Free Illustrations For October 17, 2010
Children's sermon
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Preaching
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Alexander White was one of Scotland's greatest preachers. One Sunday he looked into the congregation and noticed that a famous scientist was in attendance. White decided that he was going to do everything he could possibly do in order to win him to the kingdom. For several weeks he preached sermons that he felt would appeal to this man's scientific mind.
When the scientist finally told the minister that he was going to make his profession and join the church, he was delighted. Alexander White then asked him what had convinced him that this was something he should do. Inwardly, White wanted to know which one of his sermons had finally convinced the man to make his commitment. To his surprise, the scientist never mentioned them. Instead, he told the pastor about an elderly lady who spoke to him on the steps of the church one Sunday. She simply asked him, "Are you a Christian?"
His response was, "I am thinking about it."
"Oh," she said, "do more than that. Jesus Christ means the world to me."
The scientist then said to the minister, "As I looked at her radiant face with its shining eyes, I knew that she had a secret which I did not have, and I wanted it with all my heart."
*****
It is now acceptable to be late for appointments. With cellphones and texting, it is so easy to convey to the second party that one will be late and the reason why. Then, through this same form of medium, we can keep the waiting party informed on our progress to meet them. In some way, this is supposed to alleviate their inconvenience and feeling of disrespect that a scheduled appointment is not fixed but fluid.
Elizabeth Bernstein, in an article for The Wall Street Journal titled "Sick of This Text: 'Sorry I'm Late' ", reflected on how this makes the waiting party feel unimportant and disrespected. And the ability to text one's progress to the appointed place, recounting all the important interruptions that impeded this procession, gives the sender a sense of self-importance and empowerment. Lost, according to Bernstein, is the Marine Corps adage: "If you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late."
Bernstein provocatively describes this new phenomenon: "Remember when we would make plans to meet someone and then actually show up on time? If you were more than a few minutes late, the other person would have visions of you lying on a gurney with a toe tag. Now, thanks to cellphones, BlackBerrys, and other gadgets, too many have become blasé about being late. We have so many ways to relay a message that we're going to be tardy that we no longer feel guilty about it."
Paul says, "I give you charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season." The social sciences have taught us that there is a carryover in community behavior. An aspect of this that can be seen as it relates to the church is the loss of our evangelical fervor. In the age of BlackBerrys we have lost our sense of guilt regarding the urgency of sharing the gospel message of salvation. It seems too easy, perhaps even too convenient, to text the message tomorrow rather than interrupt the activities of the day. And since all of our friends have are connected to us by texting, it is known that a message not sent today will be received tomorrow.
Jesus made clear that we know not the hour or the day when he will return. This is why Paul urges us to be prepared to preach "in season and out of season." One may have lost his/her sense of guilt in making a friend wait patiently for the tardy guest to arrive for dinner; but when it comes to preaching the Word of our Lord, guilt should accompany every missed opportunity, every hour lost.
*****
People have always loved a good story. Paul knew that and warned the Christian community that people would turn away and start listening to legends or stories. A man named James Moran knew it too. He was the master of the publicity stunt, a dying art in the advertising game. He once searched for a needle in a haystack for 10 days to publicize a piece of real estate. In 1946, he sat on an ostrich egg for 19 days, four hours and 32 minutes to publicize a book called The Egg and I. And in perhaps his most outlandish publicity stunt, Mr. Moran opened an "embassy" in Washington for a mythical country to publicize a 1959 movie called The Mouse That Roared, also about a make-believe country. James Moran was a master at getting publicity, attracting attention, and creating "legends."
Paul reminds us to ride through those times when people get distracted by stunts and teachers who tell people what they want to hear. "Endure," says Paul, "and perform your duty as a servant of God."
*****
One of the difficulties of teaching confirmation class in a large suburban church is that each year for a number of young people, confirmation is their first experience with the church. Because their parents had drifted away from regular worship attendance themselves, or because their children did not want to go to church and the parents did not want to force them, or because Sunday morning sports practice and Sunday morning competitions kept them too busy, as many as a third of the class have little or no experience of worship or Christian education. But because their parents were raised in the church, they seem to think that confirmation is a good time for their children to "get some religion." This attitude presents two major problems.
