2 Corinthians 11:32-33, 32 In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; 33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.
TODAY’S SERMON TITLE: “A BASKET CASE”
(SHOW OF HANDS REAL QUICK…) HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER REACHED A POINT IN YOUR LIFE – WHERE YOU FELT LIKE YOU WERE ABOUT TO LOSE IT? (YEAH, SOME OF YAW BOUT TO LOSE IT RIGHT NOW!)
WE’VE ALL HAD SEASONS IN OUR LIVES – WHERE WE’VE BEEN PUSHED TO THAT BREAKING POINT! THE POINT WHEN WE’VE TRIED EVERYTHING – BUT NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK!
I’M TALKING ABOUT A DAY WHERE EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING WRONG! WHEN YOU’RE SCARED TO ASK, “WHAT ELSE COULD GO WRONG?” (BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT SOMETHING ELSE MIGHT VERY WELL GO WRONG…)
THE CAR BREAKS DOWN – THE FOOD BURNS UP – THE CHILDREN GET SICK – A FUSE BLOWS OUT – THE TELEPHONE KEEPS ON RINGING – THE NEWSPAPER GETS WET – THE ROOF LEAKS – YOUR CHECKS BOUNCE – YOUR PRESCRIPTION RUNS OUT – YOU LOSE YOUR CELL PHONE – YOUR COMPUTER CRASHES – YOUR PURSE GETS STOLEN – YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW IS INTERRUPTED – YOUR BATH WATER IS COLD – THE VACUUM CLEANER WON’T WORK – THE BABY WON’T STOP CRYING – YOUR SPOUSE WON’T STOP WHINING…
THESE ARE THE DAYS – WHEN YOU ARE AT YOUR WITS END! THESE ARE THE DAYS WHEN YOUR HEAD IS POUNDING – YOUR PATIENCE IS SHORT – AND YOU FEEL LIKE RUNNING OUTSIDE TO SCREAM – BUT YOU CAN’T EVEN FIND YOUR SHOES!
ANYONE WHO SEES YOU (WHEN YOU’RE HAVING ONE OF THESE DAYS…) MIGHT THINK THAT YOU ARE, “A BASKET CASE!”
A BASKET CASE IS A TERM THAT HISTORIAN’S SAY – BEGAN BACK IN WORLD WAR I – TO DESCRIBE QUADRUPLE AMPUTEES. THE SOLDIERS WHO HAD BEEN SHOT UP SO BADLY (WOULD HAVE THEIR ARMS AND LEGS AMPUTATED…) AND THEN THEY WOULD CARRY THEM AWAY IN BASKETS! (OF COURSE THE MILITARY DENIES THIS…)
BUT TODAY IN OUR SOCIETY – WE USE THE TERM, “BASKET CASE” TO DESCRIBE A PERSON – WHOSE ACTIONS BORDERS MENTAL INSTABILITY! PEOPLE WHO DO STRANGE OR ODD THINGS – FOR NO APPARENT REASON!
(NOW CAN WE KEEP IT REAL…) WHEN WE’VE HAD A DAY LIKE I DESCRIBED JUST A MOMENT AGO – A DAY WHEN WE’RE FEELING PRESSURED – A DAY WHEN WE’RE REALLY DOWN AND OUT – A DAY THAT WE’RE HAVING OUR “PITTY PARTY”… (TRUTH BE TOLD) WE’VE CALLED OURSELVES, “A BASKET CASE!”
BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY BE FEELING LIKE A BASKET CASE TODAY – THE LORD WOULD HAVE ME TO TELL HIS PEOPLE: TO HANG IN THERE – AND BE OF GOOD CHEER! BECAUSE HE IS STILL IN CONTROL!
(HOW MANY OF YOU WILL TESTIFY TODAY…) THAT THE GOD WHOM WE SERVE – SPECIALIZES IN ALL KINDS OF CASES…YES, EVEN IN BASKET CASES!
