69 Sermon Illustrations on Confidence

General Daniel E. Sickles had been wounded and was sent back to Washington. Lincoln visited him and during the conversation confirmed that the government had been prepared to vacate Washington if Confederates won at Gettysburg. But Lincoln said he was sure the Union would win there. The reason for his confidence (in spite of many Union reverses) was that at the critical point (Lee's crossing of the Potomac and entry into Pennsylvania) he "went to my room and got down on my knees in prayer. Never before had I prayed with so much earnestness. I wish I could repeat my prayer."

In April 1988 the evening news reported on a photographer who was a skydiver. He had jumped from a plane along with numerous other skydivers and filmed the group as they fell and opened their parachutes. On the film shown on the telecast, as the final skydiver opened his chute, the picture went berserk. The announcer reported that the cameraman had fallen to his death, having jumped out of the plane without his parachute. It wasn't until he reached for the absent ripcord that he realized he was freefalling without a parachute.

Until that point, the jump probably seemed exciting and fun. But tragically, he had acted with thoughtless haste and deadly foolishness. Nothing could save him, for his faith was in a parachute never buckled on.

Faith in anything but an all-sufficient God can be just as tragic spiritually. Only with faith in Jesus Christ dare we step into the dangerous excitement of life.

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alternate application line

That's the condition of everyone without faith in Christ: they are in a freefall to death and hell's destruction. The only thing that can save them is faith in Christ and in Christ alone.

#339

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March 11, 1942, was a dark, desperate day at Corregidor. The Pacific theater of war was threatening and bleak. One island after another had been buffeted into submission. The enemy was now marching into the Philippines as confident and methodical as the star band in the Rose Bowl parade. Surrender was inevitable. The brilliant and bold soldier, Douglas MacArthur, had only three words for his comrades as he stepped into the escape boat destined for Australia. I SHALL RETURN.

Upon arriving nine days later in the port of Adelaide, the sixty-two-year-old military statesman closed his remarks with this sentence: I CAME THROUGH AND I SHALL RETURN.

A little over 2 1/2 years later-- October, 1944, to be exact-- he stood once again on Philippine soil after landing safely at Leyte Island. This is what he said: This is the voice of freedom, General MacArthur speaking. People of the Philippines: I HAVE RETURNED!

MacArthur kept his word. His word was as good as his bond. Regardless of the odds against him, including the pressures and power of enemy strategy, he was bound and determined to make his promise good.

This rare breed of man is almost extinct.

On July 15, 1986, Roger Clemens, the sizzling righthander for the Boston Red Sox, started his first All-Star game. In the second inning, he came to bat, something he hadn't done in years because of the American League's designated hitter rule. He took a few uncertain practice swings and then looked out at his forbidding opponent, Dwight Gooden, who the previous year had won the Cy Young Award.

Gooden wound up and threw a white-hot fastball past Clemens. With an embarrassed smile on his face, Clemens stepped out of the box and asked catcher Gary Carter, "Is that what my pitches look like?"

Clemens quickly struck out, he went on to pitch three perfect innings and be named the game's most valuable player. From that day on, he later said, with a fresh reminder of how overpowering a good fastball is, he pitched with far greater boldness.

Sometimes we forget the Holy Spirit within us and how powerful our witness can be. The gospel has supernatural power - when we speak it in confidence.

#2033

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Sermon, #1 in "50 Day Adventure." 2 Kings 18:17-22

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BELIEVE THERE'S A WAY

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I. Trapped in the maze.

A. The frustration of our lives.

B. Sometimes it's really bad.

C. "On what are you basing this confidence of yours?" 18:19

II. More than one way to believe.

A. Belief as accepting spiritual facts.

B. Belief as daily trust in our Creator God. Eph 3:20

III. Believing against hope.

A. God can make a way, even in desperate situations. 19:7-33

B. Modern Christians have also seen God act in marvelous ways.

IV. Does believing really work?

A. A positive attitude is always good.

B. Trust in God is even better.

C. Ask God for help.

D. Believe he is working for you, even when you don't see it.

V. How do YOU believe?

A. Assess your relationship with God.

B. Remind yourself of what you believe.

C. Tell others.

D. Step out in faith.

Sermon in Philippians series. Legalism vs. grace. Philippians 3:1-11

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WHERE IS YOUR CONFIDENCE?

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(short, due to communion

I. What makes you feel important? and baptism)

II. The pitfall of legalism.

A. Paul had some rabid opponents.

B. Signs of legalism: rituals, race, religion, rules, reputation.

C. Christianity is not a matter of these things.

III. Getting a grip on your profits and losses.

A. What really matters in life?

B. You have to get rid of stuff to be a Christian.

C. Use God's finances.

IV. What you need to know.

A. We put a heavy stress on education.

B. Get to know Christ better.

V. Don't let religion get in the way.

A. Maybe some of you have missed out on the great truth here.

B. Maybe you've been like Paul, trusting rituals.

C. We can have confidence because of what CHRIST has done!

#4320

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Some of the greatest success stories of history have followed a word of encouragement or an act of confidence by a loved one or a trusting friend. Had it not been for a confident wife, Sophia, we might not have listed among the great names of literature the name of Nathaniel Hawthorne. When Nathaniel, a heartbroken man, went home to tell his wife that he was a failure and had been fired from his job in a customhouse, she surprised him with an exclamation of joy.

“Now,” she said triumphantly, “you can write your book!”

“Yes,” replied the man, with sagging confidence, “and what shall we live on while I am writing it?”

To his amazement, she opened a drawer and pulled out a substantial amount of money.

“Where on earth did you get that?” he exclaimed.

