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OPTIONAL DVD STATS OPENER AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
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DVD Intro “What Are The Odds…” Fade music out on black
(this opener basically shows text fading in and out of odd statistics)
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OPENING:
Often times, life is a test for us. We strive at completing the test and coming through with flying colors.
But sometimes, tests are given to us when we find ourselves against all odds.
Perhaps when we are tested in life for something we haven’t had a chance to study for? How do we react?
Sometimes we get lucky and beat the odds, like this gentleman did (Picture of Truck wreck off the side of the highway - then next slide shows truck wreck only 5 feet from a thousand foot drop-off).
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ILLUSTRATION: THE LOSER-----------------------
For Sparky, school was all but impossible.
He failed every subject in the eighth grade. He flunked physics in high school, getting a grade of zero.
Sparky also flunked Latin, Algebra, and English. He didn’t do much better in sports.
Although he did manage to make the school’s golf team, he promptly lost the only important match of the season.
There was a consolation match. He lost that one too.
Throughout his youth, Sparky was socially awkward.
He was not actually disliked by the other students; it was just that no one cared that much about him.
He was astonished if a classmate ever said hello to him outside of school hours.
There’s no way to tell how he might have done with dating.
Because Sparky never once asked a girl to go out with him while he was in high school. He was too afraid of being turned down.
Sparky was a loser. He, his classmates... everyone knew it. So he rolled with it.
Sparky had made up his mind early in life that, if things were meant to work out, they would.
Otherwise he would content himself with what appeared to be his inevitable mediocrity of just blending in with the crowd.
However, one thing was import to Sparky: drawing. He was proud of his artwork. Of course, no one else appreciated it.
In his senior year at high school, he submitted some cartoons to the editors of the yearbook. The cartoons were turned down.
Despite this particular rejection, Sparky was so convinced of his ability that he decided to become a professional artist.
After completing high school, he wrote a letter to Walt Disney Studios.
He was told to send some samples of his artwork, and the subject for a cartoon was suggested.
Sparky drew the proposed cartoon. He spent a great deal of time on it, and on all the other drawings he submitted.
Finally, the reply came from Disney Studios. He had been rejected once again. Another loss for the loser.
So Sparky decided to write his autobiography in cartoons. He described his childhood self: a little boy loser and chronic underachiever.
The cartoon character would soon become famous worldwide.
For Sparky, the boy who had such lack of success in school, and whose work was rejected again and again, was Charles Schulz.
He created Peanuts, and the cartoon character whose kite would never fly and who never succeeded in kicking a football – was none other than that of Charlie Brown.
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Whenever you’re up against all odds, life seems to take on a different meaning
Just when you become comfortable in the even flow of things happening, God shows up and does something wonderful in your life to counteract the even flow of familiarity
Depending on how we choose to perceive it, it sometimes seems that we’re against all odds either situations, or people
And if you haven’t come against all odds yet…if you haven’t come face to face with the enemy, take a long look, because you may be going the same way he is
The man I would like to take a look at today had to overcome the odds because of his past reputation with his newfound faith.
Situations which would have in normal circumstances—intimidated most people--silencing their belief and preventing them from experiencing the true power of God through the Holy Spirit
Read Acts 9:15-31
Going against the odds sometimes means that the odds aren’t always in your favor—you don’t have CONTROL of the situation
It’s the difference between riding a Schwinn Bike vs. Mini bike -- when I was a kid, all the cool guys had mini-bikes. I thought I was cool with my stick-shift Schwinn yellow chopper -- that is until the guys with the mini-bikes had the girls riding on back with them.
Going against all odds sometimes involves pain—sometimes inwardly and sometimes outwardly as Saul experienced
The pain of taking a risk in becoming a Christ follower and going up against all odds is very real
There are two natural responses that we react to by this type of pain or rejection when this happens:
1. I’ll do whatever it takes to be accepted
2. I’ll never let them hurt me again
By looking at what Saul encountered, we can see how he overcame the odds by turning his risky steps into a walk of faith of becoming a Christ follower or Disciple.
1.Realize you are a chosen instrument (v. 15)
I remember reading about a man at sea who was very sea-sick. While this man was sick he heard that a man had fallen overboard.
He was wondering if he could do anything to help to save him. He laid hold of a light, and held it up on the port-hole.
The drowning man was saved.
