Jeremiah 32:17, 27; Luke 1:37; 18:27
Robert Schuller in his book, Move Ahead with Possibility Thinking begins the book with these questions:
Are you limping when you could be walking strong; whimpering when you could be whistling; crying when you could be laughing?
Are you being defeated by your problems; facing frustrations that are discouraging you; heartaches that are depressing you?
Are you bored with life; tired of living; lacking zest and excitement?
Are you watching somebody make a great success of an opportunity you turned down?
Are your projects and dreams struggling when they could be thriving; shrinking when they could be growing; failing when they could be succeeding?
Hanging in there before impossibilities. In 1945 Oscar Eliason, a gospel songwriter, wrote a song and when you hear the words, you wonder if he didn’t experience some of those feelings, too.
Got any rivers you think are uncrossable;
God any mountains you can’t tunnel through?
God specializes in things tho’t impossible;
He does things others cannot do.
God specializes in things that are impossible. Uncrossable rivers, untunneled mountains, they are a part of our very existence. How do you handle them? Where do you get the faith to meet them?
To put everything into the right perspective, I would like us to begin by looking at four key passages of Scripture that address the subject of impossibilities. You might even say these are “impossible” scriptures. Two verses in Jeremiah 32 and two verses in the gospel of Luke.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote: “Ah Lord God! Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power and by Thine outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for Thee”(Jer. 32:17).
Did you hear that? The prophet, knowing who God is and what He is says, “Nothing is too difficult for Thee!” Do you realize that whatever thing or things you’re calling “impossibilities” could be superimposed over what God says is “nothing” to Him?
Nothing!
It’s difficult to reconstruct in the English language the full color and impact of the Hebrew words used in this verse. The best we can do is to say: “No, absolutely nothing for You Lord is extraordinary or surpassing.” Do you believe that? Then he wrote, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jer. 32:27).
In the first verse it was Jeremiah speaking. In this verse it is the Lord speaking and He is asking, “Is anything too difficult for Me?”
Now get out your impossibility ... whatever it may be. God asks, “Is your impossibility too difficult for me?” In Luke 1:37, the angel is speaking to Mary. He has come to say to her, “You are going to be the mother of the Christ child. She says, “How is that possible?
I am not married, I am a virgin, I’ve not known a man.” And the angel says, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” We are talking about God dealing with our impossibilities.
The angel makes that statement and we see that it wasn’t impossible. Because Jesus was born of a virgin and became our Savior and Lord.
In Luke 18:27, Dr. Luke wrote, “The things impossible with men are possible with God.” Do you believe that?
Close your eyes just a minute. I want you to think about that which seems most impossible. You have seen and read these four promises of God. Each has said virtually the same thing: Nothing is impossible with God. That includes your river, your mountain,
any impossibility. Consider these four promises of God. Nothing is impossible with God.
Have you considered that when thinking about your problem? What is your impossibility tonight? Is it your business? The drought we are going through has or will affect your business before it’s over. How about school? You’ve been going to school, and it seems as if it looms before you forever. Take it from someone who took 18 years to get his undergraduate degree and another 6 for his masters.... there is life after school. You may not be healthy enough to enjoy it, but there is some form of life.
You know, one thing I have learned: If we don’t try the impossible some time, how can God show us that He is the God of impossibilities?
Maybe it’s your marriage, or a relationship with a family member or a friend. Maybe you’ve lost your dream. Dreams are so important. Without dreams we struggle with boredom. Dreams keep us alive. Is your dream struggling? Maybe your impossibility is your health. I never realized how much I took my health for granted until my body began betraying me.
Now, whatever your impossibility is, have you considered asking the Lord to handle that specifically ... here tonight ... in this service? Then leave it with Him with a faith that simply will not die. If nothing is impossible with God, then what you are facing is not impossible for Him either ~~~ God can do something about it. Ask Him to do it and trust Him to do it.
One “Impossible” Event
In John 6 we find not only a familiar event, but a unique one, for several reasons.
First, it is the only miracle mentioned in all four Gospels, so it seems to be extremely significant to the Gospel writers, and certainly to the Lord Himself.
Second, it is the only account in which Jesus asked the advice of someone else.
Third, it is the only time Jesus performed a miracle before such a huge crowd ... around 5,000 men and perhaps about 4,000-5,000 women and children.
