RECORDINGS OF SERMONS
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SERMON NOTES
September 18, 2011 A.M. Service - Sermon by Pastor Don Harkey
Give Me This Mountain
6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. 7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God. 10 And now, behold the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. 12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.
Joshua 14:6-12 KJV
We want to know all we can so open your bibles please to Joshua chapter fourteen, Joshua chapter fourteen. We’re on a journey with Joshua conquering Canaan and remember that Canaan represents the land of victory, the book of Joshua is the Old Testament book that speaks of the New Testament Christian victory in Christ. Joshua chapter fourteen, beginning in verse six. Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea . Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadeshbarnea to spy out the land; and I brought him word again as was in mine heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, surely the land whereon they feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s forever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God. And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive as he said these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word into Moses while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness and lo, I am this day four score and five years old, that is, I am eighty five years old and yet, I have as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me as my strength was then even so is my strength now for war, both to go out and to come in. Now, therefore give me this mountain whereof the Lord spake in that day. And that is our text. Wherefore now give me this mountain.
I want to speak on this subject, GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN, GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN. Did you know that so many Christians today are earning a living while they’re wasting and losing their lives. They are drawing their breath and drawing their salary but they’re living defeated lives because they have un-surrendered wills and they have never dreamed that God has not meant for them to live in the valley of depression, but God has meant for them to live in the mountaintop of victory. We are to be living in the sunlit peeks of glory on the mountain that our God has given to us. Caleb was that kind of a man. He was the first spiritual mountaineer I believe that the bible mentions and I want us to learn some wonderful lessons from the life of Caleb.
REVIEW Now, I want just to review with you for just a moment so you understand where we are because it may be that some of you are hearing, the messages on Joshua for the first time and so I remind you that the book of JOSHUA IS MORE THAN HISTORY, it is an ILLUSTRATION OF THE VICTORY that a new testament Christian is to have. The bible says all of these things happen unto them for examples unto us and they are written for our admonition.
And what does the land of Canaan that they were conquering, what does that represent? It represents the land of victory and the land of rest for the Christian. You see, the promise land represents the victorious Christian life.
1. LET ME ILLUSTRATE THAT. IT MEANT RELEASE FOR THEM. Up until this time they’d been a nation of slaves. aren’t you tired of being the devil’s slave? He says jump and you say how high. Oh, don’t you want to be set free? Don’t you want it to be said that sin shall no longer have dominion over you, but not only did it mean release,
2. IT MEANT REST. Up until this time they’d been wandering round and round in the desert over the burning, blistering, broiling desert floor and now they enter into a land that the bible says was a land of rest. Oh, I see so many Christians who have everything but rest. They are so nervous, they are so frustrated, they don’t know what to do.
They remind me of a deep sea diver who got a message on his headphones, come up quickly, the ship is sinking. They don’t know what to do. They’re just frustrated. Oh, we’re suppose to rest in the Lord Jesus Christ and frustration is not to be a word in the
Christian’s vocabulary.
3. BUT NOT ONLY DID THIS LAND MEAN RELEASE AND REST, IT MEANT REFRESHMENT. Up until this time they’d been on a desert dive, but now they enter into the land of Canaan, milk and honey, figs and grapes and pomegranates and corn and wine. OH, REFRESHMENT, AND 4. NOT ONLY DID IT MEAN, RELEASE AND REST AND REFRESHMENT, IT MEANT REALITY. Up until this time they just heard sermons about Canaan and that was all and now they saw it for themselves. Do you know the desire of my heart this morning. OH, do you know what T want this morning? I want this congregation of people somehow to get this message out of their notebooks and into their hearts. Oh, I want you to experience victory. It would be wonderful for me this morning if this would become more than a sermon, if it would become a reality to you and that you would enter into your Canaan, the victorious Christian life that God has for you.
WELL, WHAT DOES JOSHUA, who does Joshua represent? Joshua who led them in that day is an illustration and a type of Jesus. That is the Old Testament name for Jesus is Joshua and Joshua represents Christ who leads us into the land of victory.
CALEB, WHO DOES HE REPRESENT? WELL, WE’LL LET CALEB REPRESENT YOU, alright? Caleb representing the Christian about to conquer his Canaan, about to possess his possessions, about to receive the promises that God has given to him. And so, we’ll notice SEVERAL THINGS ABOUT CALEB this morning and the first thing I want you to notice is Caleb’s character.
I WANT YOU TO NOTICE IS CALEB’S CHARACTER.
Look here in Joshua chapter fourteen and notice these verses. First of all, the last part of verse eight. Caleb is speaking and he says, but I wholly followed the Lord my God.
Look at the last part of verse nine. Because thou speaking to Caleb hast wholly followed the Lord thy God. And then I want you to notice the last part of verse fifteen. Because that he bath wholly followed the Lord God of Israel, three times God said it.
Caleb was an unusual man. Caleb was a man who gave God all that there was of him, every inch, every ounce, every nerve, every fiber, all there was of Caleb he had given to the LORD.
He had wholly followed the Lord his God. I wonder how many in this congregation could say that this morning. I have given everything to Jesus Christ. I am committed one hundred percent to God. Oh, you say, well, God doesn’t expect that of me because I’m just a layman. That’s where you are one hundred percent wrong, mister, God deserves everything you’ve got
and if you haven’t given God everything you’re a disgrace to the name Christian. I mean everything is to belong to the Lord God and you ought to say with all that in me, as much as in me is I want to wholly follow the Lord my God.
Half hearted religion will not do it. The half hearted will be the faint hearted and they will never conquer their Canaan. The apostle Paul said this one thing I do and that’s what made him a great man. I spoke last week about Dwight L. Moody, a great evangelist and I talked about how he had a deeper experience with the Lord when some were praying for him, but I want to tell you about another epic in the life of Dwight L. Moody that he said was one of the turning points in his ministry. Before Moody, Moody first of all started out as A SHOE CLERK. And then he became a SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER and then he became A MIGHTY EVANGELIST.
