Sermon and Worship Resources

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Opportunity may only knock once, but temptation bangs at your door repeatedly.

2. A Bad Day When...

Humor Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

You know it's going to be a bad day when you wake up in a hospital all trussed up and your insurance agent tells you that your accident policy covers falling off the roof, but not hitting the ground.

3. A Bias That Shows

Humor Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

Did you read about the little boy who returned home after his first Sunday school class? His mother asked, "Who was your teacher?' and the little boy answered, "I don't remember her name, but she must have been Jesus' grandmother because she didn't talk about anyone else." Does our conversation reflect our love of Jesus? Would our words give away our relationship with him?

4. A Child's Version of the Meaning of Easter

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

A three-year-old girl was as anxious for Easter to come as she had been for Christmas to come. Her mom was expecting her third child in just a few weeks, and many persons were giving the family baby gifts. The toddler girl had picked out a new dress and Mom had given her a new white bonnet. As they stopped at a store to buy her a new pair of shoes to go with her outfit, she once again said, "I can...

5. A Child's View of Love

Humor Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

Some children were asked, "What is love?" One little girl answered, "Love is when your mommy reads you a bedtime story. True love is when she doesn't skip any pages."

6. A Diamond and the Fullness of Strength

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

The Koh-i-noor diamond is among the most spectacular in the world. Queen Victoria received it as a gift from a maharajah when he was a lad. Later as a grown man this maharajah visited Queen Victoria again. He requested that the stone be brought from the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace. Themaharajah took the diamond and, kneeling before the Queen, gave it back to her, saying, "Your Majesty, I ...

7. A Different View

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

It was just a few days before Christmas. Two men who were next-door neighbors decided to go sailing while their wives went Christmas shopping. While the men were out in their sailboat, a storm arose. The sea became very angry and the men had great difficulty keeping the boat under control. As they maneuvered their way toward land, they hit a sandbar and the boat grounded. Both men jumped overboard...

8. A Disciplined Team

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

Several years ago, in England, Sir John Barbirolli was conducting a great symphony orchestra before a "standing room only" audience. The concert hall was unusual in that it was used for cultural events on weekdays and for religious services on Sundays. On this particular Saturday evening, one of the patrons of the orchestra noticed that the clergyman who was to preach there the next day was in the...

9. A Fable on Peace

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

When Christ was born, the angel declared to the frightened shepherds, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will." But the world has seen very few years of peace since Christ our Prince of Peace came. I discovered this fable on peace which challenges me. "Tell me the weight of a snowflake," a sparrow asked a wild dove. "Nothing more than nothing," was the answer. "...

10. A Father's Love

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

On a cold winter evening a man suffered a heart attack and after being admitted to the hospital, asked the nurse to call his daughter. He explained, "You see, I live alone, and she is the only family I have." The nurse went to phone the daughter. The daughter was quite upset and shouted, "You must not let him die! You see, Dad and I had a terrible argument almost a year ago. I haven't seen him sin...

11. A Giving Incarnation

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

Shortly after World War II came to a close, Europe began picking up the pieces. Much of the Old Country had been ravaged by war and was in ruins. Perhaps the saddest sight of all was that of little orphaned children starving in the streets of those war-torn cities. Early one chilly morning an American soldier was making his way back to the barracks in London. As he turned the corner in his jeep, h...

12. A Glorious Fixture

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

Years after her concentration camp experiences in Nazi Germany, Corrie ten Boom met face to face one of the most cruel and heartless German guards that she had ever contacted. He had humiliated and degraded her and her sister. He had jeered and visually raped them as they stood in the delousing shower. Now he stood before her with hand outstretched and said, "Will you forgive me?" She writes: "I s...

13. A Keen Justice

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

Zaleusus flourished about 500 B.c. His government over the Locrians was severe but just. In one of his decrees he forbade the use of wine unless it were prescribed as medicine; and in another he ordered that all adulterers should be punished with the loss of both their eyes. When his own son became subject to this penalty, the father, in order to maintain the authority of the laws, but to show par...

14. A Leader Is Not the Cause

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

A true leader is committed to the cause, and does not become the cause. Staying personally dedicated to the cause can become extremely difficult, particularly if the cause succeeds. A subtle change in thinking can overtake the leader of a successful ministry. He or she begins "needing" certain things to carry on the ministry-things that were not needed earlier. I admire Mother Teresa, who decided ...

15. A Little Child Shall Lead Them

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

A nine-year-old who had leukemia was given six months to live. When the doctor broke the news to her parents outside her hospital room, the youngster overheard the doctor's words. But it did not become obvious until later that she knew about her condition. To everyone's surprise, her faith in Christ gave her an attitude of victory. She talked freely about her death with anticipation in her voice. ...

