Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Upon This Rock I Stand!

Ron and Kim were doing some shopping. Having purchased everything they needed, they returned to the parking lot to drive home. "Where's the car? Good golly, someone has stolen it!" They notified the police from a phone booth inside the mall and made a report at the Police station. A young detective drove them back to see if any evidence remained from the scene of the crime. But, what do you know, there is the stolen car, back in the exact spot! A note is on the windshield with two tickets to a concert attached. The note thanks the young couple for the use of their car, but the culprit's wife was about to give birth and had to be rushed to the hospital. The young couple's faith in humanity is restored and they go to the concert and have a wonderful time. They arrive home late that night to find their entire house robbed, with a note on the door reading, "Well, I gotta put the kid through college, don't I?"

Ex 33:12-23 Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." 14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" 17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name." 18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." 21 Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock . 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

I.          Who Will Go with Me?

a. Ex. 33:12 Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me.

b. God does not have any Secret Agents!

A European explorer in Africa, anxious to press ahead on his journey, paid his porters extra for a series of forced marches. Almost within reach of their destination, they stopped and refused to go forward. No amount of extra money would persuade them. They said they had to wait for their souls to catch up.
A. W. Tozer  - The average Christian these days is a harmless enough thing.                                           …. He is a child wearing with considerable self-consciousness the harness of the warrior;                    … he is a sick eaglet that can never mount up with wings;                               …. he is a spent pilgrim who has given up the journey and sits with a waxy smile trying to get what pleasure he can from sniffing the wilted flowers he has plucked by the way.

c.  Judg 1:1 …"Who will be the first to go up and fight for us ..?"

d. 1 Sam 2:35 … who will do according to what is in my heart and mind.

e.  2 Sam 7:13 … who will build a house for my Name

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is our hope today. It is our assurance that we have a living Savior to help us live as we should now, and that when, in the end, we set forth on that last great journey, we shall not travel an uncharted course, but rather we shall go on a planned voyage-life to death to eternal living.


II.       Who Else is Going With Us?

a. Ex 33:13 …Remember that this nation is your people."

b. Ex 33:17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."

c. John 10:3-6 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."

d. Conversion may occur in an instant, but the process of coming from sinfulness into a new life can be a long and arduous journey.

Have you ever watched a trapeze act at the circus? Breathtaking isn’t it? We are amazed at the dexterity and timing. We gasp at near-misses. In most cases, there is a net underneath. When they fall, they jump up and bounce back to the trapeze. In Christ, we live on the trapeze. The whole world should be able to watch and say, "Look how they live, how they love one another. Look how well the husbands treat their wives. And aren't they the best workers in the factories and offices, the best neighbors, the best students?" That is to live on the trapeze, being an example to the world. But what happens when we slip? The net is surely there. The blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, has provided forgiveness for "all" our trespasses. Both the net and the trapeze are works of God's grace. When we slip and fall into the net … We Must Not Stay There! We must climb from the net back to the trapeze!
One step at a time … we continue the journey!


III.    Where Are We Going?

a. Dr. Charles L. Allen wrote - The Christian is not one who has gone all the way with Christ. None of us has. The Christian is one who has found the right road.

b.  Ex 33:14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

In 1938, Douglas Corrigan left New York to fly to Los Angeles. It was foggy when he took off, and he turned east. Twenty-eight hours later he landed in Dublin, Ireland. Corrigan had made the journey alone with only a pressure gauge, a compass, and a map of the United States. Ever afterward he was known as Wrong Way Corrigan.
When we think of the moral direction of life, is it possible you or I should be called Wrong Way Smith, or Jones, or whatever our family name might be?

c. Ex 13:21-22 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

d. Remember the Israelites being led through the wilderness by God?

e. In front of them was a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

f.   It was constantly in front of them leading them. When it stopped … they stopped … when it went ahead they went ahead.

g. They didn’t have a map. They had never been there before … they just trusted God to see them through!

