Sermon Illustrations for Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 (2011)
Illustration
Exodus 16:12-15
In 1988 Arthur Rooney Sr. died. He was the owner and founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He bought the club in 1932 and for forty years the team never won a championship but in the decade of the 1970s his team won four Super Bowl championships. Rooney -- winning or losing -- was a remarkable man. He seemed to have time for everyone. He remained in his neighborhood on the north side of the city even though the area had deteriorated considerably.
Rooney went to church every day of his adult life. Like the ancient Israelites he collected fresh resources for the living of each day. As one television commentator put it, "He got the best out of every day he ever lived."
Richard H.
Exodus 16:12-15
I have to admit, when I first started looking into this, I had my own preconceptions about what I would find. I thought that in this day and age, most people would have given up on believing in miracles. And yet, NPR reported in 2010 that a Pew Forum on Religion study showed that nearly 80% of Americans believed in miracles (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124007551). How firm a belief that is may be in question, but the fact remains that for most Americans there is some basic belief in supernatural acts of benevolence.
For us as Christians, it should be easy to believe in miracles. We serve a God who is an expert at them. Whether it's a paralytic healed in the gospels or the Israelites being given manna from heaven here, God is in the habit of getting involved in people's lives.
Craig K.
Philippians 1:21-30
In the 1700s many women had blemishes and pale skin that they wanted to enliven. These women would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to stare at another woman's face she was told, "Mind your own bee's wax." Should the woman smile the wax would crack, hence the term "crack a smile." In addition, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt; therefore, the expression "losing face."
Paul wrote that in the presence of our enemies, we are "in no way to be intimidated by our opponents." Instead, he wrote, we are to "stand firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel." When we experience the heat of persecution, let us be sure that we do not "lose face."
Ron L.
Philippians 1:21-30
Most of us have heard the old saying "You can't have your cake and eat it too." This would drive me nuts when I was little. "You can!" I thought. "That's exactly what it means to have cake: You eat it!" Of course what they mean is that once you eat your cake, you don't have it any more and that you can't have the best of both words, possessing a delicious piece of cake while licking it from your lips.
Paul sees here a similar dilemma, because he cannot depart and be with Christ and continue advancing the gospel among the living. Still, he knows that cake will wait for him until he passes from the world of suffering to be with the Lord. When the rest of God's people join him, it will sure seem like he can have his cake and eat it too.
Brian H.
Philippians 1:21-30
Jordan is a professional football player. If you ask him when he'll retire, he'll get this look in his eyes. "I could retire tomorrow," he'll say. "I'd love to be in the stands -- to watch these guys run the ball and make the pass and win the game." He'll smile about that for a minute and then look down at his grass-stained pants and the pigskin in his hands. "But I don't think I have it in me. As much as I'd love to be there to cheer these guys on… well, there's nothing quite like doing the work yourself. I'd miss the feel of the stitches between my fingers. I'd miss the thumps on the back and the friendship of the team." He'll pause. "So don't expect a resignation any time soon."
Leah T.
Matthew 20:1-16
You've probably heard about "deathbed conversions" where someone comes to faith in Christ just before they die. Regarding some people, I've even heard the comment, "God just needs to convert them and then take them home!" On the surface that can seem somewhat unfair. People have devoted their entire lives living for Jesus and yet someone who just comes to faith before they die can look forward to heaven just as much as the lifelong believer.
This is the quandary that Jesus addresses in this parable. His answer may not be a mind-boggling gem of logic or theology but it is undoubtedly true: "Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?" (v. 15).
Craig K.
Matthew 20:1-16
If you have seen the movie Amadeus about the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, you probably remember Salieri. He was a composer in the eighteenth century, a contemporary of Mozart. Both composed music. Salieri was good but Mozart was brilliant -- a sheer genius. Salieri was jealous of Mozart, insanely jealous, and he also hated God. Salieri was a devout churchman. He prayed and attended worship regularly. On the other hand, Mozart was a non-conformist. You never knew what he would do. He was an impish preadolescent who shouldn't be getting away with all the things he was doing -- so thought Salieri.
Salieri wanted to create immortal music of praise but he didn't have the aptitude. It infuriated him that this rascal Mozart could just sit down at the piano and compose so effortlessly beautiful music that even the angels of heaven could not create.
Why did God neglect Salieri and reward Mozart? Jesus concludes his parable by saying, "... are you envious because I am generous?"
