INTRO.- ILL.- Coming home from his Little League game, Billy swung open the front door very excited. Unable to attend the game, his father immediately wanted to know what happened. "So, how did you do son?" he asked. "You’ll never believe it!" Billy said. "I was responsible for the winning run!"
"Really? How’d you do that?" "I dropped the ball."
Were you ever a good ball player? Not everyone can play ball or play it well. When it comes to playing ball some people have the ability and some don’t. Of course, this is true for all sports.
Did you ever find your sport? Or did you ever find what you were good at in life? Many people end up with jobs in life simply because they never discovered what they were good at.
ILL.- I think it was the year 1963 that I purchased a 1936 Ford five window coupe from my sister’s brother-in-law. Why did I buy it? Because I wanted to make a hot rod out of it? It had a newer model flathead V8 engine (40 plus model) in it and I thought it would make a great hot rod.
I knew nothing about auto body repair but I knew something about engines. However, after working on it for a period of time I discovered I didn’t know nearly as much as I thought.
It had what is called a magneto on the front of the engine, which is our distributor on a car engine today. It wasn’t working right so I took it out, took it somewhere to get it worked on and then I put it back on the engine. I don’t recall but I don’t believe that engine ever started after that time!
We all have a certain amount of ability. There are some things we can do and many things we can’t do but there is someone who is able to do all things well! He is able. And we need to cling desperately to Him who is able!
ILL.- An airplane flew into a violent thunderstorm and was soon swaying and bumping around in the sky. One very nervous lady happened to be sitting next to a preacher and turned to him for comfort.
She said, "Can’t you do something?" she demanded. He replied, "I’m sorry, ma’am, I’m in sales, not management."
This is true for all of us. We’re in sales, not management, which means there are some things that we can’t do or can’t handle, but we know someone who can! HE IS ABLE!
Our text tells about the one who is able to do everything good for us. That’s the beauty of our God. He is primarily interested in doing good things for us and in us.
PROP.- What is He able to do?
1- He is able to keep us from falling
2- He is able to present us without fault
3- He is able to receive all praise
I. HE IS ABLE TO KEEP US FROM FALLING
24To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.
ILL.- Perhaps you heard the old story about the preacher who said, "I wonder how many of you would be willing to admit that you love sin?" "I do," one man said. The preacher said, "You mean to tell me that you are willing to admit in front of all of these people that you love sin?" The man, "Oh no, I thought you said GIN."
What’s your greatest temptation in life? We probably won’t make a list but we all have at least one area of temptation and probably many.
ILL.- Do you remember the fallen preachers; Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart? Jim Bakker was not only guilty of financial impropriety but also immorality. From 1984 to 1987, Bakker and his PTL associates sold $1,000 "lifetime memberships", which entitled buyers to a three-night stay annually at a luxury hotel at Heritage USA.
According to the prosecution at Bakker’s later fraud trial, tens of thousands of memberships had been sold, but only one 500-room hotel was ever completed. A good deal of the money went into Heritage USA’s operating expenses, and Bakker kept $3.4 million in bonuses for himself.
On March 19, 1987, following the revelation of a payoff to Jessica Hahn, whom Bakker’s staff members had paid $279,000 from PTL funds to keep secret her allegation that he had raped her, Bakker resigned from PTL. Bakker acknowledges he met Hahn at a hotel room in Clearwater Beach, Florida, but denies raping her.
Then as we recall, Jimmy Swaggart was guilty of picking up prostititutes.
In 1986, Swaggart exposed fellow Assemblies of God minister Marvin Gorman, who was accused of having an affair with another pastor’s wife, who was at the time undergoing counseling with Pastor Gorman. Some said this was done out of fear that Gorman was taking away from Swaggart’s audience and donations. The following year, Swaggart exposed fellow Assemblies Of God televangelist Jim Bakker’s sexual indiscretions and appeared on the Larry King Show, stating that Bakker was a "cancer in the body of Christ."
As a retaliatory move, Marvin Gorman hired a private detective to follow Swaggart. The detective found Swaggart in a Louisiana motel on Airline Highway with a prostitute, Debra Murphree, and took pictures of the tryst.
Gorman presented Swaggart with the photos in a blackmail attempt to force Swaggart to come clean, but Swaggart refused. Gorman then presented the pictures to the leadership of the Assemblies of God church.
On October 11, 1991, Swaggart was found in the company of another prostitute, Rosemary Garcia, when he was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol in Indio, California, for driving on the wrong side of the street. According to Garcia, Swaggart stopped to proposition her on the side of the road. When the patrolman asked Garcia why she was with Swaggart, she replied, "He asked me for sex. I mean, that’s why he stopped me. That’s what I do. I’m a prostitute."
