Kenny Beach took a row boat out into a creek in the salt water marsh behind his house. He was trying to recover some pieces that had broken of his dock.
Because the creek was at low tide he had to leave his row boat at one point and venture out by foot. He didn’t get very far when he was sucked into a sinkhole.
He was up to his waist before he knew it. The more he struggled to get out the more he sank. Eventually he was up to his neck and had no way to get out.
What an accurate picture of our life in sin before we knew God. The more we struggled to get out on our own and the more we struggled to make ourselves good the deeper in the pit of sin we found ourselves.
Kenny yelled for help but no one heard him. He almost lost it a couple of times and he began to hallucinate. Some marsh was poking him in the back of the neck and he thought it was a crap biting him. Another time he heard a noise and thought it was a alligator coming to eat him.
He continued yelling for help and finally his mother-in-law heard him and dialed 911.
But their was another problem. The tide began to rise and cover him. That’s when he really started to yell for help. He was in the sinkhole for three hours and the water had covered his mouth and was up to his nose when the rescuers finally arrived.
They said if they had been one minute later Mr. Beach would have died.
I want you to know that salvation only works when you know that nothing else can be done on your part. When we say God I can’t do it on my own I want you to take over in my life. Then He can bring about a lasting change in your life.
God is saying here today – it’s my turn now!
Jesus Christ came to this world and robed himself in flesh to accomplish certain things.
1. He came to take on the form of a man.
He wanted to feel what you and I feel. He wanted to experience the things that we experience.
He knew what it was like to:
∑ Hunger and thirst
∑ Laugh and cry
∑ Be hot or cold
∑ Grieve and be rejected
∑ Feel pain
∑ Have sickness in his body
He has walked the roads that we have walked. He was in all points tempted like we are, yet he was without sin.
The book of Hebrews tells us that we have a high priest that is touched with the feelings of our infirmities.
∑ He knows just where you are today.
∑ He knows just what your feeling today.
∑ He knows just what road your walking down today.
∑ He is aware of your situation.
That is why we can go boldly to the throne of grace and find mercy in the time of need.
2. He came to save sinners.
The scripture says that he came to seek and save the lost. He has come to save you today. He has come to change your life today. It doesn’t matter how far you are away from God he is able to save your soul.
3. He came to destroy the works of Satan.
Satan came and he brought:
∑ Death
∑ Destruction
∑ Sickness
∑ Poverty
∑ Famine
∑ Hurt
∑ Hatred
∑ Strife
∑ Loneliness
∑ Rejection
∑ Depression
∑ Doubt
But Jesus came to destroy the works of Satan.
Satan brought – but God brought:
∑ Death – Life
∑ Hurt – Help
∑ Sickness – Healing
∑ Doubt – Faith
∑ Rejection – Contentment
∑ Hatred – Love
∑ Famine – Bread of Life
∑ Loneliness – Peace
∑ Depression – Joy unspeakable
∑ Poverty – Supplier of all needs
Every evil work that Satan brought God can touch it and turn it to good.
The Lord came to this earth and it’s as if he said you’ve had it for long enough and now it’s my turn. The law was weak through the flesh so it’s my turn now to make a way of escape for you.
The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke give us the account of the man from Gadara that was possessed with many devils.
The Bible says that no man could pass that way.
Sin separates us from God.
Psalm 66:18
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Isaiah 59:2
2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Look at what sin does:
∑ His condition was miserable
∑ Possessed with devils
Dwelling place was the cemetery.
∑ Lonely dwelling place
∑ Dark dwelling place
He was mentally deranged
∑ Insane
∑ Mad
∑ Perverted judgement
∑ Sin separated him – destroyed him
He was in a state of utter wretchedness
∑ No clothes
∑ Homeless
∑ Wandering
He was his own tormenter
∑ Crying day and night
∑ Cutting himself day and night
Often times in this life sinners destroy themselves. They destroy their:
∑ Life
∑ Reputation
∑ Health
He was dangerous to others
∑ Exceeding fierce
∑ No man could tame him
∑ No man could bind him
You cant pull yourself out of sin
∑ Not by might
∑ Not by force
∑ Human effort
∑ Medical science
But just one touch from the master and he can change your life.
Jesus is saying today it’s my turn now!! It’s my turn now!!
He is able to save to the uttermost.
That was his condition before Jesus took over. Notice the change in the man now.
∑ Resting, sitting – instead of wandering
∑ Clothed – instead of naked
∑ In his right mind – instead of out of his mind.
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
When Jesus takes over:
∑ I don’t go where I used to go
∑ I don’t do what I used to do
∑ I don’t dress like I used to dress
∑ I don’t talk like I used to talk
Look at the state and misery of the world today.
∑ Wandering
∑ Searching
∑ No rest
∑ Naked
∑ No garment of righteousness
∑ No garment of salvation
This old world is in a pitiful condition.
But I contend today that God wants to take over in your life. He’s saying it’s my turn now! I contend that God is just one prayer away.
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
God is just one prayer away! He want to take over in your life today!
When we were without:
∑ Hope
∑ Strength
When we were sinners, Jesus Christ died on the cross for us so he could change your life.
I challenge you today to let Jesus make a difference in your life. You’ve tried on your own for a while now but God is saying today “It’s my turn now”
(Heads bowed and eyes closed)
small needs
∑ Some rough edges
Little bigger
∑ Financial
∑ Situation I see no way out of
∑ No solution, no hope
Big needs
∑ Not saved
∑ I tried once before
∑ I’m too bad
∑ I’m too far gone
∑ Jesus can’t touch me
