Sermons that Changed My Life
Over the years that I have been a Christian, I have heard more sermons than I can remember or even number. Preachers have had an impact on my life. At the top of the list would surely be C. Sumner Wemp, the pastor who introduced me to Christ, evangelism, and expository preaching. As a young Christian, I “cut my teeth” on the Bible teaching of M. R. DeHaan. I once had a theological conversation with him I will never forget. While I was in seminary, I was a member of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, pastored by W. A. Criswell, who was the greatest preacher I ever heard. I had an interview with him that I shall never forget.
These preachers and others have had a great impact on my life, but I cannot remember a single sermon I ever heard any of them preach. That is not to say that they did not minister to me from the pulpit as well as in person. They did. It is just that I don’t recall any of their specific sermons that changed my life. There were, however, sermons that did just that.
When I was in college, I heard a sermon by my favorite professor, Dr. F. Dean Banta. He taught philosophy at the college and pastored a small church, where I was his youth pastor. The sermon I remember was one he preached in chapel entitled, “But If Not.” When Nebuchadnezzar threatened to throw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego into the fiery furnace, they replied, “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up’” (Dan. 3:16-18). I decided that day I would trust the Lord even if it meant a fiery furnace. That changed my life.
When I was in seminary, I heard a chapel message on the Good Samaritan by my favorite seminary professor and mentor, Dr. Haddon Robinson. That message burned into my brain the thought that my neighbor is anyone whose need I see, whose need I can meet. At the time, my problem was wanting to help people when I didn’t have the means to do so and feeling guilty about it. That sermon delivered me from false guilt from that day till this.
I once had the privilege of hearing Dr. Charles Woodbridge, a Presbyterian (missionary, pastor, seminary professor), challenge preachers to systematically study the Bible book by book. I’ve been committed to preaching the Bible a book at a time ever since.
In the providence of God (it is a long story), I was present in the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana the day Jack Hyles preached his candidating sermon. Later, I heard him preach a number of times as a visiting speaker. Before he went off the deep end (that’s another long story), I heard him preach a sermon in which he made the point that all ministry is to individuals. “You may preach to thousands,” he said, “but you are preaching to thousands of individuals.” That changed the way I thought about preaching.
When you listen to a sermon, remember, it is one of God’s methods for changing people.
© G. Michael Cocoris 8/28/2014
These preachers and others have had a great impact on my life, but I cannot remember a single sermon I ever heard any of them preach. That is not to say that they did not minister to me from the pulpit as well as in person. They did. It is just that I don’t recall any of their specific sermons that changed my life. There were, however, sermons that did just that.
When I was in college, I heard a sermon by my favorite professor, Dr. F. Dean Banta. He taught philosophy at the college and pastored a small church, where I was his youth pastor. The sermon I remember was one he preached in chapel entitled, “But If Not.” When Nebuchadnezzar threatened to throw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego into the fiery furnace, they replied, “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up’” (Dan. 3:16-18). I decided that day I would trust the Lord even if it meant a fiery furnace. That changed my life.
When I was in seminary, I heard a chapel message on the Good Samaritan by my favorite seminary professor and mentor, Dr. Haddon Robinson. That message burned into my brain the thought that my neighbor is anyone whose need I see, whose need I can meet. At the time, my problem was wanting to help people when I didn’t have the means to do so and feeling guilty about it. That sermon delivered me from false guilt from that day till this.
I once had the privilege of hearing Dr. Charles Woodbridge, a Presbyterian (missionary, pastor, seminary professor), challenge preachers to systematically study the Bible book by book. I’ve been committed to preaching the Bible a book at a time ever since.
In the providence of God (it is a long story), I was present in the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana the day Jack Hyles preached his candidating sermon. Later, I heard him preach a number of times as a visiting speaker. Before he went off the deep end (that’s another long story), I heard him preach a sermon in which he made the point that all ministry is to individuals. “You may preach to thousands,” he said, “but you are preaching to thousands of individuals.” That changed the way I thought about preaching.
When you listen to a sermon, remember, it is one of God’s methods for changing people.
© G. Michael Cocoris 8/28/2014
