Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 251 to 275 of 538 results

251. Luke 2: The Santa Clause

Illustration

Michael P. Green

What a sad commentary on what the birth of our Lord has come to mean is this all-too-true parody of the wonderful words of Luke’s Christmas narrative. “And there were in the same country children keeping watch over their stockings by the fireplace. And, Lo! Santa Claus came upon them; and they were sore afraid. And Santa said unto them: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy...

252. Lunatics Unite!

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A visitor to a mental hospital was astonished to note that there were only three guards watching over a hundred dangerous inmates. He asked his guide, “Don’t you fear that these people will overpower the guards and escape?” “No,” was the reply. “Lunatics never unite.”

253. Made In France

Illustration

Michael P. Green

In teaching your child, never overlook the obvious. Remember, they view life differently than you. One teacher told the following story: Some third-graders were studying a unit on patriotism. After a discussion about how France had given us the Statue of Liberty, the teacher asked how many of her pupils had seen the statue. Several children raised their hands. Anticipating a chance to be dramatic ...

254. Majoring On The Cooks

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, won a strategic battle with comparative ease and little loss of men. When asked for the explanation of his victory over the enemy, he said, “The enemy had seven cooks and one spy, but I had seven spies and one cook.” Perhaps the church lacks power because it majors on the minors and minors on the majors.

255. Make Me A Crossroads

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Jim Elliot, a dedicated missionary in Ecuador who was killed by the Auca Indians in 1956, said it well: “Father, make of me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me.” (Cited by Elisabeth Elliot, The Shadow of the Almighty [New York: Harper & Row, 1979], p. 59.)

256. Man vs. Committee

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A secretary burst into the office of a Detroit executive on May 21, 1927, and cried, “Mr. Murphy, a man has just flown from New York to Paris all by himself.” When her employer continued to work calmly, she cried out, “Don’t you understand? A man has just flown the Atlantic all by himself!” Then Murphy looked up. “All by himself, a man can do anything,” he said quietly. “When a committee flies th...

257. Mercy Is Not Deserved

Illustration

Michael P. Green

There is a legend told of a mother who sought from Napoleon the pardon of her son. The emperor said it was the man’s second offense, and justice demanded his death. “I don’t ask for justice,” said the mother. “I plead for mercy.” “But,” said the emperor, “he does not deserve mercy.” “Sir,” cried the mother, “it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask.” “Well, then,” said th...

258. Miracle of Jairus’ Daughter

Mark 5:21-43

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Ray Stedman has told the story of a time when he and his wife were driving through Oregon with his little daughter, Susan. She had developed a fever the night before, when they were staying in a motel, but it didn’t seem serious. As they drove along, all of a sudden the little girl went into convulsions. Her eyes turned up, her body began to jerk, and she obviously was in great danger. Stedman’s h...

259. Money For Jesus

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Imagine that I have ten bags of money here, each containing a thousand dollars, and that I offer one of these bags to each of the first ten people who, by this time tomorrow, will share the gospel with a non-believer and invite him to receive Jesus Christ as Savior. The response of the non-believer would have no bearing on whether one gets the money. What do you think would happen? We all know th...

260. Mooving Cows

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The story has been told of a farmer who was trying to teach his son how to plow a straight furrow. After the horse had been hitched up and everything was ready, he told the boy to keep an eye on some object at the other end of the field and aim straight toward it. “Do you see that cow lying down over there?” he asked. “Keep your eye on her and plow straight ahead.” The boy started plowing and the...

261. More Safety In Exodus

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

A pastor warned his handsome new assistant about the dangers of immorality in the ministry. The assistant said that he always did his socializing in a group setting and concluded that “there is safety in numbers.” The wise pastor replied, “Yes, that is so, but there is more safety in Exodus!”

262. Motivation To Achieve

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Dr. Frederik Herzberg, writing in the Harvard Business Review, concluded from his research that six factors must be present to keep people highly motivated about sustained responsibility: Achievement Recognition The task itself Responsibility Advancement Opportunity for growth

263. My Road Ends Here

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A missionary told an old Indian chief about Jesus Christ, describing him as God’s only way to heaven. “The Jesus road is a good road,” the aged chief agreed. “But I have followed the Indian road all my life, and I cannot change now.” A year later, he lay in his hut, deathly sick. The missionary hurried to his side and once more told him of Christ. “Can I turn to Jesus now?” the dying chief asked. ...

264. My Savior Is There

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A dying man was fearful, even though he was a born-again Christian. He expressed his feelings to his Christian doctor. The physician was silent, not knowing what to say. Just then a whining and scratching was heard at the door. When the doctor opened it, in bounded his big beautiful dog, who often went with him as he made house calls. The dog was glad to see his master. Sensing an opportunity to c...

265. My Tooth Got Caught

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

One three-year-old’s explanation for being in the kitchen atop a chair, eating cookies: “I just climbed up to smell them, and my tooth got caught.”

