The Commons
A preaching blog with ideas and for interactive story sermon writing and image exegesis by Len Sweet.
Here, you can comment on any post to discuss its meaning and share your thoughts.
Date With a Frog
Some days, it’s “Good morning, God.” Some days, it’s “Good God, it’s morning.” A frog telephoned a psychic hotline and is told, “You are going to meet a beautiful young girl who will want to know everything about you.” “Great,” said the frog. “Will I meet her at a party?”…
Break
Some things are so important you can’t allow yourself to be detoured or derailed . . . An English parish priest was walking down a country lane when he saw a young farmer struggling to load hay back onto a cart after it had fallen off. “You look hot, my…
Do you like dolls?
“Do you like dolls?” a little girl asked a friend of her mother’s who had come for dinner. “Yes, very much,” was the reply. “Then I’ll show you mine,” the little girl offered. One by one she carried them into the living room and sat them on the couch. Finally,…
Hearing Problems
A person of advanced age began to have hearing problems. Reluctantly she gave in to suggestions from family members that she consult an otolaryngologist (eye-ears-nose specialist). After a thorough examination of the woman’s ears, the doctor said to her: “We can fix your hearing problem by some minor surgery. Let’s…
Gumption
British Presbyterian theologian John Oman (1860-1939) liked to tell the story of the old Scottish professor who used to say that there were three qualities for the preacher. First, the grace of God. Second, the knowledge of the Scriptures. And third, gumption. The first, he said, we have the promise…
Angels
The angels grew jealous of God’s intention to endow Adam and Eve with God’s own image. Should mere mortals be so gifted? They plotted to hide the divine image. Some angels proposed that it be hidden beneath the seas, others that it be buried in the tallest mountains. But the…
And What is This?
In his legendary classic “The Confessions,” Augustine looks around at all that God has created and asks this question: “And what is this? I asked the earth; and it answered, ‘I am not He’; and whatsoever are therein made the same confession. I asked the sea and the deeps, and…
The Simplicity of a Child
“The simplicity of a child’s ways and notions, his ready belief of everything, his artless love, his frank confidence, his confession of helplessness, his ignorance of evil, his inability to conceal his thoughts, his contentment, his prompt forgetfulness of trouble . . and, above all, his reverential spirit, looking at…
Two Friends, A Horse and a Calf
There was a farmer who had a horse and a calf..One day, the horse became ill. So he called the veterinarian, who said: Well, your horse has a virus. He must take this medicine for three days. I’ll come back on the 3rd day and if he’s not better, we’re going to…
Assumptions
A priest riding in a subway when a man staggered toward him, smelling like a brewery, with lipstick on his collar. Sat right next to the priest and started reading the newspaper. After few minutes, the man turned to the priest and stammered, “Excuse me, Father, what causes arthritis.” The…