Untitled Sermon (2)

Transformational Preaching: A Guide to Developing and Delivering Expository Sermons The Complete Sermon

The Complete Sermon

Text: Exodus 17:8–13

Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Title: “Three Steps to Your Miracle”

Introduction: The Hebrews had just spent 400 years as slaves and servants in Egypt. Their captors made sure that they had no military training and, as slaves, they were forbidden from possessing weapons. In the midst of their slavery, God sent Moses to lead them from Egypt to the Promised Land. The Hebrews left Egypt, crossed the Red Sea after it had become dry land and began to journey toward the Promised Land. As they were making their way through the wilderness, they were attacked by the Amalekites, men who were well-trained in warfare, well-equipped with weaponry and men who stood as giants over their diminutive stature. Though the Hebrews and the Amalekites were the offspring of the same parents, (Isaac and Rebecca) they shared little beyond that in common. Jacob fathered the Hebrews and his twin brother Esau fathered the Amalekites and while Jacob and Esau were in the womb, they were fighting then. It should be no surprise that the offspring of Esau is attacking the offspring of Jacob now. Israel was no match for the superior forces of the Amalekite army, but instead of fleeing in retreat, Moses and the Hebrews arose to the battle and they made THREE tremendously important steps that led to their miraculous deliverance. Maybe there are some persons here today who need God to work a miracle for them. If so, let me assure you that you are as close to yours as the people of this text were to theirs. Look with me in Exodus 17:8–13 and see how God worked this situation out for these people and maybe you can also see how God can work a miracle for you.

Point 1: If we expect the Lord to work miracles for us, We Need to Have Faith in God.

The text says that the far better trained and equipped army of Giant Amalekites attacked Israel but Moses did not panic. The miracles he saw God work during the 10 Plagues in Egypt had grown him. The miracle at the Red Sea had developed him. Turning the bitter water at Mara to sweet water had enhanced him; and, when the Amalekites attacked, Moses knew Who had brought him thus far. Moses immediately responded by taking his first step toward his miracle and it was a STEP OF FAITH. Notice in the text the acts of great faith:

1. Moses exercised faith in God by instructing Joshua to fight against an insurmountable enemy.

2. Joshua exercised faith in God and in Moses by proceeding to mobilize an army.

3. The men of Israel exercised faith in God, faith in Moses and faith in Joshua by preparing themselves to fight against an insurmountable enemy.

4. Aaron and Hur exercised faith in God and faith in Moses by following him up the hill while Joshua and the army confronted Amalek in the valley below. Every one of these actions was a STEP OF FAITH on the part of the Hebrews and that step brought them one step closer to their miracle.

Parallel Text: Heb. 11:6 (Faith pleases God)

Illustration: Working for two weeks before receiving our first paycheck.

Transition Sentence: Not only did the Israelites take a STEP OF FAITH, but they also took another very important step toward their miracle from God.

Point 2: If we expect the Lord to work miracles for us, We Need to Be Obedient to God.

Notice the great acts of obedience in this text:

1. When the attack occurred, Moses obeyed God by bringing the matter to Him in prayer, though they still had to fight.

2. Joshua obeyed Moses when he was told to mobilize the army.

3. The soldiers obeyed Joshua when they were told to follow him in battle against Amalek.

4. Hur and Aaron obeyed Moses as they followed him up the hill.

Parallel Text: John 15:7 (Obedience brings blessings)

Illustration: The father, the twin sons, the new car and the MARTA card.

Transition Sentence: Not only did the Israelites take a STEP OF FAITH AND A STEP OF OBEDIENCE, but they also took another very important step toward their miracle from God.

Point 3: If we expect the Lord to work miracles for us, We Need to Work in Harmony with God, with God’s People and with God’s Program.

Notice all of the expressions of harmony and unity being illustrated in this text.

1. Joshua worked in harmony with Moses as he did what he was instructed to do.

2. Joshua and his army worked together as they did battle with the Amalekites.

3. Aaron and Hur followed Moses up the hill and did as they were instructed.

4. Upon discovering that Moses needed help, Aaron and Hur worked together to help Moses achieve his task.

Parallel Text: Acts 16:25–26 (Paul and Silas work together and God produced a miracle)

Illustration: The New York Giants in the Super Bowl.

Transition Sentence: To the Summary

Summary:

The Hebrews were certainly between a Rock and a very hard place. The Amalekites were that Hard Place, but God Almighty was the Rock, for He is a Rock in a Weary Land, a Shelter in a time of a storm. Rather than fleeing in fear from the Amalekites, Moses and Israel ran to the Rock and they only needed to make Three Steps in order to receive their miracle from God:

1. They Exercised FAITH in God.

2. They Were OBEDIENT to God.

3. They Worked in UNITY with God.

Conclusion: Are there any persons here today who need a miracle from God? Have you any rivers that seem to be uncrossable? Have you any mountains that you just can’t tunnel through? God specializes in doing things that are impossible, and He can do what no other power can do. Is there any person here today whose home is in turmoil, marriage is challenging or whose children are difficult to manage? Has anyone here received a disappointing medical diagnosis? Are you in financial straits or in need of employment?

Listen my friends; God specializes in doing the unexpected and the impossible. What we need to do is trust and obey God regardless of our situation or circumstance and work with God’s Program, God’s People and God’s Purpose.

