64 Sermon Illustrations on Positive Thinking

A national news program conducted a study of fifty people who have lived over 100 years and still lead active, happy lives...

The researchers specifically looked for similarities in diet, exercise, lifestyle and habits that could contribute to their longevity and quality of life. What they found was amazing.

Through an extensive interviewing process, the news team found that some of the participants in this study had what would be considered good diets. An equal number of people were not as healthy in their food choices. Exercise and other areas of lifestyle were also not found to be a common thread throughout the group.

However, two things were overwhelmingly consistent among over 90 percent of those studied. What were these consistent traits? Nine out of ten said that throughout their entire lives they awoke every morning with an attitude of gratitude for one more day of life and that they saw each day as a precious gift. Secondly, nine out of ten stated that they felt life was too short to hold grudges or spend time complaining, and they forgave people quickly and refused to dwell on negative thoughts.

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Larry DiAngi, “Going Beyond Common Miles,” The Magic Is in the Extra Mile, 11-12, http://isbn.nu/1929496117; secondary source: Chapnotes

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[Original illustration at this number was deleted for being obsolete]

Robert Garrett came from a wealthy family and studied at Princeton University. He was a good student but an even better athlete and was the captain of the Princeton track team in both his junior and senior years. One of his classics courses was taught by professor William Milligan Sloane, who was also one of the planners for the first modern Olympics to be held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Sloane suggested that Garrett take part, and the student decided to go because he was basically just a curious guy looking for a fun adventure.

Garrett had seen images of the Olympic games on ancient Greek vases and was especially intrigued by the discus. The ancient sport did not exist in America so Garrett and Sloane studied ancient depictions and guessed on the size, then hired a New Jersey blacksmith to make one. It weighed nearly 30 pounds (14 kg) and looked like a manhole cover. On the boat to Greece he practiced with the discus and unsurprisingly found he couldn’t throw it very far.

At Athens, he was not entered in the event until the night before (they didn’t realize Greece used the Julian calendar and the Olympics was two weeks earlier than they thought). Fortunately a Greek competitor showed him a real discus: wood with a brass core and an iron rim, weighing just four-and-a-half pounds. Garrett decided to try it.

The Greek discus throwers were true stylists. Each throw, as they spun and rose from a classical Discobolus stance, was more beautiful than the last. Garrett’s first two throws were embarrassingly clumsy. His final throw, however, punctuated with a loud grunt, sent the discus sailing - 19 centimeters beyond the best Greek competitor’s mark. He won the gold medal.

Wrote American spectator Burton Holmes, “All were stupefied. The Greeks had been defeated at their own classic exercise. They were overwhelmed by the superior skill and daring of the Americans, to whom they ascribed a supernatural invincibility enabling them to dispense with training and to win at games which they had never before seen.”

It is amazing what people can do when they don’t realize it is supposed to be impossible!

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Adapted from these sources:

“Immortality Wasn’t In His Plan: 1896 Olympic Hero Robert Garrett Was Just Looking For Fun,” by Frank Fitzpatrick, Philadelphia Inquirer, August 19, 2004; .

“The Unexpected Olympians: How Harvard Dominated the First Modern Games - In Spite of Itself,” by Jonathan Shaw, Harvard Magazine, .

Here is another version found on Pulpit Today. It gets the following wrong: his nationality, the length of time he practiced, the composition of the competitive discus, and the location of the Games. It has a nice ending, however.

Olympic Perseverance

The story is told of a Scottish discus thrower from the 1800’s. The Scotsman had never entered competition or even seen a discus but he determined he would make a name for himself and become a champion. He found a book that described a discus and from that diagram he constructed his own solid iron discus. For one year he practiced and struggled to match the world record, but despite all his practice he never came close to the record. You can imagine the disappointment his practice sessions brought. But when the Olympics arrived, a year later, he traveled to England for his competition anyway. And when he arrived at the field of play he couldn’t believe his eyes. He was handed an official “wooden” discus. The Scotsman had misread the diagram in that Encyclopedia and discovered an Olympic discus was made of wood with only an outer rim of iron. The discus the Scotsman practiced with weighed nearly four times more than those his challengers were using. He promptly stepped into the box and threw that thing like a Frisbee. None of the competitors came close to matching his distance and he went home the champion.

God knows how to take adversity and make it work for your benefit! God doesn’t forget about you when you’re tested; He’s preparing you for your divinely appointed moment to shine. When you believe God during dark hours there is no way Satan can prevent your fruitfulness — no setback, betrayal, delay or disappointment can prevent you from flourishing — God knows how to cause “all things to work for good”!

INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIFE

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1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

2. Memorize your favorite poem.

3. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have, or sleep all you want.

4. When you say, "I love you", mean it.

5. When you say, "I'm sorry", look the person in the eye.

6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

7. Believe in love at first sight.

8. Never laugh at anyone's dreams.

9. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only

way to live life completely.

10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

11. Don't judge people by their relatives.

12. Talk slowly but think quickly.

13. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and

ask, "Why do you want to know?"

14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

15. Call your mom.

16. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

17. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

18. Remember the three R's:

Respect for self;

Respect for others;

Responsibility for all your actions.

19. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

20. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct

it.

21. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

22. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older,their

conversational skills will be as important as any other.

23. Spend some time alone.

24. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

25. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

26. Read more books and watch less TV.

27. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back,

you'll get to enjoy it a second time.

28. Trust in God but lock your car.

29. A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to

create a tranquil harmonious home.

30. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don't

bring up the past.

31. Read between the lines.

32. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

33. Be gentle with the earth.

34. Pray. There's immeasurable power in it.

35. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.

36. Mind your own business.

37. Don't trust a man/woman who doesn't close his/her eyes when you kiss.

38. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

39. If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are

living. That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.

40. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.

41. Learn the rules then break some.

42. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other

is greater than your need for each other.

43. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

44. Remember that your character is your destiny.

45. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

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Have you ever known of someone who sets an example you can learn from, emulate, and utilize for the rest of your life? Such a person is my Dad. Dad's ability isn't only finding the good in everyone, but also verbalizing it. He's mastered building people both directly and to others. Most people gossip. Dad finds and speaks the good. When he must correct, it's always with tact and kindness.

Most people relate to others the bad spoken of them, creating conflict. Dad always relates the good someone said about them, bringing people closer together.

Have you ever heard husbands, when speaking to others, make unkind remarks about their wives? It's one of those "macho" things. Sure, they're "only kidding," but words matter. Examples, good and bad, are set, especially for children. Dad ALWAYS speaks of Mom in the most complimentary, glowing terms. As does she of him. They began poor and built a successful business. Although Dad was the one in the public eye and Mom more comfortable behind the scenes, Dad always made sure everyone knew who he considered to be the true driving force behind the business.

My favorite "Dad story" took place when I was 12. We were having carpet installed in our home. The crew boss was one of those stereotypical beer-guzzlin', hard-livin' guys, who would have probably belonged to Ralph Kramden's Raccoon Lodge from the old Honeymooner's TV show (nothing wrong with that - just painting a picture:-)).

For lunch, my folks bought pizza for the crew. Dad went to talk with the boss about the job. I was around the corner listening.

The boss said, "This is an expensive job. Women will really spend your money, won't they?"

Dad responded, "Well, I'll tell you, when they were right there with you before you had any money, it's a pleasure to do anything for them you possibly can."

This wasn't the answer he expected. He was looking for negative talk about wives which, to him, was natural. He tried again, "But, gee, they'll really play off that and spend all they can, won't they?"

Dad replied, as I knew he would, "Hey, when they're the reason you're successful, you want them to do the things they enjoy. There's no greater pleasure." Strike two.

The crew boss tried one more time, "And they'll take that as far as they can, huh?" Dad responded, "She's the best thing that ever happened to me. I'd do anything to make her happy."

I was trying not to laugh. I knew he wanted Dad to give in just a little bit and say, "Yeah, I guess that's true." But I knew that wouldn't happen...not in a million years!

Finally, the boss gave up. Maybe he learned something about respecting one's spouse. Maybe not. But it taught a young boy a lot about the power of respect and edification.

Mom and Dad recently celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary. They still hold hands, and are more in love than ever. Would there be any doubt?

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A large sculpture of Christ on the cross has been removed from outside a church in West Sussex, England, after its vicar said it was “scaring young children.” The Reverend Ewen Souter said the 10-foot crucifix was “a horrifying depiction of pain and suffering” which was also “putting people off.”

The sculpture, located at the side of St John’s Church in Broadbridge Heath, has now been given to a museum. It will be replaced with a new stainless steel cross.

In a survey carried out by the church, every comment about the sculpture was negative. Rev. Souter said, “Children have commented on how scary they find it and how off-putting they find it as a symbol outside the church. As a key exterior symbol for us it was putting people off rather than having a sense of hope and life and the power of the resurrection.”

He said rather than undermining the work of the cross, the church wanted to portray “an accurate biblical picture of the crucifixion as a moment of hopefulness for the world, and not one of despair.”

The sculpture was designed in the 1960s by former Royal Society of British Sculptors president, Edward Bainbridge Copnall, and made out of coal dust and resin. It was removed from the church just before Christmas and will be mounted on a large wall at a museum.

Jeremy Knight, curator, said the powerful image portrayed by the figure was that of Christ in pain. “That today isn’t an image which a lot of churches want to follow. They’d much rather see an empty cross where Christ has risen,” he said.

Rev. John Capron, an Anglican minister in Tunbridge Wells, thinks there are good reasons to keep the anguished crucifix. “I think it is very difficult for us to sanitize the Christian faith and certainly to sanitize human suffering. The cross was a dreadful event, one of the cruelest events in the history of mankind. And as we look at the world around us at the moment, I just don’t think it’s entirely realistic to pretend that violence and horror don’t happen to us. For Christians, of course, the great comfort in the crucifix is the thought not that it represents simply human pain, but that it represents also the love of God. The God who created us is also the God who suffers with us.”

A national news program conducted a study of fifty people who have lived over 100 years and still lead active, happy lives...

The researchers specifically looked for similarities in diet, exercise, lifestyle and habits that could contribute to their longevity and quality of life. What they found was amazing.

Through an extensive interviewing process, the news team found that some of the participants in this study had what would be considered good diets. An equal number of people were not as healthy in their food choices. Exercise and other areas of lifestyle were also not found to be a common thread throughout the group.

However, two things were overwhelmingly consistent among over 90 percent of those studied. What were these consistent traits? Nine out of ten said that throughout their entire lives they awoke every morning with an attitude of gratitude for one more day of life and that they saw each day as a precious gift. Secondly, nine out of ten stated that they felt life was too short to hold grudges or spend time complaining, and they forgave people quickly and refused to dwell on negative thoughts.

________

Larry DiAngi, “Going Beyond Common Miles,” The Magic Is in the Extra Mile, 11-12, http://isbn.nu/1929496117; secondary source: Chapnotes

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[Original illustration at this number was deleted for being obsolete]

Author Leo Buscaglia tells this story about his mother and their “misery dinner.” It was the night after his father came home and said it looked as if he would have to go into bankruptcy because his partner had absconded with their firm’s funds. His mother went out and sold some jewelry to buy food for a sumptuous feast. Other members of the family scolded her for it. But she told them that “the time for joy is now, when we need it most, not next week.” Her courageous act rallied the family.

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Christopher News Notes