Sermon Illustrations

WE ’ARE’ PREACHING

One day St. Francis of Assisi invited a young monk to join him on a trip into town to preach. The young monk was so honored that he quickly accepted. All day long they walked through the streets, and rubbed shoulders and visited with hundreds of people.

At the end of the day, they headed back home, however, not even once had St. Francis talked to anyone about the gospel. The young monk was disappointed, and said to St. Francis, "I thought we were going into town to preach?" St. Francis responded, "My son, we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking. We were seen by many and our behavior was closely watched. It is of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk!"

St. Francis also said, "Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, sometimes use words."

QUOTE: "You are called not so much to do great things, as to be a great person--and that person is Jesus Christ. The church of Jesus Christ is the resident presence of Jesus in the world. That’s a foundational principle of incarnational Christianity: It doesn’t aim to get people to God; it brings Jesus to them."

(From a sermon by Chris Jordan, "Christ in YOU - the Hope of Glory" 1/17/2009)

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