Showing all results
Sermon
Brett Blair
... on the heart of every son of these Netherlands in all eternity. Whenever and wherever in this world there is an injustice or wrong committed, these ashes will beat on your heart and you will speak out without fear, even at the fear of death." (G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching, Broadman, 1986, p. 89 ) All around us there are wrongs that we must correct. The cross we carry is our reminder of that fact. It is a sad episode in the life of the church but even we, Jesus’ followers ...
Sermon
Leonard H. Budd
... where people before them had found faith. Sometimes a personal pilgrimage does help. One of this century’s greatest missionaries, E. Stanley Jones, made a habit of returning from time to time to his home church and kneeling at the altar where he had first ... , For one can find the footprints Of Jesus everywhere.* *William L. Stidger, Christ in Poetry, page 248, edited by Thomas Curtis Clark, Association Press, New York, 1952. Hymn Response "O Sabbath Rest of Galilee" (v. 4) Pastoral Prayer Eternal God, your ...
3. Envy - Where Is The Grass Greener?
Gn 4:1-26, Mt 20:1-16, Philip 4:10-20
Sermon
R. Curtis Fussell
I have a friend by the name of Robert who has always enjoyed playing jokes, especially at the expense of others. One day Robert was expecting a visit from his childhood friend Larry, whom he hadn't seen in over ten years. In their teens Robert and Larry had a friendly rivalry going between them. So Robert came up with this idea of trying to impress Larry that he had become extremely wealthy. There was a very exclusive neighborhood in town with many magnificent homes which would be ideal for this scheme. ...
Sermon
R. Curtis Fussell
Mr. Jones had a job that gave him a comfortable income. He enjoyed fishing and motorhome camping. Every year or so he would buy a new combination fish and ski boat, not some little dinghy, but a really nice, fancy boat. Every couple of years Mr. Jones would buy a new motorhome camper. It was obvious that several other men in the neighborhood envied Mr. Jones and tried to keep up with his new toys. They too would buy and sell boats and campers. It was obvious that keeping up with Mr. Jones was a priority in ...
Sermon
R. Curtis Fussell
You have said it before and I have, too, to a friend, your husband or wife: "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I'm just not myself today." And then maybe you have heard it said: "He's not really a bad boy; he's just trying to find himself." Or perhaps you have used this expression: "He's not human, he's an animal." Perhaps also you have said this about your boss: "He thinks he's God Almighty."1 All these expressions describe the contradiction that plagues all of us -- that I am not, you are not, what ...
Sermon
R. Curtis Fussell
What is your AQ? Not your IQ, which is your so-called intelligence quotient, but your AQ, your Anger Quota? Everyone has an AQ. Everyone has a point, a threshold, whatever you call it. If the right buttons are hit, you will get angry and start to growl, and that's your AQ, your Anger Quota. Of course, you and the people sitting around you don't look like you could be angry. As far as you and I can tell, everyone here looks calm, relaxed, quiet, and composed. But under that cool composure there's the ...
Sermon
R. Curtis Fussell
Jesus and his disciples were in a foreign land, the land of Samaria. It had once been recognized as the birthplace and capital of the Jewish faith. It was in Samaria and at Shechem that God told Abraham that the land would belong to his descendants. But later the Israelites were defeated by the Assyrians, who then settled in the land and mixed with the population. So in Jesus' day the people of Israel viewed the Samaritans as half-breeds and false worshipers. Jesus' parable of the "good Samaritan" was a ...
Sermon
R. Curtis Fussell
Girolamo Savonarola was one of the great preachers of the fifteenth century. He preached in the great cathedral of Florence, Italy, which contained a magnificent marble statue of the blessed virgin Mary. When Savonarola started preaching at this great cathedral, he noticed one day an elderly woman praying before this statue of Mary. He then began to notice that it was her habit to come every day and pray before the statue. Savonarola remarked one day to an elderly priest who had been serving in the ...
Sermon
R. Curtis Fussell
Every day at about 10:30 in the morning and then about 3:30 in the afternoon, I need a little snack to keep me going. A cookie or some pretzels, some quick and easy snack to get rid of a growling stomach; something to give me a boost so I can get my work done. If I go too long without some snack food, I get to feeling run down. I even become grumpy and irritable. Then I can't do my work because I'm thinking about food. Eating food is, of course, a necessity of life. We need food to live, to do our work; we ...
10. Come On Down
Isaiah 63:7--64:12
Sermon
Curtis Lewis
One of the most popular television game shows is The Price Is Right hosted by long-time emcee Bob Barker. When you receive tickets to attend this highly-watched, fast-moving game show, you become automatically eligible to have your name drawn to become a participant. As the show opens, names are drawn, and an announcer exclaims, "Mary Jones, come on down!" Mary excitedly jumps from her seat and runs down to the front of the game show set to compete with other contestants for an opportunity to go on the ...
11. From Cynicism to Faith
John 1:43-51
Illustration
G. Curtis Jones
Malcolm Muggeridge, with a Fabian Socialist upbringing, once an atheist, a career journalist, at one time hearty drinker and womanizer, at age seventy-nine surrendered his will to the Lord. This gadfly of British letters, an eloquent peddler of words, gathered up his contradictions and beliefs in November 1982, marched down to a small chapel in Hurst Green, Sussex, and, with his wife, became a member of the Catholic Church. His decision to convert was inspired in part by the life and witness of Mother ...
12. The Servant Was the Leader
Mark 1:21-28
Illustration
G. Curtis Jones
In "Journey to the East," Hermann Hesse described the activities and relationship of explorers who were sent on a difficult mission by a certain order. A servant, Leo, cared for their every need: prepared the food, washed their clothes, and was at their beck and call. In terms of protocol, he was the lowest of the least. As the mission progressed, Leo's adaptability and spirit proved invaluable. The servant's worth became more evident when their ship was wrecked and Leo was missing. Trying to proceed ...
13. Take Up Your Cross
Mark 8:27-38
Illustration
G. Curtis Jones
In 1580, a Dutch Protestant leader named Klaes was arrested and condemned as a heretic. Eventually he was burned at the stake. When the tragedy was over, his dear wife took their small son by the hand and walked through the back streets of town to the hill where their loved one had perished as a Christian martyr. At the place of execution, the bereaved widow gathered up a few of the ashes, placed them in her satchel, and hung it around her boy's neck, saying, "Son, I place these ashes on your heart, and on ...
14. Ego
Mark 10:35-45
Illustration
G. Curtis Jones
George Bernard Shaw was once asked in what generation he would have preferred to live. The witty Irishman replied: "The age of Napoleon, because then there was only one man who thought he was Napoleon."
15. Love of Christ
Matt 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27; John 13:34
Illustration
G. Curtis Jones
Legend has it that a wealthy merchant traveling through the Mediterranean world looking for the distinguished Pharisee, Paul, encountered Timothy, who arranged a visit. Paul was, at the time, a prisoner in Rome. Stepping inside the cell, the merchant was surprised to find a rather old man, physically frail, but whose serenity and magnetism challenged the visitor. They talked for hours. Finally the merchant left with Paul's blessing. Outside the prison, the concerned man inquired, "What is the secret of ...
Showing 1 to 15 of 15all results