A sermon by Pastor Ken Burisek
The Ole’ Country Church
Medford, Wi
To get in the right frame of mind we opened by singing some Country Gospel Train Songs---Glory Train---Life’s Railway to Heaven--Long Black Train---etc.
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Sermon---The Little Engine that DID !!!
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Scripture---Phillipians 4:13
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Opening humor---
An old man who’d lived all his life back up in the hills came to visit a friend who had moved ta the city .
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Now this ole’ mountain man had never laid eyes on a train or even seen a railroad track before.
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Standin’ in the middle of the tracks one day, he heard a distant whistle... WOOOO--ooo---OOOOO! but didn’t have a clue as to what it mean’t or even that he was in any danger.
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All of a sudden---wham....the old boy is hit !!!
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Luckily it’s just a side swipe, and he’s thrown clear, head over heels off the tracks, and get’s off with only minor injuries, a few broken bones, and some bruises.
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After weeks in the hospital recoverin’, he visits a friend’s house fer dinner one evenin’.
Standin’ in the kitchen, he hears the risin’ whistle of the family tea kettle wooOOO....
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He quickly jumps into action---grabs a rollin’ pin and mercilessly bashes, pounds, and smashes the tea kettle into a useless, blob of twisted copper.
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His friend hears the comotion and rushes into the kitchen, sees what’s happened and asks his friend, "Why in tarnation did ya smash mah tea kettle like that ?"
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The mountain man replies: "Believe me from experience---you gotta kill these kritters whils’t thar still small."
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The Little Engine that DID !!!
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How many here today remember that little kids story about (based in part on) "The Little Engine that Could" (by Watty Piper) ???
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Today we’re gonna learn some Bible truths from that little story.
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The story is told about a tiny little ole’ steam engine that’s pullin’ this long train of cars.
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How many of us here taday are pullin’ a long train of cars along the road of life ???
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Every one of us are like that little ole’ engine---back when we was born we were just like a brand new steam train engine---all shiney n’ new---with no cars attached---but wasn’t very long after we was hatched---we started addin’ cars to our train.
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When ya think about it---a newborn baby is about the most self-centered kritter on this earth---Amen !!!
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What’s the first car we’re gonna add to our train---anyone who is a parent ought-a know that ???
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It’s gotta be the coal car---the car that feeds the engine right---when baby is hungry or needs a changin’---he’s gonna cry til he gets what he wants---that cute little darlin’ don’t give a hoot if it’s 2:30 in the mornin’---he wants it NOW !!! Amen !!!
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When ya think about it---thars a whole heap of grown-up folks that are still haulin’ around that first train car---Amen !!!
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As we go along the tracks of life---we ad car after car after car to our train all filled with the baggage of life .
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Object lesson---(Draw a train with cars on a white board---have people name some of those cars---using a volunteer to draw will make it even more fun)
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The cars are filled with things like bad habits---maybe some sins in our life that we just can’t seem to let go---trials and tribulations of life---tragedies---misfortune---sickness---financial struggles---broken realationships---and the list goes on and on and the train grows longer and longer as well as heavier and heavier.
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Psalms 38:4 says---For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
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As the story goes on---the little train seems to be doing pretty well on his own---chugging along---pullin’ that long train of cars---when all of a sudden the tracks start headin’ up this steep mountain.
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The little engine pulled and pulled but couldn’t even budge the train cars.
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How many here today were ever tryin’t ta climb a mountain in thar lives and they just couldn’t move ???
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Sometimes it just seems thar just ain’t no way out-a the predicament we’re in !!!
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Not only are we facin’ those mountains---but we’re pullin’ that whole long train right along with us as we try to overcome it !!!
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The Bible tells us it takes faith to overcome those mountains !!! Amen !!!
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Mark 11:23 says---For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
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The little engine found himself in a predicament---in trouble---couldn’t move---no way out on his own !!!
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Would the little engine be all puffed up with pride and refuse to admit he needed help ???
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What’s the first step in any rehab program---ya gotta admit
what ???
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We gotta be willin’ to admit we have a problem and need help !!!
Amen !!!
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In Youngs Literal Translation---Proverbs 16:18 says---Before destruction [is] pride, And before stumbling -- a haughty spirit.’
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Every one of us know folks that have a false sense of pride that keeps them from asking for help---and if we’re all real honest---I’m willin’ ta bet ever’ one of us has been guilty of doin’ that at one time or another !!!
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But the little engine wasn’t prideful---he admitted to himself that he needed help---so he did what the world would say is the sensible thing---leave the train and go find someone to help you pull that heavy train up that mountain !!!
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(Get congregation immitating train sound as group) Choo---choo---choo---the little train chugged along and met a gigantic powerful locomotive---surely he can help me !!!
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The little engine asks the gigantic engine to help---explainin’ his problem.
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The big engine says---can’t ya see---I’m done workin’ fer the day---I’ve been scrubbed n’ polished n’ oiled for my next run---NO !!!---I just can’t help you.
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That’s kind-a like when ole’ Coot Wiley n’ his wife was havin’ trouble makin’ ends meet---(Ole’ Coot once said---make ends meet---I can’t even make em’ look at each other)---well anyhow---they drive over ta that big---fancy---shiney---new bank fixin’ ta get themselves a loan ta tide em’ over---so they drive over thar in that ole’ rusted out chevy---and when they get thar the first thing that ole’ banker does is ask em’ "What kind-a assets do ya got !!!"
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Course Ole’ Coot had no i-dee-er what that banker was talkin’ about so he started explainin’ how they had these six chairs n’ a sofa and when company come they had this here ole’ apple box with a cushion on it that ya could use as an asset if ya needed an extree’ one !!!
