Sermon # 10 - Unknown To Men But Significant To God Series

We read in 1 Corinthians 1:25, “This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.”(NLT)

As human beings, the two aspects of life that we seek and pursue after are worldly knowledge and strength. However, the truth is that if we were to simply function on the basis of our own wisdom and strength we will hardly achieve anything. On the other hand if the Lord were to work in and through us, we will observe as we have studied in the previous sermons, that multitudes will be added to the Kingdom of God.

In 1 Corinthians 1:25 Paul highlights the fact that even the so called foolish plans of God are far wiser than all of man’s wisdom, and His weakness far outweighs man’s strength. We will in this chapter look at the insignificant people that the Lord chose, to fulfill His great plans, many of whom were anonymous.

It’s only when we as children of God do what is required of us to do, that the Lord can do His part and perform wonders in our lives. It is erroneous for us to think that we should do nothing and the Lord will do everything for us. For instance, for Lazarus to come out of the grave, the people had to roll the stone away. In order for Jesus to turn the water into wine, the servants had to fill the jars with water, and only then they could experience the miracle. God is willing to intervene and accomplish the impossible, but often we hinder God’s blessings by not cooperating and doing our part.

The feeble lamb to break powerful Pharaoh

Previously, we considered in detail as to how the people of Israel in their bondage were crying out to the Lord in their distress to have mercy on them and save them. The solution that the Lord gave them might have seemed foolish to them. He instructed them to take a one year old male lamb without blemish, and sacrifice it. The lamb as we all know is a gentle and feeble animal. Pharaoh on the other hand was a strong and mighty king. The Lord used the sacrifice of a meek lamb to gain victory over powerful Pharaoh. That is God’s ways; God uses the weak things to nullify the strong.

Sometimes when we go to the Lord with our problems, He may counsel us to do something that may not fit our preplanned notion or ideas as to the way the problems should be solved. At such times, it is necessary that we heed the Lord’s advice, and do exactly as He instructs us, for He alone is all wise and knows exactly what is right and best for any difficulty we may face.

When the weak, useless and worthless are placed in the hands of God, He can do the amazing with them. That is the reason none of us should feel we are worthless or are nobodies because, the Lord chooses to use such people for His greater glory. Look for example at Peter, the disciple of Jesus, who denied Jesus three times. He was a scared and timid man but the Lord strengthened him, and filled him with His Holy Spirit. What happened as a result was that when the very same Peter stood up and spoke God’s word boldly, 3000 people were added to the Kingdom of God in one day. The one who is in us is a great God, and He can do things far beyond our thinking and understanding if we are willing to submit to His will.

Satan the enemy had dominion and rule over us, but because Jesus the Lamb of God shed His precious blood on our behalf, He abolished and destroyed the power of Satan over our lives. We are now able to live victorious lives as children of God.

1. The man who carried a water jar

We read in Mark 14:12-13, “On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus' disciples asked Him, "Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?” Jesus said to two of the disciples, "Go into the city, where you will meet a man carrying a jar of water. Follow him,” (CEV)

The Jews celebrated the Passover festival year after year. They observed every detail of that first Passover event as a reminder of the mighty way the Lord delivered them from the cruel hands of Pharaoh, and the Egyptians. Jesus being a Jew Himself, wanted to celebrate the Passover. He called two of His disciples and asked them to go into Jerusalem to meet and follow a man who would be carrying a jar of water. Jesus was still outside of Jerusalem, and He knew that if He went into Jerusalem, the Jews and the religious leaders were on the look out to find Him, and have Him arrested and killed. However, it was very important for Jesus to celebrate the Passover, as this was the time when He would to announce to His disciples that He was indeed the Passover Lamb who was going to be sacrificed for the sins of the world. The sign given to the disciples, was that they follow a man who would be carrying a water jar. In the Jewish society it was more common to see women with water jars, and so the uncommon sight of a man carrying the water jar was what led the disciples to the house where the Passover was to be prepared. We see how this man whose name has not been mentioned, became the important link only because in his small way, he was doing what the Lord wanted him to do at that point of time.