Sermon Central
-
The Cup Experience
Contributed by Melvin Maughmer, Jr. on Mar 20, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: Have you ever, like Job, asked God the question why me? I try to be faithful, I try to be obedient. I go to church faithfully. Yet I am in this mess yet again. It's a cup experience
“The Cup Experience”
By
Bishop M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Matthew 20:22-23, Matthew 26:39
OPENING:- One of the great figurative images of the Bible is the cup. There are many references to the cup in the Bible. Now what gives the cup its significance is not the cup itself, but what is contained in the cup. It can contain either blessings or wrath.
The fundamental meaning of the cup is representative of one fate. It can mean joy, happiness, and good-times, but more often it symbolizes pain, suffering, degradation, sorrow, grief, tribulations, hard-times, heartaches, strife, loneliness, brokenness, emptiness, and death.
The cup will put you on your knees.
The cup turns a song into worship. A perfect example is the song “Stand” by Donnie McClurkin, it’s a great song, but if you have gone through and all you could do was stand that song causes you to worship on a different level.
The cup is the test before the testimony, the mess before the message.
The cup is the bad before the good.
We preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is the death, burial, and resurrection, the death is the bad before the good resurrection.
UNDERSTAND:- the Biblical Principal the cup precedes the crown. Many today want the crown but don’t want to first drink of the cup.
It’s the cup that prepares you for promotion. When we look at the Book of Revelation we Jesus with crowns, but He first had to endure the cup of Gethsemane.
The cup is full, it’s not half empty or half full, it’s full – Revelation 17:4 says “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication”.
The thing about the cup is you have to drink the whole cup you can’t just sip this cup. Jesus wasn’t just arrested, Jesus wasn’t just betrayed, Jesus wasn’t just in agony. Jesus had to drink the whole cup, when Peter drew his sword ready to fight and cut off the ear of Malchias, Jesus said in John 18:11 “…Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?”
Job didn’t just lose his cattle, but he had to drink the whole cup.
His wealth was gone because of the cup, his children gone because of the cup.
His health deteriated because of the cup.
His friends accused him because of the cup.
His wife said Job why don’t you curse God and die because of the cup.
Job said though He slay me yet will I trust Him, although he had the cup he wouldn’t give up because he understood the cup builds trust. Job knew the cup know means a crown later. Job didn’t give up when he had the cup.
Nevertheless Job even questioned God because of the cup.
QUESTION:- Have you ever, like Job, asked God the question why me? I try to be faithful, I try to be obedient. I go to church faithfully. I fast, pray, read my Bible, pay my tithes, help the needy, clean the toilets, cut the grass, carry the pastors briefcase, sing on the praise team and usher all at the same time yet it’s me going through some mess yet again.
CAN I BE REAL:- I know I’m not to fret over evil doers, but when I see those that don’t even seem to give God a second thought seem to be prospering and I’m struggling, not only did my foot almost slip but my tongue did also and I had to ask the question Lord why me and why now?
Some folks say you shouldn’t question God, but Lord I’ve given up some things, I’ve gone through some things, I’ve been saved a while and by this time in my walk with you Lord I should be pass this stuff by now, but I’m here and I don’t understand why!
It’s me It’s me It’s me oh Lord standing in the need of prayer. I need to know Lord why me and why now! God says what you fail to remember is I asked you are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and you said you are able Matthew 20:22 – now you are partaking of the cup before you can receive the crown.
DON’T GIVE UP:- Job didn’t give up when he had the cup. His friends and even his wife said this is a tragic situation, but Job maintained all his appointed time he was going to wait for his change to come Job 14:14.
Although you may have the cup don’t give up it’s not a tragic situation, but a trust opportunity, an opportunity for God to blow your mind.