When this man got over his attack of sea sickness he was up on deck one day, and was talking to the man who was rescued from falling overboard.
He said he had gone down the second time, and was going down again for the last time, when he thrust out his hand in desparation.
Just then, he said, some one held a light at the port-hole, and the light fell on his hand in the dark sea waters that surrounded him…
A man on the ship was able to see his hand and grabbed his hand and pulled him into the lifeboat.
It seemed a small thing to do to hold up the light; yet it saved the man’s life.
You are God’s chosen instrument just as Saul was
If you think you cannot do something great -- you can at least hold the light for some someone who is drowning from hurt, loneliness, depression, or pride-- who may be won to Christ and delivered from there own destruction.
God has chosen you to take the torch of salvation and go into these dark homes, and hold up Christ to the people as the Savior of the world.
And remember, a good witness isn’t like a salesman, the emphasis is on a person--rather than a product.
A good witness is like a signpost. It doesn’t matter whether it is old, young, pretty, ugly; it has to point the right direction and be able to be understood.
We are witnesses to Christ, we point to Him.
We can hold up the light for someone—if you’re a Christ follower, He may choose to use you when you least expect it and perhaps without you even know it—You are a chosen instrument.
2. See others with a new vision (v. 18)
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ILLUSTRATION: LOST VISION
About 400 years ago a shipload of travelers landed on the northeast coast of America.
The first year they established a town site called Jamestown.
The next year they elected a town government.
The third year the town government planned to build a road five miles westward into the wilderness.
In the fourth year the people tried to impeach their town government because they thought it was a waste of public funds to build a road five miles westward into a wilderness.
Who needed to go there anyway?
Here were people who had the vision to see three thousand miles across an ocean and overcome great hardships to get there.
But in just a few years they were not able to see even five miles out of town.
They had lost their pioneering vision.
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No ocean of difficulty is too great—because with a clear vision through Christ--we can see others in a new light
Avoid wanting to perceive how you think people are. Instead begin to achieve the act of fellowship of who they are through Christ
many times we want to label people as a lazy way out of getting to know the real person
When the scales from his eyes fell off, Saul saw other believers with a new vision instead of his old perceived ways.
Have your scales fallen off your eyes? Are you able to see me through the love of Christ, or can you see me just for my shortcomings and my hang-ups?
I’ve caught myself many times looking at you with scales on my eyes, and I’ve had to ask Christ to remove the scales.
Because until I can see you with a new vision through Christ, you’re just someone that attends church whom I’m supposed to love because the Bible says so—but I can’t do it without the love of ChrisT
3. Surround yourself with Godly people (v. 19)
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ILLUSTRATION: I LOVE YOU ANYWAY
Overcoming the odds is like the man who finally decided to ask his boss for a raise in salary.
It was Friday. He told his wife that morning what he was about to do, All day the man felt nervous and apprehensive.
Late in the afternoon he summoned the courage to approach his employer. To his delight, the boss agreed to a raise.
The man arrived home to a beautiful table set with their best china. Candles were lit, and his wife had prepared a festive meal.
Immediately he figured that someone from the office had tipped her
Finding his wife in the kitchen, he told her the good news. They embraced and kissed, then sat down to a wonderful meal.
Next to his plate the man found a beautiful lettered note. It read: “Congratulations, darling! I knew you’d get the raise! This festive dinner that I made you will tell you how much I love you."
While on his way to the kitchen to get dessert he noticed that a second card had fallen from her pocket.
Picking it off the floor, he read: "Don’t worry about not getting the raise! You deserve it anyway! This festive dinner that I made you will tell you how much I love you."
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Total acceptance! Total love. Her love for him was not contingent upon his success at work. In fact, just the opposite.
If he were to fail there, if he were to be rejected by his boss he’d be all the more accepted at home.
She stood behind him no matter what; softening the blows, healing the wounds, believing in him, loving him.
We can be rejected by almost anyone if we’re loved by one. (REPEAT)
That’s the way families at home and families at church can be with each other. Even if we miss the mark, we’re still accepted and loved.
Just as the disciples did for Saul--surrounding yourself with Godly people can encourage, uplift, and support you as you go against all odds in showing your faith to others.
