2 April 06
James 1:2 (KJV)
Mark 1:17 (KJV)
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
CP Walker Multicultural Gospel Service
Taegue, South Korea
BIG IDEA: What the world means by peace and what the Bible means are two different things altogether. The peace of this world is deliverance from tribulation; the peace of God is the result of deliverance from self. World peace is manmade, spiritual peace is God-given.
REFERENCES: Acts 16:11-40 (Paul in Macedonia and Philippi) Philippians 4:1-6 (KJV); Psalms 30:5b – David praises God for deliverance - … weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning (KJV); Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG) – I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for; Psalms 27:5 (KJV) For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock; Job 14:1 (KJV) – Man that is born of a woman is of a few days and full of trouble.
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: James 1:2 (KJV) & Mark 1:17 (17)
II. READ THE PERICOPE: James 1:2 (KJV) & Mark 1:17 (KJV)
III. READ THE TEXT: James 1:2 (KJV) My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
&
Mark 1:17 (KJV) And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
IV: PURPOSE: To motivate hearers to REJOICE by finding the power to endure and overcome their troubles through their knowledge of Christ and their inward joy of salvation.
INTRODUCTION:
How many of you, today, would love to go to heaven? In fact, if you responded, yes, I would love to go to heaven, please stand-up. You maybe seated!
Now, those of you that desire to experience some “serious trouble, hard times, trials, and tribulations right now, please stand!
Hmmm, is there a reason why no one is standing right now?
Just as I thought, we all want to go to heaven. But, none of us want to go through the path of serious troubles, hard times, trials, and tribulations to get there!
Yet, troubles, hard times, trials and tribulations are all experiences WE MUST encounter enroute to our heavenly home and final destination.
But, ironically, the Bible doesn’t just informs of this knowledge; it also tells us that we should go through these experiences with a certain MENTAL DISPOSTION … called DOUBLE JOY!
In fact, James (the brother of Jesus himself says … in James 1:2) My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.
Now, my brothers and my sisters, the New Testament often links JOY with persecution.
And Jesus spoke in prayer of the antagonism of the world to him, and to his followers and asked that his followers might have “the full measure” of his joy within them (John 17:13).
Ironically, in the original Greek Language of the text, the word JOY isn’t used here. Instead the word JOY is replaced with the word REJOICE.
Rejoice means to have been filled with joy. So, in a sense, the word REJOICE means to SURPASS BEING GLAD AND EXCEED JOY TO HAVE GREAT JOY OR DOUBLE JOY!
Tracing the concept of JOY through the Bible helps us realize that our happiness, like our hope, is founded on realities that are unaffected by conditions in this World.
Turn to your neighbor and say … WEEPING MAY ENDURE for a night; But, JOY cometh in the morning! I’m going through right now … but I’m coming out; and I’m coming out better than I were before this crisis (or trouble …)
Because God has my back!
*******************Take 5 Beats **********************
MOVE 1: For you see, my brothers and sisters, What the world means by peace and what the Bible means are two different things altogether.
a. The peace of this world is deliverance from tribulation;
b. the peace of God is the result of deliverance from self.
c. Your biggest enemy is not that person sitting on your right or left.
d. But, I contend this afternoon that your biggest enemy is YOU!
e. Therefore, the Peace of God is the result of deliverance from self.
f. I submit to you today that the MOST NOTORIOUS ENEMY of your faith is yourself.
g. You yielding to THE FLESH, YOU desiring to do what YOU want to do … and NOT what God would have you to do.
*********************Take 5 Beats****************
MOVE 3: World peace is manmade, SPIRITUAL peace is God-
given.
a. For you see, sometimes there’s no human OR MANMADE explanation for the LACK OF PEACE, or physical or mental pain that we experience.
b. I can’t always explain WHY someone who is extremely faithful to the Lord’s Work (and his ministry) seemily doesn’t have any PEACE … NO PEACE.
c. But, from a Bibilical/Religious standpoint, in the big scope of things there is always a BIGGER PICTURE in mind.
d. It’s not all about you and me.