Richard H.
In 1988 Arthur Rooney Sr. died. He was the owner and founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He bought the club in 1932 and for forty years the team never won a championship but in the decade of the 1970s his team won four Super Bowl championships. Rooney -- winning or losing -- was a remarkable man. He seemed to have time for everyone. He remained in his neighborhood on the north side of the city even though the area had deteriorated considerably.
Rooney went to church every day of his adult life. Like the ancient Israelites he collected fresh resources for the living of each day. As one television commentator put it, "He got the best out of every day he ever lived."
Richard H.
Exodus 16:12-15
I have to admit, when I first started looking into this, I had my own preconceptions about what I would find. I thought that in this day and age, most people would have given up on believing in miracles. And yet, NPR reported in 2010 that a Pew Forum on Religion study showed that nearly 80% of Americans believed in miracles (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124007551). How firm a belief that is may be in question, but the fact remains that for most Americans there is some basic belief in supernatural acts of benevolence.
For us as Christians, it should be easy to believe in miracles. We serve a God who is an expert at them. Whether it's a paralytic healed in the gospels or the Israelites being given manna from heaven here, God is in the habit of getting involved in people's lives.
Craig K.
Philippians 1:21-30
In the 1700s many women had blemishes and pale skin that they wanted to enliven. These women would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to stare at another woman's face she was told, "Mind your own bee's wax." Should the woman smile the wax would crack, hence the term "crack a smile." In addition, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt; therefore, the expression "losing face."
Paul wrote that in the presence of our enemies, we are "in no way to be intimidated by our opponents." Instead, he wrote, we are to "stand firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel." When we experience the heat of persecution, let us be sure that we do not "lose face."
Ron L.
Philippians 1:21-30
Most of us have heard the old saying "You can't have your cake and eat it too." This would drive me nuts when I was little. "You can!" I thought. "That's exactly what it means to have cake: You eat it!" Of course what they mean is that once you eat your cake, you don't have it any more and that you can't have the best of both words, possessing a delicious piece of cake while licking it from your lips.
Paul sees here a similar dilemma, because he cannot depart and be with Christ and continue advancing the gospel among the living. Still, he knows that cake will wait for him until he passes from the world of suffering to be with the Lord. When the rest of God's people join him, it will sure seem like he can have his cake and eat it too.
Brian H.
Philippians 1:21-30
Jordan is a professional football player. If you ask him when he'll retire, he'll get this look in his eyes. "I could retire tomorrow," he'll say. "I'd love to be in the stands -- to watch these guys run the ball and make the pass and win the game." He'll smile about that for a minute and then look down at his grass-stained pants and the pigskin in his hands. "But I don't think I have it in me. As much as I'd love to be there to cheer these guys on… well, there's nothing quite like doing the work yourself. I'd miss the feel of the stitches between my fingers. I'd miss the thumps on the back and the friendship of the team." He'll pause. "So don't expect a resignation any time soon."
Leah T.
Matthew 20:1-16
You've probably heard about "deathbed conversions" where someone comes to faith in Christ just before they die. Regarding some people, I've even heard the comment, "God just needs to convert them and then take them home!" On the surface that can seem somewhat unfair. People have devoted their entire lives living for Jesus and yet someone who just comes to faith before they die can look forward to heaven just as much as the lifelong believer.
This is the quandary that Jesus addresses in this parable. His answer may not be a mind-boggling gem of logic or theology but it is undoubtedly true: "Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?" (v. 15).
Craig K.
Matthew 20:1-16
If you have seen the movie Amadeus about the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, you probably remember Salieri. He was a composer in the eighteenth century, a contemporary of Mozart. Both composed music. Salieri was good but Mozart was brilliant -- a sheer genius. Salieri was jealous of Mozart, insanely jealous, and he also hated God. Salieri was a devout churchman. He prayed and attended worship regularly. On the other hand, Mozart was a non-conformist. You never knew what he would do. He was an impish preadolescent who shouldn't be getting away with all the things he was doing -- so thought Salieri.
Salieri wanted to create immortal music of praise but he didn't have the aptitude. It infuriated him that this rascal Mozart could just sit down at the piano and compose so effortlessly beautiful music that even the angels of heaven could not create.
Why did God neglect Salieri and reward Mozart? Jesus concludes his parable by saying, "... are you envious because I am generous?"
Richard H.