4. Share the hope that’s within you (v.20)
1 Peter 3:15 says to Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope.
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ILLUSTRATION: MISSED LETTER
George Sweeting, in his book “The No-Guilt Guide for Witnessing”, tells of a man by the name of John Currier who in 1949 was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Later he was transferred and paroled to work on a farm near Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1968, 19 years later, Currier’s sentence was terminated, and a letter bearing the good news was sent to him.
But John never saw the letter, nor was he told anything about it.
Life on that farm was hard and without promise for the future. Yet John kept doing what he was told even after the farmer for whom he worked had died.
Ten years went by. Then a state parole officer learned about Currier’s tough situation, found him, and told him that his sentence had been terminated.
He was a free man. Sweeting concluded that story by asking:
"Would it matter to you if someone sent you an important message -- the most important in your life -- and year after year the urgent message was never delivered?"
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"What is the greatest crime in the desert?"--"Finding water and keeping silent" --Arab proverb
There are three reasons why personal testimonies impact people.
1. People who know you are interested in you and your life.
2. Other people can relate to your story.
3. They can’t argue with the fact that your life has been changed.
God will show you someone who needs your walk of wisdom, or your path of prayer in their journey of life.
Saul discovered that Christ made such a difference in his life, that it didn’t matter what odds he was against, he just had to let someone know what happened.
Share the hope that is within you.
5.Prepare yourself for rejection (v. 21)
Whenever we’re rejected by people we know or are close to, we slip into what’s called “relational risk management”
Which means this: We often keep people at a distance with the intent of “I don’t every want to be hurt or rejected again”
The enemy loves when we live with “relational risk management” Why?
Because in God’s kingdom, it’s all about risk and reward
God says “you want to find life?” You have to lose it – you risk it
God says “you want to have meaning?” You don’t take it, you give it away
If someone curses you—you bless them back
If someone strikes you on the cheek, you turn the other---all by risking it
Whenever we eliminate the potential for “Relational Risk Management” we also eliminate the potential for “Relational Returns”.
In other words, if you build no bridges, no one will cross them over to you--and some of you are starved for relationships, for deep meaningful friendships, but you’re afraid because perhaps you’ve experienced rejection—or even betrayal.
For some of you --- you crave a deep and meaningful relationship that perhaps you haven’t had in years—but you’ve been living life through what you can see through the peephole in your front door.
Satan loves when we become walled up and eliminate the risk for relationships and the potential for return
In facing rejection, imagine what Jesus felt like as he was growing up and began his ministry, only to have his own townspeople try to shove him off a cliff—Luke 4:29
In facing rejection, imagine what Jesus felt like to have been falsely accused of being a drunkard and glutton—Matt. 11:19
In facing rejection, imagine what Jesus felt like when a leader of the government system found no fault in him only to have his peers desperately wanting to crucify him—John 19:4
He was rejected by those closest to Him—11 of his disciples were a “no show” at his most desperate time of need while hanging on the cross
Peter was Jesus’ right hand man and told him that he would never abandon him no matter what, only to hear Peter say “I never knew Him” when He was at his lowest point and was against all odds
Even while despised and rejected, it never derailed him from his vision or mission
When you become a Christ follower, you too will face rejection as Saul---you will face two issues to decide on when it happens:
1. I cannot live for the approval of people (Matt. 10:14) "Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.”
2.I must live for the approval of God (1 Thessalonians 2:4) “But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.”
I cannot live for the approval of people by shaping my life so people will like me
I grew up a people pleaser. Acceptance was a big part of my childhood and teen years. When the IZOD polo shirts became popular with the alligator on the chest, that was the thing to have.
Our family couldn’t afford trendly clothing such as that. So, being a young artist, I just drew mine with markers, cut it out, and stuck it with some rubber cement on an ordinary polo my mom picked up at a thrift store.
As the day wore on however, it became known as I was the kid with the crooked alligator
We must live for the approval of God (1 Thessalonians 2:4,6)
In John 14:31 the disciples said “Jesus you cannot die”
Jesus told them that He is there to do the will of the Father
If you choose to be a Christ follower, you must have the passion "that I will do what the Father or Master asks—no matter what".
That is why Jesus continually said to all who chose to follow Him “count the cost”. REPEAT
Is your mother or father more important in your life? Count the Cost.
Is your husband or wife more important in your life? Count the Cost.
