In Sermon Illustrations: showing 361-380 of 840

Let Me Tell You A Story About Honest Labor. There ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 15, 2006

Let me tell you a story about honest labor. There was a boy named Harry who worked for a Scottish shoemaker named Dan. It was his chief responsibility to pound out and dry leather for shoe soles. It seemed an endless operation to him, and he wearied of it many times. "What made my task worse was ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:17

Tags: Character

Denomination: Lutheran

Charles Leber, A Presbyterian Missionary, Was In ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 14, 2005

Charles Leber, a Presbyterian missionary, was in Westphalia, Germany at a clinic for handicapped children. A wealthy businessman came to tour the facilities and said to the doctor, “These are very pathetic children. What ratio of cures do you get? How many go back to normal life?” “About 1 in ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:9

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Lutheran

The Value Of The Necklace  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 13, 2005

An American tourist in Paris, who purchased an inexpensive amber necklace in a trinket ship, was shocked when he had to pay quite a high duty on it to clear customs in New York. This aroused his curiosity, so he had it appraised. After looking at the object under a magnifying glass, the jeweler ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:7

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Lutheran

Unfinished Business  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 12, 2005

John Quincy Adams held more important offices than anyone else in the history of the U.S. He served with distinction as president, senator, congressman, minister to major European powers, and participated in various capacities in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and events leading to the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Lutheran

When A Fellow Pastor Was A Child, His Family Sold ...  PRO

Contributed by Eric Vertein on Dec 12, 2005

When a fellow pastor was a child, his family sold evergreens for Christmas. Since they did the trimming throughout the year, they could tell which tree was the fullest, and they would tag it, so that no one else would take the tree that they wanted... Spiritually, we probably resemble Charlie ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Lutheran

He Led Them Up The Steep Slope Out Of The River ...  PRO

Contributed by Todd Anderson on Dec 8, 2005

“He led them up the steep slope out of the river valley and then slightly to the right apparently by the very same route which they had used that afternoon in coming from the hill of the stone table. On and on he lead them into dark shadows out into pale moonlight. Getting their feet wet with the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-3

Tags: Narnia

Denomination: Lutheran

Hans The Tailor  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 6, 2005

Consider the story of Hans the tailor. Because of his reputation, an influential entrepreneur visiting the city ordered a tailor-made suit. But when he came to pick up his suit, the customer found that one sleeve twisted that way and the other this way; one shoulder bulged out and the caved in. He ...read more

Scripture: John 4:7-16

Tags: Misconceptions

Denomination: Lutheran

If It Moves, Sin!

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 4, 2005

Chuck Swindoll writes: “One of my favorite stories comes from a man who used to be in our church. He and his wife were close friends of our family, but they have now moved to another part of the country. We really miss their joyful presence. When he was a youth worker many years ago in an ethnic ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:15

Tags: Church Practices

Denomination: Lutheran

I Recently Heard A Radio Report About A Group Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 29, 2005

I recently heard a radio report about a group of young men in Holland who were trying to break the world’s record for domino toppling. For many weeks they plied their skills, setting up one domino after another until there were ten’s of thousands in place. Knowing that all it would take is one ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 1:11-12

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Lutheran

A Group Of Friends Went Deer Hunting And Paired ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 26, 2005

A group of friends went deer hunting and paired off in twos for the day. That night one of the hunters returned alone, staggering under an eight-point buck. “Where’s Harry?” he was asked. “Harry had a stroke of some kind. He’s a couple of miles back up the trail.” “You left Harry laying there, ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 1:9

Tags: Giving Yourself

Denomination: Lutheran

The Bigger Picture  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 23, 2005

Dave Bosewell tells a story about Earl Weaver, former manager of the Baltimore Orioles. Weaver had a rule that no one could steal a base unless given the steal sign. This upset one of his star players, Reggie Jackson, because he felt he knew the pitchers and catchers well enough to judge who he ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:10-11

Tags: Knowing God's Will

Denomination: Lutheran

Time Check  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 21, 2005

Sometimes finding the right path depends greatly on friends that you have in high places. An airline pilot flying over the southeastern U.S. called the local tower and said, “We are passing over at 35,000--give us a time check.” The tower said, “What airline are you?” “What difference does it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:23

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Lutheran

Walking On Water  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 20, 2005

A man read an ad in the newspaper, “Hunting dog for sale, $2,500.00, but well worth it.” He called the number and the man told him that he had to see the dog in action. The next morning they met and went hunting early. The dog flushed two birds from a clump of bushes and when they fell into the ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 16:13-14

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Lutheran

Two Different Perspectives  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 17, 2005

It’s remarkable how two people can look at the same problem and come up with two different perspectives. A man was driving in the country one day and he saw an old man sitting on a fence rail watching the cars go by. Stopping to pass the time of day, the traveler said, “I never could stand living ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 4:10-13

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Strong Emotions

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 16, 2005

There is nothing wrong with strong emotions; even those that center squarely upon ourselves. Witness the story of missionary Adoniram Judson. He sweated out Burma’s heat for 18 years without a furlough, six years without a convert. Enduring torture and imprisonment, he admitted that he never saw a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:38

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Lutheran

Saving Christianity  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 15, 2005

A number of years ago Norman Cousins wrote an editorial in the Saturday Review in which he reported a conversation he had on a trip in India. He was talking with a Hindu priest named Satis Prasad. The man said he wanted to come to our country to work as a missionary among the Americans. Cousins ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:15-16

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Lutheran

There Is No Exchange! (11.15.05--Heart And ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 14, 2005

There Is No Exchange! (11.15.05--Heart and Soul!--2 Chronicles15:14-15) Life is full of the tentative. It would seem that the ability to be decisive is fast becoming a relic; replaced instead with a sleek, stream-lined, today’s-age, model that places indecisiveness as the norm and decisiveness as ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 15:14-15

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Discipleship

Denomination: Lutheran

I Have A One Year Old Girl And A Three Year Old ...

Contributed by Michael Thomas on Nov 12, 2005

I have a one year old girl and a three year old boy. I wrestle with keeping our shopping list for our children to only a couple items each. Our kids have more stuff than they really need and what they need more of is time with dad and mom. If you tell yourself that you have to buy more stuff, ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Lutheran

Strange Bedfellows! (11.14.05--Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 10, 2005

Strange Bedfellows! (11.14.05--Christian Soldiers!--Exodus 8:25-29) Many years ago I was an avid smoker. I smoked a pipe, cigarettes and cigars. Anything that had nicotine in it, I was putting a match to. Then I decided to quit. I threw away the cigarettes and cigars and put my pipes in their ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 8:25-29

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran

Widow-Makers! (11.11.05--Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 9, 2005

Widow-Makers! (11.11.05--Christian Soldiers!--Ephesians 6:16-17) Beech trees tend to bend and grow at odd angles. When it comes to felling one, you have to do a bit more than simply cutting it down. First you need to determine which way the tree is leaning. Then you need to size-up the other ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:16-17

Tags: Angles, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran