Illustration results for 2 thessalonians 1
Topic of the Week: Changes
Seasons of Life Preaching Bundle »
Doors Video Illustration »
Today is the Day Worship Music Video »
“ If you were to ask Jesus today the one reason for his coming to earth, He would sum up his entire ministry in one statement: He came to seek and to save that which was lost” Dr. James Merritt President of the S.B.C. 2001
Sermon Central Staff
DE-SANCTIFIED CHURCHES
Not too long ago, a real estate listing in Dallas had the simple headline: "Converted Church." In other words, what had once been a church facility is now somebody's house.
The listing under the heading had this description: "The altar has been adapted for use as a granite and stainless steel themed kitchen, in homage to the cooking gods." That's the words they used -- "in homage to the cooking gods!" It went on, "The choir loft has been rewired for a home theater." There was no baptistery, but there was a hot tub -- and, among other things, a game room, a music room and an exercise studio. All this for about $2 million! One more thing: the 15,000 square foot church/home has 11 bedrooms. Nice to know people can now sleep comfortably in that church.
John Whiteside, the realtor showing the house, says, "De-sanctified churches are the number-one type of building converted to residential use."
Sad to say, this has happened to a lot of churches, whether or not they have been converted into residences. They've been "de-sanctified" and have simply become comfortable places for people to gather and sometimes sleep. These are churches that have lost their way, because they forgot what they were all about.
(From a sermon by C. Philip Green, Converted Church, 12/23/2010)
THE TENACITY OF EDISON AND LINCOLN
Look at the life of Thomas Edison. At 21, he patented his first major invention: the Electrical Vote Recorder (a device 100 years ahead of its time!). At 26, he invented the automatic telegraph and paraffin paper. At 30, the phonograph (earliest record player). At 32, the light bulb. At 32, electric generators and motors. At 38, a wireless communications system for ships at sea. At 44, the motion picture camera. At 50, the x-ray tube. At 55, the alkaline battery. At 58, a dictation machine. At 65, the talking motion picture. At 67, the telescribe. At 70, sonar, radar stealth technology, and the list goes on… His life was full of successes? Yes. For the light bulb alone he "successfully discovered over 6,000 ways that didn’t work!" (his words). Edison was a success because he constantly asked questions and he never stopped trying. He was curious. He was courageous.
Look at the life of Abraham Lincoln. At 23, he lost his job, lost his first election, and was elected captain of an Illinois militia group. At 24, he failed at his first business endeavor. At 25, he was elected to state legislature. At 26, his sweetheart died. At 27, he had a nervous breakdown. At 29, he lost another election. At 33, he was permitted to practice law in the District Courts. At 34, defeated for nomination for Congress. At 37, elected to Congress. At 39, election defeat: lost his renomination. At 40, rejected for land officer. At 41, his 4-year old son dies. At 45, defeated for US Senate. At 47, defeated for nomination for Vice President. At 49, defeated again for US Senate. At 51, elected as President of the United States. Lincoln never gave up. He was courageous. He was committed.
(From a sermon by Patrick Nix, To My Children, 3/23/2011)
There are some interesting facts about the sisal plant from which is made tough sisal twine. It grows in Yucatan, Mexico, in hard stony soil. Some Americans visited the area and decided that there might be good money to be made in growing it in richer soil under better conditions. So they started a sisal plantation in Florida where the plant found life no longer a struggle for survival and grew to enormous size. The business promised tremendous returns until the time came for reaping. It was then that the leaf from which fibre vital for the twine comes collapsed into a soft pulp. The tough fibre-quality was missing. They learned then that the sisal plant acquired its toughness by its battle with adverse circumstan...
PAVAROTTI'S GRANDMOTHER
Luciano Pavarotti, the famous opera star, almost missed his calling. As a young man, he taught elementary school and sang only occasionally. But several people made the difference for him. One was his grandmother who, when he was a boy, would hold him in her lap and say, "You're going to be great, you'll see." Another was his father, who encouraged him to devote more time to singing. Another was his voice teacher, who helped him to develop his great talent.
Pavarotti says, "If I hadn't listened to my father and dropped teaching, I would never be h...
