Sermon Illustrations

Man’s pursuit of joy, a quote; “Men have pursued joy in every avenue imaginable. Some have successfully found it while others have not. Perhaps it would be easier to describe where joy cannot be found:

Not in unbelief—Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote; “I wish I had never been born.”

Not in pleasure –Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure if anyone did. He wrote; “The worm, canker, and grief are mine alone.”

Not in money – Jay Gould , the American millionaire, had plenty of that. When dying, he said, “I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth.”

Not in position and fame – Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more that his share of both. He wrote. “Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age a regret.”

Not in military might – Alexander the Great conquered the known world in his day. Having done so, he wept in his tent, before he sail. “There are no worlds to conquer.”