THE ANCIENT ROBBERS
John 10:10
[The idea for this message and some of the text of section 3 were derived from Daniel Olukoya’s message of the same name.]
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: BURGLAR WORRY
1. Someone tells about a woman who for many years couldn’t sleep at night because she worried that her home would be burglarized.
2. One night her husband heard a noise in the house, so he went downstairs to investigate. When he got there, he found a burglar.
3. The husband said to the burglar, "Come upstairs and meet my wife. She has been waiting 10 years to meet you."
4. A real burglar can steal from you once; but things like ‘worry’ can steal from you night after night. Let’s look at what the Bible says about this.
B. TEXT
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10.
C. THESIS
1. The pyramids were not only built to display the power of the pharaohs, but were intended to be fortifications against grave robbers. Every precaution possible was made to keep the thieves out.
a. Blocks were used that were too heavy to move.
b. The burial vaults were placed at the center of the massive structures.
c. Entrance tunnels (100’s of feet long) were blocked up with massive blocks and sand after the Pharaoh was entombed. The entrance on the outside was disguised.
d. Other false entrances were made to deceive the robbers. Plans were destroyed and slaves who knew the secrets to enter were often killed.
2. Despite all these precautions, the robbers still got in and looted the Great Pyramids! The same happened in the Valley of the Kings. The only tomb of a Pharaoh completely intact was that of Tutankhamen, whose tomb was built beneath another tomb!
3. When physical things are stolen, they’re easy to replace; but not so when spiritual things are stolen. That’s why a physical thief is better than a spiritual one.
4. I’m going to touch on 5 ancient robbers tonight that have stolen from the best of believers, taking their miracles and blessings.
I. THE ROBBER OF FEAR
A. THE EFFECTS OF FEAR
1. FEAR CAN MAKE YOU HELPLESS. “So it was, when all the kings…on the west side of the Jordan…heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel. Josh. 5:1.
2. IT CAN CRIPPLE YOUR FAITH. Matt. 14:30. “But when he [Peter] saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
3. CAN PUT YOU OUT OF THE BATTLE. The Lord told Gideon, “Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’” And 22,000 of the people left, and 10,000 remained” Judges 7:3. See Deut. 20:8.
4. CAN ROB YOU OF YOUR INHERITANCE. They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there” Numbers 13:27-28.
5. FEAR IS A SNARE. “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe” Prov. 29:25.
B. ARREST THE ROBBER OF FEAR!
1. GET YOUR EYES OFF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND GET THEM ON THE LORD! “The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” Ps. 27:1. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day” Ps. 91:4-5.
2. DRAW ON THE STRENGTH OF GOD. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” 2 Tim. 1:7. God’s Holy Spirit in you will overpower the burglar of fear.
II. NEXT ROBBER: DISCOURAGEMENT
A. WHAT IS DISCOURAGEMENT?
1. It’s being deprived of courage or confidence; to dissuade from action; to obstruct or hinder by opposition or difficulty.
2. DISCOURAGEMENT
a. Robs you of faith
b. Beats you down
c. Destroys your effectiveness for God; Makes you give up
d. Blinds our eyes to the grace of God and makes us perceive only the unfavorable circumstances.
3. Common feelings people express when they’re discouraged:
a. “I just don’t see any hope for my situation.”
b. “God has forsaken me; doesn’t care about me.”
c. “I can’t face these circumstances any more.”
d. “I feel like quitting.”
4. Biblical examples are the Israelites when travelling in the desert (Num. 21:4), Elijah under Broom Tree (1 Kgs. 19:4), the Israelites when trying to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem (Neh. 4:10), or the Psalmist when he saw the prosperity of the wicked (Ps. 73:2-3).
B. GOD’S ANSWER FOR DISCOURAGEMENT
1. GET A NEW VISION OF GOD. Like fear, the problem is again that we have our eyes off God. We must regain our vision of the Lord “High and Lifted Up.” Elijah went back to the mountain of God and got a new revelation.
2. SEE THAT GOD IS MASTER OF OUR OBSTACLES. There’s hope! God IS in charge, and “If the Lord be for us, who can be against us?” God is BIGGER than our problems. Cede the responsibility of them to Him.
III. THE ROBBER OF DOUBT
A. MANY ARE THE LOSSES THROUGH DOUBT
1. IT’S THE REASON PETER SANK. “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
2. IT ROBBED THE DISCIPLES OF A MIRACLE (Mt. of Transfiguration, possessed boy wasn’t delivered, Mt. 17:20).
3. OTHER’S DOUBT, KEPT JESUS FROM WORKING MIRACLES! “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief” Mt. 13:58.
B. IT’S IMPORTANCE, SHOWN IN REVERSE
1. THE WOMAN WITH ISSUE OF BLOOD; Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you” Mt. 9:22.
2. 2 BLIND MEN, “Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you” Mt. 9:29.
3. TO THE WOMAN IN SIN, Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” Lk. 7:50.
4. TO A LEPER JESUS RESPONDED, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well” Lk. 17:19.
5. TO A DOUBTING FATHER, ABOUT HIS SON, “‘If [I] can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mk. 9:23-24.
C. CHARACTERISTICS OF OVERCOMING FAITH
1. IT MAY BE SMALL. Jesus referred to “a mustard seed” of faith(Mt. 17:20; Mk. 4:31; Lk. 17:6), which He declared could still move mountains. Jesus wants us to know that our faith doesn’t have to be the same size as our problem. Regardless the size of our problem is, we must never give up.