Fourth, it is an “absolute” miracle. That is, it is not some natural thing that was altered slightly on a sliding scale. You are not going to be able to work your way around this one by saying it rained an extra amount or the wind blew and explain with some sort of natural phenomenon. It is an absolute miracle. An impossibility that God dealt with.
It starts by saying, “after these things.” Jesus has just sent His disciples out to minister,
to preach in His name, to heal in His name. They have gone into all the towns and villages. They have done what Jesus asked and they have come home exhausted. Jesus and His disciples both need some rest and relaxation. They need some time away from their work. Everyone needs that. Patty and I are still hoping to have a resting vacation and not a working vacation before the year is over. It’s been two years since I have taken any time off like that.
At any rate, Jesus takes them aside to the Sea of Tiberias, for a little retreat. The crowds find them. They are trying to get away by themselves but the crowd find out about it and they come to them. A large crowd. They are way out in the desert. The problem is there is no Piggly Wiggly or Albertsons’ or Kroger, and believe it or not, there is not even a super Walmart. Jesus looks to His disciples and says to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?”
Have you ever wondered by Jesus asked Philip? Why didn’t he ask Judas? Judas had the money. Judas was probably the sharpest of the whole bunch of disciples. Philip was probably one of the duller of the group. “Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?” Now stop and think of what Philip might have thought when Jesus asked that question. The fact is Jesus asked only to test him because He already knew what He was going to do.
He knows what He is going to do in your life. You may not have discovered it yet, but He knows what He is going to do. And it may be that you are struggling right now because He is testing you. And He tests you to get you ready to receive what He has for you.
I want to give you just a little insight into Philip. It makes you appreciate even more that Jesus asked him. Philip was the one who later said to the Lord, “Just let us see God and we won’t have any more questions.” Philip was the fellow who had to see everything. He was what you might call a “statistical pessimist.” He had a slide rule for a mind, and if he could figure it all out ~~~ great.
How easy it is to dress up doubt in neat-sounding, logical, sophisticated clothes. Philip never even answered Jesus’ question. Instead he replied, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for every one to receive a little.” That’s not the question!
The Lord asked, “Where are we going to get bread to feed these eight to ten thousand people?” And Philip said, “Two hundred denarii will not be enough to feed them.” That’s two different conversations: the Lord asked him “Where do we go?” and Philip’s answer dealt with “how much.”
A denarius was worth about seventeen cents. It equaled a man’s daily wage. One man working for eight months, that would not be enough to give each person a crumb and a cup of tea.
The statistical pessimist! All the Lord wanted Philip to say was, “I don’t know. It’s impossible with me, but it’s nothing to You, and I’m going to wait and see what You’re going to do. You are a Specialist, Lord, in situations like this.” But that’s not what Philip said.
The testing was not over. Andrew came on the scene. He was as different from Philip as night and day. Philip only saw the situation, the size of the problem. He did not remember how big God is. He was more convinced of what could not be done than what could be done.
If you are a Philip, that’s the way you are. When someone suggests a new idea, you say, “Oh, no. That won’t work.” Or when some situation gets worse and you cannot handle it any longer, it never dawns on you to simply trust God. All you can see is what can’t be done. There are a lot of people like that in God’s family.
Andrew had one strong thing going for him. Any man who can talk a little fella out of his lunch must have some degree of persuasion! He said, “Here is this little boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. How far do you think that is going to go among so many people.” Andrew was doing good for a moment. Too many people look at the problem and then compare the problem to the resources at hand. They never think about God’s resources. You think, what is the use among so many? I work ten twelve hours a day, I only have a few minutes for prayer, why bother? I only have a $20 a week to give to the Lord, what is that among so many needs?
Let me tell you, maybe you don’t have a lot to give,
• but that’s all that little fellow had,
• and that’s all Andrew could find,
• and that’s all the Lord needed.
Just that.
Now the miracle. Remember the story? It’s as simple a miracle as it can be. In quiet, unobtrusive fashion, Jesus said to the disciples, “Have the people sit down” (6:10). You see, the Twelve are going to be personally involved in carrying out the miracle, and here’s something that never dawned on me until now. I have read this passage, I don’t know how many times, and it never stood out to me before now. The miracle was for the benefit of the Twelve, not the multitude’s. God’s miracles are not for those who are not working to bring about His kingdom’s purposes. If you are not seeing any miracles in your life, maybe you’re not involved in what God’s doing.
