Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 351 to 375 of 538 results

351. Shake the Taters

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

A farmer was sitting on the porch of his house when a stranger came by and asked, “How’s things?” “Tolerable,” came the reply. He continued, “Two weeks ago a tornado came along and knocked down all the trees I would have had to chop down for this winter’s firewood. Then last week lightning struck the brush I had planned to burn to clear the fields for planting.” The stranger responded, “That’s r...

352. Shakespeare's Omniscience

Illustration

Michael P. Green

C. S. Lewis in God in the Dock (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1970) writes: “In ‘Hamlet’ a branch breaks and Ophelia is drowned. Did she die because the branch broke or because Shakespeare wanted her to die at that point in the play? Either—both—whichever you prefer. The alternative suggested by the question is not a real alternative at all—once you have grasped that Shakespeare is making the who...

353. She Gets Historical

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

A man who was telling his friend about an argument he’d had with his wife commented, “Oh, how I hate it, every time we have an argument; she gets historical.” The friend replied, “You mean hysterical.” “No,” he insisted. “I mean historical. Every time we argue she drags up everything from the past and holds it against me!”

354. She Knows Her Eggs

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The guillemot is a small arctic sea bird that lives on the rocky cliffs of northern coastal regions. These birds flock together by the thousands in comparatively small areas. Because of the crowded conditions, hundreds of females lay their pear-shaped eggs side by side on a narrow ledge, in a long row. Since the eggs all look alike, it is incredible that a mother bird can identify those that belon...

355. Sheep + Me = Righteousness

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The Chinese character for “righteousness” is most interesting. It is composed of two separate characters—one standing for a lamb, the other for me. When “sheep” is placed directly above “me,” a new character—“righteousness” is formed. This is a helpful picture of the grace of God. Between me, the sinner, and God, the Holy One, there is interposed by faith the Lamb of God. By virtue of his sacrific...

356. Six Interrogatives

Illustration

Michael P. Green

In one of his Just-So Stories, Rudyard Kipling pulled together all of the interrogative pronouns of the English language in a bit of poetic doggerel, and these probing pronouns will open up any subject thoroughly: I keep six honest serving men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who.

357. Sleep Walking

Illustration

Michael P. Green

One evening a couple was entertaining some company in their home. After their two young daughters had been put to bed, the older child returned and told her parents that her two-year-old sister was not in bed but was playing with her toys. The parents told the girl to return to her room and to send her sister out to the living room. The two-year-old girl, knowing full well that she was supposed t...

358. Somebody With Skin On

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

A little boy, frightened by a thunderous lightning storm, called out one dark night, “Daddy, come. I’m scared.” “Son,” the father said, “God loves you and he’ll take care of you.” “I know God loves me,” the boy replied. “But right now I want somebody who has skin on.” It is the role of the father to be and demonstrate God, with skin on.

359. Soon = At Any Moment

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The New Testament writers speak of Christ’s returning “soon” or “quickly,” with the apparent expectation that he might return in the writers’ own lifetimes. Liberals have long tried to make this a point against the Bible’s infallibility. However, the meaning of returning “soon” is that it would happen “at any moment.” It is like my phone-answering machine. The message informs the caller that I am ...

360. Sound Peanuts Doctrine

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A Peanuts cartoon pictured Lucy and Linus looking out the window at a steady downpour of rain. “Boy,” said Lucy, “look at it rain. What if it floods the whole world?” “It will never do that,” Linus replied confidently. “In the ninth chapter of Genesis, God promised Noah that would never happen again, and the sign of the promise is the rainbow.” “You’ve taken a great load off my mind,” said Lucy ...

361. Speech Preparation

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Someone once asked Woodrow Wilson how long he took to prepare a ten-minute speech. “Two weeks,” was the answer. “How long for a one-hour speech?” “One week,” replied the President. “A two-hour speech?” “I am ready now!”

362. Spirit Working Through Us

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A. J. Gordon, one of the founders of Gordon Conwell Divinity School, told of being out walking and looking across a field at a house. There beside the house was what looked like a man pumping furiously at one of those hand pumps. As Gordon watched, the man continued to pump at a tremendous rate; he seemed absolutely tireless, pumping on and on, up and down, without ever slowing in the slightest, m...

363. Spiritual Fitness

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Bud Wilkinson, a famous football coach, was once asked, “What contribution does professional sport make to the physical fitness of Americans?” To no one’s surprise, he answered, “Very little. A professional football game,” he said, “is a happening where fifty thousand spectators, desperately needing exercise, sit in the stands watching twenty-two men on the field, desperately needing rest.” That’s...

364. Squash or Oak

Illustration

Michael P. Green

When James Garfield, later to become President of the United States, was principal of Hiram College in Ohio, one father asked him if the course of his studies could not be shortened so that his son might be able to complete his studies in less time. “Certainly,” Garfield replied. “But it all depends on what you want to make of your boy. When God wants to make an oak, he takes one hundred years. Wh...

365. Stepping In For A Stranger

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Auschwitz was the first German concentration camp to become an extermination camp. The gas chambers were in constant use. But because of the great influx of new prisoners daily, the Germans began to use firing squads as well. One day, the commandant selected ten men from one barracks to be executed by the firing squad. One of those selected was the father of a large family. When he was pulled fro...