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Well that ole’ stuffed shirt banker just piped up n’ said "what on earth does that have ta do with yer assets ???---I want ta know what you own---land---stocks---bonds---bank accounts---
cash ???"
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Coot says ta the banker---"Well I ain’t got nothin’ like that---that’s why I need the loan don’t ya see---ifn’ I had all that I wouldn’t need no loan !!!"
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The banker coldly says---"Yer out-a here---we can’t give you a loan if you don’t have any collateral" !!!
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Then Ole’ Coot said---" I had p-monia once but I ain’t never had the collateral !!!---does that mean I don’t get the loan ???"
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Well Ole’ Coot found out banks only give loans ta folks that can prove they don’t really need one in the first place !!!
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The Bible says in Galatians 6:2---Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
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The little engine was still on track---looking for someone to help him bear his burdens---Amen !!!
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The little engine wouldn’t give up---he kept on chugging down that track---choo---choo---choo !!! (Have congregation immitate train sound as a group)
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Now he came upon another great locomotive---but it was all dirty and worn and tired havin’ just come back from a long
haul !!!
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He again asked this great engine---could you please help me to pull my heavy train up the mountain ???
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The great locomotive---let off a huge puff of steam---and said---can’t you see I’m tired---get someone else to help you !!!
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A church was saddened to learn this week of the death of one of it’s most valued members, Someone Else.
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Someone’s passing created a vacancy that would be difficult to fill.
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Else had been with them for many years and for every one of those years, Someone did far more than a normal person’s share of the work.
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Whenever there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, one name was always on everyone’s list, "Let Someone Else do it."
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Whenever leadership was mentioned, this wonderful person was looked to for inspiration as well as results; "Someone Else can work with that group."
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It was common knowledge that Someone Else was among the most liberal givers in that church.
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Whenever there was a financial need, everyone always assumed Someone Else would make up the difference.
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Someone Else was a wonderful person; sometimes appearing superhuman.
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Were the truth known, everybody expected too much of Someone Else.
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Now that Someone Else was gone they wondered what they were going to do.
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Someone Else left a wonderful example to follow, but who was going to follow it?
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Who was going to do the things Someone Else did?
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The pastor then told this to his congregation---when you are asked to help this year, remember---we can’t depend on Someone Else anymore.
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Not to be discouraged---the little engine kept chugging down the track---hoping to find someone who could help him---choo---choo---choo !!!
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Pretty soon the little engine comes up to another little engine just like himself---they could-a been twins !!!
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The little engine asks---will you help me pull my heavy load up that mountain ???
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Our story will be a little different from the original from this point on !!!
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Yes indeed !!!---said the other little engine---I’ll be happy to help you---and at the top of the mountain is someone very special I’d like you to meet !!!
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The two trains happily chugged to the head of the train---choo---choo---choo !!!
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With both of them pullin’ together---the train slowly began to move and they began climbing up the mountain---the heavy cars still in tow !!! (Object lesson---draw picture on white board---train climbing mountain---using a volunteer to draw will make it more fun)
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They began to sing together---I think I can---I think I can---I think I can---I think I can !!!
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Phillipians 4:13 tells us---I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me !!!
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As the little engines reached the top of the mountain---they saw the shadow of three crosses extending across the tracks.(Object Lesson---ad three crosses on top of mountain)
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The Little Engine that Could---asked the new little engine---what does that mean ???
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Then the new little engine shared the Easter Message with The Little Engine That Could !!!
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How God loved every one of us so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cruel cross of Calvary !!!
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The Little Engine that Could said---that’s such a terrible thing---poor Jesus !!!
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Then the new little engine says---but you don’t understand---now I’m going to tell you what happened next---after being buried for three days---Jesus rose from the dead---and He’s alive !!!
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John 3:16 says---For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son---that whosoever believeth in Him---should not perish---but have everlasting life !!!
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Jesus died to set us free---I once pulled a long---heavy---train just like you---but Jesus set me free !!!
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Oh---I want to believe---said the Little Engine that Could---how can I be set free ???
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John 8:36 says---If the Son therefore shall make you free---ye shall be free indeed !!!---and I Peter 5:7 says---Casting ALL your care upon HIM---for HE careth for you !!!
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Then the Little Engine that Could said-what do I need to do now?
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The Bible tells us in Romans 10:9-10 to do this---For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
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For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
(New Living Translation)
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Then the Little Engine that Could---prayed---I believe in you Jesus---please save me and set me free !!!
And that very instant---the long train that he had been pulling for so long---unhitched itself---and rolled down the mountain---and the Little Engine that Could was no longer burdened with the baggage of his past !!! Amen !!! (Object Lesson---erase the train cars)
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Phillipians 3:13-14 tells us this---No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,---I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. (New Living Translation)
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Now he was the Little Engine that DID and he hollered excitedly---I’m free---I’m free---I’m free !!!---And not only that---Jesus Himself hopped on board and now He’s in the drivers seat instead-a me !!!
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Let me ask you this today ???---Have you been set free ???---Ya can’t get into heaven carryin’ yer baggage, we need ta let it go !!! ---Have you given Jesus the drivers seat in your life ???---Are you like the Little Engine that DID !!!
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Maybe you do know Jesus Christ as your personal savior---are you like the new little engine---are you inviting folks to the top of the mountain so they can meet up with Jesus ???
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Rev 3:20 says---Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
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Have you opened the door of your heart and allowed Jesus to come in ???
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Lets Pray
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Altar Call/Invitation
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Closing Song_________
