Opening Video from Outreach kit Back to Church Sunday: Sundays can surprise you!
Series: I love Sundays!
Opening Illustration: Have you ever been surprised? Show pictures of surprises!
Sermon: Because God surprised me!
Thesis: God wants to surprise you on Sundays to show you He is who He says He is. Are you willing to let Him surprise you? If you let Him surprise you on Sunday then watch out surprises will also come Monday thru Saturday! God loves to say, “Surprise!”
T.S. – A Case in point:
Scripture: Acts 9:1-18
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest
2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
6“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.
16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and
19after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Introduction:
God surprised our hero of the faith Paul on the Damascus road according to our Scripture text this morning. Paul had thought that he represented God in the persecution of the Way – they were followers and disciples of Jesus. He really though in his religious mind that God was pleased in what he was doing only to discover he was fighting against the God whom He claimed to serve. God appeared to him and ask him the big question, “Why are you fighting against me – why are you persecuting me and my people?” In a sense Jesus said, “Surprise!”
This I am sure blew Paul away – He was surprised – Have you been there in your life? You think you are serving God and instead you are fighting against Him? I am sure most of you here have not done what Paul was doing to Jesus followers by having them killed. So God shows up and surprises our misguided God follower. Jesus appears to Him – yes – he has a revelation of Jesus – he falls off his donkey or horse to the ground – He hears Jesus speak to Him and he sees the light of heaven which blinds him! “Surprise Paul” – Paul is stunned – knocked down – shaken up – blind! Surprised by God on the road!
God speaks to our blind man – tells him what to do and he remains blind for three days until God sends another person to help him. Ananias is also surprised by God especially to go pray for Paul’s healing so his sight may be restored. This what I call being surprised by God – even Ananias was surprised by God because he had heard about Paul and his persecution of Jesus followers – yes - killing of Christians – he even questions the Lord about going to Him. But “Surprise” this is exactly what God wants him to do. So he goes and Paul is healed and changes into a committed follower of Jesus.
Surprised by God story: Angel on the Highway:
I just had one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and wanted to share it with my family and dearest friends. Here it is:
I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., and my car started to choke and sputter and died.
I barely managed to coast, cruising, into a gas station, glad only that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even turn over. Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the "quickie mart" building, and it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a gas pump! So I got out to see if she was okay. When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen. She was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It was a nickel.
At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat), and the gas pump reading $4.95. I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying "I don't want my kids to see me crying," so we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California and that things were very hard for her right now.
So, I asked, "And you were praying?" That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person and said, "He heard you, and He sent me."
I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fueling walked to the next door McDonald's and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the car who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little.
She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City. Her boyfriend left 2 months ago and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay the rent January 1st, and finally, in desperation, had called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about 5 years. They lived in California and said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there.
So. she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids they were going to California for Christmas, but not that they were going to live there.
I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she said, "So, are you like an angel or something?"
This definitely made me cry. I said, "Sweetie, at this time of year angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people."
It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow for a check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.
From http://www.inspire21.com/stories/christianstories/angelonthehighway
T.S. - How has God surprised you? God throughout the Centuries has surprised a lot a people on Sunday and every other day of the week? I think the he biggest surprise on a Sunday was Jesus rising from the dead and revealing Himself to the world! I too was surprised by God on a Wednesday night service and many Sunday services over my life. I pray today that Jesus would surprise you too today!
1. How I was surprised by the Holy Spirit (reference blog).
a. I want to tell you a little of my story and how God surprised me. God surprised me 37 years ago at Outreach Church and has kept doing so for 37 years:
i. I really want you to hear this truth- God wants to surprise you this Sunday’s and at other times throughout the week.
ii. God loves surprises!
b. The reason I love Sundays so much is because of all the surprises I have received from God: I have been amazed at all the surprises that come with being connected to Jesus and His church.