See we look for miracles to bail us out of our situations, and God is wanting to give us miracles for His kingdom purposes. Jesus could have fed the thousands anything they wanted any time of the day, but He used the disciples as ushers. The people sat down as they were told. “Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also the fish as much as they wanted” (6:11).
It is all you can eat. Pitch till you miss. Do you like those places? I do. You didn’t know that did you. Eat all you want. “And when they were filled...” Then He says to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost.” Again, this wasn’t so that they could feed the starving children in India. He wanted to show His disciples what happens when they rely by faith on His resources, and not by sight.
You can’t fully appreciate this until you realize that the fish he was talking about was not the big cat fish that Will pulls out of the lake. The word used for fish meant little pickled fish like sardines. And the barley loaves were the size of large pancakes ~~ flat, hard and brittle ~~ the bread of poor people.
Jesus took those two little fish in His hands and pulled off the impossible.
The multitudes were sitting along the slopes of the mountain, and those disciples were busy passing out the food to dozens, then hundreds, then thousands!
Remember Philip who was figuring in minimums? John 6:11 concludes: “as much as they wanted.” You can just picture some old gentleman who had not eaten for a long time ~~~ “Hey Philip, a little more bread over here.” So Philip brings the bread ~~~ all they wanted.
“And when they were filled...” (v.12). That’s just like the Lord. Not only does He do the impossible, He does abundantly beyond all anyone could ask or think. He gave to those people until they had plenty. He performed His specialty; He did the impossible.
The river was crossed, the mountain was tunneled, the impossible was accomplished.
And to Him, it was as nothing! He never even broke a sweat. Can’t you picture Philip?
He’s way down the hill, his basket full. And all the way back up the hill he is saying, “I can’t believe it!” It was more than they could ever use. Andrew, the “little thinker,” must have been stunned!
Releasing Our Grip
You know the lesson I think the disciples learned, or at least should have learned?
When you face an impossibility, leave it in the hands of the Specialist.
• Refuse to calculate.
• Refuse to doubt.
• Refuse to work it out by yourself.
• Refuse to worry or encourage others to worry.
Stand against that.
Instead say, “Lord, I’m carrying around something I cannot handle. Because You are not only able but also willing and anxious, take this off my hands. It’s impossible to me, but it is nothing with You.” Persevering under the pressures of impossibilities calls for that kind of confidence. And remember this, you have to be in an impossible situation before God can do the impossible. Got any mountains? Got any rivers? God specializes in things that seem impossible. He knows a thousand ways to make a way for you.
Let go and let God have His way. Have you learned that yet? In your life today, have you learned that.
A while ago I asked you to think about your impossibilities. Look at those things you just can’t seem to work out yourself. Name them. List them. What would you like for Him to take care of? Would you be willing to ask Him right here in this room, tonight? Ask Him to help you with that. And walk out of here believing He is going to do it. Giving it to Him and trust it with Him. Are you willing to do that? I want to pray with you.
Page 12
Let’s pray.
Father, everyone of us is facing impossible odds.
The impossibilities in our lives are there at every turn in the road.
Help us to understand that we don’t have to struggle but that we just need to turn them over to You the Specialist who specializes in impossible things.
What is impossible with us is not impossible with You.
Let us believe that in our heart and soul.
Let us turn that over to Your care.
Let us go from this room with a heart that is light and filled with hope believing that You are going to work a miracle in our lives.
In Jesus name.
As you wait before the Lord, share with Him that special need.
Maybe He has convicted you of the fact that you need to trust Jesus Christ as your Savior.
You need to trust Him as your Lord.
You have been trying to run your life yourself and you haven’t turned it over to Him, you haven’t become a follower ... a disciple of Christ.
Wanting in every way to obey and please Him and serve Him.
Would you ask Him to come into your life tonight?
Maybe you need to rededicate yourself to Him.
Your life is all messed up because you continue to do it yourself.
You have taken the life away from Him.
Give it back to Him.
Give it back to Him and say Lord forgive me of this sin and take my life back.
Help me to stay on the right path.
Maybe God is speaking to you and saying I want you to be a part of this church.
• This is where I want you.
• This is a church that loves.
• This is a church where you can find a fellowship.
I want you there so you can serve. Does God speak to your heart.
God help us right now in this room as we wait before you to know Your will and to have the courage to walk in it.
