Sermon Illustrations

Many years ago a man was sailing from Ireland to England and as the ship entered the harbor in the evening, all that could be seen was a confusing array of lights. He wondered how the captain could hope to navigate into the harbor safely with such confusion, so he asked him. The captain took him up on the bridge and said, "It’s really very simple, sir. I’ll show you how. Do you see that big light over to the left? And do you see that other big light over there to the right of it? And now, do you see that outstanding light farther still this way? Well, keep you eyes on those three lights and see what happens." As the man watched, the big outer light on the left gradually moved in until it coincided with the middle one. Then, as the ship turned, the light gradually merged into the thrid light. "There now," said the captain, "all I have to do is to see that those three big lights become one; then I go straight forward."

The believer also has three lights to guide him into the will of God. When Scripture and conscience are lined up with outward circumstances so that the three become one, we need have no fear. We can go straight ahead.