Rev Bill

I have posted my sermon from yesterday on my sermon blog.

It is the second in a series of sermons based on ideas from Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life. Based on Genesis 12:1-9 and Luke 13:31-35, it is entitled “Live To Please God.”

Here’s a portion of it:

When I was in my late teens and early 20’s I did things I am not proud of now. I went to some wrong places – I hung around with a wrong crowd – I did some wrong things. Looking back on the places I went – the people I hung around with – and the things I did I’m not pleased at all at with how I was living at that time in my life.

My parents were not pleased with how I lived at that time in my life, either.

At that time my Dad was on the Sate Highway Commission. He had a special license plate on his car – one that identified him as a Highway Commissioner – much as Senators and Congessmen or Judges might have on their cars. This license plate made him and his car instantly identified to most of the town. People saw the car with the license plate and knew it was Billy Hayes’ car.
Well — I was in college – so I did not live at home – but came home some weekends and breaks from school.

I drove a Chevy Nova Hatchback through college that got me to where I needed to go – but not in the style I wanted. When I was home I would want to drive Dad’s Oldsmobile 98. I thought that the 98 would be much cooler to pick up my date in or to arrive in at the local hangout than my Nova. I always asked Dad to let me borrow his car. He always refused.

“No – I don’t want my car seen at some of place you may be going!” he would say.

He reasoned – and rightly – that I would be going places he did not want to be identified with – - and if his car with his license plate were seen there he would be identified with that place. So I would leave in my Nova Hatchback – wishing I were in the Oldsmobile 98 – and not realizing until years later the point Dad was trying to get across.

My lifestyle at that time in my life was not pleasing to Dad – or to Mom for that matter – or – to God. I finally came around and realized that – and came back to living as God – and my parents – wanted to be live — but it took awhile.

You can read the entire sermon here.

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