Sermon Illustrations
NASA Space Shuttle's Point of 'Negative Return'
To illustrate Christ's call to discipleship, Pastor Tommy Hinson shared that on some evenings, he and his son, Riley, enjoy watching YouTube videos of Space Shuttle launches together.
Hinson said that there is a point at the end of the video where you hear the phrase "negative return."
According to NASA's official website, "negative return" occurs when the space shuttle "is flying too far downrange and too high to return to the launch site in the event of an engine failure." It also means that, for the astronaut, they are now to the point where they are assured of making it into orbit—which is the whole point of the shuttle launch.
Hinson comments:
Jesus is saying, only by crossing the point of "negative return," letting go of the option to turn back, can you actually do what you're meant to do. Whatever your landing site was—your identity, your sense of purpose—before you came to me, you need to leave all possibility of returning behind.