INTRO.- ILL.- Vance Havner was a southern Baptist preacher. (1901 - 1986) He was a very popular "revivalist" and Bible conference speaker and authored over 30 books of sermons and devotional books. He became a Christian as a boy, licensed to preach at twelve and ordained at fifteen. His charm, wit, and homespun style of relating biblical truth were convicting and unforgettable. Here are some words from Havner when he was being interviewed.
Havner: Circumstances change, but preaching never changes. We preach a message so much greater than ourselves. We must give it our best as we stand behind the pulpit. I hear so much today about tension. If the preacher is going to give preaching his best, he needs to be tense. I don’t mean nervous but keyed up with God’s power and message. There’s not anything that can rejuvenate me like preaching. Preaching should be full of life. It is life. R. G. Lee used to say, "There’s not anything that’s wrong with me that a good sermon won’t cure".
How do you prepare yourself and your sermons to preach? Havner: I don’t have a set pattern. I like to do a lot of walking and thinking. Walking is a thing of the past. Preachers are involved in too many meetings and programs. Meditation and solitude are lacking in many of our preachers.
Not so much praying, but just thinking about the things of God. I have a place down the road where I do a lot of walking and thinking. Occasionally, I get distracted by someone on a bicycle or one of these joggers. I like to tell the story about the man who had a heart attack jogging from a health food store. You can’t do much thinking while jogging and gasping for breath.
Very funny. Thinking is obviously very good. And the reason some preachers don’t produce much is because they don’t think much.
ILL.- It’s like that story about Little Emily who was complaining to her mother that her stomach hurt. Her mother replied, "That’s because it’s empty. Maybe you should try putting something in it."
The next day, the preacher came to Emily’s family’s house for lunch. He mentioned having his head hurt, to which Emily immediately replied, "That’s because it’s empty. Maybe you should try putting something in it."
ILL.- Someone said: "Some sermons are like chickens with their heads cut off- once you think the sermon is done, it just jumps back up and runs in another direction!" I’ve heard sermons like that.
ILL.- A woman by the name of Gladys Dunne was visiting a church for the first time. After the service, as the congregation was exchanging greetings, she extended her hand to a visitor and said, "Hi, I’m Gladys Dunn." The visitor said, "I’m glad he’s done, too!"
ILL.- The preacher was greeting folks at the door after the service. A woman said, "Preacher, that was a very good sermon." The preacher said, "Oh great, then I have to give the credit to the Holy Spirit." The lady said, "Well, it wasn’t THAT good!"
Vance Havner’s wrote: I feel like American humorist Josh Billings who said, “I’d rather know a few things for certain than be sure of a lot of things that ain’t so.” I AGREE! And I think there are many people in our world who are sure they’re sure about many things that ain’t so! God help us to be sure, however, about things that ARE SO!
PROP.- According to John, we know what we know and stand on it!
1- We know that we are in Him
2- We know the God of love
3- We know the security of salvation
I. WE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN HIM
13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
ILL.- It is said that certain aborigines in Australia do not know how to count above three. They say, “One, two, three, enough.” They have a limited horizon in material things. Their desires do not go beyond “three.”
I think this is true for many people when it comes to a knowledge of God; THEIR KNOWLEDGE IS EXTREMELY LIMITED. And many don’t care to improve that knowledge. That’s why they don’t go to church very often or don’t read the Word of God for themselves.
Some people may think they’re going to get too religious to the point where they can’t enjoy the world and they’d rather have the pleasures of this world instead of God. They have more than just one foot in the world and one in the church. It’s more like one and a half feet in the world and maybe a half foot in the Lord’s church.
But isn’t there something better? Isn’t there a better life than perhaps what we’re now experiencing? Isn’t there a way to advance to a higher realm in life? What if you could reach a greater dimension in life?
ILL.- When I was a young kid, for example, I loved Superman. Of course, it was George Reeves who played Superman and I think he may have had padded muscles. The Superman of today is Brandon Routh who is a nicely built young actor. Boy, how I wanted to be Superman. I dreamed what it would be like, flying and doing those superhuman feats of strength.
But obviously, it was not possible. I could only dream. But today I can do more than just dream a dream. I can be elevated to a better and higher level in life. In fact, almost a superhuman level. SOUND CRAZY? It’s not and here it is.
Acts 4:13 “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
This is what I’m talking: ordinary men elevated to the level of becoming like Jesus! Ordinary fisherman who bore the image of Jesus! Men who previously had been called the “sons of thunder” now possessing the sweet, compassionate character of Jesus.
That’s what I want. That’s what all Christians should desire to have or experience in life. We all should want to become more like Jesus, because that would change us from the mundane, the ordinary, the ho hum to the heavenly, to the divine, to the magnificent, etc.
