Sunday, September 25, 2005

Sermon Notes: 9/25/05--Helpless, but Not Hopeless

Note: These notes are taken from outlines of sermons by the pastor. Actual Sermon was not videotaped, sorry)

Text: Jonah 1:17; 2:1-8, 10

As you all can see, I had a bit of an accident. (note: Pastor sitting in wheelchair due to knee injury). Right now, I am feeling fairly helpless. I cannot walk on my own, I need the aid of crutches. I cannot flop on the couch or in the recliner, I need to sit in this wheelchair monstrosity. And, there are many other things I cannot do right now that I used to do. I am feeling helpless, and almost hopeless. I go to the doctor to find out if surgery is needed, and where to go. I cannot fix this. I am in trouble.

Well, this reminded me of Jonah. You know, we kid around with Jonah in that Vacation Bible School song about the whales and the hand gestures. However, think about it some. Here Jonah was, dead set on preaching to the fine folks in Jerusalem, and God was telling him to go preach to those mean folks at Nineveh, people who had mistreated his fellow Israelites. Jonah tried everything to thwart the will of God, and look what it got him...trapped in the belly of a whale. Ugh! Maybe this chair is not so bad after all....

But seriously, because of his pride and arrogance, Jonah ended up in that whale. He knew what HE wanted. He knew where HE wanted to go. Yet, God called him, humbled him. I can think of few experiences more humbling than being stuck in the muck of a whale's belly. Ugh, the smell, the sights! I can think of few things scarier, maybe crutches and a wheelchair.

Because of my own pride and arrogance, here I am, in this chair. I was careless and had an accident. Now, I am humbled. I took mobility for granted, but now I realize the tremendous gift it is. Being able to stand at that pulpit instead of sitting here takes new meaning. I no longer take my mobility for granted. Jonah was humbled into realizing God has a plan for us, and He will see it through. To fight it is to risk more than death, but eternal damnation. Just think what would have come next if Jonah had not been humbled and in being humbled had his heart softened to accept God's mission.

I have a long road ahead. I am supposed to go to Rehab and work to get back on my feet. Jonah had to go and preach to those in Nineveh, whom he did not like and who didn't care for him all that much. It is not without hope. Even in the midst of the darkness of a whale's belly, in the midst of being stuck in a chair, God is there. As long as there is breath, there is hope. He showed us that by sending his Son to die for us, even though we had sinned so much. Even though we may despair of our lives, there is hope in Christ Jesus. Imagine the depression and hopelessness of giving up absolute power and Godly beauty for the form of a simple man, and being rejected, at that. Imagine the hopelessness He felt in the Garden, when He talked about the Cup of suffering being taken away, if possible. That was a cry for help. And God gave Him the strength, not to run away, but to persevere. You see, God doesn't make things easy sometimes. It is not to punish us, it is to refine us. It is not to hurt us, but to help us come to a better appreciation and understanding of Him and his glory.

Yes, I am pretty helpless right now. We all are, when we think of it. We are helpless in the face of evil. Our bodies are so weak! Our minds are so weak. We sin without thinking, injuring our eternal selves, and pat ourselves on the back for it. We are so frail. When the injuries mount and we are laid low, we truly feel how helpless we are. IF we don't call out for God, we are hopeless. However, even if we fall into bad things like drugs and addictions, as long as there is life there is hope. As long as we are alive, God is reaching out to us, much as people reached out to me to help get me the care I needed. We have to accept, and believe that the offer is genuine. We have to have faith that the crutches will hold, that they won't drop you. God will never let us fall, He will carry us to victory, if we first admit that we can't get there without Him. Otherwise, we will find out soon enough....

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