Sermon Central
-
Sir Earnest Shackleton's Epic Tale Of Survival ...
Contributed by Dr. C. David White on Apr 6, 2002 (message contributor)
Sir Earnest Shackleton’s epic tale of survival and courage began with dreams of being the first expedition to cross the Antarctic continent. En route, the Endurance became beset in the ice deep within the Weddell Sea and drifted with the pack for ten months before finally being crushed and sunk in November 1915. Shackleton’s party sledged lifeboats over the ice toward Paulet Island, eventually taking to the sea, and landing on Elephant Island. After setting up a small camp at nearby Cape Wild, Shackleton and five other men first braved the freezing, stormy ocean in their 22-foot lifeboat, the James Caird, on an 800-mile journey to South Georgia Island. Then, he and two of the men traversed the 6,000-foot mountain range to reach help at Stromness, a whaling station on the opposite side of the island.
One night nearing the end of this desperate journey across the frozen wasteland Shackleton woke to find a friend who he would have entrusted his life to at a moments notice opening the food box of their companion.
They were down to their last pieces of food and the other man was extremely weak from the terrible journey. That night Shackleton couldn’t sleep. It ran over and over in his mind, a picture of the man who he never dreamed could steal another man’s last food reaching into his box.
When they awoke the next morning Shackleton is both relieved and encouraged when he learns that his friend has not stolen the other man’s food, but instead had opened his box in order to place his own ration inside.
Perhaps this quote from Sir Raymond Priestley, a member of Shackleton’s earlier expedition on the Nimrod, puts it best:
"For scientific leadership, give me Scott, for swift and efficient travel give me Amundsen. But when you are in a hopeless situation, when you are seeing no way out, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton."
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
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
-
Looking Back, Looking Forward PRO
Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 28, 2002
LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD Hudson Taylor founder of China Inland Mission) used to hang in his home a plaque with two Hebrew Words on it: EBENEZER & JEHOVAH JIREH. The first word means ‘Hitherto hath the Lord helped us’ and the second, ‘The Lord will see to it or provide.’ One looked back ...read more
-
What God Says PRO
Contributed by Paul Decker on Dec 1, 2002
WHAT GOD SAYS In the Spring of 1924, Jack Sundine was a four-year-old kid, standing in a line with his father inside the White House, waiting to meet President Calvin Coolidge. As they neared him, Jack noticed that he said something to each visitor as they shook hands. Soon, the thrilling ...read more
-
Howard Hendricks Tells Of A Mentor Who Changed ... PRO
Contributed by Paul Wallace on Sep 14, 2004
Howard Hendricks tells of a mentor who changed his life in his book Iron sharpens Iron. Howard was from a broken family, and said, "I could have lived, died and gone to hell without anyone bothering to care." However, a man named Walt from a tiny church in his neighborhood cared about reaching nine ...read more
-
If God Intended Man To Live On Bread, Why Didn't ... PRO
Contributed by Don Hawks on Jul 31, 2002
‘If God intended man to live on bread, why didn’t he create a bread tree?’ And the answer, in effect, is that God could have created a tree that produced crusty loaves of bread, but he prefers to offer us a grain and invite us to buy a field and plant the seed. He prefers that we till the soil ...read more
Related Sermons
-
Plantados En La Casa De Jehova Series
Contributed by John Cuentas on Aug 13, 2011
Una hermosa reflexion acerca de la importancia de permanecer con la familia plantados en Dios para florecer.
-
A Church That Is Alive
Contributed by Kevin L. Jones on Dec 12, 2015
A sermon examining the church that is alive and moving forward for Christ.
-
Diagnosing The Check Engine Light Series
Contributed by John Sears on Feb 4, 2014
Mutual accountability is important to the life and health of the individual and to the life and health of the church. How do we handle the difficult task of mutual accountability? And how can it help us grow as followers of Jesus?
-
How To Keep Going When You Feel Like Giving Up Series
Contributed by Steve Malone on Sep 15, 2020
In this message as we look at the life of the prophet Jeremiah we will learn some powerful truths that will help us to keep going when we feel like giving up.
-
Called To Be Different
Contributed by Derrick Thompson, Sr. on May 26, 2012
Let's not try to be like everbody else, we are different, and God knew exactly what He was doing when He made us. We are all uniquely made by God, and it is time to accept ourselevs as different, and stop being insecure about who we are.
