Sermon Central
-
We Refuse To Let ...
Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008 (message contributor)
WE REFUSE TO LET GO
Max Lucado tells about taking his two daughters to a park. They went into a plastic ball pit to play. One of those 3-foot-deep pits filled with thousands and thousands of lightweight, plastic balls. Max’s older daughter did just fine, but the younger one was only three, and she struggled.
As soon as she stepped into the pit, she filled her arms with balls. It’s hard enough for a three-year-old to walk through a waist-deep pile of balls with your arms spread to keep your balance -- and it’s impossible to do so with your arms full. So little Andrea took a step and fell. She tried to get up without letting go of the balls. She couldn’t do it and began to cry.
Max walked over to the edge of the pit and said, "Andrea, let go of the balls, and you can walk." "No," she screamed getting deeper and deeper. Trying to be wise and patient, Max said, "Andrea, if you let the balls go, you’ll be able to walk." She said, "No!" took two steps and fell again.
Parents weren’t allowed in the pit, so Max asked his older daughter, Jenna, to come over and help her sister get back on her feet. But Jenna wasn’t strong enough, and Andrea was still hanging on to the balls she grabbed when she first stepped into the pit. Jenna said, "Daddy, I can’t get her up." So Max said, with a great deal more irritation in his voice, "Andrea, let go of the balls so you can get up!" The cry from beneath the balls was muffled but clear: "Nooo!"
Max thought to himself, "She’s got what she wants, and she’s going to hold on to it if it kills her." The next step was to tell Jenna to take the balls away from her sister. So they engaged in hand-to-hand combat for a while, until finally the attendant told Max he could go on in to get them out.
Later Max reflected, "What is it that makes children immobilize themselves by clutching toys so tightly?" Then he thought, "Whatever it is, they learned it from their parents. That child’s determination to hold onto those balls is nothing compared to the grips we put on the things this world has to offer. And if you think Jenna’s job of trying to take those balls away from Andrea was tough, try prying our fingers away from our earthly treasures. The way we clutch our possessions and our pleasures, you’d think we couldn’t live without them. Our resistance to the Father is just as childish as Andrea’s. God wants us to loosen our grip for our own good, but sometimes we refuse to let go.
(Source: Max Lucado, from a sermon by Rick Crandall, "Start Walking in Purity" 7/13/08, SermonCentral.com)
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
In Les Misérables The Antagonist Is A Police Man ... PRO
Contributed by Mike Wilkins on Jun 2, 2003
In Les Misérables the antagonist is a police man named Javert. He is a pitiful man who believes in judgment alone and not mercy. Last week we saw the clip from the movie where Jean Valjean receives mercy from the Bishop and I told you that he lives the rest of his life trying to give the same ...read more
-
The Queen Mary Was The Largest Ship To Cross The ... PRO
Contributed by Jeff Simms on Jun 1, 2003
The Queen Mary was the largest ship to cross the oceans when it was launched in 1936. Through four decades and a World War she served until she was retired, anchored as a floating hotel and museum in Long Beach, California. During the conversion process, her three massive smokestacks were taken ...read more
-
It Is Possible For Children At A Very Young Age ...
Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Jan 10, 2007
It is possible for Children at a very young age to learn to think about what would please the Lord. --- Which reminds me of something I heard about my 3-year old granddaughter recently. (Have I mentioned lately that I have 4 brilliant grandchildren?) Morgan’s parents were trying to convince her ...read more
-
He Made Free Use Of The Christian Vocabulary. ...
Contributed by Jeff Simms on Jun 1, 2003
He made free use of the Christian vocabulary. He talked about the blessings of the Almighty and the Christian confessions which would become the pillars of the new government. He handed out pious stories to the press, especially to the church papers. He showed them his tattered Bible and ...read more
-
C. Are You Ready For His Return? A Young Woman ... PRO
Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 13, 2004
C. Are you ready for his return? A young woman was expecting a date. She was dressed up and waiting patiently. However, by the time he was an hour late she figured she’d been stood up. So, she took off her makeup, put on her pajamas, gathered all the junk food in the house and sat down to watch ...read more
Related Sermons
-
Submission To God Series
Contributed by Allan Quak on Nov 11, 2011
The call in this chapter is to submit to God through the way we speak to each other and through the way we speak to God.
-
Cling To The Lord Series
Contributed by C. Philip Green on Apr 4, 2019
Cling to the Lord, because you can count on Him. Don't cling to the world, because it will con you.
-
Standing Strong In The Face Of Worldliness Series
Contributed by Michael Carbaugh on May 5, 2009
It does not take long for Daniel’s faith to be tested in Babylon, that test deals with the area of worldliness, the test to just fit in.
-
Take A Risk Series
Contributed by C. Philip Green on Aug 1, 2018
Take a risk! By faith, fear God more than people, forsake the world, follow the Lord, and find salvation for your own soul. By faith, do what others cannot do and live a life pleasing to the Lord.
-
Pig Lessons Series
Contributed by C. Philip Green on Mar 13, 2013
If you want to really live, don't let Satan destroy you and don't let society detain you. Instead, let the Savior deliver you and use your for His glory.
