The Significance Of Insignificance Series

Andy Eddington, once the president of Shriner College in Texas, loved sugar in his coffee. On one occasion at a greasy spoon near Dallas, he dumped not one, not two, but three teaspoonful’s of sugar in his coffee. As the waitress watched, Andy said, “Ma'am, we're going to need more sugar for this table.”

This Texas waitress looked at Andy and said, “Listen, bud, before I give you more sugar, you stir what you got.” (Thomas Tewell, pastor, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York, New York; from a plenary address at the Preaching with Passion Conference, 5-31-01; www.PreachingToday.com)

Sometimes we think we need more to serve the Lord effectively – more money, more skill, or more people. But often the Holy Spirit says to us, “Stir what you got.”

The fact is God has given us plenty of resources to serve him well and to serve him effectively in this place. I know the task seems overwhelming at times, but we really do have everything we need to expand God’s Kingdom right here in central Kansas and to equip people to follow Christ.

You say, “Pastor Phil what do we have? Our church is small. What resources do we have to make any real difference here in the long run? Well, if you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Mark 4, Mark 4, where Jesus shows us those resources in three parables about the expansion of His Kingdom anywhere in this world.

Mark 4:21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? (NIV)

A better translation would be, “Does THE Lamp COME to be under a bowl or a bed? Is it not put on the lamp stand?”

Mark 4:22-23 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” (NIV)

Understand what Jesus is saying. Jesus is THE Lamp, and He didn’t come into the world to be hidden. No. Just like light, He came to shine. He came to reveal Himself to the world, and He is our first resource. My friends…

WE HAVE JESUS!

We have the Lord. All we need to do is let him shine. All we need to do is turn him loose.

In the early days of Promise Keepers, when they still had just one stadium event a year in Boulder, Colorado, a newspaper reporter interviewed E. V. Hill, one of the speakers. The reporter asked him, “What is Promise Keepers all about? What do you do?”

E.V. Hill responded, “We’re all about Jesus. We talk about Jesus.”

And the reporter said, “Is that all?”

“Is that all?” E. V. Hill reported to the Promise Keepers crowd. “They don’t know who He is!”

Well just who is Jesus? Let’s let S. M. Lockridge show us who He is. Show That’s My King video (by S. M. Lockridge, 3½ min.).

“The Bible says my King is a seven-way king. He's the King of the Jews. He's the King of Israel. He's the King of Righteousness. He's the King of the Ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of Glory. He's the King of kings, and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King. Well....I wonder, do you know Him?

“David said, "The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork." My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings. He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. Do you know Him?

“He's the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's Savior. He's the centerpiece of civilization. He stands in the solitude of Himself. He's august and He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He is the loftiest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He is the supreme problem in higher criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology. He is the cardinal necessity for spiritual religion. He's the miracle of the age. He's – yes He is – He is the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He's the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Savior. I wonder if you know Him today?

“He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He strengthens and sustains. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick. He cleansed the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharges debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent....and He beautifies the meek. I wonder if you know Him?