Illus. By sermon central
The American minister and writer Philip Brooks (1835-93); was noted for his poise and quiet manner. However, one day a friend saw him feverishly pacing the floor like a caged lion and asked him what the trouble was.
"The trouble is," replied Brooks, "that I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t!"
Illus. By Charles Wallis
A man was in a hurry to get to his destination. He paced back and forth, watching his watch. He kept going to the ticket booth asking questions. While he worried, his train came in and left without him. If we spend too much time focused on the future, we will miss what’s happening in the here and now!
Have you ever prayed for patience, I once prayed for patience, boy did that ever take a long time to happen! In fact I’m still waiting.
Psalms 46:10 NKJ
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
We live in a hustle and bustle world, mankind’s mindset is; hurry up and take advantage of every situation before its to late. Ever heard this one? Opportunity won’t knock twice!
Remember the early internet and dial up? If there ever was something associated with hurry up and wait, that would’ve been high on the list.
The infancy of computers left a lot of people staring at a blank screen for hours, learning patience.
Now a days if we wait longer than a few seconds, we’re ready to call the internet supplier and complain, almost wanting to demand a refund!
We want everyone else to hurry for us, while not really wanting to be hurried for everyone else’s sake! I’ve said it before but it’s true, the only thing we don’t mind wasting is someone else’s time!
In the old days before cell phones, someone would let you know you were late when you got to your appointment. Nowadays, they let you know about 3 minutes after your late, before you even get to your appointment.
Me time is a precious commodity isn’t it? Some folks get a lot of me time all day long but are unwilling to do anything extra for anyone else,
while others get very little and always make time to squeeze in one more thing someone asked them to do, into their busy day!
Mankind is quick to ask God to hurry hurry hurry, And when you have what you think is an urgent request there’s no time to have your needs met like there was 10 minutes ago.
however when the shoe is on the other foot, the answer to the request is almost always, whats the big hurry there’s plenty of time!
Jesus took time and made time for everyone. TBS He healed them all!
Luke 8:43-48 King James Version (KJV)
43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
Jesus could’ve kept right on going, after all He was a busy man and He already knew how everything was going to play out! He was on a mission doing His Fathers work,
if anyone could’ve have ever said I’ve got a busy schedule to keep it would’ve been Jesus, He was going somewhere else we read the same time this happened.
Luke 8:40-42 KJ
40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:
42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
(Everyone was clamoring for Jesus attention, Jairus daughter was dying but what did He do? He took time, even though His time was limited He stops!)
45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
Even though we would’ve certainly defined Jesus as being hurried and rushed at times, the Bible doesn’t record Jesus even one time being hurried or rushed.
Illus. Gordon Curley
WHISTLER AND THE DOCTOR
James Whistler, the Victorian artist, showed scant respect for the hierarchy of any profession. When his poodle fell ill with a throat infection, the artist sent immediately for the country’s leading ear, nose, and throat specialist. Sir Morell Mackenzie was not amused when he was shown his patient, but he conducted a thorough examination, wrote out a prescription, and left with his fee.
The next day Sir Morell Mackenzie sent the artist James Whistler a message; in it he asked him to call on him without delay. Fearing some development in the poodle’s condition, James Whistler hurried to the doctor’s house.
"So good of you to come, Mr. Whistler," said Mackenzie as his visitor was shown in. "I wanted to see you about having my front door painted."
Once again as I said earlier, the only time we don’t mind wasting is someone else’s!
We don’t have to worry about Jesus thinking we would ever be wasting His time! TBS Jesus is willing to even alter His plans, to take time to go out of His unhurried way to meet our needs! A true leader always leads by example.
John 4:3,4KJ 3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
4 And he must needs go through Samaria.
Okay, here we see Jesus is going to Galilee one minute, and the next thing you know He alters His route. Notice how the scripture reads departed again into Galilee, almost as though John writes “here we go again”
This is the story about the woman at the well, she had had five husbands and the man she was living with was not her husband.
She had not summons Jesus to come, but yet there He was giving her His time, planting seeds into her need, offering her living water, Grace and forgiveness!
And what did she do, she went and told everyone she knew, her life was changed forever!
John 4:37-41 KJ
37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his own word;
What happened because of Jesus willingness to give of His time and not be in a hurry? Many and many more were saved! Hundreds of thousands is no doubt an understatement!
Luke 19:1-3 NIV
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
Unlike the woman at the well, Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. There was a yearning, Zacchaeus was on a quest. Most people think riches are everything, but here clearly we see Zacchaeus was searching for something more than riches.
So much so he was willing to do whatever it took, even if being a spectacle was needed. The Message bible reads; He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way!
Vs 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Jesus wasn’t in a hurry, but we read He told Zacchaeus he needs to hurry, he is to come down immediately! He wanted Zacchaeus to be in a hurry, why? Because Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
Zacchaeus was in the bloodline of Abraham, no matter what everyone else thought of him, he was a son of Abraham,
and even though the onlookers thought differently, he had every right to have the salvation Jesus was offering, come to his house and he was eager to accept the offer of salvation from Jesus.
Today because of what Jesus did at the cross, because of the blood HE SHED, he has also made a way for you and I to be a part of the bloodline of Abraham and become a Son or daughter of Abraham.
To have access to everything Jesus has available to Him. And Jesus selfless act on the cross extends the same invitation to all who will accept forgiveness!
While the accuser wants society to think there is all the time in the world, Salvation is the only time Jesus encourages us to be in a hurry.
Like the dinner bell rings at supper time!
Not tomorrow, but Today is the day of salvation is what Jesus message was and still is to the world. No one knows what tomorrow holds, but one thing for sure is; it’s a lot more secure when Jesus is willing and invited to be a part of it!
A man was in a hurry to get to his destination. He paced back and forth, watching his watch. He kept going to the ticket booth asking questions. While he worried, his train came in and left without him.
Don’t be so consumed with the busyness of life, to allow anyone within your influence to miss their train! Make time for others just as Jesus did by not only planting seed, but also willing to nurture and one day, realizing the benefit of reaping the harvest.
Amen, let’s pray!
