Sermon Central
-
The In-Laws: "Are You A Praying Man?"
Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Nov 19, 2010 (message contributor)
THE IN-LAWS: "ARE YOU A PRAYING MAN?"
Sheldon Kornpett was a quiet, reserved man with a successful dental practice in Manhattan, that is, until he met his future in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. Vince Ricardo. Sheldon’s daughter was soon to be married to their son, so Sheldon’s wife hosted a dinner party at their house to meet the parents of her daughter’s fiancé. This is the setup, of course, for the 1979 film, The In-Laws, in which Alan Arkin plays the docile, subdued dentist and Peter Falk plays the wild and goofy Vince Ricardo.
On the day after the party, Vince drops by Sheldon’s office and tells him that he is actually a CIA operative and that he has secretly robbed the U.S. Mint of a number of engraving plates. He explains that it was a necessary action if he was to crack a worldwide plot against the economy of the United States. He had to act on his own, he says, because the CIA wouldn’t go along with him. Not only that, Vince says, but he left one of the stolen engraving plates in Sheldon’s house the night before. As you might expect, when Sheldon arrives home that evening, the Feds are there to meet him.
But Sheldon doesn’t go into the house; he turns his car around and goes the other way. He calls Vince, and, before he knows it, he and his daughter’s future father-in-law are in a somewhat unstable plane, flying over a vast expanse of water, headed for Central America as part of Vince’s plan to save the United States from financial ruin.
When they arrive, they fall into disfavor with the local dictator, a General Garcia, and they wind up in front of a firing squad. The General enjoys having these Americans at his mercy, and he struts around in front of them, trying to torment them with their fate. This works with the dentist, of course, but the Peter Falk character isn’t shaken a bit. I remember the General, prancing in his black, high gloss, knee-high boots, wielding a riding crop in one hand -- I remember him walking up to the Alan Arkin character, tilting his head to capture his prisoner’s line of vision, and saying: "Tell me, sir: Are you a praying man?"
It’s the question I want us to consider today. Are you a praying man? Are you a woman who prays? Is prayer a part of your practice?
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
John Was A Very Lonely, Wealthy Old Man. He Had ... PRO
Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Jun 20, 2005
John was a very lonely, wealthy old man. He had worked hard all his life and built a great business and made loads of money. But, he was all alone. One Sunday evening as he was talking a walk to clear his head, he was drawn to a church where he heard wonderful, joyous music. It was a spiritual ...read more
-
A Wealthy Man Was Taking A Cruise When Suddenly ... PRO
Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Jun 20, 2005
A wealthy man was taking a cruise when suddenly the announcement came that the ship was sinking. The man took his sack of gold coins around his waist and jumped overboard trying to swim to safety. Unfortunately, the weight of the coins ...read more
-
People Refuse To Believe That Which They Don't ...
Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Oct 18, 2004
People refuse to believe that which they don’t want to believe, in spite of evidence. When explorers first went to Australia they found a mammal which laid eggs; spent some time in water, some on land; had a broad, flat tail, webbed feet, and a bill similar to a duck. Upon their return to England, ...read more
-
Mamie Adams Always Went To A Branch Post Office ... PRO
Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Oct 18, 2004
Mamie Adams always went to a branch post office in her town because the postal employees there were friendly. She went there to buy stamps just before Christmas one year and the lines were particularly long. Someone pointed out that there was no need to wait in line because there was a stamp ...read more
-
Recently Kgo Talk Radio In San Francisco ... PRO
Contributed by Dr. Randy Croft on Jul 5, 2004
Recently KGO talk radio in San Francisco conducted a call-in poll. Ronn Owens invited listeners to express their opinion. Thirty-five percent said yes, 33 percent said no and 32 percent were undecided. One listener, aghast at the large number of undecideds, protested, "It’s this sort of apathy ...read more
Related Sermons
-
God Will Fix It For You
Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 7, 2017
Using Psalm 107, this sermon explores how God's love is expressed to us in the context of our troubles in life; then, how worship is birthed in our hearts out of these experiences.
-
Set Your Mind On The Lord Series
Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 25, 2017
in Ps 16:8 David said, “I have set the LORD always before me….” Sermon encourages Christians to practice the presence of God in their daily lives and give some instruction on how to do that.
-
Pray For One Another Series
Contributed by David Owens on Dec 1, 2009
Praying for one another fervently and faithfully is our privilege and responsibility.
-
Pray!!! Series
Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 4, 2017
Prayer is easy to neglect due to pressing cares and responsibilities of life. However, prayer is our lifeline to heaven for the resources to effectively discharge those responsibilities and live in the strength of the Holy Spirit.
-
Pentecostal Promises
Contributed by Ernie Arnold on May 18, 2017
Holy Spirit - Pentecost Sunday - The Fulfillment of God's Promise-The Coming of the Holy Spirit! The Power of God's Promise - The Infilling of the Holy Spirit! The Proclamation of God's Promise - New Life through the Holy Spirit