266. National Righteousness

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The instructive motto of the State of Hawaii is a result of the influence of the Protestant missionaries who first came to Hawaii in 1820. It expresses a great truth in the Hawaiian language: Ua mau ke ia o ka aina i ka pono, which means, “The life of the land is preserved in righteousness.” Righteousness is what preserves a nation, not a Declaration of Independence or a Constitution, and not eve...

267. Naughty Word Influence

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

I said a very naughty word only the other day. It was a truly naughty word I had not meant to say. But then, it was not really lost, when from my lips it flew; My little brother picked it up, and now he says it too.

268. Never Less Than Your Best

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A true musician always does his best before every audience, be it of knowledgeable music lovers or unschooled listeners. A committee once asked Enrico Caruso, the great tenor, to sing at a concert that would benefit a charity. The chairman said, “Of course, Mr. Caruso, as this is a charity affair we would not expect much from you. Your name alone will draw a crowd and you can merely sing some song...

269. New Life vs. Tweaks

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Sports broadcaster Harry Kalas once introduced a Philadelphia Phillies baseball player, Garry Maddox, with the following words: “He has turned his life around. He used to be depressed and miserable. Now he’s miserable and depressed.” No matter how much a man tries to reform himself, he can never achieve the newness of life that God wants him to have in Christ. Although a man can make changes in hi...

270. New Residence

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Soon after a family moved into their new house, it began to show the effects of their slipshod lifestyle. The yard was littered with trash. The lawn withered for lack of care, and, even when replanted, died out again. To enter this house was to enter a shambles. It never was clean or in order. Another family eventually bought the house and moved in. They painted the house, cleaned up the yard, an...

271. Next Time He Comes

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The Lord Jesus Christ whom we exalt at Christmas is not just a baby in a manger. He is not a character in a children’s story. He is far more. The first time he came, he came veiled in the form of a child. The next time he comes, and we believe it will be soon, he will come unveiled, and it will be abundantly and immediately clear to all the world just who he really is. The first time he came, a s...

272. No Longer Live As A Caterpillar

Gal 2:20

Children's Sermon

Michael P. Green

The following illustration could be turned into a good children's sermon: In a children’s church service, a seminary student spoke on the Christian’s walk. He presented his message in the first person, or—more accurately expressed—“the first butterfly.” His dramatic monologue incorporated the following guise: two large antennas with sensors attached to the ends, halved eggshells for his nose and e...

273. No One Made It

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The story is told of a science professor who constructed a planetarium, a precisely scaled model of the universe. A student came into his office and asked him who made it. The professor said, “No one.” The student laughed and asked again, “Come on, who made this fantastic piece of precise work?” The professor replied, “No one. It just happened.” The student became confused and angry, and the pro...

274. No Place Like Home

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The story is told that during the American Civil War, when the rival armies were encamped on the opposite banks of the Potomac River, the Union’s band played one of its patriotic tunes, and the Confederate musicians quickly struck up a melody dear to any Southerner’s heart. Then one of the bands started to play “Home, Sweet Home.” The musical competition ceased, and the musicians from the other ar...

275. No Plan B

Illustration

Michael P. Green

When Jesus ascended to heaven after his mission on earth, the angels asked him: “Did you accomplish your task?” “Yes, all is finished,” the Lord replied. “We have a second question,” said the angels. “Has the whole world heard of you?” “No,” said Jesus. The angels next asked, “Then what is your plan?” Jesus said, “I have left twelve men and some other followers to carry the message to the who...

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Showing 251 to 275 of 538 results

251. Luke 2: The Santa Clause

Illustration

Michael P. Green

252. Lunatics Unite!

Illustration

Michael P. Green

253. Made In France

Illustration

Michael P. Green

254. Majoring On The Cooks

Illustration

Michael P. Green

255. Make Me A Crossroads

Illustration

Michael P. Green

256. Man vs. Committee

Illustration

Michael P. Green

257. Mercy Is Not Deserved

Illustration

Michael P. Green

258. Miracle of Jairus’ Daughter

Mark 5:21-43

Illustration

Michael P. Green

259. Money For Jesus

Illustration

Michael P. Green

260. Mooving Cows

Illustration

Michael P. Green

261. More Safety In Exodus

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

262. Motivation To Achieve

Illustration

Michael P. Green

263. My Road Ends Here

Illustration

Michael P. Green

264. My Savior Is There

Illustration

Michael P. Green

265. My Tooth Got Caught

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

One three-year-old’s explanation for being in the kitchen atop a chair, eating cookies: “I just climbed up to smell them, and my tooth got caught.”

266. National Righteousness

Illustration

Michael P. Green

267. Naughty Word Influence

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

268. Never Less Than Your Best

Illustration

Michael P. Green

269. New Life vs. Tweaks

Illustration

Michael P. Green

270. New Residence

Illustration

Michael P. Green

271. Next Time He Comes

Illustration

Michael P. Green

272. No Longer Live As A Caterpillar

Gal 2:20

Children's Sermon

Michael P. Green

273. No One Made It

Illustration

Michael P. Green

274. No Place Like Home

Illustration

Michael P. Green

275. No Plan B

Illustration

Michael P. Green

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