NEVER GIVE UP
by Pastor Jim May
Matthew 9:1-26
In 1972, NASA launched the exploratory space probe Pioneer 10. The satellite’s primary mission was to reach Jupiter, photograph the planet and its moons, and beam data to earth about Jupiter’s magnetic field, radiation belts, and atmosphere. Scientists regarded this as a bold plan, because at that time no earth satellite had ever gone beyond Mars, and they feared the asteroid belt would destroy the satellite before it could reach its target.
But Pioneer 10 accomplished its mission and much, much more. Swinging past the giant planet in November 1973, Jupiter’s immense gravity hurled Pioneer 10 at a higher rate of speed toward the edge of the solar system. At one billion miles from the sun, Pioneer 10 passed Saturn. At some two billion miles, it hurtled past Uranus; Neptune at nearly three billion miles; Pluto at almost four billion miles. By 1997, twenty-five years after its launch, Pioneer 10 was more than six billion miles from the sun.
And despite that immense distance, Pioneer 10 continued to beam back radio signals to scientists on Earth. "Perhaps most remarkable is that those signals come from an 8-watt transmitter, which radiates about as much power as a bedroom night light, and that it takes more than nine hours to reach Earth."
The Little Satellite That Could was not qualified to do what it did. Engineers designed Pioneer 10 with a useful life of just three years. But it kept going and going. By simple longevity, its tiny 8-watt transmitter radio accomplished more than anyone thought possible.
So it is when we offer ourselves to serve the Lord. God can work even through someone with 8-watt abilities. God cannot work, however, through someone who quits.
How many times do we become discouraged, impatient and ready to throw in the towel? (That’s an old saying that comes from the world of Boxing. When one of the boxers has gone as far as he can go, so his manager throws a towel into the ring to signal that the match is forfeited.)
It’s sad to say, but I don’t know of many people whose greatest virtue is patience. We all know that patience is gained through the crucible of trials and troubles and for that reason many are afraid to pray for patience. We have enough troubles now, without asking for more. I think the point that we miss is that God is going to allow us to go through trials and tests whether we pray for patience or not, so we may as well ask God to help us learn patience through it all anyway.
There are many things in your walk with the Lord that requires a lot of patience and perseverance before the answer is going to come.
Some of you are continually asking God to help you to increase your faith. Let me tell you that faith can and will grow, but there is a method that God uses to increase your faith. First of all remember that the scripture says that Faith comes by continually hearing the Word of the Lord.
“Hearing” the Word of the Lord can mean coming to church and hearing it taught and preached from the pulpit, but I believe that “Hearing” means that we are constantly, continually meditating upon the Word of the Lord and that we are forever doing all we can to obey its precepts and allowing it to change us into the image of Christ. Most of the “hearing” is not done with the ears; it is done with the heart. You can hear me speak a message but unless it goes into your heart and stays there and begins to transform your whole life, then you really haven’t heard it at all.
Some of you have been praying for answers to a certain need in your life for a long time and you are wondering if God even hears you anymore. Others are praying for the salvation of your loved ones but it seems that the more you pray, the farther from God they run. Whatever you are praying for, don’t give up on God! The answer will come but it will come in God’s time and in God’s way. God only asks for your prayer and your faithfulness and trust in Him.
I want to point you to a short passage in the Bible that will give us a little insight into what it takes to have our prayer answered.
Matthew 9:18-19, "While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples."
Most of you know the events of this chapter already but for those who don’t remember, let me tell you about them.
A few weeks ago we spoke about the man with palsy who had been let down through the roof of Peter’s house where Jesus healed him and told him to take up his bed and walk. He had healed him and forgiven his sins and suddenly a man who was without hope had a whole new lease on life! Though he was likely an older man, he had just begun to live!
From that place Jesus went out into the city where He “just happened” to find Matthew sitting and collecting taxes for the Roman government. I don’t think it “just happened” at all. Jesus knew that Matthew would be there and this would be the day that Matthew would be called to become a “fisher of men” as one of the 12 disciples. That day, Matthew’s life would be changed forever. I wonder how long Matthew had prayed for a chance to be acceptable to the Jews again? I wonder how many times he had become frustrated or angry because of the job he had to do? I wonder if he had come to the end of his rope and had finally resigned himself to be a tax collector and hated by his own people until the day he died? I can’t help but believe that God had been dealing with the heart of Matthew for a long time before Jesus came by. Matthew was quick in responding to the call because he was tired of his old life. I wonder how long his family had prayed for Matthew’s soul? I wonder how long they had waited for God to answer? Thank God that they never gave up!
After calling Matthew, Jesus went into the house (probably back at Peter’s house again) to sit down for dinner. He couldn’t get away from the crowd and so we find that there are Publicans (outcasts from society) and sinners, and the self-righteous Pharisees there too. How would you like it if that kind of crowd followed you everywhere you went, even into your own house?
If you really stop to think about it, what kind of people are you around all the time? Are there not Publicans, sinners and self-righteous Christians around you all the time, even in your own house at times? You see, you face the same trials and test that Jesus faced. The only difference is that Jesus did so without sin and we tend to get impatient! We can’t give up living for Jesus because too many people are watching us!
