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Bethany Baptist Church, Lubbock, TX
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Text: Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17
Introduction: The question, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" is found in Genesis 18:14. The answer to this most important question is found in Jeremiah 32:17, "There is nothing too hard for thee." Here you have the all-important question and the thrilling, certain answer from the inspired Word of God.
There are at least seven great questions asked in Genesis, chapter 18. These are found in verses 9, 12, 13, 14, 17, 23, and 25. Any one of these would make a great text for a sermon. For instance, meditate on the question in verse 23, "Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?" or the one in verse 25, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" But I want us to study carefully the question today, "Is any thing too hard for the Lord?"
Examples: Abraham (when God promised him and Sarah a son)
Elisha (when God translated Elijah and Elisha wouldn't leave his side and asked for a double portion)
Five things come to us out of this text:
1. There Is No Promise Too Hard For God To Fulfill.
(Deut. 33:27; Num. 23:19)
A. Oh, the Promises of God.
1. God sometimes says some
things in the Bible He did not
say directly to me, but God never uttered one word in the
Bible that He didn't say for me. (Romans 15:4; I Cor. 10:11; Titus 1:2)
2. What do the promises of
the blessed Word mean to you?
(Phil. 4:13, 19)
3. I never preach a sermon
without claiming two of God's
great promises, one for wisdom and the other for power.
(James 1:5; Luke 11:13)
B. And The Promises Are Just As Sure As They Have Always Been!
"Is any thing too hard for the Lord?" (Gen. 18:14)
"There is nothing too hard for thee" (Jer. 32:17)
2. There Is No Prayer Too Hard For God To Answer.
(When God is going to do something wonderful, He starts with a difficulty. When God is going to do something very wonderful and miraculous, He starts with an impossibility.)
A. When Is The Last Time God Answered A Prayer For You?
1. Some Christians have to go back 5 years--some six months.
2. I believe a good Christian
ought not have to go back too far
in order to tell about God specifically answering his prayer.
B. Have You Learned To Claim The Prayer Promises?
(Jeremiah 33:3; Matt. 18:19; 21:22)
1. God Almighty is not limited to circumstances.
2. It is God's way out--it
is our way in--it is the way over--it
is the way of victory!
"Is any thing too hard for the Lord?" (Gen. 18:14)
"There is nothing too hard for thee" (Jer. 32:17)
3. There Is No Problem Too Hard For God To Solve.
A. Everyone Gets Into Tight Places.
(Gideon did--Abraham did--Moses did--Paul did)
1. Any Christian, if he attempts
something for God, comes to
great times of crises in his life.
2. But no problem is too great for God to solve. (Psalm 37:3-5)
B. As Preachers, We Sometimes Get Discouraged.
1. But I expect preachers to believe that God CAN solve their problems.
2. Oh, if we preach without
enthusiasm, without victory, without
encouragement in our own souls, our people get in the same
frame of mind.
3. God help us to believe today that nothing is too hard for God!
"Is any thing too hard for the Lord?" (Gen. 18:14)
"There is nothing too hard for thee." (Jer. 32:17)
4. There Is No Place Where God Can't Send A Revival.
A. I Am Told That In the Great Welsh Revival the People Did Four Things:
1. They condemned sin in themselves.
2. They completely obeyed God in every matter.
3. They had a compassionate burden for others.
4. They prayed. (II Chron. 7:14; Habakkuk 3:2)
B. We Try Everything Except God's Way.
1. We try all the advertising,
try to get people to realize what
a great preacher is coming, we publicize, we organize--we
do everything but agonize before God in prayer and claim
His promises.
2. Listen--there is no place on earth God can't send a revival!
3. God help us to believe that there is nothing too hard for You!
"Is any thing too hard for the Lord?" (Gen. 18:14)
"There is nothing too hard for thee." (Jer. 32:17)
5. There Is No Person Too Hard For God To Save.
A. I Have Known Some Hard Ones. (Examples)
B. (The Story Of The Paralytic The Four Men Brought To Jesus--Mark 2:1-5)
1. When the plaster began
to fall and made all the noise and
everybody wondered what was going on except Jesus, and
when all of a sudden the hole appeared and there was a cot
with a man on it and four men sticking their heads in that hole
and looking down--I would like to have been down there
and looked up and have seen it.
2. These men loved this cripple
man--they would have done
anything to get him to Jesus.
3. People around them were questioning them:
a. "Where are you going?"
b. "What are you doing?"
c. Someone said, "It can't be done!"
d.
Someone else said, "Now wait a minute--I never saw it
done that way before!"
e.
Somebody else said, "Wait just a minute--Has it been
voted on by the board of deacons?
f. Or did you get permission from denominational headquarters?"
g.
Then someone else asked, "Wait just a minute--It is going
to cost some money to get that hole patched." (When you
start out to do a soul-winning work, there is always
somebody to ask, "Where are you going to get the money?"
4. Well, they went ahead and opened up the hole anyway!
5. They said, "Let's be careful.
If we drop him, we will hurt
him worse than ever!"
6. And these eight tender hands let him down through the hold.
7. When he gets down at the
feet of Jesus, Jesus looks up,
and the Bible says when He saw their faith--not his, theirs
(four heads peeking through the hole in the roof)--HE
LOOKED DOWN AT THE MAN AND SAID, "SON,
THY SINS BE FORGIVEN THEE!" (Mark 2:5)
I would like to have seen the quintet go home, wouldn't you? I can just see them now, hugging one another, running over people. They are arm in arm, five of them, trying to get by the little old narrow streets, to home. There are five of them now hugging and crying. This fellow is looking down at his feet saying, "I was carried over here, but look at me! I can walk! Praise God!" I can see him popping his heels together, shouting and praising God. Why? Somebody believed, "If we can get him to Jesus, his needs will be met. His soul will be saved." There is no person too hard for God!
Conclusion
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Gen. 18:14)
"There is nothing too hard for thee." (Jer. 32:17)
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