In Sermon Illustrations: "Mark Chapter 4 Verses 35 Through 31"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here Are Words To A Hymn From The Tune Of 'o ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Miller on Dec 13, 2005

Here are words to a hymn from the tune of ’O Little Town of Bethlehem.’ It was sung after a Narnia message titled, "What If There Were No Christmas?" O Wintry Land of Narnia O wintry land of Narnia what mysteries do you hold? Despite the threats of the white witch, Good News is to unfold! ‘Cause ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: United Methodist

Satan Tells You Lies  PRO

Contributed by Mark Krieger on Dec 13, 2005

Satan tells you lies. “It is a lovely place, my house,” said the Queen. “I am sure you would like it. There are whole rooms full of Turkish Delight, and what’s more, I have no children of my own. I want a nice boy whom I could bring up as a Prince and who would be King of Narnia when I am gone. ...read more

Tags: Satan

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sin Takes You Farther Than You Want To Go, ...

Contributed by Mark Krieger on Dec 13, 2005

“Sin takes you farther than you want to go, keeps you longer than you want to stay, and costs you more ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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

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

For The Love Of Work  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 18, 2006

The story goes that when the company founded by Andrew Carnegie was taken over by the U.S. Steel Corporation in 1901 it acquired as one of its obligations a contract to pay the top Carnegie executive, Charles M. Schwab, the then unheard of minimum sum of $1,000,000. J.P. Morgan of U.S. Steel was in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:21

Tags: Workplace

Denomination: Lutheran

Jean Nidetch, A 214 Pound Homemaker Desperate To ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 23, 2006

Jean Nidetch, a 214 pound homemaker desperate to lose weight, went to the New York City Department of Health, where she was given a diet devised by Dr. Norman Jolliffe. Two months later, discouraged about the 50 plus pounds still to go, she invited six overweight friends home to share the diet and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:10

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

On The Fourth Of July In 1951, Florence Chadwick, ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 30, 2006

On the Fourth of July in 1951, Florence Chadwick, the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions, attempted to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast. The challenge was not so much the distance, but the bone-chilling waters of the Pacific. To complicate matters, a dense ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Lutheran

The Next Time You Feel Yourself Feeling ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 2, 2006

The next time you feel yourself feeling confident, challenge yourself to do the impossible. You just may. There are legions of people with unchallenged genius potential. Take the story of two Irish music hall players who, in 1912, were spending an afternoon in a pub at Stalybridge in Cheshire, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 6:10-12

Tags: God's Omnipotence

Denomination: Lutheran

Charles F. Kettering, Former Research Head Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 6, 2006

Charles F. Kettering, former research head of General Motors, was fond of telling this story. When he called a research and development meeting on a particular problem of not an immediate probability of presenting a ready solution, and he wanted the problem solved, he’d take care to first find a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 7:1-2

Tags: God's Omnipotence

Denomination: Lutheran

Years Ago New Engineers In The Lamp Division Of ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 6, 2006

Years ago new engineers in the Lamp Division of General Electric were assigned, as a joke, the impossible task of frosting light bulbs on the inside. None of the engineers took the assignment seriously since frosting a bulb on the inside was not a possibility by engineering standards. Eventually, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 19:1-7

Tags: Creation

Denomination: Lutheran