Verses9-10: Besides being wise, the Preacher [the Searcher] also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging proverbs with great care. A lot of times the enemy tries to convenience us that we missed our blessing. Christ is certainly still alive and well! He started as a young man and he literally prophesied for 39 years and through the reign of FIVE different KINGS. And once it happens, there is nothing we can do about it. These two things are both true! She has no idea what Jesus is about to do and she does not expect him to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jeremiah 8:18-22. He is evident in all our life. Cataracts form; various eye problems develop. When that happens "the doors to the street" are obviously shut. We must acknowledge the truth that one day all of us will meet the Lord. Were on a mission to change that. One element of fear is the experience of the wonder of forgiveness, that God forgives and sends you out again with a whole new purpose and a new resource available. Please heed this message! Assembly Of God. John 11:21-23, Joel 2:25-28, Denomination: soul. I am the LORD your God, and, I demand all your love. Paul told them ITS NOT TOO LATE to SUBMIT TO THE PREACHING! And it's Never Too Late for God. The water from the other fountains were simply not all that satisfying to me. I rather you meet the Lord standing in His good graces rather than standing on the opposite side. 15 Outstanding Quotes To Recharge Your Preaching. That refers to the arms and the hands, by which we defend ourselves if we are attacked; "the keepers of the house," which are so useful in maintaining the body, which begin to shake and tremble when old age comes on. read more, Scripture: This knowledge of the Scriptures enabled the Searcher to teach with great power and influence, but only after careful preparation. While you are waiting on a right now miracle, He can be working some other things out. When we need a way made we take him off the shelf, as soon as he makes the way we put him back on the shelf. What a waste to live your life and never discover why you are here! And yet she expresses hope even after death has occurred. Marys lack of hope in the face of death is understandable. Most translations smooth out the phrase, he was angry, but this is what the text literally says. The end of life is death. There is nothing like death to make us desire resurrection. One of the signs of age is its unwillingness to change, its resistance to new ideas. A prophet was a chosen and authorized spokesman for God who declared God's Word to the people. The devil is corrupting our world and those in it because he knows very well that times are becoming more and more urgent. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. He heals the emotionally scarred. Some of us have a bad attitude. Old age is setting in, and one of the characteristics of old age is that we lose our ability to change and to learn new things; we are subjected to greater pressures. You can hang on to it and hold fast by it in times of danger and temptation. There is a reference to the increasing deafness of old age. read more, Scripture: Meditating on that day-after-day prodded him, goaded him and urged him to think about his life in those terms. This is the fourth word of five that will lead us toward a day of pledges. I remember one instance of a man who was in the grip of a terrible depression for more than a year. I hope you will remove the word "duty" from your version. There are only two commandments; Jesus himself said that. .). So open your heart When we give up because we think it's too late for something to happen it could be that we've given up when God is still involved and at work in & through our lives. Mealtimes are prolonged because it takes so long to get particles of food lined up with the few remaining grinders! I'd like to make an application from this prophetic passage about the Nation of Israel being restored to their homeland. Then "E": experience of his grace. Of course theres a double TO. Christ, we will see, even preaches to be urgent. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. John 11, John 11:20-23, 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most. INTRODUCTION We have not moved very far in reality from the days of the Searcher, even though we have devised many ways to disguise aging. She told me one time. This is characteristic of the aged, who are easily awakened in the morning. Not only is God concerned about our physical bodies, but he is concerned about our emotions, too. Will you revive these stones (the original stones that made up the wall)?? C. Jesus commands us to remember Him. That is how Scripture delivers. For days they prayed, "O Lord, send the Holy Spirit.". Mennonite. I. Insurmountable Problems II. In this message (the first of 4 messages) we are going to meet an elderly couple and a teenage girl who are going to teach us a life altering and world changing truth, that it is Never Too Late, and it is Never Too Early. Watch. IT WILL BE ONE OF THESE DAYS. Those are the 3 points of this sermon, Scripture: This was a call for the people living in that day to take advantage of the time He would physically be there. 17 Then I said to them, You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Bible Study Outlines and Broadcasts; Sunday School Lessons; Prayer Requests; Decision to Accept Christ; Give; Media. There is a lack of urgency when it comes to moving spiritually for which I do not fully understand. It would be an honor. She never had any children but her nephews and nieces were here to witness it. It is aweful because one man had so much suffering in this life and the other man had so much suffering in the next life. Then he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. In this rather revealing verse he reminds us how carefully he has recorded what is in the pages of this book. God has a time for all of our lives. it's not too late sermon outlines Text-Hebrews 12:14-17 While she misses Jesuss direct meaning, her response is a good one. If you live in Atlanta, with our traffic, you know that you cannot wait too late to leave home when youre trying to get to work! Something, someone, is hunting them. Don't give into believing the well believed lie that it's too late! John 11: 21-23 (1-44) IV. We are urgent in temporal (earthly) matters, but matters of eternity gets shoved to the backseat. 