First, we are confronting a generation of Bible and faith illiterates. One year of class is no substitute for a lifetime of familiarity and instruction. Second, we are not dealing with blank slates. In place of knowing from childhood the sacred scriptures, this generation has truly wandered around to myth. The myths that hold them captive are the myths of the culture and the media, myths of greed and violence and intolerance. There is simply no substitute for a faith given in childhood, tested in adolescence, which will last you a lifetime.
*****
There is a great deal we can learn about inviting people to church from the salesman's manual. First, we need to know that only one in ten "cold calls" (sales calls made to someone who has shown no previous interest) will buy whatever we have to sell. So, the salesman has to learn that there is no such thing as "a good time" to sell. One gets up every day and gets on the phone or goes out the door, and makes those calls. Do not let a "no" undermine your confidence, or convince you that you are not a salesperson. Persistence is the thing that sells, even if the salesman has no great flair for words.
But persistence alone is not enough, especially when selling what the sales professional calls "a big ticket item" (such as a major appliance, car, or house). Sales manuals counsel the use of a variety of techniques, approaches, and arguments for the customer's need of whatever it is that's being sold. And, the saleswoman is told, don't be afraid to call back; after thinking it over, the customer may decide that this house is exactly the one that will accommodate his family plans. Your timing may be lucky -- their old car just stopped dead on the freeway -- and the sale will be made immediately. But even if the person says "no" a second or third time, the fourth or fifth time may be the day the sale is made. Patience in answering questions and meeting objections, persistence, and a knack for listening to what people do not say all help to make the sale.
*****
Paul urges Timothy to be persistent in proclamation of the gospel, in favorable or unfavorable times. As parents, we often urge our children to be persistent in their various activities of life. Indeed, many of the stories we read to our children have persistence as a theme or subtheme.
Consider the fable of "The Hare and the Tortoise." The tortoise, in a very unfavorable race, persistently moves toward the goal. The tortoise never gives up, despite the snickers of the crowd and the sneers from the hare. The tortoise reaches the goal.
Then there is "The Little Engine That Could." Left in the roundhouse because he was thought too little and weak, the engine knew his capabilities and wanted the chance to prove himself. One day when all of the bigger, more powerful engines are out, he gets his chance to pull a train of toys over the mountain. Who can forget the scene, as he chugs up the mountain, repeating the mantra, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can," until he reaches the apex of the mountain in triumph.
Paul knew that there would be days when Timothy would feel like cashing in. "Be persistent, Timothy. God is with you."
*****
When Jacob wrestled with the angel on the banks of Jabbok stream, it was to determine who was going to be his god. Would he continue to worship Baal from the land of exile? Would he indulge himself in idolatry, seeking solace from a god who could neither speak nor touch? Would he place his allegiance in wealth and political power, knowing that buying favors and ruling armies is the true source of community power? Would he seek out the god of his ancestors, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? As the story progresses, we know Jacob left Jabbok's stream limping, realizing that the God who presided over the Garden of Eden is the only true and faithful God.
But one can only dread how horribly lost this message has become today. We have forsaken our admiration for the god-fearing, only to replace it with the media savvy. Forbes magazine recently released their annual list of the 100 most influential women in the world (). Respectfully, First Lady Michelle Obama was listed first for her humanitarian efforts and social programs on behalf of the poor. What has everyone astir is that Lady Gaga, dressed in her meat dress reflective of her vindictive personality, was listed as seventh. It seems that Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor (19th) and Elena Kagan (25th) add less to the community than one who eithers appears on stage naked or dresses only in an outfit of hair. One can only conclude that with Lady Gaga holding the esteem of our nation, few people have ventured with Jacob to Jabbok?fs stream.
This list, standing alone, should be enough to summon our nation to spiritual renewal.
*****
In Toni Morrison's Noble Prize-winning book Beloved, paternal grandmother Jenny Whitlow is affectionately known as "Baby Suggs." Having endured the rigors of slavery, six mates none of her choosing and eight children, now as an emancipated individual she seeks only peace and harmony among the races. She also desires that her fellow Negros learn to love and honor their bodies and to shed the self-denigration wrought by slavery. In speaking to her daughter-in-law, who is struggling to redeem a broken life in a white world, Morrison pens this account of their redeeming encounter. It is presented from the perspective of Baby Suggs: "Who decided that, because slave life had 'busted her legs, back, head, eyes, hands, kidneys, womb, and tongue,' she had nothing left to make a living with but her heart -- which she put to work at once." In so doing, Baby Suggs "became an unchurched preacher, one who visited pulpits and opened her great heart to those who could use it."