He went to England one time and came back but he didn’t have all that much power in his life until he went the second time. And when he was in England the second time he heard a preacher preach an evangelist preaching in an outdoor meeting. The evangelist came was Henry Varley and here is what Henry Varley had to say. He said the world has yet to see what God can do in and through and with and for a man wholly committed to him. Let me say that again. Varley said the world is yet to see what God can do in and through and with and for a man wholly committed to him. Dwight L. Moody, when he heard that said BY THE GRACE OF GOD I WILL BE THAT MAN. I want to be wholly, completely dedicated to him and God took this relatively unlettered, uncultured, untrained shoe clerk and used him to shake two continents for God, wholly, completely dedicated to him. Say, is that your ambition? Is it really? Or do you just come here and sit on church on Sunday morning and think you’ve done God a
favor. Well, God is not impressed church attendance. God is not impressed when you come and tip your hat to Him.
I’m telling you that almighty God will be satisfied with nothing less than a total commitment to him. Have you made that? If not, why not? Jesus Christ did not bathe this world in his blood to have you serve the world, the flesh and the devil. You belong to Jesus Christ, you’re not your own, you’re bought with a price. What we could do with a congregation of Caleb’s who would wholly, completely, totally, give themselves to almighty God. Are you willing to do that? Wouldn’t you like to see what the world could do with a church full of people completely dedicated to God, much less one, what God could do rather with a church full of people completely dedicated to Him. THIS IS CALEB’S CHARACTER.
Now, second thing I want you to notice is CALEB’S CONFIDENCE because you see CALEB’S CHARACTER LED TO CALEB’S CONFIDENCE.
Caleb was a man who had confidence in the word of God. I want you to notice how the phrase the Lord said or something like that runs through this passage of scripture.
Look in chapter, fourteen, and verse six. The last part, thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses. Now, Caleb is speaking and he says you remember what God said, just underscore the thing which the Lord hath said.
Look in verse ten,, the last part, or the first part of verse ten. And now behold, the Lord hath kept me alive as he said, just underscore as he said.
Then look in the last part of verse ten. The Lord spake this word unto Moses. Underscore THE LORD SPAKE.
And then notice again if you will, verse twelve. Therefore now there forgive me this mountain whereof the Lord spake, just underscore the Lord spake and then look in the last part of, In verse twelve again. As the Lord said, do you see it? Over and over again God said, God said, the Lord spake, God promised.
Do you know where Caleb’s confidence was? CALEB’S CONFIDENCE WAS IN THE WORD OF GOD. Caleb’s battle ax was the word of God. Caleb had a mountain he needed to conquer. God had given him that mountain and I want you to know as he went up that mountain with the sword in his hand he also went up that mountain with the title deed in his pocket, because God had already given it to him. The Lord had promised it to him and his confidence came out of the word of God. Ladies and gentleman, listen to me, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. The bible says the Lord hath said so that we may boldly say. You better take God’s word, soak your soul in it, saturate yourself with it, hide God’s word in your heart so you can
say, God has said.
Do you know what God has said in this book? Do you understand the great eternal rock ribbed promises of this book? Do you know them? Do you know what made Caleb such a great man? Caleb believed the word of God and do you want me to tell you why Caleb believed the word of God? Because his heart was pure and a pure heart is the fertile soil upon which the seed of God’s word can find root. The reason that the word of God doesn’t mean something to some people, the reason that some people can sit in a
congregation like this when the word of God is preached and it just rolls off of them they’re sitting out there trying to figure up some business deal while the preacher is preaching.
They’re wondering what are we going to have for dinner today. They’re wondering whose going to win the professional football game this afternoon and their mind is a thousand miles away. They are not hungry for God, they don’t want God, but here was Caleb, was a man whose heart was one hundred percent out for God. He wholly followed the Lord his God and therefore the word of God could find lodging in his heart and Caleb had a faith in God that some of us need today.
CALEB’S CHARACTER LED TO CALEB’S CONFIDENCE. And now the next thing I want you to notice is Caleb’s courage because
CALEB’S CONFIDENCE LED TO CALEB’S COURAGE. You see, you’ll never be bold, you’ll never have courage, you’ll
never do valiantly until you have a pure heart and you’ve hidden the word of God in your heart but when that happens then you’re going to have the kind of a courage that God wants you to have. You see, Caleb, before he could take that
mountain that God had promised him and it was a glorious mountain, I mean, a, a Hebron is the richest place.
Oh, you can see the vineyards today. It was that place where when Caleb and the spies went over they came carrying out of, of Hebron a bunch of grapes that took two men to carry on a pole. Why it was a land that flowed with milk and honey, corn and wine, grapes and figs, all of it there. It was a rich land, but THERE WERE SOME ADVERSARIES. And I want you to know ladies and gentlemen, that nothing great is ever done in a rocking chair. If you are looking for a cheap way, and easy way, a lazy way to be victorious, forget it.
Caleb had some opposition that he had to overcome. But I want you to know that THE DOOR TO THE ROOM OF OPPORTUNITY SWINGS ON THE HINGES OF OPPOSITION. And God has plan it that way. There is a great an effectual door opened unto us, but there are many adversaries.
I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOME OF THE ADVERSARIES THAT CALEB HAD TO OVERCOME THROUGH HIS COURAGE.
1. IN THE FIRST PLACE HE HAD TO OVERCOME GRASSHOPPERS.
Chapter 14:7-8. Caleb remembers back 40 years or 45 years ago when he first went in to spy out the land. And he said, 40 years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord send me to Kadesh Barnia to spy out the land. And I brought him word again as it was in my heart. That is I brought back a good report.
14:8 Nevertheless, my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people to melt. Now, how did they make the heart of the people to melt? I will tell you how they did it. This is what they said when they came back, and we find this in
Numbers 13:33. Here’s what the other ten men said when they came back. They said, and WE SAW THE GIANTS, the sons of Anak who come of the giants. And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers. And so were we in their sights. Caleb’s comrades had a grasshopper complex. And do you know what is wrong with so many people? Some of you are sitting right there and you have a grasshopper complex. Do you know what you are thinking when I’m preaching.
You think I’m so totally unrelated, I’m completely out of it. He doesn’t even know what he’s talking about.
