Sermon Illustrations for Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 (2011)
Illustration
Exodus 3:1-15
We like names. We have books devoted to names that we pore over to choose names for our children, our pets, sometimes even things like cars and kitchen appliances. There is an old superstition about the power of names -- and although we don't like to think of ourselves as superstitious, we still can't quite shake the idea that a name defines something. A "Harriet" is a different kind of person than a "Nicole," we think. We worry about the meanings of names, namesakes, and name associations. There are names that we don't like to be called and there are names that we only like certain people to call us. Yes, we are a people who are very interested in the idea of names.
Leah T.
Exodus 3:1-15
Stephen Harold Spender (1909-1995) was an English poet, novelist, and essayist who concentrated on themes of social justice and the class struggle in his work. He once wrote, "History is the ship carrying living memories to the future."
When Moses encountered God on Mount Sinai and received the Ten Commandments, history was created. It was a living history because that encounter is still living with us this day.
Ron L.
Romans 12:9-21
In the April 5, 2011 issue of the Christian Century magazine, Sarah Hinlicky Wilson has an article titled "Here I Walk: On the Road with Luther." She and her husband, Andrew, decided while in graduate school in 2010 to observe the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's 1,000-mile pilgrimage (undertaken in his pre-reformer days) from his Augustinian priory in Erfurt to Rome.
Sarah realized that Luther hated pilgrimages and wrote much about their evils. Nonetheless, Sarah and her husband transformed their walk into an "Ecumenical Pilgrimage" with the aim toward better relationships between Lutherans and Catholics. They used Facebook and Twitter to spread the word about their venture. In time, they had a virtual community of pilgrims to follow along with them in their quest for reconciliation in the spirit of Paul, who challenged them to "live in harmony with one another."
Richard H.
Romans 12:19-21
I recently heard a friend of mine talking about the story of Nicky Cruz. For anyone familiar with the story of David Wilkerson, Nicky Cruz will be a very familiar name. Cruz was a violent member of a teenage gang in New York City. It was said that he would laugh at the sight of someone bleeding. However, Cruz's life would be forever changed when a pastor from Pennsylvania named David Wilkerson moved to New York to help reach out to teenage gangs. Even through threats of violence and death, Wilkerson was determined to love these kids and point them to Jesus. As a result of that love and determination, Cruz has gone on to become not only a dedicated Christian but also a worldwide evangelist, pointing others to the same Jesus to which he was pointed all those years ago on the streets of New York.
This story demonstrates one of the central truths of our faith. We are not people who resort to violence or extortion or guilt to spread our faith. On the contrary, Paul admonishes us to love our enemies, and treat them with extra kindness. "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (v. 21).
Craig K.
Matthew 16:21-28
It's easy to talk about things that are far away. When you are fifteen years old, it's fun to flip through bridal magazines and pretend to plan a wedding that is years and years in the future. But when the time comes? When he goes on one knee and asks THE question? You get nervous. Suddenly your stomach is a mess of knots, or it feels like your insides have all gone missing. Nothing quite adds up, because all of a sudden it's not a game anymore. It's not something to daydream about. It's real. And this is it. And no matter how much you love him or how sure you are that you want to be with this person for the rest of your life... it's still terrifying.
Leah T.
Matthew 16:21-28
Charlie Sheen, boastful of his drug addictions, parties with porn stars, and confrontations with CBS, embarked on a tour he titled "My Violent Torpedo of Truth / Defeat is not an Option." One would think that at this stage in his life and his multiple failings, Sheen would be better off if he said, "Get behind me, Satan!"
Ron L.
We like names. We have books devoted to names that we pore over to choose names for our children, our pets, sometimes even things like cars and kitchen appliances. There is an old superstition about the power of names -- and although we don't like to think of ourselves as superstitious, we still can't quite shake the idea that a name defines something. A "Harriet" is a different kind of person than a "Nicole," we think. We worry about the meanings of names, namesakes, and name associations. There are names that we don't like to be called and there are names that we only like certain people to call us. Yes, we are a people who are very interested in the idea of names.
Leah T.
Exodus 3:1-15
Stephen Harold Spender (1909-1995) was an English poet, novelist, and essayist who concentrated on themes of social justice and the class struggle in his work. He once wrote, "History is the ship carrying living memories to the future."
When Moses encountered God on Mount Sinai and received the Ten Commandments, history was created. It was a living history because that encounter is still living with us this day.
Ron L.
Romans 12:9-21
In the April 5, 2011 issue of the Christian Century magazine, Sarah Hinlicky Wilson has an article titled "Here I Walk: On the Road with Luther." She and her husband, Andrew, decided while in graduate school in 2010 to observe the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's 1,000-mile pilgrimage (undertaken in his pre-reformer days) from his Augustinian priory in Erfurt to Rome.
Sarah realized that Luther hated pilgrimages and wrote much about their evils. Nonetheless, Sarah and her husband transformed their walk into an "Ecumenical Pilgrimage" with the aim toward better relationships between Lutherans and Catholics. They used Facebook and Twitter to spread the word about their venture. In time, they had a virtual community of pilgrims to follow along with them in their quest for reconciliation in the spirit of Paul, who challenged them to "live in harmony with one another."
Richard H.
Romans 12:19-21
I recently heard a friend of mine talking about the story of Nicky Cruz. For anyone familiar with the story of David Wilkerson, Nicky Cruz will be a very familiar name. Cruz was a violent member of a teenage gang in New York City. It was said that he would laugh at the sight of someone bleeding. However, Cruz's life would be forever changed when a pastor from Pennsylvania named David Wilkerson moved to New York to help reach out to teenage gangs. Even through threats of violence and death, Wilkerson was determined to love these kids and point them to Jesus. As a result of that love and determination, Cruz has gone on to become not only a dedicated Christian but also a worldwide evangelist, pointing others to the same Jesus to which he was pointed all those years ago on the streets of New York.
This story demonstrates one of the central truths of our faith. We are not people who resort to violence or extortion or guilt to spread our faith. On the contrary, Paul admonishes us to love our enemies, and treat them with extra kindness. "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (v. 21).
Craig K.
Matthew 16:21-28
It's easy to talk about things that are far away. When you are fifteen years old, it's fun to flip through bridal magazines and pretend to plan a wedding that is years and years in the future. But when the time comes? When he goes on one knee and asks THE question? You get nervous. Suddenly your stomach is a mess of knots, or it feels like your insides have all gone missing. Nothing quite adds up, because all of a sudden it's not a game anymore. It's not something to daydream about. It's real. And this is it. And no matter how much you love him or how sure you are that you want to be with this person for the rest of your life... it's still terrifying.
Leah T.
Matthew 16:21-28
Charlie Sheen, boastful of his drug addictions, parties with porn stars, and confrontations with CBS, embarked on a tour he titled "My Violent Torpedo of Truth / Defeat is not an Option." One would think that at this stage in his life and his multiple failings, Sheen would be better off if he said, "Get behind me, Satan!"
Ron L.
