Amen: God’s Little Word With A Great Big Meaning

Amen: God’s Little Word with a Great Big Meaning

1 Chronicles 16:23-36; Deuteronomy 27:15-16;

Matthew 6:9-13; John 3:3-5; Revelation 3:14

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - August 12, 1012

*We say “amen” all the time, but usually we don’t even think about it. Most of the time we treat “amen” sort of like a punctuation mark. We say our prayers; then say “amen,” and it just means “O.K. -- the prayer’s over.” But “amen” means a whole lot more than that, and the more we look at this little word, the more we see how important it really is.

*The word “amen” is found 78 times in our English Bibles. The first time we see it is in the Old Testament Book of Numbers, and the last time we see it is in Revelation 22:21.

“Amen” is the last word in your Bible. It is God’s last word on His Word. And it means “surely, truly, firmly, so it is, so be it, may it be fulfilled.” Let’s look into God’s Word this morning and see why this little word is so important.

1. First: Our amens are important for what they say to God.

[1] For example, our amen can say, “God, we agree!”

*We agree with your Word. We agree with what you say about yourself. David’s great song in 1 Chronicles 16 is a good place to see this agreement.

*For example, in vs. 23 we agree that all the earth should “sing to the Lord,” and “proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.”

*In vs. 24&25 we agree that we should:

24. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.

25. For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods.

*We also agree with David’s words in vs. 31-36:

31. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; and let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns.''

32. Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field rejoice, and all that is in it.

33. Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth.

34. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

35. And say, "Save us, O God of our salvation; gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles, to give thanks to Your holy name, to triumph in Your praise.''

36. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting!

*Then in vs. 36, because they agreed with these things, all of God’s people said, "Amen!'' and praised the Lord.

*In short, “God, we agree that You are wonderful.” And we can agree that God is wonderful, even when we are going through the hardest times of life.

*Gary Griffith gives us a perfect example. This young Music Minister was struck with an aggressive form of brain cancer, while he served at First Baptist Church in Swartz. Gary went home to be with the Lord on October 1, 2008.

*Just five days before he died, Gary wrote a prayer update. He did not know that this would be his last testimony for our wonderful God. Here’s part of what Gary said:

*“I have tolerated the first 20 (radiation) treatments very well, only being physically ill or in pain 3 times for any significant amount of time during those 4 weeks. That finished Monday. Tuesday began a more intense, focused beam of radiation. Because of the low dose of steroid I was on, I have not been able to tolerate another treatment of what will need to be least 20 of these more focused radiation treatments.

*Why I am messaging you now: I very much believe that God has answered prayer in that I am still here, with my family, praising God! Your prayers have moved God's heart.

*I am not in desperation. I am in love and adoration of my Savior, Father and the Spirit, all working mightily in people's lives around me. But I am asking you to pray for me one more time that God would protect the swelling of my brain as I take this last set of radiation treatments.

*I don't presume on God to know the resolution of my current situation and life, but I know the Lord. He loves me, and there is no fear in moving toward Him.

*Of course, I don't want to leave my sons or my beautiful wife, but God would take care of them and use all circumstances of life for their good.

*Know this, that even as I ask you to pray for me, I firmly believe there is no risk in abandoning ourselves to God and that the Father will use circumstances, pain and suffering, to produce godliness in our lives. Righteousness, a little more freedom from sin, being a little more like Jesus, is worth any pain, discomfort or chastisement from the Father!! -- It proves you are His child, and He sends more of His Spirit.