Now To Him Who Is Able Series

INTRO.- ILL.- Frank was the manager of an upscale men's wear store in a wealthy section of town and was interviewing Larry for the recently advertised salesman role. Frank looked at Larry's resume and noticed that Larry had never worked in retail before.

Frank mused, "For someone with no retail experience, you are certainly asking for a high salary."

"Well I suppose I am," Larry replied, "but you must understand that the work is so much harder when you don't know what you're doing."

It’s hard to do anything if you don’t know what you’re doing.

ILL.- When I was young I liked hot rod cars. My three year older brother was a fan of hot rods, fast cars, drag racing, etc. In fact, his first car was a 1951 Chevrolet fastback with a three speed manual shift on the column. It wasn’t much but he sure drove it hard. And I got the racing and speed bug from my brother. You know, the blame game! I started out with a 1954 Chevy and then finally, bought my dad’s old 1955 Chevy, and about that time I got the big idea in my head that I wanted to build a hot rod.

I knew a guy who had a 1936 Ford, five-window coupe for sale. It had a newer model flathead V8 engine (maybe a 40 model engine). I bought it, drove it home and thought I would transform that old 36 Ford into a first class hot rod. BUT I HAD A PROBLEM? I didn’t know how to do much of anything except change spark plugs on an engine and I knew absolutely nothing about body work. CARE TO GUESS WHAT HAPPENED?

Needless to say, that 36 Ford coupe did not become hot rod. I ended up selling it as is and I think I even took a loss on it.

That sort of thing can happen when you don’t know anything about what you are doing. EVER BEEN THERE? Did you ever buy something and couldn’t figure out how it worked or you couldn’t get it to work so you sold it, traded it or maybe even trashed it?

There are some things that we can’t do in life. All of us may be able to do some things, but we can’t do everything. I have seen a few people, however, that could do many things well but still, they were limited.

ILL.- I knew of a preacher who could preach good sermons and make good house calls on people. He was good with people, but he was also good with livestock and had a farm. He always doing something. And he was also a trustee of a Christian College. It seemed like whatever he wanted to do, he did well! He was a jack of trades and mastered many of them, unlike most of us.

What about you? We’re all somewhat limited, but there is someone who is not limited in anything He does. Our God is able to do all things, all good things.

25 “Now to him who is able...”

2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

2 Timothy 1:12 “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.”

Hebrews 2:18 “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Hebrews 5:2 “He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.”

Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

Jude 1:24 “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy...”

It sounds like our God is able! He is able to many things and all things that are good!

PROP.- What did God do for which He deserves praise and glory?

1- God established us in the faith

2- God revealed His mystery to all

I. GOD ESTABLISHED US IN THE FAITH

25 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past.