You Can Make A Difference
Does anyone here have 57 cents? Oh no the preacher is already asking for money…Stay with me here. Anyone have 57 cents? 57 cents isn’t a lot these days. You will do good to get a cup of coffee or a drink with this. Maybe a newspaper in the morning. But 57 cents changed a small church for the better and it all started with little Jenny Smith.
She was a young girl who once stood just outside of the small church from which she had been turned away “because it was to crowded.” “I can’t go to Sunday school,” she whimpered, as the pastor just happened to walk by. He saw her poor appearance and shabby clothes and he guessed the reason so he took her by the hand and found her a spot in Sunday school. When Jenny got home and went to bed that night she kept thinking of the children who had no place to worship Jesus.
Two years later Jenny passed away in her poor run down apartment in a housing project. Her parents called the kind hearted pastor and ask for him to handle the final details. As she was taken away he found a worn and ragged little purse that she must have gotten out of a dumpster. Inside this purse was 57 cents and a note scribbled in childish handwriting which read, “This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday school.” I could stop right here and preach a sermon all day long but the story gets better…. For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor read this he knew what he had to do. Carrying this note and the little purse he got in the pulpit, he told the story of this unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and start raising money for a larger building. But it doesn’t end there. A local newspaper caught wind of it. It published a story about this sweet girl. A realtor read the story and offered a large parcel of land. But the church could afford it. When he was told the church could not pay it he offered it for 57 cents. Checks started coming in from all over the country. Within 5 years Jenny’s gift had increased to $250,000, a huge sum of money at that time. Her unselfish love had paid massive dividends.
By the way if you ever get to visit historic Philadelphia make sure you stop Temple Baptist Church, which now seats 3300 people. Have a look; too at Temple University, where 1000’s of students are educated and trained. Check out the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses 100’s of children so no children will ever be told there is no room. In one of those rooms you will see the picture of a sweet face little girl whose 57 cents, made such a remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor.
She was willing to give up all she saved so more kids could come to Sunday school. She was willing to give 57 cents. How willing are you to make a difference in the life of someone? We are called to make a difference.
Effective witnessing saves people from hell. In Jude we are to snatch them from the fire. Problem is today to many students are taking witnessing lightly. We are not serious about searching them out. We’re not concerned about the outcome of so many.
In 1Peter 2:9 “ But ye are chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should declare the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:”
Tonight I want to share with you how you can be the youth group that God wants you to be. How can you become a shining light in your schools, among your friends, and in your home?
MARK 2: 1-5-------------------------------------------------------
In this chapter we meet 4 incredible guys who refused to let go of the rope. Four men who made sure their sick friend got to Jesus. That my friends is what being a Christian is all about. To go through anything to get someone to Jesus.
Now here in his story Jesus was preaching in a crowded sanctuary. People had filled this place. People in the windows, balconies, doors….you get the picture. You literally couldn’t get in the door. But these four men were trying to get their friend to Jesus. These men were out of the ordinary…they were remarkable. You see Jews saw a sick person as someone God was mad at. If a man was suffering he had sin in his life. Why were these men so moved to get their friend to Jesus? The Bible doesn’t even give their names but I believe they had names and want to share them with you because we need these four men in our youth groups and in our churches.
The first one was named Brother Compassion. That is because he stopped long enough to hurt with this man
Guys that’s what compassion is about. To suffer with them to hurt with them. This man was so concerned he gave up his front row seat to help this man. Maybe he had a need himself but yet he thought of others before himself. He was willing to get a cot put him on it and get him to Jesus. He was concerned with his brother. He felt his pain. He hurt with him. The prophet Jeremiah had that same compassion when he cried “O that my head were water and my eyes were a fountain of tears that I might weep for Israel.”
Compassions stops after he gets him on the cot because he can’t move him. No matter how hard he tried he can’t simply move him. He falls down by his side sobbing with him, wanting to get him to Jesus but he can’t do it by himself. Friends we can have all the compassion in the world but that will not do it by itself.
That is where the second friend comes in at. His name is Bro. Faith. He is enthusiastic. He says “I know if we can get him to Jesus he will be healed.” He and Bro. Compassion take up the cot and try to move him. “Hang on brother we are going to get you to Jesus.” Do you think we need some more faiths in our youth groups? The Bible tells us without faith we cannot please God. You can’t be a Christian without faith. Faith sings in the prisons, it sings during pop up tests. Faith is believing God did yesterday and will do it again today.
