appears so motionless during his routines at shopping malls and amusement parks that he is sometimes mistaken for a mannequin.


see also RECONCILIATION

In his book, The Preaching Event, John Claypool tells a poignant story about identical twin brothers who never married because they enjoyed each other's company so much. When their father died, they took over his store and ran it together in a joyful collaboration. But one day a man came in to make a small purchase and paid for it with a dollar. The brother who made the sale placed the dollar on top of the cash register... and walked the customer to the door to say goodbye. When he returned, the dollar bill was gone. He said to his twin brother, "Did you take the dollar bill I left here?" "No, I didn't," answered the brother. "Surely, you took it," he said, "There was nobody else in the store." The brother became angry: "I'm telling you, I did not take the dollar bill."
From that point, mistrust and suspicion grew until finally the two brothers could not work together. They put a partition right down the middle of the building and made it into two stores. In anger, they refused to speak for the next 20 years. One day a stranger pulled up in a car and entered one of the two stores. "Have you been in business very long here?" the stranger asked. "Yes, 30 or 40 years," was the answer. "Good," continued the stranger, "I very much need to tell you something... Some 20 years ago, I
passed through this town. I was out of work and homeless. I jumped off a boxcar. I had no money and I had not eaten for days. I came down that alley outside and when I looked into your store window, I saw a dollar bill on the cash register. I slipped in and took it. Recently I became a Christian. I was converted and accepted Christ as my personal Savior. I know now it was wrong of me to steal that dollar bill... and I have come to pay you back with interest and to beg your forgiveness."
When the stranger finished his confession, the old storekeeper began to weep as he said, "Would you do me a favor? Would you please come next door and tell that story to my brother?" Of course, with the second telling, the two brothers were reconciled with many hugs and apologies and tears. Twenty years of hurt and broken relationship based not on fact, but on mistrust and misunderstanding. But then healing came; reconciliation came, because of that stranger's love for Christ.

..........................................


FORESIGHT

Someone once asked Wayne Gretsky, the great hockey player, how he managed to become the best goal-scorer in the history of the game. He simply replied, "While everyone else is chasing the puck, I go where the puck is going to be."


FORGIVENESS

A few years ago, rumours spread that a certain Catholic woman was having visions of Jesus. The archbishop decided to check her out. 'Is it true, madam, that you have visions of Jesus?' asked the cleric. 'Yes,' the woman replied. 'Well, the next time you have a vision, I want you to ask Jesus to tell you the sins that I confessed in my last confession. Please call me if anything happens.' Ten days later the woman notified her spiritual leader of a recent apparition. Within the hour the archbishop arrived. 'What did Jesus say?' he asked. She took his hand and gazed deep into his eyes. 'Bishop,' she said, 'these are his exact words: I CAN'T REMEMBER. '


FREEDOM

The demand for absolute liberty brings men to the depths of slavery.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Cost of Discipleship,

..............................................

In the movie, The Mission, one of the leading characters is converted from being a slave-trader of Brazilian Indians to be a Jesuit priest. But he insists on doing penance, dragging a heavy bundle through the jungle back to the Indians he used to enslave. Once back, in a dramatic, cliff-side scene, where the bundle threatened to make him fall, the Indians cut away the bundle. The people he had formerly enslaved forgave him and set him free. We have the power to do that for each other.

..........................................

A teen-age boy told his parents he was going to run away from home.
"Listen," he said, "I'm leaving home. There is nothing you can do to stop me. I want excitement, adventure, beautiful women, money, and fun. I'll never find it here, so I'm leaving. Just don't try to stop me!" As he headed for the door, his father leaped up and ran toward him. "Dad," the boy said firmly, "you heard what I said. Don't try to stop me. I'm going!" "Who's trying to stop you?" answered the father, "I'm going with you!"


.............................

"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.. ...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character; I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made law, the rough places will be made plain and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.... When we let freedom ring when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of Gods children, black men and white men., black sisters and white sisters, Jews and Gentiles. Protestants and Catholics will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, Free at last! Free at last.!.! Thank God almighty we are free at last." Martin Luther King

GIFTS and MINISTRIES

A summary of Biblical 'candidates'...

1. Adam - Good man but has wife trouble.

2. Noah - former pastorate of 120 years with no converts, problem with the bottle, and a wayward son morals problem.

3. Abraham - Scandal ridden, offered wife to another man, child abuse

4. Joseph - dreamer, prison record

5. Moses - poor communicator, stutters, unanswered murder charge

6. David - affair with neighbor's wife, hired a hit man to kill husband

7. Solomon - husband of more than one wife, in fact parsonage too small

8. Elijah - prone to depression and nervous break downs

9. Elisha - reported to have live with a single widow at former church

10. Hosea - our congregation could not handle his wife's occupation

11. Jeremiah - emotionally unstable, alarmist, negative, lamenter, reported to have buried underwear on a foreign river bank, claims to have a set of recreated originals

12. Isaiah - language problems, on the fringe, claims to see angels

13. Jonah - refuses to preach to the lost unless forced to by God

14. Amos - backward and unpolished, does not like the rich

15. John - does not dress like a Baptist, weird diet, provokes higher powers

16. Peter - bad temper, curses, hypocrite in racial matters, loose cannon

17. Paul - uses racial epitaphs, preaches all night

18. Timothy - too young and single

19. Jesus - dwindled church of 5,000 down to 12 or 120, offends folks

20. Judas - His references are solid. Good connections. Knows how to handle money, has compassion for poor. He is preaching for us Sunday. Possibilities here.

.........................................

