Sermon Illustration Tuesday (5.7)

A youth group leader took his kids to a ski resort, where he saw two people skiing down the slopes one behind the other. They were so close it was almost as if they were tied together. When he got closer, he heard the one in front saying in staccato fashion, “Left.” “Right.” “Straight.” “Right.” “Left.” He thought it was a little funny, and his kids were laughing at the sound of what looked like a ski instructor giving lessons to a student. So he thought he’d have a little fun with the student skier.

He started yelling out different commands that contradicted the ski instructor. When the person in front said, “Left,” he’d yell, “Right!” When the person in front said, “Straight,” he’d yell, “Curve!” But no matter what the youth leader said, the student in back seemed to be able to ignore his voice and fix on what the ski instructor was saying. Suddenly the skier stopped and turned around.

Much to the embarrassment of the youth leader, on the chest of the second skier was a sign: Blind Skier. Even though he could see nothing, since he knew his instructor’s voice, the blind skier could ignore all other voices—even those tempting and tormenting him—and go safely down the slopes.

Leonard Sweet & Frank Viola, Jesus Speaks, Thomas Nelson.