Sermon Illustrations

It is said that when the British and French were fighting in Canada in the 1750’s that Admiral Phipps, commander of the British fleet was told to anchor outside Quebec. He was given orders to wait for the British land forces to arrive, then to support them when they attacked the city. Phipps’ navy arrived early. As the admiral waited the statues of the saints that adorned the towers of a nearby Catholic cathedral annoyed him. He felt that he had nothing better to do so he commanded his men to shoot at them with the ship’s cannons. No one knows how many rounds were fired or how many statues were knocked out, but when the ground forces arrived and the signal was given to attack, the admiral and his fleet were no help. He had used all his ammunition shooting at the saints. All too often we waste our time chasing after misguided notions, doing things when we think we have nothing better to do, we blow our chances for doing things that really matter and really make a difference.