Sermon Central
-
No Substitutions
Contributed by Peter Loughman on Apr 21, 2009 (message contributor)
NO SUBSTITUTIONS
We had been living in New Jersey for about three weeks and were wanting to try out different things to get the "East Coast" experience. We both grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and honestly, New Jersey was a complete mystery to us. Some friends recommended that we eat at a diner, for diners are a real East Coast experience. We had never even heard of a diner, much less eaten at one.
One of the best in the state was just down the street from where we lived, so we walked hand in hand until we came to this large chrome covered building with large neon letters proclaiming. "The Princetonian Diner."
We were immediately greeted at the door and escorted in to the beautiful dining area and were seated at a small table right in front of the electric fireplace. The hostess was very professional and very proper. She pulled out our chairs for us, unfolded and gave us our napkins, handed us each a menu and gave us a rundown on the breakfast specials. Wow, this was a very nice place. So this is the East Coast experience...
And, then what happened is hard to describe, but I will try. All I can say is, perhaps, if you have lived in certain parts of New Jersey, this will make sense to you.
We were sitting next to a party of four. A waiter appeared at their table and asked, "So wadda yah have today?" Three of the four guests gave their breakfast orders, but the fourth had a question about one of the items on the menu and apparently wanted to make some sort of a substitution, one menu item for another menu item.
The waiter suddenly, and out of nowhere, went ballistic. He yelled at the guest, "Don’t give me any of your blankety blank blank blank (I’ll let you use your imagination there) just give me your blankety blank order!"
The response of the man giving the order was, "Blankety blank blank blank!" (Again, I’ll let you use your imagination) In a moment the two men were standing nose to nose screaming obscenities at each other. The man trying to order turned over his chair, the waiter threw down his order pad, a few more obscenities were exchanged and the waiter stomped off to the kitchen.
Katie and I were aghast. Even more astonishing was the fact that when we looked around at the other patrons in the diner, no one else had taken any notice of what had just occurred. They were going on with their meals and their conversations as if nothing had happened. It was absolutely amazing.
To our surprise, a woman immediately appeared at the table next to us, picked up the pad off the floor, calmly took the breakfast order, the offended man picked up his chair gave his order - and that was that. We both thought, "What kind of place have we moved to?"
As Katie and I were marveling at what had just happened right in front of our eyes, we heard a voice say, "So, wadda yah have today?" And standing at our little table, was the same waiter who just a few moments before had the loud confrontation with the table of four next to us.
We stared at each other, completely at a loss of how to respond. Then we both blurted out at the same time, "I’ll have a number one, and a cup of coffee." No harm came to us that day.
We were strangers in a strange land.
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
The Opposite Of Joy Is Not Sorrow. It Is ... PRO
Contributed by Robert Leroe on Sep 5, 2005
“The opposite of joy is not sorrow. It is unbelief ...read more
-
Prime Minister Tony Blair, A Confessed Christian ...
Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Jan 17, 2005
Prime Minister Tony Blair, a confessed Christian wanted to end a televised address to the nation with the words “God bless you!” but he was stopped by his media director, spin-doctor, Alistair Campbell, a convinced atheist, in a celebrated remark, “We don’t do God!” Well that’s not what Micah had ...read more
-
During The Time I Was A Police Officer There Was ... PRO
Contributed by Clark Tanner on Jan 16, 2005
During the time I was a police officer there was a dispatcher who was no more than a co-worker and casual friend to me. Near Christmas time one year, I walked into the dispatch center and she lifted a package from the table next to her and gave it to me. It was a Christmas gift, and it was ...read more
-
Evangelism Quotes And Illustrations PRO
Contributed by Paul Fritz on Apr 19, 2004
Evangelism Quotes and Illustrations 1. Paul Harvey said, "Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium." 2. Paul Little in his book "How to Give Away Your Faith" defines witnessing: "Witnessing is that deep-seated conviction that the greatest favor I can do ...read more
-
Introduction... The Clock That Had A Nervous ... PRO
Contributed by Troy Borst on Aug 5, 2004
INTRODUCTION... The Clock that had a Nervous Breakdown, C. Swindoll This new clock was ticking away on the shelf two ticks to the second as any good, self-respecting clock should tick when it began to think about how many times it was going to have to tick. “Two ticks to the second means 120 ...read more
Related Sermons
-
Five Reasons To Rejoice
Contributed by Richard Tow on Feb 29, 2016
In this sermon Dr. Tow outlines 5 reasons to rejoice. This sermon will compel you to nurture an attitude of gratefulness and encourage you to view life's events through an eternal perspective.
-
Being Thankful. No Matter What Series
Contributed by The Rev Deniray Mueller on Jan 30, 2018
no matter the condition of our lives, we can always find something to be thankful for
-
I Won't Complain Series
Contributed by Bishop Talbert Swan on May 29, 2010
Life and death are in the power of the tongue. The Lord wants us to speak life.
-
Complaint Department Series
Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Jan 1, 2014
But what do we do when we have a complaint in life? Where do we turn? The Psalmist tells us. 1- We pour out our complaints to the Lord 2- We confess the Lord as our refuge 3- We ask for the Lord’s help in time of need
-
Why Would Anyone Want To Back T O Egypt When The Promis Land Is Yours!
Contributed by Melvin Maughmer, Jr. on Aug 16, 2012
For the Children of Israel Egypt was their place of bandage, held in captivity for hundreds of years they suffered a cruel and inhumane lifestyle. They began to worship idols and assume all characteristics of their captors. However, God heard their desp