In May 1855, an eighteen-year-old boy went to the deacons of the church in Boston. He had been raised in a Unitarian church, in almost total ignorance of the gospel, but when he had moved to Boston to make his fortune, he began to attend a Bible-preaching church. Then, in April of 1855, his Sunday school teacher had come into the store where he was working and simply and persuasively shared the Gospel and urged the young man to trust in the Lord Jesus. He did, and now he was applying to join the church. One fact quickly became obvious. This young man was almost totally ignorant of biblical truth. One of the deacons asked him, "Son, what has Christ done for us all--for you----which entitles him to our love?" His response was, "I don't know. I think Christ has done a great deal for us, but I don't think of anything in particular that I know of."
Hardly and impressive start. Years later his Sunday school teacher said of him: "I can truly say that I have seen few persons whose minds were spiritually darker than was his when he came into my Sunday school class. I think the committee of the church seldom met an applicant for membership who seemed more unlikely ever to become a Christian of clear and decided views of gospel truth, still less to fill any space of public or extended usefulness." Nothing happened very quickly to change their minds. The deacons decided to put him on a year-long instruction program to teach him
basic Christian truths. Perhaps they wanted to work on some of his other rough spots as well. Not only was he ignorant of spiritual truths, he was only barely literate, and his spoken grammar was atrocious. The year-long probation did not help very much. At his second interview, there was only a minimal improvement in the quality of his answers, but since it was obvious that he was a sincere and committed (if ignorant) Christian, they accepted him as a church member. Over the next years, many people looked at that young man and were convinced that God would never use a person like that. And in doing so they wrote off Dwight L. Moody. But God did not. By God's infinite grace and persevering love, Moody was transformed into one of the most effective servants of God in church history, a man whose impact is still with us today.

GIVE UP also see Lent

GIVE UP grumbling! Instead, "In everything give thanks." Constructive
criticism is OK, but "moaning, groaning, and complaining" are not Christian
disciplines.
GIVE UP 10 to 15 minutes in bed! Instead, use that time in prayer, Bible
study and personal devotion.
GIVE UP looking at other people's worst points. Instead concentrate on their
best points. We all have faults. It is a lot easier to have people overlook
our shortcomings when we overlook theirs first.
GIVE UP speaking unkindly. Instead, let your speech be generous and
understanding. It costs so little to say something kind and uplifting. Why
not check that sharp tongue at the door?
GIVE UP your hatred of anyone or anything! Instead, learn the discipline of
love. "Love covers a multitude of sins."
GIVE UP your worries and anxieties! Instead, trust God with them. Anxiety is
spending emotional energy on something we can do nothing about: like
tomorrow! Live today and let God's grace be sufficient.
GIVE UP TV one evening a week! Instead, visit some lonely or sick person.
There are those who are isolated by illness or age. Why isolate yourself in
front of the "tube?" Give someone a precious gift: your time!
GIVE UP buying anything but essentials for yourself! Instead, give the money
to God. The money you would spend on the luxuries could help someone meet
basic needs. We are called to be stewards of God's riches, not consumers.
GIVE UP judging by appearances and by the standard of the world! Instead,
learn to give up yourself to God. There is only one who has the right to
judge, Jesus Christ.
(Rev. Craig Gates, Jackson, MS, "WHAT TO GIVE UP FOR LENT")


GIVING

A couple, visiting in Korea, saw a father and his son working in a rice
paddy. The old man guided the heavy plough as the boy pulled it.
"I guess they must be very poor," the man said to the missionary who was the couple's guide and interpreter.
"Yes," replied the missionary. "That's the family of Chi Nevi. When the church was built, they were eager to give something to it, but they had no money. So they sold their ox and gave the money to the church. This spring they are pulling the plough themselves."
After a long silence, the woman said, "That was a real sacrifice."
The missionary responded, "They do not call it a sacrifice. They are just thankful they had an ox to sell."
Bishop Ray W. Chamberlain Jr., "SEASON OF SACRIFICE,"

..........................

THE MISER OF MARSEILLES There is a legend about how, years ago, there was an old man who used to walk the streets of that seaport town whom they called "The Miser of Marseilles." He was an object of derision throughout the whole city and even throughout the south of France, for everybody seemed to know him.Apparently he loved nothing and had no other object than to hoard every bit of money he got hold of; for what purpose, none knew. He was hated and he was hooted whenever he appeared on the streets. When he died, he was so despised that only a single person attended his funeral. Then his will was read, and these were its strange terms:From my infancy I noticed that the poor people of Marseilles had great difficulty in getting water. I noticed that water, the gift of God, was very dear and difficult to obtain. And when they could get that water, it was not as pure and clean as God intended it to be.Therefore, I vowed before God that I would live but for one purpose, for one end. I would save money, money, money; that I might give it to the city on one condition: that an aqueduct be built to bring fresh, pure water from yonder lake in the hills to Marseilles. That I now make possible by leaving all my hoarded wealth to this city. This is my last will and testament.That aqueduct is one of the historic sights which guides and natives point out to visitors above all other things. Travelers in Marseilles today hear the poor people say as they drink the pure, sweet water from the lake in the hills, "Ah, when the miser died, we misunderstood him, but he did it all for us! We called him the miser of Marseilles, but he was more than that; he was the savior of Marseilles."If we human beings could but learn the one inescapable meaning of that parable we would know the secret of how to get the most out of life which is to give the most to life.

................................

