Sermon and Worship Resources

These illustrations are for Matthew 9:35--10:8, (9-23)
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Sermon Opener – Are We Offering the Right Cup? - Matthew 9:35--10:8

Carl A. Boyle, a sales representative, was driving home when he saw a group of young children selling Kool-Aid on a corner in his neighborhood. They had posted the typical hand-scrawled sign over their stand: “Kool-Aid, 25 cents.”

Carl was intrigued. He pulled over to the curb. A young man approached and asked if he would like strawberry or grape Kool-Aid.

Carl placed his order and handed the boy a dollar. After much deliberation, the children determined he had some change coming and rifled through the cigar box until they finally came up with the correct amount. The boy returned with the change, then stood by the side of the car. He asked if Carl was finished drinking.

“Just about,” said Carl. “Why?”

“That’s the only cup we have,” answered the boy, “and we need it to stay in business.” (1)

It’s difficult to operate a Kool-Aid business if you only have one cup. I want to suggest to you this morning that we sometimes make that mistake in the church.

This morning we are focusing our attention on the evangelistic task of the church. For many persons the word “evangelism” brings to mind a few prominent “cups” from the past. Such cups include, perhaps, a televangelist with slick hair bringing in big bucks via electronic media. Or, if you’re old enough to remember such things, it might be a tent revival on the edge of town where sinners were invited to walk the sawdust trail and offer their lives to Jesus. For those whose memories don’t go back to tent revivals, how about a Billy Graham crusade . . . or a preacher on a street corner . . . or the person handing out tracts in the airport?

In some churches evangelism has traditionally meant a once a year special event or a particular strategy for incorporating newcomers into the life of the church. I want to suggest that, perhaps, by limiting our vision of the evangelistic enterprise to some of these rapidly disappearing cups, we may be stifling Christ’s work on earth and cheating ourselves out of one of the most rewarding endeavors Christ offers us....

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Good for What Ails Us - Matthew 9:35--10:8

Before modern medical science really took off in the last fifty years of the past millennium, there were a lot of home and folk remedies being prescribed by well-meaning individuals, but also by con artists and charlatans. The remedy was often administered accompanied by the phrase that the supposed cure was “good for what ails you.” The classic, all-purpose remedy for nearly every condition was a table-spoonful of castor oil. Perhaps some of you suffered through that treatment or gave it to someone else.

After settling on the title for this sermon, I “googled” the phrase “good for what ails you” on the internet. My search resulted in quite an interesting list of old and new products and activities that were or are supposedly good for what ails us. There were a couple of sites online that promoted humor as a good remedy for just about anything bad. Another site featured a jazz song with the lyric, “love is good for anything that ails you.” It’s hard to argue with that one!

According to the world wide web, Siberian ginseng and Yemeni honey are really good for you, as well as massage therapy, owning a pet, and aromatherapy. My favorite, though, among all of the old creams, salves, and liniments used a century ago was this one: Brame’s Pain Knocker. The ingredients? 1.5% tincture of opium, 1.5% chloroform, and a whopping 88% alcohol content! Wow! Now there’s a cure for what ails you!

Seriously, what does ail us? What ails the world?

Everywhere we turn we are confronted with a society and lives full of physical, emotional, social, and spiritual sickness. How do we respond? What effect does the crowd have on us? Does its frenzied panic suck us in? Does its weary resignation fill us with fear or loathing? Or does the sight of the crowd, harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd, fill us with compassion, as it did Jesus?

Jesus came with the remedy for what ails the world - the good news of the reign of God’s love, come to earth in him. The love of God has broken into our world in a radically new and paradoxically powerful way, bringing life, health, wholeness, and cleansing through the forgiveness of sins. Part of the paradox of the good news is that Jesus’ followers - formerly harassed and panicked sheep without a shepherd themselves - are integral to God’s remedy....

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Send Workers Now!

Have you ever been down to the bank on late Friday afternoons to deposit a check? Are the lines long on Friday afternoons? Yes. Do you enjoy waiting in those lines? No. And you are pleased when you hear the voice of the bank manager echoing through the bank: ‘Tellers to the front window please.” And you want those tellers to come immediately, when the line is long. Not in five minutes or ten minutes or fifteen minutes. The action is now. We need some extra workers now.

