Super Heroes—Please Don’t Apply
11/7/1999 Judges 6:11-18 Luke 1:5-17 Text Luke 1:5-22
Back in the olden days when I was a kid, everybody had a super hero of some sort. It might have been Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Hulk, Iron-Man, The Avengers, Spiderman, The Hawk, The Phantom, Flash, SuperGirl, The Eighth Man, the Six Miliion Dollar Man, or Aquaman. My favorite hero was a robot named Gigantor. He was controlled by a little boy with a box. He was a massive robot about 40 feet tall and could beat up anybody and stop crime anywhere. I always enjoyed watching super heroes in action.
I have noticed that even though I preferred watching super heroes, God enjoys using ordinary people to make things happen. God rarely ever chooses a hero type person to do great things for Him. God is in the business of using ordinary people to do extra-ordinary types of things. If we come to God with super hero type qualities, God will often choose to use us in ways that our hero kind of qualities take a secondary place. Moses and Paul are the only two people I can think of who were really somebody before God called them, and yet neither served in the previous capacity for God after they were called in the areas they had been big shots in before.
The thing about God is that when God sees us, God never sees us as just ordinary people. God sees future super heroes when touched by his power. In our Old Testament reading, The Midianites were greatly beating up on God’s people. They would wait for God’s people to plant their crops, and just before they got ready to harvest them, the Midianites would bring in massive numbers of sheep, goats, and cattle to eat up the food which was ready to be collected by the people.
God also knew in a few months an army of a 135,000 armed warriors would be attacking His people. When God looked through the resumes of those present, God eliminated all the super heroes, and held on to one that said, Name : Gideon. Experience: Poor farmer from a small clan in the tribe of Manassah. Battle Experience: None—Will Flee And Hide In A Cave At First Sight Of The Enemy. Faith: Weak—Must Have A Sign In Order To Believe. Availability: Busy At The Moment Hiding From The Midianites. Check back after the war is over.
Now if most of us had a read this resume, we would have written Gideon off as a coward with no chance of leading anybody into battle, and we would have been absolutely right. But we don’t always see people as God sees them. God reads the resume and says, “now this is the person for the job.” God sends down the angel of God.
The angel says to Gideon, “Well look out there you mighty warrior.” Gideon, says, “excuse me, you talking to me? I’m no mighty warrior. As a matter of fact I’m just a scared, poor farmer trying to get a little wheat before the Midianites find out I’ m here. I don’t even remember the last time I saw a mighty warrior anywhere near this place.” The angel says ”oh know there’s been no mistake. I know who you are oh Mighty Warrior and you will lead the people of God into a great victory over Midian.”
One of our biggest problems is we think we cannot do what God has told us to do, and we cannot be what God has called us to be. In our own strength we may be right, but in the power of God all things are possible. Gideon was a mighty warrior and did not even know it. He was a mighty warrior not be cause he was a super hero, but because God said, “ I will be with you.” If you read the rest of the story of Gideon you will discover how he and 300 men took on the Midianite army and won.
Some of you here today are great in the eyes of God and you don’t even know it. You’re like Jacob when he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it.” You don’t understand the power of the Lord is in you to make you mighty. You are mighty wives and husbands. You are mighty leaders in the church. You are mighty children at home and in school. You are mighty lawyers, pastors, doctors, business people, and other professionals and don’t even know it.
It’s all because you are looking at yourself through your eyes or somebody else’s eyes rather than accepting what God has to say about you. There’s not a person here today, who has become all that God intends for them to be. Sometimes we let some setback or discouragement keep us from going on with the Lord.
How do we become a mighty warrior for God. By being faithful one day at a time. There was a couple in the bible who loved each other very much His name was Zechariah. His name meant “God has remembered.” Her name was Elizabeth, and her name meant “My God Is An Oath.” They both were faithful to God and devoted to each other, but they had a problem. People kept asking them, “when are you going to have children.” They heard all kind of jokes and comments about them not having kids. They both desperately wanted to have children but for some reason they could not.
