Hard Knocks
Introduction:
Many times I have watched a boy going along the street kicking a tin can. The can would fly through the air, bounce on the pavement, scrape along the curb, and before very long it became a battered object of ill treatment. His battered can reminds me of life.
I. For life is filled with hard knocks
A. Much of the news in the daily paper involves tragedy for someone. Murder, fatal accidents, heart attacks, deaths from natural causes, are hard knocks. The paper tells of property loss by fire and storm. The classified ads plead for the return of lost bill folds, jewelry, valuable papers, and pets. These ads tell of hard knocks but few picture the anguish and grief back of them.
B. Trouble is real today. People groan under heavy burdens. Many people of the world have a life expectancy of only 30 years. Millions go to bed hungry. Many people grow what they eat and starve when the crops fail. Infant mortality is very high in some countries. Physical suffering causes many to cry in agony. Misunderstands, disappointments, and perplexities may be classified with the hard knocks trouble brings.
C. We are not very old before we learn that no one is exempt from hard knocks. A friend of mine has been in the hospital 22 times. His back was crushed in a steam shovel accident. The crippled children’s hospital in Elyria, Ohio, is filled with boys and girls of two years and older, who must lie in bed for months and years to come because of deformities of limbs or spine. Some are deformed because of malnutrition. Hard knocks so early in life, and we have all wondered
II. Why do hard knocks come?
A. There are many things that we cannot explain. During the march of dimes, we heard that polio is no respecter of persons. But why one person is struck down and another escapes is beyond the knowledge of medical science. Why Boston should have an epidemic of polio and San Francisco escape is hard to answer.
B. It is true that hard knocks may be a result of carelessness. God expects us to take care of our bodies. We invite a penalty when we violate certain health laws. We invite a penalty when we break civil and moral laws. Wrong choices always carry a penalty which must be paid sometime.
C. Hard knocks often come because of sin. NO one can sin and get away with it. A man of wisdom said in Proverbs 28:13, “He that coverth up his sins shall not prosper.” We might add he that covers up his sins is inviting some hard knocks, and is due for a rough time. Isaiah the prophet wrote Isaiah 59:1-2, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear, but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you that He will not hear.” When God does not hear, that is the hardest of all hard knocks. God will not hear as long as sin is tucked away in some secret part of the heart. Not to have God on your side, is a hard knock. Sin must be forsaken utterly. Nothing short of a broken heart over sin and unbelief, full confession and restitution will satisfy God. It must be as the Psalmist prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me.” God is no respecter of persons. Sin brings hard knocks.
D. Hard knocks may come to us through the faulty judgment of others, through another’s disregard of our rights, and the laws of our land. Or we may break a civil or moral law and cause someone else to suffer. Hard knocks will come and
III. What shall we do when they come?
A. Shall we just grin and bear it? Shall we rebel against God? Shall we withdraw into our shell and let the rest of the world go by? Or shall we follow David’s example? From shepherd boy to king, his life had been filled with hard knocks. He had learned early that human strength had a limit, but he had learned also that God is an ever present help in trouble and has no limit. When David saw and heard Goliath for the first time he wondered why no one had answered the giant’s challenge. He said to King Saul, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the bear shall deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” While David was king of Israel hard knocks followed him. His son tried to kill him. While a fugitive, David said, “When my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Hard knocks battered David, but hard knocks could not battered down the Rock of refuge and the place of comfort. His hope was in God.
B. We might follow Job’s example. He was battered and dented by affliction. He lost all of his wealth. His ten sons and daughters lost their lives during a great storm. Job was afflicted with a terrible disease and his body was covered with boils. Friends forsook him. His wife advised him to commit suicide, but hard knocks could not make him lose faith in God. Job said, “Even though He slay me yet will I trust Him. And though my body is destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God. I know that my redeemer liveth.” Job’s afflictions drew him closer to God. God allowed the hard knocks to come, but God did not desert Job in his hour of need.
C. We might follow Paul’s example. He knew hard knocks. IN his second letter to the Corinthian church he wrote of being pressed out of measure, above or beyond strnght that he despaired of his life. There were fightings without and fears within, but Paul could say, “I can do all things through Jesus Christ which strengtheneth me.” Hard knocks came to him in the form of famine, persecution, peril. Paul wrote, “We are troubled on ever side, yet not distressed, perplexed, but not in despair, cast down but not destroyed, persecuted, yet not forsaken.” Pal was looking beyond the hard knocks when he wrote, “For our light affliction is but for a moment. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God not made with hands eternal in the heavens.” Paul found God to bet the Father of mercies, the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we are comforted of God. Hard knocks could not keep Paul down. Hard knocks cannot keep any Christian down who believes as Paul believed. David, Job, and Paul followed the Scripture which says, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee.”
D. We might follow Hosea’s example. Hosea experienced many hard knocks. He had much to grieve about and wrote that “His pillow was wet with tears.” But in spit of the tears he could say, “I will make the veil of trouble a door of hope.” Whether we see it or not, there is in the valley of trouble a door of hope.
IV. Our hope today is in a person.
A. Jesus said, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Many heard and came, and found in Him a door of hope. Some of God’s children are made strong to do mighty works for Him. God has His Sampsons but the majority of His people are a timid, trembling race. Yet weak as they are they have this promise made, specially for them. Jesus is gentle, tender, considerate, kind. We never need shrink back from His invitation. He is a very present help in time of hard knocks. He will never let you down.
B. Someone has said that in the center of the storm there is a place of calm. Should uncertainty, opposition, heartache, trouble, perplexity, fear be whirling around you this evening, remember, at the storm’s center there is a place of quiet rest where God’s grace will be sufficient and you will find rest for your soul.
God has not promised skies always blue
Flower strewn pathways all our lives through
God has not promised sun without rain.
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain
But God has promised strength for the day
Rest from the labor, light for the way
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love. -Annie Johnson Flint
Conclusion:
When hard knocks come, and they will come, don’t despair. Don’t lose hope. Don’t’ grin and bear it. Don’t rebel. As Dr. J. Strong wrote in one of his books, “Reach your hand out by faith and take the hand of the Lord.” HE will enable you to say, “Thou art with me.” He will make you conscious of His presence. He will never leave you nor forsake you. “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will bear you up.”