(AND SO…) AS CHRISTIANS, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND – THAT NOBODY TOLD US, “THAT THE ROAD WOULD BE EASY!” IN FACT…TEMPTATIONS, TROUBLES, HEARTACHES AND PAIN – IS WAITING FOR US JUST AROUND THE CORNER!
BUT WE CANNOT LOSE HOPE (WE CANNOT LIVE IN FEAR…) BECAUSE WHEN IT APPEARS AS IF THE DEVIL – IS ABOUT TO PUT OUR HEAD IN A BASKET – GOD WILL SHOW UP EVERY TIME – AND HE’LL MAKE EVERYTHING ALRIGHT! (HOW MANY BELIEVE THAT TODAY…)
(AS WE LOOK AT OUR TEXT THIS MORNING…) IT FOCUSES ON PAUL – AS HE LISTED ALL OF THE TROUBLES THAT HE EXPERIENCED.
PAUL TOLD HIS STORY – FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO WERE FRUSTRATED! BECAUSE IF ANYONE HAD A REASON TO BE BURNT OUT, FRUSTRATED OR READY TO THROW IN THE TOWL…IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PAUL!
LET’S SEE WHAT PAUL HAD TO GO THROUGH (STARTING IN VERSE 24…)
• HE WAS GIVEN 39 LASHES – 5 TIMES BY THE JEWS! (NOW, THAT IN ITSELF WOULD BE ENOUGH TO BREAK THE SPIRIT OF ANY ORDINARY PERSON!)
• 3 TIMES HE WAS BEATEN WITH RODS! ONCE HE WAS STONED! 3 TIMES HE WAS SHIPWRECKED! (HE SPENT A WHOLE NIGHT AND A DAY ADRIFT AT SEA…)
• HE FACED DANGER IN THE CITIES – DANGER IN THE DESERTS – AND DANGER OUT ON THE STORMY SEAS!
• HE FACED DANGER (FROM MEN WHO “CLAIMED” TO BE CHRISTIANS…) AND HE LIVED WITH WEARINESS, PAIN AND SLEEPLESS NIGHTS!
• HE WAS OFTEN HUNGRY AND THIRSTY – HE OFTEN SHIVERED WITH COLD, WITHOUT ENOUGH CLOTHING TO KEEP HIM WARM!
(AND THEN ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT…) HE CARRIED THE DAILY BURDEN OF ALL THE CHURCHES! (AND YAW KNOW HOW IT IS DEALING WITH YOU CHURCH FOLK)
PAUL SAID, “YAW THINK YAW WEAK – BUT I’M NOT?” HE SAID, “ALL THESE THINGS THAT I’M TELLING YOU – GOD KNOWS I AIN’T LYING!”
(IMAGINE HOW THEY FELT – AFTER HE TOLD THEM EVERYTHING THAT HE HAD BEEN THROUGH….) THEY WERE LEFT THINKING, “WE DON’T HAVE IT TOO BAD AFTER ALL!” (YAW HEARD THE SAYING, “THAT DESPITE WHAT YOU’RE GOING THROUGH – SOMEONE WOULD LOVE TO BE IN YOUR SHOES!”)
(THE STORY GOES ON…) THAT ONCE PAUL WAS IN DAMASCUS (THE GOVERNOR UNDER KING ARETAS…) KEPT GUARDS AT THE CITY GATES TO CATCH HIM – BUT PAUL WAS LOWERED IN A BASKET – THROUGH A WINDOW IN THE CITY WALL (AND THAT’S HOW HE MADE HIS ESCAPE!)
(AND SO…) MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT – PAUL WAS A BONA-FIDE “BASKET CASE!” HOWEVER, IN ALL OF HIS SUFFERINGS – GOD GAVE HIM STRENGTH!
(IN OTHERWORDS…) EACH TIME THAT IT APPEARED AS IF PAUL WOULD FACE DEFEAT (HE BECAME A BASKET CASE…) BUT GOD SWEPT HIM AWAY TO SAFETY AND VICTORY!
(AND WE NEED TO REALIZE AND UNDERSTAND…) THAT THE SAME GOD WHO DELIVERED PAUL BACK THEN – IS RIGHT HERE TO DELIVER YOU AND ME TODAY!
