Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 4 (2011)
Illustration
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Two popular reality TV shows deal with pawnshops. They are Hardcore Pawn filmed in Detroit, and Pawn Stars, filmed in Las Vegas. The shows are intriguing for the audience does not know what item will come through the door next and the traumatic story that will accompany it. As the story line of the show unfolds, an individual in desperate need pawns an item to get some needed cash, with the hope that their luck will turn and they will be able to purchase the item back. Unfortunately for many, that is not the case. The pawnbroker can only hold onto an item for so long, until it must be sold for a profit. Pawnbroker Michael Krasow says, "I much prefer when people come back for their things, because telling someone they're way overdue and they've lost their item is not a fun part of this business. We always give people extra time. But sometimes that's not enough."
God told the people of Judah that a prophet will speak everything that God commands. Then God says, "Anyone who does not heed the words of the prophet, I myself will hold accountable." It is with sadness that God judges but sometimes time does run out.
R. Love
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Fred Craddock tells the story about a missionary family who served in China. One day they were arrested and forced to leave. They were allowed to take no more than two hundred pounds with them. We can imagine the difficult decisions they had to make. The mother said, "We must take this vase. It's precious, and we will never find anything like it again." The father replied, "Don't forget, this is a new typewriter. We have to include it." They placed everything on a scale and finally reached their goal of two hundred pounds.
The soldiers came to inspect their packing. They asked, "Did you weigh everything?" Yes, they had done this. Then the soldiers asked, "Did you weigh the children? They count too." In a split second the typewriter and the vase and everything else simply became trash. None of it seemed important after all.
In the end, whether we are talking about rules and regulations regarding the eating of food or regarding the possessions we own, it is people who are most important.
R. Hasler
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
I have noticed that in some churches there are two chalices present during communion. One will have the actual communion wine in it, while the other will have either non-alcoholic wine or grape juice in it. Some churches even use grape juice exclusively and forego wine altogether. To me, this is a perfect example of the practical application of this passage. We have the freedom to partake of actual wine as we celebrate communion but what of the new sister or brother in the faith who has struggled with alcoholism? Will our freedom to drink wine at communion potentially cause that person to feel excluded from this act of worship, or worse, could it cause them to relapse into that destructive behavior? We need to accommodate those among us who could be made to stumble in the faith by our actions, even if it means putting aside a freedom we enjoy. "Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble" (v. 13).
C. Kelly
Mark 1:21-28
After the close of The Oprah Winfrey Show, People magazine did a review of its 25 years of broadcasting. The article highlighted those shows that were most memorable. One of the shows listed, with photograph, is Tom Cruise jumping up-and-down on a yellow chair declaring his love for Katie Holmes. People magazine labeled this incident as "possibly the water-cooler incident of all time." In other words, Cruise's actions were so absurd that everyone would talk about them for days and weeks to come. In fact, it could become one of the most remembered acts in the 25 years of filming The Oprah Winfrey Show.
After Jesus taught in the synagogue, everyone was amazed that the son of a carpenter could have such wisdom. Jesus spoke with such authority that he captured the attention of everyone, and as the gospel recalls, "his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding regions of Galilee."
If our fame is to spread, do not let it be for our antics; but instead, let it be that we impress people with our knowledge of the scriptures and dedication to fulfilling their meaning.
R. Love
Two popular reality TV shows deal with pawnshops. They are Hardcore Pawn filmed in Detroit, and Pawn Stars, filmed in Las Vegas. The shows are intriguing for the audience does not know what item will come through the door next and the traumatic story that will accompany it. As the story line of the show unfolds, an individual in desperate need pawns an item to get some needed cash, with the hope that their luck will turn and they will be able to purchase the item back. Unfortunately for many, that is not the case. The pawnbroker can only hold onto an item for so long, until it must be sold for a profit. Pawnbroker Michael Krasow says, "I much prefer when people come back for their things, because telling someone they're way overdue and they've lost their item is not a fun part of this business. We always give people extra time. But sometimes that's not enough."
God told the people of Judah that a prophet will speak everything that God commands. Then God says, "Anyone who does not heed the words of the prophet, I myself will hold accountable." It is with sadness that God judges but sometimes time does run out.
R. Love
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Fred Craddock tells the story about a missionary family who served in China. One day they were arrested and forced to leave. They were allowed to take no more than two hundred pounds with them. We can imagine the difficult decisions they had to make. The mother said, "We must take this vase. It's precious, and we will never find anything like it again." The father replied, "Don't forget, this is a new typewriter. We have to include it." They placed everything on a scale and finally reached their goal of two hundred pounds.
The soldiers came to inspect their packing. They asked, "Did you weigh everything?" Yes, they had done this. Then the soldiers asked, "Did you weigh the children? They count too." In a split second the typewriter and the vase and everything else simply became trash. None of it seemed important after all.
In the end, whether we are talking about rules and regulations regarding the eating of food or regarding the possessions we own, it is people who are most important.
R. Hasler
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
I have noticed that in some churches there are two chalices present during communion. One will have the actual communion wine in it, while the other will have either non-alcoholic wine or grape juice in it. Some churches even use grape juice exclusively and forego wine altogether. To me, this is a perfect example of the practical application of this passage. We have the freedom to partake of actual wine as we celebrate communion but what of the new sister or brother in the faith who has struggled with alcoholism? Will our freedom to drink wine at communion potentially cause that person to feel excluded from this act of worship, or worse, could it cause them to relapse into that destructive behavior? We need to accommodate those among us who could be made to stumble in the faith by our actions, even if it means putting aside a freedom we enjoy. "Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble" (v. 13).
C. Kelly
Mark 1:21-28
After the close of The Oprah Winfrey Show, People magazine did a review of its 25 years of broadcasting. The article highlighted those shows that were most memorable. One of the shows listed, with photograph, is Tom Cruise jumping up-and-down on a yellow chair declaring his love for Katie Holmes. People magazine labeled this incident as "possibly the water-cooler incident of all time." In other words, Cruise's actions were so absurd that everyone would talk about them for days and weeks to come. In fact, it could become one of the most remembered acts in the 25 years of filming The Oprah Winfrey Show.
After Jesus taught in the synagogue, everyone was amazed that the son of a carpenter could have such wisdom. Jesus spoke with such authority that he captured the attention of everyone, and as the gospel recalls, "his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding regions of Galilee."
If our fame is to spread, do not let it be for our antics; but instead, let it be that we impress people with our knowledge of the scriptures and dedication to fulfilling their meaning.
R. Love