This was almost a family disaster back during their time. Children were seen as a great blessing from the Lord. In fact, a Jewish woman who did not have any children was thought to be cut off from the Lord. A man was expected to divorce his wife, remarry and bear children. So this problem weighed heavily on this couple. They may have been feeling disfavored and displeasing to God. They had been praying for years for a child and it just did not happen. To make matters even worse, Zechariah was a priest. A priest that many considered did not have the favor of God upon his life, simply because he had no children. Now it seemed as though time had passed them by for they were both elderly.
One thing they did have was their faithfulness even in the midst of their circumstances which were both embarrassing and emotionally painful. Zechariah was a priest. He was not in the high priestly family, but just a regular ordinary priest. All the descendants of Aaron were priest, and by the time Zecharias was serving, there were over 20,000 priests. So they divided them up into 24 groups and each group would serve once a week for twice a year. Zechariah belonged to the Abijah division of priests. He was one of the hick town priests, because except for the two weeks when his division was on duty on Jerusalem, he was serving in the boondocks in the hill country of Judea. He was just your ordinary person
One morning Zechariah got out of bed just like he did every other morning. It was his division’s job to take care of the sacrifices at the temple that week. One of them would be chosen to go in and offer incense in the Holy Place. Most priest never did get the chance to offer incense, and if you were chosen by lot, it usually only happened once in your lifetime.
Now the first step to being used by God, is to show up when you’re expected to show up. Probably 75% of success is based on being faithful and just showing up. If you just show up for school everyday, most likely you will graduate. If you just show up on time at what God is calling you to do, you have a good portion of the battle won. If you don’t show up, you’ve already lost the battle. If we make ourselves available, God has a lot more to work with in our lives.
Zechariah did not wake up with some funny feeling inside, “saying today there is going to be a big change in your life.” He just got up and went where he knew he was supposed to be. Could they have done without him that day. Of course they could have. Half the people probably didn’t think even God wanted him there in the first place. After all, God had not blessed him to have children, so there must of been something in his background they had not discovered yet. Not only that, his absence improved their chances of winning the lottery to go in and offer the sacrifice of incense before the people. The priests considered the burning of incense to be one of the most honored privileges of the priestly function.
Well the moment came for the drawing of the white stone, and the name called was Zechariah. An ordinary priest, who had been praying for years for something which had not come to pass, was to go in and offer up the prayers of the people. Now somebody might have said, “wait a minute, I’ll wait to send in my prayers with the next priest. If God hasn’t answered his prayers, I don’t want him offering up my prayers.” Now it seemed as though it was just chance that Zechariah won that day to go into the Holy Place.
God is the God of circumstances and so called chance events. You can look back over your life today, and see what you thought was a chance happening was really the unfolding of God’s plan for your life. The first person who told me about Gordon Conwel Theological Seminary, spoke to me the summer before my first year in college. He was not saved, but he said “Why don’t you go to Gordon Conwel if you want to be a preacher.”
I said to him, “well maybe I will, not having the faintest idea where Gordon Conwel was or what it stood for but sensing I would go there. 5 years later I went, and the best thing at Gordon was not the great education I got, but that the Lord had sent Pastor Toby to the same school and I got her. It was more than just a coincident that guy spoke to be about Gordon. I didn’t go to Gordon seeking a wife, but it don’t take long for me to know this is the one I want. Do not worry about how to get from A to B. God knows how to put what you need in your path.
Zechariah walked into the Holy Place and offered prayers for the people. While he was standing there, angel appeared right next to him on his right side. It almost scared the daylights out of him. The angel told him, “Chill out man, Don’t be afraid. I have some really good news for you. Your prayer has been answered.” Now what prayer was the angel talking about Was this old man still praying the prayer about having a son or was he praying the prayer that God would send the Messiah to redeem the people of Israel.
The Bible does not tell us but both of the prayers were now being answered. Elizabeth was going to have a son and the preparation for the Messiah was going to be made. The angel told him. Your wife is going to have a son, and you’re to give him the name John. He’s going to be great delight to you and people will be rejoicing because of his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He won’t drink wine or alcohol and will be filled with the Holy Spirit while he is in his mother’s womb. He’s going to lead many people back into a right relationship in the spirit and power of Elijah. He’s going to get people prepared to meet the Lord.