Are your children dictating your life’s decisions? Count the Cost - Luke 14:28-30
Be prepared, because when you count the cost and make your decision, you will face rejection—many times from family members
6. Yield to the Spirit to strengthen faith (v. 22)
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ILLUSTRATION: ORANGE JUICE
I read about a family one spring who was driving from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa, Florida. As far as the eye could see, orange trees were loaded with fruit.
When they stopped for breakfast, the father ordered orange juice with his eggs. "I’m sorry," the waitress said. "I can’t bring you orange juice. Our machine is broken."
At first the father was dumbfounded. He was surrounded by millions of oranges, and he knew they had oranges in the kitchen — because orange slices even garnished their plates.
What was the problem? No juice? Hardly. They were surrounded by thousands of gallons of juice.
The problem was they had become dependent on a machine to get it.
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Believers are sometimes like that.
They may be surrounded by Bibles in their homes, but if something should happen to the Sunday morning preaching service, they would have no nourishment for their souls.
Experiencing the Holy Spirit is not always about a supercharged feeling in a worship service or event—but rather a need to discover the power of yielding one’s self daily to be conduit rather than a receptor.
Brief encounters do not constitute a relationship. You can SEE the Spirit at work in a special event---you can even FEEL the Spirit work among us, but in order to KNOW the Spirit—you’ve got to get in His Word.
The Spirit wants your whole house—not just a receptor to plug-in his power like some salesman showing a vacuum cleaner.
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Fruit is something you grow, a gift is something you receive
Gifts of the Spirit are bestowed upon you by God and are not something you can achieve yourself—Fruit is something that develops in and through us as we YIELD to the Spirit.
The Spirit is around us everyday, be we think we can only find him on Sunday mornings—just like the oranges in the story--we become dependent on Sunday morning worship and preaching (orange juice) to experience the Spirit
It’s like going to a swimming pool 2-3 days a week on a hot summer day and just standing or sitting beside the pool without ever going in, because you’re afraid of how deep it might be.
Many of you are good, honest people who believe in Christ, believe His Word, but when the Holy Spirit arrives, it’s somewhat of a mystery to you—or for some—a little feeling of “conviction”
Sometimes, we close Him out--because you suddenly become afraid of what He might choose to do in your life—this is what the Bible calls “Grieving or quenching the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:30)
Don’t be afraid to risk in yielding to the Spirit and what He will do in your life.
What are the odds that God wants to turn your life upside down today just as He did to Saul on the road to Damascus
He will get your attention—and through yielding to the Spirit, your faith will be increased.
7. Seek an accountability partner (v. 26-27)
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ILLUSTRATION: THE CUSSING DEACON
A Preacher was made aware that he had a Deacon in his church who was from time to time known to cuss.
In his attempt to help the Deacon overcome this terrible habit, the Preacher decided he should spend some personal time with the Deacon so they could have a long talk about the problem.
The Preacher decided to ask the Deacon to go fishin’ thinking that might provide an opportunity to talk.
They were out in a boat and had their lines in the water when the Preacher hooked a big one.
It put up a mighty fight, but finally he reeled the fish up to the edge of the boat. It was the biggest fish the preacher had ever caught.
But, just as the minister started to pull his catch into the boat, the fish slipped off the hook and got away.
Thoroughly disgusted, the Preacher looked over and said, Deacon, somethin’ needs to be said here!’
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Saul overcame the odds because he had accountability friends—Barnabas…someone he could trust
Find someone that will sharpen your iron.
Find someone who loves you enough to hurt your feelings for your own good.
We don’t need people in our lives that always agree with us, nor do we need people in our lives that constantly disagree with us
But find someone who is truthful to you—yet loves you as a friend
And who, like Barnabas was to Saul, not afraid to take a risk in defending you or believing in you---when you’re up against all odds
Do you have someone that will stand up for you…other than your spouse? If not, you need to find an accountability partner.
8. Plant yourself in a church and grow (v. 31)
Notice I said “plant” instead of “participate”
Being a member of a church is a risky decision
You never know what you’ll encounter with the various people
Saul experienced two miracles in regard to facing his new life against all odds by taking a risky step:
God allowed Paul to rise above his normal circumstances and not to get focused on what was going on around him
God showed Paul how to risk again and walk in faith
Some of us need to learn how to risk again—with others…
Most people don’t plan on hurting one another—but sometimes—even with the best intentions—they can end up letting you down
When you put your trust in Christ that He will guide your path, and learn to trust Him—Risk begins to develop again in your life
It provides a way to avoid that "hardness of heart" that comes from "keeping score" and holding things against your spouse.
