The Sermon Story

Some compromises are wise. Others quietly hollow out everything that matters. Jesus warned that "no one can serve two masters" ( Matthew 6:24 ), and the letter to Laodicea condemns a church that was "neither cold nor hot" ( Revelation 3:15 to 16 ). These two stories about compromise, retold in our own words, look at the issue from both ends. One is a true story about a four-year-old who would not settle for a toy when he wanted the real thing. The other is a well-known legend about soldiers who wanted to be baptised, but not all the way. Each ends with a takeaway for sermons or reflection. Stories in this post: "Nothing Less Than the Real Thing": Yehudi Menuhin's Toy Violin Unbaptised Arms: The Legend of the Soldiers' Swords ──────── ✝ ──────── "Nothing Less Than the Real Thing": Yehudi Menuhin's Toy Violin Yehudi Menuhin became one of the most celebrated violinists of the twentieth century, a virtuoso and later a conductor who held...

Commitment is easy to promise and hard to keep. Jesus warned that "no one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God" ( Luke 9:62 ), and Paul at the end of his life could say, "I have finished the race" ( 2 Timothy 4:7 ). Finishing is the hard part. These five stories about commitment, retold in our own words, come from an Olympic stadium, a philosopher's parable, a Russian execution ground, a film set in the Canadian winter and a courtroom in apartheid South Africa. Each ends with a takeaway you can use in a sermon, a youth talk or your own reflection. Stories in this post: "They Sent Me to Finish": John Stephen Akhwari, Mexico City 1968 Water Pistols: A Parable About Token Commitment A Fresh Start: Dostoevsky Before the Firing Squad Black Robe: Bruce Beresford and a Missionary's Obsession "An Ideal for Which I Am Prepared to Die": Nelson Mandela at Rivonia ──────── ✝ ──────── "They Sent M...

What does it look like when ordinary people start to resemble Jesus? The New Testament says believers are being "transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory" ( 2 Corinthians 3:18 ). That sounds lofty. In practice, it usually looks like a boy polishing a scrap of mirror, a woman setting two extra plates, or a man spending his ticket home on pastries for strangers. These five stories about Christlikeness, retold in our own words, show that likeness in action. One is a documented piece of wartime history, one is a personal story told by a peace builder on Crete, one is an eighteenth-century parable, one is a missionary's anecdote and one is a well-loved legend. Each ends with a takeaway you can use in a sermon, a small group or your own prayer. Stories in this post: Le Chambon: The Village That Hid Thousands Reflecting Light Into Dark Places: Alexander Papaderos and the Broken Mirror The Three Rings: A Parable From Nathan the Wise "But I Do": Oswald Golt...

Jesus said, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me" ( Luke 9:23 ). He also sent his followers to "go and make disciples of all nations" ( Matthew 28:19 ). Following Jesus and sharing him belong together. These ten stories about discipleship and evangelism, retold in our own words, range from a medieval missed opportunity to a Nazi prison, from a Pacific island to a high-school locker room, and from a snack bar to the streets of Lima. Each ends with a takeaway for sermons or reflection. Stories in this collection: Bonhoeffer's Choice: The Cost of Discipleship Water Pistols at a Fire The Unbaptised Sword Arm Arthur Burns' Prayer Roger: The Friend Tony Campolo Didn't Stand Up For Marco Polo's Father and the Missed Opportunity The Bounty Mutineers and the Bible Transposing the Gospel: A Lesson From Mr Holland's Opus Anyone for a Bible Bar? What Does It Mean to Be Biblical? Under the Gaze ...