Penn Oaks North, Dover HS, Sermon Slides, Tiny fish

Grandparents with 11 grandchildren can usually be found at a soccer match on most Saturdays.  In the morning we traveled to Penn Oaks field to see Tate Ritchey play. Click HERE.  We then traveled to the Dover High School stadium to watch Josh Hogan and a few of his fans.  Click HERE to see the fans.  Click HERE to see the soccer player.

I finished sermon notes for tomorrow and sent them to the church computer.  Pastor Bud Reedy will discuss Principle #5 (Preparation for whatever comes next)  Click HERE.

Later in the day I took some time to go through some old files and found an illustration that I used when I taught a Junior High class. I used this to help show the guys how to deal with temptation.  It went something like this....

"Even though a submarine is water tight it cannot go down as deep as it likes.  When I was in 10th grade, a sub know as the Thresher went too deep into the ocean, and because of the extreme pressure, the seawater crushed the subs' heavy steel bulkheads like they were paper. 

Scientists were curious if any life existed at the bottom of the ocean under such tremendous pressure.  So they lowered a steel ball on a cable into one of the deepest parts of the sea.  The steel ball was very thick and compact.  It was only big enough for one scientist to look out of a heavy-duty glass window.  What did they see?  They saw fish! 

However, they expected fish at this depth to be built like an army tank in order to withstand the incredible pressure.  They were not.  There were tiny fish with skin just a fraction of an inch thick. 

How could they survive under such pressure?  The scientists found the answer to be simple.  Their little bodies constantly equalized the pressure inside to match the pressure outside. 

I shared with the guys that many times in my life I've dealt with pressure by putting on inches of steel plate.  I shielded myself from the outside world by hiding in church or by only associating with Christian friends.  But I have discovered that steel armor is not necessary.  God wants us to experience freedom like the fish.  The secret is to be completely filled with God's spirit. The more God fills us with this "inside pressure" - the more we will be able to counteract outside pressure like temptation.  Romans 12:2 says it best.  Click HERE.

I wish I could remember where I found this and other illustrations.  I think it must have been from Tim Stafford stuff that I read a lot of back in the '70's.  Wow.  I just realized that was 40 years ago!