Skip to main content

Quiet Sermons


I was recently preaching at a sister church close to our home, where I have done so over the last two years. There is a young man who attends the church with a learning disability called David (not his real name). He is looked after in a nearby care home. 

Every Sunday morning someone brings David to the fellowship gathering. Many of the carers who bring him are not followers of Jesus. On Sunday he was brought in by John (not his real name). 

John was the most attentive to the word preached throughout the sermon. I had an opportunity to chat with John afterwards. He found the preached Word a great help to him. Sadly, as I am only a visitor I couldn't follow up.

Then it dawned on me. David with a serious learning disability, that includes is inability to speak, is bringing people who do not follow Jesus to hear the good news of a Saviour who died for sinners. He is doing more than able bodied people.

God is using his disability in an extraordinary way. I don't know how many care workers (I have seen at least five different people now) will be saved by hearing. I don't even know how many are already followers of Jesus. But they are hearing the good news of Jesus and that is more than enough! 

What is amazing is that David has no idea of his impact. But I bet you when God looks at David he just smiles. He says, "son, you are doing well with the disability I gave you". A crown of glory awaits David. It is just like God to take the brokeness aside and make it beautiful. 

I went to preach at this local church but I came back having been preached to by David through his learning disability. My wife and I talked about it on our way home. God is amazing! 

I certainly need to hear David's quiet sermon. The message delivered through him to me seems to be clear. Your current difficult situation is God's perfect opportunity to bless others through it. Just stop feeling sorry for yourself. Start asking God how you can even more of a tool for the advancement of the gospel through it! Dare to be a David!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Vulnerability of A Pastor

None are more exposed to slanders and insults than godly teachers. This stems not only from the immense demands of their work, which can sometimes overwhelm them, causing them to stumble or falter and thus providing fertile ground for malicious individuals to find fault. Even when they diligently fulfil their duties and avoid any errors, they face a barrage of criticisms. Satan’s strategy is to alienate people from their ministers, gradually undermining their teaching and causing its reputation to suffer. This not only harms innocent individuals whose reputations are unjustly tarnished but also diminishes the authority of God’s holy teaching. Satan’s primary goal is to achieve this, as Plato’s observation about the maliciousness and envy of the masses applies here. Furthermore, the more sincerely a pastor strives to advance Christ’s kingdom, the more they become targets of spite and the more intense the attacks against them become. Moreover, accusations against ministers of the Wor...
Post a Comment
KEEP READING →

Christian Unity

I profess myself to be of no party, and to love all of every party who love the Lord our saviour in sincerity. If they preach the truth in love, live as they preach, and are wise and watchful to win souls, and to feed the flock, I care not much whether they are called, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Church men, Kirkmen, or Methodists. I desire to rejoice in their success, on every side. I believe the zealots of all parties, pity or blame me, for my latitudinarian spirit, but the moderate and peaceable of all parties show me kindness.  In some of the great shops in London, there are several counters; and servants at each to attend the customers. If these servants are faithful and have their masters' interest at heart, they will not be jealous of each other, they will not affront the customers by saying 'Why do not you come to be served on my side of the shop? If they are all well served and pleased, it signifies not to which counter they come. Now what are we but servants of...
Post a Comment
KEEP READING →

God is Not in A Rush

It is a noble aim to serve the Lord but we are sometimes too hasty, like children who love fruit but have not patience to stay till it is ripe. But the Lord is seldom hasty in his operations, and when our zeal comes to be sifted, by experience and after reflection, we shall perhaps find some of the bran of our own spirit mixed with it. Nay, possibly that Satan transformed into an angel of light, has put us upon things beyond the present call of duty and beyond our strength, that we may give him the less disturbance in future. In a word as I approve of your zeal, I shall be glad for your own sake if you will approve and adopt a little of my prudence. I wish my | letters may be a bridle to you and yours a spur to me.  JOHN NEWTON  (Source: Wise Counsel, p30)  Newton is giving this caution to Ryland because he feels he is getting overstretched. Ryland is taking on too much. He is serving as a man in hurry because he probably feels the urgency of the Gospel. Newton’s point is...
Post a Comment
KEEP READING →