In a story that emulates that of Jacob, Baby Suggs wrestled with the angel to discover her calling in life. She was left bruised and battered, disfigurements that came less from the angel than from a relentless and unyielding racist society. Yet, symbolically, she still needed to visit the banks of the Jabbok to learn that a body whose hands were broken and a womb that was left forever void could still minister in the name of God. So as she stirred the waters of Jabbok stream and the angel departed at sunrise, she found that her gift was in a heart that knew how to preach love and peace, patience and self-acceptance.
We are not equal in our abilities or in our stature in the local community. There are many who are more charismatic, possess greater physical coordination, and have a family name that will propel them to be recognized as the natural leaders, ability notwithstanding. But these attributes are superficial when compared to the greatest gift of all -- a heart that loves God and can convey that love in convincing speech and actions. This we will learn at the waters of Jabbok's stream.
*****
There's a famous scene from the musical Fiddler on the Roof, in which Tevye turns to his wife Golda -- the woman he married years before, in a marriage arranged by their parents -- and asks her in song, "Golda, do you love me?"
"Do I what?" Golda sings back. "For 25 years I've washed your clothes, cooked your meals, shared your bed, raised your children, and now you ask, 'Do I love you?' "
"I know, Golda," says Tevye, "and I'm grateful, but do you love me?"
They go on for a while with this back-and-forth exchange in the song, but by the end of it they've come to the conclusion that, yes, the two of them do love each other, deeply. When they look at all they've been through together, it's the only logical conclusion. Tevye and Golda are in love.
We can't practice prayer -- or the faith that undergirds it -- in a few brief moments of half-hearted requests. We've got to demonstrate the same persistence, sustained over time, as the poor, desperate widow knocking on the judge's door.
Alexander White was one of Scotland's greatest preachers. One Sunday he looked into the congregation and noticed that a famous scientist was in attendance. White decided that he was going to do everything he could possibly do in order to win him to the kingdom. For several weeks he preached sermons that he felt would appeal to this man's scientific mind.
When the scientist finally told the minister that he was going to make his profession and join the church, he was delighted. Alexander White then asked him what had convinced him that this was something he should do. Inwardly, White wanted to know which one of his sermons had finally convinced the man to make his commitment. To his surprise, the scientist never mentioned them. Instead, he told the pastor about an elderly lady who spoke to him on the steps of the church one Sunday. She simply asked him, "Are you a Christian?"
His response was, "I am thinking about it."
"Oh," she said, "do more than that. Jesus Christ means the world to me."
The scientist then said to the minister, "As I looked at her radiant face with its shining eyes, I knew that she had a secret which I did not have, and I wanted it with all my heart."
*****
It is now acceptable to be late for appointments. With cellphones and texting, it is so easy to convey to the second party that one will be late and the reason why. Then, through this same form of medium, we can keep the waiting party informed on our progress to meet them. In some way, this is supposed to alleviate their inconvenience and feeling of disrespect that a scheduled appointment is not fixed but fluid.
Elizabeth Bernstein, in an article for The Wall Street Journal titled "Sick of This Text: 'Sorry I'm Late' ", reflected on how this makes the waiting party feel unimportant and disrespected. And the ability to text one's progress to the appointed place, recounting all the important interruptions that impeded this procession, gives the sender a sense of self-importance and empowerment. Lost, according to Bernstein, is the Marine Corps adage: "If you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late."
Bernstein provocatively describes this new phenomenon: "Remember when we would make plans to meet someone and then actually show up on time? If you were more than a few minutes late, the other person would have visions of you lying on a gurney with a toe tag. Now, thanks to cellphones, BlackBerrys, and other gadgets, too many have become blasé about being late. We have so many ways to relay a message that we're going to be tardy that we no longer feel guilty about it."
