Legendary West Indian fast bowler Sir Wesley Hall was a strongly-built, larger than life cricketer who played international cricket between 1958 to 1969. His long run-up, fearsome pace bowling, outstanding personality, and exploits on the cricket field, made him one of the most-loved sportsmen to emerge from the Caribbean. In 48 international test matches, Hall took 192 wickets at an average 26.38 runs per wicket.
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Introduction to sermon on God’s Goodness and Care: Hello friends, it’s my joy to bring you God’s Word today. Well, we are at the beginning of the first month of this year, so I just wonder what January will bring for you. I’m sure many of you went back already to the past year, looking back on what happened in your life—the good things and the not-so-pleasant things.
We came to December and you probably celebrated Christmas, if not with a lot of money, at least with the beauty of the message of the birth of Christ our Lord. And then you probably looked forward to something beautiful, something better, something more meaningful, happening in your life this year.
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Introduction: Start the sermon by describing a memorable personal journey. Maybe about a memorable spiritual journey.
* The Bible says this about Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 29:2 – “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord…”
Trivia on Hezekiah:
* He was the 13th King of Judah
* He is considered to be the second best king in their history
* It is believed that he had a hand in the process of putting together a few of the Psalms
* His reign was extremely successful and prosperous (2 Chronicles 32:27-30)
* He ruled for 29 years (2 Chronicles 29:1).
* He is mentioned in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:9-10)
This sermon covers the following 3 points connected to King Hezekiah’s reign.
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My mobile phone was on its last legs. It had already been through an expensive repair on the touch screen, and now, it was clear that its days were numbered. A vital part of my ministry, I realized that I needed a new phone as quickly as possible, before the imminent crash. The cost, however, was too much at the moment, which left us searching for possible options.
A few mornings later, I received a call from one of my friends. “Pastor, I’m parked outside your home. Can you come down for a few minutes?” Wondering what had brought him to my home that early, I hurried down the stairwell. As I reached his car, he stepped out and handed me a box. “Pastor, I came to give you this.” It was a new phone! The Lord had burdened his heart, he had humbly followed the Lord’s prompting. I had my needed new phone! My need had been met through the generosity of a fellow-believer and friend.
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(The transcript of a sermon that shows God’s Concern in our daily challenges, preached at the People’s Church (Assembly of God) in Colombo, Sri Lanka)
Introduction: You know, there’s a story of the well-remembered evangelist and preacher George Mueller. He was a man who looked after thousands of children, orphans, in various locations. He never asked support from anyone but always prayed and trusted God for provision for this ministry that he was doing with these children. One story that really struck me was about how he depended on the Lord day by day for his needs.
One day, in one of the locations, there were 300+ children, but there was no food that morning. When this crisis came, in faith, he asked the children to come and sit at the tables, and then he prayed. Apparently, as the story goes, soon there was a knock on the door, and he opened it to find that the guy who ran the bakery nearby had felt a prompting from God to bring bread for the children. They were fed, and soon after, there was another knock on the door.
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A 5-point sermon on Thanksgiving.
Introduction: Soul singer Lionel Ritchie was once deeply impacted by a speech in which his father had honored his mother, on their 37th wedding anniversary. In his speech, Ritchie Senior had lovingly given thanks to his wife for sticking by him through the ups and downs of life. Said Lionel, “What a great story because I pass through my house every day and I don’t say thank you. I just take for granted that certain things be done”. That speech moved him to compose one of his best loved songs, ‘Three Times a Lady’.
How much we too forget to express thanksgiving to God for the blessings He gives us. We often take them for granted. In Psalm 107, the author earnestly encourages the people to proclaim thanksgiving to God, by repeating the phrase, “Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wonderful works to humankind” on four occasions (Psalm 107: 8, 15, 21, and 31). That’s a good policy for us to follow too.
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Sermon: RENEWING HOPE THROUGH STORMY SEAS
Sermon preached at the People’s Church in Sri Lanka – Sunday, 26th June 2022
Introduction:
(Illustration of a story related by D.L. Moody that led to a beautiful and well loved hymn being composed).
During a sermon he once preached, D. L. Moody spoke about a ship that was trying to enter a harbor on an extremely dark, stormy night. The Captain noticed the lighthouse light was working but not the ‘lower lights’. He then asked the Pilot, “Where are the lower lights?”, to which the Pilot replied, “They must have gone out, sir.” The Captain then asked, “Can you make it into the harbor?” The Pilot replied, “We must sir, or we will perish in this storm.” As they tried to maneuver the ship into the harbor in the darkness, it hit the rocks and sank. Many lives were tragically lost that night. (Adapted from Hymn History – Enjoying the Journey)
‘The Lower Lights’ – These are lights located away from the lighthouse that light up the water line and give ships safe entry to the harbor.