Have you ever been hurt by a broken promise? Jesus knows your pain, and Saul experienced it…
Sometimes people will betray you behind your back—other times though, you see it for yourself before your very eyes…as Paul did with the Christians that wanted to kill him.
He was against all odds, but through the transformation he received through Christ--he made his heart vulnerable again
There are no guarantees when you deal with people—God is faithful—but you never know what you’re going to get with people
Some of you have been hurt in the past by church people—you’ve uprooted yourself and are afraid to find somewhere to plant yourself for because you’ve lost the ability to take a risk on people
What is eventually going to happen is you’ll begin to develop spiritual root rot by not planting yourself—you begin to develop a root of bitterness as mentioned in Hebrews 12:15
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ILLUSTRATION: NEW IN TOWN
The first time I worshipped at their church about two months ago
I signed the registration card so all of them would know
That I had just moved into town and needed a little part
Of the loving concern for each other that a Christian has in his heart.
I checked the proper boxes to indicate my age
My marital condition, my sex, and even my spiritual stage.
No one smiled or shook my hand when the services were through
And Satan whispered in my ear, “See, no one noticed you.”
But I stayed home each night that week in hopes someone would call
It didn’t have to be the Preacher, just any one at all
Who cared enough to take the time, in our dear Saviour’s Name
To bid a stranger welcome... but no one ever came.
And then a thought came to my mind, that I’d like to share with you
Why should I sit and wait for others, to do what I could do?
So, I joined that church and here I am... tonight is “visitation.”
We’re glad you came, We hope you’ll stay and join our congregation.
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When you’re seeking out a church to grow in or become part of, don’t be misled by what just what YOU don’t get out of it…God may be wanting you to risk and reach out in order for you to grow
Don’t just participate in a church—plant yourself so you can be depended on—and so your spiritual life can weather the different seasons and storms that come into your life.
Take that risk and do that ministry God has placed on your heart
God took the ultimate risk with us…giving us something very precious to Him—His son
It was against all odds by not knowing if you or I would ever accept and understand what He did for us -- and took a risk for you. Will you accept or reject today? Are you living against all odds?
"People Who Beat the Odds"
Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have a George Washington.
Raise him in abject poverty, and you have an Abraham Lincoln.
Strike him down with infantile paralysis, and he becomes a Franklin D. Roosevelt, the only president of the United States to be elected to four terms.
Have him or her born black in a society filled with racial discrimination, and you have a Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver or Martin Luther King Jr. who said “If you don’t stand for something—you’ll fall for anything”.
Call a slow learner ’retarded’ and write him off as uneducable, and you have an Albert Einstein.
Label him "too stupid to learn," and you have a Thomas Edison.
Tell her she’s too old to start painting at 80, and you have a Grandma Moses.
Deny a child the ability to see, hear and speak, and you have a Helen Keller.
Label a sickly boy as “lazy” as well as “stupid” and you have Winston Churchill, who became the elder statesman of Great Britain and led its people through the darkest days of World War II.
Spit on him, humiliate him, then crucify him and he forgives you, and you have Jesus Christ.
What does God want you to risk today that would seem such against all odds from what you would normally do?
Is it for you to become willing to be used by Him in your daily life—the people you encounter?
Is it learning to look at certain people differently with a new vision—with love through Christ?
Is it forming new friendships by surrounding yourself with Godly people that share the same faith as you and are living the Christ life instead of just saying they believe it?
Maybe God’s been putting someone in your life to share your hope—your testimony—to let them know they are free
Is it that God wants you to experience rejection, because perhaps you never have stepped out in faith in risking what you believe in front of others?
Perhaps this morning you feel a prompting to yield to the Spirit and experience the power of pure love in a way that you’ve never had before in your walk with Christ
Maybe God has spoken to your heart today and affirmed that you need help….
…you need strength through finding someone you can confide in—share your innermost thoughts without feeling vulnerable
It may be that God has just said to you that you need to come here and plant yourself and begin to grow and bear fruit to give others sustenance—to partake of your fruit.
Whatever the Spirit is prompting you to do today…be willing to do what you normally do NOT do—just as Saul went against all odds.
Do something that’s against all odds this morning…step out and try it…see what God will do in your life this morning as you come—it’s the first step that’s always the hardest.
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