Are We Ready For What Is Next?

Sermon Brief

Date Written: May 4, 2007

Date Preached: May 6, 2007

Where Preached: OZHBC (AM)

Sermon Details:

Sermon Title: Are We Ready for What is Next?

Sermon Text: Matthew 25:14-30

Introduction:

The torrential rains had been pouring down for 6 straight days and the river had hit and exceeded flood stages 2 days ago. The flood had ripped thru his land and had swept away all but his home.

Bob had sent his family out of state, 3 days ago and he had stayed to ‘batten down the hatches’ and keep their property safe. Bob had been on the rooftop for over 15 hours now, and he was a believer and had been praying for God to deliver him.

The rain finally stopped and the sun broke thru for the 1st time in 7 days and Bob was glad to be drying out, but it was getting hot. About that time a helicopter came by and hovered over head, Bob waved them off because the propwash was getting dust and dirt in his eyes. He shouted, “Go on! Don’t worry ‘bout me God is going to deliver me…”

It was at that time Bob began to notice that the water had come over the edge of the roof and it was rising fast. Later that day a boat full of those Hispanic migrant workers that Bob used to harvest his crop came by and one of them said, “Mr. Bob, get in the boat!”

But the boat was really crowded and he really didn’t want to get in the boat with these people, so he waved them on saying, “Don’t worry about me, God is going to deliver me…”

The waters continued rising and by dark only the ridge of Bob’s roof was showing and the current was strong, and Bob was hanging on for dear life. Bob was weak and shaking from lack of rest and no food for 2 days.

Finally he could hold on NO longer, he let go, hoping he could float to a safe location, but the current swept him under the surface of the water into a tree in his front yard.

Bob’s foot wedged between 2 branches and he could not free himself. Eventually Bob stopped breathing and drowned.

Upon entering heaven, Bob asked Jesus why he had not delivered him from the flood. Jesus told him, Bob, I sent 2 rescue missions your way, and you turned your back on both of them, you didn’t die because I didn’t answer your prayer… you died because you didn’t listen to My answer!

Last week you heard me preach about revival. You heard me revel in the joy and blessing of being a part of a wonderful crusade where God spoke clearly to His people. But you also heard me ask the question of you, “What do we do now?”

What do we do with what God has blessed us with? God blessed this community with a powerful and refreshing series of meetings. God blessed the individuals who submitted to His authority with a fresh new start.

God has blessed our community with the seed of revival and we must answer the question, “What do we do now?” Last week we looked at Scripture and learned that we had to humble ourselves before God. We learned that God has promised that when God’s people humble themselves He is going to listen to their prayer!

Last week we also learned that the coming of true revival can and will only come from God and that we have to seek His face and we must have a sincere and true heart for revival and reaching lost souls. In other words, we have to be about doing Kingdom work and we cannot sit on our hands and just HOPE that God is going to do something.

When we do that it is like an out of work father sitting at home on the couch waiting for that great job opportunity to just fall into his lap. It just will NOT happen that way!

Revival and the reaching of lost souls will only come about when we are actively involved in God’s plan and purpose. It will happen when we are willing to do everything God directs us to do to reach the lost... “

Paul best illustrated this attitude in 1 Cor 9 when he said -

“…to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews…” he said, “…to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak... I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some…Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you…”

So now that we KNOW what we are supposed to do, I want to ask another question, but I warn you to take care before you answer because your answer will ultimately determine how you can be used by God or if God can truly use you at all.