“I have always known you were a man of genius,” she told him. “I knew that someday you would write a masterpiece. So every week, out of the money you gave me for housekeeping, I saved a little bit. So here is enough to last us for one whole year.”

From her trust and confidence came one of the greatest novels of American literature, THE SCARLET LETTER.

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By Nido Qubein, from Chicken Soup for the Soul, Copyright 1993 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

Davy Crockett's pocketwatch was found in the debris of the Alamo. The motto on the back read, "Be sure you're right, and go ahead."

[Holwick: this was quoted by California State Senator Tom McClintock in the recall election; he was a decided underdog. It could be taken two ways - a person who sticks to their guns no matter what will be considered a hero, or people who stick to their guns no matter what, end up slaughtered.]

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #6605]

Tony Campolo tells of a friend who had an adorable 4-year-old daughter. If tryouts were held for a modern-day Shirley Temple, this girl would win.

One night there was a terrible thunderstorm. Loud, lots of lightning. Campolo's friend ran upstairs to see if his daughter was frightened. He found her standing on the window sill, spread-eagled against the glass. He shouted, "What are you doing?"

She turned and happily replied, "I think God is trying to take my picture."

Would that we all felt that good about ourselves.

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Tony Campolo, "20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid To Touch," (Dallas: Word Pub. Co., 1988, p. 23)

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Another version:

A friend of mine has an adorable four-year-old daughter. She is bright, and she is talkative. If tryouts were being held for a modern-day Shirley Temple, I think she would win, hands down.

One night there was a violent thunderstorm. The lightning flashed and the thunder rumbled- it was on of those terrifying storms that forces everyone to stop and tremble a bit. My friend ran upstairs to his daughter's bedroom to see if she was frightened and to assure her that everything would be all right. He got to her room and found her standing on the windowsill, spread-eagled against the glass. When he shouted, "What are you doing?" she turned away from the flashing lightening and happily reported, "I think that God is trying to take my picture."

Why don't most people feel that important -- that good about themselves? Why don't most people like themselves as much as that little girl likes herself? Why are so many people down on themselves, and why do some even hate themselves?

I find that there is not too much correlation between people's circumstances and accomplishments and their self-concepts. I know people who definitely are socially successful, having achieved a significant number of worthwhile things in their lives, and who despise themselves. Contrariwise, I know others who by societal standards have not accomplished much at all, but who think themselves as worthwhile and valuable.

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Tony Campolo in John Van Diest, Answers To Life’s Most Perplexing Problems, Multnomah, 1998, p. 166.

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James Dobson tells of attending a seminar with a group of women. All came in past pot of freshly-brewed coffee and large spread of donuts. Sat down. Presenter got up and began by asking one woman, "Would you like some coffee and donuts?" She really wanted it. All did. She said, "No." Think of what could happen if you went first? (trip, spill, frosting on face, could be only one). One by one the women refused. Asked Dobson: "Why yes, I'd like some." Eventually all followed suit.

Herbert Hoover was one of the most vilified and maligned presidents in the history of our nation because the Great Depression began during his Administration. He did not seem to become cynical or bitter. He went on serving his country to the end, maintaining his dignity and serenity.

His wife once explained it like this: "Bert can take it better than most people because he has deeply ingrained in him the Quaker feeling that nothing matters if you are right with God."

________________

"Exploring the Christian Way," by Vernon O. Elmore, p.14

Norman Vincent Peale had a long and distinguished ministry at

Marble Collegiate Church in New York City. He preached with

confidence and power all over the world, and his messages have been a

help to a great many people.

But when Peale first started preaching, his timid nature gave him a

lot of problems. When he preached his first sermon at Walpole,

Massachusetts, he was so terrified that he wired his father for help.

His preacher father wired back to his young, terrified son:

"Prepare your own sermons. Just tell people that Jesus Christ can

change their lives. Love, Dad."

- J. B. Fowler, {Basic Bible Sermons on Philippians

}(Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991) 68

A United Press release in a midwestern city told of a hospital where officials discovered that the firefighting equipment had never been connected. For 35 years it had been relied upon for the safety of the patients in case of emergency. But it had never been attached to the city's water main. The pipe that led from the building extended 4 feet underground — and there it stopped! The medical staff and the patients had felt complete confidence in the system. They thought that if a blaze broke out, they could depend on a nearby hose to extinguish it. But theirs was a false security. Although the costly equipment with its polished valves and well-placed outlets was adequate for the building, it lacked the most important thing — water!

Colin Rissio is the kind of guy seniors want around when they're

sitting the SATS. While taking the math exam in Peterborough, New

Hampshire, Rizzio thought one question seemed ambiguous. I wrote it

down afterward and discussed it with my teacher, he says. "Risio was

right The algebra question asked students to compare two values, but

neglected to specify that the key variable, a, was positive." Rizzio

realized that a could be negative, creating the possibility of two

answers. He E-mailed the College Board, which, for the first time in

15 years, admitted it had made a mistake. Result: up to 45,000

students will be getting between 10 and 30 more points. Rizzio, who

has been taking school math enrichment lessons at 6 a.m. since eighth

grade, won't need the extra points: he scored 750 out of 800.

There are many incompetent people in the world. Dr. David A. Dunning is haunted by the fear he might be one of them.

Dr. Dunning, a professor of psychology at Cornell, worries about this because, according to his research, most incompetent people do not know that they are incompetent.

On the contrary. People who do things badly, Dr. Dunning has found in studies conducted with a graduate student, Justin Kruger, are usually supremely confident of their abilities - more confident, in fact, than people who do things well.

"I began to think that there were probably lots of things that I was bad at and I didn't know it," Dr. Dunning said.

