Luke 17: 11-19 A third grade Sunday School teacher was making the point with her class that God was omnipotent – that God was able to do anything. She asked her class, “Is there anything you can think of that God cannot do?” There was silence. Then one boy held up his hand. Somewhat frustrated…
What We Ought to Do
Luke 17: 5-10 Three Indians/Native Americans – a Navajo, a Hopi and an Apache – were speaking about how powerful their prayers were. The Navajo said, “You know, we Navajos praying for healing, and the sick get well about half the time.” The Hopi said, “Well, we Hopis pray for rain, and it happens about…
You Don’t Have to Go Far
Luke 16: 19-31 The rich man dressed well and feasted sumptuously. Lazarus laid at the rich man’s gate, longed to eat his crumbs, and dogs came to lick his sores. What is the one thing consistent with both? They both died. Bertha Jones was a middle-aged woman who had a heart attack and was taken…
For What Is Right
Luke 16: 1-13 During World War II, a program was organized to train volunteers in the skills of emergency first aid. There was a fear that if a city in our nation should be bombed there would not be adequate medical care available for the people who would be wounded. There was one woman in…
Nothing Else Matters
Luke 15: 1-10 A little boy needed $100 for a school field trip, so his mother told him to ask God for it. He prayed for two weeks, but nothing turned up. So, he decided to ask God for the money in a letter. At the post office, the postmaster opened the letter to God…
The Large Crowds
Luke 14: 25-33 Frieda, Henrietta, and Gertrude were Baptist sisters who lived in separate states but always managed to get together for Christmas. One year, they were discussing their respective churches. Frieda lamented, “Our congregation is sometimes down to thirty or forty on a Sunday.” Henrietta sighed, “That’s nothing. Sometimes our congregation is down to…
Who Gets Invited?
Luke 14: 15-24 A family was hosting a dinner for the minister and his family of ten. At the table, the hostess turned to her 6-year-old daughter and said, “Would you like to say the blessing?” The little girl replied, “I don’t know what to say.” Her mother said, “Just say what you hear Mommy…
Why Not Now?
Luke 13: 10-17 When Jesus saw her. . . She caught Jesus’ attention. This story always reminds me of the days I worked at a department store while I attended college. I worked an evening shift, and there was a woman who came in the store from the transit bus stop just outside the door….
The Present Time
Luke 12: 54-56 John 2: 5-11 Victor Borge, the well known Danish-American comedian and pianist of another time, told a friend he could tell time by his piano. His friend was skeptical, so Borge volunteered to demonstrate. He pounded out a crashing march loud and fast on his piano. Immediately there came a banging on…
The Advantages of Worrying
Luke 12:29-40 The old story goes like this. A husband knew every year on the family’s way to their vacation spot, just as they would get about eighty miles out of town, his wife would cry out, “Oh, no! I’m sure I left the iron on.” Each year they would return home only to find…
Psalm 102 in The Message 