INTRO.- ILL.- One man said, “After finishing an out-of-town errand, I discovered that my car wouldn’t start because it was out of gas. A passer-by told me there was a service station a half-mile away, so I took a gas can from the trunk and trudged the distance in the sweltering sun.
“The attendant filled my two-gallon can, and I lugged it back and poured the gas into the tank. But when I tried to unlock the car door, it wouldn’t open. Just then, I noticed an identical old car parked a short distance away. That was my car; I had filled a stranger’s gas tank.
“Wearily I walked back to the station. ‘You know,’ the attendant suggested helpfully, ‘instead of walking back and forth to fill the tank from the can, you could put a couple of gallons in the tank and then drive the car here.’”
That guy was having a bad day. It’s what some would call a “Murphy’s law” day. Murphy’s law says that if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. Murphy didn’t invent bad luck or bad days, however. They started long before Murphy came into this world. For example, the apostle Paul experienced plenty of bad days.
Phil. 4:12-13 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
The apostle Paul knew about both the good and the bad side of life. He knew about being in need and that’s bad. He also knew about having plenty and that’s good.
I have known of some people to have little food or no food at all for certain meals, but I admit that I have never went to bed hungry. For the most part, I’ve had three square meals a day all my life. I know I am blessed in that way, but some people are not. To do without some of the necessities of life is bad.
II Cor. 4:8-9 “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
Paul was down, but he was not out. He was beaten, but he was also blessed. He experienced persecution in following Christ, but also the sweet fellowship of other Christians. He experienced both the good and bad in life. We all do, but some people, unfortunately, experience more than their share of the bad.
ILL.- Lawrence Hanratty was, at the time the newspaper article was written, a 38 year-old resident of Mt. Vernon, New York. He was described in the article as being the unluckiest man in New York. First, Hanratty was nearly electrocuted in a construction accident that put him into a coma for weeks. He recovered from the coma only to have to hire a law firm to fight for his liability claims. But one of his lawyers was disbarred; two of the others died and his wife ran off with her own lawyer.
Still, Hanratty’s problems were not over. He came down with heart and liver disease that required him to be on oxygen continuously and he had to take 42 pills a day to survive.
Then Hanratty was involved in a car wreck. The police responded to the call for help and investigated the accident. But when the police left, a thief came along and robbed him.
When the article was written in 1995, Hanratty’s insurance company had notified him that they were going to cut off his workman’s comp benefits and his landlord told him that he was being evicted. Wow! Sound bad? It was bad. May God have mercy on all the Hanratty’s of the world!
PROP.- In this message I want us to consider God’s purpose in both the good and the bad.
1- God’s purpose in our disappointments
2- God’s purpose in our success
I. GOD’S PURPOSE IN OUR DISAPPOINTMENTS
Job 6:19-20 CEV “Caravans from Tema and Sheba thought they would find water. But they were disappointed.”
Those caravans of people came looking for water, but found none and were disappointed. Probably greatly disappointed. Why? Because water is a necessity for life! People can’t live without water! And back during that time I suspect water was quite scarce. It wasn’t like it is here in America. Sometimes we don’t realize how good we have it, even when things are bad.
Many times in life we are disappointed. We are looking for certain things or for certain things to happen and they don’t always pan out.
ILL.- One man said to another, “What’s going on?” The second man replied, “Oh, I’m just going around looking for the next disappointment.” For many people, life has become one great big disappointment.
ILL.- Representative Joseph W. Martin, Jr , Republican House leader (1925-1967), was often teased by his colleagues about being a bachelor.
Representative Clarence Brown liked to say that in his youth Martin narrowly missed being married and being a millionaire to boot.
According to Brown’s tale, Martin courted a young lady who confided she had a million dollars. Martin asked the girl, “Will you marry me?” “No,” she said. “I thought so.” “Then why did you ask?” “Just to see what it feels like to lose a million dollars.”
It would be a big disappointment to lose a million dollars, wouldn’t it? Losing money, anywhere, any time is a big disappointment with us. And it does happen.
We’ve lost money on bad purchases and on wasted living like the prodigal son of Luke 15, etc. We’ve all spent money on things that were worthless and wish that we had our money back.
