The Man God Uses
Scripture: First Corinthians 1:22-29; Proverbs 29:25; Luke 6:38
This morning I want to speak to the men. June is the month when we celebrate Father’s Day and I have been led to talk to the men. Now ladies, while my messages will focus on the men, it is extremely important that you hear what the Lord is saying also as truly what I will share in essence applies to women also. Also, every man has a mother and the role that mother plays in the life of that son will directly impact the type of man he becomes. It is important that our young ladies and girls hear this message because they need to know what standard they should have when choosing someone to spend their time and potentially the rest of their lives with. The title of my message this morning is “The Man God Uses.” Again, I want to make this abundantly clear, while my sermon this morning is about the man that God uses; Scripture is clear – God uses women also so ladies in truth I am talking to you too. I could have titled the message “The Person God Uses” as God doesn’t look at the person’s gender but at the person’s obedience and commitment. God will use anyone who is willing to say “Yes” to Him and what He desires. But I want to talk to my brothers.
Several years ago the men’s ministry of the Church was reading the book “The Man in the Mirror.” This book addressed twenty-four problems that men face. It talked about solving our identity problems, relationship problems, money and time problems just to name a few. You see men have issues just like women do – except that we are more reluctant to talk about our issues than women are. So today, June 7, 2020 you can write down that Pastor Rodney V. Johnson said that he has issues. For those of you who know me you’re probably saying, “Finally! A true confession!!!” I want you to know that there is a man out there that God uses even while that same man is working on his issues. Let’s read our Scriptural text for this message. Turn with me to First Corinthians 1:22-29.
“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are. That no flesh should glory in His presence.” (1 Corinthians 1:22-29)
Paul tells us in this text what kind of man that God uses. It is very evident that God’s measuring rod is different than ours for God has the ability to look beyond the flesh and see what is on the inside of man. We cannot do this as we judge based on the outer appearance of what is shown to us. I want you to see how many times Paul uses the phrase “God has chosen…” He says God has chosen “foolish things; weak things; base things; despised things; and powerless things.” These are the things that God has chosen which is opposite from what we would choose. He chooses what the world calls the foolish things to shame wise men. He chooses what the world calls weak things to shame the mighty. He chooses what the world calls base (dishonorable) things to confuse the exalted. He chooses what the world calls the despised things to humble the noble. And He chooses what the world calls the powerless things to bring to defeat things that are powerful. Why would God do this you ask? Because all of these things are the judgment of men based on what we see on the outside. But God looks at the new creation on the inside of us. When He looks at us, He sees what we’re capable of. He sees us as being strong because we don’t have to act contrary to what the Bible says. That is strength New Light! And there will be times when we will want to act out of our emotions, but God says we have the capacity to walk in wisdom instead. Here’s what we need to understand. The Bible says God’s ways are not our ways. It doesn’t say God’s ways can’t be our ways. You see New Light, because we are His sons and daughters, our ways can be God’s ways if we choose to allow them to be our ways. It goes back to what I said earlier about God not looking at the person’s gender but the person’s obedience and commitment.
It is apparent that God does not choose men based on our wisdom as men count wisdom. God has chosen what the world calls foolish to shame the wise. When I was growing up my grandfather was what was known as a “country” preacher. Country preachers were those who preached but never went to the seminary. So those who went to seminary sometimes looked down on those who had not gone. When I was called into the ministry at a young age one of those pastors invited me to preach at his Church. This Church was one of the more affluent Churches in our city. The pastor talked to me about going to seminary and how it was important to be educated. When I delivered my message to that congregation no one said a word – as that was the way that congregation functioned because in reality, a lot of the more educated people in our community attended that Church. I am sharing this because the man/woman that God chooses will often not be the same as the person we would choose. God is the only One that can take what the world cannot see and put their strongest to flight. Remember the story of David and Goliath? No one expected David to survive and even his brothers made accusations against him. But God knew and God had other plans for him. The same applies to the man that God uses today and this brings me to the first point about a man that God uses.
First and foremost, God uses a man who is not afraid. Everyone who has ever been used by God had to conquer his fear of man and his fear of failure. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man brings a snare: but whosoever puts his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” A man that God uses looks beyond and will not be concerned about what he sees or hears. His desire is to hear the voice of his master. I mentioned David earlier. First Samuel chapter seventeen recounts the story David when he faced Goliath. When we read the story we see that Saul’s army was crippled by fear. They were paralyzed by their fear of dying at the hands of Goliath. Then comes along a teenager who hears Goliath’s threats and is outright offended that Saul’s army (including his own brothers) is backing away in fear. Goliath called it Saul’s army but David says they were coming against the “army of the living God.” David knew God in a way that Saul and the army didn’t. When David heard Goliath’s challenge he said in verse twenty-six, “who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” What was the difference between David and Saul’s army? David saw what God saw. The army that David saw belonged to God, not to Saul and that’s the reason he was not scared and had complete faith in God. He knew that God would deliver Goliath into his hands and God did. However, before David could do this, he had to overcome the onslaught of his brother who accused him of having pride and wanting to see the battle. But David asked him “Is there not a cause?” (Vs. 29) David could see that there was something more going on than their just facing a giant. He sensed a struggle between good and evil which goes back to his original question about Goliath defying the living God - and their allowing him to do so because they saw themselves as “Saul’s army.” David was not afraid as he recalled how God had already delivered him from a lion and a bear. He knew God would do the same with Goliath. The man that God uses will often be alone in his stand for God but will stand without fear and without compromise.
