When the armies of Napoleon swept over Europe, one of his generals made a suprise attack on the little town of Feldkirch, on the Austrian border. As Napoleon's formidable army maneuvered on the heights above Feldkrich, a council of it citizens were hastily summoned to decide whether to surrender or attempt a defense. In this assembly the pastor of the church arose to declare: "This is Easter Day. We have been counting on our own strength, and that will fail. This is the day of our Lord's resurrection. Let us ring the bells and have services as usual, and leave the matter in God's hands. We know only our weakness and not the power of God." The council accepted his plan, and in a few minutes the church belfry chimed the joyous bells announcing the Savior's resurrection. The enemy, hearing the sudden peal, concluded that the Austrian army had arrived during the night, broke up camp, and before the Easter bells had ceased, the danger had been lifted.

The story is told of an assistant of the great chemist, Faraday. One day he knocked a little silver cup into a jar of acid. It disappeared, being eaten by the acid. The great chemist came in and put some chemical into the jar, and in a moment every particle of silver precipitated to the bottom. He sifted it out as a shapeless mass, sent it to a silversmith, and the cup was restored, shinning brighter than before. (If Faraday could precipate that silve silver and recover his cup, I believe God can restore my sleeping and scattered dust.) The miracles of God are greater than the feats of men.

A certain European countess, who lived over a hundred years ago, was a noted unbeliever, and was especially opposed to the doctrine of the resurrection. This lady died when about thirty years of age. Before her death she gave orders that her grave should be covered with a slab of granite; that around it should be placed square blocks of stone, and that the corners should be fastened to each other and to the granite slab by heavy iron clamps. Upon the covering this inscription was placed: "THIS BURAL PLACE PURCHASED TO ALL ETERNITY! MUST NEVER BE OPENED!" All that human power could do to prevent any change in that grave was done. But a little birch tree seed sprouted, and the root found its way between the side stone and the upper slab and grew there. Slowly but steadily it forced its way until the iron clamps were torn asunder, the granite lid was raised, and it is now resting upon the trunk of the birch tree, which is large and flourishing.

A sealed vase was found in a mummy pit in Egypt by the British explorer Wilinson. In it was discovered a few peas, old, wrinkled, and hard as a stone. The peas were planted carefully under a glass and at the end of thirty days they sprang into life, after having lain sleeping in the dust of a tomb for almost three thousand years - a faint illustration of the mortal body that shall put on immortality.

1,002 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking
By Michael Hodgin / Zondervan
Experienced speakers know the value of humor for adding punch to their point and muscle to their message. Hodgin's audience-tested illustrations will help you connect with your listeners in an effective way. Arranged by topic, anecdotes are cross-referenced and identified by place and date. A gold mine of proven verbal gems!

" ... Everybody knows that something is eternal. And it ain't houses, and it ain't names, and it ain't earth, and it ain't even stars ... Everybody knows in their bones that something is eternal -- something that has to do with human beings. There's something way down deep that's eternal about every human being." In Thornton Wilder's play, "Our Town," one of the characters says,

At age 79, a lifelong Christian re-read the entire New Testament. When he had finished reading, he asked himself, "What one word comes to mind?" And he immediately answered, "Resurrection."

A missionary was explaining this truth to some people. He said, "I am traveling and have reached a place where the road branches off in two directions. I look for a guide and find two men: One is dead and the other alive. Which of the two should I ask for directions, the dead or the living?" The people responded, "The living." "Then," said the missionary, "why do you follow a leader who is dead instead of Christ, who is alive?"

Our Daily Bread
April 12, 1998

In his book The Resurrection of Jesus the Christ, Fred John Meldau underscores the significance of Jesus' resurrection by describing Israel's annual Day of Atonement ritual. Meldau writes, "If [the High Priest] offered correctly, he came forth in due time; but . . . if he failed to offer correctly, he died there behind the veil. In like manner, the coming forth of Jesus the Christ, in His resurrection, after His atonement for our sins on the cross, shows that His offering was accepted. The empty tomb is God's 'Amen' to Christ's 'It is finished.'"

A Woodstock, IL, church bulletin sported an unfortunate typo. An advertisement for the church's upcoming dramatic production of the passion narrative referred to the crucifixion as the "crucifiction." Unfortunately, many teachers are too ready to dismiss Christ's birth, His crucifixion and resurrection, and most of what occurs in between, as "fiction." The Christian Century, July 15-22, 1998, p. 703.

