“The Cup Experience”
By
Bishop M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Matthew 20:22-23, Matthew 26:39
Genesis 44 & 45
OPENING:- One of the great figurative images of the Bible is the cup. There are many references to the cup in the Bible. Now what gives the cup its significance is not the cup itself, but what is contained in the cup. It can contain either blessings or wrath.
The fundamental meaning of the cup is representative of one fate. It can mean joy, happiness, and good-times, but more often it symbolizes pain, suffering, degradation, sorrow, grief, tribulations, hard-times, heartaches, strife, loneliness, brokenness, emptiness, and death.
The cup will put you on your knees.
The cup turns a song into worship. A perfect example is the song “Stand” by Donnie McClurkin, it’s a great song, but if you have gone through and all you could do was stand that song causes you to worship on a different level.
The cup is the test before the testimony, the mess before the message.
The cup is the bad before the good.
We preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is the death, burial, and resurrection, the death is the bad before the good resurrection.
UNDERSTAND:- the Biblical Principal the cup precedes the crown. Many today want the crown but don’t want to first drink of the cup.
It’s the cup that prepares you for promotion. When we look at the Book of Revelation we Jesus with crowns, but He first had to endure the cup of Gethsemane.
The cup is full, it’s not half empty or half full, it’s full – Revelation 17:4 says “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication”.
The thing about the cup is you have to drink the whole cup you can’t just sip this cup. Jesus wasn’t just arrested, Jesus wasn’t just betrayed, Jesus wasn’t just in agony. Jesus had to drink the whole cup, when Peter drew his sword ready to fight and cut off the ear of Malchias, Jesus said in John 18:11 “…Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?”
Job didn’t just lose his cattle, but he had to drink the whole cup.
His wealth was gone because of the cup, his children gone because of the cup.
His health deteriated because of the cup.
His friends accused him because of the cup.
His wife said Job why don’t you curse God and die because of the cup.
Job said though He slay me yet will I trust Him, although he had the cup he wouldn’t give up because he understood the cup builds trust. Job knew the cup know means a crown later. Job didn’t give up when he had the cup.
Nevertheless Job even questioned God because of the cup.
QUESTION:- Have you ever, like Job, asked God the question why me? I try to be faithful, I try to be obedient. I go to church faithfully. I fast, pray, read my Bible, pay my tithes, help the needy, clean the toilets, cut the grass, carry the pastors briefcase, sing on the praise team and usher all at the same time yet it’s me going through some mess yet again.
CAN I BE REAL:- I know I’m not to fret over evil doers, but when I see those that don’t even seem to give God a second thought seem to be prospering and I’m struggling, not only did my foot almost slip but my tongue did also and I had to ask the question Lord why me and why now?
Some folks say you shouldn’t question God, but Lord I’ve given up some things, I’ve gone through some things, I’ve been saved a while and by this time in my walk with you Lord I should be pass this stuff by now, but I’m here and I don’t understand why!
It’s me It’s me It’s me oh Lord standing in the need of prayer. I need to know Lord why me and why now! God says what you fail to remember is I asked you are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and you said you are able Matthew 20:22 – now you are partaking of the cup before you can receive the crown.
DON’T GIVE UP:- Job didn’t give up when he had the cup. His friends and even his wife said this is a tragic situation, but Job maintained all his appointed time he was going to wait for his change to come Job 14:14.
Although you may have the cup don’t give up it’s not a tragic situation, but a trust opportunity, an opportunity for God to blow your mind.
You may say Bishop you just don’t understand my situation is dark and I can’t see how I’m going to make it, but what you need to understand is that God does His best work in the dark.
Jacob got his blessing in the dark. Gideon defeated the Midianites in the dark. It may seem like you are all alone in the dark, but know this you are not God forsaken or God forgotten. Job didn’t know where God was, but knew exactly where Job was. God had His eyes on Job and if He did it for Job He’s got to do it for you and for me.
THE CUP EXPERIENCE:- I remember a game we used to play when we were kids called “Hot Potato”. The premise of the game was not to have the “hot potato” when the music stopped, if you had the “hot potato” when the music stopped you were out of the game. As kids we would sometimes cry when we were caught with the “hot potato” when the music stopped.
