the big IF
Posted by: preacher30673 <preacher30673@...>
Luke 5:18-26
THE BIG IF
Duke University Basketball Coach who is known as "Coach K" said, "If it is important to you, you will find a way. If it's not, you'll find an excuse."
There is an old worldly proverb that we have all heard: "Where there's a will there's a way."
The account of the healing of a paralyzed man is recorded in the gospels.
A. Impulse that was shared
Four sympathetic men carried another man on a stretcher to Jesus Christ the Lord. Someone described these four men as united, unselfish, urgent, and undaunted.
Four men come determined to get their friend to Jesus. However, because of the multitude they were hindered.
Notice the perception of the Lord. Luke 5:20a reads, "When He saw their faith. . ." Matthew 9:2b reads, "When Jesus saw their faith. . ." Mark 2:5a reads, "When Jesus saw their faith.".
B. INGENUITY that was SUCCESSFUL
The creativity of four nameless men who brought their friend to Jesus has long been a challenge to me.
There are four kinds of people. There are Cop-outs, Hold-outs, Drop-outs and All-outs. These men were All-outs for the task at hand.
C. Impression that was SURPRISING (26)
We get our word "paradox" from the word "strange." It speaks of that which is extraordinary.
They had witnesses a strange power in the Son of God. They had witnessed a strange passion in the four men.
It is this passion of the four men that I want to consider tonight.
I. How fervent is YOur desire to bring people to Jesus?
These men were fervent in their desire to get their friend to Jesus.
Are you passionate about seeing people come to Christ?
"A man's religion may well be suspected when he is content to go to heaven alone."
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW THE VALUE OF SALVATION WITHOUT DESIRING FOR OTHERS TO KNOW IT AS WELL.
"Do you want to go to heaven alone? I fear you will never go there. Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that!." C.H. SPURGEON
Romans 10:1 - Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
Let us look at Paul desire and prayer.
A. It was Sincere
Paul was not half-hearted in his burden for Israel. It was not something he thought of on occasion; he was genuinely burdened for them. He continually carried a burden for the lost of Israel and desired that they come to know the Lord.
Souls, was a consuming passion of his.
"Surely it is an intolerable disgrace to anyone to profess to be a Christian, and have no concern about the souls of others, while they are perishing by millions."
B. It was Specific
I am confident there were physical, social, and even economic needs in that day, but they weren't the focus of Paul's prayer. His desire was that Israel might be saved.
Paul knew that was the greatest need, and he sought the Lord for that need.
We need to get beyond the physical and social needs, although they are important, and touch heaven for the needs of lost souls!
Paul recognized a need which is the most imperative. "That they might be saved." Is this not the principal thing?
See Romans 9:1-3. Do you realize what Paul has just said? There can be no doubt he was burdened and grieved over the lost condition of many Jews. He
declares that if it were possible, he would be willing to be separated from God and condemned to Hell if it would bring them to salvation in Christ. We must be careful not to place Paul on a level reserved for Christ, but he is showing the love of Christ for lost souls. He would be willing to suffer in their place if it would result in their salvation.
I don't know about you, but this brought deep conviction to my heart. I am sure none of us have prayed this prayer. If we are honest, most don't even want to be inconvenienced for the lost, much less being willing to suffer so they might be saved. The average Christian has a hard enough time finding time for worship services. Few are willing to bear the burden and suffer difficulty, ridicule, or shame for the Lord to reach the lost. I pray we develop a heavy burden for those who need Christ in salvation!
Someone once asked C. H Spurgeon, "Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved?"
He replied, "It is more a question with me whether we -- who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not -- can be saved."
I. How fervent is YOur desire to bring people to Jesus?
II. How firm is YOur decision to bring people to Jesus?
The four men in our text were not going to be denied.
Now, you do not choose to be in the business of bringing men to Christ; when you choose Christ, you are at once in the business.
"Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men"
If you ain't fishing, you ain't following.
I heard the story about a man who was a phenomenal fisherman. He was so good that his fame spread far and wide. When everyone else was catching two or three fish a day he would come back with two or three hundred. Eventually the local game warden decided to investigate because it just sounded too good to be true.
On a certain day, the game warden showed up at the man's door, identified himself, and asked to go fishing with him. The man was agreeable to that and off they went to the lake. When they got into the boat, immediately the warden noticed that something didn't seem right. The man didn't have any fishing poles or bait. He didn't even have a tackle box. All he had was a small duffel bag.
