Sermon Central
-
In The End, What Is It That Honestly, Really ...
Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jun 25, 2008 (message contributor)
IN THE END, WHAT IS IT THAT HONESTLY, REALLY MATTERS?
When I was a student chaplain at a hospital in Philadelphia, I spent a great deal of my time in the geriatric wing. The general routine was to start the shift by checking in with all the patients on the floor to see if anyone needed to talk or pray about things.
The women always wanted to talk, and the men, they were so predictable. On the first day I would stick my head in the door of a man's room and say hello. We would have some small chit-chat and then very soon, I would be ushered out to, "help someone in greater need". On the second day I would stick my head in the door and I would get the wave, "Doing alright son, have a good day." Then, on the third day things would be different. By this time the men had taken the tests they came in for and had been given "the news" by their doctors, which usually was very bad news.
On the third day I always knew the visit to these men was going to be a long visit. I would stick my head in and say hello and the response was always the same – silence. Usually, they would be looking out the window or looking at nothing at all. I would pull up a chair, and just wait; in a few moments they would start talking.
You know, these men rarely talked about their illness, or even about the treatments ahead. They always talked about life, the things they did, both with great satisfaction and great regret. They would talk about this person and that person, and finally always, I mean always, they would wonder, that in the end, what is it that honestly, really matters?
Finally, God has the Hebrews' attention. Finally, God has them where He wants them. Now they have to stop and consider: In the end, what is it that honestly, really matters?
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
Back In The Fifteenth Century, In A Tiny Village ... PRO
Contributed by Dave Mcfadden on Oct 20, 2004
Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children. To keep food on the table the father, a goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood. Despite their ...read more
-
My Resolve For This Vision Is Reflected In The ... PRO
Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Dec 23, 2003
My resolve for this vision is reflected in the prayer below: More than anything else in heaven or on earth, I pray for the power to love my fellow person, to break through the condemning bigotry, the crippling prejudice, the stifling self-centeredness that smothers God’s Spirit within ...read more
-
The Army Of Alexander The Great Was Advancing On ...
Contributed by Evie Megginson on Mar 8, 2005
The army of Alexander the Great was advancing on Persia. At one critical point, it appeared that his troops might be defeated. The soldiers had taken so much plunder from their previous campaigns that they had become weighted down and were losing their effectiveness in combat. Alexander commanded ...read more
-
A Television Executive Called The Pastor Of A ...
Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Oct 25, 2004
A television executive called the pastor of a metropolitan church in another city, and told the pastor: "I think that my son is in your city, involved in the drug culture." He then asked the preacher if he would try to find the boy and do something with him. About four months later the boy was ...read more
-
General Ulysses S. Grant Had A Man Who Was A True ...
Contributed by Dave Mcfadden on Oct 20, 2004
General Ulysses S. Grant had a man who was a true friend to him like this. His name was John A. Rawlins. He was the General’s chief of staff. It was to Rawlins that Grant gave his pledge that he would abstain from alcohol. When he broke his pledge, Rawlins went to Grant and with great ...read more
Related Sermons
-
The Death Of Fear Series
Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 5, 2015
When I was 5 my grandfather died. As I stood by the graveside at the cemetery, my mother said I looked down into the grave and then turned to her and asked "How's Grandpa ever going to get out of there?"
-
Wings Of Eagles Series
Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 22, 2018
Isaiah 40 declares that we will win the race because God says we will win - if we wait upon the Lord. That thought can change our lives... but it even has a greater power. Do you know what that is?
-
Overcoming Depression And Anxiety
Contributed by Randy Bataanon on Aug 22, 2018
Globally, more than 322 million people suffer from depression, and 264 million suffer from anxiety disorders. Let us discover how to overcome them based on the word of God
-
In The Days Of Your Youth
Contributed by Davon Huss on Feb 10, 2014
A sermon on Ecclesiastes 11:9- 12:7 on the importance of reaching youth and young adults
-
Conquering The Spirit Of Fear
Contributed by Dr. Jonathan Vorce on Jul 28, 2017
There is a difference in being afraid and being bound by the "Spirit of Fear". This outline will help you shed light on this difference and help you help others get free from this debilitating spirit.