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Scripture: “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre” (1 Samuel 16:18)
Today’s Reading – 1 Samuel 16:14-23
Illustration:
Award winning songstress Gloria Estefan has often spoken about the challenges she faced as a foreign student in her early school life, mainly due to her inability to communicate in English.
Gloria however received assistance in her English language skills and was given confidence to persevere by her year one teacher, Dorothy Collins. She eventually won the class reading prize and went on to study languages at University.
Showing respect for her teacher, Gloria once said, “My year one teacher didn’t just teach me the language; she helped me find my voice”.
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A little child with learning difficulties had a tough time during her first sessions in class and was coping poorly. During the following year however, her learning improved quite dramatically. In case you’re wondering why? – Well, after her first day in the new class, the new teacher called up every child individually and whispered something into their ear. When this particular child walked up, the teacher had leaned over and whispered, “I wish I had a child like you.” Those words of kindness were the catalyst for a powerful change in the child’s behavior and learning.
Country singer Christy Lane once sang –
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A sermon showing lessons from Jesus on trust and wealth.
Introduction:
Last week I read about a very wealthy businessman. He was a landowner who rented his estates to other merchants, to do business on his land. Payment was made at the end of a season on the produce and earnings they made from the estate.
This owner had an Operations Manager who possibly had been given comfortable accommodation too. After a while however, this manager began mismanaging the owner’s estate and money began to leak out, possibly because of wastage. So, at one point, the boss got to know that this was happening, and he called the manager up and said, “You know, you better give a report on your management because what’s happening is not good”. He was also probably given marching orders to step down from his job.
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This is the transcript of a sermon preached at The People’s Church in Colombo, Sri Lanka – Fulfilling God’s Purpose (Genesis 28)
You know, I was reading about the well-loved preacher Billy Graham a couple of days ago. It is said that when Billy Graham joined Bible College in the 30’s, he was once asked to preach a sermon impromptu. He apparently preached four borrowed sermons in eight minutes! But that day he felt a clear call to preach, and from there on, he used every opportunity that he could, to preach, which wasn’t many at that time. As a result, he used to take a boat and go across the river and preach to the surrounding trees, birds, and alligators. That’s how he built his preaching ministry and God’s purpose..
Sometime later, while on a walk in the night, he fell on his knees and he said, “Lord if you want me to serve you, I will do it.” That day the ministry and God’s purpose in Billy Graham’s life was clearly set.
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After what seemed like an agonizingly long time, my eye doctor said, “You have a problem pastor. You need to get it fixed urgently.” I sat there, shocked, hardly able to listen, as he explained with much concern that the retina on my left eye had detached. (To make matters worse, there were small holes (tears) on the retina of my right eye as well).
”No! This can’t be true! Not my eyes,” I thought, as he kept talking. But, yes, this was really happening to me. My thoughts flashed back to a persistent uneasiness I had felt for some time with my vision. My vision had been nearly perfect following cataract surgery a few years earlier. I had even unceremoniously disposed of the thick spectacles that had been a part of my appearance for almost my entire life! Now, this!
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When Covid-19 swept across almost all borders, fear and anxiety gripped hearts around the world. No one seemed safe anymore and everyone was searching for methods of protection. Today, we face new and dangerous challenges. In times of crisis, however, the children of God, as it has happened right through history, can find encouragement and comfort through the promises of God. One such passage people often turn to for comfort is Psalm 91.
As I look at social media today, I find many people sharing either the entire passage of Psalm 91 or at least parts of it, to strengthen others. Through this article, I would like to share my thoughts as well regarding this beautiful Psalm. Do keep your Bible open to Psalm 91 as you read.
A man was constantly worrying that somebody was under his bed. He went to a Counselor who was willing to help him, but at a high fee, over many months. A few weeks later the Counselor met the man on the street and asked him why he had not returned. The man replied, “I met a friend who gave me some great advice for free. It worked perfectly’. The Counselor asked what advice had been given him and the man replied, ‘He asked me to cut the legs of the bed down to ground level”!
How much we worry and how many of our worries are unfounded? Unhealthy worrying can cripple us to the point of making us ineffective and unable to cope with life’s challenges. It can also lead to depression. We worry over sickness, viruses, finances, family, children, salt, sugar, unforeseen dangers and many other things.
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Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka – Photo Credit: Vasantha Jayasooriya
Let me begin this sermon on God’s restoration with the following illustration.