If you will trust and obey Him, God has promised to supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory. If you are a good and godly man or woman, He is ordering your footsteps, even through difficult and uncomfortable circumstances. Remember that He will never leave you nor forsake you and that all things are working together for your good. So stand strong, endure hardness as a good soldier, and wait on God to show up in your life and show out in your life.

And if there are any persons here today who have not received Christ as Savior, God has a great miracle prepared for you today. Because of sin, Christ was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed many miracles, died on a cross for your sins, was buried and after three days, He resurrected from the dead in order to become your Savior. The Miracle of your Salvation is available for you today and there are only Three Steps to Your Miracle.

Step One: Repent! Turn from everything you know to be wrong and turn to Christ.

Step Two: Confess Him as Lord. Agree with God that you are lost without Him and that you need Jesus to be the Lord of your life.

Step Three: Believe in your heart that he died for you and that He arose from the dead.

If you will take those three steps, you will experience a great miracle today. You will be forgiven of all of your sins. The Holy Spirit will come to live in your heart. You will be brought into the family of God and into the Kingdom of His Son.

Take your steps and lay claim on your miracle today

Greetings!

We have come to the last Sunday in 2018. We are on the brink of a new year and the Word of God will be coming to us through His manservant Bishop Daley tomorrow. But the Word for today comes to encourage the hearts of every believer! Usually at toward the end of the year we reflect on what has happen throughout the year and start to set goals for this year that we can realistically achieve. As I reflect on God’s goodness this year He has started great things for us has a church.

My scripture is taken from Nehemiah chapter 6 with the key verse being verse 3. This is the scripture where it talks about Nehemiah building the walls…

As a church we are aware of those walls that need to be rebuilt!

We see what needs to be done for the church to thrive!

Have a heart to work

Be the change you want to see!

It begins with you

Don’t be afraid…

Nehemiah’s Commitment (9–10)

“Nehemiah actually went—he traveled the eight hundred miles from Persia to Jerusalem to do the work of rebuilding the walls and the people.”

Many have a heart like Nehemiah’s to do something… they may also have the heart for prayer, the wisdom, the vision, the plan and the faith of a Nehemiah—but they stop short of actually going out and doing what needs to be done for the goal to become a reality.

If you want more, its gonna take more. DISICPLINE!

Some of us already begun a New Year’s Resolution… we plan on going to gym, watch what we eat… lower the debts… Read more… Pray more… Save more… and we have good intentions… until something distracts us… something shifts our focus… something grabs our attention.

“Sometimes we substitute talking about something for actually doing it; it is one think to stand around with other believers and talk about doing some evangelism; praying about it, planning it, talking about it—it is another thing to actually go out and do it! It is when that rubber meets the road! God is in the doing of it”

“Our spiritual enemies don’t mind as long as all we do is plan and pray and talk; but when God’s people start doing something, they take notice”

Not everything you do or about to do has to be shared on Social Media…

Nehemiah’s Truthful Analysis (11–16)

When Nehemiah entered Jerusalem with a military escort and lumber from the king of Persia’s forest, people would notice him—but he didn’t say anything about his mission until the time was right. Good leaders learn a sense of God’s timing.

Nehemiah comes to Jerusalem, full of heart, full of prayer, full of faith, full of wisdom, full of a big vision, full of support from the king, and finally gets to his destination—and what does he do? Nothing! Nothing for three days.

The great theologian Charles Spurgeon said, “You will often find it best not to commit your plans to others. If you want to serve God, go and do it, and then let other people find it out afterwards. You have no need to tell what you are going to do, and, I may add, there is no need for you retelling what you have done, for very, very frequently God withdraws himself when we boast of what is being done.”

Overcome ridicule (19)

When you are doing a good work, there will be opposition…

Spiritual opposition to the work God wants to accomplish is a reality many Christians fail to take account of, and are thus defeated in what God would what them to do.

They wanted Nehemiah to feel mocked, stupid, and foolish.

How many people have been turned away from God’s will because they have experienced or feared scorn! Or because they did not want to be laughed at.

Sooner or later, God will allow every Christian to be tested at this point. Are you more concerned about what people may say about you than what God requires of you?

Sometimes people hold things against us from past mistakes and will never let it go… They always remember what you used to be or what you used to do not knowing that there has been a great changed within you! So your not the same person anymore but you are a child of God and have all the blessings that come with be a child of God!

Fear of what others may think or say cripples the growth of the church! Cripples the life of a believer… Cripples the praise within someone or shout!

And if you are not strong enough to overcome the ridicule of others the work that God has required from you will cease…

We are on the brink of a New Year and we do not have to go into this year fearing what others might say…

The Lord will prosper you (20)

When faced with the choice of pleasing man or pleasing God, Nehemiah knew exactly what he would do. Let them mock—he will serve the Lord.

“It doesn’t matter if you are against us. God’s work will succeed.”

If God be for us… who can be against us.

Don’t be distracted!! Nehemiah wasn’t going to let Tobiah and Sanballat distract him. He had a work to do and he was going to do it. If you allow your enemies to get you to stop what you should be doing and give all your attention to them, your enemies have won.

In facing our enemies, we must always keep focus on who we are and what we should do. Failure to see these will always lead to defeat. These are exactly the things our enemies want us to forget! And sometimes, you just have to proclaim it!

Opposition never goes away. We wish that if we did everything right, as Nehemiah did here, the opposition would just go away. But it didn’t. These two opposed the work all they way until it was finished. But they didn’t stop it! God’s work got done, and they were proved completely wrong.