Sermon Central
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"God Is My Helper!"
Contributed by Ken Harris on May 28, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: To motivate the hearers to care for the POOR Lazaruses (the sick, hungry, and less fortunate) within their church, and community by being OBEDIENT to GOD’s WORD.
Psalms 41:1 (KJV)
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
CP Walker Multicultural Gospel Service
Taegu, South Korea
BIG IDEA: Caring for the sick, hungry, and the less fortunate in this life - determines where we spend eternity hereafter.
REFERENCES:
Lazarus and The Rich Man: Luke 16:19-31 (KJV); Genesis 15:2: Eliezer was a SERVANT OF ABRAHAM; 1 Tim 6:17-19 (KJV): Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life; Deut 15:10-11 (KJV) The Seventh Year Release of the Poor - Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. 11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.; Luke 12:48 (KJV) For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more; Proverbs 19:17 -KJV ( He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again); Psalms 41:1 – KJV (Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble); Quote: The tragedy of life and the world is not that man don’t know God; The tragedy is after knowing God, they still insist on going their own way. – Christianity Today.
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Psalms 41:1 (KJV) & Luke 16:19-21 (KJV)
II. READ THE PERICOPE: Psalms 41:1(KJV) & Luke 16:19-21 (KJV)
III. READ THE TEXT: Psalms 41:1 (Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble). &
Luke 16:19-21 (KJV) - There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 2And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to care for the POOR Lazaruses (the sick, hungry, and less fortunate) within their church, and community by being OBEDIENT to GOD’s WORD..
V. SERMONIC THEME: “GOD is My HELPER!”
INTRODUCTION:
Rick Labate, an author, once said
“When Bishop Philip Brooks, author of “O, Little Town of Bethlehem,” was seriously ill, he requested no friends come to see him.
But when an acquaintance of his named ROBERT INGERSOLL, a famous anti-Christian propagandist, came to see him he allowed him to come in right away.
INGERSOLL said, “ I appreciate this very chuch. Especially when you aren’t letting any of your close friends see you.”
Bishop Brooks responded, “OH, I’M CONDIENT OF SEEING THEM IN THE NEXT WORLD, BUT THIS MAY BE MY LAST CHANCE TO SEE YOU”…
The Bible says in Luke 12:48 (KJV) - For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more …
It has been said …”The tragedy of life and the world is not that man don’t know God; The tragedy is after knowing God, they still insist on going their own way” … And doing their own thing – Christianity Today.
Some one else said: “charity is a human obligation.
Man owes CHARITY to his fellow-man as a brother”.
*******************TAKE 5 BEATS **********************
Move 1: David said in Psalms 41: 1 - Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
c. Then, after seeing WHAT his father (DAVID) did for the POOR and less fortunate – King SOLOMON said in Proverbs 19:17 …
d. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
e. In other words, my brothers and sisters, WHEN WE HAVE COMPASSION on the less fortunate – we’re DOING TWO THINGS:
f. First, … WE’RE DEMONSTRATING OUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD (in Deut. 15:10-11)
g. Second, … because GOD identifies with the POOR … He gives an added bonus to OUR OBEDIENCE … by seeing … OUR ACTIONS (of obedience) as A FAVOR to HIM …
**********************TAKE 5 BEATS********************