One of the historical wonders of Sri Lanka is the complex rock fortress, Sigiriya, and the palace built on it by one of our former Kings, Kasyapa, many centuries ago. It is an amazing place to see & tourists flock there to view its beauty, grandeur and craftsmanship. One of the highlights of Sigiriya is the frescoes that are painted on the rock walls. These and the site itself are considered National treasures, with UNESCO listing Sigiriya as a world heritage site. (If ever you come over to Sri Lanka, you need to visit Sigiriya).
Many years ago, some of the frescoes were vandalized by an unknown group of people, with, (if I remember correctly), either ink or paint being thrown, to deface them. As a result, many experts had to be brought in (foreign and local), to work at restoring these frescoes back to their original state. Thankfully, they succeeded in most of their painstaking efforts.
Image Credit: Snappa
Recently, my brother Nimal, who was formerly a ship’s captain and is now a lay Pastor in our church, shared the Word of God in one of our services. In that sermon he expressed his appreciation and thanks to me for being the first in our family circle to accept the Lord Jesus & for holding on to that commitment in the midst of much opposition. The end result, he mentioned, was that he and eventually our entire family, came to salvation. I was so glad that after all these years he still remembered and was thankful.
We live in a world where gratitude is often not expressed and help given is easily forgotten. Undercutting and backstabbing seem to be the order of the day! That brings me to the main thought in my sermon.
Image credit: Pexels
There is a story of a child who was slow in learning and did poorly in her first grade in school. However, when she started grade 2, her grades started to improve dramatically. The reason: her new teacher, on the first day of school, would call every student close to her and whisper something nice into their ear. When this particular child came up to the teacher, she apparently whispered into the child’s ear, “I wish I had a child like you”. That beautiful thought had a huge impact on the child and it reflected in her studies from there on!
Introduction: Start by describing the Bible story in 1 Kings 21 as if it was a current story happening in our time. Mention thereafter that you didn’t take the story from a newspaper, on social media, or in a human-rights magazine; that it was from the Bible.
Illustration: Show a visual of a cherry field and share the story of how our family went cherry picking in Australia and the fun everyone had.
Scripture: Let’s look at 1 Kings 21 today.
Proposition: We need to live courageously by our convictions.
In the Biblical story, Naboth had a beautiful vineyard in Jezreel, close to King Ahab’s winter palace. This was apparently his 2nd palace, with a milder winter climate – (Show a visual of Jezreel).
Today, we will highlight 4 thoughts on how this sad story unfolded and how God responded. So, let’s first look at the main characters in the story.
Ahab —> A wicked and morally weak king of Israel
Jezebel —> A wicked and strong-willed woman. She hated God and was steeped in witchcraft and the worship of false gods.
The Elders and 2 false witnesses —> They were wicked and spineless men
Naboth —> A godly man and a man of conviction
Elijah —> The anointed and bold prophet of God
1) Ahab’s Covetousness of the Vineyard –
1 Kings 21:1-2
Ahab began to covet Naboth’s vineyard in Jezreel and asked for it with some sense of fairness. He wanted it for a vegetable (herb?) garden – (Refer to herbal drinks of today that are very popular among health-conscious people). In fact, Ahab was willing to give a better land in exchange or pay the full value of Naboth’s land. Nothing wrong with that, but the events that followed when Naboth refused the offer went horribly wrong, with serious consequences for both families – all because of a plot of land!
Ahab’s response to Naboth’s refusal was childish for a man of his stature (21:4). He became sullen and angry, and even stopped eating! The KJV says, “he turned his face away”, probably looking at the wall in disappointment. This was contrary to his Baal theology which said that “might was right”.
* Refer to what people might ask someone showing similar behavior in today’s culture. Most probably they would ask questions like: What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick? Are the medical reports bad? Did anyone troll you badly on Facebook? Were you sacked? Did you crash the car? Did you burn the food?
Ahab eventually began to covet Naboth’s vineyard.
Meaning of Covetousness – A strong wish to have something, especially something that belongs to someone else: (Cambridge Dictionary)
* The Bible warns that covetousness is like idolatry (Colossian 3:5). Why? Because the love for things slowly begins to control our hearts. It is connected to greed, jealousy, and envy.
Refer to Exodus 20:17 where God condemns covetousness. Let’s therefore beware of covetousness. Let’s instead, strive to be (1) generous and (2) content with God’ blessings towards us. Someone said, “‘A love for the right use of money and possessions can be the root for much good’.
Illustration : Share an illustration that highlights the danger of coveteousness.