How is this change possible? It’s possible through the Holy Spirit who lives within us.
II Cor.3:18 “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
YOU HAVE DIVINE POWER LIVING WITHIN YOU! We know we are in Christ because of Him who lives within us!
II. WE KNOW THE GOD OF LOVE
16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
We know the love of God and the God of love. John says that we rely on the love God has for us.
ILL.- Max Lucado tells this story: For an extraordinary pitcher he performed few extraordinary feats. Though a veteran of 21 seasons, in only one did he win more than 20 games. He never pitched a no-hitter and only once did he lead the league in any category.
Yet on June 21, 1986, Don Sutton rubbed pitching elbows with the true legends of baseball by becoming the 13th pitcher to win 300 games. His analysis of his success is worth noting: "A grinder and a mechanic" is what he calls himself. "I never considered myself flamboyant or exceptional. But all my life I’ve found a way to get the job done."
And get it done he did. Through two decades, six presidential terms, and four trades, he consistently did what pitchers are supposed to do: win games.
Don Sutton sounds very much like what we would call “reliable.”
He was always there. Always pitching. Always doing his job.
Are you reliable? Trustworthy? Consistent? Faithful? Do you always show up for work on time? Do you always do more than is expected of you? Do you ever go beyond in order to help others or be a blessing to them?
Haven’t you noticed how God always goes beyond? He goes beyond the second mile to win and woo us, to bless us, to care for us, etc.
Remember the story of the prodigal son? Where is God in that story? Look at how longsuffering or patient God was with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others! All of these men and more had faults and sins, but God patiently dealt with them so He could use them in life.
And look at us! What is there is your life that shouldn’t be or something that has hindered you in your relationship to God? I would bet there is something and yet, we are still here. God is still working with us and in us to change us and improve us.
II Timothy 1:11-12 “And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 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.”
Don’t you like Paul’s attitude and faith? I am not ashamed of the gospel. I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED! Do you know Him whom you have believed for your salvation? Do you really know Him and depend on Him?
16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
III. WE KNOW THE SECURITY OF SALVATION
17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
ILL.- After John Wesley had been preaching for some time, some one said to him, "Are you sure, Mr. Wesley, of your salvation?" "Well," he answered, "Jesus Christ died for the whole world." "Yes, we all believe that; but are you sure that you are saved?" Wesley replied that he was sure that provision had been made for his salvation.
"But are you sure, Wesley, that you are saved?" It went like an arrow to his heart, and he had no rest or power until that question was settled.
IS THIS QUESTION SETTLED IN YOUR HEART?
ILL.- One person said regarding salvation and assurance, there are three groups of people:
1) those who are secure but not sure;
2) those who are "sure" but not secure; and
3) those who are secure and sure.
Category one are conscientious believers in Christ who are saved but lack assurance. In category two are professing Christians who say, "Even though I’m living in sin, I’ll make it. After all, ’once saved, always saved!’" The third group are born-again believers who enjoy a warm, secure relationship with Christ.
DO YOU KNOW? And are you sure that you’re sure? Are you looking to Him for your salvation or are you looking at yourself, your sinfulness? Is not Christ’s sacrifice greater than our sinfulness? IS NOT HE GREATER THAN US?
Many people are not sure or secure because they focus on themselves or trust themselves more than they trust Christ. But our salvation is all about Christ!
ILL.- The old Scottish lady was right. When she was visited by a very young minister who was short on experience, she held fast to her firm assurance of her salvation in Christ. “But just suppose that after all God should let you sink into hell?” said the minister. “He would lose more than I would,” came the firm answer to faith. “All I would lose would be my own soul, but He would lose His good name.”
I have an insurance policy
Written in the blood of the Lamb,
Sealed by the Cross of Jesus,
Redeemable wherever I am!
The company will never go bankrupt,
It is bonded by God’s promise true;
It will keep every word of its contract,
Exactly what it says it will do.
I don’t have to die to collect it,
No premiums do I have to pay;
All I do is to keep God’s promise
And walk in His holy way.
No collector will ever come calling,
It was paid on Calvary’s tree;
It insures me for living and dying
And for all eternity.
18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
What a great text! We must grow in our love for Him and as we do, we will not fear Him. And we will not fear the judgment or any kind of punishment. Love always conquers fear.
CONCLUSION------------------
ILL.- In the hallowed halls of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, Dr. Walter Stewart, an economist, watched several graduate students coming out of a seminar. “How did it go?” he asked one.
“Wonderful,” the student replied. “Everything we knew about physics last week isn’t true!”
The beauty of learning about God is that our knowledge of God is always TRUE if it is based on the Word of God. We can trust God’s Word. It changes not and He changes not.
There is nothing better than knowing Him who created us and saves us! And the more we get to know Him, the more we’ll love Him.