A monk found a precious stone, a precious jewel. A short time later, the monk met a traveller, who said he was hungry and asked the monk if he would share some of his provisions. When the monk opened his bag, the traveller saw the precious stone and, on an impulse, asked the monk if he could have it. Amazingly, the monk gave the traveller the stone. The traveller departed quickly, overjoyed with his new possession. However, a few days later, he came back, searching for the monk. He returned the stone to the monk and made a request: "Please give me something more valuable, more precious than this stone. Please give me that which enabled you to give me this precious stone!"


GOD ACCEPTS ANYONE

Samuel Colgate, the founder of the Colgate business empire, was a devout Christian, and he told of an incident that took place in the church he attended. During an evangelistic service, an invitation was given at the close of the sermon for all those who wished to turn their lives over to Christ and be forgiven. One of the first persons to walk down the aisle and kneel at the altar was a well-known prostitute. She knelt in very real repentance, she wept, she asked God to forgive her, and meanwhile the rest of the congregation looked on approvingly at what she was doing. Then she stood and testified that she believed God had forgiven her for her past life, and she now wanted to become a member of the church. For a few moments, the silence was deafening.
Finally, Samuel Colgate arose and said, "I guess we blundered when we prayed that the Lord would save sinners. We forgot to specify what kind of sinners. We'd better ask him to forgive us for this oversight. The Holy Spirit has touched this woman and made her truly repentant, but the Lord apparently doesn't understand that she's not the type we want him to rescue. We'd better spell it out for him just which sinners we had in mind." Immediately, a motion was made and unanimously approved that the woman be accepted into membership in the congregation.

GOD'S POWER ( & our weakness )

Once when he was to preach at the University of Sydney in Australia, John Stott lost his voice. He says:

What can you do with a missionary who has no voice? We had come to the last night of the [evangelistic campaign]. The students had booked the big university hall. A group of students gathered around me, and I asked them to pray as Paul did, that this thorn in the flesh might be taken from me. But we went on to pray that if it pleased God to keep me in weakness, I would rejoice in my infirmities in order that the power of Christ might rest upon me.

As it turned out, I had to get within one inch of the microphone just to croak the gospel. I was unable to use any inflection of voice to express my personality. It was just a croak in a monotone, and all the time we were crying to God that his power would be demonstrated in human weakness. Well, I can honestly say that there was a far greater response that night than any other night. I've been back to Australia ten times now, and on every occasion somebody has come up to me and said, "Do you remember that night when you lost your voice? I was converted that night."

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve:

I was made weak that I might obey.

I asked for health that I might do greater things:

I was given infirmity that I might do better things.

I asked for riches that I might be happy:

I was given poverty that I might be wise.

I asked for power that I might have the praise of men:

I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life:

I was given life that I might enjoy all things.

I received nothing that I asked for, but all I had hoped for.

My prayer was answered, I am most richly blessed.

written by an unknown Confederate soldier

GOOD FRIDAY see also SUBSTITUTE

On Saturday 17/8/02 suspected Basque terrorist Ismael Berasategui Escudero escaped from the high security La Sante prison in Paris. He swapped places with his brother and it took embarrassed staff five days to discover the escape.

GOOD FRIDAY POEM by William Stidger

"I saw God bare his soul one day

where all the earth might see.

The stark and naked heart of him.

On lonely Calvary.........

There was a crimson sky of blood

and overhead a storm;

When lightning slit the clouds,

and light engulfed his form.

Beyond the storm a rainbow lent.

A light to every clod,.......

For on that cross mine eyes beheld.

The naked soul of God."

HOPE also see PERSEVERENCE

At the university there was a piano teacher that was simply and affectionately known as "Herman." One night at a university concert, a distinguished piano player suddenly became ill while performing an extremely difficult piece. No sooner had the artist retired from the stage when Herman rose from his seat in the audience, walked on stage, sat down at the piano and with great mastery completed the performance.

Later that evening, at a party, one of the students asked Herman how he was able to perform such a demanding piece so beautifully without notice and with no rehearsal. He replied, "In 1939, when I was a budding young concert pianist, I was arrested and placed in a Nazi concentration camp. Putting it mildly, the future looked bleak. But I knew that in order to keep the flicker of hope alive that I might someday play again, I needed to practice every day. I began by fingering a piece from my repertoire on my bare board bed late one night. The next night I added a second piece and soon I was running through my entire repertoire. I did this every night for five years. It so happens that the piece I played tonight at the concert hall was part of that repertoire. That constant practice is what kept my hope alive. Everyday I renewed my hope that I would one day be able to play my music again on a real piano, and in freedom."


....................................

Joyce Hollyday tells the story of a school teacher who was assigned to visit children in a large city hospital who received a routine call requesting that she visit a particular child.
The teacher took the boy's name and room number, and was told by the teacher on the other end of the line, "We're studying nouns and adverbs in this class now. I'd be grateful if you could help him with his homework, so he doesn't fall behind the others."
It wasn't until the visiting teacher got outside the boy's room that she realized that it was located in the hospital's burn unit. No one had prepared her to find a young boy horribly burned and in great pain.
The teacher felt that she couldn't just turn around and walk out. And so she stammered awkwardly, "I'm the hospital teacher, and your teacher sent me to help you with nouns and adverbs." This boy was in so much pain that he barely responded. The young teacher stumbled through his English lesson, ashamed at putting him through such a senseless exercise.
The next morning a nurse on the burn unit asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" Before the teacher could finish her outburst of apologies, the nurse interrupted her: "You don't understand. We've been very worried about him. But ever since you were here yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He's fighting back; he's responding to treatment. It's as if he has decided to live."
The boy later explained that he had completely given up hope until he saw the teacher. It all changed when he came to a simple realization. With joyful tears, the boy said: "They wouldn't send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a boy who was dying, would they?"
This wonderful story invites us to celebrate the gift of life even when all we seem to see around us is pain and disappointment and brokenness. It shows us that on the other side of pain, there is resurrection. It reminds us of what is possible whenever there is hope

