Acts 1:12-14 KJV Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. [13] And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. [14] These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
I. INTRODUCTION—CRASHING THROUGH
A. Robert Kurson—Crashing Through
At three years old, Mike Mays was accidentally blinded by a chemical explosion when he and his 4 year old sister were playing in the garage. He lived his entire life until he was well into his forties before having his eyesight was restored by a pioneering ophthalmologist. But despite the fact that he was blinded at a young age, it seemed that his whole life was spent overcoming the obstacles that were presented by his blindness.
He learned to ride a bike, skate on a skateboard, play soccer, become an engineer, marry and have a family. He was so adept at walking by using an incredible sense of hearing that worked with echoes and how his brain interpreted those echoes. As a matter of fact most people were not even aware that he was blind until they would get close enough to him to see his eyes.
Robert Kurson tells the story in a book entitled Crashing Through. The title came about when Mike begin to describe his childhood and that when he would play on the playground or in pickup games of football with his neighborhood buddies that he was always having to “crash through” some obstacle or hindrance that prevented him from accomplishing what he wanted to do.
So it was with many scrapes, bruises, aches, and pains that Mike accomplished what he did with his life. But even then after he had the corrective surgery huge discouraging obstacles had to be endured. It was almost as if Mike’s brain did not know how to figure out spatial and peripheral visual fields that he had to navigate through. But he continued on with his efforts at “crashing through” to do what needed to be done.
-If there is any spiritual inclination about you at all, we have to understand that involvement in spiritual revivals and leadership is going to tax everything about us. We are in a battle that will throw every single distraction and danger it can to hinder where the church and its individual leaders are going.
B. Quotes—General
James Allen—You will become as small as your controlling desire, as great as your dominant aspiration.
Johnson—Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance. He that shall walk, with vigor, three hours a day, will pass in seven years, a space equal to the circumference of the globe.
Milnes—The virtue lies in the struggle not in the prize.
Bruyere—No road is too long to the man who advances deliberately and without undue haste; and no honors are too distant for the man who prepares himself for them with patience.
Carlyle—Every noble work is at first impossible.
Wellington at Waterloo—Hard pounding gentlemen; but we will see who can pound the longest.
Burke—Never despair; but if you do, work on in despair.
C. Quotes—Biblical
-Throughout Scripture there are exhortations and challenges brought to us that urge us to completely crash through every obstacle and hindrance that comes into our path:
Luke 9:23-25 KJV And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. [24] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. [25] For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
Hebrews 11:24-27 KJV By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; [25] Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; [26] Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. [27] By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
Daniel 1:8 KJV But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Matthew 4:18-20 KJV And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. [19] And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. [20] And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
Acts 20:24 KJV But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Philippians 3:7-8 KJV But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. [8] Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
II. LESSONS FROM THE TEXT
A. The Underestimated Day
• The first lesson is that you cannot underestimate a day.
-Far too often in life, both spiritually and materially, there is a tendency to underestimate the value of a day’s journey.
-This journey that the disciples took on that day was a little over a ½ mile. There were limitations on the Sabbath.
Exodus 16:25 KJV And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field.
-The limitations did not cover just work and food, it was also governed their travels.
Numbers 35:5 KJV And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
-This passage defined the suburbs of the cities of the Levites as 200 cubits or 6 stadia. This defined the distance that people could travel. It was a little more than a ½ mile.
-According to Acts when the disciples left Jesus, it was really just a short walk physically but its implications were huge. Sadly enough it is a distance that the majority of people never make. It is this ½ mile of destiny that only a few select people choose to make.
-But this ½ mile journey does so much to separate them from the general population of the world and the church.
-It is often in this quest for crashing through that we forget the power that lies in one day. If we are willing just to have a daily commitment there can be great rewards that come from it.
