Sermon Central
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I Would Like To Bring In Here The Story Of The ... PRO
Contributed by Paul Kallan on Nov 18, 2002 (message contributor)
I would like to bring in here the story of the film “Chocolate” directed by Lasse Hallström [Heinrich Jacob, Der Prediger und Katechet, 6/2002. pages. 849-851]. A small, sleepy, and quiet french city. The inhabitants are lower-middle class, strictly moralistic, tied to tradtion, scrupulous and totally unfree internally and externally. No one dares to be different. Everyone goes to church. The mayor runs the city within the framework of rigid rules. He even corrects the Sunday sermons of the parish priest.
A young mother with her little daughter moves into this city and opens a chocolate shop at the time of Lent. She makes delicious chocolates of different types, which once tasted, no one could resist. This lady is energetic, charming, goal-oriented, sensitive and empathetic. She knows well to sell her chocolates. And she captivates the attention of the entire city.
This shop, the lady and the chocolates disturb the people, that too, at a time of fasting. People, starting with someone daring, begin to buy the chocolates. The established, ordered and the regulated life of the city is disturbed. The chocolate shop becomes the meeting point of the people of the city. There is encounter, conversation, friendship, joy and laughter. But there is also opposition. The lady is even threatened in order to leave the city. But the openness and the trust of the people for the joy and hope she brought into their lives overcome all opposition. And we see the mayor himself quietly climbing a tree to have a look at the chocolates in the shop-window. Finally all come to the shop, mayor and the priest alike. And the priest was ever after free to preach...
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A Wife Went With Her Friend To The Police Station ... PRO
Contributed by Bo Dunford on Apr 15, 2005
A wife went with her friend to the police station to report that her husband was missing! * When the policeman asked for a description, she said, “He’s 6 foot 2, has deep blue eyes, dark wavy hair, athletic build, well-groomed and sharply dressed, weighs 185 pounds .......” * “He’s ...read more
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Listen To The Expectations Of A Wife In The ... PRO
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Feb 22, 2005
Listen to the expectations of a wife in the mid-50’s. This is entitled: “How to be a Good Wife” and was purportedly taken from a high school economics text book in 1954. Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal, on time. Prepare Yourself. Take 15 minutes ...read more
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Nobody To Forgive Me PRO
Contributed by Donnie Martin on May 9, 2002
Nobody to Forgive Me Not long before she died in 1988, in a moment of surprising candor in television, Marghanita Laski, one of our best-known secular humanists and novelists, said, “What I envy most about you Christians is your ...read more
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Consider This Short Poem Entitled "Power Of ... PRO
Contributed by Chris Hodges on Jul 28, 2003
Consider this short poem entitled “Power of Words:” A careless word may kindle strife A cruel word may wreak a life A bitter word may hate instill A brutal word may smite and kill A gracious word may smooth the way A joyous word ...read more
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On Her 60th Birthday, A Woman From Brooklyn ... PRO
Contributed by David Parks on Oct 21, 2004
On her 60th birthday, a woman from Brooklyn decided to prepare her last will and testament. She went to her rabbi to make two final requests: First, she insisted on cremation. “What is your second request?” the rabbi asked. “I want my ashes scattered over Bloomingdale’s.” “Bloomingdale’s. Why ...read more
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