Iliff and Saltillo United Methodist
Palm Sunday, April 16, 2000
“Surviving Devastating Times”
Isaiah 50:4-9
INTRODUCTION: On Palm Sunday we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem, people lining the streets waving Palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the king that cometh in the Name of the Lord.” However, this day was only a small segment in the total picture. The Pharisees were trying to get the people quieted down when they shouted “hosanna.” Immediately following these verses we get a hint of what Jesus was feeling--it says, “He wept over the city.” How did He survive the devasting times that lead up to the cross? How was he able to go through the suffering and humiliation that He did?
Today’s scripture in Isaiah gives us some insight as to how Jesus survived the ordeal and conquered death, hell, and the grave. Isaiah prophesied about his own ministry in 740 B. C. as well as pointing out things that would happen at the time of the crucifixion. Today we can draw encouragement from these same scriptures that will sustain us in the “devastating times” of our own life.
When things are not going well for you, don’t you want someone to have the “right word” to encourage you? Don’t you also want to be able to help yourself turn a situation around as quickly as possible? We can’t always do this immediately, but other times we can do a lot to help ourselves survive these difficult times. What can we get out of today’s scripture?
1. KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCRIPTURES: Isaiah says in verse 4, “The Sovereign Lord has given me an INSTRUCTED TONGUE to know the word that sustains the weary...” What does that mean? This prophet knew the scriptures and how to APPLY them to his own life as well as to offer a word of encouragement to those people he came into contact with. Many of the people he met every day were people who were very discouraged. He knew words of comfort and encouragement to give them.
Matthew 7:29 says that Jesus knew the Word and taught the Word as “one HAVING AUTHORITY and not as the scribes.” What does that tell us? Do you know the Word of God and how to use it skillfully by applying it to your own life? Do you know who you are in Christ when things come to devastate you? Can you stand with confidence on the Word of God when the stresses of life threaten to knock you down and crush you under the load? You might say “No,” I don’t have this knowledge of Scripture.
We gradually learn as we read and study. Many Christians do not make the attempt to learn and grown.
II Timothy 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
We study to learn the truths. We don’t have to know everything in the world about the Bible in 10 easy lessons but we are striving to learn a little here and a little there. We put the Word into our hearts and the Holy Spirit helps us to use it effectively when it is needed. We don’t have to pretend that we know the Bible backwards and forwards and brag about how much we know about prophecy or any particular subject. Just begin to study and learn, and you will be surprised at how much the Holy Spirit will bring to your remembrance when you need it.
I Peter 2:2 says to “desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby.” We start out where we are and add to our knowledge. Isaiah said, “The Lord God has given me the ‘tongue of the learned”--an instructed tongue.
We know that it was “Jesus’ custom to go to the synagogue on the sabbath day and he stood up to read the scripture.” Luke 4:16. Jesus was genuine--he spoke with authority, he knew what he was talking about. He had the goods. And it showed up in his authority when he spoke.
STORY: Big Man in a Small Town
Joe grew up in a small town, then moved away to attend college and law school. He decided to come back to the small town because he could be a big man in this small town. He really wanted to impress everyone. He opened his new law office, but business was very slow at first.
One day, he saw a man coming up the sidewalk. He decided to make a big impression on this new client when he arrived. As the man came to the door, Joe picked up the phone. He motioned the man in, all the while talking. "No. Absolutely not. You tell those clowns in New York that I won’t settle this case for less than one million. Yes. The Appeals Court has agreed to hear that case next week. I’ll be handling the primary argument and the other members of my team will provide support. Okay. Tell the DA that I’ll meet with him next week to discuss the details. "
This sort of thing went on for almost five minutes. All the while the man sat patiently as Joe rattled instructions. Finally, Joe put down the phone and turned to the man. "I’m sorry for the delay, but as you can see, I’m very busy. What can I do for you?"
The man replied, "I’m from the phone company. I came to hook up your phone." (source unknown)
2. BE CONSISTENT--You will notice that Isaiah said, “Morning by Morning” God taught me truth And I listened. In many places in the New Testament Jesus would say, “the things that I say unto you I have heard from my Father.”