Same song, second verse. Have you ever been grocery shopping on Friday late afternoon about 5:30, when the lines are long at the cash register? The lines are so long. Do you enjoy standing in line for a long time, waiting for your turn at the cash register? Of course not. And so there is a sigh of relief when you hear the voice of the manager of the grocery store speaking through the loud speaker system: “Cashiers to the front please.” And you want them now. Not in five minutes. Ten minutes. Fifteen minutes. The crisis at hand is now and needs to be solved now, not in fifteen minutes.

Same song, third verse. It’s that time of year when we start to hear radio advertisements calling for strawberry pickers. When the strawberries are ripe, they need to be picked immediately, so we will hear advertisements calling for “workers for the strawberry fields are needed now.” Not in a week, five weeks, ten weeks. Those workers are needed now in the fields when the harvest is so ripe.

It is with these images that we hear the famous teaching of Jesus when he says: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Pray to the Lord of the harvest that he will send workers...now!”

Edward F. Markquart, The Original Recipe: The Harvest Is Ripe

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Shake the Dust Off Your Feet

My first church had about 180 members in it when I went there. Three years later when I left they had 150 members. I wondered what went wrong. I did everything that I could. I worked as hard as I could. But they just sat there, immoveable. I thought, maybe I am in the wrong profession. I went to the superintendent to talk it over with him. He confessed, "We were thinking of closing that church. We just thought we would give you a chance, see what happens." I was sent to close the church. I couldn't even do that very well. It limped on for another few years. The Sylmar earthquake finally put it out of its misery.

I didn't pay any attention to this text in those days, but it would have been helpful to me if I had seen the meaning of this passage for my situation. It was not until some years later that another preacher revealed the insight in the text. It is for those who try to be faithful disciples who try their best and just cannot do it. The advice of our Lord is, "If no one will receive you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet and move on."

Mark Trotter, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com

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The law of any church is, and always will be, evangelize or fossilize.

George E. Sweazy, Let’s March Abreast.

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Ministry to People in Need

There's a wonderful legend about Saint Francis, the kindly thirteenth century monk, who one day informed his brethren that he planned to go into the nearby village on a preaching mission. He invited a novice to go along. On their way, they passed an injured man and Francis promptly stopped, saw to the poor fellow's needs and arranged medical care for him. They went on and soon passed a homeless man who was near starvation. Again, Francis stopped his journey and ministered to the hungry, homeless man. So it went, through the day: people in need, Francis lovingly caring for them as best he could until the sun was low in the sky. He told his novice friend it was time for them to return, now, to the monastery for evening prayers. But the young man said, "Father, you said we were coming to town to preach to the people." Francis smiled. Then he said, "My friend, that's what we've been doing all day."

That's evangelism at its most faithful. Ministry to people in their need. Not worrying about numerical growth, or adding to one's own conversion record, or winning acclaim within the denomination. Evangelism is sharing the love of God in concrete form among God's people.

E. Carver McGriff, Times of Refreshing, CSS Publishing Company.

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Evangelism Has Fallen on Hard Times

"Evangelism" is a beautiful word that has lost its winsomeness [effectiveness]. Somehow on its journey from the Jerusalem of yesterday to the Jericho of today it has fallen among thieves that have wounded it and stripped it, departed, leaving it half dead. It takes a rather rash Samaritan, therefore, to dare turn aside to set this poor chap upon his beast and take him to an inn and take care of him. This is especially true because a veritable procession of Priests and Levites are passing by, not only refusing to lend a hand, but, we fear, inwardly chuckling at the plight of the poor fellow, and secretly hoping that they are soon to see the last of him.

Clovis G. Chappell, Evangelistic Sermons of Clovis G. Chappell

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Crows and Methodist Preachers

During America's early years our land was filled with evangelism. It’s no wonder there is a Methodist and Congregational Church in nearly every town in New England today. Circuit riders were so relentless in their ministry that on stormy days there was a proverbial saying: "There is nothing out today but crows and Methodist preachers." (from Camp Meetings & Circuit Riders-Untamed Faith on America's Early Frontier, Christian History.)

If it worked before, why not again today? The only question of success is really, "are we going?"

Dennis Marquardt, Evangelism

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Making a Difference

Made a difference to that one!

The story was told about two men walking down a Mexican beach, talking with one another. They could see a man in the distance throwing something into the ocean. As they got closer, they saw that he was bending over, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean. The closer they got they noticed that he was one of the natives.

There were starfish on the beach which were left by the outgoing tide. The native was throwing them out where they could swim away. One of the two men asked, "What are you doing?" The man replied, "I am throwing the starfish back out to sea. If they don't get back into the deeper water, they will die." The other man replied, "I understand that part, but look at this beach. It is covered with starfish. There must be thousands stranded out here. How do you feel that this will make a difference?"

The native bent over, picked up another starfish, hurled him out to sea, and with a smile on his face said, "Made a difference to that one!"

There are thousands who need the Lord and need the care of Christians. Each one of us can "make a difference" to someone.

Chicken Soup for the Soul

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A Spirit of Peace

When we model a spirit of peace it can be contagious. One time Charles Kuralt was traveling through the back roads in Ohio. He passed a farmhouse with a homemade banner on it that read, "Welcome Home Roger." One of his associates said, "I wonder who Roger is?" They decided to drive to the farm and meet the family.

Roger was a soldier on his way home from Vietnam. The family was anxiously awaiting his return from the war. Roger’s mother was baking a cake and his wife was there, playing with the baby son that Roger had not yet met. Kuralt and his crew brought in their cameras and interviewed the family.

Charles Kuralt then wrote a story about all the soldiers who were returning home. He shipped the story to New York and Walter Cronkite put the story on the evening news. The story was a huge success and hundreds of viewers called in to express their gratitude for the story about waiting for Roger. Kuralt’s trip through the back roads of Ohio affected thousands of lives.

Jesus wants us to travel to places we’ve never been because of the potential to meet new people. Life is about relationships, sharing the good news and spreading peace. As Jesus said, "If the house you enter is worthy, let your peace come upon it."

Keith Wagner, Low Budget Faith?

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Adventures in Friendship

Catherine Marshall once told about a couple named Mary and Harold Brinig. Mary and Harold moved to Chicago many years ago. They had no friends in Chicago. Soon they were lonely. They were also irritable and unhappy with each other.

While seeking help from the Bible, they saw these words of Jesus: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide." (John 15:16) Somehow that passage became like light penetrating their darkness. They realized that much of their unhappiness was caused by self-centeredness. They wondered if Jesus was choosing them for some kind of unknown service. They also wondered what type of service they could possibly perform in such a big city as Chicago.

The first person they encountered after this discovery was the waitress who served them in a nearby restaurant. She apologized for giving them such slow service and said she was new in the city and miserable. They invited her to visit them in their apartment after work.

A neighbor who was a widower became the second person they befriended. Soon a dozen people were meeting once a week for conversation and prayer.

Out of these meetings grew a project called "Adventures in Friendship." Soon scores of people were involved in visiting the lonely and the shut-ins throughout the whole area. There was an interesting byproduct of this ministry. Mary and Harold became so absorbed in the needs of others that they soon forgot their own troubles. Their lives became immeasurably richer and fuller.

Probably Mary and Harold would never have thought of what they were doing as evangelism. It didn't fit the cup that they pictured when they thought of that word. They were simply showing compassion to people in need in Jesus' name. And, my friends, that is what the church of Jesus Christ is all about.

Jesus had compassion on the crowds. Harassed and helpless they were like sheep without a shepherd. And there were so many of them. Just like today. "The harvest is plentiful; but the laborers are few." Where are the laborers? Where are those who care enough to become involved in the lives of others? Where are those willing to take their time to show love to young people and old folks, to the substance abuser and the victims of broken families, to the down and out as well as the up and in? Where are the laborers? Christ asks even today. Can He count on you?

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ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS NOT IN OUR EMAIL
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Relationship Evangelism

There is an old story told about a man by the name of Ali Facid. He had a small farm and a family. One day, the story goes, a Buddhist priest came by and said to Ali Facid: You know, there are valuable stones called diamonds, and if you get one of these you could be a wealthy man." Ali Facid went to bed that night, but the words of the old priest haunted him. He was so obsessed that he felt that he must find him one of these diamonds so that he could become a ruler. He sold his farm, put his family out to neighbors and went out to find his acres of diamonds. Months passed. He was broken in body and spirit. His funds were gone. And at the Bay of Barcelona, he threw himself into the water, never to walk this earth again.

Meanwhile, the man who bought his farm bent over one day and picked up a little stone. He laid on the mantle that night not knowing what it was. A few days later the old Buddhist priest cam by and saw it and exclaimed: Ali Facid must be back from his search. No, came the response. Then where did that diamond come from? The farmer replied: I was out plowing in the garden and found it there. And friends, did you know that from that very garden, for this is not a legend but a true story, came the jewels and diamonds that today adorn the crown heads of Europe and Russia. In Ali Facid's own back yard there were acres of diamonds and he knew it not.

My friends, I know that the [your church's neighborhood] is not like [name two neighborhoods in your area that are experiencing growth] in terms of extensive growth. But friends, I also know that there are acres of diamonds right here in our own back yard. There are people right here in our area that do not have church families, who are not committed to Christ, and who are waiting to be asked. We don't have to look to other areas of the city. All we have to do is pick up the diamonds that are right beneath us.

Staff, www.Sermons.com

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He Will Never Let Go

There is a beautiful and important scene in the movie Dr. Zhivago. The Comrade General is talking with Tanya. He asks her, How did you come to be lost?" She replies, "Well, I was just lost." He asks again, "No, how did you come to be lost?" Tanya doesn't want to say. She says simply, "I was just lost. My father and I were running through the city and it was on fire. The revolution had come and we were trying to escape and I was lost."

The Comrade General asked more emphatically, "How did you come to be lost?" She still didn't want to say. Finally though she did say. "We were running through the city and my father let go of my hand and I was lost." Then she added plaintively, "He let go." This is what she didn't want to say.

The Comrade General said, "This is what I've been trying to tell you, Tanya. Komarov was not your real father. Zhivago is your real father and I can promise you, Tanya, that if this man had been there, your real father, he would never have let go of your hand."

That is the difference between a real father and a false father, is it not? A real father would never let go of his daughter's hand. That is also the difference between a real god and a false one.

King Duncan, Where Are The Laborers?, www.Sermons.com

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Slaving for Nothing

Guy de Maupassant's "The Necklace" tells the sad story of a young woman named Mathilde who dreamed, as many do, of making it in high society. However, she was the wife of an ordinary French citizen. One day Mathilde's husband obtained an invitation to attend an elegant ball. Thoroughly delighted, Mathilde borrowed from a wealthy friend a beautiful necklace to wear to this elegant occasion. The stunning necklace drew many compliments from the aristocratic guests. However, the worst possible thing happened. Mathilde lost the beautiful adornment.

Panic stricken, she and her husband borrowed thirty-six thousand francs. They bought a necklace that looked exactly like the one Mathilde had worn. Mathilde returned this to her friend, telling her nothing of what had happened. For ten agonizing years, the couple slaved and toiled to pay back the vast amount of money they had borrowed. They sold their home, dismissed servants, worked at two jobs, and lived in a slum in order to raise the necessary funds.

After it was finally paid, Mathilde saw her friend one day. She confessed what they had done. She revealed the hardship through which they had come in paying for the replacement. It was then that her friend explained that the necklace Mathilde had borrowed was only made of paste. It was worth five hundred francs or less.

What a parable of contemporary life! People frantically slaving for values that turn out only to be paste. Harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.

King Duncan, Where Are The Laborers?

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Who Could Be the Messiah?

I heard a story recently about a Russian Monastery that was dying and declining. The brothers were growing old, many had died. The villagers had stopped coming to visit the monastery. Young men were no longer interested in dedicated themselves to the monastic order. This decline led to worry and the loss of hope led to bitterness. In desperation the abbot went to visit an old hermit we had heard about. He hoped that the old man might have some wisdom. The abbot arrived after a long journey and explained their problem to the hermit. The hermit prayed for the abbot but said nothing more. The two men sat in silence for a very long time and the abbot patiently waited to hear some word of hope – a blessing, a prophecy, just something simple to try. Finally the abbot could abide the silence no longer and he begged the hermit for an answer. The hermit replied, “I’m sorry, but there really isn’t anything I have to tell you. I don’t know what the future holds for the monastery. I am sorry – oh, but there is this – I believe that the Messiah is in your midst.” The Messiah?, thought the abbot. Among us at the monastery. He rushed back and reported the unexpected news and the brothers began to question, “Who is it?” “Who among us is the Messiah?” Surely not Bro. Nicolaus, he gripes too much. Surely not Bro. Stavros, he is so whiney. But what if ...? And on it went.

And in time as the brothers began to suppose that any one of them could be the Messiah, they began to treat each other with respect and kindness and love. That spirit extended into the village and rumors of the Messiah’s presence continued so that everyone began to wonder if their neighbor might be the Messiah. And though no one was ever identified as the Messiah, the monastery was thriving and the village was blessed and young men devoted themselves to the faith.

Since Jesus is with us always, then discipleship is on-going and it is everyday. It is not something for a special day or a special evening or a special program. It is the pulse of every moment lived in the kingdom of God.

Chris Benjamin

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Prayer for Empowerment

Set our hearts on fire with love for you and compassion for a hurting world, O God, that in its flame we may love you with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul and with all our strength; that we may love our neighbors as ourselves; that in receiving your precious gifts we may be empowered to give of ourselves to our brothers and sisters in need; that we may do your will on earth as it is done in heaven, so that you may be glorified now and forever, the Giver of all good gifts. Amen.

Frank Schaefer

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From 12 to 1 Billion

From the twelve, the group grew to 120 by Ascension Day. A little over a week later, on Pentecost, it increased to over 3,000. By the time the last of the twelve died, there were an estimated half-million followers of Jesus Christ. That was the end of the first century. By the end of the second century, this number had increased to almost ten million. By the end of the third century, all heathen temples were destroyed or converted into church sanctuaries. By the close of the ninth century, there were 100 million Christians. Today, the number has grown to over one billion believers around the world. None of this growth would have been possible had Christians not been excited and supportive of missions or prayed to "the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

Dennis Kastens, Laborers Needed for the Harvest

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The World is my Parish.

John Wesley

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It has been said that Evangelism is not on the agenda of the church; it is the agenda of the church.

Brett Blair

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Evangelism Has Fallen on Hard Times

Clovis G. Chappell, Evangelistic Sermons of Clovis G. Chappell, p. 40.

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Intellectual Evangelism

There are few chapters in the history of higher education more encouraging than that of the presidency of the great Timothy Dwight at Yale. When Dwight became president of Yale, the anti-Christian forces were solidly in control that a reversal of the situation seemed hopeless. The new class that entered in the autumn of 1796 included only one freshman who was a "professing Christian," while the sophomore class contained none. The college church had itself dwindled to two members.

Dwight's strategy was to force the enemy to take the defensive. He encouraged the students to debate openly the validity of the Christian faith, allowing each student to state his case without fear of reprisal, and then the president entered the list of speakers himself. Shunning battle was not his way. He struck out in the open, full and hard, where all the world could see the enemy fall hard. For the next six months President Dwight preached steadily on the central subject of Christian Faith. Though his eyesight became so bad that only with the greatest difficulty could he write or read a single sentence, he still preached twice every Sunday, taught his class, and administered the college. He added to his official duties a special set of lectures on the Evidence of Divine Revelation. It was said, that he, "drove infidelity from first one lurking place and then another."

"After long and patient waiting, in the spring of 1802, a momentous religious revival occurred. Providence, at last, saw fit to reward a faithful servant's labors by sending down a shower of grace. One third of Yale's two hundred and thirty students became hopefully converted. Over thirty of these entered the ministry, while the others, in various ways throughout their lives, spread its influence." (Timothy Dwight: A Biography, New York: The Macmillan Company, 1942, p. 302).

