Sermon

In His Hands

Theme

God is in control.

Object

A remote control

Scripture

Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:13

Preparation: Beforehand, prepare at least two things to happen when you point a remote control in that direction.. Get the person in charge of the lights to dim and brighten the lights when you point the remote at them. Get the pianist to play a short song when you point the remote at him/her. In our church, the youth group sits in the center section right down front. After doing the first two things mentioned here, I said, "I wonder if I can get our youth group to stand with my remote control?" Even though I had not coached them, they stood and sat down "on cue" as I pointed the remote at them.

Good morning boys and girls. [Pull out the remote control.] I’m sure that all of you recognize what I have with me this morning. It is a remote control. We have remote controls that can turn on our TV, change the channels, and turn the volume up or down. I have a remote control that can open my garage door. I even have a remote control on my key chain that can unlock my car door, open the trunk, or honk the horn. Just about anything you think of can be made to work by remote control.

Do you think I could make those lights dim with my remote control? (Point the remote control at the lights and the usher hits the dimmer switch.) Wow, that was great wasn’t it? Do you think I could get that piano over there to play a song with my remote control? (Point the remote at the piano and the pianist begins to play.) Hey, this remote control really works, doesn’t it? Hmm...I wonder if I could make all of those young people sitting over there stand up with my remote control? Hey, this remote control is really great. If I lay my remote control down over here, do you think I can get it to do anything? You are right, I can’t. Before my remote control can do anything, it has to be in my hand.

Did you know that you are like a remote control? You are. God has some special things for you to do in your life -- some really special things. But the only way you can do them is if you are in God’s hand. To do what God wants us to do, we must place ourselves in God’s hands. Let’s pray now that today we would put our lives in God’s hands so that He can use us to do some very special things this week.

Dear Lord, help us to remember that we need to put our lives in your hands so that you can use us to do the things that you have created us to do. Amen.