HOSPITALITY

Bob Edmunds, my former colleague in the church where I used to serve in Elmira, New York, tells a story of what it feels like to be denied
hospitality. He and his family were vacationing one summer and decided to worship at a prominent church in the Washington D. C. area. Apparently this church had quite a reputation for the quality of their preaching and corporate worship. The reputation held up, according to Bob and Susan's standards. And believe me, they have rather high ones. The sermon was riveting and the music, inspiring. That much did not disappoint them. But the lack of hospitality did.
From the moment they arrived at that church to the time they left, not one person spoke to them - except for the pastor who made a feeble attempt on their way out the door. No one directed them to the nursery. They had to find it themselves. No one invited them to the fellowship hall for coffee and refreshments afterwards. They had to find it themselves. In fact Bob deliberately stood underneath the huge chandelier in the center of that spacious hall for at least five minutes - gazing up at it and looking as conspicuous as possible. But no one came up to him or introduced themselves to him.
"We felt as though we were invisible," Bob says. "No one noticed that we were even there. I don't care how good the preaching and music were. Nothing could have made up for their lack of hospitality. That church was as cold and lifeless as a corpse."
"The Ministry of Hospitality " by Rev. J. Scott Miller

Henri Nouwen, the great spiritual writer was going to a monastery for a retreat. The monks observed vows of silence and the retreat was to be meditative and prayerful. Nouwen was delayed and was late getting to the monastery on that miserable, rainy night. He rang the bell, well after bedtime, and was met at the door by one of the brothers. The brother warmly greeted him, took his wet coat, brought him to the kitchen and made him a cup of tea. They chatted in the late night hours and Nouwen began to relax and feel ready for the retreat. But he knew this monk was supposed to observe silence, so he finally asked him, "Why are you willing to sit and talk with me?" The monk replied "Of all the duties of the Christian faith and the rules of my order, none is higher than hospitality."


INCARNATION

Soren Kiekegard, the great Danish theologian of another century tells a story of a prince who wanted to find a maiden suitable to be his queen. One day while running an errand in the local village for his father he passed through a poor section. As he glanced out the windows of the carriage his eyes fell upon a beautiful peasant maiden. During the ensuing days he often passed by the young lady and soon fell in love. But he had a problem. How would he seek her hand?
He could order her to marry him. But even a prince wants his bride to marry him freely and voluntarily and not through coercion. He could put on his most splendid uniform and drive up to her front door in a carriage drawn by six horses. But if he did this he would never be certain that the maiden loved him or was simply overwhelmed with all of the splendor. The prince came up with another solution. He would give up his kingly robe. He moved, into the village, entering not with a crown but in the garb of a peasant. He lived among the people, shared their interests and concerns, and talked their language. In time the maiden grew to love him for who he was and because he had first loved her.


..............................

Dr. John Rosen, a psychiatrist in New York City, is well known For his work with catatonic schizophrenics. Normally doctors remain separate and aloof from their patients. Dr. Rosen moves into the ward with them. He places his bed among their beds. He lives the life they must live. Day-to-day, he shares it. He loves them. if they don't talk, he doesn't talk either. It is as if he understands what is happening. His being there, being with them, communicates something that they haven't experienced in years-somebody understands.
But then he does something else. He puts his arms around them and hugs them. He holds these unattractive, unlovable, sometimes incontinent persons, and loves them back into life. Often, the first words they speak are simply, "Thank you."


JESUS

He was born in an obscure village,

the child of a peasant woman.

He grew up in another obscure village,

where he worked in a carpenter shop

until he was thirty.

Then for three years

he was an itinerant preacher.

He never set foot inside a big city.

He never travelled two hundred miles

from the place he was born.

He never wrote a book,

or held an office.

He did none of these things

that usually accompany greatness.

While he was still a young man,

the tide of popular opinion

turned against him.

His friends deserted him.

He was turned over to his enemies,

and went through the mockery of a trial.

He was nailed to a cross

between two thieves.

While he was dying,

his executioners gambled

for the only piece of property he had - his coat.

When he was dead,

he was taken down

and laid in a borrowed grave.

Twenty centuries have come and gone,

and today his is the central figure

for much of the human race.

All the armies that ever marched,

and all the navies that ever sailed,

and all the parliaments that ever sat,

and all the kings that ever reigned,

put together

have not affected the life of man

upon this earth as powerfully as this

"One Solitary Life."

 

JESUS' RETURN

The story has it that the great Church reformer Martin Luther was once asked what he would do if he knew for certain the world was going to end tomorrow. Without hesitation he replied, "I would plant an apple tree this afternoon." Luther was not given to speculation about the ENDING of the world. He focused rather on the END of the world, that is, the PURPOSE of the world which God intends for the present time. Luther would plant an apple tree today, even though the world will be ending tomorrow, because he believed that what may happen in the future does not excuse you from what God requires of you here and now.
The Rev. Edwin D. Peterman, The Sermon for the First Sunday in Advent, November 29, 1998.

---------------------------------

Winston Churchill had planned his funeral, which took place in Saint Paul's Cathedral. He included many of the great hymns of the church, and used the eloquent Anglican liturgy. At his direction, a bugler, positioned high in the dome of Saint Paul's, intoned, after the benediction, the sound of Taps, the universal signal that says the day is over. But then came the most dramatic turn: As Churchill instructed, as soon as Taps was finished, another bugler, placed on the other side of the great dome, played the notes of Reveille - It's time to get up. It's time to get up. It's time to get up in the morning. That was Churchill's testimony that at the end of history, the last note will not be Taps, it will be Reveille. The worst things are never the last things.