WHEN TROUBLE POKES ITS UGLY HEAD INTO OUR LIVES (NATURALLY, WE’LL WANNA BECOME FRUSTRATED…) BECAUSE WE’RE HUMAN – AND WE ALL HAVE A BREAKING POINT!
BUT THE WORD OF GOD TELLS US WHAT TO DO – WHEN TROUBLES ARISE: WE ARE SUPPOSED TO CALL ON THE NAME OF JESUS! (LET’S LOOK AT PSALM 27…)
1) The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? 2) When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. 3) Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident. 4) One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. 5) For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. 6) And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. 14) Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!
SO DON’T WAIT UNTIL TROUBLE IS OVER (TO GET YOURSELF TOGETHER…) BECAUSE YOU NEED TO BE TOGETHER – IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH THE TROUBLE!
(IN OTHERWORDS…) BEFORE LIFE MAKES YOU A BASKET CASE – YOU NEED TO STEAL AWAY TO YOUR QUIET PLACE…AND JUST HAVE A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS!
(FINALLY MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS – LET ME LEAVE YOU WITH THIS…) WHILE ONE DEFINITION OF A BASKET CASE – POINTS TO A PERSON WHO MAY BE ON THE VERGE OF LOSING CONTROL…
THERE IS ANOTHER DEFINITION OF A BASKET CASE – THAT POINTS TO A PERSON WHO IS ABOUT TO BE TOUCHED – BY THE STRONG HAND OF GOD! (STAY WITH ME NOW…)
(YOU SEE…) IN THE EARLY DAYS OF GREEK THEATER – THE CHARACTERS WOULD WEAR MASKS ON STAGE – TO REPRESENT EITHER TRAGEDY OR COMEDY.
WHENEVER SOMETHING BAD WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN TO A CHARACTER ON STAGE – THE PLAYWRITER ALWAYS HAD ANOTHER CHARACTER ABOVE THE STAGE – TO WEAR THE MASK OF GOD
WHEN THE CHARACTER COULD NOT FIND A WAY OUT OF HIS PROBLEM – THE STAGE HANDS KNEW THAT THIS WAS A CASE FOR THE GOD IN THE BASKET – AND THEY ROLLED HIM DOWN.
ONCE ON STAGE – THE GOD IN THE BASKET WOULD SAVE THE CHARACTERS FROM IMPENDING TRAGEDY.
WELL, EVERY NOW AND THEN – LIFE’S TROUBLE’S WILL GET TO WHERE YOU CAN’T HANDLE THEM BY YOURSELF…THAT’S A BASKET CASE! (LET ME DO IT LIKE THIS…)
DOWN IN EGYPT – PHARAOH HAD GIVEN A COMMAND THAT ALL OF THE LITTLE BOYS WOULD BE KILLED! A HEBREW MOTHER DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO – SHE WAS POWERLESS TO STAND AGAINST THE EGYPTIAN SOLDIERS!
CAN’T YOU HEAR HER SAYING, “LORD, I HAVE A SON NAMED MOSES – AND HE’S ABOUT TO BE SLAIN! I’M ABOUT TO LOSE MY MIND – BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!”
GOD HEARD HER – AND HE SAID, “THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BASKET CASE!” HE INSPIRED HER TO MAKE A BASKET – AND PUT IT ON THE NILE RIVER! HE SAID DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE CURRENTS! DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE CROCODILES! DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF TURBULENCE – HE SAID I’VE GOT THAT BABY IN MY HANDS!
(I JUST PUT THIS IN THE SERMON…) BECAUSE THERE MAY BE A MOTHER HERE THIS MORNING – WORRIED ABOUT HER CHILDREN! LISTEN TO ME…WHEN YOU’VE DONE ALL YOU KNOW HOW TO DO – PUT YOUR CHILDREN IN GOD’S HANDS – AND HE’LL TAKE CARE OF THE REST! (BUT I DIGRESS…)
WHAT ABOUT THE 5,000 PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T HAVE FOOD TO EAT? THE DISCIPLES WERE PANICKING – THINKING THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FEED THE CROWD!
