Untitled Sermon

God’s Power

I would like to start by sharing a story of two brothers one older and one younger. These two brothers were inseparable they both shared a room ate breakfast together set with one another in the school cafeteria for lunch. The younger brother would watch his older brother at football practice and then they both would walk home. These two brothers unlike most brothers adored one another and the younger brother always looked up to his older brother.

One day after walking home from school the brothers noticed a new construction site with the hill of dirt about three stories high. The brothers both looked at one another and smiled and started running to the top of the hill. As the brothers got to the top of the hill they looked out and could see their house and all of a sudden, the dirt gave way. The two brothers came crashing down. As the construction workers looked over, they raced to the scene and all they could find was the younger brothers had barely sticking out of the dirt.

They said son where is the other boy? He took a deep breath and with a sigh, he said I am staining on his shoulders. Christians I have a question for you, whose shoulders are you staining on? Whose strength are you relying on? I am here to get you to stand on the shoulders of Jesus.

In today’s sermon, we will be exploring three verses of Scripture Second Corinthians 12:9 John 15:5 and specifically looking at Philippians 4:13. Now if you are like me you probably have trouble memorizing Scripture, allow me to share with you how to remember Philippians 4:13. Please stand with me for the reading of Scripture. Hold out your hands and make a fist, a happy fist, not an angry fist. There are 10 words in Philippians 4:13 and hopefully, you have all 10 fingers, and if not use your toes.

Repeat after me and hold up one finger at a time as we read through the Scripture. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Great, 10 fingers 10 words and easy way to remember Philippians 4:13 which according to Norman Vincent Peel “is the most powerful verse in the Bible” and I agree.

Cross Reference

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

Let us take a look at the words (is sufficient) What God is sharing with us is this, the trial must endure, but the grace shall also endure and never fail us. Let us look at the word grace in this context, the Greek word used here, charis, which refers to the power of Christ to help endure hardship, to be strengthened when struggling (physically, mentally, or spiritually), or experience forgiveness.

Let us look at these words in context (power is perfected in weakness) Weakness provides the opportunity for God to show His mighty power. For this reason, we can boast about our weaknesses even though others may mock us. We must understand we cannot do anything apart from Jesus.

Cross References

John 15:5 (NIV)

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.

Let us take a deeper look at what Jesus is saying here. First, let us look at who are the branches. the branches Refer to Jesus’ disciples, (us) who depend on the true vine (Jesus) for all things, including life and fruitfulness. Next, let us look at the statement (apart from me, you can do nothing) Jesus means that people cannot access God without Him, and consequently, they cannot bear fruit. All life-giving things require access to the source of life, which is found in Jesus.

As we come to a close, we must understand that “I can do all things” does not mean “I think I can.” It means rather, “I know I cannot without Jesus.” We must understand that we have access to the ultimate power source through Jesus. If you do not tend into the power you cannot succeed. For example, when I go to turn my lamp on and I flip that switch I expect the power to illuminate, to bring light into the darkness.

However, if that lamp is not plugged into the power, it is useless. The same goes for us, we are useless, unless we tap into the power of God through Jesus Christ. So Christian, let me ask you whose shoulders are you staining on, whose power are you relying upon yours or God’s? Remember Christian, God’s living word flights and enables us to do a great many things with the strengthening of Christ

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (NKJV)

Gives me strength. (Ten words ten fingers)

In the Greek ἐνδυναμοῦντί (endynamounti) Which is defined as to fill with power, strengthen, make strong; to empower.

The oldest manuscripts omit “Christ”; then translate, “In Him who giveth me power,” that is, by virtue of my living union and identification with Him, who is my strength

It represents the ultimate and ideal consciousness of the Christian. The first thing we need to do is to throw off mere self-sufficiency, to know our weakness and sin, and accept the salvation of God's free grace in Christ; the next thing we need to do is to find the "strength made perfect in weakness," and in that be strong.