2) The Conviction of a Godly Man – Naboth
Naboth refused to hand over the field to King Ahab. It is believed that Naboth refused the generous offer on a spiritual principle. Why? Because the land was a spiritual, ancestral inheritance; a sacred gift given by God. It could only be sold or leased under very dire circumstances, and that too with specific conditions. It was precious to Naboth and his family. But to Ahab, It was just another possession; probably for a gardening hobby, a commercial venture, or a place to relax .
* For further reading refer to Leviticus 25:23-47 (25) – Numbers 36:7, Ezekiel 46:18
Naboth’s response was precise and clear. He refused, and said, “God forbid” (1 Kings 21:3) – Some believe he could have been one of the 7000 that didn’t bow to Baal (1 Kings 19:18)
* How important it is for God’s children to live and act with clear conviction. I’m reminded of the lyrics in a popular song of sometime back. it said,“If I listen to your lies, would you say, I’m a man without conviction” – (Karma Chameleon by Culture Club).
In a world that lacks conviction badly, we too need to be steadfast in our convictions, and refuse to budge or give in to ungodly plans, even if it may benefit us materially, or financially. Don’t give in. Many temptations come to the Christian, but we should never sell our faith for prestige, popularity, or possession. We must protect our spiritual heritage and pass it down to the next generation. Sadly, “When we lose the fear of God, we start to fear man”.
Ahab did the opposite. He suppressed his own convictions because of his greed, even though he probably would have known about what the law said.
* Illustration: (How Great Thou Art): In chapter 1 of his book, ‘Then Sings My Soul, singer George Beverly Shea shares how he was offered a contract to sing with a famous singing group of that time. This break would have more than doubled his salary, besides bringing him national radio exposure and greater popularity. However, as he looked at some of the lyrics he would have to sing, Beverly Shea decided that he would not be able to sing some of them as a child of God. Hard as it was, he declined the offer. Many would consider that a very poor and foolish decision. But, what happened thereafter?
God honored Beverly Shea’s decision and conviction. He eventually became the featured soloist for the ministry of Billy Graham, singing before millions of people around the world. He received not just national exposure, but international, worldwide exposure!
3) Jezebel’s Conspiracy Through False Accusations
Jezebel realized what had happened and first insulted her husband. She may have possibly questioned his manliness (21:7), and eventually appealed to his pride and thirst for power. What a difference a godly queen could have made!
Jezebel then intervened n the matter and hatched a diabolical plan. She wrote letters to the elders and nobles in the city under Ahab’s name and seal (21:8). This was plain forgery and they were complicit in the events that followed. Some commentators feel that Ahab may not have known all the details about Jezebel’s plan, but he certainly could have stopped it when he became aware.
Brothers and sisters, let’s be careful that we never encourage or implicate our spouse or children to do anything that is ungodly. The consequences could be serious. Let’s protect them for ungodly, worldly attractions and desires. Let’s not believe the lie that says, “You can’t enjoy life and be happy without some worldly attractions that draw us away from Jesus?” The Bible says, “In Your presence is fulness of joy (Psalm 16:11).
* Describe Jezebel’s plot – (2 Kings 21:9-10). An idol-worshipping lady, totally sold to false gods and witchcraft, who hated God, used possibly a twisted scriptural and even legal premise to commit perjury and murder! She made it look legitimate because If someone was convicted of certain crimes, their land could be taken over by the crown).
Naboth was therefore killed unjustly but stayed true to his convictions. The message of his death was eventually sent to Jezebel, not to Ahab! so let’s look at how the trial unfolded.
Jezebel – Committed forgery, perjury, and murder
Naboth – Was accused falsely of blasphemy and treason (“Cursed God and King’). His sons were also tragically killed (2 Kings 9:26). Jehu may have forgotten about Elijah’s prophecy, but now he remembered.
Have you been a victim of false accusation? Gossip? Of injustice? Allow the Lord to heal your pain. He will vindicate His children. At the same time, let’s check ourselves. What about our lips? What about the words we speak about others? God holds us accountable for the words we speak. As a Pastor once said, “If we are to gossip, let’s Gossip the Gospel”.
* Illustration:
4) Elijah’s Courageous Confirmation of God’s Response
After Jezebel gave him the sordid news, Ahab shamelessly took the land (21;15-16) which actually implicated him. He could have refused on principle. We are reminded that Israel was warned about this danger when they wanted a king (1 Samuel 8:14). Ahab proved God right and failed the test!
