God's Chosen One

INTRO.- ILL.- A Milwaukee teacher took her first-grade class to a dairy where a guide showed the children through the entire plant, explaining the whole process. The tour over, the guide asked if anyone had any questions. One little girl raised her hand and said, “Did you notice that I’ve got on my new snowsuit?”

How’s that for wanting attention and recognition?

ILL.- Theodore Roosevelt, sometimes known as Roosevelt the First. One of his children said, “Father always had to be the center of attention. When he went to a wedding, he wanted to be the bride. When he went to a funeral, he was sorry that he couldn’t be the corpse.”

Have you noticed that most people like recognition in some form or another?

This is what Hollywood is all about…recognition, fame, etc. Most actors and actresses like to be interviewed, photographed and seen on TV, etc.

Actor James Caan said, “Actors have bodyguards and entourages not because anybody wants to hurt them—who would want to hurt an actor? But because they want to get recognized. God forbid someone doesn’t recognize them…”

Of course, some people who should be noticed are not often noticed. The people who serve and do all kinds of good things in this world should be noticed and recognized.

ILL.- Dec. 15, 2005. Man Catches Baby Thrown From Burning NY Building. BRONX, NY, A New York man made the catch of a lifetime after a woman threw her 3-week old baby out of the window of a burning apartment in the Bronx one morning.

A fire broke out in the kitchen of a third floor apartment shortly after 8 am, leaving the mother and baby trapped by a window. The mother screamed out of the window for help.

Felix Vasques, father of three and a maintenance worker in New York City who plays catcher on the company baseball team, didn’t know what the woman was holding out of the window until after she let the newborn baby drop. Vasques caught the soot-covered baby "like a football" and blew air into his lungs in order to get him breathing again. Firefighters were able to rescue the mother, and now both are doing fine.

Brothers and sisters, someone like that man needs to be recognized and praised! God put the right man in the right place at the right time, I would say. That was more of a God-incident than a coincidence.

People who do good in this world should receive a certain amount of recognition. I doubt that Mother Teresa lived for recognition but she certainly received some for all the good she did in this world.

In our text, we have a picture of God’s chosen one, God’s chosen servant. The most notable person of all time! He is the person above all other persons who deserves the greatest recognition of all.

PROP.- Let’s take a look at how God’s the creator and Father describes Him. 1- God cherished 2- Spirit inhabited 3- Justice proclaimer 4- Heart builder 5- Hope producer

I. GOD CHERISHED

Matt. 12:17-18 “This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight.”

ILL.- Little Johnny wasn’t getting good marks in school. One day he surprised the teacher with an announcement. He tapped her on the shoulder and said, "I don’t want to scare you, but my daddy says if I don’t start getting better grades...somebody is going to get a spanking!"

Isn’t it great when your children do well in school and in life?

ILL.- Last week I went to visit with my son Shane and go to work with him for RC Cola company for a day. He wanted me to do this for some time and he said that Friday would be a good day, because that was a short day, time wise. He generally works only about 8 hours on that day. Well, that Friday turned out to be nearly 11 hours.

We took off around 4:45 a.m. for the RC Cola plant just south of Cape and then headed out in the truck. We hit three Super Wal-Mart stores and one Sam’s Club. The big Super Wal-Mart store in Cape, then Sam’s Club, then the Wal-Mart in Jackson, MO, then the Wal-Mart in Perryville, MO, and then back again to Wal-Mart store in Cape. That’s his best-selling store.

We unloaded soda on wooden pallets and then carted them to the floor and stocked the shelves. And I discovered that 8 2-liter bottles in a case are pretty heavy! Shane works hard and fast. He wastes no time unloading and stocking those shelves.

Brothers and sisters, I have a new appreciation my son. I discovered how hard he works, how fast, and also how pleasant he is with the people around him. He not only knew the people who received his merchandise but also every other vendor who delivered as well: Pepsi, Coke, beer vendors, etc. He has a good rapport with them all. He is friendly to all and courteous. I was impressed and quite pleased.