Our purpose in life ought to be like that river that was born out of little streams in the mountains. We can finally see what happens when the accumulation of the water starts to roar in the great rivers like the Mississippi, the Ohio and the Amazon. If you were to watch them carefully, you would notice at the origin of those rivers there are undercurrents that create small eddies where it seems like the water is changing its mind about flowing into one mighty force. But once it starts on its pace, if a dam is built the harnessed water can create electricity that can light up a million hopes and thousands of cities. If the tide attempts to wash in on it at the river’s mouth there is still such force behind it that it will dump out into the ocean.
-Don’t underestimate the small streams of purpose that are flowing in your life right now but rather give yourself to the momentum of your calling!
B. The Journey Always Has Contradictions
• The first lesson is that you cannot underestimate a day.
• The second lesson is that your journey will have its share of contradictions.
-The journey the that disciples, this hearty 120, started on had its share of fears and even some discouragement as they understood that Jesus was now gone from them. But journeys like this always begin in this manner but they generally turn out with such power.
• Gideon with his understaffed army but God brought great victory.
• Esther fearful of approaching the king but necessity saved her people.
• Abraham left all that was dear to him and achieved God’s plan for the ages.
• Elijah who fought the worst king Israel had in Ahab and prevailed.
-The forward progress of crashing through will always have accompanying contradictions. The contradictions will always be there until there is a dying out to the things of lesser value. The disciples had to make that Sabbath day’s journey to the upper room but they made the trade!
• We will have to trade good things for noble things.
• We will have to trade the lesser things for the chief things.
• We will have to trade worldly things for heavenly things.
• We will be forced to trade things of common worth for greater worth.
-We may think we know the value of noble spiritual things—revival, consecration, prayer, and growth—but until we finally experience them, it will only be at that point that the true worth of the crashing through helps us to see.
-I dare to say to you that those great seekers of the Bible were all uncertain until the task was finally fulfilled.
• What about the man who sold all he had to get the pearl?
• What about the man who sold all to purchase the field with the hidden treasure?
• What about Matthew who left his tax tables to get in on what Jesus was calling for?
• What uncertainties were in the heart of Zacchaeus as he was climbing the sycamore?
• What contradictions did Paul struggle with when he knew that going to Rome was going to mean facing a Caesar who would behead him?
-I know that it is like to have:
• Discouragement tugging at the heart when you are trying to encourage others.
• Doubt tearing your faith down while you are trying to patch up the deteriorated faith of others.
• To endure criticism that will drain the life out every spiritual vision that you have ever had.
• Desire ebbing out of your soul while you keep your game-face on for one more round with the devil.
• Disappointment with yourself and with others.
• High aspirations only to be stifled by the daily responsibilities of life.
-Yet all of these are things that will have to be fought against as we give rise to the high calling of God that is within us. . . .
C. The Journey Will Be Forged by Moving Forward
• The first lesson is that you cannot underestimate a day.
• The second lesson is that your journey will have its share of contradictions.
• The third lesson is that the journey will be completed only by moving forward.
-Why stand ye here gazing? ? ?
-If we retreat to the Old Testament, there is an incredible verse that sums up David’s success.
2 Samuel 5:10 KJV And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.
-The Bible tells us that David “went on.” There is much power in those who “went on” or are in the mindset of “going on.”
• Jacob “went on” to God’s purpose.
• The priests “went on” in front of the children of Israel carrying the Ark.
• Elisha “went on” with Elijah and he got the mantle.
-The dilemma of life often presents itself that we get stuck in a place when we ought to go on. Far too many want to camp out at their points of success and of revival. . . by the same token there are a lot of people who also end up stopping at their places of defeat and failure and never going on to God’s full purpose.
-So much dies in us when we don’t progress forward after our victories. You need to moving on after the great prayer revival, after the time of fasting, after the time of revival, after the time that God used you greatly. . . Go on to a greater level of growth. . .
-So much in us dies when we begin to cry over spilled milk. Let the past go! Forget it! Press on into what God wants you to do now!
-Look for the opportunities in your victories. . . . and in your defeats!
-If I just had an opportunity. . . I don’t necessarily want a blessing. . . just an opportunity. . . So much can be done with opportunity if you are willing to invest it into God’s purpose.
