The Rooster Call (4 of 5)
Series: Animal Parade
Jeff Strite
Luke 22:31-62
OPEN: How many of you have ever fallen asleep in Church?
(Wait for a show of hands)
Most people have - at least once.
ILLUS: In the days of the Pilgrims, churches had a person they called a "tything man". His job was to keep people awake during the sermons (usually 2 to 3 hours in length) by using a long pole tipped with a brass knocker at one end to rap the sleeping men, and the other end was tipped with a rabbit's foot or feather for the women. (http://stjohnsgreensboro.com/user_files/110522Bulletin.pdf)
People have fallen asleep in church for ages.
(We used a graphic of "Mr. Bean" falling asleep in church).
Sometimes they fall asleep because…
• They got up too early
• Or they've been up too late the night before
• Or the sermon's boring
• Or because they've worked hard all week and they just can't help themselves
BUT then there are other times, when people fall asleep but have their eyes "wide Open"…
ILLUS: Years ago (when I was younger) I remember being in love with a special girl. She occupied my thoughts all the time - even when I was at church. One day, at church, during the sermon. I began thinking about her, and how much I loved her…and I reached over and squeezed her knee (right there in church).
Only problem was, she wasn't seated beside me at the time.
I was in the tenor section of the choir at the time… seated next to best friend Doug.
It took a long time to explain to him why I had done what I'd done.
Literally, I was asleep in church even while I was awake.
My mind was on other things.
And I needed to be woke up
APPLY: If you fall asleep in church once in awhile, you shouldn't feel too bad. Even the Apostle Peter fell asleep "in church" a couple of times.
In Luke 9, we're told that when Jesus took Peter James and John up on Mountain of Transfiguration. While Jesus was praying Moses and Elijah appeared with Him… but
"…Peter and those ...
Series: Animal Parade
Jeff Strite
Luke 22:31-62
OPEN: How many of you have ever fallen asleep in Church?
(Wait for a show of hands)
Most people have - at least once.
ILLUS: In the days of the Pilgrims, churches had a person they called a "tything man". His job was to keep people awake during the sermons (usually 2 to 3 hours in length) by using a long pole tipped with a brass knocker at one end to rap the sleeping men, and the other end was tipped with a rabbit's foot or feather for the women. (http://stjohnsgreensboro.com/user_files/110522Bulletin.pdf)
People have fallen asleep in church for ages.
(We used a graphic of "Mr. Bean" falling asleep in church).
Sometimes they fall asleep because…
• They got up too early
• Or they've been up too late the night before
• Or the sermon's boring
• Or because they've worked hard all week and they just can't help themselves
BUT then there are other times, when people fall asleep but have their eyes "wide Open"…
ILLUS: Years ago (when I was younger) I remember being in love with a special girl. She occupied my thoughts all the time - even when I was at church. One day, at church, during the sermon. I began thinking about her, and how much I loved her…and I reached over and squeezed her knee (right there in church).
Only problem was, she wasn't seated beside me at the time.
I was in the tenor section of the choir at the time… seated next to best friend Doug.
It took a long time to explain to him why I had done what I'd done.
Literally, I was asleep in church even while I was awake.
My mind was on other things.
And I needed to be woke up
APPLY: If you fall asleep in church once in awhile, you shouldn't feel too bad. Even the Apostle Peter fell asleep "in church" a couple of times.
In Luke 9, we're told that when Jesus took Peter James and John up on Mountain of Transfiguration. While Jesus was praying Moses and Elijah appeared with Him… but
"…Peter and those ...
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