Everything seemed ok thereafter and the vicious plan seemed to have worked, but Ahab didn’t count on God’s justice! He may have even travelled to the vineyard singing “I’m on the top of the world”. He probably would have entered the vineyard enjoying the beauty of nature, hearing the birds chirping and singing, maybe even to the sound of a brook nearby. He may have started planning how he would cultivate on the land with maybe some vegetables and herbs.
God had other plans however.
God then sent Elijah to confront Ahab in the same vineyard (21:17-26). He accused Ahab of murder and robbery (1 Kings 21:19). He boldly told Ahab, “You have sold yourself to evil” (21:20). This was a different Elijah to the one who had run away from Jezebel earlier. We need to also note that Ahab was accompanied by two brutal and ruthless men: Jehu and Bidkar, when Elijah confronted him.
Elijah proclaims God’s justice which was eventually fulfilled (1 Kings 21:19/23). Time went by but God’s Word stood. (Ahab may have been terrified whenever a dog barked!). Eventually, Ahab, his son Joram, and Jezebel met violent deaths. (2 Kings 9:30-37). God’s Word never fails!
Sadly, Naboth and his sons paid the supreme price because of the injustice they faced. But their eternal reward is sure because of their convictions. We don’t understand why some are martyred, and some not. In the Book of Acts, James was killed, but Peter was saved (Acts 12). They, and many others like them are referred to in Hebrews 11:37 – “They were put to death by stoning”.
*Matthew 5:10
We should never forget that our God is a God of justice (Luke 18:7). His justice flows from His holiness and righteousness. There is however always a place for repentance and forgiveness. Refer to Ahab’s repentance (I Kings 21:28-29). Maybe it was a short-lived repentance and not fully sincere. The consequences however were still present and judgement was only stayed; not stopped.
* God is holy and righteous in his justice. But He is also merciful and waits to forgive and give us eternal life. But we will have to answer for the consequences.
Illustration:
Closing:
Pray for those who have faced injustice. Ask any who need to repent to do so in a time of quiet soul-searching. Share Ezekiel 33:11, John 3:36), and John 3:17.
Opening Scripture: “A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised, give her the reward she has earned” (Proverbs 31:30-31)
The influence and sacrificial efforts of mothers are celebrated on Mother’s Day and I’m happy that it’s a special day on the church calendar. I would like to begin this Mothers’ Day sermon by taking a moment to salute ALL mothers and to thank them for the excellent commitment shown towards their children and family. Thank you also to all mothers who have enriched our lives through their friendship, their faith, and their prayers.
Our opening scripture says that “A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised”. Let us do that in a special way today as we celebrate Mothers’ Day. Through this sermon, I would like to highlight three mothers, whose decisions of courage and faith, affected the destiny of God’s people in powerful ways.
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Illustration/Introduction for Pentecost Sunday Sermon:
There is a story of a small child who got lost and had subsequently fainted in a large field filled with tall grass and weeds. Since she wasn’t responding to the calls of those searching for her, the search party decided on a plan to find her as quickly as possible. They decided to hold hands unitedly in a straight line across the width of the field, and then walked through the field searching for the child. As they did so, holding hands together in a united search, she was soon found safely .
In Acts 1:4-5, while having a meal with His disciples, the Lord Jesus commanded them to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit promised by the Father. He said, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
In response, the disciples waited unitedly (“In one accord” – Acts 2:1) for the promise of God to be fulfilled.
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Sermon about ‘God’s Strength’, preached at the People’s Church in Sri Lanka on 11th January 2026
Our Theme for the year: STAND ON THE WORD – When Lies Are Loud – Truth Stands Firm.
This is the second week of the year and that’s when reality hits. The excitement of the first week could fade away quickly because our challenges may still remain. So, in week 1 we may be highly motivated, but in week 2, we could still be struggling in our trials.
Some of you came into this year fired up, with new purpose, hope, and vision – then suddenly: The pressure didn’t ease – The temptation didn’t stop – The trials continued. If so, we should remember that God never promised a pressure-free life or a great escape from trials – But He did promise strength that never runs out for you and me.
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Topic: A Living Hope That Produces a Godly Lifestyle (1 Peter 2:11-25).
Illustration: Share the illustration of how Rabbi Chaim told a visitor to his home that he lived simply because his home was not in this world, but in heaven.
Introduction: In this passage, Peter refers to how the Christian should live in the dark and dangerous times they faced. He emphasizes that they should face suffering and persecution joyfully by understanding the full value of their eternal purpose and the living hope they had.
Trivia:
Peter – His name is referred to around 210 times in the New Testament. He is called the ‘apostle of hope’.
Suffering – The word is mentioned 16 times in 1 Peter.
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