After answering all of their questions and trying to teach them the ways of God, Jesus then left the house and started down the streets of the city once again. As usual, the crowd gathered to see what he would do next. Let me tell you that if your life is really on fire for God, there are a lot of people looking at you, watching what you do, listening to what you say and wondering what you are going to do when the next trial arises in your life.
Whether you like it or not, if you are living for Jesus, you are living in a “glass house” where all the world can see just who you are and what you are all about. Your life is your greatest witness for the Lord. How are you living, for Jesus or for self? Don’t’ give up on Jesus!
It wasn’t long before the crowd saw Jesus at work once again. A ruler of the temple came to him seeking his healing power for his daughter who lay at home dying. Here was at least one man among the temple crowd who swallowed his pride and had to confess that his only help was going to be in Jesus. At his request Jesus began to walk toward the ruler’s house. The crowd still followed him!
Through this crowd came a little woman, bowed with a long term sickness in her body. She had spent all her money on doctors who couldn’t help. She was weak and frail, but her faith was strong and her will to fight to get her healing was strong too. She fought, pushed and shoved everyone aside and would let no one, not even the disciples, stop her from getting to Jesus. As she touched the hem of his coat, she was instantly healed.
How long had she suffered and prayed for deliverance? For 12 years she had cried, pleaded with God, prayed and sought help from every source possible. For 12 years she wondered if she would ever get her answer. But she wouldn’t give up! She may have been small, sickly and frail in body, but the she had the fighting spirit of a lion! Outward appearance does show the true character of a person!
At the appointed time, and in the appointed place, Jesus came by and she received her answer.
Maybe she hadn’t been sick as long as the palsied man, but her answer, like that of the palsied man, came in God’s time and in God’s way. She never gave up trying!
Jesus continued to walk down the street toward the house where the sick girl lay. I wonder how long she had been sick? Had it been a quick fever that had come upon her, or was she slowly dying from some disease? We don’t know but once thing is for sure; the ruler of the temple had been praying and crying for the healing of his daughter!
Now it was time for his answer to come too. In Jesus’ timing and in his way, the answer would come.
Matthew 9:23-25, "And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose."
Have you ever felt like saying, Jesus, if you are going to answer this prayer, now would be a good time!
I kind of think that this is the way the ruler may have felt when he finally got home. Jesus, the palsied man, the woman with the issue of blood, and all the publicans, sinners and Pharisees, could have waited. The need of my daughter was much greater and now it is too late for she is dead!
Have you ever felt that way? God, I love Brother or Sister So-and-so, but my need has to be greater than theirs. Can’t you answer my prayer first? Lord I need you, and I need an answer now. I’m trying to have patience and wait upon you, but Lord I’ve come to the end of my patience and time has run out. It’s now or never Lord!
One thing that we must never forget is that God often moves slowly and He is never hurried.
The great New England preacher Phillips Brooks was noted for his poise and quiet manner. But there were times when he suffered moments of frustration and irritability. One day a friend saw him pacing the floor like a caged lion. "What’s the trouble, Mr. brooks?" he asked. "The trouble is that I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t!"
Some of the greatest missionaries of history spread the seed of God’s Word and yet had to wait long periods before seeing the fruit of their efforts. William Carey labored 7 years before the first Hindu convert was brought to Christ in Burma. Judson worked for 7 years before his faithful preaching was rewarded with the conversion of one soul to Christ. In western Africa, it took 14 years of hard work before one convert was received into the Christian church. In New Zealand, it took 9 years; and in Tahiti, it was 16 years before the first harvest of souls began.
Let’s look at what happened next at Jarius’ house. Jesus walked in knowing that the girl had already died. The professional mourners were there. They had the ministry of crying, wailing and intensifying the grief of those who were already hurting. (Kind of reminds me of a few church folks that I have known over the years)
We need to take a lesson from what happens next. Before Jesus could answer the prayer of Jarius and raise his daughter from the dead, He had to get rid of all those who ridiculed him and had no faith. He had to remove those who would hinder the power of God through their bad attitudes and doubts.
Do you need to do that in your life as well? Are there people around you who just don’t believe that your prayer will ever be answered? Is there a friend, or someone who keeps telling you that there is no hope? Is there anyone who doubts whether you will stay the course and keep holding on to your faith? If there is, then you need to get away from those people before they drag you down with them. Get around people of faith! Get around people who will believe God with you and pray with you and encourage you to hold on until the answer comes.
Jesus could have spoken the word from the street and healed that young girl! He could have healed each of these people that we talked about without them having to struggle, and fight, and push, and shove, and tear off the roof of the house, and without having to put away the doubters and unbelievers, but he didn’t. He chose to allow events to happen to bring about the healing at the right time and the right place! He chose to test the faith, the courage and the perseverance of those who had to continue to pray and search for their answer. Then, in God’s time and in God’s way, their answers came because they never gave up!
It only takes one touch, or one word from the Master and the answer to your prayer will come. The question is, how long are you willing to pray? How long are you willing to hold on your faith? At what point will you quit praying and give up!
Have you been praying for healing for yourself or someone else – Never Give Up!
Have you been praying for salvation for your children, family or friends – Never Give Up!
Have you been praying for a revival in the church – Never Give Up!
Have you been praying for any specific need – Never Give Up!
Perhaps today will be your day for the answer to come. Maybe it will be tomorrow! In God’s time and in His way – the answer will come. JUST DON’T GIVE UP!