Talking about giving everything to God, talking about, why he’d have me be a religious fanatic. Nobody can live that way. And you just think this is just preaching that we come and listen to. You know, we just pay our duties, we just come and listen to that preaching, but, but you have no more intention of putting in to practice what I’m preaching than you have of putting into practice what you see on television. It’s just sort of something that you do. You are like a grasshopper. You say there are too many giants in that land, nobody could ever live that way. And do you know before a church does anything good or great it has to overcome the grasshoppers?
The grasshoppers, plenty of them People who sit around and say it can’t be done, it won’t be done, it shouldn’t be done.
These people are content to retreat back and live in the comparative safety of the desert waste because there are no giants out there, no, there are no grapes out there either, but that’s where most folks are living. THEY ARE FAILING TO POSSESS THEIR POSSESSIONS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A GRASSHOPPER COMPLEX.
Thank God that Caleb didn’t follow the majority. I want to tell you the majority is generally wrong. You just find out what most of the people are doing and do something else and you’ll be generally right probably. NOW, NOT ONLY DID CALEB HAVE TO HAVE COURAGE TO OVERCOME GRASSHOPPERS. And by the way, grasshoppers sometimes are hard to overcome because they are hard to get at. You know, I’m like the fellow who said he didn’t mind being swallowed by a whale, but he hated to be nibbled to death by minnows. Stoned to death with popcorn. You know it’s just the little things. The people said, “Ah, it just can be done.” Alright, now look. CALEB OVERCAME GRASSHOPPERS BEFORE HE OVERCAME GIANTS.
2. THE NEXT THING HE OVERCAME WAS GIANTS .
Look in verse 12. He says, “Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day. For thou eardest in that day how the Anakins were there.”
Now what are Anakins? That’s not something you take for a headache. It is Anakin. “The Anakins were there and the cities were great and fenced.” The Anakins were giants. There were giants in those days. I mean great, huge giants. Caleb said, “I know that the giants are there. If so be that the Lord will be with me then I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.”
Not only did Caleb have to face THE GRASSHOPPERS, Caleb had to face THE GIANTS. And oh there are some giants. But Caleb wasn’t bothered by those giants. As a matter of fact, he was kind of excited they were there. Do you know what Caleb said when be came back talking about the giant in Numbers chapter 14, when he went the first time to spy out the land and he saw all of those giants. Do you know what he said about them? When he came back he said to Moses and the people. “If the Lord delight in us then be will bring us into this land and give it us. A land which floweth with milk and honey only rebel not against the
Lord. Neither fear the people of this land for they are bread for us.” Did you hear that? They are bread, b-r-e-a-d for us.
What Caleb says is, “Pass the peanut butter.” Look, they are bread. We are going to eat them. We’re going to eat them alive. They are bread for us. Their defense has departed from them and the Lord is with us. Fear them not.” Do you know what bread is? Bread is something you eat to strengthen you and to enlarge you. Caleb said, “THESE GIANTS WILL NOT BE THE MEANS OF OUR DEFEAT, THEY WILL BE THE MEANS OF OUR GROWTH. We’re going to feed upon them.” Caleb sat down at the table and said, “Pass the Anakim please.”
Now you think about it. You think about it. A mother has to tell a little child, “Junior, eat your spinach.” I don’t want any spinach.” “Eat your spinach.” “I don’t want it.” “Eat it. It is good for you.” “I don’t want it. Don’t like it.” “Make you grow.” “Don’t like it.” Do you know what God has to say to us? “Now dear, eat your Anakim. Eat your Anakim.” “I don’t want to fight any giants.” “Go ahead, it’s good for you.” “No, I’d just rather not.” “Go ahead and eat them.” I want to tell you dear friend, Anakim is the breakfast of champions. Did you know that?
Look, you’ve been trying to get out of difficulty. You’ve been saying, “I don’t want to face any problems. I don’t want any difficulty. Don’t you know that the difficulties that God gives you are the very things that will make you strong. They are bread. Sit down.
Gobble them up. Listen, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper. And every tongue that is raised against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. And their righteousness is from me saith the Lord.” Oh, if we could only understand that these things that we think are difficulties are not difficulties. They are opportunities.
Do you know the difference BETWEEN A PESSIMIST AND AN OPTIMIST? A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. An optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.
Ill. I heard about a man who went to Africa as a shoe salesman. He stayed over there a while and wired his company back, he said “Get me out of here.” They said, “Why.” He said, “The people over here don’t wear shoes.” So they brought him home and sent another man. He stayed there a few weeks and wrote back and he said, “Send me all the shoes you can get, I’ve never seen so many prospects.
Aren’t you glad that Caleb could see from God’s viewpoint? You know, we need to start seeing things from God’s viewpoint. We need to get over the grasshopper complex, You know why people have a grasshopper complex? They look at a giant from their viewpoint. YOU NEED TO LOOK AT A GIANT FROM GOD’S VIEWPOINT. You need to stop saying, “Look how much bigger he is
than I am.” You need to start saying, “Look how much smaller he is than God is.”
You know when you get up in an airplane you look down and things don’t look so big do they. You know from an airplane you can’t tell a six foot man from a four foot man. That’s right. You know people look like ants. A lady sitting on an airplane, her first ride. She said, “It’s true. Look down there on the ground. The people look like ants.” Her friend said, “They are ants stupid. We haven’t taken off..
But if you get up high enough and you look down things look mighty small. Did you know we need to stop telling folks to keep looking up and start telling folks to keep looking down. That’s right. “We are seated with Jesus in the heavenlies.” We need to see the opposition from His viewpoint. I want to tell you something friend. “Greateris He that is in us than he that is in the world.”
There is not a giant of doubt and a giant of distress and a giant of fear and a giant of sin that should not fall, before a
Christian filled with the Holy Spirit. We are to be living victoriously. We are to have the Word of God in our heart and we are to believe God for victory. I’m sick and tired of God’s people being defeated. The church of the living God is to move out like a mighty army. And we are to say, “I want that mountain. It belongs to me.” God has given it to me and I didn’t come to be defeated. I came to be victorious. Listen,
JOSHUA HAD A CHARACTER. He totally followed the Lord. And because he had a character,
HE HAD A CONFIDENCE. He believed the Lord. The Lord had given him a promise. And because he had a confidence
He Had A Courage. Courage, not only to overcome grasshoppers and courage to overcome giants but
3. COURAGE TO OVERCOME GREY HAIRS.
I want you to notice here in chapter 14. Look in verse. He says,, verse the last part of verse 10. “Lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.” That is, I’m eighty five years old today. it was on his birthday evidently. Or maybe at least he was close to it. “And yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me.”