One reason that the ignorant also tend to be the blissfully self-assured, the researchers believe, is that the skills required for competence often are the same skills necessary to recognize competence.

The incompetent, therefore, suffer doubly, they suggested in a paper appearing in the December issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

"Not only do they reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the ability to realize it," wrote Dr. Kruger, now an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, and Dr. Dunning.

This deficiency in "self-monitoring skills," the researchers said, helps explain the tendency of the humor-impaired to persist in telling jokes that are not funny, of day traders to repeatedly jump into the market - and repeatedly lose out -- and of the politically clueless to continue holding forth at dinner parties on the fine points of campaign strategy.

Some college students, Dr. Dunning said, evince a similar blindness: after doing badly on a test, they spend hours in his office, explaining why the answers he suggests for the test questions are wrong.

In a series of studies, Dr. Kruger and Dr. Dunning tested their theory of incompetence. They found that subjects who scored in the lowest quartile on tests of logic, English grammar and humor were also the most likely to "grossly overestimate" how well they had performed.

In all three tests, subjects' ratings of their ability were positively linked to their actual scores. But the lowest-ranked participants showed much greater distortions in their self-estimates. Asked to evaluate their performance on the test of logical reasoning, for example, subjects who scored only in the 12th percentile guessed that they had scored in the 62nd percentile, and deemed their overall skill at logical reasoning to be at the 68th percentile.

Similarly, subjects who scored at the 10th percentile on the grammar test ranked themselves at the 67th percentile in the ability to "identify grammatically correct standard English," and estimated their test scores to be at the 61st percentile.

On the humor test, in which participants were asked to rate jokes according to their funniness (subjects' ratings were matched against those of an "expert" panel of professional comedians), low-scoring subjects were also more apt to have an inflated perception of their skill. But because humor is idiosyncratically defined, the researchers said, the results were less conclusive.

Unlike their unskilled counterparts, the most able subjects in the study, Dr. Kruger and Dr. Dunning found, were likely to underestimate their own competence. The researchers attributed this to the fact that, in the absence of information about how others were doing, highly competent subjects assumed that others were performing as well as they were - a phenomenon psychologists term the "false consensus effect."

When high scoring subjects were asked to "grade" the grammar tests of their peers, however, they quickly revised their evaluations of their own performance. In contrast, the self-assessments of those who scored badly themselves were unaffected by the experience of grading others; some subjects even further inflated their estimates of their own abilities.

"Incompetent individuals were less able to recognize competence in others," the researchers concluded.

In a final experiment, Dr. Dunning and Dr. Kruger set out to discover if training would help modify the exaggerated self-perceptions of incapable subjects. In fact, a short training session in logical reasoning did improve the ability of low-scoring subjects to assess their performance realistically, they found.

The findings, the psychologists said, support Thomas Jefferson's assertion that "he who knows best knows how little he knows."

And the research meshes neatly with other work indicating that overconfidence is a common; studies have found, for example, that the vast majority of people rate themselves as "above average" on a wide array of abilities -- though such an abundance of talent would be impossible in statistical terms. And this overestimation, studies indicate, is more likely for tasks that are difficult than for those that are easy.

Such studies are not without critics. Dr. David C. Funder, a psychology professor at the University of California at Riverside, for example, said he suspected that most lay people had only a vague idea of the meaning of "average" in statistical terms.

"I'm not sure the average person thinks of 'average' or 'percentile' in quite that literal a sense," Dr. Funder said, "so 'above average' might mean to them 'pretty good,' or 'O.K.,' or 'doing all right.' And if, in fact, people mean something subjective when they use the word, then it's really hard to evaluate whether they're right or wrong using the statistical criterion."

But Dr. Dunning said his current research and past studies indicated that there were many reasons why people would tend to overestimate their competency, and not be aware of it.

In some cases, Dr. Dunning pointed out, an awareness of one's own inability is inevitable: "In a golf game, when your ball is heading into the woods, you know you're incompetent," he said.

But in other situations, feedback is absent, or at least more ambiguous; even a humorless joke, for example, is likely to be met with polite laughter. And faced with incompetence, social norms prevent most people from blurting out "You stink!" - truthful though this assessment may be.

All of which inspired in Dr. Dunning and his co-author, in presenting their research to the public, a certain degree of nervousness.

"This article may contain faulty logic, methodological errors or poor communication," they cautioned in their journal report. "Let us assure our readers that to the extent this article is imperfect, it is not a sin we have committed knowingly."

[This has illustrations that can be used in a positive or negative way by preachers. -Holwick]

GREAT ACHIEVERS BELIEVE THEY ARE GREAT

Muhammad Ali was one of the finest boxers in history. But before he received his acclaim, before his name and face became known around the world, he was just another struggling fighter trying to break into the big time. Perhaps you can remember the day, as I do, when we read the headline on the sports page. There were only three words: "I'm the greatest!"

They were said to the press by a young man named Cassius Clay before his first great match with Sonny Liston. Yes, he'd been great at the Olympics, but he seemed pretentious. At first, the press scoffed at him. But when he won, they took notice. Not only had he won, but he had predicted it. Cassius Clay - who later changed his name to Muhammad Ali - subsequently went on a world tour constantly reiterating his motto, "I'm the greatest!" He also began predicting the round in which he would knock out his opponent. In all but one or two cases, he was right! He affirmed, I dance like a butterfly and I sting like a bee ... I'll knock you out in round three.

How could he do that? Had Muhammad Ali tied into some mysterious force that gave him the power to see into the future? Was there something he understood that we didn't? The answer is yes!

That mysterious force Ali tapped into is called affirmation. Affirmations are the words you say to yourself or that others say to you that you believe, think about, act on, and that come about.

