Sermon Central
-
Angels In A Pickup Truck?
Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 16, 2020 (message contributor)
There’s not much better than a great day on vacation, especially when the outside temperature is hot and your car’s A/C is cold! That was how it was on one recent summer day when I was visiting my home town.
I had done some sight-seeing and was ready to head back to the motel room when I wondered which direction I should go. Sure enough, the Lord spoke to me and said to head in a certain direction. Even though I had been there numerous times over the years, I complied, and headed for a certain convenience store where I had purchased gas before.
Pulling in to the pump, I was really disappointed to see a yellow bag over the gas pump handle—loosely translated, that’s the universal symbol for “go somewhere else!” Sure enough, just moments later, a car moved away and it would have been easy to move forward.
One problem, though.
The car wouldn’t start.
Most of us are strongly aware of that sinking feeling when your car’s battery goes dead and all you hear is the rattle or clicking sound, which means “you’re going nowhere”.
Well, there I was, about 40 miles from the motel, and 600 miles from our current residence. Worse, it was after 5 pm and if there was a garage, I had no idea if it would be open. I was definitely tending towards panic mode!
Not knowing what else to do, I went in to the store and explained to the manager that my car wouldn’t start but I would try to move it out of the way as soon as I could. Inside also was a young man, whom I hadn’t seen before, who asked if I had jumper cables, to get the car started. Weakly, I replied, “No”,
He said, “Well, I’ve got a pair”, and out to my car both of us went. He did something under the hood (don’t ask me what!) and connected the jumper cables. I had my misgivings, as he and his friends were driving a good sized pickup truck (hence, the title for this new illustration). He asked me a few questions and told me there was an auto parts store a few blocks away, then said they could probably help me with a new battery, and that I definitely needed one.
Enough “juice” flowed to get my car started and you can be assured, I got to that auto parts store as fast as I legally could! But before they left, I remember telling the young man and his two associates, that God has His ministers everywhere, even in that particular city.
The Bible tells us much about the ministry of our Lord for us, and how angels are here and there to minister to us. The writer of Hebrews wrote of angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:14)”
All I can tell you is this, whether they were angels or not (notice, I used a question mark for the title!), our Lord used a handful of people to help me out of a very difficult spot. I praise Him for all He’s done, and is going to do, and pray that perhaps I’ll be able to minister to someone should they be in a tough spot too.
Could there be an “angel unawares” in your home town?
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. http://www.lockman.org
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
In September, 1938, A Man Who Lived On Long ...
Contributed by Stephen Wright on Dec 12, 2004
In September, 1938, a man who lived on Long Island ordered a very fine barometer. When it arrived he was extremely disappointed to find that the dial was stuck, pointing to “Hurricane.” After shaking the barometer very vigorously several times, its new owner sat down and wrote a scorching letter to ...read more
-
Fred Craddock, Who Taught At Candler School Of ... PRO
Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Sep 18, 2005
Fred Craddock, who taught at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, once said: “To give my life for Christ appears glorious. To pour myself out for others ... to pay the ultimate price of martyrdom — I’ll do it. I’m ready, Lord, to go out in a blaze of glory. We think giving our all to ...read more
-
I Remember When I First Started Training To Be A ... PRO
Contributed by Bruce Morrison on May 26, 2003
I remember when I first started training to be a pilot. I was a young pastor and lived in Labrador in the north east part of Canada. The church purchased a bush plane to be used for outreach in parts of the region where there were no churches of any kind so I needed to learn to fly. On my very ...read more
-
A Man Started Out Through A Forest So Thickly ... PRO
Contributed by Stephen Wright on Dec 12, 2004
A man started out through a forest so thickly covered with trees that one day he could not see the sun or sky. After travelling for a long time he knew it was getting night time, so started for what he thought was home. He was so certain that his direction was right that he did not look at his ...read more
-
The Clear Implications Of Jesus Saying He's The ... PRO
Contributed by Greg Buchner on Mar 4, 2005
“The clear implications of Jesus saying he’s the way, the truth, and the life are that, first, truth is absolute, and second, truth is knowable.”* *Lee Strobel. "The ...read more
Related Sermons
-
Seeing The Unseen (Coronavirus) Series
Contributed by Scott Bayles on Mar 23, 2020
The Bible encourages us to “look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen” (2 Corinthians 4:18). That's just what Elisha does in 2 Kings 6. What does he see that we often don't?
-
The Ultimate Adventure Series
Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 28, 2016
What is the best way to get people to come to church? Is inviting good enough, or is there a better way?
-
He Could Have Called 72,000 Angels Series
Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 14, 2014
A sermon on the arrest of Jesus Christ (Seed thoughts from a Christology class; Outline from James E. Smith's book, The Longest Night in the Bible; So What? from Alan Carr at: http://www.sermonnotebook.org/new%20testament/John%2018_1-14.htm)
-
The Reality Of Angels
Contributed by Jack Graham on Nov 16, 2016
Now would you take God’s Word and turn with me to the book of Psalms… Psalm number 91. After years and years of neglect… as a matter of fact, since the Middle Ages we have known a neglect of those majestic beings known as angels.
-
Peace On Earth Series
Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 25, 2016
Jesus was born to bring us peace - that's what Isaiah declared and angels sang. But what does that mean? What kind of peace did Jesus come to give me, and how can I receive it?
