"SHOW ME A PENNY"
Luke 20:24a
Show me a penny. . . . . . .Luke 20:24a
NOTE: I have the Power Point to this message. If you ask for it by email - I will send it to you. My email is LarryJ713@aol.com
Now most of you know that I am preaching FROM the text this morning. AWAYS FROM IT. In fact the text I read has absolutely nothing to do with what I am about to preach. I am just using it as a spring board to leap off into the message I want to share. I want to assure you that my message is rooted in the Word of God.
If you are a Bible student, you would know that the coin that our Lord was talking about was a Romans coin and did not look like or have any of the encryptions that one of our PENNIES has on it.
Since I have been a Christian I have been utterly amazed at how many different things testifies of God & gives us wonderful object lessons. I can see God in almost everything and the things I can’t see God in is because of my inability – It is not because it is not testifying of our creator and our God and Savior. God has given us many, many object lessons. Jesus said:
"Consider the Lilies" - Consider the sparrow - "look upon the fields" "Consider the Ant".
The Tree - The vine (Mike, I will share a short statement about each of these)
There is a great message on a Penny:
I was out on a run last Monday and on one of the side street – I looked down and saw a penny. On most occasions I would not have stopped long enough to pick it up. It is practically worthless in our monetary system today. There is a movement in our country to do away with the penny all together because it cost more to mint them than they are worth.
However, today I want to talk to you about the penny! I did look back (and for those of you who were here 10 years ago and have a wonderful memory) ten years ago I preached about the penny. However, as small and insignificant as the little penny is it have a great and powerful message stamped on it.
Now, you must know by now that I am a noted preacher. I use notes profusely. I am always looking for a great outline to share God’s message. The little penny has one of the greatest outline for sharing the gospel. There is a six point sermon outline on the penny.
THE FACE SIDE FIRST:
I. First, LOOK AT THE DATE. The date on this penny is 1996
A. That date testifies of the birth of a man. The man Christ Jesus. Every time someone look at a penny, they must acknowledge that someone very special was born 1996 years ago at the stamping of that coin.
B. When Jesus was born the calenders all rolled to 000000 (zero) again.
C. The birth of this man has done more to change the course of human history than any other person who has ever been born. He has changed the lives of more people than any other.
Isaiah said, "For unto you a child is born, . . . .
ONE SOLITARY LIFE.
He was born in a stable, the child of a peasant woman.
He grew up in an obscure village; worked as a carpenter until He was 30;
and then became an itinerant preacher for 3 years.
He never went to college; He never wrote a book;
He never held an office; He never owned a home;
He never had a family; He never had a lot of money;
He never traveled father than 200 miles from His place of birth;
He never accomplished any of the things that usually mark greatness;
He had no credentials but Himself; Although He spoke with great authority;
Taught with unusual wisdom; and was widely accepted by the people,
the religious leaders of His day opposed Him;
While He was still a young man,
the tide of popular opinion turned against Him;
He was betrayed by a friend; Abandoned by His associates;
and turned over to His enemies. He was falsely accused;
Endured the mockery of a trial; and was unjustly condemned to die.
He was crucified between two thieves,
and while He was dying His executioners gambled
for the only piece of property He had on earth, and that was His clothing.
When He was dead, He was buried in a borrowed grave
through the pity of a friend.
Nineteen centuries have come and gone and today
He is the central figure of the human race,
the cornerstone of world progress;
And all the armies that have ever marched;
And all the navies that have ever sailed;
And all the parliaments that have ever sat,
And all the kings that have ever reigned,
all put together
Have not affected the life of man upon this earth as has that one solitary life.
THE WORDS: "IN GOD WE TRUST".
A. That is the message of salvation. On every penny there is the gospel message of salvation. "Trust in God".
B. God said, "Look to me all ye ends of the earth and be saved." Salvation is of the Lord. We must trust God for everything.
C. Salvation is not only in God but it is also by faith. "For by Grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Eph. 2:8,9
III. NEXT, WE SEE THE WORD "LIBERTY."
A. As American’s we take a great deal of pride in the fact that we are "Free People". One of our great statesmen has coined a phrase that live in the heart of every true American. "Give me Liberty or give me death". However, while we are free from the tyranny of a foreign nation there is many things
to which American’s are enslaved. Many are the slaves of Sin, Sex, drugs, alcohol, bad habits, disease, money, material possessions.
The fact is every one is a slave to someone or something.
B. Read Romans 6:11-18
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
John 8:36 "If the Son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed."
Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath set me free from the law of sin and death.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PENNY.
IV. We have the words: ONE CENT
Some one has put it this way, "God had only one son and He made Him a Missionary."
A. I don’t believe I can say it any better than the song "Because He Lives". The first verse:
God sent His Son, they called him Jesus, He came to love heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon, An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow - Because He lives all fear is gone,
Because I know, yes I know he Holds - the future,
And live is worth the living just because He lives.
B. The most asserted truth that our Lord made about Himself was that HE DID NOT COME TO DO HIS WILL BUT THE WILL OF THE FATHER THAT SENT HIM. He was on a mission.
C. This is not the end of the story of ONE SENT. I love the great commission. It is stated differently in different gospels. We mostly think of the great commission being in
Matt 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
HOWEVER: I like the commission as Jesus stated it in John’s gospel.
John 20:19-21 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
V. WE ALSO SEE THE WORDS "E PLURIBUS UNUM"
This is a latin phrase that means "ONE OF MANY".
A. I am convinced that this speaks of the Family of God, the Church. When we are saved we have the opportunity to be a part of the greatest organization on earth, the church. Now I know that it is the Spirit that places you in the "Body of Christ" & "The family of God", but the church is the visible, local body that God wants each of His children to be a part of.
B. Paul said, "We are laborers together with God." Praise God we are not in this fight alone. We have God and we have all the army of the living God to stand with us. I am glad to be a part of the blood bought bride of Christ.
VI. WE ALSO SEE A BUILDING.
IT IS ACTUALLY THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL BUT ON MY OUTLINE I THINK OF IT AS THE TEMPLE IN HEAVEN.
A. If you look close at the penny you will see some one is standing at the bottom of the stairs and they are looking unto the tempel. This represents the living saints on earth waiting for the Lord to come from heaven. Jesus is there in that temple in heaven and I believe He is about to step out of that temple and come back to earth to gather his people to Him.
B. In this we can see the return of Jesus.
CONCLUSION:
It is just a little penny but doesn’t it have a great message for us today? How about you?
Are you trusting in God for Salvation, life and everything?
Have you been set free and have the liberty that come from knowing Jesus?
Are you aware that Jesus came for YOU 1996 years ago.
Do you know that God Sent His son for you?
Are you a part of the "One of Many"?
Are you looking and watching for the return of Jesus?
