Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 276 to 300 of 538 results

276. No Road At All

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A mission society is reported to have written to David Livingstone: “Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to send other men to join you.” Livingstone replied: “If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.”

277. No Such thing As Accidents

Illustration

Michael P. Green

When a cowboy applied for health insurance, the agent routinely asked if he had had any accidents during the previous year. The cowboy replied, “No. But I was bitten by a rattlesnake, and a horse kicked me in the ribs. That laid me up for a while.” The agent said, “Weren’t those accidents?” “No,” replied the cowboy, “They did it on purpose.” The cowboy realized that there are no such things as “a...

278. No Thanks

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A century ago a boat was wrecked in a storm on Lake Michigan at Evanston, Illinois. Students from Northwestern University formed themselves into rescue teams. One student, Edward Spencer, saved seventeen people from the sinking ship. When he was carried exhausted to his room, he asked, “Did I do my best? Do you think I did my best?” Years later, R. A. Torrey was talking about this incident at a m...

279. No-belly Prize

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

During the holiday season, people become greatly concerned about what they are going to eat. Of course, there is nothing wrong with eating such favorite traditional foods as special cakes, cookies, meats, and so forth. But for some of us there is a tendency to let it get out of hand—and into the stomach! Perhaps we should institute a new award to be given out at each holiday: the No-belly Prize fo...

280. No-excuse-to-stay-home Sunday

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Many believers don’t see the importance of regular church attendance. Members of Northend Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Seattle received a special announcement in the mail, listing the many things that would be done for them at church on the following “no-excuse-to-stay-home Sunday.” According to the pastor, cots would be available for those who say Sunday is their only day to sleep. Eye dro...

281. Not Allowed to Cross the Street

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

A little boy was riding his tricycle furiously around the block, over and over again. Finally a policeman stopped and asked him why he was going around and around. The boy said that he was running away from home. Then the policeman asked why he kept going around the block. The boy responded, “Because my mom said that I’m not allowed to cross the street.”

282. Not By Me

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Legend has it that an ardent music lover unexpectedly met the great Johannes Brahms. On recognizing the composer the man asked: “Master, would you please write here a small portion of a masterpiece and sign it so I can have a precious memory of this fortunate encounter?” Brahms took the pencil and paper, scribbled the initial bars of The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss and signed: “Unfortunately not...

283. Not Lost

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A little girl whose father had just died asked her mother where her father had gone. “To be with Jesus,” replied the mother. A few days later, talking to a friend, the mother said, “I am so grieved to have lost my husband.” The little girl heard her and, remembering what she had told her, asked, “Mother, is a thing lost when you know where it is?” “No, of course not,” said her mom. “Well, then...

284. Not Satisfied

Revelation 3:14-22

Illustration

Michael P. Green

One of Aesop’s fables is the story of the dog who saw his image reflected in a pool of water beneath his feet. Though he already had a bone, he was jealous of the bone he saw in the “other” dog’s mouth. He opened his jaws to snarl and snatch at the bone’s reflection—and of course lost his bone when it fell into the water. How accurately this pictures the “church in Laodicea”! Not satisfied with t...

285. Nursery Rhyme Hermeneutics

Illustration

Michael P. Green

In all innocence, children have for centuries sung a nursery rhyme that is in truth anything but an innocent verse: Ring-a-ring o’roses, A pocket full of posies, A-tishoo! A-tishoo! We all fall down! The rhyme arose about 1665 in the streets of London during a plague epidemic of the Black Death. Each phrase of the rhyme refers to an aspect of the plague. “Ring o’roses” is a reference to the sma...

286. Offering

Romans 12:1-2

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

In a church service one Sunday, the offering plate came to a little girl at the end of a row. She took the plate, put it down on the floor, and stood in it. When the usher asked her what she was doing, she responded, “In Sunday school I learned that I was supposed to give myself to God.” Romans 12:1–2 confirms that she had the right idea.

287. Old Adam Too Strong

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Young Philipp Melanchthon, colleague of Martin Luther, once wrote to Luther worried about his personal struggles, and said, “Old Adam is too strong for young Philipp.”

288. On My Mind

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Many believers have difficulty in realizing and facing up to the fact that sometimes God uses time in his development of our Christian life. This truth is brought home by the following story. One day in the House of Commons, British Prime Minister Disraeli made a brilliant speech on the spur of the moment. That night a friend said to him, “I must tell you how much I enjoyed your extemporaneous ta...

289. One Bad Link

James 2:10

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Assume that a ship is anchored at port with an anchor that has 613 links in its chain, representing the 613 commands in the Mosaic Law. If only one link breaks, the ship will be set adrift, so the 612 links that did hold count for nothing if just one is broken. Or consider your situation if you had fallen over the edge of a very high cliff and were clinging to a chain for dear life. How many link...

290. One Degree Off Target

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The seriousness of errant doctrine can be compared to a missile aimed a mere one degree off target. The difference seems slight and negligible at first, yet the results of the error increase dramatically throughout the flight of the missile, until it totally misses its intended target. So it is with false doctrine. At first it may seem to be a tolerable mistake, a little error—but not that seriou...

