Where’s The Power?
Matthew 4:24
INTRO
A. In 1984-85 Wendy’s had a commercial running featuring a four foot eleven inch tall, gray haired old feisty Grandma named Clara Peller.
1. If you remember the commercial Ms. Peller would walk up to the counter of the fast food restaurant with about a four inch hamburger patty on a 12 inch bun, slap the counter and loudly asked, Where’s the Beef?
2. It became a national catch phrase that was used even in the presidential elections in 1984.
3. The premise behind the ad was that there was no place except Wendy’s that you could get a hamburger with enough beef to satisfy your appetite.
4. The expectation was that if you went to Wendy’s for your hamburger, you would not have to ask…Where’s the Beef!
B. I ask you this morning…how do our churches measure up to this expectation today?
1. For years the church has been selling a bill of goods to unbelievers about the Power of God that changes people’s lives.
2. People from all walks of life are now coming into our churches today looking for the transforming power of the Holy Spirit at work in our houses of worship.
3. Unfortunately, too many times, they’re leaving when the services are over and never seeing any manifestation of this Power.
4. Like Clara Peller, they are asking…Where’s The Power?
C. How do we answer that question today?
1. First of all, is it a legitimate question?
2. Secondly, if it is a legitimate question, why…what is the difference, where has it gone?
3. When we read the Biblical accounts of the early church we see overwhelming evidence of a Holy Spirit at work changing the lives of pagan people and as the book of Acts puts it “turning this world upside down for Jesus Christ.”
4. We hear stories that our parents told and we remember in our earlier years, when old so and so, the town drunk got saved!
5. I’m not saying we never see God’s power manifested in our church today…but we do see far too little of it!
D. So what’s changed?
1. Has the God we serve changed?
(Heb 13:8 KJV) Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
2. Do we still have sinners in our midst? Duh!
3. I think Pogo, the famous cartoon character said it best when he said “I have seen the enemy, and it is us.”
Matthew 4:24
And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them.
4. This morning I would like to share with you five questions from our text today that I think will shed some light on the question, Where’s the Power.
I. Who is THEY?
1. …and they…
(Acts 1:7 KJV) And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
(Eph 1:13 KJV) In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
2. The THEY in Matthew 4:24 are the followers of Jesus Christ!
3. It is anyone who has received the Holy Spirit of promise.
4. We receive Him when we accept Jesus’ offer of Salvation.
5. We are not saved to sit…we are saved to serve!
(Eph 2:10 KJV) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
6. So many times we want to sit in God’s house, soaking up all of His spiritual blessings, and not do anything else.
(Titus 3:8 KJV) This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
7. We are content to just let everyone else do all the work.
This is a story about four Christians named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.
8. Folks let’s be honest with each other…we all have work to do for the kingdom!
II What did THEY DO?
1. …they BROUGHT UNTO…
2. What? They actually invited someone…no, they actually brought someone with them???
3. Tell me, when’s the last time we asked someone to come to God’s house with us, or better yet, when’s the last time we BROUGHT someone?
4. This is one of the easiest jobs we can do for the kingdom, but it is also the one we fail at so often. Why is that?
5. Are we scared…embarrassed…proud??? What is it that stops us from asking?
6. How many in here know someone who is broken hearted this morning? Sick? Alcoholic? Abusive? Despondent? Hands up please…Why did you not bring them today?
7. If you knew where there was a cure for cancer, how persistent would you be in getting your friend or loved one to the cure?
(Mark 2:3 KJV) And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
8. And when He saw THEIR FAITH… WHERE WOULD WE HAVE QUIT?
(Mat 15:30 KJV) And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:
(Luke 4:40 KJV) Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with diverse diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
9. Folks, as Bro. Jim likes to say, this is a hospital for the Spiritually Sick! Hospitals are full of sick people! Or at the very least they should be!
10. When will we, as God’s children, as supposed followers of Christ, share with others what we have found?
(Luke 5:31 KJV) And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
11. The world in which we live is full of people who are not even aware they have a terminal illness called sin.
12. We have the cure.
13. Will you bring them in?
III WHO did THEY bring????
1. …they brought unto Him ALL…
2. Let me ask this morning…Are ALL welcome here???
3. I am afraid we have unconsciously created a culture in our churches today that says…
a. You’re not welcome here.
b. You’re not like us.
c. We don’t like your kind.
4. We have become so polished in our own eyes that we only associate with those who:
a. Fit into our mold.
b. Who we like to be around.
c. Those maybe who can do something for us.
d. We have become clubs and cliques instead of churches.
5. When those who are different walk into our churches today what do they see in the eyes of the congregation.
a. Love?
b. Acceptance?
c. Or is it the same thing they see and hear in all the other churches they have visited?
d. The Leers…the looks…the whispers…the laughs?
