Who can make a Big Man Cry? Did you know I cannot make a big man cry? Did you know I am not powerful? Did you know if I beat up someone for harming a child, I would have to use a big club at the very least? We gripe and moan about the crack houses in our towns. We complain about the whore houses in our neighborhoods. We get upset when the beer joint moves into our community. We blow a gasket when the young buck beds our teen age daughter and runs off to the next one and to never pay any child support. We parade our young ladies before hungry men and we are surprised when she gets raped. We throw fits about my typos and let the family come apart at the seams. We pet our children and give them anything they want and we are startled when they go to jail or join a gang on the streets. Yes I am talking very big for someone who has no power. I may not be good at talking, but I have something to say. Have you ever heard of Billy Ashley Sunday? Do you know anything about Dwight Lyman Moody? Have you really studied John Ross Norris? Have you spent any time studying R.A. Torrey? Have you ever heard the name Henry Moorehouse? Have you ever looked into George Weaver the man who led Henry Moorehouse to the LORD? What do these men have in common? They were great men of God who were not afraid to preach the truth. When they came to town, the beer halls were closed. The whore houses stopped and cussing ceased. Drunks did not wander up and down the streets and check themselves into the marshal’s jail every evening late, but they got sober. Kids obey the curfew gladly and listened to the parents. Thousands went to the revival meeting to see the man on fire for God. The streets were clean and the town sparkled with light. Gays did not run out in the public announcing they were coming out and going to get married. People cleaned up their families and their houses. People talked different and ran from those terrible habits they had formed in the bad years. I want to show you how a big man can brought to his knees, scared out of his wits, and ball like a baby. I want to show you how a 6 foot 8 inch muscle bound man of 350 pounds can shake in his boots, send sheets of tears down his face and make his voice quake and break. I am small physically and I don’t much power, but I know someone who does. This is a simple message. I am preaching to myself more than I am to you. I hope you get something from this. Now many of you know the story of Paul and Silas in the Philippians jail. I don’t want go through all these scriptures in detail. Many of you have heard this story before so I will not go through it again. I want you attention to focus on verses 26-36. Acts 16:16-36 (KJV) And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. 19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. 22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every ones bands were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. 36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. Now this keeper of the prison was like very big. He could have been 7 foot and close to 380 pounds. This jail most likely had likely been a Roman soldier. Trained in combat and chosen for the role of jailer because he was enormous. This big man was about to kill himself because the Romans were famous for killing the jailer who let the prisoners escape. God showed up. God shook the jail and caused an earth quake. This man was likely in tears. This man was weeping and shaking (see verse 29). God brought this giant to his knees. This man who had worshiped pagan gods and likely revered his emperor as a god, begged Paul and Silas to tell him about this God and how to be saved. It is this power that can revive churches and communities. It is this that can change lives and reform people. This power is unlike anything I have ever seen before anywhere else. God is real. God is a power unlike any other. I can’t do it. You can’t do it. God can do it. My heart breaks to see homes messed up. My heart breaks to see babies suffer. My heart hurts to see people suffer. Won’t you seek him out now? Won’t you give him a chance? Will open the slightest crack and see what God has for you.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Jul 2014 01:15:18 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015