U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
Camp Walker
Taegu South Korea
BIG IDEA: Although parents, family members, and friends may sometimes ABANDON YOU; GOD – THE FATHER can be trusted never to LEAVE YOU ALONE, AND NEVER TO ABANDON YOU.
REFERENCES: Mark 15:41-47 (MSG); Zech. 13:7 KJV (Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones). Ps. 22:1-12 KJV (David complains in great discouragement); John 16:31-33 (KJV)
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Psalms 22:1-3; John 16:31-33
II. READ THE PERICOPE: Psalms 22:1-3; John 16:31-33 (KJV)
III. READ THE TEXT: John 16:33 (These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world).
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others (in the midst of difficulties and tough times) TO CHEER-UP because JESUS HAS RISEN AND HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD.
SERMONIC THEME: “A Few More Scenes”
INTRODUCTION: Happy Resurrection Sunday 2005 to all. It’s my prayer that this Resurrection Sunday is and will become the most memorable one of all. God bless you and yours is my prayer. Now, I want to take a few minutes to reverberate upon a few things. One of which, is the fact that “this past year, to say the least, has been the most challenging year of my 42 years of living.”
To be honest with you, the CHURCH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SAFE HAVEN FOR ME. I was raised in the church; and was baptized when I was 12 years old. I’ve always found the church to be a HOUSE OF REFUGE; whenever I needed a shoulder to CRY ON; I could find that shoulder in GOD’S HOUSE. Whenever, I needed SOME LOVE THAT PERHAPS TWO ALCOHOLIC PARENTS WERE TO DIVERTED TO PROVIDE; I COULD ALWAYS GET love THE CHURCH ... in the form of Sunday School Teachers, deacons and other leaders in ministry.
****************** TAKE 5 BEATS ********************
MOVE 1: It wasn’t until I arrived here that I EXPEREIENCED BIGOTRY FROM a priest, other believers, and chaplains.
a. As an All American “only child” of Kenneth Sr,. and
Doloretha Lucille Harris, I can honestly say that I had never
before ...gotten into in kind of trouble with any regulations
(or law) ...
b. Of course, as an American of African Decent, I had heard,
studied, and read about prejudices, and racism (IN THE
CHURCH) but personally, I had never experienced any real
deep, overt and direct forms of BIGOTRY until I arrived
here.
c. AS A RESULT, to be totally honest with you ... there has
been times that I’ve felt ABANDONED AND GODLESS. Yes,
since I’ve been here, I have had moments when I didn’t
even think God LOVED me.
d. I have SECRETLY felt hurt, hopeless, forgotten, ... so much
so ... that I was overwhelmed with tears ... How could the
LORD that I was raised up on .... allow me to experienced
such pain?
*********************TAKE 5 BEATS******************
MOVE 2: How could He sit back and watch His Kenny go
through (with fellow believers of the Church 0f Jesus Christ) what I’ve been through ..... since I been here?
a. Doesn’t Jesus Know What this Feel Like?
b. And the answer is a resounding ... YES ... God knows all
about it ...
c. ... God has kept no secrets.
d. He understands our thoughts and He feels our pains.
MOVE 3: Still, He has told us that, while on this yellow brick road (of life), we will experience trouble.
a. Job says (in Job 14:1) that a man born of a woman is of a
few days and full of trouble.
b. Disease will afflict bodies.
c. Divorce will break hearts.
d. Parents will leave us.
e. Death will make widows and devastation will destroy countries.
f. Still, We should not expect any less.
*************** TAKE 5 BEATS **********************
MOVE 4: Who can ever forget the WORDS of David (The Psalmist) in Psalm 22 ... when he was going through his difficulties and complained of great DISCOURAGEMENT ...
a. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
b. O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
c. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
d. But just because the devil shows up and CACKLES and throws at us GREAT DISCOURAGEMENT by way of believers ...
e. ... we needn’t panic.
******************** TAKE 5 BEATS ******************
MOVE 5: For don’t you remember ... Isaiah says (in Isaiah
54:17) ...
a. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
b. Now in our text, this Resurrection Sunday, The Book of John is a book written by Jesus closest disciple ...
c. the one whom He Loved (John).
d. John paints a picture throughout that Jesus is the Son of God ... (Tell the Story of the Resurrection from Thursday’s Garden experience, “Doing A Joseph of Arimathea, through Sunday ... early resurrection).
e. Still ... God The Father doesn’t abandoned Jesus ... even though at times it may look and feel like it.
f. ... In John 19:30 ... we can hear Our Master speaking of an accomplished deed ... when He says ... “IT IS FINISHED” ...
g. In Other Words ... The battle is over. Jesus Won ... we need to be alert.
h. But don’t be alarmed ...
******************* TAKE 5 BEATS ****************
CELEBRATION: The manuscript has been published.
The book has been bound. Satan is loosed for a season, but the season is OH-SO-BRIEF ...
Just a few more scenes, just a few more turns in the road,
just a few more assignments, ....
just a few more trials, .... of having folk throw accusations at you ...
just a few more lies and deceptions ...
BECAUSE JESUS HAS RISEN ... HE IS ALIVE ... FOREVER MORE ... JUST A FEW MORE SECENES ... AND WE’LL SEE HIM
FOR OURSELVES ....