UNDERSTANDING AFFIRMATION

Notice that when Ali spoke, he never said, I'm great or I'm almost the greatest or even, Next year I'll be the greatest. When he said, simply and clearly, I'm the greatest! he was accomplishing three things simultaneously:

First, he was letting his own subconscious know what it had to work with. For the subconscious there is only the present - the eternal present - so he was defining himself right then and there. In effect, he was telling his subconscious what it was supposed to believe in the here and now.

Second, by speaking his affirmation out loud and in front of others, he was putting his subconscious on notice that there was no backing down. He had declared it. Now he had to live up to it.

Third, once he had lived up to what he had said by becoming world champion, he got others to believe it, as well. Thus, when he said he would knock out another fighter in the third round, he made sure that other fighter heard the declaration. It was psychological warfare at its best. When the third round came, the other fighter was waiting to be knocked out. Such was Ali's strength of affirmation that even his opponents believed it was going to happen. Consequently it did.

While Ali's boxing skills were indeed significant, even greater were his psychological skills. As with Muhammad Ali, all your triumphs must first be won in the mind before they're ever attempted in the ring.

THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT MAKING NEGATIVE STATEMENTS

If you keep believing what you've been believing, you'll keep achieving what you've been achieving.

An affirmation is a statement of belief. Without it, the subconscious is free to be programmed by others beliefs. Since the subconscious is untrained, we know that it believes whatever happens to be poured into it. If it's told that it is withdrawn, unsure, self-conscious, inferior, helpless or suffers from low self-esteem, it believes that and acts accordingly.

In other words, negative input from the conscious mind results in negative output from the subconscious mind. Likewise, positive thinking and believing causes positive believing and results.

BELIEVE YOU CAN DO IT

Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve. - Dr. Napoleon Hill

In order to achieve your goals, you've got to believe you can do it. Your beliefs determine your actions, and your actions determine your results. If you take substantial right action, you'll obtain substantial right results.

But consciously believing is the key!

How can you arrive at these positive beliefs? First put your goal in writing. Then visualize the goal. Finally, use affirmations to drive home your belief in your abilities to achieve that goal. Affirmation is the key that unlocks the door to belief.

The truth is, we all tend to believe things that are written down. Another truth is that we all tend to believe something when it's affirmed. Repeated affirmation lends credibility. When we say it out loud, we always have an audience of at least one - our own subconscious mind. And when our subconscious hears us affirming, it at least gives us the benefit of the doubt. It says, Well, he could be right.

When we affirm in front of someone else, we really put the squeeze on our subconscious. It's forced to say, Wow, you really did it! You committed yourself. If you don't follow through, you'll look the fool and be embarrassed. Now I have to get off my behind and save you on this. I guess I'll have to go to work!

Can you see the power of affirmation? It forces our subconscious to believe that we really can. What are your goals? What would you like your subconscious mind to begin believing about you? Take some time now to complete these thoughts:

I am going to achieve... I am going to own...

I am going to enjoy... I am going to believe...

I am going to attract... I am going to empower...

HOW TO AFFIRM

Once we understand the vital importance of affirmations in the achievement of our future greatness and development of our optimal potential, our next question must be: How do we affirm? At first you may want to do it alone until you get the hang of it. Later on, you'll probably feel comfortable doing it in public.

1. The first thing you must do is stand. Standing brings your full consciousness to attention.

2. Make your statement of affirmation. Make it loud and clear and be sure that your voice isn't quivering. Furthermore, never say you'll try to accomplish something. When you say I'm going to try to be the greatest or I'm going to try to be beautiful or I'm going to try to succeed, remember that it doesn't cost any more to affirm greatness than it does to affirm mediocrity. So why affirm anything less?

DO IT OFTEN

The more you affirm, the sooner you'll put your obedient subconscious mind to work and get results. You must master your mind; don't let it master you.

WHAT TO AFFIRM

Thus far I've talked about how and when to affirm. The next logical step is to ask ourselves, What should I affirm? This is, of course, a personal choice. It really depends on your purpose and your goals.

I suggest that you have a main affirmation that you constantly repeat as well as other affirmations that you use as needed. Go for something that's simple, positive, succinct and constructive. It should be easy to repeat, so that it becomes like a perpetual continuous-loop tape recording in the mind. It's a good idea to create your own main self-affirmation that you feel comfortable stating first thing in the morning.

Start by smiling at yourself in the mirror. Say, Good morning. We're going to have a great day today. Then follow through. Go forward into your day with the knowledge and belief that you are going to produce great results.

Be your own best cheerleader. If you're impressed with you, the world will be impressed with you.

Affirmations don't have to be fancy, long or drawn-out. Simplicity is the key. And they should be in the present, not the future tense (remember, the subconscious doesn't operate in the future, it only understands now).

Your affirmation should be spoken with as much conviction as you can give it. If you find yourself stumbling over the words, start over. A hint here is that if you just can't make yourself say it, shout it

AFFIRM OTHERS

When you affirm another human being, you raise his or her self-esteem. It costs nothing to do, yet it pays dividends that are profound. The other person, in turn, will reciprocate, and you will receive bountiful rewards, maybe not directly from the person your affirming.

There are three kinds of affirmations or compliments that we can give to others:

(1) - The first is to affirm someone's physical attributes. This is historically how most men have complimented women. (I always ask: May I pay you a compliment? It allows the receiver to be in a space of accepting it.)

(2) - The second way is to affirm mental virtues. These affirmations go to the intellectual giant in our class, to someone who has done well academically or in business. These two ways are generally limited.