Paul says, "I give you charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season." The social sciences have taught us that there is a carryover in community behavior. An aspect of this that can be seen as it relates to the church is the loss of our evangelical fervor. In the age of BlackBerrys we have lost our sense of guilt regarding the urgency of sharing the gospel message of salvation. It seems too easy, perhaps even too convenient, to text the message tomorrow rather than interrupt the activities of the day. And since all of our friends have are connected to us by texting, it is known that a message not sent today will be received tomorrow.
Jesus made clear that we know not the hour or the day when he will return. This is why Paul urges us to be prepared to preach "in season and out of season." One may have lost his/her sense of guilt in making a friend wait patiently for the tardy guest to arrive for dinner; but when it comes to preaching the Word of our Lord, guilt should accompany every missed opportunity, every hour lost.
*****
People have always loved a good story. Paul knew that and warned the Christian community that people would turn away and start listening to legends or stories. A man named James Moran knew it too. He was the master of the publicity stunt, a dying art in the advertising game. He once searched for a needle in a haystack for 10 days to publicize a piece of real estate. In 1946, he sat on an ostrich egg for 19 days, four hours and 32 minutes to publicize a book called The Egg and I. And in perhaps his most outlandish publicity stunt, Mr. Moran opened an "embassy" in Washington for a mythical country to publicize a 1959 movie called The Mouse That Roared, also about a make-believe country. James Moran was a master at getting publicity, attracting attention, and creating "legends."
Paul reminds us to ride through those times when people get distracted by stunts and teachers who tell people what they want to hear. "Endure," says Paul, "and perform your duty as a servant of God."
*****
One of the difficulties of teaching confirmation class in a large suburban church is that each year for a number of young people, confirmation is their first experience with the church. Because their parents had drifted away from regular worship attendance themselves, or because their children did not want to go to church and the parents did not want to force them, or because Sunday morning sports practice and Sunday morning competitions kept them too busy, as many as a third of the class have little or no experience of worship or Christian education. But because their parents were raised in the church, they seem to think that confirmation is a good time for their children to "get some religion." This attitude presents two major problems.
First, we are confronting a generation of Bible and faith illiterates. One year of class is no substitute for a lifetime of familiarity and instruction. Second, we are not dealing with blank slates. In place of knowing from childhood the sacred scriptures, this generation has truly wandered around to myth. The myths that hold them captive are the myths of the culture and the media, myths of greed and violence and intolerance. There is simply no substitute for a faith given in childhood, tested in adolescence, which will last you a lifetime.
*****
There is a great deal we can learn about inviting people to church from the salesman's manual. First, we need to know that only one in ten "cold calls" (sales calls made to someone who has shown no previous interest) will buy whatever we have to sell. So, the salesman has to learn that there is no such thing as "a good time" to sell. One gets up every day and gets on the phone or goes out the door, and makes those calls. Do not let a "no" undermine your confidence, or convince you that you are not a salesperson. Persistence is the thing that sells, even if the salesman has no great flair for words.
But persistence alone is not enough, especially when selling what the sales professional calls "a big ticket item" (such as a major appliance, car, or house). Sales manuals counsel the use of a variety of techniques, approaches, and arguments for the customer's need of whatever it is that's being sold. And, the saleswoman is told, don't be afraid to call back; after thinking it over, the customer may decide that this house is exactly the one that will accommodate his family plans. Your timing may be lucky -- their old car just stopped dead on the freeway -- and the sale will be made immediately. But even if the person says "no" a second or third time, the fourth or fifth time may be the day the sale is made. Patience in answering questions and meeting objections, persistence, and a knack for listening to what people do not say all help to make the sale.
*****
Paul urges Timothy to be persistent in proclamation of the gospel, in favorable or unfavorable times. As parents, we often urge our children to be persistent in their various activities of life. Indeed, many of the stories we read to our children have persistence as a theme or subtheme.
Consider the fable of "The Hare and the Tortoise." The tortoise, in a very unfavorable race, persistently moves toward the goal. The tortoise never gives up, despite the snickers of the crowd and the sneers from the hare. The tortoise reaches the goal.
