LET GOD HAVE HIS WAY
Job 8:7
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. Whether you’re a basketball fan or not, you’re probably familiar with the name Larry Bird – the former basketball great of the Boston Celtics.
2. During a retirement party for Larry Bird in Boston Garden, former Celtics coach, K. C. Jones told of diagramming a play on the sidelines, only to have Bird dismiss it, saying, “Get the ball to me and have everyone get out of my way!”
3. Jones responded, “I’m the coach and I will call the plays!” Then Jones turned to the other players and said, “Get the ball to Larry and get out of his way.”
4. That’s the church’s message – give the ball to Jesus, put your life in His hands, and get out of the way!” [1001 More, #334]
B. TEXT
“Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end should greatly increase” Job 8:7.
C. THESIS
1. These are not just the words of Bildad the Shuhite, but are words inspired by the Spirit of God and meant for our learning today.
2. These words are a prophecy of what God expects the Gospel of Jesus Christ to do in our lives. The effects of the Gospel should result in:
a. Our transformation to the Nature of Christ;
b. Our obedience to the Gospel of Jesus;
c. Our rising to do the will of Christ.
3. The title of this message is “Let God Have His Way.”
I. OUR TRANSFORMATION INTO THE NATURE OF CHRIST
A. IS TRUE OF NATURAL THINGS
1. It’s the very nature of things that grow that when they mature, they ripen into the fullness of what they were meant to be.
2. The tomato plant or apple tree were meant to bear tomatoes or apples when they matured.
3. If they were never able to mature, because of drought, etc., they might not; but under normal circumstances they would.
4. The Circle of Life has: a beginning, growth, reproduction, and end.
B. SHOULD BE TRUE OF SPIRITUAL THINGS
1. Strangely enough, I believe that MOST Christians DO NOT go on to maturity. They’re like a wheelbarrow – going no further than they’re pushed!
2. A.L. Todd said, “The great task of the Church is not only to get the sinners into heaven, but also to get the saints out of bed!”
3. The causes of this failure to mature are many:
a. Neglect; b. Indifference;
c. Cares of Life d. Lack of teaching
e. Laziness f. The enemy fights our growth.
4. Many of God’s people do not become all God wants them to be. This is not God’s will!
5. The Bible teaches the Gospel should eclipse all else;
a. Mk. 4:30-31 Mustard seed – smallest, became largest.
b. Mt. 13:33 Yeast, though a small amount “…worked all through the dough.”
c. Mk. 4:26-27 seed grows day & night & no one knows how.
6. Summary: It is expected that the Gospel will penetrate the Life and bring change.
7. Sons usually grow up to look like their fathers. Not at first, but upon maturity. This should be true in the spiritual realm.
II. OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST WILL CAUSE…
A. OUR FAITH TO BE CONFIRMED
1. Our faith is confirmed by a. Answers to prayer, b. Experiencing God’s presence, and c. Learning that God can be trusted.
2. Over time, our faith should be so strengthened by seeing God’s miraculous hand at work, that our faith becomes unshakable, despite the circumstances.
B. GREATER CONVICTION OF ETERNAL THINGS
We become convinced by our experience with God that:
1. ALL the Bible is True;
2. There is a Heaven & a Hell;
3. Some going to Heaven; multitudes going into Hell!
4. Develop a hatred for sin and what causes it.
5. Desire a pure life and clean conscience.
C. WE SHOULD HAVE A DEEPER LOVE FOR CHRIST
1. The longer you’re married, the more you should love your spouse.
a. At first, is confusion. Misunderstanding. But after a while, comes to understand them.
b. You share experiences together.
c. You develop a deep, abiding love – because of their acceptance of you despite your defects.
2. Same with Christ. Peter said, “To them that know him, He is precious.”
D. MORE DILIGENCE/ ZEAL FOR THE LORD
The reality of God, heaven and hell, and salvation only through Jesus Christ should produce in us a zeal to do all we can to:
1. Prepare ourselves for heaven;
2. Build & strengthen Jesus’ Church
3. Save people from hell.
III. OUR RISING TO THE WILL OF GOD
The will of Christ is not sleepy contentment, but relentless pursuit of the highest and best that Christ has for us!
A. A HEAVENLY LONGING
1. Mark Twain once said, “The only person who likes change is a wet baby!”
2. The Lord birthed in me a desire; “May my latter days be greater than my former!” May we not do less, but do more at the end of our lives!
B. EXAMPLES OF LIVES BECOMING GREATER
1. Samson was used by God remarkably to hinder the Philistine threat against Israel. Then he sinned and lost his consecration (and power) with God, was blinded and enslaved. But his hair/consecration began to grow again! Afterward he asked God to give him strength one final time and brought down Dagon’s Temple on the Philistines. The Bible says, “…[the Philistines] he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life” Judges 16:30.
2. Zerubbabel’s Temple. Though it didn’t have the vast resources and opulence of Solomon’s Temple, God said, “The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former” Haggai 2:9. The reason, of course, was because the Messiah, Jesus Christ, honored it with His presence!
3. Job’s Restoration. Job was rich, lost everything, then God restored his fortunes. The Bible says, “Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. ….In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job” Job 42:12-15.
C. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD
1. Paul said, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” Phip. 3:12.
2. God says, “Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end should greatly increase” Job 8:7.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. Napoleon Bonaparte outlined a large area on a map of the world. “There,” he growled, “is a sleeping giant. Let him sleep. If he wakes, he will shake the world!” He was pointing at China.
2. Similarly today, in the spiritual realm, you can almost see fire belch from between Lucifer’s teeth and see the fear in his eyes as he beholds the church’s unmeasured potential; “There is a sleeping giant Let her sleep! If she wakes, she will shake the world!”
3. How does the devil know this? Because he remembers the early church! COME ON CHURCH! WAKE UP! RISE UP AND BE WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO BE!
4. Stir up the gift of God which is in you! Fan it into flames!
B. ALTAR CALL
1. Let’s get down to business with God!
2. Repent if your saved or lost. That is still the only way to get to God – through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!