Second, God uses a man who doesn’t hold anything back – who gives his all. A couple of weeks ago I reminded you of the story of Jesus feeding the multitude of people with five loaves and two small fish. You recall that Jesus had ministered to them in the desert place and there was no food available. The disciples asked Jesus to send the people away so that they could buy food. In the sixth chapter of the book of John, the story recalls that when Jesus tells the disciples to feed them the disciples said they did not have enough for that multitude. Then Andrew, Peter’s brother, steps forward with a young baker boy who had the fives loaves and two fish. No one had food but that small baker boy. That boy made the decision to give his all (all of his food) so that Jesus could feed that multitude of over five thousand men plus the women and children who were also present. Imagine Jesus blessing a lunch for at least ten to fifteen thousand people and it all started with the boy who gave his all. Do you know that sometimes the Lord is trying to bless us but we are not willing to give our all? Remember what was recorded in Luke 6:38? It says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your lap. For with the same measure that you measure it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38) Do you think that Jesus gave the remaining fragments to the boy? Interesting thought! The man that God uses gives God his all. He may not be perfect, but he is willing. He may mess up sometimes, but he gets back up and refocuses. He thinks less of himself and more of what God wants for Him and through him. He is a living testimony of Mark 12:30 which says, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.”
Third, God uses a man who doesn’t know when to quit. Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” God uses a man who does not give up. We live in a society where men give up on their spouse. They give up on their kids. They give up on their jobs. They give up on themselves. They just give up. There is nothing more harmful to a child than seeing their father give up. God uses a man that does not give up. The Bible warns us not to become weary in doing good because in our due season we will be rewarded if we do not give up. When Moses brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt they refused to enter the Promise Land because of fear. They gave up on God. Because they gave up on God He could not use them. He could not bring them into their promise. So they were in the wilderness for forty years while those who gave up on God died and a new group who would walk with Him was raised up. After forty years they returned to the Promised Land only to come face to face with the walls of Jericho. (It has been documented that four chariots could run side by side on the top of the wall.) Israel was not prepared nor had they the resources to bring that wall down. But unlike their forefathers who refused to enter the Promise Land originally, they had faith in God. They believed God enough to walk around that wall once per day and seven times on the seventh day. And when they finished that seventh trip around the walls on the seventh day they were not too tired to yell with loud voices bringing those walls down. It is not difficult to imagine how the people of Jericho laughed each of the first six days as they watched the Children of Israel march around their walls once and then leave. Can you see how much fun they were having at watching their enemy pace around their walls appearing to look for a way in? But on that seventh day things started happening. The laughing stopped. The walls started to shake and tremble. And then the walls came down as an angel of the Lord pushed them flat into the earth allowing the Israelites to walk right into the city and overtake it. Those walls came down because Joshua led the Children of Israel around those walls just as God commanded. He did not give up on day three. He did not give up on day five. He did not give up when the people complained about walking and nothing happening. He did not give up when people complained about their feet hurting. And you know they probably did complain about something! He did not give up on the seventh day when they marched around the walls seven times. Those walls came down because Joshua and the people did not give up. God uses a man that does not give up.
I read a story about a woman who came to her pastor one Sunday morning and told him that God had saved her husband the previous night. As he began to rejoice with her he thought, “What a miracle. Her husband was one of the meanest men I had ever met.” The woman goes on to tell the pastor that they had gone to bed that night when she felt the bed shaking. She turned over and asked her husband what was wrong. With tears dripping on the pillow he confessed that he had been talking to the Lord so his wife prayed with him right then and he was saved. The pastor asked the woman how long she had been praying for her husband and she said for twenty years. For twenty years she had had believed God for the salvation of her husband. What would have happened if she stopped praying and believing after five years? She did not give up. She did not stop. She prayed him through.
New Light, men of God, men seeking God, men who are unsure, I want you to know that if you are willing to yield; willing to commit; God can use you. God will use the man who is not afraid. God will use the man who will give his all to Him. God will use the man who doesn’t quit. God will use you!
Ladies I want to speak to you for just a moment. If you are seeking a man to love and to spend your life with, find a God-fearing man who loves God but will also love you. Do not settle. Do not just focus on the outside wrapping. Remember, the prettiest wrapped package can contain a lot of mess on the inside. Seek a man of God, who will walk in his integrity. One who is not afraid to commit and love you and his family. One who will not give up on you or his family. Ladies if you are married already to a god-fearing man, praise God. Encourage him where he might be weak. Lift him up as he steadfastly walks with God. Pray for him. Finally, for those of you who are married to men who are not walking with God and are not walking with you do as that woman did and continue praying for them. Pray without ceasing that God will save them. Pray that God will show them the way. Be a light for them so that they might see God in you while they remain in their darkness.
I want to close where I opened. God sees what we do not see so He can use what we are so willing to easily discard. So men, if others have written you off and told you there was nothing you can do, God can use you. If you have been told that you can’t, I am telling you now when you commit to God you can. Nothing is impossible with God! Next week I will share with you what God knows about you that you don’t know.
Until next time, “The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
(If you are ever in the Kansas City, KS area, please come and worship with us at New Light Christian Fellowship, 15 N. 14th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102. Our service Sunday worship starts at 9 a.m. and Thursday night Bible study at 7 p.m. Also, for use of our social media, you can find us at newlightchristianfellowship on FB. To get our live stream services, please make sure you “like” and turn on notifications for our page so you can be notified when we are live streaming. We also have a church website and New Light Christian Fellowship YouTube channel for more of our content. We are developing more social media streams so please stand by and we will notify you once those channels are up and running. We look forward to you worshipping with us. May God bless and keep you.)