And we all get disappointed with the material things of this life. If it isn’t one thing, it’s something else. If it isn’t our car, it’s our house or the lawnmower or the frig or something else. Material things break down, they wear out and they also disappoint us.
ILL.- I’ve said in the past that my 2002 Ford Taurus is the best car I’ve ever had, but not anymore! lol. Recently, that car was in the Ford garage for three weeks. Two weeks with the transmission. Then I had to take it back because someone messed up the lower ball joints and they had to be replaced.
I wonder, “What next?”
The only positive thing is that I did purchase an extended warranty, which paid for almost everything and even rented a car for me to drive. But overall, material things eventually disappoint us.
Many people are disappointed with either their looks or their life. What if you don’t like something about your looks? What do you do? If you can fix it, then fix it. If not then you have to learn to live with it.
ILL.- My mother, rest her soul, for a long time had a hump in the middle of her nose. I never thought a thing about it. That was mom. She was my mom and I loved her just the way she was, but many years ago she had cosmetic surgery to remove that hump on her nose. It definitely made mom feel better about herself, but I used to tease her sand say, “I want my old mom back.” I still loved mom, and loved to tease her. I wanted to make her laugh since there were times when I made her cry.
If you have something about your appearance that disappoints you and you can change it, then change it. Otherwise, you have to learn to live with it. Of course, if you are preoccupied with your looks and can’t focus on anything else then you need to get your priorities straightened out. The heart is more important than the nose, etc.
I Sam. 16:7 “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’”
It’s nice if the body and the heart go together, but it doesn’t always work that way. God is mostly concerned about what kind of people we are rather than how beautiful we are. This is not to say that we shouldn’t take care of our bodies and be as presentable as possible, however. We should.
Probably one of our great disappointments in life is with people. We’ve all been disappointed with people.
Job 6:14-21 CEV “My friends, I am desperate, and you should help me, even if I no longer respect God All-Powerful. But you are treacherous as streams that swell with melting snow, then suddenly disappear in the summer heat. I am like a caravan, lost in the desert while searching for water. Caravans from Tema and Sheba thought they would find water. But they were disappointed, just as I am with you. Only one look at my suffering, and you run away scared.”
Apparently, Job was disappointed with his friends. In the midst of his trials they were not as faithful to him as he thought they should be. We’ve all been there and done that.
ILL.- When my son Shane was 8 days old he had exploratory surgery on his intestinal area. He was vomiting after each feeding and the doctor had to find out what the problem was. Shane was born with adhesions, which were easily removed. Next, the doctor removed his small intestines and examined them. The doctor found a piece of pancreas in his small intestines. He cut it out, sewed him up and placed him on the right side of his body. And, as the doctor said, “We’ll let nature take its course.” Shane turned 24 years old last week and is still going strong. He’s 6’ 2” and weighs probably 240 lbs. I’d say he survived that surgery quite well!
Shane was in the hospital was from Monday to Saturday and the thing that surprised me was that no one from the church where I was preaching came to visit us. I was disappointed, but I’ve had worse disappointments than that in life. We all have. Sad to say, people disappoint us. Friends, family members, church members, etc.
What do we do? How do we respond?
ILL.- One time a preacher asked a little boy, “Sonny, who made you?” The little boy replied, “Well, to tell the truth I ain’t done yet.” No child is done yet. In a sense, this is true for us all. We’re mature in some ways, but not in other ways.
God is at work in us, but He’s not done yet. Every person is a work in progress, slow as it might be. Consequently, we often get disappointed with people. God’s purpose for disappointment with others is this:
Rom. 15:1-2 “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”
Col. 3:12-13 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
We have to learn as best we can to be patient with people or as one preacher said, “put up with people.” People put up with us so we have to do the same with others. We must be as patience as possible and continue to demonstrate love.
Overall, what is God’s purpose for us in our disappointments?
ILL.- In 1858 the Illinois legislature sent Stephen A. Douglas to the U.S. Senate instead of Abraham Lincoln, although Lincoln had won the popular vote. When a sympathetic friend asked Lincoln how he felt, he said, "Like the boy who stubbed his toe: I am too big to cry and too badly hurt to laugh."
That may be how some people respond to disappointments, however, I think most of us are never too big to cry. David of old cried to the Lord. Job of old also cried to the Lord.
