Subtopic: Don't Lose the Opportunity
Text: 2 Kings 7:1-5"Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord, tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.(vs2)Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.(vs3) And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, why sit we here and die.(vs4)If we say, we will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live: and if they kill us, we shall but die. (vs5) And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold there was no man there."
PREMISE
"Let us not sit we here and die, but rather get up and take action and seize the opportunity for salvation, deliverance and eternal life, as we carry out the great commission of work and ministry of and for the Lord; in view of the great promises and assurances we have from our Lord Jesus Christ." -----Pastor A.H Coleman Sr.
DEFINITIONS
Opportunity is defined as a good chance ,a favorable time or a convenient occasion.
Text: 2 Kings 7:1-5"Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord, tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.(vs2)Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.(vs3) And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, why sit we here and die.(vs4)If we say, we will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live: and if they kill us, we shall but die. (vs5) And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold there was no man there."
PREMISE
"Let us not sit we here and die, but rather get up and take action and seize the opportunity for salvation, deliverance and eternal life, as we carry out the great commission of work and ministry of and for the Lord; in view of the great promises and assurances we have from our Lord Jesus Christ." -----Pastor A.H Coleman Sr.
DEFINITIONS
Opportunity is defined as a good chance ,a favorable time or a convenient occasion.
The Bible Speaks Of Many Lost Opportunities Facilitated By Indifference Or Neglect.
EXPOSITION
1. The Bible Speaks Of Many Lost Opportunities Facilitated By Indifference Or Neglect.
A. For Providing Oil --By The Foolish Virgins--St. Matt.25:8-13 "And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. (vs9) But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.(vs10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut.(vs11) Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.(vs12) But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.(vs13) Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."
B. For Investment--By The One-Talented Man-- St. Matt.25:24-28&30 "Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:(vs25) And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth :lo, there thou hast that is thine. (vs26) His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: (vs27) Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. (vs28) Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.(vs30) And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
C. For Sympathetic Service-- Of The Castaways-- St. Matt. 25:42-45 "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: (vs43) I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. (vs44) Then shall they also answered him, saying Lord, when saw we thee hungred , or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee.(vs45) Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."
2. Exhortation To Action--- Romans 13:11-12 "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (vs12) The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light."
Eph.5:14-17 "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepeth, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (vs15) See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, (vs16) Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (vs17) Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."
A. Don't Be Hindered By Tomorrow--- Eccl.9:10 "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."
St. Matt.6:31-34 "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (vs32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (vs33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (vs34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
3. Why Sit We Here And Die, In View Of The Knowledge And Promises We Have With Respect To:
A. Knowledge concerning the vicissitudes of life-- Rom. 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose."
B. Knowledge concerning our ultimate destiny-- 1 John 3:2-3 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (vs3) And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."
C. The Spirit of spiritual provisions-- 2Tim.1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
D. The promise of deliverance-- Psa. 34:17-19 "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. (vs18) The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (vs19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all."
E. The promise of spiritual fullness-- St. John 6:35 "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."
F. The promise of divine constancy--Heb 13:5-6 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said,(Josh.1:5; 1 Chron.28:20) I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (vs6) So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
G. The promise of the assurance of reward--1 Cor.15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
1. The Bible Speaks Of Many Lost Opportunities Facilitated By Indifference Or Neglect.
A. For Providing Oil --By The Foolish Virgins--St. Matt.25:8-13 "And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. (vs9) But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.(vs10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut.(vs11) Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.(vs12) But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.(vs13) Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."
B. For Investment--By The One-Talented Man-- St. Matt.25:24-28&30 "Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:(vs25) And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth :lo, there thou hast that is thine. (vs26) His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: (vs27) Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. (vs28) Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.(vs30) And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
C. For Sympathetic Service-- Of The Castaways-- St. Matt. 25:42-45 "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: (vs43) I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. (vs44) Then shall they also answered him, saying Lord, when saw we thee hungred , or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee.(vs45) Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."
2. Exhortation To Action--- Romans 13:11-12 "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (vs12) The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light."
Eph.5:14-17 "Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepeth, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (vs15) See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, (vs16) Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (vs17) Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."
A. Don't Be Hindered By Tomorrow--- Eccl.9:10 "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."
St. Matt.6:31-34 "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (vs32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (vs33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (vs34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
3. Why Sit We Here And Die, In View Of The Knowledge And Promises We Have With Respect To:
A. Knowledge concerning the vicissitudes of life-- Rom. 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose."
B. Knowledge concerning our ultimate destiny-- 1 John 3:2-3 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (vs3) And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."
C. The Spirit of spiritual provisions-- 2Tim.1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
D. The promise of deliverance-- Psa. 34:17-19 "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. (vs18) The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (vs19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all."
E. The promise of spiritual fullness-- St. John 6:35 "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."
F. The promise of divine constancy--Heb 13:5-6 "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said,(Josh.1:5; 1 Chron.28:20) I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (vs6) So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
G. The promise of the assurance of reward--1 Cor.15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
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