Pulpit Series Volume 17 Issue 25 06/17/2007
Have you ever experienced a dark night of agonizing soul searching, attempting to touch God?
Have the heavens ever seemed as brass when you cry out your prayers?
Have you searched in your dark of night for the hand of God?
This poor cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry. The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them, he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. Psalm 34
More than 400 times the Bible repeats - “I cry” / “I cried”.
More than 400 times the Bible repeats - “Deliver / Delivered”.
Here are a few Biblical examples we can draw strength from:
See Adam and Eve excluded from Eden - their first night out. They miss the sound of the trumpets in the morning. They cry. See Cain with the weight of murder. His brother’s blood cries out. And Cain cries too. Noah with his sacrifice after the flood cries out… the rainbow brings God’s answer.
Abraham cries with his only son, his only sacrifice. The ram in the bushes shouts God’s answer to the father’s cry of anguish.
Isaac cries at his mother’s death - Rebekah comes to comfort him. After 20 years of barrenness Rebekah cries: Jacob and Esau are born as God’s response.
Jacob flees his brother’s wrath. At Bethel he cries from his stone pillow. God reveals a ladder from heaven. God shows Jacob a divine purpose for his life. Grandson of Abraham he is without God or purpose until Bethel. In his flesh nature he’s out for old number one. But God meets him repeatedly - at Bethel, at Rachel’s well, at Peniel, and then back at Bethel again. Jacob cries - God answers.
Remember how Joseph cries out, Egyptians cry out, Moses cries out. Israelites cry out. More than 400 times the Bible reports “They cried”. Then and today, when we cry, God answers.
· Judges cry - God answers.
· Prophets cry - God speaks.
· Daniel cries and lions grit their teeth.
· Balaam cries - a donkey talks.
Jonah cries and a big fish God has prepared throws him up - on dry land.
But Jonah’s wicked attitude still persisted.
Jeremiah cries so much he is called the weeping prophet. God answers….
After the prophets - 400 years of dark silence, a dark soul’s night.
Then John the Baptist cries in the wilderness, “Prepare, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Repent and Believe.”
Then the star, Immanuel, God with us!
Then the human cry, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”
Angels sing, Shepherds rejoice, Wise men bring gifts.
Jesus walks among men, women, boys, girls.. God’s Answer.
Lepers cry.
Blind cry.
Deaf and Dumb cry. God answers.
Today we cry… God replies.
Your cry may be personal or cultural, individual or national. You may cry from pain, pleasure or panic. You may cry in distress, in delight, or in despair. Cry from the heights of life or from its depths. Or from just ordinary days.
You may cry for help, for hope, for home, for heaven. You may cry from hurts, from hunger or for higher ground.
You may cry with inner purpose or you may rail out in life without meaning, without pattern or value.
You may cry in silence with muted words, or you may cry out loud!
Cry “Abba, Father” for relief, for restoration, for reconciliation, for repentance, for rebuilding….. No matter when you Cry out to God He hears! Cry! Cry!
Come to the cross - here we know God hears. Here God answers.
This poor man cried - God answered!
God answered in yesterdays gone by. Jesus the Savior is born.
Christ the Savior was crucified and died. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. He has risen as He said. God answers when we meet him 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 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 mark and mine…
Surprised by joy!
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
What a Gospel!
What Good News!
What Glad Tidings of Great Joy!
When we cry God answers!
He always has! He always does! He always will!
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