BUT THEN THIS LITTLE BOY SHOWED UP (WITH A “LITTLE BASKET”) CONTAINING 2 LITTLE FISH AND 5 LOAVES OF BREAD! (YAW KNOW THE STORY…) JESUS TOOK THAT LITTLE BASKET AND BLESSED IT – AND THE BIBLE SAYS, “NOT ONLY DID THE 5,000 EAT – BUT THEY HAD LEFT OVERS!”
(SOMEBODY HERE TODAY…) YOU DON’T KNOW HOW YOU’RE GOING TO FEED YOUR FAMILY! YOUR SITUATION SEEMS DARK AND DREARY – IT’S A REAL BASKET CASE!
BUT THAT’S WHEN THE LORD WILL STEP IN – AND BLESS YOUR BASKET (AND YOU WILL NEVER MISS A MEAL…) CAUSING YOU TO SAY, “MY SOUL LOOKS BACK AND WONDER, HOW I GOT OVER!”
PAUL SAID HE WAS ATTACKED ON EVERY SIDE – HE WAS BEATEN BY THE JEWS FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES – HE WAS BEATEN WITH RODS THREE DIFFERENT TIMES – HE WAS STONED AND RAN OUT OF TOWN!
THEY PLACED GUARDS ON THE WALL TO TRAP HIM – BUT THAT’S WHEN HEAVEN DECIDED – THAT PAUL’S SITUATION WAS A BASKET CASE!
(AND SO…) WHILE HIS ENEMIES WERE WAITING FOR HIM (HIS FRIENDS LOWERED HIM DOWN IN A BASKET…) AND PAUL WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE!
(WELL, SOMEBODY HERE TODAY…) IS BEING ATTACKED BY THEIR ENEMIES ON EVERY SIDE! YOU’VE TAKEN ALL THAT YOU CAN TAKE (AND YOU JUST CAN’T TAKE IT ANY MORE…) YOU’RE SAYING, “LORD, I’M A BASKET CASE!”
THAT’S WHEN YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THE WORDS OF PSALM 121 – WHERE DAVID SAYS, “I WILL LIFT UP MINE EYES UNTO THE HILLS FROM WHENCE COMETH MY HELP, MY HELP COMETH FROM THE LORD...”
(OH YOU’VE GOTTA GET THIS…) WE SERVE A GOD WHO – SPECIALIZES IN BASKET CASES:
• HE SPECIALIZES IN MENDING – THE BROKEN HEARTED!
• HE SPECIALIZES IN BUILDING – UP WHAT HAS BEEN TORN DOWN!
• HE SPECIALIZES IN RESTORING – WHAT HAS BEEN THROWN AWAY!
• HE SPECIALIZES IN RENEWING – WHAT HAS BEEN WORN OUT!
• HE SPECIALIZES IN DRYING THE TEAR STAINED EYES!
• HE SPECIALIZES IN SAVING SOULS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST!
OH MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS – YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT GOD LOVES YOU – AND HE CARES ABOUT YOU!
HE CARED FOR US SO MUCH – THAT GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON – HE SENT HIM TO PAY THE RANSOM FOR OUR SALVATION!
(AND THEN…) JESUS CARED ENOUGH ABOUT US – TO COME INTO THIS SINFUL WORLD – AND DIE LIKE A CRIMINAL ON THAT OLD RUGGED CROSS!
HE CARED ENOUGH ABOUT US – TO DIE FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD! HE STAYED IN THE GRAVE FOR 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS…
BUT EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, HE AROSE FROM THE GRAVE – READY TO DEAL WITH YOU BASKETS!
(ASK YOUR NEIGHBOR…) SAY, “WHAT’S IN YOUR BASKETS?”
(WELL, WHATEVER IT IS – THAT’S IN YOUR BASKET…) YOU NEED TO REALIZE AND UNDERSTAND – THAT THE GOD WHOM WE SERVE – IS ABLE TO SPEAK TO YOUR SITUATION – AND TURN YOUR THING AROUND!