JUDGEMENT AND WITNESSING

My friend, I stand in Judgment now,

And feel that you're to blame somehow.

On earth, I walked with you day by day,

And never did you point the way.

You knew the Lord in truth and glory,

But never did you tell the story.

My knowledge then was very dim;

You could have led me safe to Him.

Though we lived together on the earth,

You never told me of the second birth.

And now I stand this day condemned,

Because you failed to mention Him.

You taught me many things, that's true,

I called you 'friend' and trusted you.

But now I learn that it's too late,

You could have kept me from this fate.

We walked by day and talked by night,

And yet you showed me not the Light.

You let me live, and love, and die,

You knew I'd never live on high.

Yes, I called you a 'friend' in life,

And trusted you through joy and strife.

And yet on coming to the end,

I cannot, now, call you "My Friend."




LENT also see Give Up

GIVE UP grumbling! Instead, "In everything give thanks." Constructive
criticism is OK, but "moaning, groaning, and complaining" are not Christian
disciplines.
GIVE UP 10 to 15 minutes in bed! Instead, use that time in prayer, Bible
study and personal devotion.
GIVE UP looking at other people's worst points. Instead concentrate on their
best points. We all have faults. It is a lot easier to have people overlook
our shortcomings when we overlook theirs first.
GIVE UP speaking unkindly. Instead, let your speech be generous and
understanding. It costs so little to say something kind and uplifting. Why
not check that sharp tongue at the door?
GIVE UP your hatred of anyone or anything! Instead, learn the discipline of
love. "Love covers a multitude of sins."
GIVE UP your worries and anxieties! Instead, trust God with them. Anxiety is
spending emotional energy on something we can do nothing about: like
tomorrow! Live today and let God's grace be sufficient.
GIVE UP TV one evening a week! Instead, visit some lonely or sick person.
There are those who are isolated by illness or age. Why isolate yourself in
front of the "tube?" Give someone a precious gift: your time!
GIVE UP buying anything but essentials for yourself! Instead, give the money
to God. The money you would spend on the luxuries could help someone meet
basic needs. We are called to be stewards of God's riches, not consumers.
GIVE UP judging by appearances and by the standard of the world! Instead,
learn to give up yourself to God. There is only one who has the right to
judge, Jesus Christ.
(Rev. Craig Gates, Jackson, MS, "WHAT TO GIVE UP FOR LENT")


LISTENING

A young man who applied for a job as a Morse code operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the address that was listed. When he arrived, he entered a large, noisy office. In the background a telegraph clacked away. A sign on the receptionist's counter instructed job applicants to fill out a form and wait until they were summoned to enter the inner office.
The young man completed his form and sat down with seven other waiting applicants. After a few minutes, the young man stood up, crossed the room to the door of the inner office, and walked right in. Naturally the other applicants perked up, wondering what was going on. Why had this man been so bold? They muttered among themselves that they hadn't heard any summons yet. They took more than a little satisfaction in assuming the young man who went into the office would be reprimanded for his presumption and summarily disqualified for the job.
Within a few minutes the young man emerged from the inner office escorted by the interviewer, who announced to the other applicants, "Gentlemen, thank you very much for coming, but the job has been filled by this young man."
The other applicants began grumbling to each other, and then one spoke up, "Wait a minute--I don't understand. He was the last one to come in, and we never even got a chance to be interviewed. Yet he got the job. That's not fair."
The employer responded, "While you have sat there the telegraph has been ticking out the following message: "If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours."


LIVING FOR GOD

"We have learned to soar through the air like birds, to swim through the seas like fish, to soar through space like comets. Now it is high time we learned to walk the earth as the children of our God."
William Sloan Coffin


LOVE

William Gladstone, in announcing the death of Princess Alice to the House of Commons, told a touching story. The little daughter of the Princess was seriously ill with diphtheria. The doctors told the princess not to kiss her little daughter and endanger her life by breathing the child's breath. Once when the child was struggling to breathe, the mother, forgetting herself entirely, took the little one into her arms to keep her from choking to death. Rasping and struggling for her life, the child said, "Momma, kiss me!" Without thinking of herself the mother tenderly kissed her daughter. She got diphtheria and some days thereafter she went to be forever with the Lord. Real love forgets self. Real love knows no danger. Real love doesn't count the cost.

.....................................................

The story comes from Zig Ziglar's book, See You At The Top (Pelican Publishing Co., 1982). He tells about an old man who stood on a Virginia riverbank many years ago. He was waiting to cross the river and, since it was bitterly cold and there were no bridges, he would have to "catch a ride" to the other side. After a lengthy wait he spotted a group of horsemen approaching. He let the first one pass, then the second, third, fourth and fifth. One rider remained. As he drew abreast, the old man looked him in the eye and said, "Sir, would you give me a ride across the river?"

The rider immediately replied, "Certainly." Once across the river, the old man slid to the ground. "Sir," the rider said before leaving. "I could not help but notice that you permitted all the other men to pass without asking for a ride. Then, when I drew abreast, you immediately asked me to carry you across. I am curious as to why you didn't ask them and you did ask me."

The old man quietly responded, "I looked into their eyes and could see no love and knew in my own heart it would be useless to ask for a ride. But when I looked into your eyes, I saw compassion, love and the willingness to help. I knew you would be glad to give me a ride across the river."

