Learning Our Limits – Part 1
The time of the Crusaders certainly qualifies as an era of great change throughout Europe. The term crusade comes from the Latin word crux, meaning cross. Sanctioned by ecclesiastical inspiration, the purpose of the Crusades was to recapture the Holy Land from the Moslems. Generally speaking, the Crusades were not successful.
Do you remember the stories of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest? They take place in England during the twelfth century when good King Richard was out of the country leading a crusade.
I recall having just turned forty and seeing a Sean Connery film called Robin and Marian. In this story, it was Robin Hood, not King Richard, who returned from the Crusades and found conditions back in England deplorable. He decided that he’d repeat the routine of his earlier years and organize a new merry band of outlaws. The film plot was interesting to me because I was just beginning a new venture myself. God was leading me into a ministry in broadcasting as I entered the decade of my forties. So I felt like cheering when Robin Hood rose to the challenge and conquered the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. But it bothered me that in the story Robin’s victory cost him his life. He wasn’t a survivor.
One of the unusual features of this film is the way it shows how everything was harder for Robin Hood now that he was older. For example, climbing the wall of a castle left him so exhausted that when he finally got to the top he just stretched out on his back, pooped. The fights went faster because at this age he didn’t last as long as he used to. In one escape scene, Robin Hood and a companion leapt from a wall onto a passing hay wagon. The timing was perfect, except that now these two weighed more than they used to, and when they landed in the wagon the wheels collapsed.
It’s a funny idea for a story to show someone going back and trying to relive an earlier and more physically fit stage of life. In the real world, every so often a sports star will try to make a comeback—usually unsuccessfully. There aren’t many boxers like George Foreman who are well over forty and willing to take the punishment in the ring that he does. After his first retirement, Foreman tried pastoring a church for a while. I can’t believe that experience was so difficult it drove a middle-aged man back to prizefighting, but maybe so!
One way or the other, the survival skill I want to explore in this chapter is learning our limits. It’s a natural follow-up to guarding self-respect. The foundation for being able to set appropriate limits is proper self-esteem. If we don’t know who we are, we may let others cross boundaries that should not be trespassed.
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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?
Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?
David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.
We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.
For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.