This son Zechariah and Elizabeth is going to have is not just another kid, but a kid the Lord intends to use mightily. It is news far greater than Zechariah could have imagined when he got out of bed that day. You would have thought he would have begun to jump up and down in praise to God for answering his prayer but he didn’t. Instead of responding in faith to the word of God, he said.
“Well how can I be sure this thing is really going to happen. I mean look at me. I’m an old man. Have you seen my wife Elizabeth lately. She’s still looking good but she’s a lot older than she looks.” Now here God sees two potential mighty warriors for advancing the kingdom of God, but all Zechariah sees is an old man and an old woman, who could not possibly do what the angel had said. Isn’t it funny that he wants some kind of a sign, when he already has a sign by just being in the presence of this mighty angel. How often does an angel appear next to you during prayer and start speaking with you.
Zechariah’s negative response to the Lord’ words suggests both a lack of faith and of spiritual perception. Here the Lord is telling him, “Son I’m answering your prayers and then some because I’ve chosen you for this.” Yet Zechariah is saying, “But Lord It’s just me and Elizabeth. You don’t have enough to work with in order to do all you want to do.” Zechariah was living by sight, not by faith. He thought that since he could not conceive of it happening it could not happen.
My friends if you do not see something great happening in your life before you actually see it, then there’s a real good chance it never will happen. Thank goodness God does not let us get Him discouraged by reminding him, we’re not that much to begin with. The truth of the matter is that none of us knows what will happen if we fully plug ourselves into the will of God for our lives.
God took a murderer and led him to be a great leader in the form of Moses. God took a prostitute and used her Rahab to help take the city of Jericho. God took a liar and a cheater by the name of Jacob, and made him the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. God has taken lousy fathers and made them into men of God. He’s taken rebellious and disrespectful teenagers, and turned them into outstanding leaders in the church and in the community.
He’s taken a former crack addict and used him and his wife to build the great church New Spirit Revival Center. None of us have any excuse for not becoming what God is calling us to be. Your greatness in the Lord may be just around the corner from your complaint of why you can not do something.
We need to be equipping ourselves today, so that when the time comes for the Lord to make His move, we are in a position to go for it. Whatever you are doing as a Christian, do it your best. You’re walking in faith, that God is going to use my best effort for His honor and His glory. Too many of us close doors the Lord wants to open way before we get to the door. We close tomorrow doors by making bad choices today. God does not need to have us be super heroes to be used by him. He just needs us to do what we are suppose to do today and put the rest in His hands.
Zechariah was doing everything right until he got to the point of seeing the door opened before him, and then he got scared. Well at my age, could I have a son. Will I know I how to raise the boy? What if the birth is too much a strain on Elizabeth and she dies and that’s if she’s even able to get pregnant. I can’t raise a child by myself not at my age.
When God brings you to the point of where He is about to provide you with what you’ve been praying for, remember the God who brought you this far is able to bring you on through to victory. You’re not going to be able to answer all the questions or know how everything is going to work out, you simply trust that God is able and do what you can today.
Now the angel got a little ticked off at Zechariah. “He said brother, you obviously do not know who I am. Listen to this. I am Gabriel. I stand in the very presence of God. God Almighty Himself sent me to you.. Now you want a sign, oh I can give you a sign. From this moment on, you will not be able to speak a word out of your mouth until the day the child is born and named, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”
There’s always a missed opportunity when we deny the truth of what God is able to do through us. Now sometimes we lose our potential forever, but other times God still brings things to past, but we can not fully enjoy them as God had intended for us to enjoy them. We do not need signs from God as much as we need to put into practice the Word God reveals to us. Some people are looking for signs in order to do things which are contrary to the Word of God. God is not going to speak to you any message that contradicts what is already written in the Scriptures.
The people outside were wondering, what is taking Zechariah so long to come out of the Holy Place. Did God finally strike him down and show his complete displeasure with him or what. Finally he came out looking somewhat confused. He tried to share with them what had taken place but the words just would not come.. They said, “he must have received some kind of vision or something.”