i. My first surprise from God came when I visited Outreach Church on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 37 years ago! I went to that church that day never expecting to meet with God, or feel His presence or even hear His voice but I ended up experiencing all 3 of Him:
1. Let’s set the stage for that surprise visit- My Testimony - Michael McCartney: I was raised in a nominal Catholic home which never went to church except Christmas and Easter. My parents were not Christian and I was not really taught about Jesus. I grew up in a home in Pittsburgh Penna. were my dad occasionally beat up my mother. My first fight was with my dad at age 11 to protect my mom. I ended up being beaten up and vowed to get back at him. After losing this fight I began body building and joined a Martial Arts club. Later on in High School I joined a gang called the “Crazy 5 plus 1” and became the “Tough Guy.” My dad and I had many fights which led to stitches and broken bones. I became a young man driven by hate, rage and anger.
a. I knew my life lacked purpose and joy. So one night in Minnesota I got down on my knees prayed the Our Father and Hail Mary prayers and added this phrase to the end – “Lord if there is ever something you want me to do for you just let me know!”
i. Wow was I in for the surprise of my life when God answered this prayer!
2. I had left Pittsburgh through a series of events after High School and I ended up in Minneapolis Minnesota. I had landed a job as a Carpenter Apprentice and was working on remodeling a school into apartments when God brought a former pimp and drug addict into my life. Actually it was the very next day after my prayer. His name was Thomas and we at the job site called him the “Holy Roller.” Wow! Did he roll for Jesus! Thomas entered into our job site to the scene of swearing, gambling, anger and pornography. Yet in the midst of these sins he shined brilliantly in the darkness. He developed relationships with the guys and gals on the job. I sat back and watched Thomas lead 6 people from here to eternity over a few month span of time by modeling the character traits of Jesus and telling his testimony to everyone he met.
a. He would develop relationships with people and then ask them to come to his church. They would go and come back the following Monday with a smile on their face and a glow in their eye and a new Bible under there arm. It was amazing! I watched as the break room changed from a place of debauchery to a Bible Study. I observed our conversations change from parties, fights, and women to Jesus, the end times and His amazing love.
3. I watched hard core construction workers change spiritually. One of them was my best friend Bear and ex-Vietnam Vet who had kept pictures of some his kills from Nam. Bear was a person who could never sleep through the night from the nightmares. So he and I would party hard so we could both sleep. I also suffered from nightmares. I recall when he started talking to Thomas a lot about how he lacked peace in his heart. Bear had killed over 35+ people in the war and was considered a war hero. He discovered the butchered bodies of his 5 best friends one night along with the Viet Cong who were presently doing it. Bear came on the scene and then killed all the Viet-Cong soldiers in the bunker that night. He was awarded the Bronze Star. He then became a sniper and suffered mentally. Thomas told him that Jesus could set him free and forgive him for his sins. Bear told me, “I am going to try Jesus Mike.” I tried talking him out of it because I felt he would brain washed. But he went to church with Thomas that weekend. He came back to work on Monday morning with a smile and not a growl. He emerged on the job site with a light in his eyes and that hollow look in his eyes was gone. I could see he had encountered something real and genuine. I asked what happened and he said, “I meet Jesus and I slept last night for the first since Nam and did not have a nightmare!” He then quit drinking and doing drugs and he never had another nightmare. I know I kept asking him if he did! He didn’t! He just kept telling me “Jesus has set me free Mike and He can do the same for you!”
4. Then one day the attention of the new, “Holy Roller Gang” turned to tough hardcore angry Mike. They started asking me to go to church with them, I said “No.” They did not pressure me too much but they all encouraged me that peace was only found in Jesus. I watched and observed these 6 men, men who had been angry, mean and nasty. They now had smiles and laughter as they read their Bibles and talked about what they learned.
5. Then one day an Atheist came to work at our job site. Grant made it plain that he did not believe in God. He even made fun of the group and mocked them. One day I had enough of Grant. He said “A belief in God is for the weak minded!” I turned around and looked him in the eyes and said, “Grant I believe in God and I am not weak, as a matter of fact if you don’t shut up I am going to punch you right in the mouth! I also added “Believe me I will knock you out because unlike these folks who are too nice to do it I’m not.” At that moment Thomas, looked at me and asked me a question, “Mike, if you believe in God why don’t you go to church?” I thought for a moment and said,” Well ….because I party Saturday night’s and I sleep in!” But then I added this phrase, “But if you had church tonight I would go.” I was blown away when he said “We have church tonight!” I thought no one has church on Wednesday night!
