Stop drop and Listen
John 10:22-30 (NIV)
22 Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one."
Amen. Is it good to be in the house of the Lord? Amen. There are a lot of places I could be today, and I choose to be here. Praise the Lord
Story: Stop drop and Roll: Have you ever heard if the term stop drop and roll? It’s a term used to teach people what to do if they are ever caught on fire. They say if you are ever caught on fire you are to stop moving, drop to the ground and roll. And keep rolling until the fire goes out. They say that if you don’t stop and drop, but keep on walking or running, you actually fan the flames with more oxygen which feeds the fire and makes it grow worse. But if you stop drop and roll, you actually begin to snuff the fire out because you cut off the oxygen that feeds the flames.
Well the title of today’s sermon is “stop drop and listen”. What I mean by that is many times in our lives we run into problems in our life and what we need to do is stop, drop to our knees and listen for what the Lord is telling us to do. It’s the only thing that is going to snuff the fires out that well up in our lives.
What do I mean by fires?
It’s different all the time but have you ever had a bad day? Or a bad week? Or a bad month? Maybe even a year?. Life can be hard, it can be unfair, it can be difficult.
I know many of us right now are facing many difficulties.
Have you heard the story of "Alexander and the Horrible, Terrible, Not Good, Very Bad Day"?
If you haven’t, let me tell it to you. Alexander was a boy about 7 or 8 years old, & he had one of those days when everything went wrong, Disasters one right after another. Nothing went right. "It was a Horrible, Terrible, Not Good, Very Bad Day." For instance, when Alexander woke up in the morning, he discovered that he had gone to bed with gum in his mouth, & when he awoke it was in his hair. When he got out of bed he tripped over his skateboard, & then he dropped his sweater into the sink where the water was running. He said, "I just knew it was going to be a Horrible, Terrible, Not Good, Very Bad Day!" Then he went to school, & he had a horrible day there, too. After school he had a terrible experience at the Dentist’s office. Then came supper, & he said, "We had cauliflower for supper, & I hate cauliflower! And on TV all I saw was huggin & kissin, & I hate huggin & kissin!" "Then my bath water was too hot, & I got soap in my eyes, & I lost my marble down the drain. When he went to bed, Nick took back the pillow that he said I could have. And my Mickey Mouse night light burned out, & I bit my tongue, & the cat decided to sleep with Nick & not with me. All in all," He said, "it was a Horrible, Terrible, Not Good, Very Bad Day"
Have you ever felt that way?
I’m sure that you have! Almost all of us have had days of anxiety & stress & frayed nerve endings, & we need to learn how to deal with them.
Then in the midst of this you might feel far from the Lord
As if he isn’t there anymore?
I. But we serve and awesome God.
a. A God that cares for us
i. He is concerned about us
b. A God that is with us
i. Immanuel
c. A God that doesn’t just sit in the heavenly realms looking down on His creation watching it pass by and not doing anything with it.
d. He is an intimate God
i. One that is called
1. Father
2. Dad
a. Provider
b. Protector
ii. Or shepherd
1. This means he cares for his sheep
2. This is what Jesus is saying about Himself that he is the good shepherd that lays down his life for his sheep.
3. Everyone here if you are a child of God you are one because of what jesus did.
4. He made the way
5. Why because he cares
e. He is an awesome God
II. But Fires do come
a. Because of the poor choices
i. We make mistakes
1. How many have made a mistake that came back to bite you?
2. Over spent some money
3. Our mistake can cause an uproar in our life
Examples: Michael Moore….divorce then drinking problem
b. Because of the enemy
i. How many know we fight a real devil?
ii. A real enemy that prowls around like a roaring lion.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8 (NCV)
8 Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat.
iii. Because God disciplines those he love
Hebrews 12:5-8 (NIV)
5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
1. Sometime the hardship we are going through is God disciplining us trying to get us on the right track.
2. We don’t like it.
3. But he does it anyway.
4. Have you ever looked at your situation and thought maybe God is telling me something
I have good news
III. Gods Got our back
a. He says he is on our side
John 10:22-30 (NIV)
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one."
i. We live forever In paradise
1. Live forever in aradise with him
2. Streets of Gold
3. Walls made out of precious gem’s
4. No sickness
a. No fiber-mialja
ii. They shall never Suffer destruction
1. To pass away or disappear
2. To suffer destruction or ruin
iii. We get Divine Protection
1. He said that no matter what comes our way he is holding on to us.
2. Even when times get rough and you feel snatched away
3. I got you
Illustration: two people holding on to someone.
IV. Our confidence
John 10:22-30 (NIV)
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one."
a. The question is
i. Are you one of his sheep?
1. Now I don’t personally like to be called a sheep
2. They are ugly
3. Dirty
4. And bobs told me very stupid.
b. Characteristics of His sheep
i. He Speaks to His sheep
1. Takes time to listen
2. We are to busy
3. We need to stop and listen
ii. He Guides His sheep
1. This is when we do what we hear him say.
c. This is the stop drop to our knees and listen part
i. Too often we go through life and miss this important step
ii. We can’t do that too often
iii. Because then you become a non sheep
iv. And then loose the benefits of a sheep
v. Because although no one can snatch you out of his hand we can voluntarily walk out of his hand.
Closing: I wonder if anyone here needs to stop drop and listen. You might be struggling with some issue. You might want to pray listen and then ask the question what do I do now.