6. We shy away from those who are drowning in sin and justify it by saying we are protecting our children!
7. We run those off who are different and say we are preserving the integrity of our churches! As if God isn’t big enough to do that.
8. We gossip about those who we see fall into sin and say “I knew they were never any good to begin with” instead of weeping over the one Satan has devoured.
9. Don’t tell me it doesn’t happen here…I’ve seen it…and been a part of it…I’m just sick of it! And it’s not just here…it has raised its ugly head everywhere.
(Mark 2:15 KJV) And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
10. If we are to be a church where the power of the Holy Spirit is free to change lives we need to be a church that welcomes people whose lives can only be changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
11. We have to create an environment that says…I love you…even though you may be dirty…because Jesus loves you.
12. Will they be welcome to come and to soak in God’s Word until His glorious Grace shines through? Or will they be told by word or actions…we don’t really like your kind here…you don’t belong.
13. Jesus says they do! Whose church is it? His…or ours?
14. When the prodigal son came home, how did the Father receive him?
a. He ran to him…fell on that dirty, smelly, nasty, filthy neck, embraced him…kissed him, and welcomed him home.
b. How do you think those seeking Christ would react if His body treated them the same way today?
(John 6:37 KJV) All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
(Luke 15:7 KJV) I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
15. Do we want to be a church that causes heaven to rejoice…I hope so.
IV Who did THEY BRING ALL to?
1. …they brought unto Him…
2. So many times we are guilty of trying to be too much help!
3. We offer advice…we may even buy people books…we may tell them we’ll be praying for them.
4. We might even offer counseling from ourselves or others.
5. The greatest thing that we can do for someone is simply to bring them to Jesus!
6. Dr. J. Wilburn Chapman, famous evangelist, tells us that the New Testament records tell of 40 people, each suffering from the same disease, who were healed by Jesus. Of this number, 34 were either brought to Jesus by friends, or He was led to them. In only six cases out of forty did those suffering find their way to Jesus without assistance. Out of the vast majority of people who are suffering today, if we do not bring them to the Savior, will not find their way to Him!
7. With a population of approximately 500,000 people in Northwest Arkansas alone:
a. If 25% of the people were born again believers…which is a high estimate!
b. 75% would be lost, or 375,000
c. If we don’t bring them to him, chances are that only 15% would find Him on their own.
d. That still leaves 318,750 people without hope!
e. Can we live with that?
(Luke 10:2 KJV) Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
(John 6:44 KJV) No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
(Rom 10:12 KJV) For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
8. Believe me, it is not our job to fix people…it is God’s job to do that.
9. We are only responsible for telling them about the Son.
V What did HE DO?
1. He HEALED them!
2. We serve a God who is still in the healing business!
(Luke 7:19 KJV) And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. 23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
(Mat 4:24 KJV) And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
(Mat 12:15 KJV) But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
(Mat 12:22 KJV) Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
(Mat 14:14 KJV) And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
(Mat 15:30 KJV) And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:
(Mat 19:2 KJV) And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.
(Mat 21:14 KJV) And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
(Mark 1:34 KJV) And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.
3. I want you to know and understand this morning that no one can touch you like my Jesus can touch you!
4. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done!
5. It doesn’t matter how far you’ve gone.
6. It doesn’t matter what’s wrong with you.
7. It doesn’t matter who you’ve offended.
8. It doesn’t matter what kind of life you’ve lived!
9. It doesn’t matter what kind of drugs you’ve done.
10. It doesn’t matter how much time you’ve served!
11. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been playing church!
12. It doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks!
13. My God is able to deliver.
14. He is alive, and He’s on the throne today! And He’s watching down the road for you to come home today.
a. He has the robe ready.
b. He has the shoes ready
c. He has the ring waiting.
d. He has the calf fattened up.
e. He has the feast ready!
f. He has the angels ready to sing out in praise.
g. All He’s waiting on is you!
15. Not only will He heal you, but He’ll forgive your sins.
16. He’ll restore your fellowship.
17. He’ll give you Hope today.
18. He’ll give you peace today.
19. He’ll give you joy today.
20. He’ll make you whole today.
CONCLUSION
A. Church, wouldn’t you like to see that kind of Power released in our presence every week?
1. We can…if we are obedient to His word.
2. Are you willing to become the THEY of Scripture today?
3. Are you willing to bring them all…to Him?
4. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to hear this said…
Matthew 4:24
And his fame went throughout all(Northwest Arkansas) Syria: and they (At FBC Hiwasse) brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and(tortures) torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them.
B. Maybe you’re here this morning and you’ve been looking for something in your life.
1. Maybe something I’ve said has struck a nerve with you.
2. Maybe you’re here and you need the touch of God on your life.
3. So many times you’ve wanted to come.
4. So many times you may have felt like you would be turned away.
5. This Jesus I’ve told you about is real today.
6. He’s real in my life, and He can be real in yours as well.
