Matthew 13:10-17
Can You See It?: Seeing What God is Doing
I. Introduction
-Have you heard from God lately?
-Have you seen his fingerprints in your life?
-Have you witnessed His handiwork?
-God is hard to understand!
II. Scripture
III. I See Something...
-Jesus is in the middle of a number of parables.
-The problem is people have ears, but do not hear.
1. They have eyes but do not see.
2. They're missing it.
-Jesus walked among the people and they missed Him!
1. They missed the Messiah.
2. They missed the Savior.
-We do that today.
-Jesus spent all His earthly ministry trying to get people to see something!
-Do you see something?
IV. Pastoral Pause
-Do you see something around here?
-Ministry is hard to measure.
1. We try to measure it in human ways.
2. Numbers, attendance, averages, line graphs, programs, participation.
3. Only God knows the heart.
-When ppl lay out of church they are moving in the wrong direction!
1. Not coming like they use to... wrong direction.
2. Detached, uncaring... wrong direction.
-Right now, in our church you can see visible signs of God's work.
1. Increased church attendance.
2. Sunday Night, SS, Wednesday night.
-Financial situation.
1. We are about to be out of debt!
2. No more mortgage payment.
3. Nursery.
-There is a sense of burning in my heart that God is about to do something we aren't ready for.
1. Visions & Dreams when the Spirit comes upon them.
2. Expectancy.
V. I See Something!
-Elijah & Ahab
1. "No rain until I say so."
2. Mt. Carmel Baal challenge.
3. Elijah prayed, servant looked seven times.
4. I see a cloud the size of man's hand.
5. Go tell Ahab rain is coming!
6. Doubt the cloud?
7. It may be a little cloud, but rain is coming!
8. Proactive! Pre-emptive praise.
-Acts 2... Pentecost
1. "The Sound of a mighty rushing wind."
2. See: "Tongues of fire above their heads."
3. Equipped with power!
-Elisha
1. 2 Kings 6
2. Assyrians surround the city.
3. Servant panics to Elisha.
4. Elisha's prayer: "Open his eyes Lord!"
5. "Those that are for us are greater than those against us!"
6. Sometimes we only see the Devil's work... open our eyes to see God's.
-Jacob "lost" his son Joseph
1. Years later his sons go to Egypt for food and find him.
2. Joseph sends a caravan full of food & many blessings.
3. Jacob's sons try to explain that Joseph is still alive.
4. He doesn't want to have a false hope.
5. But... Genesis 45:27 "But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived."
6. Don't focus on God's blessings and miss Him!
7. Jacob was more interested in Joseph than the caravan!
8. I'm not nearly as concerned w/ the earthly blessings as being in His presence one day!
a. Missionary spent over 50 years in mission field on a boat back to the states.
b. On the same boat was a movie star.
c. As the pulled into port a great crowd of ppl cheered the movie star.
d. No one there for the missionary.
e. He said: "I've been saving souls, what has the movie star ever done. Why don't I get a big reception when I get home."
f. God tapped him on the shoulder and said: "You aren't home yet."
g. I'm not looking for human acclamation, just God's Words: "Well done thy good and faithful servant."
-Ill. Rolls Royce
1. Owner wrote company.
2. Good car, smooth car, comfortable car.
3. But how much horse power does it have?
4. Enough.
-Ill. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
1. Uncle Bud Robinson: "He owns the taters too!"
2. Nothing is impossible with God!
3. Do we believe that yet?
-Saul/Paul saw Jesus on the road to Damascus
1. It changed his life.
2. You'll never be the same.
-Elijah & Elisha
1. Elisha, I want a double portion of your Spirit.
2. If you see me when I am taken away, you will have what you ask.
3. The fiery chariot separated them and then a whirlwind took Elijah into heaven.
4. Elisha picked up the mantle of Elijah.
5. "Let they mantle fall on me."
-Isaiah
1. Isaiah 6:1 "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple."
2. Needing another touch.
-John the Baptist sees Jesus.
1. Look the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World!
2. He saw his salvation!
VI. What About Me?
-Now, I want you to look not at others, but at yourself.
1. Introspection.
2. Am I growing?
3. Can I see God working in my life?
-Can you see what God has done?
1. Is it the same old thing?
2. Do you even desire it?
-Let God work.
VII. Conclusion
-Jesus healing a blind man.
1. Mark 8:22-25 "And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. [23] And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?" [24] And he looked up and said, "I see men, but they look like trees, walking." [25] Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly."
2. Do you need a second touch from Him?
-In a little town called Greensburg.
1. Some are skeptical. Tolerating the ravings of a young preacher.
2. I've never seen anything like it in my life!
-I'm waiting... with expectancy.
Response
