1. CHIPPIE THE PARAKEET
Chippie THE PARAKEET never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over.
The problems began when Chippie's owner decided to clean Chippie's cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She'd barely said "hello" when "ssssopp!" Chippie got sucked in.
The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie -- still alive, but stunned.
Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . . she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air.
Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.
A few days after the trauma, the reporter who'd initially written about the event contacted Chippie's owner to see how the bird was recovering. "Well," she replied, "Chippie doesn't sing much anymore -- he just sits and stares."
It's hard not to see why. Sucked in, washed up, and blown over . . . That's enough to steal the song from the stoutest heart. [Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm, Word Publishing, 1991, p. 11. ]
2. There are numerous trials that come our way. Some are easy, some are not. I wish I knew why we are tried in the ways we are.
3. The Bible refers to these as "trials; tests; or even temptations."
4. It would be nice if we were exempt from the tests as A students from the finals; but, we are not
5. Matthew 6.13a
I. The Challenge in the Test
A. Benefits of the Tests -- [auditing vs. credit/ Auditorium vs. Sanctuary
1. To know ourselves
a. [Boot camp -- The Army knows what a man can do. Boot camp teaches the man what he can do. -- Basic Training tasks
Week 3, Endurance:
DAY 01 5 km Foot March
DAY 02 Bayonet Instruction
DAY 03 Bayonet Assault Course and Pugil Stick Training
DAY 04 Nuclear Biological Chemical (Gas Chamber) Training and Obstacle Course
DAY 05 Phase One Tests
DAY 06 Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM) Fundamentals Training
b. How else will we know strengths and weaknesses?
2. To grow ourselves
a. Part of the maturation process -- "Be perfect" -- Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5.48
b. Can't grow by auditing -- have to be tested [chicken hatching/butterfly from cocoon -- strengthens for life -- help them and they die
3. To show ourselves -- show our love and faithfulness to God
a. Easy to love God when all is well -- what about in the bad?
Ted Turner, is the founder of CNN, TNT, TBS, etc. He is a very successful businessman and a well-known critic of Christianity. In fact he has publicly stated, "Christianity is for losers."
How did Mr. Turner became so anti-Christian? As a teenager, Mr. Turner aspired to become a missionary but lost his faith when his younger sister, Mary Jane, contracted an immune system disease that eventually killed her. "I was taught that God was love and God was powerful and I couldn't understand how someone so innocent should be made or allowed to suffer so".
b. Poverty and Prosperity -- Proverbs 30.7-9
7 Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
B. Challenges Faced by Yeshua (Jesus)
1. Trials in the wilderness
a. Conditions: Blistering heat; danger of dehydration; 40 day fast
b. Tests of challenge: Stones to Bread; Pinnacle of Temple
c. Test with temptation -- kingdoms of world/shortcut
2. Trials of Religious Leaders -- Matthew 16.1
And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test [tempt, KJV] him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
3. Cross -- Let this cup pass
C. Do not Test/Challenge God -- Deuteronomy 6.16
You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. (i.e., would he provide water for the nation?)
II. The Trial in the Test
The MOST PHOTOGRAPHED TREE in America stands on a rocky point overlooking the Pacific on the famous Seventeen-Mile Drive near Carmel, California. It is a gnarled, twisted cypress growing out of what appears to be solid rock. The winds have blown its branches backward from the sea until they are permanently shaped like Medusa's hair, though not so deadly.
Men have painted pictures of the tree and have captioned their art in several ways. The effort of one famous artist is entitled simply: "Strength to Endure."
The indomitable old cypress has something to say to us all. It has endured the storms through the centuries and proudly wears its "crown of life." It contributes its strength to all who see it. This is also seen in numerous bible characters.
A. Job -- Best Example
1. Adversary's challenge regarding Job -- He is only faithful because he is prosperous, that is, He Gets Something for His Faithfulness; let me in and he will deny
2. God permits the test (Job doesn't know what we know) -- Job 1.12
12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon himself do not put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
3. Job's early response -- 1.20-22
20 Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell upon the ground, and worshiped. 21 And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return; the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." 22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
4. At the height of his suffering -- the three friends "comfort" him
a. HIS fault -- his sin caused it as sinners do not prosper and the righteous do not suffer
b. Solution is confession and repentance
c. Job: "I am righteous, I do not deserve this."
d. No one considers this a test
5. Rebuke of friends -- Job 42.7-9
7 After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to EliŒphaz the TeŒmanite: "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." 9 So EliŒphaz the TeŒmanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the NaŒamathite went and did what the LORD had told them; and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.
B. Abraham -- Challenged to Grow -- Genesis 17.1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless [pure-hearted].
1. Abraham's 10 tests by which he was tried and overcame Pirkei Avot 5.4
According to Rambam:
1) Abraham's exile from his family and homeland.
2) The hunger in Canaan after God assured him that he would become a great nation there.
3) The corruption in Egypt that resulted in the abduction of Sarah.
4) The war with the four kings.
5) His marriage to Hagar after having despaired that Sarah would ever give birth.
6) The commandment of circumcision.
7) Abimelech's abduction of Sarah.
8) Driving away Hagar after she had given birth.
9) The very distasteful command to drive away Ishmael.
10) The binding of Isaac on the altar.
2. The BIG Test; the Akedah -- Genesis 22.1ff
C. A Test for the False Prophet -- Deuteronomy 13.1-3
"If a prophet arises among you, or a dreamer of dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or wonder which he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, 'Let us go after other gods,' which you have not known, 'and let us serve them,' 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or to that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
1. Various Trials come and are good for us -- James 1.2
2. Integrity and 3000th Hit
Many years ago, a great hitter named Paul Waner was nearing the end of his long career. He entered a ball game with 2,999 hits--one hit away from the landmark total of 3,000, which so many hitters want to reach, but which relatively few actually do reach.
Waner hit a ball that the fielder did not handle cleanly but the official scorer called it a hit, making it Waner's 3,000th. Paul Waner then sent word to the official scorer that he did not want that questionable hit to be the one that put him over the top.
The official scorer reversed himself and called it an error. Later Paul Waner got a clean hit for number 3,000.
3. Stay alert and pass the tests!