Biblical Church Growth: How You Can Work with God to Build a Faithful Church
By Gary L. McIntosh / Baker (short Discounts)

Avoid a "revolving door" syndrome by nurturing Biblical Church Growth. Shunning one-size-fits-all approaches that often lend only temporary "success," ministry professor and church consultant Gary McIntosh points to effective evangelism as the basis for increasing membership. Drawing on biblical models, current statistics, and professional experience, he offers 10 principles for both large and small congregations to build strong foundations for sustained vitality.

On April 29, 1997, an astronaut and a cosmonaut took the first U.S.-Russian walk in space, spending five hours outside the Russian space station Mir in an excursion that was a welcome bright spot in an increasingly troubled relationship between NASA and its Russian counterpart. Ignoring the heightening tensions between the American and Russian space agencies, American Jerry Linenger and Russian Vasily Tsibliyev were a picture of cooperation, as they spoke Russian to each other, passed tools to each other, and operated controls together as they did various maintenance tasks on the outside of the space station. . . . . These two were able to put past differences behind them as they met "in the air." 1 Thessalonians 4:17 speaks of an even greater "spacewalk" all believers will take together, despite all the differences among them: "Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever."

In the days after the French Revolution, a man tried to start a new religion that he believed was superior to Christianity. But he was disappointed at his lack of success. He revealed his frustration to a clergyman and asked what he could do.

The clergyman replied that it was no easy task to begin a new religion--so difficult that he had nothing to suggest. But after a moment's reflection, he said, "There's one plan that you might want to consider. Why don't you get yourself crucified and rise again the third day?"

Our Daily Bread
August 8, 1997

"The stone of Jesus' tomb was a pebble compared to the Rock of Ages inside!" -Peter Marshall

It was this blessed hope of unending bliss that rendered D. L. Moody triumphant in life and all glorious in death. Before his home going, he said, "Some day you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody is dead. Don't you believe it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher that is all. I was born of the flesh in 1837; I was born of the Spirit in 1856. That which is born of the flesh may die, but that which is born of the Spirit will live forever!"

 Two roses were on the Communion table in our church on Easter Sunday morning. As I looked at them, my heart was filled with joy.

The red rose signified the birth of little Brian, who had come into the world on Good Friday. And on this particular Sunday we were celebrating the gift of this new life.

The yellow rose represented a new spiritual life. On the previous Wednesday evening, Sandra, a sixth-grader, had trusted Christ as her Savior at the youth group meeting. What made this significant was that she had received a gift distributed by our church at Christmastime to needy families. As a result, Sandra had begun coming regularly to our church. When she heard the gospel that Wednesday, she put her trust in Christ as her Savior and was born again.

As we celebrated Easter that morning, I couldn't help but think of those two new lives. Not only is the risen Savior the Creator of physical life (Col. 1:16), He is also the Originator of new spiritual life because of His sacrificial death and His triumph over the grave. His resurrection gives meaning to life here and now, and it assures us that someday we will receive a new "spiritual body" (1 Cor. 15:44).

Let's rejoice today in Christ's resurrection! --DCE

Our Daily Bread
March 30, 1997

Turn-Around Churches
By George Barna / Gospel Light

It can happen in any church - success in ministry can lead to a condition of paralysis. Churches begin to rely on the "tried and true" practices of the past and become unable - or unwilling - to risk making the changes required by present day challenges. It's a dangerous scenario that can lead a church into decline.

The good news is that "growth paralysis" can be cured - if church leaders learn to recognize it and take swift, decisive and prayerful action. Turnaround Churches looks at real-life examples of churches that have made a comeback after a period of decline. You'll learn to recognize the cycles of growth and decline that face any ministry. You'll also learn the danger signs that indicate when a church is about to experience a decline.

An Oriental diplomat, through an interpreter, addressed the Bethany Sunday School in Philadelphia. The superintendent, Mr. John Wanamaker, listened in amazement as his distinguished guest was explaining that the teachings of Confucius and Jesus were the same, and that there was no need of his changing his religion. The superintendent rose up after the diplomat finished and acknowledged the high moral standards of Confucius. "But there this vital difference between Confucius and our Lord Jesus Christ. Confucius is dead and buried, and he will remain in his grave till Jesus Christ tells him to arise. But our Christ's grave is empty. He is living. He is here in this room today."

