Top Ten Sermons - # 9 - Two Different Worlds - Daniel Calk
This happened to be another one of the great preaching events of my life. I have to admit that I was an outsider looking in on this one. When I say that I mean that I was not a member of the Life Tabernacle family in Houston, Texas, I just happened to be passing through on the journey. I was in Houston attending Texas Bible College from August 1989 until May 1992.
The Preacher: Bro. Daniel Calk had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma earlier in the year and had been in and out of Methodist Hospital and this was his first return to the pulpit. It was there that he was serving as co-pastor with Bro. James Kilgore. Bro. Calk was a class Christian and had a very kind and easy spirit about him. My time around him was very limited but I always enjoyed hearing him preach and teach.
It was with great admiration that I watched this great church find itself under great duress during this point of its history. When Bro. Calk had been diagnosed with multiple myeoloma, the elders and saints in that church immediately went into a time of great prayer and fasting. The challenge they found themselves under did not hinder them. They were incredible saints of God who loved their church and their pastor. What a thing to be said of a church. I feel certain that Bro. Calk loved them as much as they did him!
A close friend of mine was a member of that church during that time frame. One weekday morning, I met him on his invitation to pray at 6:00 AM pray in the sanctuary at Life Tab (as it was commonly referred to). I was amazed that there were probably 50 people already in the dimly lit sanctuary praying for Bro. Calk.
The Occasion: The message was preached on a Sunday evening and the congregation was held in the hand of the Spirit and the Word. This was not a conference setting, it was just a "normal" Sunday night service. I am guessing that it probably was in the fall of 1990.
The Location: Life Tabernacle, Houston, Texas.
The Message: I am certain that much of the congregation collectively held their breath as he began to preach because he appeared very fragile that evening. However, as he began to preach, not only did his body seem to take on passion and energy but his voice rose with incredible authority. At that time, I am certain that few really realized the struggle that was going on within his body with this intrepid disease. But it did not diminish his delivery nor his will to live and preach in the least.
He took his text from 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 -- [16] For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. [17] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; [18] While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
He then gave his title: Two Different Worlds. He entered into the message giving very warm regards to the congregation for their support during his illness. He spoke with great love as he made reference to his wife, children, and Bro. and Sis. Kilgore.
He then turned his thoughts to the message that Paul was giving to the Corinthian church. Since then, the majority of the time that I read this portion of Scripture, I always think about the message that Bro. Calk preached that Sunday evening in Texas.
He preached about how unimportant that this world really is and how too often we get our priorities out of line down here. He spoke of the fact that this world is nothing more than a "dressing room" or a "testing ground" for the real world that is coming. He implored us not to live by the measures and the standards of this "temporal" or as he continued to use the word, "temporary." He encouraged us to have great devotion to God and to our families. How true those words are!
He than turned his attention to the world that we are looking for. His description of what it was going to be like. . . No Tears. . . No Pain. . . No Death. . . No Separation. . . No Sin. . . was earth-shattering. This message brought out a lot for me because it helped to fine tune the focus that was already being planted within my own spirit. I am very grateful that I was able to be there to hear that particular message on that particular night.
It was overtly obvious that the authority and the strength that was so prominent that night was very obviously the anointing of the Holy Ghost on Bro. Calk.
I feel sure that you probably could obtain the tape from Life Tabernacle in Houston. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is needing encouragement in their lives.
The Preacher: Bro. Daniel Calk had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma earlier in the year and had been in and out of Methodist Hospital and this was his first return to the pulpit. It was there that he was serving as co-pastor with Bro. James Kilgore. Bro. Calk was a class Christian and had a very kind and easy spirit about him. My time around him was very limited but I always enjoyed hearing him preach and teach.
It was with great admiration that I watched this great church find itself under great duress during this point of its history. When Bro. Calk had been diagnosed with multiple myeoloma, the elders and saints in that church immediately went into a time of great prayer and fasting. The challenge they found themselves under did not hinder them. They were incredible saints of God who loved their church and their pastor. What a thing to be said of a church. I feel certain that Bro. Calk loved them as much as they did him!
A close friend of mine was a member of that church during that time frame. One weekday morning, I met him on his invitation to pray at 6:00 AM pray in the sanctuary at Life Tab (as it was commonly referred to). I was amazed that there were probably 50 people already in the dimly lit sanctuary praying for Bro. Calk.
The Occasion: The message was preached on a Sunday evening and the congregation was held in the hand of the Spirit and the Word. This was not a conference setting, it was just a "normal" Sunday night service. I am guessing that it probably was in the fall of 1990.
The Location: Life Tabernacle, Houston, Texas.
The Message: I am certain that much of the congregation collectively held their breath as he began to preach because he appeared very fragile that evening. However, as he began to preach, not only did his body seem to take on passion and energy but his voice rose with incredible authority. At that time, I am certain that few really realized the struggle that was going on within his body with this intrepid disease. But it did not diminish his delivery nor his will to live and preach in the least.
He took his text from 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 -- [16] For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. [17] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; [18] While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
He then gave his title: Two Different Worlds. He entered into the message giving very warm regards to the congregation for their support during his illness. He spoke with great love as he made reference to his wife, children, and Bro. and Sis. Kilgore.
He then turned his thoughts to the message that Paul was giving to the Corinthian church. Since then, the majority of the time that I read this portion of Scripture, I always think about the message that Bro. Calk preached that Sunday evening in Texas.
He preached about how unimportant that this world really is and how too often we get our priorities out of line down here. He spoke of the fact that this world is nothing more than a "dressing room" or a "testing ground" for the real world that is coming. He implored us not to live by the measures and the standards of this "temporal" or as he continued to use the word, "temporary." He encouraged us to have great devotion to God and to our families. How true those words are!
He than turned his attention to the world that we are looking for. His description of what it was going to be like. . . No Tears. . . No Pain. . . No Death. . . No Separation. . . No Sin. . . was earth-shattering. This message brought out a lot for me because it helped to fine tune the focus that was already being planted within my own spirit. I am very grateful that I was able to be there to hear that particular message on that particular night.
It was overtly obvious that the authority and the strength that was so prominent that night was very obviously the anointing of the Holy Ghost on Bro. Calk.
I feel sure that you probably could obtain the tape from Life Tabernacle in Houston. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is needing encouragement in their lives.
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Michael Gurley