THE 4 BENEFITS OF WAITING ON THE LORD
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR. Fishing season is almost here…
1.Q: Why are fish so smart A: Because they swim in schools!
2. Q: What does the pope eat during lent? A: Holy mackerel!
3. Q: What is the richest fish in the world? A: A goldfish
4. Q: What do fish use for money? A: Sand dollars!
5. Q: Where does a fish keep his money A: In the River Bank!
6. Q: What is the difference between a fish and a piano? A: You can't tuna fish.
7. Q: If fish lived on land, in which country would they live? A: Finland.
B. TEXT
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, not faint" Isa. 40:31.
C. THESIS
1. Many people in the Bible had to wait on the Lord for a lengthy time:
a. Abraham & Sarah – for Isaac;
b. Noah – for the flood waters to subside;
c. Joseph – in servitude & prison, until made regent;
d. Lord Jesus – for His time to be fulfilled;
e. Disciples – waiting for the Spirit to fall;
f. All believers – waiting for Jesus to return.
2. In each case:
a. They had a promise from God;
b. They trusted in God’s character;
c. And it was worth the wait!
3. Waiting on the Lord has real benefits. We’re going to look at 4 of them this evening.
4. Title: “4 BENEFITS OF WAITING ON THE LORD.”
“FOR THOSE WHO WAIT ON THE LORD…”
I. THEY WILL HAVE INWARD STRENGTH
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…”
A. DEFINITION OF “WAIT”
1. The word "wait" has two definitions; one involves activity, and the other meaning doesn't:
a. "To stay in place (stationary) in expectation of; to look for, tarry, wait."
b. "To serve as a waiter; attend as a servant."
2. The clearest example of both of these types of waiting is seen in Luke 10:38-42 with the two sisters, Mary and Martha.
3. Mary "sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word." Stillness is essential to the reception of instruction. Psalm 46:10; "Be still and know that I am God."
4. Martha on the other hand, was consumed with activity, but sapped of inner strength and peace.
5. As Isa. 40:31 says, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…”
B. THE PROBLEM
1. Isa. 30:18 says, "Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!"
2. God often wants to give us victory, but we don’t resort to Him as our source of strength & help.
C. PUTTING GOD FIRST RESULTS IN VICTORY
1. The film "Chariots of Fire", tells the story about Christian Eric Liddell, who refused to run in his 100 meters in the 1924 Paris Olympics because it involved racing in a preheat on a Sunday.
2. Liddell believed Sunday was a day holy to God and felt God direct him to be an example of emphasizing its sacredness.
3. Liddell was probably the fastest man alive at that time and was the favorite to win the race for Britain. The Press and even the Prince of Wales tried to talk him into running, but he refused.
4. Instead, he went to the Scottish Presbyterian church that Sunday and read the lesson from Isaiah 40. And verse 31 seem to capture the situation.
5. However, he was given the chance to race for Britain in the 400 meter race he had never even run before. And God honored him for his stand.
6. Liddell ran the 400 meters at a breakneck 100 m pace and won with a new world record.
7. God wants us to rely on Him. There are times when we want to throw in the towel – But if we look to the Lord, he will RENEW our strength!
FOR THOSE WHO WAIT ON THE LORD
II.THEY WILL HAVE UPWARD STRENGTH:
“they shall mount up with wings as eagles”
A. WE NEED TO BE STRUGGLING UPWARD
1. There are many ups and downs in this life that we live. But God will give us victory over the downs if we learn to wait on him.
2. In one "Peanuts" comic strip, Lucy was complaining about her lousy life. Charley Brown was trying to cheer her up. "Into each life some rain must fall," he said. That didn’t help.
3. Then he thought of another saying: "Just remember, life has its mountains and its valleys, its ups and downs." To which Lucy replied, "All I want is ups and ups and ups!"
4. That should be every Christian’s ambition. “Brethren…one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind” Phip. 3:13-15.
5. When we first become Christians we feel protected in the nest, but God soon takes us out of it, so that we can teach us to "soar on wings like eagles." (“Un-feathering the nest”)
6. The eagle doesn’t like the mud and filth of this world, if you look for him, he will be on the highest mountain.
7. ILLUSTRATION
a. A boy once shot an eagle. It broke the eagle’s wing and caused him to land in the family’s barnyard among the filth. The boy kept him chained until he was healed.
b. One day as the eagle heard the mating cry of an eagle above, he screamed in answer and attempted to fly upward. The boy, realizing the time had come, released him.
c. The eagle soared into the sky, and gave a cry of victory as he returned to clouds he was meant for.
d. That is a picture of the life of victory that God wants to give every Christian.
B. UPWARD STRENGTH MUST BE SOUGHT
1. ILLUSTRATION
a. Zig Ziglar tells the story of boy that went with his mother to the old general store. He liked to sneak away from his mother and when no one was looking he would dip his finger into the large barrel of molasses.
b. The storekeeper caught him doing this and decided to teach the boy a lesson. He picked up the boy by his britches and dunked him head first into the barrel of molasses and then set him out on the front porch of the store.
c. But instead of crying the boy was out there praying, “God, give me the tongue to equal this opportunity.”