Ps. 6:6-7 “I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears...”
Job 16:20-21 “My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend.”
Perhaps in our tears of frustration and disappointment God will answer our prayers. If we cry, we must also pray.
What are we to do? What is God’s purpose in our disappointments? We may get upset, frustrated, etc. We may cry, but one thing we must do is to look up and commit ourselves to the Lord who loves us more than life itself! God is not without pity or compassion. He does see. He does care. He does love. He does want to help us, but this will only come as look to Him and cast our burdens and disappointments on Him.
Heb. 12:2-3 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.’
I Pet. 5:7 “Cast on your anxiety (and disappointments)
On him because He cares for you.”
II. GOD’S PURPOSE IN OUR SUCCESS
ILL.- Last year, 32-year-old Lance Armstrong did something nearly impossible. He won the cycling world’s most famous event, the 3-week, 2200 mile Tour de France race for the 5th year in a row. It was perhaps his toughest race and definitely his closest win. He won by only 61 seconds.
But what makes his five wins even more impressive is the fact that he did it after a three-year bout with cancer! In 1996 he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. By the fall, he was not racing his bike, he was trying to survive his cancer, which had spread to his abdomen, lungs and brain! He had two operations, including brain surgery. He endured 12-weeks of chemotherapy.
WITH SUCH A BURDEN WHO COULD BELIEVE HE WOULD EVER COMPETE AGAIN? But, he did. So he rode 30 to 50 miles every day between chemotherapy treatments. He did everything he could to regain his health and his strength - with the idea of becoming a winning cyclist again. AND DID HE EVER SUCCEED!
Some years ago Nike shoe company ran a series of ads making the point that Lance Armstrong was the "first dead man" to win the Tour de France!
Lance Armstrong in his book, It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life, wrote, “I asked myself what I believed. I had never prayed a lot. I hoped hard, I wished hard, but I didn’t pray. I had developed a certain distrust of organized religion growing up, but I felt I had the capacity to be a spiritual person, and to hold some fervent beliefs. Quite simply, I believed I had a responsibility to be a good person, and that meant fair, honest, hardworking, and honorable. If I did that, if I was good to my family, true to my friends, if I gave back to my community or to some cause, if I wasn’t a liar, a cheat, or a thief, then I believed that should be enough. At the end of the day, if there was indeed some Body or presence standing there to judge me, I hoped I would be judged on whether I had lived a true life, not on whether I believed in a certain book, or whether I’d been baptized. If there was indeed a God at the end of my days, I hoped he didn’t say, ‘But you were never a Christian, so you’re going the other way from heaven.’ If so, I was going to reply, ‘You know what? You’re right. Fine.’”
Brothers and sisters, if I had been as successful as Lance Armstrong has been I think I would have given the Lord the credit. After all, the Lord created us with our abilities and talents and He is the one who blesses our lives with a certain amount of success. Also, after beating cancer, like Armstrong has, I think I would have been down on my knees, saying, “Thank you, Lord.”
What about you? Have you ever succeeded at anything in life? Ever done a good job at something? Ever got a great job? Got a hard-earned pay raise? Have you ever blessed anyone? Ministered to anyone? Done good to someone? THEN YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED IN LIFE.
What is God’s purpose in our success, whatever form they take? I mentioned this last Sunday night.
ILL.- I said if brother Bill Griffin preaches a good sermon, then praise the Lord. If I preach a good sermon, it’s a miracle. Either way, we should praise the Lord. We all should praise the Lord for the good in our lives, because the Lord is the author of that good. Don’t take the credit for yourself.
Acts 12:21-23 “On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, ‘This is the voice of a god, not of a man.’” Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.”
Herod of old made a terrible mistake. He was a great speaker, but also a self-centered man and a glory hog. God deserves ALL the glory for our good and in our success. We need to spend far more time praising Him than we do!
CONCLUSION--------------------------------
I Cor. 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
God put us here to glorify Him in everything: both the good and the bad times, in our disappointments and in our success.
ILL.- Max Lucado wrote in his new book, “It’s Not About Me,” a friend said, “What has God been teaching me this year? He’s been teaching me that it’s not about me.”
We live in a “me-centered” world, but God is trying to teach us that life is all about Him. Getting to know Him, to love Him and to glorify Him.