6. We went that night to his African American Pentecostal Church. All I can say is WOW! I did not accept Jesus that night but when I went home that night after the service the Pastor’s message recited in my mind over and over. By morning I was ready to make a decision for Jesus Christ. I wanted to be free. I wanted to have peace like Bear. I wanted to smile, and be happy. I did not want to be angry anymore. I went to work found Thomas and asked if he had church that night and he said “Yes!” I thought, “Man they have church every night.” We went that night to a new believer’s class and I had a personal encounter with the Living God. It changed my heart and my life. By the way Grant went too!
T.S. – Wow was I surprised by Outreach Church and God but even more than seeing how they worshipped different than I could have ever imagined -I was surprised to find out that God loves me! Yes, the Almighty One who created everything in this natural world loves me – Mike! I was floored and humbled by this truth!
2. I love Sundays because God surprised me with His love!
a. Love – yes love – I had heard the word but never ever experienced it until I met Jesus!
i. It blew me away – that the God who created the universe loved me!
1. That the God who sent Jesus did it out of love.
a. John 3:16: Message - “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
b. I discovered that God loved me so much that He sent Jesus to pay the penalty for my sin!
b. Growing up I suffered from a lack of love – a love I could not grasp or comprehend.
i. I really had to research love after I gave my heart o Jesus to fully understand how amazing God’s love was for me!
1. I did this over a one year period!
2. I went this last week to my notes from my study of love – remember this was 37 years ago!
a. Listen to what I learned back then:
i. What is love?
1. Love is a deep and tender feeling of fondness and devotion to another.
2. 1 John 4:8 -- tells me that God is love! Love is rooted in God and from Him – He created it!
a. Surprise – yes love is God’s creation!
ii. Love is God’s adhesive power that binds us together.
iii. Love is God in action.
iv. Love is the reason for life when love is gone, life has lost its reason.
v. Love is the leading affection of the soul, the love of God is the leading grace in the renewed soul.
vi. Loving someone is caring, sharing, bearing, working and changing together.
vii. Love is the bond of perfectness ( Col. 3:14)
1. Show your book from then and read a few other quotes!
ii. Love is an amazing thing and when you really find the author and creator of love it surprises you and it changes you (I know it did me and thousands of others!)
1. Buechner states, “Of all powers, love is the most powerful and the most powerless. It is the most powerful because it alone can conquer that final and most impregnable stronghold which is the human heart. It is the most powerless because it can do nothing except by consent”( God’s Treasury of Virtues, 53)
a. God wants to pour his love out on you but you have to ask for it and want it from Him!
2. Maxwell adds “The length and breadth of our influence on others are directly related to the depth of our concern for them. When it comes to helping people grow and feel good about themselves, there is no substitute for love. Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, understood the power of love to bring out people’s best and make an impact on their lives. He said, “There are a lot of coaches with good ball clubs who know the fundamentals and have plenty of discipline but still don’t win the game. Then you come to the third ingredient: If you’re going to play together as a team, you’ve got to care for one another. You’ve got to love each other. Each player has to be thinking the next guy.’”(41).
a. People are changed and delivered by the power of love.
b. Have you experienced God’s love?
3. Richard Nixon wrote in his book In The Arena about how right after he resigned from the Presidency and was in the hospital for surgery how he wanted to die. He was at his lowest point in life with no hope and severely depressed. Then one day a nurse came in and opened the drapes of his hospital room and told him to look outside. He saw a plane pulling a sign which read” GOD LOVES YOU, AND SO DO WE! Ruth Graham, evangelist Billy Graham’s wife had arranged for the plane to fly by the hospital. President Nixon states he experienced a turning point in his life. That expression of love gave him the courage and hope to press on and to recover.
a. People are changed by love because it’s a match in the midst of their darkness – it also brings hope to the hopeless – it connects you and God together through Jesus’ act of love.
c. The story about Richard Nixon above really demonstrates what real love is all about.
i. It’s rooted in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
1. John 3:16 is a PARADE OF HOPE – A tremendous surprise found in the Bible (Here are some quotes by Max Lucado from his book 3:16 on this famous verse)
a. Max Lucado stated, “It’s the Hope Diamond of the Bible. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
b. Ann Graham Lotz said, “John 3:16 is the North Star of the Bible. If you align your life with it, you can find the Way home.”
c. Delilah, a radio host worded it this way, “There it is in black and white. As simple and gentle as 1+1=2. For God so loved the world that He gave His only son and whoever believes in Him shall NOT perish, but shall have everlasting life. That’s it. Admission is free.”
d. Kenneth Cooper, MD and author noted, “Without hope, the fear of death is overwhelming. But as Christians, the Bible verse John 3:16 assures us that there is everlasting life-and this promise alone should give all of us hope at the time of death.”