16. A Mean Drunk

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

It seems this man had been drinking for awhile in one of those bars on the top floor of a skyscraper and he had become mean and surly. Another patron decided to cheer him up. He told him that life was really great and he wasn't going to leave until he started to smile. This obviously bugged the surly patron, but they did get into a conversation. Finally the drinker pointed out at the skyline and a...

17. A Mother Is Waiting

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

John Todd was born in Rutledge, Vermont, into a family of several children. They later moved to the village of Killingsworth back in the early 1800s. And there, at a very young age, both John's parents died. The relatives wondered what they would do with so many children, how they could parcel them out to other friends and relatives. One dear and loving aunt said she would take little John. The au...

18. A Nail for Remembering

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

One time at the City Temple in London, there was in the congregation a restaurateur named Emil Mettler who was a close friend of Albert Schweitzer and a kind of agent for Schweitzer in Britain. Mettler would never allow a Christian worker to pay for a meal in his restaurant, but once he did happen to open his cash register in the presence of a secretary of the London Missionary Society. The secret...

19. A Parable of Unity

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

During Vacation Bible School a teacher had an experience with her primary class that she says she will never forget. Her class was interrupted on Wednesday about an hour before dismissal when a new student was brought in. The little boy had one arm missing, and since the class was almost over, she had no opportunity to learn any of the details about the cause or his state of adjustment. She was ve...

20. A Pastor's Excuses

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Editor James S. Hewett

Twelve reasons why a local clergyman stopped attending athletic events: Every time I went, they asked me for money. The people with whom I had to sit didn't seem very friendly. The seats were too hard and not comfortable. The coach never came to call on me. The referee made a decision with which I could not agree. I was sitting with some hypocrites—they came only to see what others were weari...

21. A Picture of Atonement

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

It was a mountain one-room school house where severe discipline was used to keep the rowdyism of uninterested pupils in check. The noon recess was ended and the teacher was interrogating the class with regard to the disappearance of Sally Jane's lunch. After a few minutes of verbal threats and demands, a sob was heard. It was little Billy—a thin, undernourished child. His family was the poorest of...

22. A Point of Contact

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

Bob Weber, past president of Kiwanis International, told this story. He had spoken to a club in a small town and was spending the night with a farmer on the outskirts of the community. He had just relaxed on the front porch when a newsboy delivered the evening paper. The boy noted the sign Puppies for Sale. The boy got off his bike and said to the farmer, "How much do you want for the pups, mister...

23. A Scholar's Perspective

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Editor James S. Hewett

Matthew Henry, the famous Bible scholar, was once accosted by thieves and robbed of his purse. He wrote these words in his diary: "Let me be thankful first because I was never robbed before; second, although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because, although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, and not someone else."

24. A Smile

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

A smile costs nothing, but gives much. It enriches those who receive, without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that they can get along without it, and none is so poor but that they can be made rich by it. A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in business, and is the countersign of friends...

25. A Stone in the Sun

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

A man was hiking in the mountains out West when he saw the stone—a small one, about the size of a half-dollar, with smooth rounded edges. Ordinarily he would have passed it by, not being a rock hound. It would have remained there for another thousand years perhaps, a mere pebble among the larger stones on the trail. But this one instantly caught the eye. It was special. Glinting in the sunlight, i...

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Showing 1 to 25 of 556 results

Opportunity may only knock once, but temptation bangs at your door repeatedly.

Editor James S. Hewett

2. A Bad Day When...

Humor Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

You know it's going to be a bad day when you wake up in a hospital all trussed up and your insurance agent tells you that your accident policy covers falling off the roof, but not hitting the ground.

3. A Bias That Shows

Humor Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

4. A Child's Version of the Meaning of Easter

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

5. A Child's View of Love

Humor Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

Some children were asked, "What is love?" One little girl answered, "Love is when your mommy reads you a bedtime story. True love is when she doesn't skip any pages."

6. A Diamond and the Fullness of Strength

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

7. A Different View

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

8. A Disciplined Team

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

9. A Fable on Peace

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

10. A Father's Love

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

11. A Giving Incarnation

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

12. A Glorious Fixture

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

13. A Keen Justice

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

14. A Leader Is Not the Cause

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

15. A Little Child Shall Lead Them

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

16. A Mean Drunk

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

17. A Mother Is Waiting

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

18. A Nail for Remembering

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

19. A Parable of Unity

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

20. A Pastor's Excuses

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

21. A Picture of Atonement

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

22. A Point of Contact

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

23. A Scholar's Perspective

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

24. A Smile

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

25. A Stone in the Sun

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

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