Sermon Central
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With Wings Like Eagles
Contributed by John Gaston on Oct 8, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: A look at 11 species of Birds and how they resemble less-than-perfect Christians. Then see 5 characteristics of Eagles, God's example of believers, and how we need to be like them. The Holy Spirit is our wind!
WITH WINGS LIKE EAGLES
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties.
2. "They use him to keep crowds back," said one child. "No," said another, "he's just for good luck."
3. A third child brought the argument to a close. "They use the dogs”, she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrants....”
B. STATS ON CHRISTIANS
1. Statistics from Born Again Christians:
(1) Searching for purpose: 48% (2) In Too Much Debt: 40% (3) Needing New Friends: 50% (4) Stressed Out: 31% (5) Too Busy: 49%
2. Illustrate the busy of life and how youths even grow weary. We’re tired and weary, and yet most of us still want to do things for God, to be productive for Him, but it’s hard when we’re without strength!
3. Statistics say: Born Again Christians are tired and in need of personal renewal.
C. SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 40:28-31, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. (He’s busy!) He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. (Are you weary or weak?) Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” How long has it been since you experienced that kind of strength?
D. THESIS
1. The eagle is used as a simile in the Bible. A simile connects two unlike things by drawing like comparisons. The eagle is portrayed as an example for us of a creature who is able to maintain its strength. Why wasn’t some other bird used? What is unique about an eagle, among birds, that would give us hints on how we can maintain our spiritual strength?
2. I’m going to run through 10 or 11 types of birds and identify similarities between them and some members of the Body of Christ. Title: “With Wings Like Eagles.”
I. VARIETY OF BIRDS OF THE KINGDOM
Let’s take some time to find out just what type of Christian we are today.
A. THE CHICKEN
1. The chicken is generally afraid of life; selfdom flies or reaches its potential in life. The chicken basically just flaps around the chicken yard. Most of us spend our lives just flapping around rather than soaring.
2. When they get upset – they only get about 6 inches off the ground. They just flap around stirring up a bunch of dirt. Sooner or later – you are going to get tired of flapping and will want to learn how to soar. Flapping is equivalent to the works of the flesh in our lives. You never get anything done. Flapping wears you out! When you go home today… some of you can say – I got delivered from flapping.
3. The chicken is content with mediocrity. It is a fat, lazy bird usually spending most of its time scratching around the chicken yard for grubs and worms. They live inside the confines of a fence and are satisfied to do so.
When a storm arises, the first thing they do is RUN for the chicken house to huddle in fear with all the other chickens.
4. My goal in this series is that chickens will be turned into eagles.
B. THE MAGPIE
1. This is an overly aggressive bully who swoops down and harasses other animals and people.
2. This is the type of Christian who is abusive to others. He is selfish, arrogant and self-centered to the point of rudeness.
3. This type of person is disrespectful and causes much harm in the body of Christ.
C. THE KOOKABURRA
1. The Kookaburra is from Australia. He is loud and sounds like he’s laughing. They live around 20 years.
2. This is like the Christian who thinks life is one big party – one big joke. This person takes nothing seriously and laughs at everything, even when it is totally inappropriate. This person is a big clown. A coarse jester who wounds, hurts, and offends. He is not sensitive to people at all.
3. We need to pray that God would make us all more sensitive to those that are hurting around us.
4. Sometimes… when we have a problem in our own life – we think that is an excuse to be rude, unfeeling, and insensitive to those around us. If there was anything wonderful about Jesus – it was that he was compassionate and sensitive to those around him.
