Sermon Central
-
There's A Story About A Man, A Writer, Who Used ...
Contributed by Don Hawks on Aug 10, 2008 (message contributor)
There’s a story about a man, a writer, who used to go to the beach to do his writing. He had the habit of walking along the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore; as he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day, so he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead, he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?" The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing Starfish into the ocean."
"I guess I should have asked; why are you throwing Starfish into the ocean?"
"The sun is up and the tide is going out and if I don’t throw them in they’ll die."
"But young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and Starfish all along it, you can’t possibly make a difference!"
The young man listened politely, then bent down, picked up another Starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves. "It made a difference for that one."
His response surprised the man, he was upset, he didn’t know how to reply, so instead he turned away and walked back to the cottage to begin his writings.
All day long as he wrote, the image of that young man haunted him; he tried to ignore it, but the vision persisted. Finally, late in the afternoon, he realized that he the scientist, he the poet, had missed the essential nature of the young man’s actions. Because he realized that what the young man was doing was choosing not to be an observer in the universe and watch it pass by, but was choosing to be an actor in the universe and make a difference. He was embarrassed.
That night he went to bed, troubled. When morning came, he awoke knowing that he had to do something; so he got up, put on his clothes, went to the beach and found the young man; and with him spent the rest of the morning throwing Starfish into the ocean.
You see, what the young man’s actions represent is something that is special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference, to let the light we have received from Christ to shine in the world before others.
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
Max Lucado Says, "The Bible Has Been Banned, ... PRO
Contributed by Steve Malone on Nov 5, 2004
Max Lucado says, “The Bible has been banned, burned, scoffed, and ridiculed. Scholars have mocked it as foolish. Kings have branded it as illegal. A thousand times over, the grave has been dug and the dirge has begun, but somehow the Bible never stays in the grave. Not only has it survived, it has ...read more
-
Bill Hybels In, The Christian In The Marketplace, ...
Contributed by Timothy Smith on Sep 3, 2005
Bill Hybels in, The Christian in the Marketplace, says, "Dignity is available to every person in every legitimate profession. The farmer who plows the straight furrow, the accountant whose books balance, the trucker who backs a 40’ rig into a narrow loading dock, the teacher who delivers a ...read more
-
An Ingenious Teenager, Tired Of Reading Bedtime ... PRO
Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 28, 2004
An ingenious teenager, tired of reading bedtime stories to his little sister, decided to record several of her favorite stories on tape. He told her, "Now you can hear your stories anytime you want. Isn’t that great?" She looked at the machine for a moment and then replied, "No. It hasn’t got a ...read more
-
A Young Man Was Apprenticed To A Master Artist ... PRO
Contributed by Dan Steadman on Jun 11, 2004
"A young man was apprenticed to a master artist who produced the most beautiful stained glass windows anywhere. The apprentice could not approach the master’s genius, so he borrowed his master’s tools, thinking that was the answer. After several weeks, the young man said to his teacher, ’I’m not ...read more
-
It Is Easy To Become A Slave To Hatred In Our ... PRO
Contributed by Shawn Rose on Nov 28, 2004
It is easy to become a slave to hatred in our hearts. A good friend of mine, "Roy", became angry with another friend of mine, "Lee", several years ago. "Roy" has never forgiven "Lee" for the trespass, and "Lee" has never known that "Roy" is angry with him. Recently, I bumped into "Roy" and asked ...read more
Related Sermons
-
Fools For Christ
Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Jun 8, 2010
Genuine Christian servanthood is expressed in sacrificial and exemplary living.
-
Do The Small Thing To Show The Main Thing
Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Apr 13, 2016
What is servant evangelism: It is demonstrating the kindness of God The Love God by offering to do some act of humble service with no strings attached. Do the small thing to show the main thing -- God's Love.
-
Will You Work Until Jesus Comes?
Contributed by Kevin L. Jones on Dec 14, 2014
A sermon about the importance of service and stewardship.
-
Knowing And Doing God's Will
Contributed by Kevin L. Jones on Jan 27, 2010
A sermon examining how to know God's will for our lives and how to respond once His will is revealed.
-
The Benefits Of Submission Series
Contributed by Mark Opperman on Jun 19, 2012
God has established the authorities that exist and that Christians should submit themselves to their authority. Paul gives several reasons why we should submit to the governing authorities, some of them practical, some of them moral or spiritually driven,
