Knocked Down But Not Knocked Out

Knocked Down But Not Knocked Out: November 29,2009

2 Corinthians 4: 8-9

‘We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.’

Introduction:

From a newspaper article:

CHIPPIE the PARAKEET never SAW IT COMING. ONE MOMENT he was PERCHED PEACEFULLY in his CAGE & the NEXT MOMENT he was SUCKED IN, WASHED UP, & BLOWN OVER. The PROBLEMS BEGAN when CHIPPIE’S OWNER decided to CLEAN CHIPPIE’S CAGE with a VACUUM CLEANER.

She REMOVED the ATTACHMENT from the END of the HOSE & STUCK it in the CAGE. The PHONE RANG & she TURNED to PICK UP the PHONE. She had BARELY said HELLO when “PHUMP” CHIPPIE got SUCKED IN. The BIRD OWNER GASPED, PUT DOWN the PHONE, TURNED OFF the VACUUM CLEANER & OPENED the BAG. There was CHIPPIE STILL ALIVE but STUNNED.

The BIRD was COVERED with DUST & SOOT. She GRABBED him & RACED to the BATHROOM, TURNED ON the FAUCET & HELD CHIPPIE under the RUNNING WATER. Then REALIZING that CHIPPIE was SOAKED & CHIVERING she did what ANY COMPASSIONATE BIRD OWNER would do. She REACHED for the HAIR DRYER & BLASTED the PET with HOT AIR. POOR CHIPPIE never knew WHAT HIT HIM.

A few days after the TRAMA the REPORTER who had PREVIOUSLY REPORTED on the EVENT CALLED to CHECK & SEE HOW the BIRD was RECOVERING. “Well,” she replied, “CHIPPIE doesn’t SING MUCH ANYMORE. He just SITS & STARES. It’s HARD NOT to SEE WHY

SUCKED IN – WASHED UP -- & BLOWN OVER that’s ENOUGH to STEAL the SONG from the STOUTEST of HEARTS.

CHIPPIE is an ILLUSTRATION to us today of being DOWN & OUT.

HOW MANY of us have EVER BEEN at a PLACE in LIFE where you FELT DOWN & OUT?

DOWN & OUT – DOWN & OUT.

In our TEXT for this morning the APOSTLE PAUL writes of being DOWN but NOT OUT.

& as BELIEVERS in the LORD JESUS CHRIST the ENCOURAGMENT that I want to BRING to us TODAY is this:

Just because we may be DOWN DOESN’T MEAN that we have to be OUT.

Hear again this morning the WORDS from the APOSTLE PAUL.

II Corinthians 4: 8-9 ‘We are troubled on every hand, yet not distressed, we are perplexed but not in despair. Persecuted but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed.’

That is a TESTIMONY of CONFIDENCE. It says to us that WHEN we FACE the TROUBLES & the TRIALS of LIFE --- even the HARDEST TIMES of LIFE, when we GO THROUGH the BATTLE we MIGHT get KNOCKED DOWN but we DON”T have to GET KNOCKED OUT.

We can RISE AGAIN every time. We can RISE AGAIN.

The SCRIPTURE declares in the BOOK of PROVERBS 24:16

‘The RIGHTEOUS MAN may FALL 7 TIMES but he GETS BACK UP AGAIN

& the WORD from the LORD TODAY is this:

IF we are DOWN don’t GET OUT!

DOWN but NOT OUT!

The APOSTLE PAUL as he WRITES this PASSAGE he WRITES from the AREA of MACEDONIA & we KNOW from PAUL’S OWN WORDS to the CHURCH at CORINTH that THIS has been a SEASON of GREAT TRIALS & DIFFICULTIES in HIS LIFE.

In FACT PAUL would WRITE to the CORNTHIANS & say to them:

‘When we CAME unto MACEDONIA we FOUND NO REST for OURSELVES whatsoever. There were ALL KINDS of FIGHTS & COMMOTIONS on the OUTSIDE & we had FEARS & TURMOILS on the INSIDE.

There was TROUBLE on the OUTSIDE & there was TROUBLE on the INSIDE when we came into MACEDONIA.

Later in the BOOK of II CORINTHIANS PAUL would WRITE about the GREAT TRIALS & the TRIBULATIONS he had BEEN THROUGH & the LIST of THINGS he ENCOUNTERED looks like he was LIVING under MURPHY’S LAW. WHATEVER BAD COULD HAPPEN DID HAPPEN.

II Corinthians chapter 11: & this was written 10 years BEFORE PAUL’S DEATH:

He was in PRISON OFTEN – He had a JAIL MINISTRY.

195 STRIPES from the JEWS--- 39 times 5 = 195 STRIPES

3 TIMES he was BEATEN with RODS

STONED & LEFT for DEAD ONCE

SHIPWRECKED 3 TIMES

ONCE he SPENT a DAY & a NIGHT in the DEPTHS of the SEA

He was ROBBED

He knew what HUNGER & THIRST was

He knew what NAKEDNESS & COLD was

He was FALSELY ACCUSED by HIS OWN BRETHERN in the CHURCH

& yet in the MIDST of his TROUBLES & TRIALS the APOSTLE PAUL DECLARES this CONFIDENT DECLARATION:

“Lo we might BE DOWN but we are NOT OUT.’

So THIS MORNING I want us to EXAMINE from this TEXT these 2 THINGS.

#1: CONSIDER WHAT WE ARE –

SOMETIMES WE ARE DOWN

How many have BEEN DOWN RECENTLY? Have you had a DOWN TIME RECENTLY?