First Church of God in Harvey
Sunday Morning – February 19th, 2012
Let us pray
Welcome……
Today is the third Sunday of Black History Month, and I believe we all can say we have been blessed. Have you been blessed? Has God been good to you? Can you praise God despite how things might appear to be?
During the past week we have heard the news over and over again that Whitney Houston is dead. The news is constantly mentioned, because a person of renown has passed away.. When people of renown pass away, the public is reminded of who they were, what they have achieved, and what evil or good they might have done. Just over two months ago, it appears Whitney Houston was poised for a comeback, as she sang the classic gospel hymn, “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” “Her performance was filmed for a scene in the upcoming movie “Sparkle,” in which Houston stars as the mother of a family of girls who form a singing group and struggle with fame and addiction.” Bishop T.D. Jakes who helped in producing the film said that, “she delivered it with such conviction that it was a very touching moment in the filming of the movie.” It was said that, her performance brought tears to the eyes of those on the “Sparkle” set. As we look back, we might really wonder as to what really happened to Whitney Houston.
Everyday we see lives being ushered into eternity; lives that have been lived away from God, even though God was not far away. Today if you feel God is far away from you, you have the opportunity to make it right by getting close to God before it is too late. If you find you are in the fast lane, or on the wrong road, you can slow down, get on the right road, and draw close to God. Two days before Whitney Houston’s death, she made her final performance for an audience in Hollywood where she sung this song, “Yes, Jesus Loves Me.” Only if she really knew, how much Jesus loved her……….….God loves you just as you are…
We are here today in the house of God, and we can make it right if it is not right. Our scripture reading for today will be taken from Acts 17 verses 22 through 28. Let’s all stand and read from the screen.
My to-pic for today is, “God Is Not Far Away.”
Our theme for this year is, “Getting To Know God.” In order to really know God, we have to know that he is not far away It is tax time. I remember years ago when I did my taxes, I had to get the tax forms and work from scratch, not knowing what the end result was going to be. Today everything is computerized, so as you work along doing your taxes, at any given point you can see if you are owing IRS, or if IRS is owing you. In doing your taxes you have to make sure you give the right answers to the questions being asked.
Today many people use a tax software such as Turbo Tax to do their taxes. They might use the software in order to avoid paying a tax consultant, but if you give the wrong answer or don’t know the answer to give you will be in big trouble. I was reading about a lady who was filing her tax on her own using a tax software, the result she received was going to cost her, and now she is searching for the right answers to the questions on the internet. If you don’t know the right answer to the question, find a tax consultant or someone who should know, because the wrong answer could be costlier than you think.
People are asking the right questions, but they are getting the wrong answers. Is there just one way to God? Good question. Oh no, there are many ways to God. Wrong answer.. What did Jesus says? In St. John 14 verse 6 Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Correct answer. What must I do to be saved? Good question. Go to church, and do the best you can. Wrong answer. The Bible says in Acts 16 verses 31, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved….. Correct answer. If I do all the right things, will that guarantee me a place in heaven. Good question. Oh sure, that is all you have to do live a morally upright life, and you will make it to heaven. Wrong answer. What does the bible says. In Isaiah 64 verse 6a we read, But we are all as unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags…. Correct answer. People all around us are searching for answers, do you have an answer to the question that they might ask? ................................
We hear stories everyday, short stories, long stories, good stories, bad stories. By the way, what is a story,? A story is “the narrative of an event or series of events either true or fiction.” It is also, “a prose or verse narrative, usually fictional, intended to interest or amuse the hearer or reader..” The greatest story ever told is the story of Jesus and his love, and this story has been told for centuries, it is not a fairy tale, and this story never grows old. Today I would like to tell you a story, this story has been around for a long time, and depending on who is telling the story you, might have heard it in a different version.
“One of the most interesting Americans who lived in the 19th century was a man by the name of Russell Herman Conwell. He was born in 1843 and lived until 1925. He was a lawyer for about fifteen years until he became a clergyman. One day, a young man went to him and told him he wanted a college education but couldn’t swing it financially. Dr. Conwell decided at that moment, that his aim in life was, besides being a man of cloth-that is. He decided to build a university for unfortunate, but deserving, students. He did have a challenge, however. He would need a few million dollars to build the university. For Dr. Conwell, and anyone with real purpose in life, nothing could stand in the way of his goal.
Several years before this incident, Dr. Conwell was tremendously intrigued by a true story – with its ageless moral. The story was about a farmer who lived in Africa and through a visitor became tremendously excited about looking for diamonds. Diamonds were already discovered in abundance on the African continent and this farmer got so excited about the idea of millions of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head out to the diamond line. He wandered all over the continent, as the years slipped by, constantly searching for diamonds, wealth, which he never found. Eventually he went completely broke and threw himself into a river and drowned.
Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking rock about the size of a country egg, and put it on his mantle as a sort of curiosity. A visitor stopped by and in viewing the rock practically went into convulsions. He told the new owner of the farm that the funny looking rock on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that ever been found. The new owner of the farm said…the whole farm is covered with them…and sure enough it was. The farm turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine…the richest the world has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on “Acres of Diamonds” until he sold the farm.
