#1the Greatest Man I Never Knew? Series

#1 THE GREATEST MAN I NEVER KNEW?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

TEXT:

Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon this earth.

26 And though after my skin the worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reigns be consumed within me.

I. I PONDER WHO WAS THE GREATEST MAN I NEVER KNEW?

A. Reba McEntire has a hit song, I will play this hit song before this sermon.

B. I understand that Reba sings this song about her Dad. She tells about how she loved her Dad, and she knew he loved her. He worked hard and raised his famous daughter, but somehow they never really got to know each other.

C. HOW SAD? We can live in the same house and not know each other.

Here are the words to Reba’s hit song.

THE GREATEST MAN I NEVER KNEW!

Author not known.

The greatest man I never knew lived just down the hall

And everyday we said hello, but never touched at all

He was in his paper, I was in my room.

How was I to know he thought I hung the moon

The greatest man I never knew came home late every night

He never had too much to say too much was on his mind

I never really knew him and now it seems so sad

Everything he gave to us took all he had

Then the days turned into years and the memories to black and white

He grew cold like an old winter wind Blowing across my life

The greatest words I never heard I guess I’ll never hear The man I thought could never die He’s been dead almost a year

He was good at business But there was business left to do He never said he loved me Guess he thought I knew

II. IS IT POSSIBLE BLIND PEOPLE CAN SEE MORE THAN

THOSE WITH VISION?

A. THERE IS A BEAUTIFUL SONG CALLED BEULAH LAND,

written by Squire Parsons, Jr.

Squire looks at the potential that faith is going to end in sight.

Squire says:

I am kind of homesick for a country to which I’ve never been before; No sad goodbyes will there be spoken, for time won’t matter any more.

Beulah Land, I am longing for you, And someday, on thee I’ll stand; There my home shall be eternal, Beulah Land, sweet, Beulah land.

I am looking now across the river, WHERE MY FAITH WILL END IN SIGHT; There’s just a few more days to labor, Then I will take my heavenly flight.

B. THERE IS A FAMOUS SONG WRITTER NAMED FANNY J. CROSBY.

There are many wonderful old hymns forgotten and bypassed for more popular, faster, more fun choruses.

I love Fanny Crosby. She has written hundreds of old hymns.

One of my favorite works of Fanny is BLESSED ASSURANCE.

She says:

Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight: Angels ascending, bring from above, echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

FANNY J. CROSBY WAS TOTALLY BLIND, YET SHE HAD

VISION BEYOND THIS WORLD.

Fanny J. Crosby wrote another song:

I SHALL KNOW HIM (Or MY SAVIOR FIRST OF ALL)

When my life work is ended, and I cross the swelling tide, When the bright and glorious morning I SHALL SEE;

I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side,

And His smile will be the FIRST TO WELCOME ME.

I SHALL KNOW HIM, I SHALL KNOW HIM,

AND REDEEMED BY HIS SIDE I SHALL STAND,

I SHALL KNOW HIM, I SHALL KNOW HIM,

BY THE PRINTS OF THE NAILS IN HIS HAND.

Oh, the soul thrilling rapture when I view His blessed face, And the luster of His kindly beaming eye,

How my heart will praise Him for the mercy, love and grace That prepared me for a mansion in the sky.

Fanny Crosby walked with no sight into the realm of great vision, because Fanny declared by great faith: I SHALL KNOW HIM!

III. WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU KNOW?

A. The first thing you know, Ole Jed’s a millionaire, kin folk say, Jed move away from there, said California is the place you ought to be, so they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly,

Hills that is, Movie Stars, swimming pools, ----

B. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO KNOW JESUS?

To KNOW:

***To perceive directly, to discern

***To have understanding

***To recognize, to perceive

***To be familiar

IN THE KNOW --- IN THE POSSESSION OF KNOWLEDGE AND

INFORMATION

C. Know thyself.

Know how to tell times and seasons.

D. We have a sweet 93 year old woman at church.