WE ARE GOING WHEREVER GOD LEADS US … THE QUESTION IS … ARE YOU COMING WITH US?


IV.    What Will We Do When We Get There?

a. Ex 33:18-19 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

b. We will expect to see the Glory of God!

c. His promise to us is that if we remain faithful and obedient to Him, He will reveal His Glory to us!

d. Jonathan Edwards  - Resolved: that all men should live for the glory of God. Resolved second: That whether others do or not, I will.

e. The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life. -- C.S. Lewis,

Mercy Me –
I can only imagine, What it will be like, When I walk By your side.
I can only imagine, What my eyes will see, When your face Is before me, I can only imagine
[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel … Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still …
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall … Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all … I can only imagine … I can only imagine!


V.        What Will God Do?

a. Ex 33:20-23 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." 21 Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock . 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

b. He will give us a place chosen by Him!

c. 22 … When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock.

House For Sale!
the six acre McCune mansion in Paradise Valley, Arizona. It was built in the 1960's by Walker McCune for his young bride. The house contains fifty-three thousand square feet and includes an ice skating rink, an Olympic swimming pool, a fourteen car garage, its own beauty salon, guest house, and a ballroom with an $80,000 chandelier. Oddly enough, Mrs. McCune didn't like it and refused to move in. She never lived in it.
No one will be dissatisfied with the mansion Christ has prepared for his bride.

d. He will protect us

e.  22 (I will) cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

During an earthquake, the inhabitants of a small village were very much alarmed, but they were at the same time surprised at the calmness and apparent joy of an old lady whom they all knew. At length one of them, addressing the old lady, said, "Ma'am, are you not afraid?" "No," said the woman, "I rejoice to know that I have a God who can shake the world."

f.   He will give us all of Him that we can stand!

g. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

In the mountains I found a stone--a small one, about the size of a half-dollar, with smooth rounded edges. This stone instantly caught my eye. It was special. Glinting in the sunlight, it seemed to reflect all the surrounding colors. Into my pocket went the stone. All the way home I thought about where I should display it so its beauty could be most enjoyed. I finally placed it on a book shelf in my office. I forgot it for a while. Then one day, while looking for a book, I was surprised to see that the stone had completely lost its luster. It sat on the shelf a hard, gray chunk of nothing, downright ugly. What had happened to my prize? Where was the sparkle and the colors that had attracted me so much? Disgusted, I snatched it up threw it into the trash can. I headed out to dump the trash, a beam of light struck the stone. As though by magic, it began to shimmer, to glow again. In an instant the beautiful jewel tones shone brilliantly. They had always been there, dormant, waiting to be released, I glanced up at the sky. Sunlight? That was the answer. The rays from the sun were all my stone needed to come alive. How much like each of us!

Upon This Rock I Stand!

Ron and Kim were doing some shopping. Having purchased everything they needed, they returned to the parking lot to drive home. "Where's the car? Good golly, someone has stolen it!" They notified the police from a phone booth inside the mall and made a report at the Police station. A young detective drove them back to see if any evidence remained from the scene of the crime. But, what do you know, there is the stolen car, back in the exact spot! A note is on the windshield with two tickets to a concert attached. The note thanks the young couple for the use of their car, but the culprit's wife was about to give birth and had to be rushed to the hospital. The young couple's faith in humanity is restored and they go to the concert and have a wonderful time. They arrive home late that night to find their entire house robbed, with a note on the door reading, "Well, I gotta put the kid through college, don't I?"

Ex 33:12-23 Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." 14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" 17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name." 18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." 21 Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock . 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

I.          Who Will Go with Me?

a. Ex. 33:12 Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me.

b. God does not have any Secret Agents!

A European explorer in Africa, anxious to press ahead on his journey, paid his porters extra for a series of forced marches. Almost within reach of their destination, they stopped and refused to go forward. No amount of extra money would persuade them. They said they had to wait for their souls to catch up.
A. W. Tozer  - The average Christian these days is a harmless enough thing.                                            …. He is a child wearing with considerable self-consciousness the harness of the warrior;                                                                   … he is a sick eaglet that can never mount up with wings;                                                                      …. he is a spent pilgrim who has given up the journey and sits with a waxy smile trying to get what pleasure he can from sniffing the wilted flowers he has plucked by the way.

c.  Judg 1:1 …"Who will be the first to go up and fight for us ..?"

d. 1 Sam 2:35 … who will do according to what is in my heart and mind.

e.  2 Sam 7:13 … who will build a house for my Name

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is our hope today. It is our assurance that we have a living Savior to help us live as we should now, and that when, in the end, we set forth on that last great journey, we shall not travel an uncharted course, but rather we shall go on a planned voyage-life to death to eternal living.


II.       Who Else is Going With Us?

a. Ex 33:13 …Remember that this nation is your people."

b. Ex 33:17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."

c. John 10:3-6 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."

d. Conversion may occur in an instant, but the process of coming from sinfulness into a new life can be a long and arduous journey.

Have you ever watched a trapeze act at the circus? Breathtaking isn’t it? We are amazed at the dexterity and timing. We gasp at near-misses. In most cases, there is a net underneath. When they fall, they jump up and bounce back to the trapeze. In Christ, we live on the trapeze. The whole world should be able to watch and say, "Look how they live, how they love one another. Look how well the husbands treat their wives. And aren't they the best workers in the factories and offices, the best neighbors, the best students?" That is to live on the trapeze, being an example to the world. But what happens when we slip? The net is surely there. The blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, has provided forgiveness for "all" our trespasses. Both the net and the trapeze are works of God's grace. When we slip and fall into the net … We Must Not Stay There! We must climb from the net back to the trapeze!

One step at a time … we continue the journey!


III.    Where Are We Going?

a. Dr. Charles L. Allen wrote - The Christian is not one who has gone all the way with Christ. None of us has. The Christian is one who has found the right road.

b.  Ex 33:14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

In 1938, Douglas Corrigan left New York to fly to Los Angeles. It was foggy when he took off, and he turned east. Twenty-eight hours later he landed in Dublin, Ireland. Corrigan had made the journey alone with only a pressure gauge, a compass, and a map of the United States. Ever afterward he was known as Wrong Way Corrigan.
When we think of the moral direction of life, is it possible you or I should be called Wrong Way Smith, or Jones, or whatever our family name might be?

c. Ex 13:21-22 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

d. Remember the Israelites being led through the wilderness by God?

e. In front of them was a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

f.   It was constantly in front of them leading them. When it stopped … they stopped … when it went ahead they went ahead.

g. They didn’t have a map. They had never been there before … they just trusted God to see them through!

WE ARE GOING WHEREVER GOD LEADS US … THE QUESTION IS … ARE YOU COMING WITH US?


IV.    What Will We Do When We Get There?

a. Ex 33:18-19 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

b. We will expect to see the Glory of God!
c. His promise to us is that if we remain faithful and obedient to Him, He will reveal His Glory to us!

d. Jonathan Edwards  - Resolved: that all men should live for the glory of God. Resolved second: That whether others do or not, I will.

e. The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life. -- C.S. Lewis,

Mercy Me –
I can only imagine, What it will be like, When I walk By your side.
I can only imagine, What my eyes will see, When your face Is before me, I can only imagine
[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel … Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still …
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall … Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all … I can only imagine … I can only imagine!


V.        What Will God Do?

a. Ex 33:20-23 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." 21 Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock . 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

b. He will give us a place chosen by Him!

c. 22 … When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock.

House For Sale!
the six acre McCune mansion in Paradise Valley, Arizona. It was built in the 1960's by Walker McCune for his young bride. The house contains fifty-three thousand square feet and includes an ice skating rink, an Olympic swimming pool, a fourteen car garage, its own beauty salon, guest house, and a ballroom with an $80,000 chandelier. Oddly enough, Mrs. McCune didn't like it and refused to move in. She never lived in it.
No one will be dissatisfied with the mansion Christ has prepared for his bride.

d. He will protect us

e.  22 (I will) cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

During an earthquake, the inhabitants of a small village were very much alarmed, but they were at the same time surprised at the calmness and apparent joy of an old lady whom they all knew. At length one of them, addressing the old lady, said, "Ma'am, are you not afraid?" "No," said the woman, "I rejoice to know that I have a God who can shake the world."

f.   He will give us all of Him that we can stand!

g. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

In the mountains I found a stone--a small one, about the size of a half-dollar, with smooth rounded edges. This stone instantly caught my eye. It was special. Glinting in the sunlight, it seemed to reflect all the surrounding colors. Into my pocket went the stone. All the way home I thought about where I should display it so its beauty could be most enjoyed. I finally placed it on a book shelf in my office. I forgot it for a while. Then one day, while looking for a book, I was surprised to see that the stone had completely lost its luster. It sat on the shelf a hard, gray chunk of nothing, downright ugly. What had happened to my prize? Where was the sparkle and the colors that had attracted me so much? Disgusted, I snatched it up threw it into the trash can. I headed out to dump the trash, a beam of light struck the stone. As though by magic, it began to shimmer, to glow again. In an instant the beautiful jewel tones shone brilliantly. They had always been there, dormant, waiting to be released, I glanced up at the sky. Sunlight? That was the answer. The rays from the sun were all my stone needed to come alive. How much like each of us!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Who Was That Masked Man

Audio Link
As a child growing up one of my fond memories was that of watching The Lone Ranger. The “bad guys” in their black hats would be terrorizing the “good guys” in their white hats. When thigs would look the darkest in would come riding “The Lone Ranger” along with his companion Tonto. The Lone Ranger would shoot straighter, hit harder and ride fater than any other cowboy on TV. When the battle was over the Lone Ranger would be seen riding off in the sunset and someone would ask, “Who was that masked man?”
Mark 8:22-29 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" 24 He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village." 27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" 28 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ."
I.          What Does the Future Look Like?

a. Dan 10:14  Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future , for the vision concerns a time yet to come."

b. Matt 26:64 Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." 

c. Mark 8:22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.

d. Some people in town heard that Jesus was coming their direction. They had a friend (?) who was blind. They thought IF they could take him to Jesus, IF Jesus would heal him, then he would experience a different future than what he currently faced.

e. You can’t truly meet Jesus and not have your future changed.

Someone said, "My past is gone; my present is passing; my future is arriving." The best thing about the future is that it comes upon us by degrees, a day at a time. We can manage that! Whatever it holds, my future is mine: if it be fair weather, let me bask in the sun; if it be storms, let me bend with the wind. The future belongs to those who can make adjustments.
……..
For centuries the islands of New Zealand were unpopulated. No human had ever set foot on them. Then the first settlers arrived. They were Polynesians from other Pacific islands who had sailed a thousand miles in outrigger canoes. The Polynesians came with the purpose of settling in New Zealand. How did they know the land was there? How did they know they would not simply sail across empty seas until food and water ran out and they perished?  The Polynesians had known for generations that land was there because their voyagers had seen a long white cloud on the distant horizon. They knew that when a cloud stayed in one place over a very long period of time, there was land beneath it. They called New Zealand the Land of the Long White Cloud.  Faith is like that. It is voyaging to an unseen land, journeying to an unknown future. But it is not mere guesswork, or chance, or superstition. There are facts behind faith, facts that suggest conclusions.
f.   OUR FUTURE LOOKS LIKE WHATEVER OUR DEPENDANCE ON GOD ALLOWS IT TO LOOK LIKE

II.       Will We Follow Jesus?

a. Mark 8:23 He (Jesus) took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.

b. Matt 4:19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

c. Matt 10:38 … anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Rom 15:5-6 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

d. If you follow Jesus, what will change?

