Sermon Central
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Learning To Play Hurt #2 Series
Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 15, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: Just think of the examples of sports hero’s that had to play their best games hurt. Well, you may have to learn to keep on even when you are hurt.
LEARNING TO PLAY HURT?
(This is part two of a two part series)
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Many of the thoughts and illustrations in this series I adapted from a sermon by Pastor Wayne B. Smith
of Lexington, KY.
TEXT:
John 6:60 THIS IS A HARD SAYING...
John 6:66 From that time many of the disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.
John 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve: WILL YOU ALSO GO AWAY?
VII. PAUL HAD TO LEARN TO PLAY HURT!
Acts 9:16 FOR I WILL SHOW PAUL HOW GREAT THINGS HE MUST SUFFER FOR MY NAME’S SAKE.
A. Paul learned God uses suffering and pain to grow faith.
B. Ananias was called by God to GO TALK TO SAUL! Ananais prayed Saul’s blindness back to sight.
C. PAUL HAD A THORN AND PRAYED EARNESTLY THREE TIMES FOR GOD TO REMOVE HIS THORN.
II CORINTHIANS 12:5 Of such a one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
6: For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear,
lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
7: And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there
was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted
above measure.
8: For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in
weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ
may rest upon me.
10: Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions,
in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
D. REAL SUFFERING?
II Corinthians 11: 23 Are they ministers of Christ? ( I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more
abundant, in stripes, above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. (39x5=195)
25. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26. In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own country men, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27. In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often,
in cold and nakedness.
28. Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all churches.
29. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?
E. WHEN THE PREACHER IS A BASKET CASE THE MESSAGE STILL MUST GO FORWARD!
II Cor. 11:33. And through a window in a basket was I LET DOWN by the wall, and escaped his hands.
F. Paul had to learn to trust God. Paul said, I know that all things work together for the good...
Paul learned to play hurt!
VIII. I MAY GET KNOCKED DOWN, BUT I DON’T STAY DOWN.
I MAY BE DOWN BUT I AM NOT OUT! PROBLEMS ARE THE NORM, NOT THE EXCEPTION!
II Corinthians 4: 1 THEREFORE SEEING WE HAVE THIS MINISTRY, AS WE HAVE RECEIVED MERCY, WE FAINT NOT:
8. WE ARE TROUBLED (concerned, worried, disturbed, agitated spiritually or mentally) ON EVERY SIDE,
YET NOT DISTRESSED;
WE ARE PERPLEXED (filled with uncertainty, full of difficulty), BUT NOT IN DESPAIR;
9. Persecuted, ( harassed to grieve or injure, to cause to suffer, to annoy persistently,)
but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
A. My Father’s way may twist and turn;
My heart may throb and ache,
But in my soul I’m glad to know He maketh NO MISTAKES!
B. God will pull you through, if you can stand the pull.
IX. IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE! WHAT MIGHT TAKE US DOWN CAN LIFT US UP!
Romans 8: 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
36. As it is written For Thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
37. Nay, IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US.
38. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