366. Stewards of the Ship

1 Cor 4:1

Illustration

Michael P. Green

First Corinthians 4:1 tells us to be “stewards of the mysteries of God” (rsv). If you have ever been on a ship, you know what a ship’s steward is. Or if you have ever been on an airplane, you know what a steward or a stewardess is. That person does not own the airplane or anything on the plane. The company owns everything, but he or she is entrusted with its care. That steward has been given the r...

367. Still in the Crates

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The great newspaper publisher of the early part of this century, William Randolph Hearst, was a patron of art and spent a great deal of money collecting art treasures for his collection. The story is told that one day he found a description of an artwork that he felt he must own, so he sent his agent abroad to find it. After months of searching, the agent reported that he had found the treasured o...

368. Stood His Post

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Legend has it that when Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, there were many people buried in the ruins. Some were found in cellars, as if they had gone there for security. Some were found in the upper rooms of buildings. But where was the Roman sentinel found? Standing at the city gate where he had been placed by the captain, with his hands still grasping his weapon. There, wh...

369. Strength, Just in Time

Illustration

Michael P. Green

When Corrie ten Boom was a girl, her first realization of death came after a visit to the home of a neighbor who had died. It impressed her that someday her parents would die. Corrie’s father comforted her. “Corrie, when you and I go to Amsterdam, when do I give you your ticket?” he asked. Corrie answered, “Why, just before we get on the train.” “Exactly,” responded her father, “and our wise Fat...

370. Study Like An Explorer

Illustration

Michael P. Green

There is a basic difference between an explorer and a tourist. The tourist travels quickly, stopping only to observe the highly noticeable or publicized points of interest. The explorer, on the other hand, takes his time to search out all that he can find. Too many of us read the Bible like a tourist and then complain that our devotional times are fruitless. It is necessary that we take time to ex...

371. Submission to Authority

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

A little boy finally sat down after first resisting his parents’ command to do so. He said to his parents, “I’m sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the inside.”

372. Suffering Has Value

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Several years ago, there was a man going through great physical problems and one of his legs had to be amputated. That did not arrest the course of his disease, and he ultimately died because of it. Just a few days before the man’s death, a minister visited him in the hospital, and the patient said something that perfectly expresses what “rejoicing in suffering” means to a Christian: “I never woul...

373. Survival of the Spectator

Illustration

Michael P. Green

When you become a sports spectator rather than a participant, the wrong things happen to your body. Your weight, blood pressure, resting heart rate, cholesterol, and triglycerides go up. Vital capacity, oxygen consumption, flexibility, stamina, and strength go down. Conclusion? Only the strongest can survive as spectators!

374. Tainted Treasure

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Fire ants have virtually taken over the southern United States since they were accidentally transported here a few decades ago. They are amazingly adaptable, fiercely aggressive, and multiply seemingly overnight. Worst of all, insecticide sprays generally can’t destroy the mound’s inhabitants. Like a mighty army they have marched in, impervious to brute force. Scientists have now found a rather c...

375. Taxing Conscience

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

The Internal Revenue Service received the following letter from a conscience-stricken taxpayer: “Dear Sir: My conscience bothered me. Here is $175.00, which I owe in back taxes.” There was a P.S. at the bottom that read: “If my conscience still bothers me, I’ll send in the rest.” This taxpayer’s response to a red warning light is not only humorous but also illustrates an important truth: one’s ...

Showing results

Showing 351 to 375 of 538 results

351. Shake the Taters

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

352. Shakespeare's Omniscience

Illustration

Michael P. Green

353. She Gets Historical

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

354. She Knows Her Eggs

Illustration

Michael P. Green

355. Sheep + Me = Righteousness

Illustration

Michael P. Green

356. Six Interrogatives

Illustration

Michael P. Green

357. Sleep Walking

Illustration

Michael P. Green

358. Somebody With Skin On

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

359. Soon = At Any Moment

Illustration

Michael P. Green

360. Sound Peanuts Doctrine

Illustration

Michael P. Green

361. Speech Preparation

Illustration

Michael P. Green

362. Spirit Working Through Us

Illustration

Michael P. Green

363. Spiritual Fitness

Illustration

Michael P. Green

364. Squash or Oak

Illustration

Michael P. Green

365. Stepping In For A Stranger

Illustration

Michael P. Green

366. Stewards of the Ship

1 Cor 4:1

Illustration

Michael P. Green

367. Still in the Crates

Illustration

Michael P. Green

368. Stood His Post

Illustration

Michael P. Green

369. Strength, Just in Time

Illustration

Michael P. Green

370. Study Like An Explorer

Illustration

Michael P. Green

371. Submission to Authority

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

A little boy finally sat down after first resisting his parents’ command to do so. He said to his parents, “I’m sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the inside.”

372. Suffering Has Value

Illustration

Michael P. Green

373. Survival of the Spectator

Illustration

Michael P. Green

374. Tainted Treasure

Illustration

Michael P. Green

375. Taxing Conscience

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

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