2. Max Lucado adds in His book 3:16 the importance of this verse, the impact of this famous conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus continues to echo through time and through open hearts.
a. Max “A twenty-six-word parade of hope: beginning with God, ending with life, and urging us to do the same. Brief enough to write on a napkin or memorize in a moment, yet solid enough to weather two thousand years of storms and questions. If you know nothing of the Bible, start here. If you know everything in the Bible, return here. We all need the reminder. The heart of the human problem is the heart of the human…”
b. Max adds – “God’s treatment is prescribed in John 3:16. He loves. He gave. We believe. We live…”
i. He adds, “The words are to Scripture what the Mississippi River is to America—an entryway into the Heartland. Believe or dismiss them, embrace or reject them, any serious consideration of Christ must include them…”
ii. “The verse is an alphabet of grace, a table of contents to the Christian hope, each word a safe-deposit box of jewels.”
iii. “Read it again, slowly and aloud, and note the word that snatches your attention.”
1. (The above from Lucado, Max (2007-09-11). The 3:16 Promise: He Loves. He Gives. We Believe. We Live. (p. 3). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.)
3. This is why you see John 3:16 at every football game waving to the fans – it’s there to remind us to find out what really gives hope and life to life! It is not sports but Jesus! It’s not fame and fortune but Jesus! It’s not popularity and a sports team it’s Jesus!
4. Love’s focused intent is giving itself for another with no expectation in return!
a. Jesus did that!
T.S. – I was surprised by love – God’s love for me through Jesus and it changed my life and focus for life. I felt His love and it transformed my life.
3. I love Sundays because Jesus surprised the world with raising from the dead on a Sunday.
a. Sundays remind me that being raised from the dead is possible - see Matthew 28:1-20:
i. Sundays surprised me when I discovered new life in Jesus – A new beginning – A 2nd chance and a do over!
1. I never thought I could have a do over with my life! But I discovered and was surprised that in Jesus I could!
2. Because of Jesus rising on Sunday and saying – “Surprise I am alive!” – We all have the opportunity to be Born Again!
a. I was blown away by the fact that Jesus died for my sins and that He suffered so I could have a personal relationship with God the Father!
ii. Sunday’s have come to represent for me that first Easter Sunday -that pinnacle moment for the Christian church when Jesus came back to life from the dead.
1. That day gives authenticity to Christianity as the one true religion. It’s the day Jesus changed how we connect and relate to God the Father.
2. Without Easter Sunday Christianity would be just like the other religions in the world. All the other religions in the world have a grave with their teacher in it. Christianity has an empty tomb, an empty grave, and a empty cross. No other religion can testify that their leader, their founder is still alive today.
3. Of the four great religions of the world today all were built upon personalities leaders of the movement. Judaism was Abraham. But the Jewish nation even tells us that he is dead not alive. He did not ascend at his death and defeat the Black Death. The religion of Buddhism was founded by Buddha and his followers tell us that he died. He is in the grave he did not raise from the dead. The Islam religion was founded by Mohammed and he died in 632 A.D. and there are no witnesses or talk that he rose from the dead. There is only one person in all the major religions of the world who died – defeated death in its own backyard and rose from the grip of death. His name is Jesus.
4. Without the Son coming up that Sunday morning we would just a have a religion based on theory and not on an actual person who defeated death. We would have no living Savior who dwells in us and around us. We would have no living and breathing book of life. We would have no living message of hope and faith. Easter is the milestone – the keystone – the verification that Christ was the Messiah- the Anointed One - the living God in the flesh. His coming up set in motion the absolute truth as to who has the most powerful force and religion in the world.