Our strength comes from building up our inner resources--day by day-- “morning by morning”. You will have what you need when you need it. “Morning by morning” speaks of a lifelong attendance to God’s unfolding will in your life through being a teachable, consistent person.
Being open to the truth is important throughout our lifetime. When we are younger we may be more teachable. But what happens when the years roll by?
STORY: In December, 1914, Thomas Edison’s laboratory was destroyed by fire and the damage exceeded 2 million dollars. The insurance only covered 238,000. of the damage. Much of Edison’s lifework went up in spectacular flames that December night. At the height of the fire, Edison’s 24 year old son, Charles, frantically searched for his father among the smoke and debris. He finally saw him--Edison was calmly watching the flames.
His son said, “I felt so sorry for him. He was 67 years old and everything was going up in flames.” When he saw Charles he yelled, “Where’s your mother? Find her and bring her here. She will never see anything like this as long as she lives!”
The next morning Edison looked at the ruins and said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.”
Three weeks after the fire, Edison managed to deliver his first photograph.(source unknown)
He was a teachable person who could go on and survive devastating situations. He had a nature that was teachable, a conscience that was God-formed, and the assurance that in spite of it all, God would triumph.
Many times people become busy with their careers or their families or grandchildren and begin to slack off in their consistency toward the things of God--church attendance starts to fall by the wayside--don’t pray much, don’t have much contact with people who can help encourage and build me up, slack off on Bible reading that will sustain during the crisis times...When we maintain our consistence to learn and grow--morning by morning--day by day to receive what we need from God, we will always have a continual fresh supply. Luke 21:38 speaks of Jesus going to the temple “and all the people came EARLY IN THE MORNING to hear him at the temple.”
Going along with consistency day by day, Isaiah says the Lord has not only awakened my ear to HEAR what he says but opens my ear to RECEIVE it and COMPLY WITH IT.
James 1:22 tells us to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only...”
Consistently getting our instruction from the Lord and then putting them into action--morning by morning will help us when we come to crises times in our lives.
3. DON’T SHRINK BACK--Isaiah gives us another clue about surviving devastating times. He said that he did not shrink back from what God had shown him to do. He said, “I was not rebellious. I was willing to go ahead.” Isaiah did not have an easy ministry to the people of his day. Jesus did not either and Jesus was willing to go ahead with his mission even though he saw a great deal of difficulty and discouragement. He “made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men...he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Phil. 2:7, 8
He continued to move forward in his work even when he came to the hardest part of it. He was able to do this because he did not shrink back. He didn’t go off on a tangent. He had obedient patience in his suffering work. He says, “I was not rebellious and neither turned away.” He is saying I did not shrink back from what I saw lying ahead of me. He goes on to say, “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard. I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” The final hours were all seen in anticipation by the prophet Isaiah and were fulfilled in Jesus. He could have avoided all of this, but He wouldn’t.
We probably won’t ever have to go through this kind of suffering in our lifetime. But Christians in other countries have often gone through much suffering and torture. Sometimes we shrink back from things because of fear--things that we could do without too great of difficulty. Think about things in your own life. Are you shrinking back from anything God is asking you to do?
Jesus underwent all of this for us voluntarily to convince us of his willingness to save us.
4. BE DEPENDENT UPON GOD: The scripture shows us another thing that helped him to survive devastating times--his total dependency upon God. Isaiah says, “The Lord God will help me therefore I will not be confounded or disgraced. He says, “I have set my face as a flint.” Matthew Henry says, “Those whom God employs he will assist.” Sometimes we think we have to do it all. Discipleship is not up to us alone. Following is not a “do-it-yourself project.” He is telling us in verse 9, “It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me: If you trust in God for help when you are discouraged, you will not be disappointed. When you try to go it alone --doing your own thing, you will end up being disappointed as Isaiah tells us in the concluding verses.
CONCLUSION: How do we survive the devastating times that come to our lives? I would like you to think about these four things this week. They worked for the prophet Isaiah, they brought Jesus through to the finish line. They will help us to be an overcoming Christian as well today.
1. Know the Word of God and be always learning and growing
2. Be Consistent and Teachable
3. Don’t Shrink Back when the going gets rough
4. Be dependent upon God at all times
Shall we pray:
