It Will Be Worth It All!

MELVIN NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK

IT WILL BE WORTH IT ALL

TEXT: Isaiah 55:9-12, Psalms 46 & 121, Romans 8:28, 2 Timothy 1:7

Two weeks ago I was looking forward to celebrating my 92nd birthday the next day. Then you all surprised me with a card shower & a very good birthday cake (but thankfully no candles).

Then that afternoon, when I opened up the cards & read all the notes you wrote I was overwhelmed by your expressions of appreciation & love. If ever I felt useless & no longer wanted, that feeling disappeared. With all sincerity I want to thank you, & seek in some way to return that love!

By the way, I won’t mention who passed along this story, & assure you that it has nothing to do with me since Ethel & I will soon celebrate 69 years of marriage. Anyway, here’s the story.

ILL. George, age 92 & Gloria, age 89, are excited about their decision to get married even though they were way up in years. They go for a stroll to discuss wedding plans & came to a drugstore. George suggests they go in & speak to the man behind the counter.

"Sir, are you the owner?" The pharmacist answers, "Yes". "Well, we’re about to get married. Do you sell Miralax & Ensure?" "We do."

"How about support hose & medicine for rheumatism & arthritis?" "All kinds." "Denture supplies, sleeping pills, Adult-size Depends?" "Absolutely"

"Do you sell canes, walkers & wheelchairs?" "We do." Then the store owner asked, “Why all the questions?"

George smiles & looks at Gloria who nods her head. "Well, we would like to use your store for our Wedding Registry."

Folks, you are a wonderful congregation, & I thank you for the opportunity to serve as best I am able.

I know that times are difficult. Just turn on the TV News & you quickly learn that much of our world is filled with anxiety about various conflicts. Every day seems to bring with it another wave of disheartening news.

In 1 Thess. 4:13, Paul encouraged believers who had lost loved ones, not “to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.” I believe that the apostle Paul would tell us who follow Jesus, not to live “like…men who have no hope.”

As Christians, this is not a time for us to live in fear - because we do have hope, a living hope through Christ Jesus our Lord.

There are just 2 Major points in this sermon. And to lead us into those 2 points I want to read Isaiah 55:9. “Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways & my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

I’m convinced we are really in need of some ‘God thoughts’ this morning! So I will be calling your attention to a number of Scriptures, & 2 verses in Isaiah speak to the reason why.

Isaiah 55:10,11 says, “As the rain & the snow come down from heaven, & do not return to it without watering the earth & making it bud & flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower & bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

“It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire & achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

I’m confident God's word will accomplish His purpose. So in times like these we need to:

I REMEMBER . . . Our God is Still on His Throne. Isa. 6:1 begins with these words, "In the year that King Uzziah died…" Uzziah had been King of Judah for 55 years & most of that time he had been a good king. But what do you think the nation of Judah felt when he died?

With an enemy army at their border they were undoubtedly troubled about the future. Well, God knew that His people needed to see that He was still on His throne.

So Isaiah testifies (6:1), "I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high & exalted; & the train of his robe filled the temple.”

Again Isaiah 40:21 tells us, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He (that's God) sits enthroned above the circle of the earth.”

B. Our God Is In Control - So not only must we remember that God is still on His throne, but also that He is in control.

Do you remember what Jesus said to the apostles just before he gave them what we call the Great Commission? He told them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven & on earth.” Matthew 28:18