God’s Hammers
Text: Ecc 9:10 “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”
1st Cor 3:9, For we are laborers together, with God.
Introduction:
The prophet Jeremiah speaks of cutting trees in the forest, using them to make a house and fastening them together with nails and a hammer. There are many types and sizes of hammers, varying from the stonemason’s hammer of 15 lbs. To the jeweler’s hammer of a few ounces. The most widely used hammer is the claw hammer with head to drive the nails and a claw to extract them. When we see a hammer, we connect it with building, which reminds us of 1st Cor 3:9, “We are laborers together with God. We are God’s husbandry, we are God’s building.” and Ecc 9:10, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” As we build for Christ, we must be careful to
I. Build our house on God’s foundation.
“Other foundations can no man lay save that which is laid.” “There is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved.” Jesus said, “Without me ye can do nothing,” and “No man cometh unto the Father but by me.”
A. Not just any foundation will do. When God told Moses to make the tabernacle after the pattern shown him by God, God left no room for Moses’ ingenuity or personal ideas. We cannot build on any makeshift foundation of good works, of pride, of ambition, church membership or baptism as a foundation for salvation.
B. Jesus said, “The foolish man built his house on the sands. The wise man built his house upon the Rock.” What is the foundation on which we are building? This, after all, is the question which concerns our souls. Are we upon the rock or are we upon the sand? We profess to love the Lord but what about the foundation? Where does the house rest? ON ever side we see thousands building for eternity on mere outward profession of Christianity–striving to shelter their souls under false refuges–contenting themselves with a name to live, while they are dead, and with a form of Godliness without power. The Christianity which combines good profession and good practice is a building that will not fall. A building on the sand will not stand up in the storm.
C. The passengers were assembled on the deck of a sinking ship. Life belts were handed out and hastily adjusted. One man refused to accept his. “I’m a fine swimmer, and I’ll pick up something to hold on to before I get tired.” “Better take a life belt and be on the safe side.” “ Not a bit of use, my chances are as good as anyone else’s.”
A young Christian speaking to a friend said, “Better trust Christ for salvation and come into the church.” “NO use, my chances are as good as anyone else’s. I’m not a great sinner. I’m living a fare more decent life than many of your church members.” Well, what about it? The ship sank and the swimmer went down but he never came up. Those with life belts went down, came up, and were saved. What about the man who went to the grave trusting in his own goodness? Will he come up saved? Only those who trust in Jesus will be saved. Better be on the safe side– take a life belt. Better check your foundation.
D. Jesus is the only foundation on which to rest our hope and faith. IF your hope is built on good works, you are on the sand. If your hope is built on anything less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness, you are on the sand.
E. Jesus was driving pretty hard when He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto you He that entereth not by the door of the sheepfold but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born from above he cannot see the kingdom of heaven. Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. Verily, verily, I say unto you except ye repent ye shall likewise perish.”
A wife came to the parsonage in Tucson one night and asked if I would talk to her husband on spiritual things. She said that her husband had been drinking and would come in on the condition that he could sip a can of beer while we talked. I told her, “No beer!” He came in and told me that he and God were buddies but he would not receive God’s son as his savior. He was laying other foundations. It’s foolish to think you can be God’s buddy and reject Christ.
Nowhere in the scriptures are Christians actually called hammers, but in Isaiah 23:29, God’s word is likened to a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.
II. We can be hammers for God as we preach the Gospel and demonstrate its power in our lives. Let us note that
A. A hammer is no good without the head. The head strikes the nail. We think with our head. The head was not made solely for a hat rack, nor to keep your ears apart. Your head is to be used. Have you ever pooled your ignorance with others when seeking a solution to a problem and when a suggestion meets your approval say, “I believe that you have hit the nail on the head.” IF you are to build the life that pleases God, you must think, in Sheldon’s book, What would Jesus do? A group of Christians decided they would make no decisions before asking themselves the question, “What would Jesus do?” and then do as Jesus might have done. They were ridiculed and called fanatics. WE could save ourselves plenty of grief if we stopped long enough to think pro and con before making decisions. Better still, we could ask ourselves, “What would Jesus have me do?”