But what I’m seeing here is something we all need in our churches. COOPERATION! They realize that if they’re going to get him to Jesus they need to do it together. Can you see them? Compassion on one end crying, Faith on the other screaming bless God it will be all right if we can only get him to Jesus. They reached down and tried to lift him but he just falls off. They can’t move him. What are they going to do?
The third fellow comes along and is name is Brother Love. By the way the Bible says Love never fails. You don’t need tricks to get them to Christ. You really don’t need activities to lure them in. You just love them. LOVE! Reach out to them show’em you care. Show them you love them.
Brother Love gets in his spot by their friend. And guess what happens. He falls again. They simply can’t move him. That’s when my favorite fellow comes along? Anyone wanna guess who it is? His name is Bro. Determination. This guy is determined to get his friend to Jesus. He knew the only way to get his friend better was to get him to Jesus. He knew Jesus could heal him. It was that realization that caused him to be more intense on getting him to Jesus. He was the one with reality. “Fellows we got to get him to Jesus. You can cry all you want. You can shout all you want. You can love him all you want but unless we get him to Jesus he will not be healed. His intensity caused these four men to do something bizarre. They went out of their way. Do anything mentality to get him to the healer. Because this man needed Jesus they were willing to take a risk. Are you willing to take a risk to reach the lost in your schools and community? Are you willing to go to the extremes to get them to Christ?
Now imagine the church scene that day. When sawdust started to fall from the roof. When the roar of the saw echoed throughout the church. Some Baptist would be looking in their bulletin for this.J Some were saying these crazy people are ruining the service. Then they lowered him by rope to Jesus. But these men had their priorities right. Jesus did not even rebuke them. No he had compassion on them. He wasn’t angry because he had been disturbed. He saw their faith and was moved. He said “Thy sins be forgiven, you brother.” HE SAW THEIR FAITH! Four men who plenty of obstacles but that didn’t stop them. But each one had their reasons for helping their friend.
Mark 16:15 says, “ Go into all the world and preach the good news to all of creation.” We as believers are to be challenged to go spread the Gospel. Charles Spurgeon once said “either you’re a missionary or an imposter.” What are you?
Do you realize when you take your last breath you will never speak to another lost person (unless your lost). We must make a priority to reach them. Mark Cahill put it best when he said “Its like we are having a party and everyone gets a $1000 and a new vette. All we have to do is give them an invitation.” When I stand before God I don’t want any tickets left in my pocket. That’s why we need to hold the rope.
We need all these men in our youth groups today. We need them more than ever if we want to be what God has called us to be. We are holding the rope to all the lost in our schools. We are holding the rope to all our classmates who need Jesus in their lives. Don’t worry about other church groups. We need to have the mindset that we are the only ones holding the rope. God has given you the rope, are you holding on or you just letting it go? Are you willing to make a stand for Christ?
I was told of a story that was true that happened a few years ago at USC. There was a professor there who taught philosophy who was an atheist. He taught one class a semester to prove God did not exist. His students were always afraid to argue, one because of his intellects and two, because at the end of every semester he would say “does anyone still believe in Jesus if so please stand up!”
In 20 years of this class no one ever stood up. They knew he what he was going to do next. “Because if anyone here believes in God is a fool. Cause if God existed he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the ground and breaking.” Then he would drop the chalk and watch it shatter on the floor. All the students would do is sit and stare. Most thought God couldn’t exist and I’m sure few Christians slipped through but they wouldn’t take a stand for God.
Well a few years ago a freshman had to take his class. He was a devoted Christian. For three months he prayed he would have the strength to stand up no matter what the professor said. He prayed that nothing would shatter his faith.
Finally the day came when he asked if anyone still believed in Jesus to stand up. The freshman stood up to the total shock of the professor and the students. The professor shouted, “You fool! If God existed then he can stop this piece of chalk from falling and breaking on the floor.” About the time the professor began to drop the chalk it slipped out of his hands, off his shirt cuff, onto his pleat, then down his pants leg, and off his shoe. As it rolled to the ground unbroken, the professor’s jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked up at the freshman then ran out the room.
The young man then got up before his class of 300 and told of God, his love, and his son. The freshman was willing to take a stand. He knew he was holding the rope! Are you holding to the rope? HOLD THE ROPE!
