Rev. David Holwick E
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
February 18, 1996
2 Kings 18:17-22
|
I. Trapped in the maze.
A. The frustration of our lives.
1) Stress, dead-end jobs, unfulfilling relationships...
2) I don't know if this generation is any more "uptight" or
anxious than the last one.
However, a seminar leader made a statement recently that
caught Tony Campolo's attention.
The statement was this: "Twenty years ago people were asking:
'How can I get to heaven?'
Today people are asking: 'How can I get through this day?'"
A recent study showed that in the early 1900s the top ten
killers of people in the U.S. were all infectious diseases.
In the 1990s it is estimated that the top ten killers are
all stress-related diseases.
Our death rate has been substantially reduced by doctors,
better economic conditions, and food regulations.
We live a lot longer than our grandparents.
But are our lives better?
Or have they just gotten more and more complicated?
#2904
3) Clinton's "State of Union" address:
"Our economy is stronger than at any time in last 30 years."
Forbes responded, "Yes, but tell that to families that
are working two jobs and still not hacking it.
No matter how good things may be overall, disaster could
be lurking right around the corner for most of us.
B. Sometimes it's really bad.
1) Jerusalem surrounded by enemies. 2 Kg 18:13
a) Each city had fallen, except Jerusalem.
b) Fall of Lachish was so significant he built a museum
with stone pictures of the battle. 18:17
2) Sennacherib was so successful he thought God must be
behind him. 18:25
3) Jews had bought him off, but he was back again. 18:15
4) In desperation, they prayed to God. 19:1
C. "On what are you basing this confidence of yours?" 18:19
1) Confidence needs a basis.
2) Humans tend to fail. (Egypt) 18:21
3) There are times when we have to believe in something
greater - God.
II. More than one way to believe.
A. Belief as accepting spiritual facts.
1) We must believe God exists, and that Jesus died for our
sins.
2) This is necessary, but by itself can lead to a dead faith.
3) God did stuff thousands of years ago - what about now?
B. Belief as daily trust in our Creator God.
1) Faith as anticipation.
a) Commit job, family problems, worries to God.
2) God can do powerful things for us today.
a) More than we can ask or imagine. Eph 3:20
III. Believing against hope.
A. God can make a way, even in desperate situations.
1) In their hopeless situation, the prophet Isaiah gave a
startling prediction to King Hezekiah:
a) Sennacherib will be assassinated. 19:7
b) Jerusalem would not be besieged or captured. 19:32
c) The Assyrians would leave. 19:33
2) It happened just this way.
a) The next day, a plague cut their army down. 19:35
b) Sennacherib withdrew.
He erected an inscribed monument about the campaign
that has been recovered by archaeologists.
On it he claims to have "shut up Jerusalem like a bird
in a cage."
He shut them up, but he didn't conquer them.
c) His own sons later assassinated him. 19:37
B. Modern Christians have also seen God act in marvelous ways.
Listen to the words of Reynaldo Mendoza of the Philippines:
"Both of my parents were heavy drinkers, and neither of them
had a permanent job.
Following in their footsteps, I, too, became an alcoholic
and lived a very miserable life.
Besides being addicted to drink, I was a womanizer and a
gambler.
My wife, Alice, was also a gambler, and we constantly
quarreled.
Both of us neglected our children.
"I robbed people to get money, and then I started using drugs.
I was in and out of jail, and yet I did not change.
But I had a friend who faithfully witnessed to me.
I tried to ignore him, but one day the Lord took our eldest
child away from us.
I fell into a deep depression because of his death and
turned to false gods, but there was no change in my life.
"Then a fire swept through the squatter area in which we
lived.
Not only did we lose our house, but we lost every earthly
possession we had.
"I was invited to some evangelistic meetings, and after I
had attended twice, a pastor came to my wife and me.
He asked about our need for food and shelter.
Not long after, he surprised us when he came with materials
to help us rebuild our house.
"The pastor asked Alice and me if we would like to join a
home Bible study.
We accepted, and through the Bible study I truly came to know
the Lord.
"I was drunk when I made the decision to trust Christ as my
Lord and Savior.
But even though I was drunk, the Lord greatly convicted me
of my sins.
Knowing I was drunk, my wife thought I didn't mean what I was
saying when I cried out to the Lord and told Him that I
wanted Him to change my life.
It was June 16, 1993, and from that day to this, the Lord
took away my desire for my previous sinful lifestyle.
It was only a few months later that my wife joined me in
trusting the Lord.
"Right now, the Lord is using me as a Bible study and worship
leader, and in evangelism.
I praise and thank the Lord for what He has done in my life!"
#3369
IV. Does believing really work?
A. A positive attitude is always good.
1) Doctors say up to 90% of all illness is emotionally induced.
2) What we focus on determines our actions.
3) However, "believing" requires more than positive thinking.
B. Trust in God is even better.
1) Not just coincidences, but actual deliverance.
2) He can answer prayers.
3) He can make a way for us.
C. Ask God for help.
1) Can't get help if you don't ask.
D. Believe he is working for you, even when you don't see it right
away.
V. How do YOU believe?
A. Assess your relationship with God.
1) Is it real, or same old habits?
2) Are you using your faith?
National Public Radio gave an interesting illustration a
few years ago.
In 1958, America's first commercial jet air service began
with the flight of the Boeing 707.
A month after that first flight, a traveler on a
piston-engine, propeller-driven DC-6 airliner struck up
a conversation with a fellow passenger.
The passenger happened to be a Boeing engineer.
The traveler asked the engineer about the new jet aircraft.
The engineer began speaking at length about the extensive
testing Boeing had done on the jet engine before bringing
it into commercial service.
He recounted Boeing's experience with engines, from the B-17
to the B-52.
When his travelling companion asked him if he himself had yet
flown on the new 707 jet airliner, the engineer replied,
'I think I'll wait until it's been in service awhile.'"
There's talking faith, and real faith.
Which do you have?
#1890
B. Remind yourself of what you believe.
1) Maarten from Holland, who was amazed at all the Bible verses
Christians in America hang on their walls.
2) Related to OT advice: hang it on your forehead and walls.
C. Tell others.
1) Lots of weird ideas about Christian faith out there.
2) Jews were so corrupt Sennacherib thought Hezekiah was
overthrowing their religion.
D. Step out in faith.
1) Sometimes you have to do this literally.
For many years Fran Tarkenton was the scrambling quarterback
of the Minnesota Vikings and before that the Univ of GA.
He was one of the most effective passers in NFL history.
Since leaving football he has amassed a personal fortune of
over $60 million.
In a recent interview, Tarkenton revealed for the first time
how he became the starting quarterback in college.
The University of Georgia was playing the University of Texas.
Tarkenton was the third-string quarterback on Georgia's team
with no one predicting he would advance beyond that lowly
position.
In this particular game Georgia was having a difficult time
moving the ball.
Indeed, late in the third quarter they did not have a single
first down.
Now they were backed up near their own end zone.
It was third down.
Suddenly, this young third-string quarterback started out
onto the field.
No one had told him to go into the game.
However, no one tried to stop him either.
The first-string quarterback saw Tarkenton heading to the
huddle and assumed that the coach had decided to replace
him, so he trotted off the field.
Tarkenton took charge, led the team down the field for a
touchdown, and the rest is history, as they say.
He was started on one of the most remarkable careers the
sports world has ever seen.
#2749
2) What is one thing you want to change?
3) Are you willing to trust God for it?
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
Created with the Freeware Edition of HelpNDoc: Free help authoring environment