Then there is "The Little Engine That Could." Left in the roundhouse because he was thought too little and weak, the engine knew his capabilities and wanted the chance to prove himself. One day when all of the bigger, more powerful engines are out, he gets his chance to pull a train of toys over the mountain. Who can forget the scene, as he chugs up the mountain, repeating the mantra, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can," until he reaches the apex of the mountain in triumph.
Paul knew that there would be days when Timothy would feel like cashing in. "Be persistent, Timothy. God is with you."
*****
When Jacob wrestled with the angel on the banks of Jabbok stream, it was to determine who was going to be his god. Would he continue to worship Baal from the land of exile? Would he indulge himself in idolatry, seeking solace from a god who could neither speak nor touch? Would he place his allegiance in wealth and political power, knowing that buying favors and ruling armies is the true source of community power? Would he seek out the god of his ancestors, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? As the story progresses, we know Jacob left Jabbok's stream limping, realizing that the God who presided over the Garden of Eden is the only true and faithful God.
But one can only dread how horribly lost this message has become today. We have forsaken our admiration for the god-fearing, only to replace it with the media savvy. Forbes magazine recently released their annual list of the 100 most influential women in the world (). Respectfully, First Lady Michelle Obama was listed first for her humanitarian efforts and social programs on behalf of the poor. What has everyone astir is that Lady Gaga, dressed in her meat dress reflective of her vindictive personality, was listed as seventh. It seems that Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor (19th) and Elena Kagan (25th) add less to the community than one who eithers appears on stage naked or dresses only in an outfit of hair. One can only conclude that with Lady Gaga holding the esteem of our nation, few people have ventured with Jacob to Jabbok?fs stream.
This list, standing alone, should be enough to summon our nation to spiritual renewal.
*****
In Toni Morrison's Noble Prize-winning book Beloved, paternal grandmother Jenny Whitlow is affectionately known as "Baby Suggs." Having endured the rigors of slavery, six mates none of her choosing and eight children, now as an emancipated individual she seeks only peace and harmony among the races. She also desires that her fellow Negros learn to love and honor their bodies and to shed the self-denigration wrought by slavery. In speaking to her daughter-in-law, who is struggling to redeem a broken life in a white world, Morrison pens this account of their redeeming encounter. It is presented from the perspective of Baby Suggs: "Who decided that, because slave life had 'busted her legs, back, head, eyes, hands, kidneys, womb, and tongue,' she had nothing left to make a living with but her heart -- which she put to work at once." In so doing, Baby Suggs "became an unchurched preacher, one who visited pulpits and opened her great heart to those who could use it."
In a story that emulates that of Jacob, Baby Suggs wrestled with the angel to discover her calling in life. She was left bruised and battered, disfigurements that came less from the angel than from a relentless and unyielding racist society. Yet, symbolically, she still needed to visit the banks of the Jabbok to learn that a body whose hands were broken and a womb that was left forever void could still minister in the name of God. So as she stirred the waters of Jabbok stream and the angel departed at sunrise, she found that her gift was in a heart that knew how to preach love and peace, patience and self-acceptance.
We are not equal in our abilities or in our stature in the local community. There are many who are more charismatic, possess greater physical coordination, and have a family name that will propel them to be recognized as the natural leaders, ability notwithstanding. But these attributes are superficial when compared to the greatest gift of all -- a heart that loves God and can convey that love in convincing speech and actions. This we will learn at the waters of Jabbok's stream.
*****
There's a famous scene from the musical Fiddler on the Roof, in which Tevye turns to his wife Golda -- the woman he married years before, in a marriage arranged by their parents -- and asks her in song, "Golda, do you love me?"
"Do I what?" Golda sings back. "For 25 years I've washed your clothes, cooked your meals, shared your bed, raised your children, and now you ask, 'Do I love you?' "
"I know, Golda," says Tevye, "and I'm grateful, but do you love me?"
They go on for a while with this back-and-forth exchange in the song, but by the end of it they've come to the conclusion that, yes, the two of them do love each other, deeply. When they look at all they've been through together, it's the only logical conclusion. Tevye and Golda are in love.
We can't practice prayer -- or the faith that undergirds it -- in a few brief moments of half-hearted requests. We've got to demonstrate the same persistence, sustained over time, as the poor, desperate widow knocking on the judge's door.