So off they went, chatting about this and that until the man maneuvered the boat to the middle of the lake. Without a word, he turned off the motor, reached into the duffel bag and pulled out what looked like a stick of dynamite. Before the warden could say anything, he lit it and threw it into the water. It exploded with a mighty roar and stunned fish by the dozens floated to the surface. The man calmly started his boat and began gathering the fish in his net.
The warden said, "Now see here. This is highly illegal." But the man just laughed and steered the boat to another part of the lake. He did the same thing with a second stick of dynamite and sure enough more fish floated to the surface.
By this time the warden had seen enough. He said, "Mister, you've broken so many laws I can't even begin to count them." The man just laughed and pulled out another stick of dynamite. The warden kept on talking. "This is illegal possession of dynamite and illegal detonation of dangerous material and disturbing the peace and about a half-dozen other misdemeanors and felonies."
While the warden was talking, the man calmly lit the stick of dynamite and handed it to the game warden. As he did he asked him the question fishermen always ask, "Are you going to talk or are you going to fish?"
Jesus did not said, "Follow me, and we'll talk about fishing for men."
We are experts at talking about fishing for men. However, if we expect to be successful in fishing, we must engage in fishing.
A. IS HIS PERCEPTION OUR PERCEPTION?
Do you see the Lost as He sees them?
B. IS HIS PASSION OUR PASSION?
What motivates you? What spurs you on? It should be seeing people as Jesus saw them.
C. IS HIS PROBLEM OUR PROBLEM?
Luke 10:2 - Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few...
In one of his books, S. D. Gordon pictures Gabriel as engaged in a dialogue with Christ shortly after the ascension. The angel is asking Christ about the plans for evangelism, and Jesus said, "Well I asked Peter and James and John and Andrew and a few others to make it the business of their lives to tell people. Then, those others would tell others, and finally the whole world would hear the story and feel the power of it."
In the legend, Gabriel said, "But suppose, they don't tell others. What then?"
Jesus answered quietly, "Oh, I have no other plans. I'm counting on them. I have no other plans."
I. How fervent is YOur desire to bring people to Jesus?
II. How firm is YOur decision to bring people to Jesus?
III. How forCeful is YOur determination to bring people to Jesus?
Am you determined in spite of the crowd and in spite of the critics?
David Brainerd once said , "I cared not when or how I lived, or what hardships I went through, so that I could gain souls for Christ."
See I Corinthians 9:19-22.
Notice what is said in these verses:
Verse 19 - "That I might gain the more"
Verse 20 - "That I might gain them that are under the law"
Verse 21 - "That I might gain them that are without the law"
Verse 22 - "That I might by all means save some"
A. We have a God-given Mission
To win others to faith in Jesus Christ is our God- given mission.
We are to be on a mission from God ,and we are to be on a mission for God.
B. We have a God-guided Method
To become all things to all men is our God- guided method. Paul writes, "I am made all things to all men" (1 Corinthians 9:22). This is to meet people where they are with the message of the gospel.
He is simply saying, 'I find sinners where they are, and I identify with them in order to win them to faith in Jesus Christ.'"
C. We have a God-glorifying Motivation
To know Christ and to make Him known is our God-glorifying motivation. We are to live "for the gospel's sake" (1 Corinthians 9:23).
Paul's life was the gospel. Nothing else really matter to him. He did not want to do anything that would hinder its power and effectiveness.
May we sink our self to save others is the ideal of the apostle.
"Good news is no news at all if it's not communicated."
I don't know how some Christians can go a lifetime without realizing that the Lord Jesus brought them into this world and put them where they are so they might meet lost people and bring them to faith in Him. The ambition of our lives, the passion of our lives, the whole thrust of our lives should be to win people to faith in Christ.
May we live for the gospel's sake.
Conclusion
Where there's a will, there's a way! That applies to basketball and bringing people to Jesus.
If sinners choose to go to Hell, at least let them leap to hell over our please and our efforts to see them saved.
How fervent is YOur desire to bring people to Jesus?
How firm is YOur decision to bring people to Jesus?
How forCeful is YOur determination to bring people to Jesus?
IN HIS ETERNAL GRIP,
Pastor Jimmy Chapman
Victory Baptist Church
706-678-1855
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