Peter in the Garden--A different first person sermon
" I feel your hurt, I feel your loss, I feel your heartache." I am there with you on your individual cross and will in my way, my time, redeem this situation, trust and have faith.
In this world of brokenness and heartache, we do not need a only a God of glory who makes us feel guilty if your lives at not glorious, we need a God of the cross to stand with us and turn our pain into His glory.
A closing prom by William J. Patton entitled Hands says:
The old man sat there looking at his gnarled, wrinkled hands......There was a young child on the ground in front of him playing in the sand...... "Hi mister," the child said, "Your hands sure do look old."...."Yes," said the old man, "Watch these hands and behold"-----.....Slowly, the old man opened his hands....As he did, a single drop of blood fell to the sand....
The child looked into the eyes of the old man...then looked down and saw there was a hole in each hand............The old man looked at the child and said, "Do you know who I am?"...."No," said the child as he looked at the old man....
"I am who I am." said the old man......The old man reached out and touched the child and was gone.....
A smile came on the child's face, for he knew never again would he be alone.....The child turned to play and saw where the single drop of blood had hit the sand....A rose bush did stand........
The young child went on playing in the sand.....Every now and then he would stop...and look at his hands....
Amen