WHERE WILL YOU TURN

SERMON STARTER

          I spoke with an elderly Christian lady who candidly told me,

“I’m not ready to die!”

She’s always had a strong hold on herself and those around her, but age and attrition have loosened her grip on herself and her life. She’s uncertain, though a lady of faith, about her future. I gently reminded her of her once strong faith.

“There are some awesome reunions coming!”

She solemnly agreed and asked me to pray for her.

          It’s easy to glibly quote the maxim,

“The EXTREMITY of man is the OPPORTUNITY of God.”

How we do hate, however, to reach the perplexing point of extremity. Ideally, we’d like to cast ourselves on God without going to the place where we have nowhere else to turn. Most of us have a problem with control. We have a strong desire to determine final outcomes in our lives and the lives of those around us.

          All of us will eventually come to the place where we cannot have the last word. God ultimately determines the last word in all our lives. Our task is to learn the voluntary humility of surrendering ourselves to the One whose power is infinitely bigger than ourselves.

          The sermon explores several lives who have come to that out-of-control extremity. When you come to the place of ultimate surrender, I’m asking you,

“Where will you turn when all hope is gone?”

 

Pastor Phil  <><<

 

Sheepfold Ministries – Pastor Phil Roland

June 6, 2010

 

WHERE WILL YOU TURN

When all Hope is Gone?

Mark 5:21-43 – John 6:66

"Where will you turn when tragedy strikes? Will you turn to drugs, alcohol, or addictive behavior? Will you, like Job’s wife, curse God and die?"          Pastor Phil

 

"From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”

John 6:66

 

I.  TRAGEDY IS A PART OF THE HUMAN CONDITION – Job 5:6,7

    “For hardship does not spring from the soil, nor does trouble sprout from the

      ground. Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.”

        A. Job is heartbroken after his desolation – Job 1:20-21

   “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell

     to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's

     womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken

     away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

                1. Still expresses his faith in God

                        2. Refuses to curse or blame God

                        3. Acknowledges the paradox between calamity and faith

                        4. God is good and loves people

                        5. Tragedy still happens to good people

        B. Faith grows and develops through Adversity

                        1. Lilies grow best in mud

                        2. Gold is refined by fire

            C. Like David, we will go THROUGH the Valley of the Shadow – Ps. 23

                        1. Both “into” and “out of” adversity

                        2. God has made us “More than Conquerors” – Romans 8:37

                           “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him

     who loved us.”

                        3. He has made us Overcomers in Tragedy - Jn. 16:3

                  “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have

                             peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good

                             cheer, I have overcome the world."

 

II.  TWO PEOPLE TURN TO JESUS IN HOPELESS SITUATIONS

      Mark 5:21-43: Jarius / Hemorrhagic Woman

          A. JARIUS – Presiding elder of the synagogue of Capernaum

                        1. Important Community Leader

a. Keeper of the Sacred Books

                                    b. President of Congregation

                                    c. Administrative head of the city /City Manager

                        2. His little girl, the apple of his eye, was dying

Where will you turn? cont., p.2

 

                                    a. He was not ashamed to seek out Jesus

                                    b. He didn’t send his wife or someone else

                                    c. Didn’t get bitter or mad at God

                        3. Jarius was not ashamed to bring Christ into his home

                                    a. Remember, Jesus was accused of being a drunkard

                                    b. He ate and drank with sinners

                                    c. Would be able to invite Jesus into your home?

                                    d. What about in the midst of your next crisis?

                                    c. What about now?

                        4. Jesus pushed all the scoffers outside his home – v.40

                                    a. Scorners and Unbelievers – 39-40a

                                       ”When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this

                                         commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but

                                         sleeping." And they ridiculed Him.”

                                    b. Jarius was a man of simple faith – vs. 36,37

                                        "While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of

                                          the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead.

                                          Why trouble the Teacher any further?" As soon as Jesus

                                          heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of

                                          the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe."

                         5. Can we do worse in the time of great trial?

                                    a. In times of heartbreak, simple faith is best

                                    b. Allow Jesus to push out fear, scorning and unbelief

                                    c. Jarius did it, learn from him

          B. Hemorrhagic Woman – Outcast anemic woman

                        1. She was outcast because blood was considered “unclean”

                                    a. Leviticus 12 contained strong laws about blood

                                    b. The woman was unclean until elaborate rites were                                                         performed, but only when bleeding stopped

                                    c. Extreme reverence for blood – Leviticus 17:11; 14a

                                      “'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it

                                         to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls;

                                         for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’

                                       “"for it is the life of all flesh. Its blood sustains its life.”

                        2. Whoever she touches becomes “unclean” – Leviticus 15

                                    a. When she touched his garment, He became unclean

                                    b. He became “sin” who knew no sin – 2 Cor. 6:21

                                      “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we

                                        might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

                        3. She touched His garment was healed - Text: v.27

                            “When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd                               and touched His garment.”

                        4. Jesus knew instantly what happened: power left Him- v. 30

                            “And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone                              out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched

                              My clothes?"”

                                    a. Healing cost Jesus something precious

Where will you turn? cont., p.3

 

                                    b. Mystery: “Reproach of a Healer”

                        5. Jesus was the woman’s last resort

                                    a. All conventional doors to healing slammed

                                    b. She had to be bankrupt from all other options

                                    c. She totally cast herself on the Lord

                        6. What has driven you to your knees?

                                    a. Health problems?

                                    b. Marital or family problems?

                                    c. Vocational or financial struggles?

                        7. Where will you turn in your extremity?

                                    a. Tried every option, knocked on every door

                                    b. Nothing opened, no glimmer of hope

                                    c. For the desperate Jesus is the court of last resort

                        8. Woman came with exhaustion and very little faith

                        9. She was instantly healed, by her faith in Jesus – Text v.35

                           “And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go

                             in peace, and be healed of your affliction."

                      10. The healing power wasn’t from her faith but from Jesus

 

III.  TWO PEOPLE AT LIFE’S EXTREMITY

       A. Jarius gets his daughter back

            B. Anemic woman is instantly healed

                        1. Common denominator?

                        2. Jesus was petitioned

                        3. He answered their cries – Jeremiah 33:3

                           “'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty

                              things, which you do not know.'”

              4. Where will you turn?