That is, I’m as strong now as I was when I was forty years old. God supernaturally preserved him. Now he said, “The Lord kept me as he said.” Evidently God said to Caleb, “Caleb, it may be a long time son, but when you get there you are going to be able to
do it.” Do you know what that tells me? It tells me that when God makes a promise he gives you the strength to claim it. And the God, listen to me, the God who preserved the possession for the man is the God who preserved the man for the possession. You see, God works on both ends. God says, “Here is something over here. That’s for you. It’s yours.”
And then God comes over here and God gives you the strength, God gives you the ability, we’re God guides, God provides. And if God has to make you a teenager at age 85 He’ll do it. Whatever it takes, whatever it takes God will give you.
AND CALEB HAD COURAGE OVER GRASSHOPPERS, GIANTS AND GREY HAIRS, all three He was moving in to take his possessions for God.
NOW LET’S NOTICE FINALLY CALEB’S CONQUEST.
FOR CALEB’S CHARACTER led to Caleb’s
confidence.
AND CALEB’S CONFIDENCE led to Caleb’s courage. AND CALEB’S COURAGE led to Caleb’s conquest.
You see, victory is God’s plan for you. Do you know what the name Hebron means? it means fellowship. That’s what it means. And Caleb is saying, “I want that mountain called fellowship with God.” Do you know he took the whole mountain. Do you know what that stands for? Fullness. All that God had for him.
And do you know what Hebron was noted for? Fruitfulness. Do you know what, you know what Caleb was saying? I want to live on the mountain of fellowship, fullness, and fruitfulness. Isn’t that where you want to live?
Wouldn’t you like to live on the mountaintop of fellowship with God? Wouldn’t you like for your life to be like a vineyard full of fruitfulness?
And wouldn’t you like the fullness of God.
Wouldn’t you like to completely possess your possessions so that the fruit of the Spirit might be in your life? Do you know, you know, you want me to tell you what the THREE BIGGEST GIANTS you are going to have to drive out are? I want you to look in chapter 15 for just a moment Chapter 15 and verse 14. I want you to see the name of these three giants. “And Caleb drove then the THREE SONS OF ANAK, Shay-i and A-he-min and Tal-ma-yi, the children of Anak.” Here are three giants. Do you know what their names mean in the Old Testament they used to have a meaning.
DO YOU KNOW SHAY-I MEANS? It means, “Who I am.” Here was a giant. He says, “You want to know my name? My name is who I am.” ALRIGHT, NOW A-HE-MAN. Do you know what his name means? “what I am.” And Tal-may-i, do you know what his name meant? “What I can do.” “Who I am. What I am. And what I can do.”
And I want to tell you ladies and gentlemen, those are the three biggest giants you are going to have to drive out of your life.
THE GIANT OF EGO, who I am. THE GIANT OF PRIDE, what I am. THE GIANT OF SELF-RELIANCE, what I can do. What It can do.
Those are the giants that are going to have to be displaced. Where you come to where you say, “God I can’t and God you can. And Lord you promised to do it.”
Ian Thomas said, “You can’t, He never said you could. He can. He always said He would. Why don’t you let him?”
Why don’t you let Him? I want to tell you friends there is a land of victory. There is a way to live victorious in this life. And Christians ought not to be defeated. Christians ought to possess their possessions. They ought to live victoriously night and day, day and night through the Lord Jesus Christ. They are to be eating the luscious fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control.” ‘Do you know that fruit that comes from the bowels of Hebron? I want that mountain.
There is a little song that goes this way, “I SAW THE GIANT OF PRAYERLESSNESS upon the mountain high. He laughed so hard at my unbended knee. No longer in the wilderness I’ll stay and so I’ll cry, I want that mountain. It belongs to me.”
“One faithless giant upon the crest of Hebron’s lofty height has vowed he’s the one to make me flee. But I’ll climb from out the wilderness. Trust Jehovah’s might. I want that mountain. It belongs to me.”
“THERE WAS A GIANT OF LAZINESS who said I would not go and witness for the one who sat me free. I’ll come from out the wilderness. I’ll witness now I know. I want that mountain, it belongs to me.”
‘LET EVERY GIANT OF DISTRESS AND UNBELIEF AND SIN get ready now to vacate for you see. I’ve come from out
the wilderness. I know I’m going to win. I want that mountain it belongs to me.”
“I want that mountain. I want that mountain. Where the milk and honey flow. Where the grapes of Eschol grow. I want that
mountain. It belongs to me.”
You know I just wish everyone of us today would say, I’m sick and tired of living in the valley of despair. I am sick and
tired of not having all that my God has for me. I am sick and tired of having the Preacher beat me over the head every Sunday morning with a sermon and tell me, I’m not what I ought to be.” Why don’t you be what you ought to be? Why don’t you be like old Caleb and say, “Once and for all I’m going to get out of the boat with both feet. I’m going for God.”
I want to tell you the days are drawing short ladies and gentlemen. There are only so many hours, so many weeks left to serve God. And it is time we stopped being sermon listeners and started being mountain climbers. Amen? I mean lets go for God. What would happen, what would happen, oh my heart almost jumps out of my throat when I thing of what would happen if the people who just listen to these sermons on Sunday morning would say, “I’m going for God. I want that mountain. It belongs to me.”
God has promised us we will. Always to triumphant in the Lord Jesus Christ. Take a moment and Pray.
SERMON NOTES
August 28, 2011 A.M. Service - Sermon by Pastor Don Harkey
The Chemistry of the Cross
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and to
them that are the called according to His purpose.
Take God’s Word and find Romans chapter eight…we’re going to see a very familiar verse. But I pray God, that he’ll take the familiarity of that verse, and He will mix it with a brand new freshness for your heart and for your mind today. Romans chapter eight and verse twenty-eight. And here’s what it says. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and to them that are the called according to His purpose. What an incredible verse that is. I want to talk to you today about the chemistry of the cross. If you go to the pharmacy. You need some medicine. That pharmacist will take b
ottles from his shelf sometimes and powders and other things that may be by themselves noxious poison, but he mixes them together and makes medicine for us. And so many times God does the same thing. He takes situations and problems and things that in themselves look that they’re bad and hurtful and harmful and the God mixes these together in the crucible of His love and the crucible of His wisdom and the result is medicine for our souls, something good and something wonderful.
