A woman visited a Presbyterian Church for the first time. Periodically, she would shout. "Amen...Hallelujah...Praise the Lord." Finally, an usher asked her to please keep quiet. She responded, "I just can't help myself. I have found JESUS." To which the usher replied, "Well, you didn't find him here!"
A memorial stands near the Federal Building in Oklahoma City, where 168 people died needlessly. At the heart of that memorial is a nine foot statue of Jesus--with his face in his hands, turned slightly away from where the acts of terror took place. The plaque reads, "And Jesus Wept."
The world is full of people who are standing on their dignity when they ought to be kneeling at the feet of their brethren. When we are tempted to think of our dignity, our prestige, our rights, let us again see the picture of the Son of God, girt with a towel, kneeling at his disciples' feet.
As Mary knelt at Jesus’ feet, she reminds us of another meal – the Passover – when Jesus was eating his last meal with his disciples. Out of true love and devotion to his disciples he knelt before them with a bowl of water and towel and proceeded to wash the disciples’ feet.
In looking for a new congregation, they were most interested in a church intent on serving others. The key for a vital, growing congregation is to find the right balance between worship and service and to shift the focus from inside the church walls to outside.
Being Scottish, I am fiscally conservative. Moderation in all things. If a little will do, a little less won't hurt. Plus, I'm not very demonstrative. When it comes to the story of Mary anointing the feet of Jesus, I find myself sitting uncomfortably in Judas' camp: A whole pound of costly nard? Get real!
Funeral Homily John 11:21-27 Jesus Meets Us Here Check out these helpful resources Biblical Commentary Sermons Childern's Sermons Hymn Lists John 11:21-27 Jesus Meets Us Here By The Rev. Charles Hoffacker It starts out as one of the worst times of Martha's life. Her brother Lazarus takes sick and suddenly dies. She cannot remember [...]
When Mother's Day arrived, a chaplain in a state prison was overwhelmed with prisoner requests for Mother's Day cards. He gave out boxes and boxes of ‘em. When Father's Day rolled around, he had stocked up--but almost none of the men asked for them.
"A little dab'll do ya." Brylcreem--remember? Back in the 1950's and 60's TV commercials let men know it didn't take much to get wavy, manageable hair. Just put on a little Brylcream, comb it in, and you were good to go. "A little dab'll do ya." The same goes with perfume.
This parable should be called the Parable of the Loving Father, rather than the Parable of the Prodigal Son, because that's really what it's about – a father's love for his children, with little regard for whether they deserve it or not.