"Has God Ever Done Something That Made You Say Wow?”

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris, Jr.

West Fort Hood Chapel

Mother’s Day 2010

Killeen, TX

16 May 2010

Big Idea: God sometime moves in such an unlikely but fantastic way, we can only say WOW.

Scriptural References: EAI (Expository; Application; Illustration); Psalm 97 ESV; Revelation 22:12-14; 16-17; 20-21 (NIV) "See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone's work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. "It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let everyone who hears say, "Come." And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. The one who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen; John 17:20-26; Acts 16:16-34; 1 Kings 18:13-16 (We have too many Obadiahs and not enough Elijahs); 1 Kings 18:23-39 ESV – Elijah on Mount Carmel; James 5:17 (ESV) Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years; Mount Carmel – A Costal Mountain Range in Northern Israel;

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Acts 16:25-34 (ESV)

II. READ THE PERICOPE: Acts 16:25-34 (ESV)

III. READ THE TEXT: Acts 16:27-29 ESV (When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas).

IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that God sometime moves in such an unlikely but fantastic way, we can only say WOW.

V. SERMONIC THEME: "Has God Ever Done Something

that Made You Say WOW?”

VI. INTRODUCTION:

“Has God Ever Done Something that Made You Say Wow?”

Have you ever had a WOW experience or witnessed a miracle?

Perhaps, you’re not quite sure what qualifies as a miracle.

I peaked into Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary and discovered three definitions for MIRACLE.

First, Merriam-Webster says, a miracle is an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.

An extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.

Second, a miracle is an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment.

Third, Merriam-Webster says, a miracle… is a divinely natural phenomenon experienced humanly as the fulfillment of spiritual law.

Again, a divinely natural phenomenon experienced humanly as the fulfillment of spiritual law.

In other words, a Miracle is a WOW experience! It’s something that God does that makes you say – WOW!

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 1: In the Old Testament Times there were spiritual leaders such as Moses, Joshua, Elijah and Elisha whom were empowered and used by God to perform WOW Experiences on behalf of God’s people.

a. Who can ever forget the WOW Experiences of Chaplain Elijah on Mount Carmel?

b. For don’t you remember, Chaplain Elijah and President Ahab – of Israel - had agreed upon Mount Carmel as the location for their Spiritual Summit (or meeting).

c. Mount Carmel was located between Israel and Phoenicia.

d. Phoenicia was the place where Baal (the male god of the Phoenicians) originated from.

e. Asherah was the female god of the Phoenicians.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 2: It would be a fitting site since it lay between Israel and Phoenicia, the lands of the deities in question.

a. Mount Carmel was regarded by the Phoenicians as the sacred dwelling place of Baal.

b. No doubt, Ahab was highly pleased with this suggested site for the contest because it would have given the Baal prophets a definite advantage;

c. But this did not worry Chaplain Elijah.

d. When all the people had assembled. . . .

e. The Good Book says, Elijah stood before them and challenged them to end their double mindedness, wavering between two opinions.

****** TAKE 5 BEATS ******

MOVE 3: It was not good to try to”walk the fence“worshiping two gods.

a. Apparently the Israelites thought that if Yahweh let them down they could turn to Baal, and vice versa.

b. Elijah was saying that if One is the true God and the other false they should follow the true One wholeheartedly and forget about the impotent impostor.