This morning when I had my oatmeal, in that oatmeal there was some salt. An salt is what? Sodium chloride. Chlorine, deadly poison but put together they make salt, necessary for life. And so I want you to see how God takes the the situation of your life, the circumstances. And, God, by the chemistry of the cross makes these things work together for your good and for His glory.
Now having said that I want you to look at our text very carefully, because we’re just going to camp right here. In Romans chapter eight and verse twenty eight. And as we think of the chemistry of the cross, the very first thing I want you to think about is THE CERTAINTY OF IT. Do you have that?
I. THE CERTAINTY OF IT.
How does that verse begin? Look at it. It says, and we know that all things work together for good. We know that all things work together for good. No ifs, ands, and buts about it. This is a promise of God. It is ironclad. It is rock ribbed. No stutter, no stammer, you can say I don’t care what happens. I don’t care how bad it may seem, I know that I know that I know that this is going to work together for God’s glory and for my good.
F B Meyer was a preacher of another generation, but he said something so wonderful I copied it down and this is what he said. He said if any promise of God should fail, the heavens would clothe themselves with sackcloth. The sun, moon and stars would real from their courses. The universe would rock and a hollow wind would moan through a ruined creation the awful creation that God can lie. But friend He can’t lie. He cannot lie and He says that all things work together for good to those who love God.
And so the very first thing I want you to get into your heart and in your soul today is the certainty of it. The certainty of it.
I. THE CERTAINTY OF IT. Do you have it? Second thing. Not only the certainty of it.
II. BUT I WANT YOU TO SEE THE COMPLETENESS OF IT. Look at that verse again. And we know that all things work together for good. Not most things. Not some things. Not even almost all things. But that big little word I thank God that it is there, we know that all things, hallelujah, all things work together for good.
Now, lets just think about those all things.
A. NOW, WE KNOW THAT THE SWEET THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD.
Oh, there many sweet things that happen in our lives today. Today my wife fixed me an extra special breakfast. And, I looked over at her and thought, you know she’s such a wonderful woman. She’s so sweet and so good to me and I’m grateful for every blessing. I’ve been thanking God all this morning for THE BLESSINGS OF GOD. And they just make me want to be a better Christian. They just make me want to be a better Christian. They ought to make you want to be a better Christian. For the Bible says in Romans chapter two and verse four, the goodness of God leads us to repentance. God is so good.
Song:Count your many blessings. Name them one by one. It will surprise you what the Lord has
done. The sweet things. You say, yes, I can understand that, but now wait a minute, not only the sweet things but
B. THE SORROWFUL THINGS. Do you have a broken heart today.
You say, no I don’t think a broken heart is good. But I’ll tell you this. It will work for good. It will work for your good. I was looking at some scriptures today and I want to share them with you, as to how sorrowful things work for good.
- . FOR EXAMPLE, THINK ABOUT HOW GOD WITH THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH. And, God carried the people of Judah way to a strange land. It would be as if the Russians or China had subjugated the United States and took us and put us in Siberia or otter Mongolia. Would we say that’s good? We’d say, no that’s not good. But put in your margin Jeremiah chapter twenty four and verse five, where God is speaking about how he carried His people away. And God says, I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldians for their good. Now, if you and I were to wake up this morning in Siberia. We would say this is terrible. But it may be that God would have done it for our good. As a matter of fact, I think God is getting ready to do some terrible things to America for our good. We have been cursed with blessings. I think we’re about to be blessed with cursings. We don’t know how to handle our blessings. And it seems like the more that God blesses us, the more arrogant and more sinful that we get. And it may be that God will have to do something to America for our good, just like He did to Judah for their good.
- I WAS THINKING ABOUT DAVID ALSO. David, who was a man after God’s own heart, but David had a tendency to stray from God, to get away from God, and you know what God did for David. God afflicted David and God made David sick, and I want you
to see what David wrote in Psalm one hundred and nineteen verse seventy-one. He said, it is good for me that I have been afflicted. Have you ever said that? Oh, God thank you for this sickness. Thank you for this suffering. Thank you for this adversity. Thank you for this problem. Thank you for this heartache. Thank you for this, this thing I’m going through. Takes a lot of faith to say it is good for me that I have been afflicted. And David said, it is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn Thy statues. DID YOU KNOW THAT AFFLICTION IS SOMETIMES THE BEST TEACHER and we never see as clearly as when we see through eyes that have been washed through tears. And when we get on our back. It’s then that we begin to look up into the face of God and a sick bed can often teach more than a sermon. - AND, THEN LOOK AT JOSEPH, I was thinking about Joseph, what a wonderful man was Joseph! Joseph loved God with all of his heart. But you know what happened to Joseph. Joseph was put in a pit by his brothers. He was sold as a slave. He was cast into prison and languished in prison for two years and he’d not done anything wrong. BUT HIS ABASEMENT MADE HIM READY FOR HIS ADVANCEMENT and he became the prime minister of Egypt. And this is what he said to his brothers in Genesis chapter fifty and verse twenty. Listen, but as for you, you thought evil against me. Do you have somebody who’s doing you wrong? Do you have an enemy? Just keep on loving God. Because listen, but as for you, you thought evil against me but God meant it unto good. You see all things work together for good. Your enemy trying to do your harm.
And here’s Joseph, cast in a pit by his brothers, sold for a slave, languishing in prison, being blamed for assault and rape and all of these terrible things. The devil is saying look what I’m doing to Joseph! But God was saying you just don’t understand the chemistry of the cross. You meant it for evil but God, God meant it for good.
C. There was a king whose name was Manasseh. And Manasseh had difficulty serving God. God just couldn’t get Manasseh’s attention. And if you’re taking notes, write this down because this is a blesser.
