Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 21, Issue 13 August 21, 2011
- Have you ever experienced an hour of soul searching?
- Have you ever had an agonizing attempt to touch God?
- Have the heavens ever seemed closed when you cry out?
- Have you searched in the dark of night for the hand of God?
More than 400 times the Bible repeats - “I cry / I cried”
More than 400 times the Bible repeats - “Deliver / Delivered”
- Judges cry - God answers
- Prophets cry - God speaks
- Daniel cries - lions grit their teeth
- Balaam cries - a donkey talks
Jesus, God’s answer to the cry of the world,
walks among men, women, boys and girls.
- Lepers cry
- Blind cry
- Deaf and dumb cry
Today we cry and God replies.
Your cry may be deeply personal and private. It may be bold and very public. It may be a cry for your family, your neighborhood, your community, your province or your country!
- You may cry because of pain, fear or panic.
- You may cry in distress or in despair.
- You may even cry from the depths of hell.
- You may cry for help, for hope, for direction or wisdom.
- You may cry from hurts or from hunger and thirst.
- You may cry because your life is without meaning, without pattern or value.
for relief
for restoration
for reconciliation
for repentance
for rebuilding….. Cry! Cry!
Come to the cross - here we know God hears. At the cross God answers.
This poor man cried - God answered!
God answered - He sent His only Son!
Jesus the Savior is born.
Jesus answered - He gave His life!
The Lamb slain upon the cross - our cross.
The Holy Spirit answered - with resurrection power!
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.
He has risen as He said.
Yes friends, God answers when we meet Hhim at the cross or at His table.Our text is only 13 words: “This poor man cried and God delivered him out of all his troubles.”
All in all not a bad line for your tombstone.
If you couldn’t afford that many words you could summarize it to:
“I cried - God delivered”
Save a few more dollars and simply put:
“God delivered”
And if your Dutch like me and have to pay for your own Tombstone you might just say:
“Delivered!”
The thief on the cross had so little time to carve his tombstone. One character will do it!
Not a question mark, but an exclamation point.
It can be your exclamation and mine…Surprised by joy!
“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him,
and saved him out of all his troubles!”
- What Good News!
- What Glad Tidings of Great Joy!
- What a Gospel!
The gospel of Jesus Christ changes EVERYTHING!
When we cry God answers!
He always has!
He always does!
He always will!
THE DASH
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her
tombstone from the
beginning…to the end.
He noted that first came the date of
her birth and spoke of the following
date with tears. But he said what
mattered most of all was the dash
between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth. And
now only those who loved her know
what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own;
the cars....the house...the cash.
What matters is how we live and
love and how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard…
are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much
time is left.
(You could be at "dash mid-range.")
If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile…
remembering that this special
dash might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy's being read
with your life's actions to rehash…
would you be proud of the things
they say about
how you spent your dash?
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