The rider was touched. "I'm grateful for what you are saying," he said. "I appreciate it very much." With that, Thomas Jefferson turned and rode off to the White House.

Ziglar reminds us that our eyes are the windows of our souls. Then he asks a pointed question: "If you had been the last rider, would the old man have asked you for a ride?"

A good question! For it is said that others will know us by our love.

Sacrificial Love
In Charles Dickens's novel A Tale of Two Cities, the climax came when a family was in deep trouble. The husband was about to be executed during the Reign of Terror in Paris, and the man who loved the hero's wife had the strange gift of being virtually identical in appearance to the condemned man. Had the hero died, perhaps this character would have had the opportunity to court the dead man's wife. Instead, he substituted himself for the hero, through trickery, thus becoming the hero himself. He went to the guillotine and died in place of the other with the words, 'It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done." In this bit of fiction one sees the sort of love that is not self-interested but is self-giving.

..................................

A mother living in a tenement house went shopping for groceries. While she was in the store, a fire engine raced by. She wondered, "Is the fire engine going to my home?" She had left her baby asleep at home. Forgetting about the groceries, she ran toward home. Her building had fire hoses aimed at it. It was burning like a matchbox. Rushing to the chief, she cried out, "My baby is up there." He shouted back to her, "It would be suicide for anyone to go up there now; it's too late."
A young fireman standing by volunteered, "Chief, I have a little baby at
home, and if my house were on fire, I'd want someone to go up to save my baby. I'll go." The young fireman climbed the stairs; he got the baby, threw her into the rescue net, and just as he did, the house collapsed and he was burned to death.
The scene is 20 years later at a graveside. A 20-year-old woman is sobbing softly. Before her, at the head of this grave, is the statue of a fireman. A man stopping by asks respectfully, "Was that your father?" She replies, "No." "Was that your brother?" "No," she says. "That's the man who died for me."

.....................................

A friend shared with me a beautiful legend about a king who decided to set aside a special day to honour his greatest subject. When the big day arrived, there was a large gathering in the palace courtyard. Four finalists were brought forward, and from these four, the king would select the winner. The first person presented was a wealthy philanthropist. The king was told that this man was highly deserving of the honor because of his humanitarian efforts. He had given much of his wealth to the poor.
The second person was a celebrated physician. The king was told that this doctor was highly deserving of the honour because he had rendered faithful and dedicated service to the sick for many years.
The third person was a distinguished judge. The king was told that the judge was worthy because he was noted for his wisdom, his fairness, and his brilliant decisions.
The fourth person presented was an elderly woman. Everyone was quite surprised to see her there, because her manner was quite humble, as was her dress. She hardly looked the part of someone who would be honoured as the greatest subject in the kingdom. What chance could she possibly have, when compared to the other three, who had accomplished so much? Even so, there was something about her the look of love in her face, the understanding in her eyes, her quiet confidence.
The king was intrigued, to say the least, and somewhat puzzled by her presence. He asked who she was. The answer came: "You see the philanthropist, the doctor, and the judge? Well, she was their teacher!"
That woman had no wealth, no fortune, and no title, but she had unselfishly given her life to produce great people. There is nothing more powerful or more Christlike than sacrificial love


.....................................

By the fourth century, the churches in Rome were feeding an estimated 20,000 poor people each week. The church at that time presented to the world a visible alternative to the prevailing social order. As Georges Florovsky has written in "Empire and Desert: Antinomies of Christian History":
Christianity entered human history as a new social order or, rather, a new social dimension. From the very beginning, Christianity was not primarily a "doctrine," but exactly a "community." There was not only a "message" to be proclaimed and delivered and "Good News" to be declared, but there was, precisely, a New Community, distinct and peculiar, in the process of growth and formation, to which members were called and recruited. Indeed, "fellowship" ("koinonia") was the basic category of Christian existence.


Attitude

Father John Powell is a professor and author at Loyola University in Chicago. In addition to being a best-selling writer, he is also a highly popular lecturer, teacher, and counselor.

In his book entitled "Through The Eyes of Faith", he tells about his prison ministry. About once a month, he visits a prisoner in the state penitentiary. He describes how difficult that is for him personally... the atmosphere is dismal, dark, depressing... and charged with suspicion.

However, on one occasion, Father Powell said he had an enlightening and inspiring experience in that stern and somber prison environment.
An elderly woman was standing beside him as they moved through the visitor line. Together, they went through numerous security checkpoints. They were required to produce identification; they were required to pass through metal detectors; they were led by heavily armed guards through countless doors made of strong steel bars. And through it all, John Powell said he could not help but notice how this sweet, dear woman was smiling warmly toward everyone, waving tenderly to the guards and calling many of them by name, and greeting everyone in a kind and loving way.
John Powell was fascinated with her. She was absolutely radiant. She was a ray of sunshine and a breath of fresh air in that sullen place. Suddenly, John Powell said to her, "Gee, I'll bet you bring a lot of love into this world with your smiling face and words."
"Father," she replied, "I decided long ago that there are no strangers in my world. Only brothers and sisters. Some of them I haven't met yet."
Reflecting on that experience, John Powell wrote this remarkable paragraph. Listen closely. He said:
"That lady drew out of me a deep and warm reaction of love. And gradually I came to realize that people are not one thing, good or bad, but many things. In every human being there is warmth, love, affection, but there is also hurt, anger, weakness. We stimulate or draw out of them one or the other. It all depends upon our approach, and our approach depends upon our attitude."
And then Father Powell writes these concluding words:
"This was the genius of Jesus. He took people where they were and loved them into life. This is precisely what Jesus did for ... those whose lives He touched. He was a living portrait of love in action. And the caption under the portrait reads: Please love one another as I have loved you. Yes... this was the genius of Jesus. He took people where they were and loved them into life."


