Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1 – 12
Title: “A Whole Lot of Shaking Going On”
Introduction: All we’ve had to do in the past few weeks is listen to the news to realize the very foundations of everything we believe in as Christians is being shaken.
Marriage – Family Values – Decency (morals) – Preservation of Life – The very BEDROCK Principles that our nation is built on are being attacked.
Who’s doing the ATTACKING?
People with great power in the political arena.
- Presidents – Governors – Mayors – Congressmen – Representatives – Senators – Policy Makers in Local Governments, etc.
People with great power FINANCIALLY.
- The owners of large COMPANIES.
- The owners of Television Stations.
People with great power SOCIALLY.
- Sports Icons.
- Talk Show HOSTS.
“Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.” (2 Tim. 1:6)
Oh, how we need a “Spiritual Stirring” of the power of God that resides within us as Christians!
Oh, how we need the flames of the Holy Spirit fanned to a fever pitch so as to burn out the indifference of our times.
I. SHAKEN BUT NOT STIRRED.
a. James Bond popularized this phrase concerning the way he wanted his martini prepared. (The process caused the martini to become colder by mixing the ice in the drink more thoroughly. – It also dulled the taste of the drink.)
b. The more God shakes this Old World the COLDER people seem to become.
c. We have seen the present day society SHAKEN by diseases without a cure, but no stirring to make a change for the BETTER! (Aids, STD’s, and a long list of diseases that are medically incurable)
d. The DIVORCE rate within the ranks of Christianity has risen to an alarming rate, but no stirring to the CURE that Jesus provides.
e. Improper sexual activities even within the ranks of the ministers of great religious institutions and still no stirring to God for change.
f. God continues to reach out to each one of us through His love and power. (No noticeable changes)
g. God also allows TROUBLES and TRIALS to come into a Christian’s life to stir them to CHANGE.
h. Why doesn’t the WORLD change its ways? – Why doesn’t all the horrible things that’s happening turn people to God and His church? (There is a REASON!)
The great Apostle Paul made this statement, “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.” (2 Tim. 1:6)
II. SHAKE WELL BEFORE USING.
a. God is SHAKING the things of the world with a FERVERNCY as never before.
b. God wants a PEOPLE who are on FIRE for Him.
c. The TIME is NOW for Christians to STIR up the GIFT of God’s Holy Spirit in their life.
d. The world doesn’t feel it has anywhere to go to find the answers to their dilemma.
e. Before the world will turn to the Christian Church the people of God have got to be ABLE to SEE US!
f. The INGREDIENTS that God put into our life when we got saved must be STIRRED up for us to be EFFECTIVE!
g. The GIFT of God’s Holy Spirit is in the Christian and too many times the Christian has not DRAWN on that gift for HELP.
h. There are some Christians that don’t even know they have the gift of the Holy Spirit. – Acts 19:2 “He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.”
i. Before God will use you and I we have to be shaken!
j. We need to be SHAKEN UP over the SIN ISSUE!
k. We need to be SHAKEN UP over the people who are LOST!
l. We need to be SHAKEN UP over the REPUTATION of the CHURCH!
m. Hebrews 12:27 “Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” (Before the Lord comes back He is going to shake things)
III. MOVERS & SHAKERS.
a. We hear this term used to describe the BIG business people of our world that are getting BIG STUFF accomplished.
b. God has some “Movers & Shakers” right here this morning! – People who are getting great things done for the Lord’s work.
c. If you took a BRIEF survey of God’s “Movers & Shakers” in the Bible you would make a startling discovery! – God uses some very unlikely people to get His work done!
d. The Church is in the world and alive today as a result of the work of: Sheep-herders – Tax collectors – Fishermen – Nobodies that wander in from the desert – Prostitutes – Seamstresses – and Oh, yes, a “Carpenter from Nazareth” – and a great list of people just like you and I.
CONCLUSION:
The “Movers & Shakers” were EMPOWERED by the FIRE of the Holy Spirit.
The KEPT the FLAME burning BRIGHTLY because they: PRAYED – STUDIED THE WORD OF GOD – WITNESSED TO EVERYONE THEY COULD ABOUT JESUS – THEY STAYED IN CONTACT WITH THE OTHER CHRISTIANS BY ATTENDING THE CHURCH SERVIES IN THEIR AREA.