Second Chronicles, chapter thirty-three, verses eleven through thirteen. Now listen to it carefully. “Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria … “ Now the Assyrians were cruel and wicked people. Now Manasseh is the king. Now listen, “ … which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers …“ When? When he was in affliction. “And he prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him – that is God heard him - and heard his supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the lord he was God.” Listen, his iron chains did him more good than his golden crown. And I want to tell you friend that they that was a greater blessing to him. And God may sometime have to pull you from your throne, just like he did Manasseh. God may have to put you in a prison that you will seek God. Now what am I saying? I’m saying the sweet things work together for good. The sorrowful things work together for good. I’ll tell you another thing.
D. THE SATANIC THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD. Well you say, why doesn’t God just kill the devil? Did you know that God uses the devil? That may be a surprise to you. But Paul had an affliction. That affliction was called a thorn in the flesh. And then Paul called it a messenger of Satan. But he says, there was given to me a messenger of Satan. Who gave it to him? God gave it to him. You say, I don’t understand this. Well you see, all things work together for good and God rules in the heavens. And even Satan unwittingly becomes the servant of God.
I think I have an illustration that fits perfectly here. Years and years and years ago I heard of a poor woman who lived in a thread bare apartment and she loved God with all of her heart. She had a landlord. The landlord didn’t love God at all. As a matter of fact, he took great joy in ridiculing her because of her faith and trust in the Lord. And this poor woman, this widow was living from hand to mouth. And the time came that she had no food in the house, and she prayed to God. And she said, God I don’t have any food. I don’t have any groceries. Oh God, you promised to meet my need. Lord, I ask you, give me some groceries. The old landlord was listening through the paper thin walls. He heard her praying. He thought he would cure her from her religious superstitions. So you know what he did? He went out and bought a bountiful basket of groceries. And while she was away, he went in with his pass key, unlocked the door to her apartment and put this basket of groceries there on her table and backed out and waited. He was listening. When she came in, there was a squeal of delight. Oh Jesus! Thank you Jesus! Thank you Lord! Thank you! Hallelujah! Thank you for an answered prayer! She rejoiced and did a little dance there in the room and then, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock,. She was knocking at his door. You! You say there’s no God. You say that God doesn’t’ answer prayer. Come in here, I want to show you something. Look over there. Do you see that basket full of groceries? Let me tell you about that basket full of groceries. I didn’t have anything. I was down to nothing. And I prayed and asked God for groceries. And now look what God has given me. His lips twisted in a cynical smile. And he said, you poor, old, deluded, religious, fanatic and fool. I heard you pray for those groceries. I heard you ask God. I bought those groceries. I put them there on your table. Here is the receipt for those groceries. I knew that you would say that God did it. God didn’t give you those groceries. I gave you those groceries. You christians are always ready to give any coincidence, any happening to give God the glory and the credit. I am the one that bought those groceries. What a fool you are. She said, no. You’re the one who’s wrong. I’m the one who is right. And you listen to me sir.
I asked God for groceries and I got groceries. Even if God did send it by the devil. Now you think about that. You think about that. There is a God who rules in the affairs of this world and God is over all. The satanic things work together for good.
E. BUT SINFUL THINGS
But not only the satanic things, now listen. This is going to be hard to believe, but sinful things work together for good. Now, no Christian should willingly, deliberately sin. Because if you’re bound to sin, you bound to suffer. But even that suffering will work together for your good.
The Bible says that God makes the wrath of man to praise him. And the Bible says, where sin abounds, grace doth much more abound.
The illustration I’m thinking about is Simon Peter. Before the crucifixion of Jesus, Simon Peter had boasted that he would go with Christ both to prison and to death. And Jesus prophesied and said, Simon, before the cock crows you’ll thrice deny that you know me. But he said, Peter I’ve prayed for you that your faith fail not. And then he said, Peter, when you’re converted strengthen your brethren. And Peter denied Jesus.
And Jesus was betrayed by that denial. Peter cursed and swore. A terrible thing. But God arched the rainbow of Romans eight, twenty-eight over what Peter did. And did you know that his bitter weeping. The Bible says that he went out and wept bitterly. But Jesus forgave him. Jesus restored him. And in a very odd sense, a strange way, even that disobedience was used to strengthen me. When you are converted, strengthen your brethren. Isn’t that amazing. How God could take even that sin and use that sin to help strengthen me and to strengthen Simon Peter.
You know the Bible says no chastening for the present time seems to be joyous, but grievous. Peter wept bitterly. But afterward, afterward it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that exercise thereby. That’s what the Bible tells us in Hebrews chapter twelve. And what am I saying? Friend listen to this pastor this morning. The Bible means it when it says that all things work together. The sweet things. The sorrowful things. The satanic things. The sinful things.
F. THE SIMPLE THINGS. THE SMALLEST THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD. It’s amazing how God sits at master control. Pharaoh has decided that all Jewish babies are going to be put to death. But God takes a little baby. Puts that little baby in the bulrushes and Pharaoh’s daughter comes by and decides that she wants to bathe in the Nile. Can you imagine this, this princess who can bathe in her marble tubs, maybe she remember the little swimming hole where she used to play as a kid. She decides she’s going to go down to the Nile. And then the Bible says this. And the baby wept. Lo, the baby wept. Have you ever heard a baby cry? Whhaaa, a baby cried.
And God took the cry of a baby and brought Pharaoh’s mighty kingdom crashing down. The smallest things. God, God is the sovereign God.
I. THE CERTAINTY OF IT.
II. THE COMPLETENESS OF IT.
Now I want you to notice a third thing as we look at Romans eight, twenty-eight.
III. I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE CAUSE OF IT.
How does this happen? “And we know that all things work together for good.” Literally, some translations give it this way, And we now that God works all things together. And put that with this verse.
Ephesians chapter one, verse eleven. The Bible speaks of him who worketh all things after the council of his own will. Him, who worketh all things after the council of his own will. Now, if you think that what I’m saying today about all things working together for good to those who love God, if you think that’s far stretched …
Do you know why you think it’s far stretched? Because you just don’t believe in a big enough God. You see, we know that God is the one who is working all things. That’s the cause of it. And sometimes we get our eyes off of that.
Martin Luther was the mighty reformer. Martin Luther who lead in the Protestant Reformation was a man of great, great faith. But you know what? Martin Luther, like some of us, was given to fits of despondency and depression. And one day, Martin Luther, in spite of his great faith, he just got depressed. He got his eyes on the circumstances and the situation rather than on God. And he went into his room. And there in his room he was brooding. There in his room, he was in a state of melancholy.