5. Easter Sunday – or for me every Sunday is a celebration about the One who is greater than death.
a. The One who defeated the predator known as death is Jesus. But if we believe in Him and what he did we also get victory over death. But the question that I throw at you this morning is, “Do you believe in Easter Sunday and what it stands for?”
b. Will you choose Easter’s Sunday’s message of the resurrected life so God can surprise you and you can start enjoying Sundays!
c. So this is why I love Sundays – it’s a day to honor Jesus for coming back from the dead to save my life!
b. I love Sundays because of Jesus!
i. To me His name holds weight above all other names throughout history! His fame has outlasted all others fame and his names fame will outlast the earth that He was a part of forming.
ii. Brian Houston states:
1. History’s bowels have coughed up multitudes of names chained to fame. The tenacious, the notorious; the religious and sacrilegious. What images flit across the window of your mind when you hear names such as Socrates and Churchill, Mussolini and Einstein? Do you recoil when you hear Hitler? Does inspiration hit you between the eyes when you hear Armstrong? Do you yawn and roll those same eyes when you think of Shakespeare? Names are pregnant with purpose. That’s “what‘s in a name.” And friends if I may inquire, what stirs within the recesses of your soul when you hear Jesus’ name? An enigma personified, wholly man, wholly divine. Took on the lowest names, so slaves could reign as kings. Deity who chose to endure mortality, so we could enjoy eternity “(Page 133, Live, Love, Lead).
2. He adds:
a. Why does no other name affect the skeptic, the heretic and the majestic? The homicidal, suicidal and the matinee idol? No other name changed nature, mind-sets and matter. Opened blind eyes, deaf ears and healed cancer. No other name came with this mandate: heaven’s Kingdom expressed on Earth. But if His miracles are just “fairy tales,” then why do millions gather putting their lives on the line for HIS name? I’ve come to the conclusion that there is No other name! (page 134)
b. So this again is why I love Sunday – because it’s about Jesus!
c. Sundays always bring me back to John 3:16 – that first service at Outreach Church – to Jesus and His love:
i. Max Lucado words it this way, “No. The heart –stilling, mind –bending, deal-making-or-breaking claim of John 3:16 is this: God gave his son…his only son (Jesus). No abstract ideas but a flesh wrapped divinity. Scripture equates Jesus with God. God, then, gave himself. Why? So that “whoever believes in him shall not perish’ (Page 9).
1. He adds “A few words from this Diamond of Hope leap out at me like this one did “whoever believes”
a. So how about you here today are you one of the “whoever’s”
ii. I discovered on a Sunday that I am one of those whoever’s – How about you? – those whoever’s are written in a famous book in Heaven! Are you one of them? Do you want to be one of them? Do you want to be a “whoever” or remain stuck as a “whatever?”
1. Once again this is why I love Sundays!
d. I love Sundays because Jesus changes lives on Sunday.
i. He changed my life and many of the people sitting around you this morning have had their lives changed by Jesus and Sundays!
Conclusion:
So like Paul and millions of others God has surprised us with His presence – His grace – His power and His love. I love Sundays because of Jesus and what he did for me personally and for a lot of you!
Question to ask, “So what am I hoping we all get out of this message today – in other words what do we need to know from this message?”
I pray that God has surprised you this morning – that church is not what you thought it was and that His love has engulfed your heart today. I want you to know that God likes surprises and He wants to surprise you today. I want you to know that Jesus and God the Father are saying to you today “I love you and John 3:16 shows the depth of my love for you!”
You really need to know that God loves you – He sent part of Himself to die for you and pay for your sins. He did it to show you love – grace and forgiveness. You just need to know he did it for you personally! He knows you – He knows your name and He wants a relationship with you every day – not just Sunday but every day!
God has surprised many others in this church and it could take years to hear everyone’s testimonies but here are just a few and what He did for them:
Testimonies – Cross Illustration
In light of the cross – the sermon – the testimonies and the illustration: I pray you are willing to come to Jesus and experience a new start – a do over for your life – I pray you feel Him right now touching your heart – I pray you see Him right now like Paul did – I pray you hear His voice and in turn you respond back to His love today.
Trust me if you do – you will be surprised by what He will do in you and for you today and the rest of you’re life!
Remember:
God loves to say “Surprise!”
God wants to surprise you with Heaven and a personal relationship with Him!
Do you want to be pleasantly surprised today?
