Sermon Illustrations

ONE PERSON MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Many people believe that one person cannot truly make a difference. Yet, history teaches us better.

The story is told that in days past the state of Rhode Island was electing a state legislature. There was a thrifty Federalist farmer who started for the polls late in the afternoon, and on the way he heard the squealing of a pig. He looked around to see the pig with its head caught in the mesh of an old wire fence. The farmer knew that hogs would often kill and eat a trapped pig. So the farmer stopped, rescued the pig, and was too late to cast his vote.

Now the story gets interesting. The Federalist farmer was too late to vote, and the election was decided by one vote in favor of the democrats. "IF" the farmer had voted, the Democrat would not have been elected.

But the irony does not stop here. In those days, the legislature selected the person who would be the US Senator for the state. By a one-vote margin, a democrat was sent to the Senate from Rhode Island. When arriving at the US Senate, the motion was placed forth about going to war with England, which passed by one democratic vote. You still with me?

Following this train of thought, the Revolutionary War was fought because in Rhode Island, a pig got caught in a fence. Whether all of this story is true or not is certainly debatable, but parts of it are entirely accurate. In American history, more than that you care to count, ONE VOTE--one person--made a tremendous difference.

Today we have read in God's word about two men who teach us that one man can and does indeed make a huge difference in life. These two men exert a great influence on you and me today. They both are Symbols, Patriarchs, and even Fathers. Scripture calls them the "First Adam" (Adam of the Garden) and the "Last Adam" (Jesus of Gethsemane); we know them as the Man of Sin and the Man of Salvation.

(Source: from a sermon by Jerry Watts, "A Tale of Two Men" 7/14/08, SermonCentral.com)

Related Sermon Illustrations

Related Sermons