• An opportunity to prove who you are.
• An opportunity to stay with it.
• An opportunity to turn life around.
• An opportunity to improve your mind.
• An opportunity to form good habits.
• An opportunity to have sterling character.
• An opportunity to be useful.
• An opportunity to invest your life and not waste it.
• An opportunity to make a plan for the future.
The word “opportunity” comes from the root signifying ‘at port’ or ‘in the harbor.’ This is suggestive of the statement, “There is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at flood, leads on to fortune.” One has to think of a trader who is dealing in the market ready to turn every opportunity into an advance for him.
-There are great opportunities that will present themselves only once or twice in lifetime and a man must take advantage of those times and not look back.
Opportunity is like a strip of sand that stretches up and down the beaches. The greedy tides are always working against the sand. Whether it is people, communities, nations, or churches, no one can allow the erosion of opportunities.
D. The Journey Always Descends Into Greatness
• The first lesson is that you cannot underestimate a day.
• The second lesson is that your journey will have its share of contradictions.
• The third lesson is that the journey will be completed only by moving forward.
• The fourth (and last) lesson is that your journey will always descend into greatness.
-The Mount of Olives was the height of fellowship but to get to Jerusalem you had to descend geographically. Jerusalem is always the downward path but it is the right path.
• You have to descend from the mountain to Jerusalem.
• You have to descend from the mountain to make it to the upper room.
• You have to descend from contentment to discontentment.
• You have to descend from happiness to being useful.
-There is always a descending that takes us to:
• Sacrifice.
• Commitment.
• Desire.
• Perseverance.
• Consecration.
• Selflessness.
• Passion.
• Determination.
-Far too often people make their journey to church and only think of the gas, the money, and the time that may be required of them. They lose sight of the spiritual possibilities of addition (2 Peter 1:5-8).
2 Peter 1:5-8 KJV And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; [6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; [7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. [8] For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-On this day, a man can travel from earth to heaven if he can just make the push for it.
-You descend by dying. . . by crashing through. . . .
John 12:24-26 KJV Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. [25] He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. [26] If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
-At the Crucifixion, I can imagine that the disciples who looked at Him hanging there were troubled by the thoughts of how that it had all been a waste. He did not look too successful. He did not look too miraculous. In fact, it appeared that everything was in shambles.
-Most dreams and visions that are God-given will find themselves in death throes before they ever crash through. The dream that you have for God is going to cost your life. This is what God does to us. . . He takes us to the very edge almost of total collapse before the crashing through takes place.
-Every dream has to pass the test of the Cross. It will take you to the place where that you have to let go of everything and everyone. . . Every agenda and expectation God strips it away from us. . . it will live but only when we put every bit of our trust in the Lord.
-The American way tends toward self-development and motivation but God is not running a democracy, He is running a theocracy which means that He is completely in charge.
III. CONCLUSION—CRASH THROUGH!
-Years ago, I heard Pastor Anthony Mangun tell a story at Because of the Times that I have never forgotten. . . .
The story is told of a young man by the name of Monty, who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer, who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result the boy’s high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about when he wanted to be and do when he grew up.
That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing the goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000 square foot house that would sit on the 200-acre dream ranch.
He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, “See me after class.”
The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, “Why did I receive an F?”
The teacher said, “This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you will have to pay large stud fees. There is no way that you could ever do that.” Then she handed the paper back to him. “If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.”
Monty went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father told him, “Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.”
After sitting and thinking for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He stated, “You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.”
The boy with a dream became a man and his dream became reality. A few years ago, Monty told the story in the living room of his 4,000 square foot house in the middle of the 200 acre horse ranch. The paper that he wrote had been framed and hung over the mantle of the fireplace. He related that two summers ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on the ranch. When the teacher was leaving, he told Monty, “In years past, I have been somewhat of a dream stealer. During those years, I took kids dreams. Fortunately, you did not give up on yours.” Don’t let anyone steal your dreams, no matter what.
Philip Harrelson—March 12, 2010