(3) - We can't compliment everyone on their mental virtues or their physical attributes; or else we would rightly be accused of being insincere. But there is a third way we can affirm others, and that is for their qualities, their achievements and their actions. Everyone has a set of core qualities and beliefs that they express. They are funny, sincere, courageous, disciplined, well organized, loving, compassionate, dedicated, or persistent. Perhaps they demonstrate high levels of integrity, morality, ethics or honesty. Maybe they are straightforward, a risk taker or someone who cares deeply about animals or children. When we affirm these qualities and beliefs in someone, we are acknowledging them at a core level. This is the deepest and most powerful kind of affirmation you can give another person, and it will come back to you in many positive and often unseen ways.

How can you affirm others? How can you touch others on a core level and affirm their greatness?

EXPECT RESULTS

Through affirmation - and, of course, writing down our goals and using the power of visualization - we can achieve amazing results. Just how amazing really depends on each of us individually. Affirmations and the other techniques I've mentioned allow you to change your beliefs, assumptions and opinions about that most important person - yourself. They allow us to harness those 18 billion brain cells and get them all going in a singular and purposeful direction.

The subconscious is engaged in a process that transforms us. It's invisible. It doesn't hurt. It doesn't take a long time. It just happens. Once you become accustomed to the process and its elementary mechanics, you'll be able to do it with increasing frequency and facility.

Key #1 - Start the change process by setting a goal. Write down your goals, making them as clear as you can - both in your mind and in your written expression of them.

Key #2 - Visualize the goal as completed. Use the power of your mind to "see" yourself as the person you want to be.

Key #3 - Affirm the desired results. Before you go to sleep, "playback" your series of affirmations: I am lively. I am outgoing. I am friendly. I am poised. I am charming. I am meeting people who are attracted to me. I am lovely.

Repeat these affirmations every night for a month until they become automatic, until you've woven them into the fabric of your being.

Soon, they'll automatically repeat themselves to you throughout the day. By the time this happens, you'll be far along the path to becoming the person you want to be. Your subconscious will get the message, and it will be reflected in every action you take, producing the desired response and change in yourself and others.

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A poet and an artist each examined a painting by Poussin representing the healing of the two blind men of Jericho. The artist asked, "What seems to you the most remarkable thing in this painting?" The poet replied, "Everything in the painting is excellently given - the form of Christ, the grouping of the individuals, the expression in the faces of the leading character, everything."

The artist seemed to find the most significant touch elsewhere. Pointing to the steps of a house in the corner of the picture, he said, "Do you see that discarded cane lying there?"

"Yes, but what does that signify?"

"Why, my friend, on those steps the blind man sat with the cane in his hand. But when he heard Christ had come, he was so sure that he would be healed that he let his cane lie there, since he would need it no more, and hastened to the Lord as if he could already see."

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[Holwick: you should be aware that Luke 18:40 says the man was brought to Jesus with the help of others. It fits nicely with Mark 10:50, however.]

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord” (Isaiah 31:1, NIV).

A few years ago Professor John Passmore in speaking about Australia’s capital city, Canberra, said it was one of the most highly planned and well laid out and ordered cities in the world. (It was designed by American Walter Burleigh Griffin). It was an attempt to build “an ideal urban environment for the future.”

However, in spite of all the best laid plans of men, Canberra had one of the highest suicide rates in the country, the highest unemployment rate, and the highest rate of marriage breakdown.

In our contemporary Western society we have sharpened the mind, strived for technological and scientific excellence, built the greatest means of transport and communications in the history of the world. But like ancient Egypt, we have basically put our trust in our own strength and that of the things we have developed and have ignored the spirit and not relied on nor put our trust in God.

Unless we turn back to God as a nation we will go the same way as ancient Egypt and all other civilizations who forgot God.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me as an individual and my country as a nation to realize that, as your Word says, ‘Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.’ Grant that we will turn from our sins, put our trust in you, and walk in the ways of the Lord. Gratefully in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” — Arthur Ashe

“Never think that you’re not good enough yourself. A man should never think that. People will take you very much at your own reckoning.” — Anthony Trollope

“It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s what you think you are not.” — Denis Waitley

“Confidence is: Going after Moby Dick in a rowboat, and taking the tarter sauce with you. A Bullfighter who goes in the ring with mustard on his sword.” — Zig Ziglar

“You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations of your own mind.” — Darwin P. Kingsley

“Don’t let what you are doing get in the way of who you truly are.” — James A. Ray

“All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action.” — James Russell Lowell, author, poet

Sir Edmund Hillary is famous for being the first man to climb Mount Everest. But what you may not know is that his first attempt to do so was a terrible disaster. Two men in his party perished on the attempt and in fact, Sir Edmund only barely got down the mountain alive. Upon returning to England following the disastrous try, Hillary was asked to speak before the Royal Society in London. As he walked on stage, there behind him was placed a huge picture of the mountain. As he approached center stage, Hillary turned his back on the audience and faced Mount Everest directly. In a voice, steady and strong he said, “Mount Everest, I'm coming back and I'm going to conquer you because you can't get any bigger but I can.”

Philippians 4:1–9 — Joy in the Peace of God « Leader information »

A. The Servant’s Joy and Crown Philippians 4:1–3 (NAS)

1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. 3 Indeed, true comrade, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

« 1. excerpt from Biblical Museum (Holwick 25485) — The Preacher’s Crown

a. joy…crown — 2 Cor 1:14, 1 Th 2:19-20, 3:8-9 — his converts will be his wreath of victory, and show, that as a runner he had not run in vain

b. Euodias — (prosperous), more properly Euodia, a Christian woman, of whom no more is known

c. Syntyche — (affable or fortunate), another Christian woman

d. that…mind — Phil 2:9 — perhaps they had disagreed

e. Lord — 1 Pet 2:13 — the peacemaker

f. yokefellow {comrade, companion} — a common work the ground of brotherly claim

g. Clement — generally supposed to be the Bishop of Rome, and author of a letter to the Corinthians (see Ellicott)

h. in…life — Rev 13:8, 20:12, cf Dan 12:1, Luke 10:20, Rev 3:5, Exod 32:32, Ps 69:28 — the register of the covenant people.

