Sermon Central
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During Telemachus' Life The Gladiatorial Games ... PRO
Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Nov 13, 2003 (message contributor)
During Telemachus’ life the gladiatorial games were very popular. People were fascinated by the sight of blood and gore upon the arena floor. And that alone was enough to bring the criticism of bishops and priests from within the church. But worse than all of this was the fact that most of the gladiators who fought in the arena were not there voluntarily. Most were slaves, political prisoners, those considered to be the dregs of the society who were forced to train and fight for their lives for the sheer entertainment of others, many of whom were Christian. Emperor Honorius was well-known as a Christian and yet he sponsored the games and many of his fellow Christians sat in the most prominent seats within the arena.
Telemachus wondered if there could possibly be anything further from the Spirit of Christ than the total disregard for the lives of these men on the part of his fellow believers. So disturbed was he that he felt something had to be done about it. Something more than just words condemning. So he set out for Rome.
When Telemachus entered the city, the people he met had gone mad with excitement. "To the Coliseum!", they cried out. "The games are about to start.!" So Telemachus followed the crowd and was seated among all the other people when the gladiators came out into the center of the arena. Everybody was tense. Everybody was silent as the two men faced each other. The men drew their swords. The fight was about to be on and it was expected that one of them would be dead within minutes.
But at that very moment Telemachus took a fateful action. He rose from his seat and ran down onto the arena floor. Holding high the cross of Christ, he threw himself into a position between the two gladiators and cried, "In the name of our Master, stop fighting!"
The two men put their swords away, but the crowds went wild. Telemachus had robbed them of their bloody entertainment which they were determined to have in one way or another. If it wasn’t going to be the life of one of these men it was going to be the life of the monk. And they took it.
Far down in the arena lay the battered body of the monk. Suddenly the mob and the spectators who had remained in their seats grew quiet. A feeling of revulsion at what had been done...
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I Read About A Man Dreaming About The ...
Contributed by Melvin Shelton on Jul 17, 2004
I read about a man dreaming about the crucifixion of Jesus. He was telling in detail how that Jesus was beaten, and the people shouting crucify him. He saw the back of the soldier as he was driving ...read more
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The Church Is Like Noah's Ark: The Stench Inside ... PRO
Contributed by Lynn Floyd on Jul 29, 2003
“The church is like Noah’s ark: The stench inside would be unbearable if it weren’t for the storm outside. It’s true—sometimes we stink and the world is stormy. But as imperfect as we are on this side of heaven, the miracle is that God in fact chooses to ...read more
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In 1829 A Man Named George Wilson Was Arrested ...
Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006
In 1829 a man named George Wilson was arrested for robbery and murder in a US mail heist. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to death by hanging. Some friends intervened on his behalf and were able to obtain his pardon from President Andrew Jackson. But when told of this, Wilson refused it ...read more
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Alta Vail Of Emporia, Kansas, Tells In Sunshine ...
Contributed by Evie Megginson on Mar 14, 2005
Alta Vail of Emporia, Kansas, tells in Sunshine magazine how she found a new way to pray while ironing. One day she was thinking about the different kinds of lines—bus lines, clothes lines, fishing lines, telephone lines. Why not a prayer line? she asked herself. So she strung a short rope across ...read more
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Like Bill Hybels, I Believe That There Is Nothing ... PRO
Contributed by Jim Kane on May 25, 2004
Like Bill Hybels, I believe that there is nothing like the local church when it is working right. In addition, I agree with what he says after that sentence: “Its beauty is indescribable. Its power is breathtaking. Its potential is unlimited. It comforts the grieving and heals the broken in the ...read more
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