291. Only A Part

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A father gave this counsel to his married daughter on the first anniversary of her mother’s death: “I had forty wonderful years with your Mom,” he said, “the best years of my life. But that part of my life is over. Finished!” “But Dad …” “No buts, listen to me.” His clear blue eyes stared intensely into mine. I couldn’t turn away from him as much as I wanted to. “They were the best years of my l...

292. Our Assurance of Salvation

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The devil approached Martin Luther one day and said to him every person is fallible. He presented the Reformer with a long list of sins of which he was guilty. When he had finished reading, Luther said to Satan, “Think a little harder; you must have forgotten some.” This the devil did and added other sins to the list. At the conclusion of this exchange, Martin Luther simply said, “That’s fine .’ N...

293. Our King's Righteous Attire

Col 3:12-17

Illustration

Michael P. Green

In the fable “The Emperor’s New Clothes, an unscrupulous con artist, seeking royal favor, promises to provide the emperor with an outfit of clothing that would be very special. So delicate and rare would be the fabric that the clothes would be undetectable to the touch. More importantly, they would be invisible to anyone of poor character or inferior ability. When the emperor received the empty ha...

294. Our Reflected Light

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The moon shines in the night sky because of reflected light from the sun. Without that reflected light, the moon would become lost in the darkness of space. The believer in Christ shines only because of the reflection of Christ’s light. Without that reflected light, the believer becomes lost in the darkness of the world and sin.

295. Out of Site

Malachi 2:17

Illustration

Michael P. Green

During the first day of Boy Scout camp, a scoutmaster was called home because of an emergency and was not planning to return until the following day. As he prepared to leave, he gathered his charges together and made Joe, one of the patrol leaders, the acting scoutmaster until he returned. As soon as the scoutmaster was out of sight, the newly appointed leader began to give orders. He had the youn...

296. Outward Appearance

Illustration

Michael P. Green

In the opening scenes of the musical Camelot, we see King Arthur standing in a field dressed in the clothes of a common peasant. To look at him you would have no idea he was king. In fact, when Guinevere first met Arthur, she didn’t have a clue that he was king over all Camelot. Arthur was, in fact, king, but his outward appearance gave no evidence of this fact.

297. Overcoming the Fear of Witnessing

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Have you ever had to paint a second or third story of a house? You get about halfway up that double or triple extension ladder and it begins to bend and bounce with your every movement. Then you start wondering about the ladder and its footing and where you will end up when it crashes to the earth so far below you. So, in fear and terror, you stop where you are and cling to the ladder, looking nei...

298. Paid In Full

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The story is told of a man who was caught and taken to court because he had stolen a loaf of bread. When the judge investigated, he found out that the man had no job, and his family was hungry. He had tried unsuccessfully to get work and finally, to feed his family, he had stolen a loaf of bread. Although recognizing the extenuating circumstances, the judge said, “I’m sorry, but the law can make n...

299. Painting The Face Of Christ

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Anger is often more harmful than the injury that caused it. Legend has it that when Leonardo da Vinci was working on his painting “The Last Supper” and became angry with a certain man. Losing his temper, he lashed the other fellow with bitter words. Returning to his canvas, Leonardo attempted to work on the face of Jesus but was so upset he could not compose himself for the painstaking work. Final...

300. Parables are Signs of Protest

Mt 13:34-35

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Parables are not meant to pat us on the back, but to give us a kick in the pants. They are not intended to comfort us, but to challenge us and change us. Parables speak out against the status quo. . .Parables are demonstrators waving signs of protest, speaking out against our ways of thinking, our traditional ways of experiencing and obeying God, our spiritual institution.

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Showing 276 to 300 of 538 results

276. No Road At All

Illustration

Michael P. Green

277. No Such thing As Accidents

Illustration

Michael P. Green

278. No Thanks

Illustration

Michael P. Green

279. No-belly Prize

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

280. No-excuse-to-stay-home Sunday

Illustration

Michael P. Green

281. Not Allowed to Cross the Street

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

282. Not By Me

Illustration

Michael P. Green

283. Not Lost

Illustration

Michael P. Green

284. Not Satisfied

Revelation 3:14-22

Illustration

Michael P. Green

285. Nursery Rhyme Hermeneutics

Illustration

Michael P. Green

286. Offering

Romans 12:1-2

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

287. Old Adam Too Strong

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Young Philipp Melanchthon, colleague of Martin Luther, once wrote to Luther worried about his personal struggles, and said, “Old Adam is too strong for young Philipp.”

288. On My Mind

Illustration

Michael P. Green

289. One Bad Link

James 2:10

Illustration

Michael P. Green

290. One Degree Off Target

Illustration

Michael P. Green

291. Only A Part

Illustration

Michael P. Green

292. Our Assurance of Salvation

Illustration

Michael P. Green

293. Our King's Righteous Attire

Col 3:12-17

Illustration

Michael P. Green

294. Our Reflected Light

Illustration

Michael P. Green

295. Out of Site

Malachi 2:17

Illustration

Michael P. Green

296. Outward Appearance

Illustration

Michael P. Green

297. Overcoming the Fear of Witnessing

Illustration

Michael P. Green

298. Paid In Full

Illustration

Michael P. Green

299. Painting The Face Of Christ

Illustration

Michael P. Green

300. Parables are Signs of Protest

Mt 13:34-35

Illustration

Michael P. Green

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