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2. A few weeks ago we touched on the “prize of the upward call of God” and thought briefly about the “crown of life” or living crown (James 1:12, Revelation 2:10) and about the “crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:8). These are primarily realized in the future. But, in these verses we find a crown for the servant Christian to be worn right now … of what does it consist?

a. « the Christians whom we serve and with whom we serve »

b. comment on the character of this “crown”

(A) needing « reminders to stand firm »

(B) needing « reminders to be united, live in harmony; these two ladies names mean “pleasant way” and “affable” but they appear to have become “you odious” and “soon touchy” »

(C) needing « guidance and help from other Christians — you are not alone responsible for another’s discipling »

c. comment on the servant’s attitude toward this “crown”

(A) « love and brotherly relationship »

(B) « desiring companionship »

(C) « joyous »

B. Signs of the Servant’s Joy

1. constant rejoicing Philippians 4:4 (NAS)

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

« a. excerpt from Biblical Museum (Holwick 25486) — “Rejoice in the Lord”

(A) rejoice…Lord — the usual Gk. salutation — “rejoice;” with a Christian limitation, “in the Lord.”

(B) alway — there being at all times, and in all circumstances, a ground for rejoicing in the Lord

(C) again…rejoice — 1 Th 5:16, Rom 12:12, Ps 32:11, 1 Pet 4:13 — a command repeated with emphasis. (Paul a prisoner when he thus wrote!).

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b. what do you learn from this verse?

(A) the D___________ « (domain) » of this rejoicing

(1) « is in the Lord »

(2) and so is « unaffected by earthly circumstances »

(B) the E__________ « (extent) » of this rejoicing

(1) « is continuous »

(2) « “In everything give thanks … “ – » 1 Thessalonians 5:18

(C) the S_____________ « (stimulus) » of this rejoicing

(1) « is a doubly given command »

(2) because « we need to be reminded that … we are but pilgrims on this earth; we are in the world but not of the world; we look for a city, an heavenly one; … »

2. gentleness to men Philippians 4:5 (NAS)

Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

« a. excerpt from Biblical Museum (Holwick 25487) — “Moderation”

(A) moderation {forbearing spirit, gentleness} — 1 Cor 9:25, Eph 4:2 — your gentle and forbearing spirit

(B) known — manifested

(C) the…hand {near} — 1 Cor 7:29-31, Jam 5:8, 1 Pet 4:7, Rev 22:7, 2 Pet 3, 2 Th 2:2 — let the nearness of the judgment admonish you to be gentle and merciful in your judgments.

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b. “Let your … “ « the word in the original is epieikev, participle of verb, “to yield” (Gal 2:5) plus “unto” and so is one who yields unto others » — let’s see how this word is translated

(A) KJV « – moderation »

(B) NKJV, NIV, NRSV « – gentleness »

(C) NAS, Weymouth « – forbearing spirit »

(D) Philips « – (have a reputation) for being reasonable »

c. what is the stimulus? … what does it mean?

(A) « the Lord is near »

(B) « Hagar’s name of the Lord, “Thou God seest me” »

3. confidence in God Philippians 4:6 (NAS)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

« a. excerpt from Biblical Museum (Holwick 25488) — “Carefulness”

(A) be…nothing — Matt 6:25, 10:19, Luke 12:22, 1 Cor 7:32 — have no anxieties

(B) but…{every} thing — in every difficulty, or need

(C) thanksgiving — for past mercies, the memory of which should give present confidence

(D) let…God — Ps 54:22, 1 Pet 5:7, 1 Th 5:17-18 — who, though He knows what things you have need of, will yet be inquired of.

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b. What reasons have we for not worrying?

(A) Matthew 6:25ff

(B) Matthew 10:18–20

(C) Luke 12:6–7

c. what is the antidote to worry … the more we worry, the more we should … ?

d. Describe how this is to be done?

(A) « accompanied by thankfulness for … »

(B) « supplication (petition) — J. B. Philips, in every detail; Weymouth, earnest pleading »

(C) « in confidence … Psalm 55:22 »

4. peace of God Philippians 4:7 (NAS)

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

« a. excerpt from Biblical Museum (Holwick 25488) — “Carefulness”

(A) which…understanding — Isa 26:3, John 14:27, Gal 5:22 — surpassing in its power to calm, the power of human devices to harass

(B) shall…minds — “God’s peace shall stand sentry, shall keep guard over your hearts.”.

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b. this is peace which surpasses our comprehension, but not our R___________ « (realization … ie., we can know without understanding) » and it is to be found in

(A) Isaiah 26:3 « – a dependent trust in God »

(B) John 14:27 « – the free gift from our Lord, Jesus Christ »

c. the role of this peace is …

C. Thinking and Acting for Peace Philippians 4:8–9 (NAS)

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.

« 1. excerpt from Biblical Museum (Holwick 25489) — “Good Things”

a. true — Eph 4:25 — in the widest sense

b. honest {noble} — Rom 12:17, 13:13 — honourable

c. just — Mic 6:8 — in accord with law

d. lovely — estimable

e. good report {repute} — 1 Tim 4:12, 1 Pet 4:8, Tit 2:10, 1 TH 5:22, Phil 1:27 — deserving of praise

f. virtue — moral rightness

g. praise {praiseworthy} — good opinion

h. think {meditate, dwell} — approvingly, constantly, practically

i. learned — in Christian instruction

j. received — as the effect of that teaching

k. heard — from report

l. seen — Phil 3:17 — personal observation

m. and…you — Rom 16:19-20, 1 Th 5:23, 1 Cor 14:33 — to guide, protect, bless.