Looking at circumstances, looking at the situation, and he wouldn’t come out. His wife’s name was Catrinca. He called her Cathy. She tried to coax him out of the room, but he wouldn’t come out. Then you know what Cathy did? One day she put on a black dress. She put on a black hat. She put a black veil over her face. She put black gloves on and came into that room. She was dressed for a funeral. He looked at her. He said, Cathy, who has died? Oh she said, Martin, haven’t you heard? God
is dead. He said, what did you say? She said, I said God is dead. He said, Cathy, that’s blasphemy! She said, yes. And it’s blasphemy for you to be living like he’s dead. Whew! Martin Luther said, Oh God forgive me. Forgive me. And Martin Luther got up and went out and began to live like God is not dead. God is alive. And he wrote, I guess my favorite hymn,
“A Mighty Fortress is our God. A bulwark never failing. Our helper he amid the flood, of mortal ills prevailing. Did we in our own strength confide? Our striving would be losing. Were not the right man on our side, a man of God’s own choosing.” That’s Jesus. And we know that all things work together for good. That’s the cause of it. God is the cause of it.
III. NOW, I WANT YOU TO NOTICE, NOT ONLY THE CAUSE OF IT.
IV. BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE CONDITION OF IT.
This is not a promise for everyone. This is not axiomatic for everybody. There is a condition to Romans eight, twenty-eight. Listen to it. And we know that all things work together for good, to what? Do you see it? Look at it. TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD. To them that love God. You can’t put your initial by this unless you love God. Despisers of God can not claim this promise.
Haters of God can not claim this privilege and this promise. And by the way, if you don’t love God, there’s something wrong with you. It’s well been said that somebody who does not love God is a beast with a man’s head. You know what encourages me about this condition? I’ll tell you what encourages me about this condition. Others may be able to give more than I can give. Others may be able to sing or preach or serve better than I can. But there’s nobody on earth who can love God more than I can or you can or anybody else. I mean, the person next to you may have a lot more talent than you have. They may have a lot more resources than you have. They may have more opportunities than you have. But my friend, there is nobody who has a monopoly on love.
Isn’t that wonderful? I mean listen, you want to love God? Just have at it. Anybody can love God as much as they want to love God and that is the condition for having Romans eight, twenty-eight work in your life. “And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God.” Have you ever thought about it? That you could put Romans eight, twenty-eight in reverse? All things work together for good to those who love God. And to those who don’t love God, all things work together for bad. Did you know that? Just put it in reverse. You say, well I’m living high, wide and handsome right now. But friend, it’s working not for your good, but for evil in your life. All things work together for evil, let me put it that way, to those who don’t love God.
Let me show you how, how seemingly good things can work against you. For example, preaching can work against you. Did you know it’s dangerous to come to church? If you don’t love God and you come and listen to me preach and you have no desire to love God and you don’t want to know God.
Maybe you’ve come for whatever reason, I don’t know. But you don’t intend to love God. Did you know this sermon will do you damage? It will do you harm. The Bible says the gospel that we preach is a saver of life unto life or death unto death. The gospel sword is a two-edged sword. Jesus said, when you go into a place to preach, into a village to preach. If they hear you, wonderful. But he said, if they won’t hear you, he said, shake the dust off your feet. And then Jesus said, that dust will be used against them in the day of judgement.
Somebody knocks on your door to invite you to Jesus Christ and you say, would you get out of here. I don’t want to hear that. Listen, you folks quite pestering me and the door is slammed. There is the dust of the soul-winner right here. God says, angel get that dust. Now, put it in the vaults up in heaven. The final judgement comes. You’re there.
You say, I didn’t have an opportunity to hear God. God you can’t let me die and go to hell. Oh God, you can’t let this happen to me. Oh God, have mercy upon me. Oh God, I never had a chance to be saved. God says, Angel, get exhibit A. Angel comes out there with a little dust in the palm of his hand. You say what is that? Oh you see that dust? That’s the dust off the foot of my servant that came and knocked at your door when you shut the door in his face. You see that? That is a witness against you in the day of judgement. Now preaching is good, but not if you refuse it. It works together for bad.
Think about Jesus. Is Jesus good or is Jesus bad? It all depends. If you receive him, he’s wonderful. But if you don’t receive him, he works together for bad. Did you know that? Did you know that Jesus is the door? I want to ask you a question. That piece of wood over there, is that the door or is the opening the door? How many of you believe that the opening is the door, let me see your hand? Come, your scared to death. How many of you believe the piece of wood is the door, let me see your hand? How many of you say, I think you’re trying to trap me and I’m not going to lift my hand.
What is the door? Friend, you’re both right. The door is what let you in, and the door is what keeps you out. And his name is Jesus. He’ll either let you in or he’ll keep you out. You see listen, to those who love him, he’s the way in. But to those who refuse him, he’s righteousness and his holiness say, you can not come in here. All things work together for bad to those who don’t love God. Did you know that the wicked pluck death from the tree of life? And if Jesus is not your savior, listen to me, he’ll be your judge. You’re going to meet Jesus. I mean you have a date with Deity. You will meet Jesus. And you will bow the knee to Jesus. You will bow either to him as Savior and Lord or you will bow to him as judge and executioner.
But you will bow the knee to Jesus Christ as I live, sayeth the Lord. Every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God. Now, think of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Is the resurrection of Jesus Christ good? You better believe it’s good. But what about if you’re not saved, is it good? No.
In Acts chapter seventeen, the apostle Paul preaching on Mars hill said this. God has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. Whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he raised him from the dead. Now what does that mean? It means that the assurance of judgement is the resurrection of Jesus, why? Well, you can’t hold court if the judge is dead. And you can’t hold court if the defendant is dead. What Paul is saying is this. That the same God that raised up Jesus Christ is the God that will raise you up and you’ll come to judgement.