MARRIAGE
Five-year-old Suzie told her mother the story of Snow White which she had heard in school. Prince Charming had kissed her back to life. Suzie concluded: "And do you know what happened then?"
"Yes," said the mother, "they lived happily ever after."
"No," responded Suzie, with a frown, "...they got married."

..................................

The woman's husband had been slipping in and out of a coma for several months, yet she had stayed by his bedside every single day. One day, when he came to, he motioned for her to come nearer.

As she sat by him, he whispered, eyes full of tears, "You know what? You have been with me all through the bad times. When I got fired, you were there to support me. When my business failed, you were there. When I got shot, you were by my side. When we lost the house, you stayed right here. When my health started failing, you were still by my side ....You know what?"
"What dear?" She gently asked, smiling as her heart began to fill with warmth. "I think you're bad luck."


MARTYRDOM

One of the leaders of the early church was Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. He was brought to trial by the authorities and told he must renounce his
Christian faith. He replied, "Fourscore and six years have I served Him, and He never did me wrong: how then can I revile my King, my Savior?" They took him out and put him to death. Later when the Christians wrote their history of that period they said, "Polycarp was martyred, Statius Quadratus being proconsul of Asia, and Jesus Christ being King forever!"

...................................

The mark of a great leader is the demands he makes upon his followers. The Italian freedom fighter Garibaldi offered his men only hunger and death to free Italy. Winston Churchill told the English people that he had nothing to offer them but "blood, sweat, toil, and tears" in their fight against the enemies of England.

Jesus demanded that his followers carry a cross. A sign of death.

Andrew died on a cross

Simon was crucified

Bartholomew was flayed alive

James (son of Zebedee) was beheaded

The other James (son of Alphaeus) was beaten to death

Thomas was run through with a lance

Matthias was stoned and then beheaded

Matthew was slain by the sword

Peter was crucified upside down

Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows

Philip was hanged

The demands that Jesus makes upon those who would follow him are extreme.

MIRACLES

"Miracles are not a contradiction of nature. They are only in contradiction to what we know of nature."
St. Augustine

PALM SUNDAY

It was Palm Sunday and Jesus was coming into Jerusalem. He was riding on a blazing white stallion and kicking up a cloud of dust as he rode along. He was looking for trouble. The people that he passed on his way were in awe of such a beautiful animal but they were even more awestruck by the man who was riding it. As Jesus passed by, you could hear the people say, "Who was that masked man?" There were bad guys on the loose and Jesus had a job to do. As he rode into Jerusalem he quickly sized up the situation and formed a plan to capture the ring leader of the trouble makers. His name was Diablo or Satan. There was a short scuffle and Jesus won handily over Diablo. He hog-tied the devil and threw him in jail. As a large crowd of people gathered to see what the commotion was all about, Jesus mounted his horse and pulled on the reigns. The stallion stood on its hind legs, neighed loudly, and pawed the air with its front legs. When it stood as tall as it could stand, Jesus leaned forward in the saddle. Holding the reigns with one hand while lifting his white hat in the air with the other, He shouted with a loud voice, "" As Jesus road off into the sunset, you could hear the William Tell Overture in the background. Du du dunt. Du du dunt. Du du dunt dunt dunt.
Isn't that how you would have done it if you were Jesus? It's how I would have.

Adapted from "Not the Lone Ranger, But the Lone Saviour," by Roger Griffith


PENTECOST

Waiting to Exhale

A character in John Updike's novel, A Month of Sundays, reflecting on his
youthful experience of the church, says, "Churches bore for me the
relation to God that billboards did to Coca-Cola; they promoted thirst but
did nothing to quench it."

The Holy Spirit empowers the church to be the agent of change in the
world, a counter-cultural entity. The task of the church is to breathe in
the Spirit and be inspired by the Spirit to act on behalf of God. But the
church has been waiting to exhale far too long. As the Spirit of God flows
into us, it also ought to flow from us in the way we treat one another,
the way we speak to one another, in the way we treat others in our
community, in the way we live out the new life we receive when we accept
Jesus Christ as Lord.

Staff, www.eSermons.com, 2005

_______________________

 

It Is No Longer I

Soon after Augustine's conversion, he was walking down the street in
Milan, Italy. There he met a prostitute whom he had known most intimately.
She called but he would not answer. He kept right on walking.

"Augustine," she called again. "It is I!"

Without missing a beat and with the assurance of Christ in his heart, he
replied, "Yes, but it is no longer I."

Because of Christ and His Spirit, Augustine was a changed man. He was born
again, a brand new creation.

Rev. Adrian Dieleman, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

_______________________

The Power to Transform Lives

Oscar Cervantes is a dramatic example of the Spirit's power to transform
lives. As a child, Oscar began to get into trouble. Then as he got older,
he was jailed 17 times for brutal crimes. Prison psychiatrists said he was
beyond help. But they were wrong! During a brief interval of freedom,
Oscar met an elderly man who told him about Jesus. He placed his trust in
the Lord and was changed into a kind, caring man. Shortly afterward he
started a prison ministry. Chaplain H. C. Warwick describes it this way:
"The third Saturday night of each month is 'Oscar Night' at Soledad.
Inmates come to hear Oscar and they sing gospel songs with fervor; they
sit intently for over 2 hours; they come freely to the chapel altar....
What professionals had failed to do for Oscar in years of counseling,
Christ's Spirit did in a moment of conversion."

