Let Go Of Our Painful Past—Part 3
How have you responded to the dreams God has given you? Perhaps you’ve felt the way Hero did as he anticipated going forth to serve the King:
… This solemn assembly had been hurriedly gathered for the Rite of Adoption, for no lad could go back into Enchanted City an orphan. Orphans belonged to the evil Enchanter. Hero must be someone’s son; he must have proof of parentage to protect him.
Dread filled his soul. He thought of the darkness of Enchanted City, where the citizens worked by night and slept by day. He remembered Burning Place where the dead were burned: all who had died of weariness, of hunger, of heartsickness.
In his memory, he saw fire burning the pyre that held his mother’s body. (She had always said, “There is a King. A real King!”) Death drums began to beat in his mind: oo-mb-pha … oo-mb-pha … oo-mb-pha-din. Visions of Burners with hot brands and smoldering pokers flashed. He heard the blows of the Breakers. The song of the Naysayers, nay-nay-nay, nay-nay-nay, nay-nay-nay, clutched his heart with icy fingers.
He remembered Branding-himself a screaming five-year-old-and how the hot iron had seared his cheek. For the first time in many months, Hero touched the scar. Here, in this place among these people, he was Hero, loved by many. In that terrible place, he was nothing but scum. The people of Enchanted City would point and jeer in the old way—Scarboy! Scarboy!
S-C-A-R-B-0-Y!!
Suddenly, Hero heard a scream rise out of Enchanted City and fall into a paralyzing moan in his own soul. He raised up his head, startled. It was more than memory. Hero knew it was the voice of the evil Enchanter from the dark midst of the Dagoda, with his fiery head thrown back, with fire priests dancing and their ceremonial bells jangling: jchang-jchang-jchang.
S-C-A-R-B-0-Y!!
Hero cowered, standing outside the Circle of Flames. His heart felt like stone. The hot eye of the Enchanter had found him, here in his fear. How could he follow the King if he kept hearing this loud and terrible cry? He would be vulnerable, alone.
“Oh, Mercie,” the lad whispered to the old, old woman beside him. “I’m afraid. How will I ever find the King? You know I’m not good at recognizing disguises. I can feel the Enchanter’s hot eye, and hear the nay-din-nay-din of Enchanted City, and remember the brands and the blows and the stink of Burning Place.”
The old woman took his hand, and Hero felt the strength of her grasp. Mercie smiled. “Hero, fear is ever the Enchanter’s ally. Have you forgotten your own powerful weapons?”
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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.
