Find A Place To Land Series

Dr. Tom Doubt, Senior Pastor

Four Mile Creek Baptist Church

February 15, 2004

FIND A PLACE TO LAND

BACKGROUND:

A. Illustration: It was a long day in 1985, I had taken a night flight from Helsinki to Moscow. A colleague joked about hoping the old Russian jet make it all way. The flight was turbulent that stormy night; making me wonder. The Aeroflot stared its slow descent, making a right turn pattern for landing at Moscow’s airport. I looked out the window, very few lights could be seen below. There were no lights suggesting we were near Moscow International Airport. The plane turned to its final approach. Still no lights. At the last second the runway lights came on. Later I was told because of a shortage of electricity lights were not turned on until needed. I could not see the airport, but the pilot knew exactly where to land.

B. Storms of life can wear us out, cause our spirit to be weary. Jesus offers us a safe place to land, even if we cannot see it at the time. The Lord makes a generous offer to give us rest at the conclusion of His prayer.

Read: MATTHEW 11:25-30

INTRODUCTION:

A. We have been examining the 5 F’s of dealing with engine failure.

1. Last week we learned to FLY with Jesus when our spiritual engine sputters. When aloft in an airplane, though the engine stops, we still have to fly the plane. Most storms of life never occur when parked in a safe hangar. They occur instead when we are out & about, up & away, from safety. So we still have to keep going, keep flying.

2. The 2nd F then is to FIND a suitable place to land.

a. The obvious preference would be to fly back to our home airport that we know & love.

b. In reality that may not be the best place to land.

c. Thus, we have to make some critical choices of how & where to land.

3. Exactly the same situation can occur in our spiritual life. Crisis & turmoil arise, spiritual engines fail, we need to find refuge & safety. Having learned the need to keep flying with Jesus, our next step is to find a safe place to land.

a. Our preference might be at home with mom & dad.

b. That may not be possible, or even best solution.

c. So we need a better plan, one based on what God’s Word has to say.

4. When look for a landing on our own, we may make bad choices.

a. What looks safe may contain hidden dangers.

b. A straight stretch of road may appear safe, but overhanging power lines can be fatal as you try to land.

c. Stress & uncertainty can produce anxiety & fatigue.

B. How will we ever find a safe place to land?

1. By following the prescription Jesus gave us.

2. No matter how bad the spiritual engine failure, no matter how far we seem to be from safety, God has the right landing place for each & every person. For each and every situation.

THESIS: The best way to land safely when the spiritual engine fails is to follow 5 action verbs:

COME to Jesus (v 28).

He GIVES rest for weary & burdened (v 28)

TAKE His yoke upon us (v 29)

LEARN from His gentle & humble heart (v 29)

FIND rest for our souls (v 29)

MESSAGE:

A. “COME” TO JESUS IS AN IMPERATIVE VERB FORM.

1. The reason it is imperative: Lord is reaching out to those who weary & burdened (v 28). “Weary” comes from root word in Greek meaning “to beat your breast in grief.” “Burdened” comes from a figurative root suggesting to overburden with ceremony. Both words, then, remind us how often we cry out in frustration from going through motions that go nowhere.

2. Illustration: I competed in the Reston Triathlon on cool rainy day in September, 1988. I finished in the middle of the pack after the 1.2 mile swim, but passed many other athletes on the 24 mile bike leg. Early into the 6.2 mile run my back began to cramp. Out of nowhere this young gal passed me, running effortlessly like gazelle. My male ego told me not to let her get ahead, so I picked up my pace. About a ½ mile later I heard a noise behind me. It was my tongue dragging behind me. I had allowed myself to become weary & overburdened.

3. When our spiritual engine fails, Jesus has what we need. Eternal life (John 5:39). Bread of life (John 6:35). Living water (John 7:38). Only the Lord can find the right place to land, a place of rest.

B. HE WILL “GIVE” US REST IS A VERB OF PROMISE.