Together We Can (2)

Introduction: Turn in your Bibles to Hezekiah 6. Hezekiah 6, verse 14. I’ll give you a moment to get there because I really want you to see this. Hezekiah 6:14 . . . What’s the matter? Can’t you find it? What’s wrong? That’s right! There is no Hezekiah in the Bible. You know, it sounds right though, doesn’t it? Sounds like it ought to be in there, doesn’t it? In fact someone wrote the following poem titled, Hezekiah 6:14

“The reason mountain climbers

are tied together

is to keep the sane ones from going home.”

I don’t know who said it,

or when, or where,

but I’ve chuckled over it,

thought about it, and quoted it, too.

With a mountain of mercy behind me

and a mountain of mission ahead,

I need you, my sister, my brother,

I need to be tied to you,

and you need me, too.

We need each other …

to keep from bolting,

fleeing in panic, and returning

to the “sanity” of unbelief.

Wise words, whoever said them;

There is no Hezekiah 6:14 but there is an Exodus 17

Proposition- In a world filled with battle lines and division, God can bring unity.

Exodus 17:8–16 KJV 1900

8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. 10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. 15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: 16 For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Transition: If the enemy is trying to divide us, then God is trying to keep us together. There are 3 facts that we can determine from God’s word today. The first fact is:

Together we can lift one another up

Exposition- Exodus 17:8-12 Exodus 17:12

Exodus 17:12 KJV 1900

12 But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

At Rephidim they were attacked

This was the first time they were called to war

Amalek was the descendent of Esau, completely against God. Evil in the flesh

But Moses delegated the task and ensured the Israelites that God was with them and the fight ensued.

However, the conflict, if we look closer at the scriptures wasn’t just from Amalek. They were having trouble within as well.

Just a short time earlier they were fighting and complaining with each other and about Moses.

Illustration- In a war, the best way to defeat the other side is to divide and conquer. Satan works in the exact same way. He knows the best way to defeat a family is to divide them, he knows the best way to defeat a church is to divide it. He knows if he can cut you off from support then you will vulnerable.

Application-

So what?-

We were never meant to do things on our own. One is the loneliest number is a true statement.

God said it wasn’t good for Adam to be alone. The same is true for you and me.

As God brought the people back together by Moses striking the rock to give them water, Satan showed up again in the form of Amalek to destroy their hope and moral once more.

But our God is bigger than the enemy and he has sent you!

Now what?-

Just as Moses got tired, so do we all. When we get tired our focus and desire to serve and worship begins to fall. We must come together to lift up the ones who are hurting, the ones who are slipping, the ones who are new to the faith.

Christ was exhausted when carrying his cross to Golgotha. A man picked it up and carried it as he continued his trek to pay the ultimate price for us.

When you need help, reach out but don’t give up! When you see someone struggling to carry on, step in and lift them up.

Satan is the master of division, it must be overcome through caring Christians committed to encouraging each other in their time of weakness, in their time of difficulties. We must come together to carry out the work of the ministry…together!

Transition- Together we can lift each other up, the second fact is:

Together we can overcome the enemy

Exposition- Exodus 17:13

Exodus 17:13 KJV 1900

13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Main word discomfited- to defeat, however not wiped out.

Amalek’s descendents wouldn’t be wiped out until later as Gideon led the Israelites to defeat them.

As long as Moses hands were in the air, (a symbol of prayer and worship) then Joshua was successful.

Joshua overcame a battle hardened group of people with men who had never been battle tested until that day. The Amalekites were temporarily defeated.

If Moses had been alone in the task he would have failed, if Aaron and Hur hadn’t been willing to step up, they would have failed, if Joshua wasn’t willing to lead them into the battle, they would have failed, if they would have argued over who does what and when, they would have failed and if they hadn’t trusted God they would have failed!

Alone they could have been overcome by discouragement and the enemy would have been successful

Illustration- It was advertised that the devil was going to put his tools up for sale. On the date of the sale the tools were placed for public inspection, each being marked with its sale price. There were a treacherous lot of implements. Hatred, Envy, Jealousy, Doubt, Lying, Pride, and so on. Laid apart from the rest of the pile was a harmless-looking tool, well-worn and priced very high. “The name of the tool?” asked one of the purchasers. “Oh,” said the adversary, “that’s Discouragement.” “Why have you priced it so high?” “Because it’s more useful to me than the others. I can pry open and get inside a person’s heart with that one, when I cannot get near him with other tools. Now once I get inside, I can make him do what I choose. It’s a badly worn tool, because I use it on almost everyone since few people know it belongs to me.” The devil’s price for Discouragement was so high, he never sold it. It’s still his major tool, and he still uses it on God’s people today

Application-

So what- Together we can make a difference

Satan is very active today and is working overtime to divide us as Christians

See video of the Pastor of the church in California

We must take a stand- Moses knew when it was time to take a stand and he knew where his power came from. It came from God. That same power is still with us today!

Now What- Time for turning a blind eye is over

It’s time we as Christians begin to come together to fight the enemy.

We have been divided for far too long.

We have allowed the enemy to trick us into war against each other, church against church, brother against brother,

Satan is the enemy, not you, not me, not the one who reads the ESV or NKJV, not the one who sings hymns or the one who sings contemporary music. The enemy isn’t the church that is growing and thriving. The enemy is none other than Lucifer, the devil, the wicked one, the father of lies.

Satan wants to get you alone, discourage you because he knows that we are weak by ourselves. But we are not alone! We have God and we have each other.

Transition- Together we can lift each other up, and together we can overcome the enemy, and

Together we can glorify God

Exposition- Exodus 17:14-16

Exodus 17:14–16 KJV 1900

14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. 15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: 16 For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Jehovah-Nissi- The Lord is my banner

A banner is what goes before the army

This signifies who they were fighting for, or where their power came from.

Just as important is the fact that he told Moses to rehearse it in the ears of Joshua

Application

So what-

How can we glorify God?-

Through corporate worship together

Through small group Bible study

Through group prayer

Through alone time with God

Through coming together as one and working to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ

We don’t glorify God when

we gossip,

when we don’t participate

when we don’t give of our talents, time and tithes

when we chase selfish desires, or lusts of the flesh as the Bible puts it

Now What-

We all have a part to play in this church

We have an obligation to take care of each other, to encourage one another, to help one another and to love one another

If we do this then we will glorify God.

Conclusion- Together we can lift one another up, together we can overcome the enemy and together we can glorify God. Let me repeat what I said at the beginning of this sermon:

With a mountain of mercy behind me and a mountain of mission ahead,

I need you, my sister, my brother,

I need to be tied to you,

and you need me, too.

We need each other …

to keep from bolting,

fleeing in panic, and returning

to the “sanity” of unbelief.

Are you still hanging on to doubt and unbelief? Do you still need more proof that God is able to deliver you from your present condition. You must have faith and trust God today for your salvation. You must believe that the same God that delivered Amalek into the hands of Joshua, can and will deliver you out of an eternity in Hell. You have to believe that God can deliver you out of your backslidden, selfish, pleasure seeking lifestyle. Just being here today isn’t good enough, you must seek forgiveness with God.