********************Take 5 Beats ********************
MOVE 4: God has others that He wants to bring into the fold;
a. … and if He didn’t allow your circumstance, and my circumstance to happen – they (those that are outside the Ark of Safety) would never come aboard the Ship of SALVATION!
b. And although it’s not always easy to swallow, the fact remains:
c. … Though this trouble or situation caught you and me by surprise; it did not catch God by surprise.
e. And although what we’re going through has caused us many sleepless nights; and many fallen tears – please hear me when I say …
f. …“THIS TOO SHALL PASS” … we can pray and fast all we want, but IN SOME CASES, in order to GET THROUGH, we have to GO THROUGH …
******************Take 5 Beats***********************
MOVE 5: The fact remains that every fish in the sea can not be caught by the same bait OR THE SAME FISHERMEN.
a. Small baits are fine for some.
b. But, there are some (FISH if you understand my analogy that God has need of using) that require us to use a BIGGER BAIT,
c. …DIFFERENT TECHNIQUE or to go through a deeper STRUGGLE/Trial to CATCH THE FISH.
d. For don’t you remember … The only mouth and hands that God has on this earth belongs to us.
e. So, sometimes he uses us as CHRISTIAN BAIT to catch others. For who can ever forget what Jesus said to Peter in Mark 1:17 (… Come ye after me, and I will make you … to become fishers of men).
f. In order to become Fishers of Men … we have to be made. We have to go through some TROUBLES, HARD TIMES and DIFFICULTIES …
g. Every sickness isn’t unto death … Some sicknesses are design with your healthcare professional in mind.
h. Some doctors would never receive Jesus as their personal SAVIOR, if it hadn’t been for the HEALING … that JESUS had to MAKE YOU go through …!
i. Turn and say to at least 3 people“GOD IS MAKING YOU …
*****************Take 5 Beats ***********************
MOVE 6: Your situation is BAD but God is making you; your finances are low, BUT GOD is MAKING you …
a. … On the job … if it’s not one thing, it’s another … BUT GOD IS MAKING YOU …
b. Turn to your neighbor and say … “GOD IS MAKING ME right now … And regardless of how my situation looks, right now, He using the RIGHT BAIT!
c. I just have to hang in here … a little while longer … and we’re going to HAVE A FISH-FRY!”
d. Job says it best in Job 14:1 (KJV) when he said: Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.
*****************Take 5 Beats ***********************
MOVE 7: Who can ever forget the STORY of Paul and Silas and their Philippian Church Building Experiences?
For don’t you remember – according to Acts 16:1-40 – Paul saw a vision which ultimately led him to Macedonia and specifically to Philippi.
a. While Paul was in Philippi, he did awesome ministry. His vision resulted in his encounter with Lydia and starting the Church at Philippi (Philippian).
b. But, that wasn’t the Sum Total of Paul’s experiences in Philippi.
c. Apparently, one of the locals had a young girl making him some hugh bucks by reading folk palms and Fortune Telling. In otherwords, this young girl was a Soothsayer.
d. Everywhere Paul went, she was there. Every where he turned, she was there … uttering to the masses that Paul and Silas were Men of God!
e. Eventually, Paul became extremely irritable with her utterances. So much so that he cast the DEVIL OUT OF HER LIFE.
f. But, it was this exorcism that led to hard times, and troubles.
g. But, it also led to many souls being won for God and the furtherance of His KINGDOM (Tell the prison story).
i. Now, Turn to your neighbor and say … IT’s not about you … ONLY! You are being MADE TO GO THROUGH in order to help someone else later!
j. For you see, God has others that He’s also calling to be of this FOLD.
*********************Take 5 Beats********************
CELEBRATION:
Now, most of you can easily recall who King David was in the Bible.
How can we ever forget the Giant Slayer? And who doesn’t recall what He said in Psalms 27?
One of the things that I’ve always admire about King David, the most, is the fact that he realized where his help, in the midst of trouble, came from.
For don’t you recall the poignant words that he uttered in Psalms 27 (KJV)?
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. 4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