2. THE RECIPIENTS WEREN’T PERFECT. Many of those that Jesus healed weren’t people who were completely holy, nice and righteous. We don’t have to be either! But they took God at His words. They reasoned that whatever God said was true. So they received!
3. NOT BEGGING & CRYING PREVAILED, BUT FAITH. They didn’t receive because they begged & cried. “The Just shall live by faith.” They had faith.
4. IT ORIGINATES IN THE WORD OF GOD. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” Rom. 10:17.
5. IT’S INDESPENSIBLE. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” Heb. 11:6
IV. THE ROBBER OF SORROW
A. MANY SOURCES OF SORROW
1. SORROW BECAUSE OF DEATH. The sorrows of death compassed me” Ps. 18:4.
2. SORROW BECAUSE WICKED. “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusts in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about” Ps. 32:10.
3. SORROW THROUGH OPPRESSION. Psalm 107:39.
4. SORROW BECAUSE WORKING TOO MUCH. “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he gives his beloved sleep” Ps. 127:2.
5. SORROW BECAUSE OF CHILDREN. “He that begets a fool does it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool has no joy” Prov. 17:21.
6. SORROW BECAUSE OF ALCOHOL. “Who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes? Prov. 23:29.
7. SORROW FROM TO MUCH INFORMATION. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow” Eccles. 1:18.
8. GREAT TRIB. SHALL BRING SORROW. “All these are the beginning of sorrows” MT. 24:8.
B. JOKE ON HAPPINESS
1. An ancient Chinese proverb says, “If you wish to be happy for one hour, get intoxicated. If you wish to be happy for 3 days, get married. If you wish to be happy for 8 days, kill your pig & eat it. If you wish to be happy forever, learn to fish!
2. No! None of the above! How shall we really deal with our sorrows?
C. GOD HAS HEALED OUR SORROWS
1. JESUS BORE OUR SORROWS! “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows….Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” Isa. 53:3-5.
2. THE STING OF DEATH REMOVED. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope” 1 Thess. 4:13.
3. BANISH SORROW. “Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart” Eccles. 1:10. “A merry heart does good like a medicine” Prov. 17:22.
4. HIS BLESSINGS HAVE NO SORROWS. “The blessing of the LORD, it makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it” Prov. 10:22.
5. OUR FUTURE JOYS. “And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” Isa. 35:9-10.
V. THE ROBBER OF CARELESSNESS
A. THE MOST DEADLY ROBBER?
1. The last thief is the one that steals your expectation of the Coming of Jesus.
2. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” Mt. 24:40-44.
3. This may be the most deadly robber because it robs you just before you have to face God!
B. WHY IS THE RAPTURE SO IMPORTANT?
1. IT’S A KEY TO HISTORY. We are moving toward the end of the age, the Great Tribulation Period, the Millennial period, and then the New Heavens & New Earth. The Rapture is the doorway to all these. We must be ready for Jesus’ return.
2. IT’S THE HOPE OF THE CHURCH. Titus 2:13. In general, HOPE means “the happy anticipation of good;” it’s something wonderful that you look forward to now so you can endure the unpleasant things of the present.
3. IT’S AN INCENTIVE FOR HOLY LIVING. 1 Jn. 3:3, “Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
4. IT STIMULATES CHRISTIAN SERVICE. Because the Lord is coming and we are going to give an account for our lives, we should be working for His kingdom.
C. JESUS’ PARABLES WARN US TO BE READY
1. The 5 foolish virgins- let their lamps go out.
2. Gatekeeper/ Porter- ‘awake’ at His coming.
3. Foolish stewards- ate & drank w/ the drunken.
4. Parables of the Talents/Minas
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: OUR POINT OF REFERENCE
1. In a uncertain world, we need a steady reference point.
2. During his first Antarctic expedition Adm. Byrd was flown to the Pole itself and spent the six-month-long night there alone. Snow after snow and blast after blast buried his small hut.
3. Each day he shoveled his way to the surface for exercise. There was enough light to see only a dozen yards or so as he walked the few steps he dared to take.
4. One day he turned to go back, but was shocked to discover that he could not see his stove pipe. Veteran that he was, he controlled any tendency to panic, refusing to move because he knew his danger. To wander about would probably place him farther from the hut.
5. He drove a stake into the snow, and using it as his center, he walked a large circle around it. Not finding the hut, he extended his radius and walked another circle, always with one eye on the stake, the other searching through the blackness.
6. The third time he tried this, the circle was so large that he almost lost his stake. He returned and resolved to make one more attempt, with a still larger circle.
7. The range of visibility was strained to its limit as he walked holding on to his point of reference. Yet he knew that if he lost that point of reference, the ice and snow would quickly claim another victim.
8. It was enough. He walked right into the hut’s tunnel. Just like his stake, the Bible is our reference point. We keep our eyes on it and it will preserve our lives and bring us to our eternal home.
B. THE CALL
1. Jesus warned us to watch out for the robbers; “If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into” Mt. 24:43.
2. Altar call for people to be healed of FEAR, DISCOURAGEMENT, DOUBT, SORROW, and CARELESSNESS.