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2. the Roman church has an “index” of materials that may be read and here we have an “index” of the materials we should allow to enter our mind if peace is to perform its role in guarding us. Each of us will have differing need of correction in this respect. At this time, I need to have my mind dwell more on …

3. What outcome should I expect from such mind-dwelling?

Psalm 31:14–15 — In God’s Hands — « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me. (NKJV)

B. Every Christian finds him or her self in the middle of a battle

1. Jesus promised this in John 16:33 (NAS) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

2. the early church realized this in Acts 14:22 (NAS) Paul and his friends: strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

3. and Paul told the same to 2 Timothy 3:12 NAS: And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

4. so, this Psalm gives the first step of defence, the shield of faith, as shown in two resolutions by the writer:

a. I trust in You, O Lord « – in the midst of the opposition, I am going to put my confidence in my Saviour God »

b. You are my God « – my faith is not blind; it is founded on the sovereign power of my God »

5. what is the expectation of this faith? … “my times are in your hand” – Paul tells us in Romans 8:28 (NAS) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. – our expectation is that God is in control of all aspects of our lives, whether they be good or ill; as Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 (NAS): To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; … A time of war, And a time of peace.

6. so the child of God prays in this fashion, “Lord, my times are in thy hand, and I am well pleased that they are so; they could not be in a better hand. Thy will be done.” (Matthew Henry)

Olympic champion Charlie Paddock loved to speak to young people in high schools. At East Tech High School in Cleveland, Ohio, he challenged those young people: “If you think you can, you can! If you believe something strongly enough, it will come to pass in your life.” Afterward he lifted his hand and said, “Who knows? Maybe there's an Olympic champion in this auditorium this afternoon.”

Later a scrawny little black boy approached him and said, “Gee, Mr. Paddock, I'd give anything if I could be an Olympic champion just like you.”

It was that young boy's moment of inspiration. From that moment on his life was changed! In 1936 he went to Berlin, Germany, and won four gold medals. His name is Jesse Owens. When he returned home he was driven through the streets of Cleveland and greeted by a cheering crowd. The car stopped for him to sign autographs. That day a skinny little boy pressed himself against the car and said, “Gee, Mr. Owens, I'd give anything to be an Olympic champion just like you.”

Jesse reached out to this little fellow (who was nicknamed “Bones”) and said, “You know that's what I wanted when I was about your age. If you will work hard and train hard, and if you will believe, then you can become an Olympic champion.”

The little boy was so inspired that he ran all the way home where he told his grandmother, “I'm going to become an Olympic champion.” In Wembley Stadium in London, England, in 1948, six young men waited to hear the starting gun. The man in the outside lane burst out ahead; drove down to hit the tape, and won the race. His name was Harrison “Bones” Dillard. He tied Jesse Owens's Olympic record that day and went on to break many more records.

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From Robert Schuller's “Move Ahead With Possibility Thinking,” (New York: Jove Books, 1967); secondary source: Weekend Encounter, by Dick Innes, Copyright (c) ACTS International, 2004, http://www.actsweb.org/subscribe.htm

The late Spencer Penrose, whose brother was a major political leader in Philadelphia in the late nineteenth century, was considered the “black sheep” of the family. He chose to live in the West instead of the East. In 1891, fresh out of Harvard, he made his way to Colorado Springs. Not long after his move, he wired his brother for $1,500 so that he might go into a mining venture. His brother telegraphed him $150 instead - enough for train fare home - and warned him against the deal.

Years later, Spencer returned to Philadelphia and handed his brother $75,000 in gold coins - payment, he said, for his “investment” in his mining operation. His brother was stunned. He had qualms about accepting the money, however, and reminded his brother that he had advised against the venture and had only given him $150. “That,” replied Spencer, “is why I’m only giving you $75,000. If you had sent me the full $1,500 I requested, I would be giving you three-quarters of a million dollars.”

________

“God’s Little Lessons on Life for Mom,” Honor Books of Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1999, page 193.

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #17789]

Acts 27:9-44 — The Shipwreck — (outline by F. F. Bruce, NICNT) « Leader information shown in this fashion »

{A.} The Birth of the Church (1:1–5:42)

{B.} Persecution and Expansion (6:1–9:31)

{C.} The Acts of Peter & Beginnings of Gentile Christianity (9:32–12:25)

{D.} Church Extension from Antioch & Apostolic Decree at Jerusalem (12:25–15:35)

{E.} Paul Leaves Antioch & Moves to the Aegean World (15:36–19:20)

{F.} Paul Plans to Visit Rome and Gets there by an Unforseen Route (19:21–28:31)

{1} He Prepares to Leave Ephesus for Macedonia and Achaia (19:21–20:6)

{2} The Journey to Jerusalem (20:7–21:16)

{3} Paul at Jerusalem (21:17–23:30)

{4} Paul at Caesarea (23:31–26:32)

A. Paul Taken to Caesarea (23:31–35)

B. Paul Accused before Felix (24:1–9)

C. Paul’s Defence before Felix (24:10–21)

D. Felix Adjourns Proceedings (24:22-23)

E. Paul’s Interviews with Felix (24:24-26)

F. Felix Replaced by Festus; Paul Left in Custody (24:27)

G. Festus Visits Jerusalem (25:1-5)

H. Paul Appeals to Caesar (25:6-12)

I. Agrippa II and Bernice Visit Festus (25:13–22)

J. Paul Appears before Agrippa (25:23-27)

K. Paul Accepts Agrippa’s Invitation to Speak (26:1)

L. Paul’s Defence for His Own Life (26:2–23)

M. Interchange Among Festus, Paul and Agrippa (26:24–29)

N. Agreement on Paul’s Innocence (26:30-22)

{5}. Paul’s Voyage and Shipwreck (27:1–44)

A. Caesarea to Myra (27:1–5)

B. They Trans-ship at Myra and Sail to Crete (27:6–8)

C. Paul’s Advice Rejected 27:9–12 (NKJV)

1. 9 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, 10 saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.” 11 Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. 12 And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there.

