God Is Able [or He Is Able]

God Is Able

January 24, 2016

Chuck Sligh

TEXT: Turn to Ephesians 3:20

INTRODUCTION

Illus. – When Allen a little boy, his G.I. Joe broke and he was trying to fix it. But he did not have the motor coordination to do what he wanted to do on a part of the G.I. Joe that was just too small for his fumbly fingers.

Frustrated he came to me and asked me to do it. He said, “I can’t do it.”

He came to me because he knew that I WAS able to do it.

That’s one thing we like about dads, isn’t it: They’re able to do things, aren’t they? That incident from Allen’s childhood when I read our text a few years ago: Ephesians 3:20 – “Now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (EMPHASIZE “him who is able”)

(OPEN IN PRAYER)

Little kids brag on their dad and what they can do.

Illus. – One time three boys were talking and the first one, who was the child of a DOCTOR, said, “MY Dad makes so much money, it takes a whole bag to hold it all.”

Well, said the child of the LAWYER, “MY Dad makes so much money it takes a big briefcase to hold it all.”

Well, the pastor’s son had it on all of them. He said, “That’s NOTHING. MY dad makes so much money it takes 6 ushers to carry it down the aisle.

Well kids like to brag on their dads, don’t they? They like to think that their dads can do almost anything. God our heavenly Father, is ABLE. “Now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

God is ABLE, folks. So many times we limit God. Well this morning, I want to just brag on my spiritual Dad and let you know how ABLE He is for us.

I. FIRST, I WANT YOU TO SEE THAT HE IS ABLE TO SUCCOR – Hebrews 2:18 – “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.”

Succor means, “To give assistance to someone just in the nick of time,” or “To give help, aid, or assistance in time of need or distress.”

Illus. – Ole TV Westerns: Cowboys holed up and surrounded by Indians. – And then you hear a bugle and in comes the Cavalry to the rescue, just in the nick of time.

That’s the idea of what Jesus does for us when we are being tempted. When we feel weakest in the midst of temptation, He is able. Jesus suffered every kind of temptation that we face, so He knows when we need His help.

That’s what the writer of Hebrew meant when he said in Hebrews 4:15 – “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

We never need to live in defeat because Jesus promises to be there to succor us, to give us the help and grace and encouragement and power we need for victory when we need it the most.

Illus. – Once the Lone Ranger and Tonto were on the range and suddenly they saw hundreds of Indians coming to them from the North, from the South, from the East and from the West. The Lone Ranger—the non-India in the whole bunch—turns to Tonto and says, “Tonto, what are we going to do?” Tonto look at Indians on all sides of them and then says, “What do you mean WE?” Well, I think Tonto wasn’t there for the Lone Ranger in his time of greatest need.

But God is. He’s ALWAYS is there for us in our time of our times of temptation.

That’s why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:13 – “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

Jesus will always provide for us that way of escape in temptation.

II. SECOND, I WANT YOU TO SEE THAT GOD IS ABLE TO SUSTAIN – Psalms 55:22 – “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

“Sustain” means “to maintain, to support, to strengthen, to provide the sustenance and nourishment for.” How many problems have I gone through when the burden was just so heavy that I would never have made it if it were not for the Lord sustaining me, supporting me, strengthening me, nourishing me.