Rev. Adrian Dieleman, Sermon: "Receive the Holy Spirit."

_______________________


Waves of Worry

Several years ago a submarine was being tested and had to remain submerged
for many hours. When it returned to the harbor, the captain was asked,
"How did the terrible storm last night affect you?" The officer looked at
him in surprise and exclaimed, "Storm? We didn't even know there was one!"
The sub had been so far beneath the surface that it had reached the area
known to sailors as "the cushion of the sea." Although the ocean may be
whipped into huge waves by high winds, the waters below are never stirred.

This, I believe, is a perfect picture of the peace that comes from
Christ's Spirit. The waves of worry, of fear, of heartbreak, cannot touch
those resting in Christ. Sheltered by His grace and encouraged by His
Spirit, the believer is given the perfect tranquility that only Christ can
provide.

Rev. Adrian Dieleman, Sermon: "Receive the Holy Spirit."

_______________________

A Dead Balloon

A "dead balloon" -- has no life. It continues to lie wherever you put it.
It doesn't move. It has no power.

Take a "dead balloon" and do what Jesus did -- blow in it. What happens?
It's full of air; but it is still dead, going nowhere until that power is
released. [As an illustration, the "powered balloon" can be released.]

Under the "spirit's/breath's/wind's" power, the balloon can move. It goes
out. However, when the wind power within the balloon is released, you
don't know where the balloon is going to go; but you know it's going
somewhere. (We don't know where the wind comes from or is going.)

Jesus did not give the disciples the Spirit's power so that they could
stay behind locked doors in fear. It is given as a power to move people
out into the world -- even if we don't always know exactly where we will
end up.

What happens to the balloon after it has "spent" its power? It seems dead
again. All out of power. It's flat. There's no more "spirit/breath" within
it. On one hand we are not like that balloon. Jesus promises that the
Spirit will be with us forever. We will never run out of the Spirit's
power. The Spirit given to you in baptism remains forever. On the other
hand, over and over again in Acts, we read that certain disciples were
filled with the Holy Spirit. Their filling didn't just happen once, but
over and over again. So we also need to be refilled. Weekly we return to
church as a refilling station. To receive Jesus again in the hearing of
the word and in the sharing of sacrament and through the fellowship of the
saints.

Brian Stofregen, From his Exegetical Notes.

______________________

Passing the Peace

There is a true story related about a church in the Pacific Northwest, who
much like us, has a time during the service for passing the peace of
Christ. This is a time when they greet one another, and their guests, with
handshakes and hugs, and kind words of welcome. Nobody thought much about
the weekly ritual until the pastor received a letter from a man who had
recently joined the congregation. The new member was a promising young
lawyer from a prestigious downtown law firm. He drafted a brief but
pointed letter on his firm's letterhead. "I am writing to complain about
the congregational ritual known as 'passing the peace,' " he wrote. "I
disagree with it, both personally and professionally, and I am prepared to
take legal action to cause this practice to cease." When the pastor phoned
to talk with the lawyer about the letter, he asked why he was so disturbed
about sharing the peace of Christ. The lawyer said, "The passing of the
peace is an invasion of my privacy."

And, in the Pastor's response to this man, we find the truth of the
Christian life. He said, "Like it or not, when you joined the church you
gave up some of your privacy, for we believe in a risen Lord who will
never leave us alone." And, he said, "You never know when Jesus Christ
will intrude on us with a word of peace."

Rev. Jeremy Rebman, Sermon: "So Send I You"

________________________


Why Do Things Hold Together?

The late Harvard mathematician and philosopher, Alfred North Whitehead,
maintained that the whole scientific enterprise of the western world
rested upon the belief that at the bottom of things science would find
order rather than chaos. If animists were afraid to probe a world
enchanted with demons and spirits, western scientists dissected,
investigated, explored and probed into the depths of the atom believing
order and organization would be found rather than disorder and disarray.

"What was at the bottom of this conviction?" asked Whitehead. It was the
theological concept of the Logos, the Word or Reason or Mind of God, which
held everything together. Why do things cohere and hold together? It is
because the Mind or Logos, or the Spirit of God, holds them together.

Maurice A. Fetty, The Divine Advocacy, CSS Publishing Company, 1994.

_________________________

Taking the Time To Care

Douglas Maurer, 15, of Creve Coeur, Missouri, had been feeling bad for
several days. Mrs. Maurer took Douglas to the hospital in St. Louis where
he was diagnosed as having leukemia.

The doctors told him in frank terms about his disease. They said that for
the next three years, he would have to undergo chemotherapy. They didn't
sugarcoat the side effects. They told Douglas he would go bald and that
his body would most likely bloat. Upon learning this, he went into a deep
depression.

His aunt called a floral shop to send Douglas an arrangement of flowers.
She told the clerk that it was for her teenage nephew who had leukemia.
When the flowers arrived at the hospital, they were beautiful. Douglas
read the card from his aunt without emotion. Then he noticed a second
card. It said: "Douglas - I took your order. I work at Brix Florist. I had
leukemia when I was seven years old. I'm 22 years old now. Good Luck. My
heart goes out to you. Sincerely, Laura Bradley."

His face lit up. "Oh wow!" he said.

It's interesting: Douglas Maurer was in a hospital filled with millions of
dollars of the most sophisticated technological equipment. He was being
treated by expert doctors and nurses with competent medical training. But
it was a sales clerk in a flower shop, a young woman making $170 a week,
who - by taking the time to care, and by being willing to go with what her
heart told her to do - gave Douglas hope and the will to carry