Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” (Isaiah 35:3-4 ESV)
A number of years ago our family experienced a number of tragedies in a short amount of time that sent us all reeling to deal with devastating results. Namely, my brother and I were both in two separate serious car accidents and I had an appendectomy surgery - all within a 3 week period of time. On top of that - my brother was told that he would never walk again.
My dad, a pastor of a large and growing church was trying to be strong for his family, his church and for himself and his family. I remember clearly as he spoke on a Sunday night "What To Do When The Roof Caves In." It was a sermon to encourage people to trust in a Sovereign God and to keep praising him - no matter what.
Feeling as if everything is falling apart is what all of us experience or feel at one time or another.
I. WHAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHEN THE ROOF CAVES IN?
A. Weak Hands
As we were reeling from two accidents and a surgery - our hands felt weak. Our faith felt weak.
The word weak as it appears here means slack, not busy or active, remiss, neglectful.
When everything is caving in around us in an area of our lives, if we are not careful, the first thing to suffer is our service to Christ. I can’t tell you the people that I have invited to church that tell me, “Well preacher, things are pretty messed up in my life right now. But if things ever get back to normal, I’ll come pay you a visit.”
It’s difficult for me to understand that. It is in the house of God where they will be able to get things together. Christians do the same thing. We suffer a setback and the first thing to go is the ministry we are involved in at church.
Why is that? When things start caving in, we tend to get weak hands.
B. Feeble Knees
My dad, in his latter years was barely able to walk. His knees were very wobbly and could not hold his body weight.
The word feeble means to totter or waver, to falter, stumble, faint or fall.
When the roof caves in on us they may happen to us as well. Especially if we allow it to keep us out of church. We begin to question the things we once just took as a given. We begin to question God’s care for us. Our faith can certainly be shaken.
C. Fearful Heart
I don’t need to tell you the fear that struck our family during that time. Ironically, my brother and I were in the hospital at the same time in the same room. Then, on top of that, I had to have my appendix removed.
The word fearful here carries with it the idea of being hasty or headlong.
When things start caving in - fear is the knee-jerk reaction. We begin to wait for the other shoe to fall.
On September 11, 2001, the bottom fell out on America. Many now live in fear as to what will happen next. They are waiting for that other shoe to fall.
II. WHAT IS NEEDED WHEN THE ROOF CAVES IN?
Again, the formula is clear from the word of God. There are three things that are absolutely necessary during times when the bottom falls out from under us.
A. Encouraging Hands
The word strengthen here means “to make bold, to sustain, or to encourage.”
Someone said once, “Encouraging is pouring courage into someone who needs it.”
When the bottom falls out there is nothing more helpful than encouraging hands.
If we know someone on whom things are caving in - we need to have encouraging hands.
That’s what this body of believers is all about. Looking for those around us who may be going through a particularly difficult time, and seeking for ways to encourage them.
The easiest thing in the world when things are caving in is for us to sit and feel sorry for ourselves.
Get up and find someone else to encourage. And you’ll discover a wonderful thing. While you re trying to encourage them, you’ll find yourself encouraged.
B. Circumspect Knees
Be on the lookout for Satan and his devises. Determine not to be a target.
The NKJV uses the word "circumspectly." To walk circumspectly mean to walk diligently looking all around not leaving a stone unturned."
We need to bold, alert, courageous. We need to be wise or circumspect.
Difficult places and hardships like we all go through help us for the future stuff we have to go through and help us teach others who are going through their own difficulties.
Rest assured that Satan is not going to relent in his battle against the souls of men and in his effort to knock the feet out from under the child of God. We must be circumspect and be courageous.
So, we are to avoid being knocked off our feet when the roof caves, we had better have.
1. Encouraging hands
2. Knees of courage
2. Knees of courage
And...
C. Courageous Heart – vs. 4a
“That’s easy for you to say, Preacher!”
“You don’t know what I’m going through right now!”
“The bottom has already fallen out on me and I feel like I’m lying flat on my back on the pavement!”
“To be quite honest, I don’t feel like having an encouraging heart. My knees have already buckled. And I certainly don’t feel very courageous right now.”
If God were requiring us to achieve all these things on our own, you would have a point.
So…
III. HOW IS THIS ACCOMPLISHED?
-How am I to have encouraging hands even when my world is crashing down around my ears?
-How am I supposed to have circumspect knees when I’m flat on my back?
-How am I supposed to have a courageous heart when I don’t know where to turn next?
All these things come only as God intervenes.
Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” (Isaiah 35:4 NIV)
“Your God will come.” What a tremendous promise!
But wait a minute! Observation: Don’t expect God’s intervention if he isn’t your God.
We see three things about God’s intervention.
A. It will involve revenge
The word vengeance in vs. 4 carries with it the idea of revenge.
It would be like a mother bear intervening for her baby cubs. She would stop at nothing to protect her cubs and inflict vengeance upon whatever predator that comes her way.
B. It will involve rewards – vs. 4
“with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
There are rewards awaiting the child of God.
Are we focussed on the difficulty, or are we focused the rewards we will receive as we respond in a Christ-honoring way.
If anything is clear in the word of God it is the fact that God rewards faithfulness.
The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:8-9 NIV)
Their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. (1 Corinthians 3:13-14 NIV)
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV)
If there was ever anyone who could have said that the roof caved into his life was Moses when he chose to serve God. He was in line for Pharaoh’s throne, yet he chose to serve God. One day he was powerful, wealthy, and influential. The next he was fleeing for his life. He could have easily been put out with God.
But listen to the Word of God in Hebrews 11:24-26...
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. (Hebrews 11:24-26 NIV)
Curtis Hudson said, “You can take a lot on the trip, if you know what’s at the end.”
We get so wrapped up in today’s injustices and unfairness that we forget how the story’s going to end.
When God intervenes, it will involve - Revenge and it will involve Rewards.
Thirdly,
C. It will involve rescue.
Look at the end of verse 4 - "he will come to save you..." We have a promise of a rescue.
There is a story of the two men on a desert inland with no food, and no hope of rescue. One wasn’t concerned. The other couldn’t understand why. He said that he made $100,000 per week and he tithed off of that. His Pastor would find them.
We have an assurance of a rescue. No matter how bad things may look, we have a God that will rescue us.
Maybe not in the way we could imagine or in the timing that we would hope. But rest assured, when the roof caves in - the rescue is coming.
If things are falling apart in your life and the roof is caving in -
- He wants to strengthen your weak hands.
- He desires to confirm your feeble knees.
- He longs to comfort your fearful heart.
Cory Ten Boom said, “There is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still.”
Outline Inspired by Bruce Howell
No comments:
Post a Comment