The Sermon Story

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" ( Isaiah 43:19 ). Change can be frightening. Traditions give us stability and a sense of who we are. But when we cling to them without asking why, they can stop us from growing. These two stories about change, retold in our own words, include a humorous family tale and a thoughtful film. Each ends with a takeaway for sermons or reflection. Stories in this collection: Why We Cut the End off the Roast Living in Colour: What Pleasantville Teaches About Change ──────── ✝ ──────── Why We Cut the End off the Roast A traditional story, told in many versions; its author is unknown. A little girl noticed something curious about the way her mother cooked the Sunday roast. Every time, before putting the meat in the oven, her mother cut a piece off the end of it. One day the girl asked her why. Well, to be honest, her mother said, I do it because that's the way my mother always did it. I'm sure she must hav...

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" ( Proverbs 9:10 ). And Peter urges us to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" ( 2 Peter 3:18 ). These nine stories about wisdom, foolishness and growth, retold in our own words, include a doomed Arctic expedition, an empire that thought it could never fall, a lecture that fooled the experts, explorers who starved while eating, an eagle raised by rabbits, a family tradition nobody understood, a tailor puzzled by praise, cod kept fresh by catfish and a toy rabbit who wanted to become real. Each ends with a takeaway for sermons or reflection. Stories in this collection: Silver Forks in the Ice: The Lost Franklin Expedition "Your Lives": Alaric at the Gates of Rome The Dr Fox Effect: Fooled by an Expert Starving While Eating: Scott of the Antarctic Eddie the Eagle Who Thought He Was a Rabbit Why We Cut the End off the Roast Driving God Crazy: The Tailor and the Rabbi Codfish an...

 Tradition vs. Progress: When Holding On Prevents Moving Forward Tradition provides a sense of stability, identity, and connection to the past, but when it is followed without question, it can become a barrier to growth and progress. The story of Doing Things Without Knowing Why reveals how generations continued a habit without knowing its original purpose, highlighting how unquestioned traditions can outlive their necessity. Similarly, Living in Color explores a society where conformity and stability suppress individuality, showing how resisting change can stifle potential. While tradition offers comfort, progress demands adaptability and courage. When holding on to the past prevents us from embracing the future, we must ask: Are we preserving wisdom, or are we simply afraid to evolve? Story topics: Tradition, Change, Growth, Individuality, Conformity, Adaptation, Perspective, Transformation, Society, History {getToc} $title={Table of Contents} 1.    ...