COURAGE, DON'T STUMBLE

sermon 4. Courage, Don’t Stumble

A Sermon Preached on Sunday 15/07/2018.

Matthew 11:1-6

Illustration: There was a young man whose mother was seriously ill, he then fasted and prayed for God to heal his mother, and yet, his mother did not survive. On that day the man’s mother died, he regretted ever going to church. Since then his life became terrible, he found solace in drinking alcohol and smoking until he was diagnosed of lung cancer and pneumonia.

The spiritual problems of the man

1. He worships God when things are well with him.
2. He’s not a core Christian, he’s like a dry leaf or a chaff that can be tossed by wind at a moment of trials.
3. He fails to realize the word of Christ that anyone who believes in him, even if he dies will live again.

The man’s reaction to life challenges reminded us to the teachings of Christ in Matt. 7:24-27 about the nature of people that adhere to his teaching, and people that do not follow it up. Christ states that people that listen to his teaching and follow it up are wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears his teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.

I want to tell you that if you pray without any positive answer from God, it does not mean that you don’t know how to pray or you are not a true child of God. Everything is under the control of God, your survival is under his will, and so do not stumble even in the hard time of life.

John the Baptist did not stumble when he was in the prison because he preached to Herod to leave his brother’s wife, it’s against the law of God. Out of hatred, Herodias demanded for the head of John the Baptist in the prison. Are you in a prison now because you said the truth or somebody accused you falsely? Wouldn’t you look up to Jesus?

A woman was accused of stealing in one community. It happened that she was a deaconess. She said she was not the culprit, but the community members insisted she should come before their juju─ their shrine to swear that she was free from the crime. Because of her faith, the woman accepted to pay the fine as the criminal due to the pressure on her. Everyone in the community including her church members then believed that the woman was responsible for the crime committed. She was suspended from fellowship, and her community members isolated her. She then lived in the debris of broken heart. She felt the injustice. But she looked up to Jesus. Since her church had suspended her, she used her room for personal fellowship with God, calling God to vindicate her. Six months later, God began to torment the real criminal, the man responsible for the crime. Should I say he became mad? A mad man is far better than him, and most of the wicked men and women who were against the innocent woman suffered tremendously. When the church had known that God had justified the woman’s innocence, they called her back, and encouraged her for her strong faith by giving her a token of gifts.

Now if you were the woman falsely accused, would you maintain your faith? Would you stand on the truth? Though truth may be bitter, but that is what can set you free at last.

Many people have stumbled at their darkest time of life, some have gone extra miles to ensure that they are out of trouble which have dwindled their faith. Some people in the position of that woman might not continue worshiping with her church because of the attitude of the church members towards her at that time she needed courage and consolations from them. Nevertheless, the woman did not stumble even when friends abandoned her, despised her for a crime she knew nothing of, but she stood firm in her faith.

Brethren, let us be courageous, and serve our LORD. He is able to carry us through. As we heard his word today, he will justify us from every accusation of the enemies, and save us from the grip of death, and trials. God bless you!