Sermon Jazzers      from Voicings Publications Each day SearchGodsWord.org and Voicing Publications posts for our users a fresh Sermon Jazzer illustration handpicked for usage with the "Sunday Sermon".   Today's Sermon Jazzer deals with the subject of 'faith'. Click here to preview today's "Sunday Sermon." In his book "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made," Philip Yancey says: A certain bridge in South America consists of interlocking vines supporting a precariously swinging platform hundreds of feet above a river. I know the bridge has supported hundreds of people over many years, and as I stand at the edge of the chasm I can see people confidently crossing the bridge. The engineer in me wants to weigh all the factors: measure the stress tolerances of the vines, test the wood for termites, survey all the bridges in the area for one that might be stronger. I could spend a lifetime determining whether the bridge is fully trustworthy. But eventually, if I really want to cross, I must take a step. When I put my weight on that bridge and walk across, even though my heart is pounding and my knees are shaking, I am making a statement-declaring my position. In the Christian world I sometimes must live like this, making choices which contain inherent uncertainty. If I wait for all the evidence to be in, for everything to be settled, I'll never move. Often I have had to act on the basis of the bones of the Christian faith, before those bones were fully formed in me and before I understood the reason for their existence. Bone is hard, but it is alive. If the bones of faith do not continue to grow, they will soon become dead skeletons. -Brand, P. and Yancey, P., "Fearfully & Wonderfully Made." (Adapted). Voicings Publications, Inc. Copyright, 2001. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form is strictly prohibited.   Each week two new illustrations are posted from the "Handbook of Pulpit Humor: 101 Humorous Sermon Illustrations. Illustration #1 deals with the subjects of 'fasting, poverty and sacrifice'. An American philanthropist went to Israel to inspect several Houses of Worship to which he had been sending contributions. In an obscure corner of Negev he met with the rabbi of an impoverished synagogue. "We need more help," the rabbi pleaded. "This place is falling apart and the congregation is too poor to do anything about it." "Tell me, rabbi, how much do they pay you?" the visitor asked. "Twenty five dollars a month," said the rabbi. "That's all these poor people can afford." "But how do you manage to live on that?" came the next question. "Well, I'm a religious man," said the rabbi, "and if I didn't fast three times a week, I'd starve to death." The Handbook of Pulpit Humor: 101 Humorous Sermon Illustrations. From The Editors of Sunday Sermons. Copyright, 1999. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form is strictly prohibited. Illustration #2 deals with the subjects of 'sincerity, allurement and hypocrisy'. An impetuous young man spied a beautiful young woman walking through the park. Immediately, he began to follow her. After a time, the young woman turned and confronted him: "Why are you following me?" she demanded. "Because you are so beautiful," he answered fervently. "I am madly in love with you and wish you to be mine." To which the young woman replied, "But why don't you look behind you to see my younger sister. She is far more beautiful than I." The young man quickly wheeled about but saw no one. "You're putting me on" he said. "You have lied to me." To which she replied, "If you were so madly in love with me, then why did you turn around?" The Handbook of Pulpit Humor: 101 Humorous Sermon Illustrations. From The Editors of Sunday Sermons. Copyright, 1999. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form is strictly prohibited.