Well Zechariah did learn that when God said something will happen, it will happen. As soon as he got home, he got a twinkle in his eye for his wife. She said, “Sweetheart what done got into you.” Before that first day back at home was over, Elizabeth was pregnant. It didn’t matter how many times they had tried before and failed. It didn’t matter that everybody had just sort of written then off. It didn’t matter how old he was or she was. All that mattered was that God had said it was going to happen.
I don’t know what all you might be going through, or what dream you’ve seen shattered, or what you’re afraid of allowing God to do in your life. I do know this, even though Satan is out to destroy you, I know a Savior who said, “I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.”
Jesus did not come to earth to save super heroes. He came to save those who were away from God and knew they needed a relationship with him. When God looks at you, he sees not what you are, but what you can be in a partnership with Him. Yes you can make it. What God did for Gideon, For Zechariah, and for Elizabeth He can do for you. Not because of any positive thinking, but because of the power of God.
Come On Out For Singles Sunday Next Sunday The 14th. It Will Be A Wonderful Time In The Lord.
Please Plan To Attend The Black Presbyterian Caucus Dinner This Saturday At 6PM At St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church. The Cost Of The Tickets Is $10 Adults $5 Children. The Angelic Voices Will Be Singing During The Program. They Do Not Have To Pay For The Dinner.
Sermon Outline Pastor Rick
Super Heroes Please Do Not Apply
11/17/99 Judges 6:11-18 1 Corin16-2:5 Text Luke 1:5-7
I. Back In The Glory Days Of Super-Heroes
A. Superman, Wonder Woman, Phantom Etc.
B. Gigantor The Massive Robot
II. God Uses Ordinary People
A. Rarely Chooses Super Heroes
B. Ordinary People—Extra Ordinary Things
C. Moses & Paul --Prior Heroes But Changed
III. The Midianites Army Pressing God’s People
A. Crop Devastation
B. Army of 135,000
C. God Looks At Resumes
D. Gideon’s Resume
IV. God’s Way Of Seeing Things
A. Look Out Oh Mighty Warrior
B. Are You Talking To Me
C. Can We Do What God Said We Can
D. Gideon & 300 vs. 135,000
V. More Than You Think
A. Great And Don’t Know It
B. Jacob Gen 28:16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it."
C. Understand God’s Power
D. Mighty Husband, Wives, Leaders, Etc.
E. Setbacks & Discouragement Hinders
VI. Becoming A Mighty Warrior
A. Zechariah—God Has Remembered
B. Elizabeth—My God Is An Oath
C. Family Crisis—No Children
D. Lack Of God’s Favor
E. Being Faithful
VII. The Priesthood
A. Aaron—20,000 priest
B. 24 Teams Week Twice A Year
C. Abijah Division—Back In The Boonies
D. Job At The Temple
E. Just Showing Up Makes A Difference
F. Just Another Day Almost
G. Honor To Burn The Incense
VIII. Was It Just Coincidence
A. The Drawing Of The White Stone
B. Zechariah Gets The Job
C. Wait A Minute With My Prayers
D. God’s Over Circumstances
E. Gordon Conwell—Pastor Toby
IX. Good News In The Temple
A. Chill Out—It’s Okay
B. A Son John Is On The Way
C. A Missed Opportunity To Shout & Sing
X. Underestimating What God Can Do
A. Not Us, We’re Too Old
B. How Many Signs Is Enough
C. Quit Trying To Discourage God
D. What Might Happen If We Plug In
E. Changed Murders, Prostitute, Liat Etc.
F. Greatness A Complaint Away
XI. Keeping Doors Opened Today
A. Equipping To Be Ready
B. Keep That Door Open
C. Don’t Be Afraid—Don’t Fear The Future
D. Gabriel Is Upset
E. Silence Is The Sign
XII. God Still At Work Even When We Blow It
A.. Act On The Word Of God
B. Word From God Never Contradicts Word Of God
C. The People Are Confused At Zechariah
D. A Man Goes For His Wife
E. What Didn’t Matter
F. God Had Said
G. Satan Came To Destroy
H. Christ Came To Bring Life
I. The Power Of God
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jer 29:12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
Jer 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