2. What fast was this (Leviticus 23:27–28)? … what time of year was it? « — the fast associated with Yom Kippur, about October 1; the dangerous season was from the equinox to mid-November, at which point shipping ceased until February »

3. They were in Fair Havens on Crete « (John was correct last week about its being unsuitable for wintering, I was wrong!) » leaving about 65 miles (about 105 km) to Phoenix, or a half-day sail. Did this seem a reasonable move on their part? – « Discuss »

4. Paul was just a missionary; was there any reason to take his ideas seriously (see 2 Corinthians 11:25–26, already written)? « — he had travelled extensively for the last 20 years in this area! »

5. Any lesson for us (cf. James 4:13–15)? « – Plan seeking God’s will »

D. They Are Caught by the Wind Euraquilo 27:13–20 (NKJV)

1. 13 When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. 14 But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon. 15 So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive. 16 And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty. 17 When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail {”slackened the thing”} and so were driven. 18 And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. 19 On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands. 20 Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.

2. What encouraged their setting out? « – a gentle south wind »

3. The storm wind’s name comes from two parts, East + North; whither did this nor’easter drive them? « – south-westward »

4. What steps for safety were taken as they passed Clauda?

a. They brought … « the dingy on board; seems Luke helped! »

b. They bound … « up the ship with ropes to keep it tight »

c. They struck … « (top)sails; probably to use as sea-anchors so the prevailing current would reduce the southward drift; this was to avoid the Syrtis shallows off of North Africa »

d. They lightened … « the ship, throwing off non-necessities (this would include the passengers luggage!) »

e. Later they further … « lightened her discarding surplus fittings »

5. What highlighted their desperate situation? « – there was no way to navigate and reach any land, so must founder at sea »

E. Paul’s Encouragement 27:21–26 (NKJV)

1. 21 But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. 22 And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. 26 However, we must run aground on a certain island.”

2. Why didn’t they eat? « – sea-sickness; spoilage of food and the careful husbanding of what there was that was good »

3. What did Paul’s “I told you so” accomplish? « – credibility »

4. As a result, Paul’s claims … « bore listening to; his words cheer »

5. What illustration is here of common grace? « – the benefit by all those on board of Paul’s presence in their midst – discuss »

F. They Approach Land 27:27-29 (NKJV)

1. 27 Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land. 28 And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms. 29 Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come. « – read from J. Smith’s, Voyage and Shipwreck of St Paul (1848, 1880)

Smith relates how he made careful inquiries of experienced Mediterranean navigators in order to ascertain the mean rate of drift of a ship of this kind laid to in such a gale. The conclusion which he reached was a mean drift of about thirty-six miles in twenty-four hours. The soundings recorded in verse 28 indicate that the ship was passing Koura, a point on the east coast of Malta, on her way into St. Paul’s Bay. “But the distance from Clauda to the point of Koura … is 476.6 miles, which, at the rate as deduced from the information… , would take exactly thirteen days, one hour, and twenty-one minutes.” Not only so: “The coincidence of the actual bearing of St. Paul’s Bay from Clauda, and the direction in which a ship must have driven in order to avoid the Syrtis, is if possible still more striking than that of the time actually consumed, and the calculated time.” Then, after carefully reckoning the direction of the ship’s course from the direction of the wind, from the angle of the ship’s head with the wind, and from the leeway, he goes on:

“Hence according to these calculations, a ship starting late in the evening from Clauda would, by midnight on the 14th, be less than three miles from the entrance of St. Paul’s Bay. I admit that a coincidence so very close as this, is to a certain extent accidental, but it is an accident which could not have happened had there been any inaccuracy on the part of the author of the narrative with regard to the numerous incidents upon which the calculations are founded, or had the ship been wrecked anywhere but at Malta, for there is no other place agreeing, either in name or description, within the limits to which we are tied down by calculations founded upon the narrative.”

… quoted by F. F. Bruce in NICNT on Acts in loc.

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2. Note the location of the sea and the gulf of Adria on the map

G. The Sailors’ Attempt to Escape Frustrated 27:30-32 (NKJV)

1. 30 And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off.

2. Who now is fully in charge; how do you know? « – Paul for Julius instantly obeys and prevents anyone getting off the ship by taking drastic measures – abandoning the dinghy »

H. The Meal on Board 27:33-38 (NKJV)

1. 33 And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.” 35 And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat. 36 Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves. 37 And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship. 38 So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea.

2. What benefit did Paul now confer? « – food to strengthen, assurance of their safely, example of his own confidence »

I. The Shipwreck 27:39–41 (NKJV)

1. 39 When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible. 40 And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. 41 But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.

2. What kept them from shore? « – running aground on mudbank caused by the meeting of the 2 currents; 100 m. wide channel »

J. Safe Ashore! 27:42–44 (NKJV)

1. 42 And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.

2. Why did the soldiers plan as they did? « – to save their skins, which they would lose if any prisoner escaped. »

3. How does this voyage support Luke’s defence of Christianity? « – it is Paul, the Christian prisoner, who brings all to safety »