Sermons and Food...

Several weeks ago I posted on my blog that I would be preaching one of the sermons I most remembered from my growing up years. Among my most observant friends came a post that listed the thee sermons he most remembered hearing from my dad growing up. It was a special note for many reasons. One because it was from a friend, another because it was about dad and finally because, I too, remember each of these lessons and had forgotten them before.
Six months to a year after I left the Hamilton church to move to Nashville another dear friend, Ann, sent me an e-mail that listed the sermon outlines she had kept, the ones that had touched her and meant something to her life. It meant more to me than I could express that she actually remembered anything I had said, even more that she had kept some of the outlines and even more that they continued to bless her life. And it helped me to know what sermons I had preached had made some lasting difference in some persons life.
What sermons/lessons do you remember that affected your life? Share with me and others. I'm sharing my friends e-mail...

"On our way home, I got to thinking about some of your Dad's sermons & realized there are 3 that really stand out in my mind. Coincidentally, all 3 were while we were at Maywood. The following is the order I remember them by:

1. Christ's death & significance while a cross burned below the
director's hut & across the little creek (back when the lower part was still the Canteen).
2. Gazing up at the stars on the ball field while discussing the
constellations, God's grandeur, and magnificence.
3. On the side of the lake as your Dad preached from one of those old
flat-bottomed aluminum boats (I will admit that although I fell asleep about halfway through this one, it still stands out in my memory).

But most of all, I don't remember your Dad ever preaching to us as though we were a bunch of little kids (even if for the most part that was exactly what we were). He preached to us information that we needed to know and that he needed to share with us, whether it took
15 minutes for the message or an hour and a half. I really don't remember too many 15 minute lessons...

I find the comparison between sermons and meals truer the older I get. While I may not remember every meal/sermon I've had, one look at me tells you (hopefully) that I've benefited & been nourished by all of them. "

I hope you have a great weekend and that you hear a sermon you'll remember forever.