"Honey From The Rock

“Honey from The Rock”

Psalm 81:11-16

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

CP Walker, Taegu, South Korea

BIG IDEA: GOD PROMISES GIVE REASONS TO EXPECT SUCCESS.

REFERENCES: Luke 14:11 (For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted); Ps. 81:16 (I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you); Heb. 13:8 (Jesus chrust is the same yesterday and today and forever); Ps. 19:7-19 (God’s word is “... seeter than honey and the honeycomb); Deut. 32:13 (... honey out of the rock); Rom 1:2 (Promises contained in Scriptures

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Psalm 81:11-16

II. READ THE PERICOPE: PSALM 81:11-16

III. READ THE TEXT: PSALM 81:16b (... and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee).

IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that God promises are SIGNS THAT give reasons to EXPECT SUCCESS.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “HONEY from the ROCK”

VI. Protaganist: Signs, Symbols, and Promises

INTRODUCTION:

In my readings, I came across a a short story written by Reverend John Beehler which says that ...” A small boy riding a bus home from Sunday school was very proud of the card he had received, which had a picture and a caption that read: “Have Faith in God.” Then to his

dismay the card slipped from his hand and fluttered out the window. “Stop the bus!” he cried. “I’ve lost my ‘faith in God!’”

The driver pulled the bus to a stop, and as the lad climbed out and went to retrieve his card, one of the adult riders smiled and made a comment about the innocence of youth. A

more perceptive adult observed, “All of us would be better off if we were that concerned about our faith."

I

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

MOVE 1: True FAITH in God relys on God’s promises.

A, So, the question is ... what is a promise?

B. Well, in exploring what a promise is ...

C, I discovered that someone once said that your WORD

IS YOUR BOND.

D. IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT YOU HAVE PROMISED TO DO IS

GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL DO IT.

E. SOMEONE ELSE HAS SAID THAT A PROMISE, BASICALLY, IS

A COMMITMENT TO SHARE YOURSELF.

F. IF YOU give a promise to someone, you are

committing something of your time, your energy, and

your resources to that person.

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

MOVE 2: For example, at many weddings when two young

HETEROSEXUAL (MALE AND FEMALE) STAND AT THE

wedding altar and promise each other,

A. ...they are COMMITING THEMSELVES TO GOD, AND TO

GIVE OF THEMSELVES TO EACH OTHER.

B. FOR WHO can ever forget the “MARRIAGE OF SAMSON” (in

Judges 14:10-20) and how at the beginning of his

WEDDING FESTIVITIES,

C. SAMSON PROPOSED A JEOPARDY TYPE RIDDLE TO HIS

GUESTS IN WHEICH HE OFFERED ...

D. ...A prize to be given at the end of his bachelor

party (if you will) to those who correctly guess

the riddle.

E. AT ANY RATE, THE ENEMY CHOSE TO ATTACH SAMSON’S

HEART AND HIS PROMISE TO BE LOYAL TO HIS WIFE ....

F. BY CAUSING HER TO DECEIVE HIM ( by threathening to

burn her and her father’s house) ...

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

MOVE 3: ... THROUGH HER TEARS AND importunity cries of

IF YOU LOVED ME, YOU WOULD SHARE THE JEPOARDY

ANSWER WITH ME.

A. NOW, MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS ... you may

recall Samson , indeed, shared THE JEOPARDY

ANSWER WITH HER

B. WHILE SHE SHARED HIS WORDS WITH THE PHILITINES.

C. HER WORDS WAS NOT HER BOND OR GUARANTEEE (to her

husband).

D. Instead, HER WORDS CAN BE SEEN AS A BROKEN PROMISE.

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

MOVE 4: NOW ... WEBSTER’S NEW WORELD DICTIONARY ...

defines a promise as a sign that gives reason

for expecting success.

A. In other words, IF YOU SAY, “I’LL MEET YOU AT THE FIRING RANGE ON THE CORNER OF SUCH AND SUCH

B. ...AT SUCH AND SUCH TIME,” you have comitted yourself to that person for a certain length of time.

C. LIKEWISE, THE GREAT PROMISES OF THE BIBLE ARE THE

EFFORTS OF GOD TO SHARE HIMSELF WITH US.

D. And if we understand the promises, we also

understand the nature and character of God.

E. For every promise is a commitment on God’s part to

give of HIMSELF.

F. IN OTHER WORDS, GOD PROMISES GIVE US (AS

BELIEVERS) REASONS TO EXPECT SUCCESS.

G. GOD SHARES HIS PROMISES WITH US BY SPEAKING T

HROUGH 16 GREAT PROPHETS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

(Rom. 1:2).

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

MOVE 5: FOR DON’T YOU REMEMBER ... GOD PROMISES

THROUGH THE “BOOK OF ISAIAH” IS A PROMISE OF A

NEW BEGINNING.

A. ... AND IN THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH ... WE HAVE EXACTLY