INTRO. - ILL.- Two men boarded a coast-to-coast flight and were seated next to each other on the commercial plane. After breezing through the on-flight magazine, the first man turned to the other and asked, what do you do? The man replied: "I am a pastor of a church."
"Oh," said the first man quickly. "I don't believe in that religious stuff. It's for kids, you know, like the song 'Jesus Loves Me This I know, for the Bible tells me so...."
The minister politely laughed and asked the other man what he did for a living. "I am an astronomer," said the first man.
"Oh, that stuff," said the minister. I thought it was just for kids, you know - 'Twinkle, twinkle little star....'"
Brothers and sisters, Christianity is not just for kids, nor is the starry universe! All have to do with God our creator.
Romans 1:18-20 “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
God’s wrath or anger has been poured out on those who suppress and oppose the truth about Him, about His creation, and His plan for man’s salvation. And it’s easy to see there is a great Creator. All people have to do is go outside and look up and look around! This world and universe didn’t just happen to come into existence by itself. Behind every intelligent design there is an intelligent designer and HE IS NOT MOTHER NATURE. HE IS GOD!
Everywhere you look in our world you can see the hand of God at work. In the church and outside the church. God is the author of all good whether people realize it or not. Every good and perfect gift comes from above. If it’s good, it’s from God.
Of course, evil exists in our world and the evil one is behind it all, as in what happened at the Boston Marathon. John 8:44 The devil is a murderer and he is behind all murders and all evil. BUT GOD REIGNS ABOVE ALL. And God can make good things happen even in the midst of evil.
It is during times like what happened in Boston, like war, like death, destruction, and difficulty that people often see their need for God, Christ and the church. SO BE IT!
But there will be some people, however, who see little or no good in being involved in church and being a member of the Lord’s church on earth. Many just think it’s a waste of good time.
Today, let us think about how blessed we are to believe in God, Christ and be a part of the Lord’s kingdom on earth which is the church.
PROP.- Blessings of being a Christian.
1 - We have help for daily living
2 - We have provision for our needs
3 - We have confidence for death
I. WE HAVE HELP FOR DAILY LIVING
ILL.- A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her daughter was very sick with a fever. She left her work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication. She got back to her car and found that she had locked her keys in the car.
She didn't know what to do, so she called home and told the baby sitter what had happened. The baby sitter told her that her the fever was getting worse. She said, "You might find a coat hanger and use that to open the door."
The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had been thrown down on the ground, possibly by someone else who at some time or other had locked their keys in their car. Then she looked at the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this."
So she bowed her head and asked God to send her some help. Within five minutes an old rusty car pulled up, with a dirty, greasy, bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag on his head. The woman thought, "This is what you sent to help me?" But, she was desperate, so she was also very thankful.
The man got out of his car and asked her if he could help. She said, "Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?"
He said, "Sure". He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute the car was opened. She hugged the man and through her tears she said, "Thank You So Much! You are a very nice man."
The man replied, "Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison today. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out for about an hour."
The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out loud, "Oh, Thank you God! You even sent me a Professional!"
God has sent us a professional for help in life. He has given us Himself in the person of Christ and the Holy Spirit. And admittedly, we all need help in life at various times. We humans are often quite helpless.
Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
We need the Lord’s comfort, peace and rest in life, but we also need help with raising our children, with our marriages, with our work, and our relationships. God can help us with all these and more if we will seek Him and seek His guidance in His Word.
II Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Scripture teaches us how to live right and God is the professional. He knows what He is talking about in His Word. It’s always right to go by the Bible. The more we do, the better off we’ll be in life no matter what
we’re dealing with.
ILL.- Ozzy Osbourne is that 64 year old, crazy heavy metal rocker of the group called “Black Sabbath.” Ozzy is coming clean in more ways than one. There was speculation that his 30-year marriage to Sharon Osbourne was nearing its end, the 64-year-old rocker shared a heartfelt and candid message with his Facebook friends on Monday, April 15.
"For the last year and a half I have been drinking and taking drugs. I was in a very dark place and was bad to the people I love most, my family. However, I am happy to say that I am now 44 days sober, and just to set the record straight, Sharon and I are not divorcing. I'm just trying to be a better person."
Hooray for Ozzy! He needs to become a better person, but I think it will take more than just rehab. How can any person become a better person? For some, drug rehab may help or may be the start, but what Ozzy Osbourne really needs in his life is the Lord. ALL PEOPLE NEED THE LORD.
II Corinthians 5:17 ”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
Christ can do things for mankind that no rehab of any kind can do. God is all-powerful and all-wise. This should seal the deal. Whatever it is that we must do or have to face in life, the Lord is willing to help us and guide us.
He’s just a prayer away and His good guidance is found in His Word. We just need to believe it and practice it as best we can. We need to believe, trust and obey.
II. WE HAVE PROVISION FOR OUR NEEDS
ILL.- Someone said don’t be surprised if your next income tax form is simplified to contain only four lines:
1- What was your income last year?
2- What were your expenses?
3- How much do you have left?
4- Send it in.
ILL.- A man said to his wife, “Dear, if we buy a new car how will we ever pay for it?” His wife responded, “Well, let’s not confuse the issue by considering two problems at one time.”
- One lady said, “I’ve been buying things on the lay-awake plan.”
ILL.- A marriage counselor asked a woman, “Do you and your husband have a basic understanding about family finances?” She replied, “Well, yes, we both deplore extravagance. He deplores mine and I deplore his.”