People get upset when they get the cup. They become discouraged, cry, and want to give up when they get the cup, because they feel that the music has stopped.
If you understood the purpose of the cup you would be looking for the cup.
WATCH THIS:- Genesis 44 & 45. (Read 44 vs 2, 3, & 12 only)
Background:- The sons of Jacob come to Egypt to buy some food because a famine is in the land and Egypt has a great supply of food. You know the story Pharaoh had a dream and Joseph interpreted the dream for him and they stored up food to prepare for the coming famine. So Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to buy food unaware that Joseph their brother was in charge of the food supply.
GENESIS 44 & 45.
Vs#1-2:- Joseph had his silver cup put in Benjamin’s sack. Joseph is a type or shadow of Jesus. There are 33 comparisons between Joseph and Jesus, more than anyone else. Joseph had the cup put into Benjamin’s sack for a purpose. God will put a cup in your life to produce a purpose.
Vs#3:- They are on their way back home. They get the food and are headed back to their home when they experience an Unexpected Cup Experience.
Have you ever been in the presence of God, church service was awesome, you shouted, spoke in tongues, prayed, prophesied, received a blessing you didn’t have room to receive it all, but before you got home, before the week was out, before you made it back to the next church service you found yourself dealing with an unexpected cup.
MY STORY:- I preached a message entitled “I’m still here” on a Sunday afternoon service and in that message I stated no matter what you go through you still have to give God praise. I said even if I lose my job I will give God the praise. That was Sunday afternoon, Monday morning I got up to go to work and before 9:00 that morning I was out of a job. The first thing out of my mouth was not Praise the Lord or Glory Hallelujah, but God WHY ME! I was now dealing with an unexpected cup, but I didn’t understand the purpose of the cup.
Vs#12:- Joseph’s silver cup is found in Benjamin’s sack. He didn’t know how it got there, but it was put there to produce a purpose. It was a disruption in their plans. God will place a cup in your life to disrupt your plans.
LET’S LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE CUP!
Vs#13:- They tore their clothes. This is a sign of repentance. And they returned to the city – directional change. They were headed home but after the cup their direction was changed.
Vs#14:- Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house and they all fell before him on the ground. The cup brought them back into Joseph’s presence. The fell on the ground which shows humbleness.
Vs#16:- And Judah said… Judah means “PRAISE” After the cup praise comes forth. Hebrews 13:15 says “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name”.
Vs#18:- Praise gets God’s ear!
Vs#19-34:- Praise pleads their case before Joseph. The Bible says in Romans 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered”.
Chapter 45 vs#1:- Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. After the cup there is revelation.
Vs#4:- Joseph says come near… After the cup there is a closeness produced.
Vs#5:- Forgiveness is produced
Vs#7:- Preservation and Prosperity is produced.
Vs#10 - 15:- Promise of new life and new experiences is produced. A new level is produced. New relationship is established.
Vs#16 – 21:- Abundant Blessings are given.
Vs#22:- Favor, Grace, and Mercy are produced. A new dress, not clothes, but a fresh anointing.
Vs#27:- Revival takes place.
Vs#28:- Restoration, Unity, and Completeness are produced.
AFTER THE CUP.
You thought you were headed in one direction when all of the sudden you were found with an unexpected cup. Hold on to the cup.
You may sadden, but hold on to the cup, you may be discouraged, but hold on to the cup. Your plans may now be totally changed, but hold on to the cup, for after the cup you will be in the presence of God and there’s no place I rather be than in the presence of the Lord.
Hold on to the cup for after the cup my praise is greater!.
Hold on to the cup for after the cup a closeness that wasn’t there before is established.
Hold on to the cup for after the cup blessing overflowing.
Hold on to the cup for after newness and revival happens.
You can make it if you just hold on to the cup.
Job’s wife said curse God and die, Job trusted the Lord and held on to the cup and the Bible says in Job 42:12 “So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning”.
42:16 says “After this lived Job an hundred and forty years”. He is blessed with long life because he held on to the cup.
42:17 says “So Job died, being old and full of days”. He was full, complete, restored because he held on to the cup.
Your cup experience is to produce something great in you.
Bishop M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Apostolic Glorious Church