14 For we are made Roger Thomas. Caleb was 85 years old sayinggive me this mountain! In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!'' 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. This is clearly and finally stated in the two closing verses of the book: The end of the matter [the sum of it all]: all has been heard. III. So, some become comfortable with the idea that theres no deadline to meet when it comes to making a decision on their faith in the Lord. "The doors on the street are shut," is a vivid picture of what happens when the teeth fall. The Lord Jesus told the disciples to wait for the promise of the Fatherthe coming of the Holy Spirit. What a marvelous God! Maybe it just sags like a heavy load; or does it just explode? Last of 5 messages on the parables of the kingdom. 5/12/10 Resolve to do what he says, to obey his word, to "keep his commandments," as the Searcher puts it here. The reasoning power of the brain, perhaps the greatest gift that God has given to us, begins to lose its ability, and the memory fades. Resurrection means that our too late is not too late for God. Here is the secret of it. JESUS IN HIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE POWER OF PARABLES; TO BOTH TRANSFORM MENS LIVES FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT, AND ALSO TO SET ADVERSARIES OF THE CHURCH, TO CONTEMPLATE THE ERRORS IN THEIR OWN THINKING; USES A PARABLE HERE TO TEACH, TO HUMILIATE, AND INSPIRE She expresses hope through theology. There is where fear begins: faith that God exists. Right? ! She was 94 and was still driving. To "Fear God, and keep his commandments" is to learn to be and to discover the secret of being a whole person. The ground for letting it not be troubled is in the words that immediately follow: Jesus said, "You believe in God, believe also in me," (John 14:1b). You will notice that as Jesus spoke, there were challengers there to challenge His authority and to question His calling. In fact, in one hundred years from now, everyone reading this will be dead. 14 For we are made Then Qoheleth speaks of "the day when the keepers of the house tremble." Christ was crucified so that you can stand in the good graces of the Lord one day. In a classic Peanuts comic strip, Linus tells his big sister Lucy . Luke 16:19-31, As we look at this story in the Bible, we must realize that it is an aweful yet true story. The Path to Healthy Relationships. And the passage is verses 24 and 25; Acts 24:24-25: It just happens - whether or not you worried about it or tried to plan it. We offer 30,000+ outlines and 10,000+ free sermon illustrations from top Christian pastors and communicators. The appeal of the world and the flesh is constantly with us, turning thousands of young people away from the truth of God. A Word about Meeting God! The grave is not the end; there is life, there is existence, beyond; this verse recognizes that. Everything is going to come out in the open at last. Mary accepts this finality and there is no hope. What if in the next moment - even as my words fall upon your ears - Christ returned with the shout of the archangel and the trumpet blast? Repent at once, and act as you did at first, or else I will surely come and remove your lampstand out of its placeunless you repent., Exodus 20: 2-3: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of. "That COSTS TOO much." Or, "It's TOO late." Meaning it's PAST TIME. The Invitation to a Longing Heart! Notice verse 11. The title refers to the yearning hope of every one of us here this morning, young and old alike, that we might fulfill our dreams, that we might realize the possibilities of our lives and be wholly and truly what we were made to be. That is the Searcher's conclusion. To save items to a SermonFolder, please sign in to your account. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. SO there is nothing to hard for God. Turn to your neighbor: 1.) 9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. One of the signs of old age is that everybody seems to talk in a much lower tone of voice than they used to; people mumble all the time, as "the daughters of song are brought low. Good news. Then he speaks of "the grinders ceasing because they are few." Secondly, Ive always felt that my calling to preach was for those of my generation and younger. If we are so obsessed with getting as fast as we can to heaven, we might be surprised when we stand before God and hear him say it's too late. Or maybe there is something else going on. So at 94 years old, she made her way up those back stairs and down into the water. This same type of urgency is hardly ever shown when it comes to faith and the spiritual. It is not in the Hebrew, although, unfortunately, every version seems to translate it that way. B. It was late but not TOO LATE. Jeremiah is considered the 2nd of the four Major Prophets of the Bible, only to be preceed by Isaiah and followed by Ezekiel and Daniel. Then there are others who just dont bother to consider coming to Christ. "The clouds returning after the rain," is a reference to a kind of second childhood, of senility, which comes on in old age. The doors of the face, the lips, fall in, one begins to mouth everything. Now this was the same Mary that anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. God encourage our heart that it is not to late. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace Every time we neglect to reach out our hands in love or fail to check our caustic tongues is another moment closer to hearing those awful words: it's too late. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. But thats our mentality Lord I want you to come now. She was BAPTIZED. We know this story God time is not my time. The man with the withered hand, deaf ears come unstopped, lame straightened up. The prophet Joel uses these events as an illustration of God's judgment upon Israel. 3. In view of the fact that the grinders have earlier been identified as the teeth, however, it seems to me that this is probably a reference to the fact that when people lose their teeth -- this, of course, was written before the day of dentures -- the old have to resort to gumming their food. Dakota Community Church We learn how to look up to God for our hope, and that it's never too late to do the right thing. God time is not your time. Someone will smartly state that Christ is not physically in the world today this is true. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? People Listen In Different Wayscan You Reach All Of Them? Parable of the Wedding feast some refuse to accept the invitation John 11 begins with a sick Lazarus. 2023 SermonSearch. They had to throw everything overboard. This is something that we must also take into consideration. The wisdom we need in this world often wears black. 1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"-. [Here it is] Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. Mennonite. But it will happen to us. It's not too late!!!! Then it is striking that Mary says the exact same thing that her sister said to Jesus: Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died (John 11:32). We treat our work life with more urgency than we do our spiritual life. As a prophet, Jeremiahs sole purpose was to expose the sins of Gods chosen nation and to clearly explain the reason for the approaching (70 Year) disaster, which would be lead by Babylon, during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. "This day is born to you in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord," (Luke 2:11 RSV). He had fathered 7 children and had walked with God. Matthew 25:1-13 Or, maybe they are like the people who show up to the movie after the movie has already begun. But it does not mean that he is not going to move. People Listen In Different Wayscan You Reach All Of Them? It is hard to chew Grape Nuts when you do not have any teeth! Langston Hughes, poet of the Harlem read more, Scripture: ThenHe started over. Her name was Opal. it's never too late to start over. Genesis 18:1-15, Denomination: A. Like the white blossoms of the almond tree, one begins to take on a quite different look as age comes on. It's Not Too Late to Pray (4 of 4) Series: Fools: It's Not Too Late Scott Maze Matthew 6:9-15 Find Matthew 6 in your Bible's as we look at the Lord's Prayer. There is a world of evidence that God is there. When I see you I should not have to wonder if you are saved and sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost. Those evil days are described in Verses2-8, in a vivid and beautiful imagery which describes the aging process, the approach and decrepitude of old age. Secondly: On the last day of the feast, we see that His last statement was a call for the people to follow Him. He began the book with it, in Verse2, and ends here with the same words, in Verse8 of Chapter12. Consider the situation in Acts 1. Burns, a master of self-deprecating humour, decided to take advantage of this and insure his voice for a million dollars. So this is what it means to fear God: Faith, Experience, Awe, Resolve. By the fruits shall you know them? Bunbury And thats what I want to preach to you today. (Not this physical life but the one coming after the eternal life) In todays sermon, I want to focus on waiting too late to get right spiritually. 5For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; 6If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: 7Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.. Painful as they are, all our deaths and endings hold lessons we cannot live wisely without. I just like men!! Dont let any doubt destroy your faith. When you get the hand of God and the Spirit of God and the Word of God working together, there is absolutely NO LIMIT to what God can do!! While Martha immediately went out to meet Jesus, Mary doesnt go until Martha gets her (John 11:28). We did this in school when it came to assignments; we do it now when it comes to clocking in, taxes, getting concert tickets or tickets to a game, etc. Be mindful, therefore, of the height from which you have fallen. 2. He had lived a wicked life and served the devil. They begin to repeatedly ask the same question over and over again about where Jesus intended to go; believing that Jesus could not hide from them (John 7:35-36). A message from the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. And two, "Love your neighbor as yourself." before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain; in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire falls; before man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about in the streets; before the silver cord is already snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. We find a story of a man named Lazarus of Bethany and he had a sister by the name of Mary and Martha. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. 15 Outstanding Quotes To Recharge Your Preaching. Thats why I am learning how to rest in the Lord. 5.1 1 20 2022 16 . Website 2023 by Ray Stedman Ministries. Death is a sure appointment Supplemental Passage: Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it It can't happen. He thought it would be a wonderful After Biden faced criticism last year from some Democrats who felt he was too ambitious and veered too far left, his State of the Union speech in many ways sought to set down a more middle-of-the . Id like to make an application from this prophetic passage about the Nation of Israel being restored to their homeland. 