ILL.- A lady was telling a friend about her household budget. She said, “I spend about 40 percent of our income for food, 30 percent for housing, 30 percent for clothing, and 20 percent for transportation and incidentals.” Her friend said, “But that makes 120 percent.” The lady said, “DON’T I KNOW IT?”
Do you overspend your budget? Or do you even have a budget? Are you deeply in debt? Who isn’t in debt these days? If you are able to make ends meet you are indeed fortunate, but I have found that many people have great financial needs.
ILL.- My daughter and son-in-law have three children. Those kids eat all the time. Food is expensive. I would hate to pay their grocery bill. They moved to Virginia about 8 years ago and bought a 1900 ft. sq. house at about $275,000. Their payments were almost $1,900 a month. My son-in-law said they were finally able to re-finance their loan and now they’re only paying $1,500 plus a month. My daughter has to work as well. There is no way they could make it otherwise.
As we all know, it takes a lot to live. And saving money is almost next to impossible, that is, unless you start cutting your budget.
ILL.- My son told me recently that he and his wife cut cable TV from their budget. He also they stopped eating out except for one meal a week and that’s after church on Sunday. They re-financed their home and cut well over a $1,000 off their monthly budget. Wow! More power to them.
Christian Financial advisor, Dave Ramsey of Financial Peace University holds seminars on how to manage your money and most people need it. He advises never to buy anything on credit except for a house, but most people have to finance a car as well.
We are not immune to financial difficulties. What’s the answer? Who can help us? I believe the Lord can help us.
Matthew 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.”
This is the first step in the right direction to overcoming financial problems. We seek the Lord in life. He has promised that if we will remember Him then He will remember us and provide for us. Of course, He only promises to provide for our needs, not necessarily our wants. It’s our wants that get most people into trouble.
Someone said, “It’s not the high cost of living that is the problem. It’s the cost of high living that is the problem.”
How does the Lord provide for us? We remember Him and he remembers us. We honor Him by remembering Him daily and on the Lord’s Day at church. We honor Him by giving back a portion to Him from what He’s given us.
ILL.- After describing his great travels, the $20 dollar bill asked the $1 dollar bill, "What about you? Where have you been?" The $1 dollar replied, "Well, I've been to the Baptist church, the Methodist church, the Presbyterian church, the Christian Church, the Catholic church, the Disciple of Christ church, the... "WAIT A MINUTE! WAIT A MINUTE !!" shouted the $20 dollar bill to the $1 dollar bill. "What's a church??"
II Corinthians 9:6-8 “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
III. WE HAVE CONFIDENCE FOR DEATH
Probably one of the greatest fears that all people experience is death. Most people fear death, either death or how they will die. But there is another fear that should be associated with death: a fear of having to face God. Are you afraid to face God in death?
ILL.- One man gladly testified, “I go to church only three times in my life: once when they sprinkled water on me. The second time when they sprinkled rice on me. And third and final time will be when they sprinkle dirt on me.” That’s nothing to brag about or be happy about.
ILL. - A little girl had the right spirit and said, “I go to church every Sunday so that when they carry me in one day, the Lord won’t ask, ‘Who is it?’” Smart girl. I think everyone knows that some day we’re all going to die and going to church to seek the Lord is a step in the right direction.
ILL.- Someone said, “No man on his deathbed ever said, ‘I’m sorry for being a Christian and living the Christian life, but many have said, ‘‘I’m sorry for being an atheist, an agnostic or a unbeliever.’”
Christ and the church are good places to prepare for death. In fact, the only place to prepare for leaving this world. And Christ died to bring the church into existence. Had He not gone to the cross, bearing our sins in His body, there would be no church! There would be no churches talking about God in any form and preaching Jesus as the Savior of the world! There is no hope for any better life or eternal life outside of Jesus!
I John 4:16-18 “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There 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.”
Do you have confidence for the day of judgment? If not, you can. How can we have confidence for facing death and the judgment?
We believe God. We put our trust in Christ and not ourselves. Far too many people have this mentality, “I don’t know if I’ve done enough to get to heaven.” No one will ever do enough to get to heaven.
Ephesians 2:8-10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
We are not saved by our good works or good deeds, but we do good in this world because we are saved! Because we have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ through faith and obedience. And because we walk with Christ on a daily basis, communing with Him, praying and praising Him, we have no fear of death nor of facing God. He became sin for us and we became righteous in God’s presence. And it’s all because of Him!
Our faith is in Him, not in us. Or should be.
CONCLUSION--------------------
ILL.- When Queen Victoria reigned in England, she occasionally would visit some of the humble cottages of her people. One time she entered the home of a widow and stayed to enjoy a brief period of Christian fellowship.
Later on, the poor woman was taunted by her worldly neighbors. "Granny," they said, "who's the most honored guest you've ever entertained in your home?" They expected her to say it was Jesus, for despite their constant ridicule of her Christian witness, they recognized her deep faith.
But to their surprise she answered, "The most honored guest I've entertained is Her Majesty the Queen." "Did you say the Queen? Ah, we caught you this time! How about this Jesus you're always talking about? Isn't He your most honored guest?"
Her answer was definite and scriptural, "NO, indeed! He's not a guest. HE LIVES HERE ALL THE TIME!" Her hecklers were put to silence!
If you haven’t made Christ a part of your life all the time, every day life, then please do. You won’t be sorry. You will be blessed.
Steve Shepherd, Jonesboro Christian Church, AR
jonesborochristianchurch@suddenlink.net