Brothers and sisters, these are bad situations and both brought shame to the name of Christ. AND FALLING INTO SIN, SHAMEFUL SIN, CAN HAPPEN TO ANYBODY! But it doesn’t have to be that way! THE LORD CAN KEEP US ALL FROM FALLING! But only if we let Him, only we keep our eyes on Him!
Ps. 119:9-11 "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. "
ILL.- After fasting 40 days and nights, Jesus was hungry. Satan came to him and said, "Command these stones to become loaves of bread." And Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
It is God’s Word that can keep us from falling. The Word of God is alive, active and powerful and if we hide it in our hearts and minds it will keep us from falling into sin. HE IS ABLE.
II. HE IS ABLE TO PRESENT US WITHOUT FAULT
24To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.
ILL.- Someone said, "Women have their faults. Men have only two. Everything they say and everything they do." Who said those words? Probably a woman.
ILL.- Three preachers were spending some time at the lake, resting, fishing, and trying to relax. One of the preachers had a confession to make. “Since we’re told to confess our faults to one another, I have something I need to get off my chest. I have a weakness for alcohol. It’s been a temptation for years, and many times I’ve given in to it, but I feel so much better for sharing this with you.”
Then the second preacher spoke. “I, too have a weakness. I smoke cigars on occasion. I know that it’s not honoring the temple of the Lord, but it’s a recurring problem that I haven’t been able to conquer.” And then the third preacher spoke. “Frankly, fellows, I have a problem with gossip and I can hardly wait to go talk to others about this meeting."
Brothers and sisters, you know as well as I do that everyone has faults. Of course, when it comes to talking about them I’d rather talk about yours and than mine!
Call them faults, mistakes, problems, sins but they’re all the same. They come between us and God. Since God is holy, completely holy we cannot rightfully be in His presence. Holiness cannot stand the filth of sin.
ILL.- It was said that no man in Scotland was more saintly than Robert Murray McCheyne, and yet he said, “No one but God knows the depth of sin in my heart.”
To another saintly man, someone said, when he was on his deathbed, “How happy you must be; the gates of heaven will be crowded with your converts waiting to greet you.”
But he replied, “If I can but crawl into heaven on my hands and knees before the gate shuts, I’ll be the most blessed man in heaven.”
Does this sound like you? Crawling into heaven? Well, guess what? We will not crawl into heaven on our hands and knees and it’s all because of Jesus!
II Cor. 5:21 "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
Col. 1:22 "But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation."
Doesn’t this sound great? He is able to present us before God without fault and with great joy!
ILL.- The story is told of a little girl who lived near a cemetery. Even though she had to pass through it after the sun was set she never seemed to be apprehensive. Someone finally said to her: “Aren’t you afraid to go through the cemetery?” “No way,” she replied, “I am not afraid, for my home is just beyond the cemetery." Our home is just beyond the cemetery and the grave!
He is able to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.
III. HE IS ABLE TO RECEIVE ALL PRAISE
25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Able. Worthy is more like it. He is worthy and because of this He must receive all praise and glory!
Eph. 1:3-4 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight."
Romans 16:27 "To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen."
I Cor. 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
Gal. 1:4-5 "He gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
ILL.- In 1808, shortly before Haydn’s death, a grand performance of his piece called the “Creation” took place in Vienna. Haydn was present, a man of seventy-six years. He was so feeble, however, that he had to be wheeled into the theater in a chair. This was the last time that the great composer made a public appearance.
The audience greeted the old man with great enthusiasm, and when the orchestra and chorus arrived at the place where there is a sudden change from the minor to a major, at the words “And there was light,” they gave a great applause.
The old composer struggled to his feet and mustering up all his strength cried in reply to the applause of the audience: “No, no! not from me, but from heaven above comes all!” at the same time pointing upward.
True for Hayden and true for us. If we’ve ever done anything good in this life then to HIM be the glory and the praise!
ILL.- A conference at a Presbyterian church in Omaha people were given helium filled balloons and told to release them at some point in the service when they felt like expressing praise in their hearts. Since they were Presbyterians, they weren’t encouraged to say "Hallelujah or Praise the Lord" out loud. All through the service balloons ascended, but when it was over only 2/3’s of the balloons were released. Some people had not let their balloon go.
We must let our balloon go! Our balloon of praise! WE MUST PRAISE HIM CONTINUALLY! He deserves praise and glory, both now and forevermore!
CONCLUSION------------------------
ILL. - One time an Army brat was boasting about his father to a Navy brat. "My dad is an engineer. He can do everything. Do you know the Alps?" "Yes," said the Navy brat. "My dad has built them." Then the naval kid spoke: "And do you know the Dead Sea?" "Yes." "It’s my dad who’s killed it!"
A lot of bragging going on between those two kids. My daddy is bigger and better than your daddy. Brothers and sisters, our daddy can do more than any daddy!
Eph. 3:20-21 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Our God is able! He is able to save us, cleanse us, change us, use us, and take us to heaven! Praise His name!