                                       i.    Lifestyle might change
                                     ii.    Friends might change
                                   iii.    Thoughts might change
                                   iv.    Heart will change
                                      v.    Future will change

The blind man had to decide would he allow this stranger to lead him to an unfamiliar place!

"Babies are our business, our only business." So runs the ad of a famous maker of baby food. No one expects a baby to eat the food adults eat. So we read in the Bible of the "milk of the word" and of "meat." Everyone expects that a baby will grow. Parents know that babies do not all grow at the same rate nor do things at the same age but they do expect every baby to grow. We must be patient with those who are "babes in Christ" but we must never stop encouraging them to follow Peter's instruction and grow in grace and knowledge.

Painted on the inside wall of a little church in Yugoslavia were two verses. Isaiah 55:6: "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near." The other was Matthew 16:24: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

Christ is reaching out to take your hand … what do you do? Do you jerk your hand back out of fear or do you trust him to lead you to a greater place?


III.    Will We Put Aside Our Pride?

Mark 8:24 - 25… When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" 24 He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

Matt 10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Rev 2:10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.

a. Let’s see how this goes … a man you don’t know takes you by the hand and leads you to a place you haven’t been to before. When you get there … he spits on you and asks if you can see???

b. Can you see pride getting in the way of this God moment?

In every Christian's heart there is a cross and a throne, and the Christian is on the throne till he puts himself on the cross; if he refuses the cross, he remains on the throne. Perhaps this is at the bottom of the backsliding and worldliness among gospel believers today. We want to be saved, but we insist that Christ do all the dying. No cross for us, no dethronement, no dying. We remain king within the little kingdom of Mansoul and wear our tinsel crown with all the pride of a Caesar; but we doom ourselves to shadows and weakness and spiritual sterility.

c. Who is sitting on the throne of your life right now?


IV.    Will We Persevere?

Mark 8:24-25 When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" 24 He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

Luke 18:2-8 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' 4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'" 6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" 

a. Will we persevere in our faith? Some have already given up in fighting the good fight of faith.

Several years ago a thirteen-year-old boy who attended Mohawk Central School at Paines Hollow in New York heard an appeal for contributions to Santa Claus Anonymous, a group that provides gifts for unfortunate children that otherwise would go without Christmas presents. The boy struggled to save a few pennies for this purpose. On the Friday before Christmas vacation he had fifteen cents and planned to turn in this small treasure at the school that day. But a furious blizzard blasted the area that Friday and the school buses could not run. So the boy waded a considerable distance through deep snow to give his fifteen cents to the school principal. The principal found it difficult to control his emotions as he accepted the gift, for the youngster was one of the destitute children listed to receive a Christmas present from Santa Claus Anonymous.

Myanmar … Youth Minister workshop. B’Dan a 40 year (chin) old man who worked with youth in his village. (youth up to 35) wanted to attend the workshop. The workshop was held in Rangoon the capital. B’Dan lived over 500 miles from the capital. He had never seen a white man. He walked 75 miles to catch a river boat. The boat stopped at every port along the river. It took three days to make the boat trip. Where he got off the boat was 100 miles from Rangon. He walked to Rangon. In his village, he was a miner working in the ruby mines near his village. The mine owner had given B’Dan a small bag of rubies to sell to pay for his trip. It took two weeks for him to come to the conference… attend and return home.

So tell me…. What is it that keeps us from being sold out to God?

V.        Who Will Make a Difference?

Mark 8:27-29  Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" 28 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ."

a. Remember the encounter that Jesus had with the woman at the well.

                                       i.    He knew all about her history.

                                    ii.    She was amazed ay His understanding of her.

                                 iii.    She went into town and told them come and meet this man who told me everything I ever did.

                                  iv.    Jesus knew her and still loved her.

b. Jesus knows you and still He loves you.

c. Rom 5:6  You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

d. Rom 5:8 While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Cor 15:3-8 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.