Some externals of living has changed since Dwight's day, and our academic mission fields are more complex than was his, but details do not alter the major challenge. What has been done before can again be done, provided Christians employ their intellectual resources.

Adapted from Elton Trueblood, The Validity of the Christian Mission, Harper and Row, 1972, pp. 76-77.

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Relationship Evangelism

If we are going to be effective in reaching people for Christ we are going to have to start showing people that we really care. Evangelism and missions must be relational in nature. There is no record of Jesus walking up to someone out the clear blue sky and saying: I am the Messiah and then him beginning to show his care for them. No, he showed his care for them first and then he revealed himself to them.

A story is told about a man who was on a luxury liner and suddenly he falls overboard. He can't swim and in desperation he begins calling for help. Now it just so happens that there several would be rescuers on deck who witnessed the incident. The first man was a MORALIST. When he saw the man fall overboard he immediately reached into his briefcase and pulled out a book on how to swim. He now tossed it to him and he yelled: Now brother, you read that and just follow the instructions and you will be alright.

The man next to him happened to be a IDEALIST. When he saw the man fall overboard he immediately jumped into the water and began swimming all around the drowning man saying: Now just watch me swim. Do as I do and you will be all right. The person next to him happened to be a member of the INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH. He looked upon the drowning man's plight with deep concern. He yelled out: Now, just hold on friend.

Help is on the way. We are going to establish a committee and dialogue your problem. And then, if we have come up with the proper financing, we will resolve your dilemma.

The next man on deck happened to be a representative of the school of POSITIVE THINKING. He yelled out to the drowning man: "Friend, this situation is not nearly as bad as you think. Think dry!" The next man on board happened to be a REVIVALIST. By this time the drowning man was going down for the third time and desperately began waving his arm. Seeing that, the revivalist yelled out: Yes brother, I see that hand, is there another? Is there another? And finally, the last man on deck, was a REALIST. He immediately plunged into the water, at the risk of his own life, and pulled the victim to safety.

Staff, www.Sermons.com

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What's Your Purpose in Life?

An executive hirer, a "head-hunter" who goes out and hires corporation executives for other firms, once told me, "When I get an executive that I'm trying to hire for someone else, I like to disarm him. I offer him a drink, take my coat off, then my vest, undo my tie, throw up my feet and talk about baseball, football, family, whatever, until he's all relaxed. Then, when I think I've got him relaxed, I lean over, look him square in the eye and say, "What's your purpose in life?" It's amazing how top executives fall apart at that question.

"Well, I was interviewing this fellow the other day, had him all disarmed, with my feet up on his desk, talking about football. Then I leaned up and said, 'What's your purpose in life, Bob?' And he said, without blinking an eye, 'To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can.' For the first time in my career I was speechless."

Josh McDowell

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Travel Light

James Michener, the famous author used to hitchhike when he was a young man. Michener didn’t live in a happy home. He was also unhappy at school. When he was fifteen he hiked westward from Detroit with only 35 cents in his pocket. He said, "The simple fact seems to have been that once I saw that mysterious road outside my house, the eastern part leading to a dead end, the western to worlds unknown, I was determined to explore the latter." (from Chicken Soup for the Traveler’s Soul)

Most all of us have had experiences when we just wanted to get away from it all, venturing into the unknown with out a care in the world. That’s easier to do when you are young and you don’t have lots of obligations and responsibilities. Youthfulness tends to make us more carefree. And there is a tendency to think that nothing will happen to us.

When Jesus told his disciples to head out into the world he told them to travel light. "Take nothing with you, no bag, no money, no sandals, no extra clothing, not even a staff," he instructed them. Perhaps he wanted them to learn to trust in the providence of God. Perhaps he wanted them to experience strangers in strange lands, thereby making new relationships. Or, perhaps he wanted them to be free from the burdens of the world. I believe it was most likely a combination of all three.

Keith Wagner, Low Budget Faith?