What he is saying is this, and listen very carefully. You can not crawl up in the grave and pull the dirt over your face and hide from God. The resurrection of Jesus Christ seals your doom. I’ve never been able to understand why unsaved people will put on their glad rags and celebrate Easter. I’m glad they come because I can shoot ‘em full of Jesus. I’m glad they come, hoping they get saved. But if they don’t intend to get saved, why should a person celebrate the day that seals his doom? God hath given assurance unto all men that there will be a judgement in that he raised Jesus from the dead. Oh my friend, the condition of Romans eight, twenty-eight is that you love God.
If you don’t love God, Romans eight, twenty-eight goes into reverse for you. And all things work together for bad to those who don’t love God. But to those who love God, all things work together for good. That’s the condition of it. Now let’s come to the best part and the vital part. I want you to notice the consequences of it. What are the consequences? What is the good? What is the good that it all works together for? You know, sometimes we, we trivialize this verse so much. And we, we just take such a short sided view of this verse. We’ve driving down the road and we have a blow out and we say, Oh well all things work together for good. I guess there’s a sale on tire somewhere. No, that’s not what this verse means. That’s not what this verse means. Listen, in verse twenty-eight I’m going to tell you something profound. It’s followed by verse twenty-nine.
Now look in verse twenty-nine. FOR, and that word for is a preposition which means unto. It moves toward something. For, because whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. Do you know what the good is that all things are working together for? Do you know what it is? Not to make you healthy. Not to make you wealthy. Not to make you happy. Not to give you fun. But to make you like Jesus. That was a good place for an amen. To make you like Jesus.
THE GOOD IS THAT WE BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF GOD’S SON. And how wonderful that is that you and I can be like the Lord Jesus Christ. And be with the Lord Jesus Christ. Be glorified with him in eternity. What a blessing. What a blessing. Let me tell you something. God’s not finished with you yet. God is not finished with you yet. He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. Now, if you’re not saved and everything is going good for you right now. You’re healthy, you’re happy, you’re wealthy, but you don’t love God. And so you’re sitting here saying, I don’t need his God. I don’t need his Savior.
The Bible says in Judges chapter five, and verse twenty, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. Sisera didn’t love God and the whole universe was against him. And God has programmed the whole universe against you. And I don’t care how good things are right now, one of these days, it’s going to cave in for you because all things work together for bad to those who don’t love God. And you’re going to die and drop into hell because you don’t love God.
Let me tell you about the devil. The devil always gives the best first. The bread of deceit is sweet, but afterwards a man’s mouth will be filled with gravel. Let me tell you about Jesus, Jesus always saves the best for the last. Remember the wedding feast? The man said, I don’t understand it. People generally put out the best wine first, but you’ve saved the best for the last. He always does. Do yo know what the consequences of loving God are. That friend, one day we’ll be glorified with the Lord Jesus Christ. We’ll be made like him. This is what God is working for in my life and in your life. All things work together for good to those who love God and that good is that you’ll be like Jesus. And when the purpling dawn of eternity is mingled with the setting sun of your life, when all of the things that you’ve dreamed for and schemed for have gone. And you see him, and you’re like him. You’ll say hallelujah, Romans eight, twenty-eight.
And we know, we know, we know, that all things work together for good to them that love God, who are called according to his purpose. Amen? Father, we thank you for your word. In Jesus name, amen.
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SERMON NOTES .
August 14, 2011 A.M. Service – Sermon by Jeremy Harrington
HURRY UP AND WAIT.
I Samuel 11:1-15
King Saul is best know for being Israel’s first king. The people had reject God as their ruler and demanded a king just like the other nations around them. Saul may have looked the part, but he wasn’t ready to lead until God made him a new man…God changed his hear. But many people still didn’t accept him. How do we develop spiritual reslove, fortitude and courage when enemies threaten and fears surface? What must we be prepared to tod in the meantime?
1.) Be Patient with yourself
Just then Saul was returning from the fields (verse 5)
2.) Be Passionate about others
When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he burned with anger. (verse 6)
3 Reasons Saul’s anger ws righteous anger
1. Righteous anger is Honorable.
2. Righteous anger is Holy.
3. Righteous anger is Healthy.
3.) Be Prepared to forgive.
“No one shall be put to death today, for this day the LORD has rescused Israel.” (verse 13)
“In taking revenge, a man is equal to his enemy; in passing over it he is superior.”
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SERMON NOTES
August 14, 2011 P.M. Service - Sermon by Jeremy Harrington
HAVE YOU EVER . . .
Matthew 5:21-26
At one point during a game, the baseball coach said to one of his young players, “do you understand what cooperation is? What a team is?” The little boy nodded in the affirmative. “Do you understand that what matters is whether we win together as a team?” The little boy nodded yes. “So,” the coach continued, “When a strike is called, or you’re out at first, you don’t argue or curse or attack the umpire. Do you understand all that?” Again the little boy nodded. “Good,” said the coach. “Now go over there and explain it to your mother.”
Matthew 5:20 I tell you that if you are not more obedient that the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the knigdom of heaven.
1.) Effect of anger on Ourselves (verses 21-22)
Progression of Anger (verse 22)
a. Anger without ust cause - Ephesians 4:26 "Be angry and sin not"
b. Contempt
c. Hatred
Matthew 23:25-26 “Anger gives a false view of ourselves”…”but inside they are full of robbery and self indulgence.”
2.) The effect of anger on our Worship (verse 23-24)
3.) The effect of anger on others
What do I do about it?
1. Go (verse 24)
2. Make friends quickly (verse 25)
3. Make ammends (Verse 26)
SERMON NOTES
August 7, 2011 P.M. – Sermon by Jeremy Harrington
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
JOHN 1:35-51
Can you imagine what it would be like? I have often wondered what it would be like to hear Jesus speak. We have many conversations that Jesus had with others recorded in the Bible. These conversations give us insight to how we should communicate with others.
What does Jesus ask of us? What do we get in return? Jesus begins not with a demand, but with a request.
1.) Come and See
John 1:39 “…He answered Come and see.” So the two men went with Jesus
2.) Follow Me.
Matthew 4:19 “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
“Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together.” Vesta Kelley
3.) Bring Your Friends
The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon (John 1:41)
Philip Found Nathanael (John 1:45)
4.) You Haven’t See Anything Yet
John 14:12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these.”
Who have you invited to church lately? Jesus method was to say “Come and see.” It sounds simple enough, doesn’t it?