2. Realize that upward strength is a gift from God, and to attain it, we must seek it.
“FOR THOSE WHO WAIT ON THE LORD…”
III. THEY WILL HAVE OUTWARD STRENGTH:
“they shall run, and not be weary…”
A. INNER STRENGTH WILL SHOW ITSELF
1. ILLUSTRATION
a. In the 1954 Cotton Bowl game, Alabama and Rice were playing. On one play, the halfback from Rice broke free from the tacklers from Alabama and was racing down the sidelines for a touchdown.
b. But coming from off the bench was an Alabama player named Tommy Lewis. He ran onto the field and tackled the runner. Because this was illegal, Rice was awarded a touchdown.
c. Later on, Tommy Lewis was drafted to play pro football. WHY? The main reason was because he couldn’t stand to lose, demonstrated by his tackling from the bench.
d. Football scouts recognized his determination to run and play, not sit on the sidelines.
2. Sometimes we as Christians want to sit, not get involved in the work of the Lord. But God is looking for those who are itching to get in the race.
3. Paul asked, “You did run well; who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth?” Gal. 5:7. Have you stopped running for Jesus? Well the Lord is the Cure.
B. THE CURE FOR EXHAUSTION
1. Many people get tired of running for Jesus. They get weary -- even to point of quitting. God wants to give you new motivation.
2. JOKE. A little boy told his father, “Today I beat a snake.” The father asked, “Did you beat him with a rock or a stick?” The little boy said, “I beat him running.”
3. We should beat the devil, not only by running from temptation, but by running for the Lord and staying close to Him.
4. ILLUSTRATION
a. One man told about being on an airplane making its way from New York to San Francisco. One of the engines caught fire.
b. The captain came on the speaker system, calmly reassuring his passengers that the fire would soon be out. Besides, the plane could fly as well with three engines as with four.
c. Unfortunately, a second engine burst into flames. Once again the captain assured the passengers that two engines were sufficient.
d. Then a third engine was suddenly ablaze. There was only silence from the front of the plane. Soon the captain appeared in the cabin with a parachute on his back.
e. As he opened the exit door, he said calmly to the passengers, "Don’t anyone panic, I’m going for help." And out he jumped.
5. Let’s not jump out of the Lord’s work. They become weary or discouraged because of the circumstances and bail out on God.
“FOR THOSE WAIT ON THE LORD…”
IV. THEY WILL HAVE ONWARD STRENGTH:
“and they shall walk and not faint.”
A. POWER TO KEEP GOING
1. God will give us strength for the long haul, in other words, He will give us the strength to serve Him all the days of our life.
2. ILLUSTRATION
a. A Certain story is told about the construction of the overseas highway between Miami, Florida, and Key West, Florida.
b. In the midst of the construction, a fierce storm destroyed most of the work that had been done.
c. The man in charge called his home office and described the great loss and asked, “What shall I do?” The home office wired back just two words, “GO ON.”
d. GOD TELLS US ALSO TO ‘GO ON.’
B. THE GRAVEST DANGER: FAINTING
1. ILLUSTRATION
a. John Claypool was pastor in the late sixties. It was the time when the Claypools were going through the agony of watching their seven year old daughter, Laura, die of leukemia.
b. Towards the last days of young Laura’s life, John Claypool preached a sermon on this text entitled, "Strength Not to Faint". That day he stood to confess to his congregation:
c. "I want you to know," he said, "that I am not soaring like the eagle today. I’m not running like the footman. I am barely walking through this experience, just asking God to give me "strength not to faint."
2. God made this world in six days, and the seventh day, the Bible says He rested. He rested not because he was tired but because He was finished with His work.
3. One of these day we’ll finish our work down here, and enter into our ‘haven of rest’ in Heaven. But until then, we’re to “wait upon the Lord” for His strength to do his work and His will.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. A grandfather was taking a nature hike with his 6 year old grandson. The child was running ahead, and came to a creek...afraid that he was going to fall in.
2. The grandfather said, “CHILD, WAIT FOR ME AND I’LL GET YOU ACROSS.” SURPRISINGLY, THE CHILD OBEYED, AND WHEN THE GRANDFATHER GOT THERE, HE LIFTED THE CHILD UPON HIS SHOULDERS, AND WADED ACROSS THE CREEK.
3. The grandchild said, "If I hadn’t waited on you, I would never have made it across!" That’s true of us and the Lord too!
B. THE CALL
1. Let’s WAIT ON GOD. He’ll get us through all the obstacles life puts in our way.
2. How many of you need a spiritual refreshing? Why don’t you stand. Let’s pray.
3. Prayer for salvation.
[This sermon is a reworked version of Evie Megginson’s message “4 Results of waiting on the Lord.”]