Throughout life we must continually seek solutions to our problems. During Jesus’ ministry the disciples were wondering about their future security, enough to eat and to wear. Jesus pointed to the lily and said, “Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Behold the birds of the air. Your Father takes care of them. Are y of not more value than many sparrows? Think on the faithfulness of God.”
An old colored man was always calm and peaceful. Some of his white friends asked him his secret and he said, “I formed the habit many years ago of saying to myself every morning when I get out of bed, ‘Ain’t nothing going to come up today what me and the Lawd can’t handle.’” Think on these things.
We are living in a confused age. Christianity is losing ground. Every year 5 million people are lost to the church. That’s more people than we have in Chicago and San Diego combined. Why is Christianity losing? It is not enough to know God, we must make Him known. Think on these things.
Sad will be the day for anyone when he becomes contented with the life he is living, with the thoughts he is thinking and the deeds he is doing, when there is not forever beating at the doors, of his soul some great desire to do something large which he knows that he was meant and needs to do because he is a child of God. Think on these things.
B. The hammer is no good without the handle. Imagine me trying to drive a nail in an oak plank with only the hammer head. I would lack the power to do it. You cannot think without power. The will gives power to your mind as the handle gives power to the hammer head. No spiritual progress is possible without willpower. We cannot put noble thoughts into action without willpower.
It takes willpower to stand up for Jesus. Does not take willpower to sing the song, but to really stand up for Jesus. Easy to be a witness in the church and tell what eh Lord has done for us, but it takes willpower to ring doorbells with the same testimony. Hard to stand up with Jesus.
It takes willpower to rejoice in second place when you feel that you deserve first place. Takes willpower to be humble when you have leadership going to waste.
Takes willpower to return a soft answer when you want to tell someone off.
Takes willpower to break bad habits.
Takes willpower to have daily devotions.
Takes willpower to render unto God the things that are God’s, without reservation.
Takes willpower to obey God. At least it did for Jeremiah, when God called him to announce to the people the impending judgement on account of their ingratitude and impenitence. A young man of sensitive and tender disposition seemed little fitted to testify against the whole land, its king, its priests, and its people. His heart was faint. He was scorned, hated, persecuted, driven tot he verge of despair. He was tempted to soft pedal God’s message but he kept hammering. For 40 years, he stood a solitary witness among a rebellious nation taking insult, mockery, beatings and imprisonment, but He was true to God. Takes willpower to finish the task.
C. The Claw
Sometimes we drive nails into places they do not belong. Sometimes we bend them. Sometimes others have bent them. We use the claw to extract the nails. When the claws are used in this manner it is as if the hammer were saying, “I have made a mistake. I will take this one back. I will try again.”
We are all guilty of making mistakes. We often drive in the small nails of selfishness, little digs, little slights, bits of unkindness, every day we have some use for the claws. The longer a nail is left the harder it is to pull out. Rusty nails when pulled out, leave horrible scars. IF we pulled them out sooner it would be easier.
Again we need the handle or the willpower because it is not easy to admit mistakes and wrongs, to ask forgiveness, to confess our sins to God, but it must be done. Often in the heat of anger we hit the nail. Sometimes our finger gets in the way. Hurts us worse than the nail. Many people blame nerves for sleepless nights, when it’s nails which should be pulled out. We need a right spirit back of our driving. Then there will be less need for the claws. Ps 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
IV. The hammer in the builder’s hand
A. The hammer is useless unless it is in someone’s hand. It can do nothing by itself. It must be held and directed. The same is true of us. Jesus said, “Without me ye can do nothing.” We are God’s workmen as well as His working. We cannot build a life acceptable to Him apart from Him. We must honor the foundation. Only when we are controlled by God can we be what we should be or do what we should do. If we are willing to let God do His driving through us, for He is the wise master builder and His plan for our lives the perfect plan, we shall have less work for the claws.
B. Ever drive a nail into a piece of oak? Hard driving until we oil the nail. Oil did not soften wood or shrink the nail, but relieved the friction. A few drops oil more are more effective than many blows with the hammer. Many people are hammered without merely because tehy do not see as w3e do. Men will not appreciate truth when they are repelled by the spirit in which it is presented. Let us speak the truth in love.
Conclusion:
We need not continue to lead powerless lives, ineffectual lives. We have the command and privilege to present our bodies as living sacrifices unto God which is our acceptable service. For we are laborers together, with God. We are God’s building.