5/12/10 Who knows, maybe they are realizing that the water smells coming from some of the fountains or that the water is hot. That is a reference to sexual desire. Brother _____, would you lead us in Prayer. We dont see bodies in the streets, as in some parts of the world. The Pharisees were moving in a way to corrupt the urgent call of following Christ. To Start Over Job lost everything, including his 7 children. IT'S NOT TOO LATE Intro: The nation of Israel is in trouble! Read Eph. 13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. He rose with all power in His hands so that you can drink of His living waters. Most of the commentators agree that the words, "before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain," refer to the fading of the mental powers of an individual as he grows older. He put God first in his life. However, his ways and his time are best. Having trouble logging into your account? Remember Christ's Return He finds two very brokenhearted sisters. The miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is the enacted Word of God which most clearly reveals God to man through the Savior. The only source of that wisdom, he tells us, was the Word of God, so he sought through the Scriptures, learned them and then taught the people. How do you know when your number is up? To start saving items to a SermonFolder, please create an account. And behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. Jesus gives an offer to anybody to drink from His fountain and that choice belongs to the person free will. Please heed this message! says the Teacher. There it is: to obey him, to follow him, to keep the commandments. Hebrews 3:12-19, The devil wants you to think that your troubles have progressed to the point where nothing good can come out, but God wants you to know that it is not too late to trust in Jesus. That is the secret to life; that is the secret of the wholeness of man. I am going to preach on this verse to preachers. (Ecclesiastes 12:2-8 RSV), With that marvelous poetry the Searcher describes the awful weaknesses of old age and the actual experience of death. Then, "the golden bowl is broken." Everything hangs upon that word, "Fear God." There is a place where you can just stand still and see the salvation of God. Nehemiah 2:17-20, Denomination: Parable of the Sower some refuse to assimilate kingdom truth But Sister Opal came to me one day and said, Ive never been baptized. We preach of this fountain; urging others to drink of the waters of Christ to be born again and gain eternal life. It was used of Him, but never by Him. However, what is also true is that the fountain of Christ is still present in our world today. He just wants you to know he is going to move when he gets ready. Back in 2017, we had a little old lady that came to church here. Death is a peeping tom; he gazes But its amazing how when we get in trouble and we need something we want him to come quick, fast and in a hurry. November 23, 2008 (pm) 06/02/2019 Mark 5: 22-24; 35-36; 41-42. Genesis 18:1-15, Denomination: It is aweful because one man had so much suffering in this life and the other man had so much suffering in the next life. That is what the Searcher did. Messages include: That is a reference to the cranium, the skull. One thing that this thought does not take into consideration is that none of us may actually live to see the day when the Lord returns. the opportunity to snatch your trouble you, and thereby Steve N. Wagers Isaiah 55:6 June 26, 2005 Sermon Outline 1. Have you noticed that God is frequently late? But what she says next is extraordinary: But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you (John 11:22). I dont need nor want anybody to follow in my way, but follow the way of Christ. This is a little strange, isnt it? 2:810 read more, Scripture: 3. They are kind of like the members of your family that show up late to Thanksgiving dinner. When you are young, life seems to stretch endlessly before you; it seems that you will never approach old age. If some are left, theyre certainly not going to be good seats. In the healthiest churches, we find a holy conspiracy between pastors who gladly care for the sheep, and sheep who do what they can so that the pastors might serve joyfully. Trust fully in Jesus and turn from, Its Never Too Late to Trust in Jesus Our problem is that we have expected God to do for us what we would not do ourselves. Meaningless!" Scripture: Acts 3:1-26This content is part of a series. The last five verses of this book are an epilogue. The devil is anti in the sense that he does the most to pollute and corrupt this world from seeing and following after the Lord. 20 views, 4 likes, 0 loves, 1 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Calne Free Church: Sermon: Telling the truth (Rupert Bentley-Taylor, Acts 24:22-27) So he begins this last chapter of the book with a word to youth: Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them." soul. That day could become for Christs return and if you have not chosen to follow Him at that point, it will be too late. He grew up in a godly home, exposed to the truth of the Scripture, involved with the work of his father in the carpenter's shop. The fact that the Lord is our shepherd is probably the reason why the shepherds of Bethlehem were chosen to be the first men to hear the wonderful words of the angels. But its also interesting to note Jesuss nonverbal response to Mary: When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, he was angry in his spirit and troubled (John 11:33). You shall have no other gods before Me. Bad News: Life is about relationships. Some of us can not handle a right now blessing. To Get Saved the thief on the cross.