Back Troubles?

BACK TROUBLES?

Eph. 4:17-24

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. Why do people never eat clocks? Because it’s really time consuming.

2. There’s that moment when you put your steak on the grill and your mouth waters all over from that amazing smell. Do vegans feel the same when you mow the grass?“

3. The guy who invented the Visine eye drops had his funeral today... There wasn't a dry eye in the house!

B. TEXT

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” Eph. 4:17-24.

C. THESIS

1. We’re going to look at BACK TROUBLE; the prevalence of back trouble, its causes and the symptoms that attend it. At each juncture we will see if there are parallels to back trouble in the spiritual realm.

2. The title of this message is: “Back Trouble?”

I. BACK PROBLEMS: TODAY & IN N.T.

A. FREQUENCY OF BACK TROUBLES

1. Physically, 65 million Americans suffer from back pain currently and 80% of people will have some sort of back trouble during their lifetimes.

2. Similarly, most people will experience “spiritual” back troubles. Our Great Physician is the Lord Jesus, who provided healing for every ailment!

B. N.T EXAMPLES OF BACK HEALINGS

1. Wikipedia points out that “Paralysis is most often caused by damage in the nervous system, especially the spinal cord.” There are at least 4 separate recorded instances of paralytics being healed; 1. Lame man at Capernaum (Mt. 9:2; Mk. 2:3; Lk. 5:17); 2. Man by Pool in Jerusalem, John 5; Stephen healed “many” paralyzed in Samaria (Acts 8:7) and Peter healed Aeneas in Acts 9:33. So these were mostly back troubles that were healed.

2. Furthermore, Jesus healed every kind of sickness, illness, and injury. “…healing every disease and sickness among the people” Mt. 4:23; “healing every disease and sickness” Matt. 9:35; He healed all who were ill” Matt. 12:15; “all who touched [His cloak] were healed” Matt. 14:34-36; “power was coming from Him and healing them all Luke 6:17-19. So back troubles had to be among those healed.

II. SYMPTOMS OF BACK TROUBLE

A. WEAKNESS

1. It’s common for people with back problems NOT to have the strength to lift the things they need to.

a. Are we weak to Temptation?

b. Weak to enter the spiritual battle?

c. Weak to stand up to the world?

d. Weak to claim the promises of God?

2. Samson was one of the strongest men during his time, but he was also one of the weakest spiritually! We need inner strength if we are to win the spiritual victory!

B. LACK OF FLEXIBILTY

1. People with healthy spines can bend most directions and twist so as to adapt to the challenges they face.

2. Are we flexible in the Lord? Are we nimble to wage war against the enemy? Can we quickly adjust to life’s blows/ adversities? Can we “bounce back?”

3. One of the greatest keys to David’s success was his ability to readjust after a defeat.

4. After David’s town of Ziklag was burned, he was the first of his warriors to bounce back and seek God for direction and comfort.

5. God told him, “You WILL recover all!” David hung on to God’s promise and got not only his family back, but also the kingship of all Israel!

C. LOSS OF FEELINGS

1. We’re supposed to have strong feelings about God and spiritual things:

a. Strong feelings of LOVE FOR GOD;

b. “ “ of REVULSION FOR SIN!

c. “ “ of CONCERN FOR THE LOST;

d. “ “ of BURNING ZEAL FOR GOD’S KINGDOM.

2. Have we lost our godly feelings? Are we still motivated for God?

D. PARALYSIS – CAN’T MOVE

1. People who are paralyzed can’t move; they lack mobility. They sit by passive and sluggish as those working for strive to advance the Kingdom.