Dr. Conwell learned from the story of the farmer and continued to teach it’s moral. Each of us is right in the middle of our own “Acre of Diamonds”, if only we would realize it and develop the ground we are standing on before charging off in search of greener pastures. Dr. Conwell told the story many times and attracted enormous audiences. He told the story long enough to have raised the money to start the college for under-privileged deserving students. In fact, he raised nearly six million dollars and the university he founded, Temple University in Philadelphia, has at least ten-degree granting colleges and six other schools.
When Doctor Russell H. Conwell talked about each of us being right on our “Acres of Diamonds” he meant it. This story does not get old.. it will be true forever…opportunity does not just come along-it is there all the time-we just have to see it.”
In our text today is the story of man called Paul. “Paul was traveling with a man named Silas and they were going from area to area talking about Jesus and inviting people to put their faith in Jesus. Paul and Silas got separated and Paul ended up in a city called Athens.” Paul was in for a treat. I remember many, many years ago my wife and I were in Paris, France standing at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. My wife wanted to explore the tower, but all I did was stood and look up at the tower. Like Paul, I was in for a treat. “Athens was full of philosophers and people that were intrigued by religion.” These men of Athens “spent their time in nothing else but either to tell, or to hear some new thing. So here in town, in the city of Athens was a man who had something to tell.
Paul had walked through the city and “he had seen the many evidences of their search for the beautiful and the eternal.’ He had seen the glistening temple raised to Diana, Apollo, and others. He also saw something which got his attention, he saw a monument dedicated to “The Unknown God.” Paul had his chance to speak, he saw something that he could speak about, and there in the midst of Mars Hill the apostle Paul started to speak to these men who were willing to listen to something new.
Men of Athens I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. I have realized that you are very religious, for as I was out walking, I saw your many altars, and I saw an altar with the inscription – To The Unknown God. You have been worshipping a God without knowing who he is, and now I wish to tell you about him.
You see one day I was on my way to Damascus persecuting God’s people, and this God that is unknown to you met me on the way ……… (relate the story of Paul’s conversion….)
This God who is unknown to you he made the world and everything in it (refer verses 24 through 27 Living Paraphrase..)
Men of Athens, I have some good news for you, this God that is unknown to you, he is not far away. You might not want to believe this new teaching, but it is in him we live, this unknown God; it is in him we move, this unknown God; and it is in him we have our being; this unknown God. Can you believe it? for even your poets have said, we are also his offspring; we are the sons of God.
The people of Athens “in spite of all their achievements, their urge for God had not been satisfied.” The people of Athens had looked everywhere, just like the young man in search of diamonds, they had turned over every stone and still had not found him. Paul was saying to the people of Athens, you have done what God intended you to do. You have looked for God in all the places around where he might be found, but I am sorry you have not found Him. The truth is, He is nearer than you think, “God Is Not Far Away,” for in him we live, in him we move, and in him we have our being.
In America today, we are living in the best of times materially speaking. We are living in the computer age, space travel, “techniques in medicine the ancient world never dreamed of, engineering feats it never believed possible.” In America we have tried pleasure; some have tried drugs, some have changed their lifestyle, looking for something that will satisfy. Like the people of Athens we are searching, and some are not sure what they are searching for. Many are looking for something to satisfy Many are trying to get emotionally high on Christianity, just as a man get emotionally high on drugs. Getting emotionally high on Christianity means nothing if one does not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. People go to church on Sunday and get emotionally high, and go to work on Monday with a hangover. On this third Sunday of Black History Month let’s all stop and think, “God Is Not Far Away,” “And the answer is here all the time…So near we could touch it, if we only knew if we only realized!”
There is a little chorus we used to sing, which goes like this, Reach out and touch the Lord as he pass by, You’ll find he is not too busy to hear your heart’s cry. He is passing by this moment your needs to supply. Reach out and touch the Lord as he passes by.
Billy Graham in his book on angels, tell this story that took place in the foothills of China. ‘One day a poor woman went up to the foothills to cut grass. To her back was tied a baby, and a little child walked beside her. In her hand she carried a sharp sickle to cut grass. Just as she reached the top of the hill she heard a roar. Frightened almost speechless she looked around to see a mother tigress springing at her, followed by two cubs. This illiterate Chinese mother had never attended school or entered a church. She had never seen a Bible. But a year or two earlier a missionary had told her about Jesus, who is able to help you when you are in trouble. As the claws tore her arm and shoulder, the woman cried out in a frenzy, “Oh Jesus, help me!” This ferocious beast instead of attacking again to get an easy meat suddenly turned and ran away.”
This woman who did not have a personal relationship with God, called out to God because he was not far away, and he delivered her…..…..
As we close, the Great Almighty God is here. The Creator of the heaven and earth is here. The God who loves you and cares for you is here. The God who sees and knows the pain and the agony that you are going through, is here. The God who understands your struggles and your heartaches, is here. The God who sees and understands your discouragement, is here. The God who knows of your constant crying out for help, is here. Sometimes I find myself coming into the sanctuary when no one is around, when it is calm and peaceful, and with a loud voice crying out to God for help. Today God speaks to you and he is saying, I am not far away, just come and cast all your cares upon me, for I care for you. Are you burdened down? Just come to Jesus.
Let us stand
Call to discipleship
Closing song/prayer