Oliver Stone produced a movie about former US President John F. Kennedy. He fudged on the facts and then defended his actions by saying that what was really important was the story's "mythic sense"--or his interpretation of the facts. Historical accuracy didn't matter.

Some religious leaders of the first century apparently used a similar tactic in recounting the resurrection of Jesus. Influenced by pagan religions that minimized the reality of the physical world, they claimed that Jesus rose in a spiritual sense, not bodily

Our Daily Bread
February 17, 1997

In his book Countdown, G. B. Hardy offers thought-provoking questions about the resurrection: "There are but two essential requirements: (1) Has anyone cheated death and proved it? (2) Is it available to me? Here is the complete record: Confucius' tomb--occupied. Buddha's tomb--occupied. Muhammad's tomb--occupied. Jesus' tomb--empty! Argue as you will, there is no point in following a loser."

When Rufus Choate, the distinguished American stateman, took a ship for England many years ago, a friend said to him. "I feel sure you will be living and at work ten years from now." The famous attorney replied, "I shall be living a thousand years from now." In a few days he died, but physically but his words were still true.

A young boy stood outside an art store looking intently at a painting of Jesus on the cross. A man approached and asked, "Do you know who that is?"

The boy answered, "Yes, sir, that is Jesus the Savior who died on the cross to save me. Those people around Him are the soldiers who killed Him. And that woman who is crying was His mother."

The man patted the boy on the head and walked away. He had not gone far when he felt a tug on his sleeve. The same little fellow he had spoken to moments before said, "Please, sir, I forgot to tell you something else. Jesus is not on that cross anymore. He is alive because He rose again. He is in heaven today."

Our Daily Bread
August 11, 1996

When the great Christian and scientist, Sir Michael Faraday, was dying, some journalists questioned him as to his "speculations" for a life after death. "Speculations!" he said, "I know nothing about speculations. I'm resting on certainties. I know that my redeemer liveth, and because He lives, I shall live also."

A little girl died at a hotel where she and her father were staying. The mother was already dead. Just two people followed the body to the cemetery, the father and the minister. The man's grief was great. At the grave he took from his pocket a key, unlocked the casket and looked on the face of his child once more, then silently closed the casket, and handed the key to the keeper of the cemetery. On the way back to the city the minister quoted to the broken hearted man Rev. 1:18, explaining the Lord Jesus though dead was now alive. "But what is that about the keys?" the man asked. "It means this," said the minister. "You think the key to your little girls casket is in the hands of the keeper of the cemetery. Let me tell you, the key to your little girl's grave is in the hands of the Son of God, and he will come some morning and use it." Then the light broke through the man's tears, and he saw the glory of the Resurrection.

A little over a month before he died, the famous atheist Jean-Paul Sartre declared that he so strongly resisted feelings of despair that he would say to himself, "I know I shall die in hope." Then, in profound sadness, he would add, "But hope needs a foundation."

Our Daily Bread
April 17, 1995

"All who believe in Christ have hope in Him; all who believe in Him as Redeemer hope for redemption and salvation by Him; but if there be no resurrection, their hope in Him must be limited to this life. And if all their hopes in Christ lie within the compass of this life, they are in a much worse condition than the rest of humanity, especially at that time and under those conditions in which the apostles wrote, for then they were hated and persecuted by all people.

"Preachers and believers therefore have a hard lot if in this life only they have hope in Christ. Better to be anything than a Christian under these terms! It is a gross absurdity in a Christian to admit the supposition of no resurrection or future state. It would leave no hope beyond this world, and would frequently make his condition the worst in the world.

"Indeed, the Christian is by his religion crucified to this world, and taught to live upon the hope of another. Carnal pleasures are tasteless to him in a great degree, and spiritual and heavenly pleasures are those which he pants after. How sad is his case indeed, if he must be dead to worldly pleasures and yet never hope for any better!"

--Matthew Henry

Jesus rose, and proved His power

By that rising glorious;

From the mighty grasp of death

He came forth victorious. --Anon.

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