In this sermon, the speaker tells a story about a shepherd named Mr. Jones who finds a sheep that has fallen down a ledge. Instead of immediately rescuing the sheep, Mr. Jones decides to leave it for a day or two. When questioned by others, he explains that the sheep is far too strong and needs to learn a lesson. The speaker then relates this story to the concept of faith and how God provides strength where there is weakness. The sermon emphasizes the importance of responding to God's commandments and trusting in His power.

I'm getting instructions shouted at me from various quarters. My wife just told me to move my piece of hair. So I hope I look fine. It's nice to have some, isn't it? One of the things that quite often happens at the end of a conference like this, and it's a comment that is quite often repeated to me by young people. And I guess, because it's repeated to me by young people, it would have similar application to older people too. But somehow, when the conference is over, and people have gone back to, can I call it, normality, they seem to lose whatever it is that they gained in the conference. And I want to address myself this morning to people who perhaps have experienced that kind of thing. I've experienced it. I guess there are probably many in this room who have. A sense of going back and somehow a paralysis, an inability to bring forth everything that you hoped that you could. I was delighted last night to hear what Norman had to share. I believe with all of my heart that that which was ministered is for every one of us, and that we are to live in it. I'm going to read in a moment the account of the healing of the man who had the wizard hand. A man paralysed. A man incapable of being and doing all that he wanted to. When I've spoken to young people who said to me, perhaps, I've been in the conference, I've come to the youth meetings, I've responded. And I have no doubt that their response has been genuine. Last night many people responded. I have no doubt your response was genuine. And the enemy can very quickly come in when things do not seem to work as you imagined they would, and can accuse you by saying, there you are, your response was not genuine. If it were, you would not now be going through the things that you are going through. I hope that by the end of this morning there will be in every heart an awareness of the way in which God really does deal with us. I'm going to point out some things in the story of this man who had the wizard hand. Let's read it together. It's to be found in the Gospel of Mark and in the third chapter. I'm going to be going into a couple of other chapters in Mark's Gospel. But let's start here. And he, that is Jesus, entered the synagogue. And a man was there who had a wizard hand. So they watched him closely, whether he would heal on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the wizard hand, step forward. Perhaps more accurately, arise and stand in the midst. And then he said to them, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil? To save life or to kill? But they kept silent. When he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their heart, he said to the man, stretch out your hand. And he stretched it out. And his hand was restored as whole as the other. And then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against him how they might destroy him. The story is very simple. It's very factual. I believe it to be quite historical and actually happened. I want to use it as a picture to illustrate what God intends to do in my life and in yours and bring every one of us out of paralysis, out of inability, out of handicaps, out of difficulties and bring us into the place where we are to be entirely whole. It's a great picture. I want to just pinpoint one or two things before I get right into what I want to say. First of all, to take note of those who were present. They were the enemies of Jesus. They were gathered there in the synagogue and there was present this one man. It always amazes me how Jesus loves the individual. You and I are gathered in this conference. I don't know how many of us there are. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds. But he deals with us on an individual basis. You, my friend. I've never ceased to amaze me. While I think of it, let me just make a remark about something that takes place at the very end of Mark's Gospel. I was thinking earlier whether I mentioned this last year or not. I can't remember what I said last year. I think I was so kind of uptight that the memories bleed obliterated. At the end of Mark's Gospel, Jesus is alive from the dead. And in the 16th chapter, and it would be good for us just to make note of it, there's an incident that's quite remarkable. It's his resurrection. But in the course of that resurrection, he wants to communicate to his disciples that he's alive. And in verse 6, we read this. An angel speaks and says, Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go and tell his disciples. Now, have you ever noticed the next two words? They are remarkable. Because the angel, who has come from the very presence of God to instruct the disciples that Christ is alive, insists that communication is made through one man particularly. It's the individual. The man who's been defeated. The man who's a failure. The man who, having said that he would do all manner of things and remain loyal to Christ. It's to him. This man who's failed. And I'm sure that you would believe as I do that everything that Peter said he meant, there was nothing thicker about him. He meant what he said. His commitment was genuine. He had given up much. He said on one occasion to Jesus, we've given up all. What shall we receive? And I believe with all my heart that Peter was a genuine man. Don't you? We like to pinpoint his failures, maybe because we identify them. There were lots of successes. I've never walked on water. I don't suppose you have either, have you? We all want to point out the fact that he sunk. But before he sunk, he walked. And when the angel gave instruction, he said, you go and tell his disciples and Peter. Isn't that amazing? I never cease to read that without it thrilling me. I can just imagine him saying, you can go and tell him and him and him, and don't forget, die. He needs to be reminded. Just tell him. And I think it's a marvel that this Christ has a heart for the individual. Tell Peter, I understand his mind. I understand his sense of failure. I understand what's going through him. I understand. Aren't you delighted that the Christ that you and I have to deal with is the one who understands? And my friend, I would not be surprised if there may be many sitting in this place who have gathered hoping maybe this time, at this conference, it might happen. Maybe the thing I longed for, this something in my heart, this ability, it will come. And the paralysis, the inability will be dispelled once and for all. And it's amazing, isn't it, that nobody needs to point the finger at anybody in this room and show you where your inabilities lie. You know, don't you? You know where your difficulties are. You know the areas of temperament or personality where you have difficulty. You know where your inability to communicate or relate to this one or that one. Somehow, we don't need to have someone come along with some great word of knowledge and tell us. Most of us, if we're honest, we know. And Jesus made it clear, I want you to tell Peter. He probably thinks he's blown it. He probably thinks there's no hope for him. He probably is sitting in some quiet corner, isolated. It's always the way of the enemy, isolate people. And the most outspoken are normally the ones who suffer most from a sense of isolation. Because they make the great statement and when they've blown it, everybody's waiting. And everybody's thinking, oh yeah, we'll see. And I can imagine Peter hiding off in a corner somewhere, thinking, well, there's not much hope for me now. And the Lord says, now you make sure you tell Peter. Tell all the others. I want you to tell Peter. And here's a man in the synagogue. And he is a man somewhat isolated. He is the man in the midst who is most in need. There are no other needs identified in the passage. But this man's need is identified. And it's a wonderful thing when God puts his finger on and identifies our need. Now you will notice, of course, that this man, in many other senses, was healthy. He had two good legs. In fact, the first thing that Jesus said to him was, stand forth. And because he had two good legs, he could obey. And he gets to his feet and there he stands in the midst. There's something about the thinking in this man which I think we need to identify. I wonder if he thought to himself, now, why, Jesus, could you not suggest that you and I go outside after the meeting is over and we do this thing in private? Why expose me in the midst? Why identify my need? Why could you not have done this quietly? I would have gladly responded if you had said, after the meeting, will the brother over there who's got the poor hand meet me outside. But he doesn't. Right out in the open. And my friend, one of the things about the need of our hearts is this. We've got to be absolutely ruthlessly honest with ourselves. And we've got to come and say, this is me, Lord. I'm paralysed. I've got two good legs. I've got one good arm. But it's this one. What's to be done about this? I cannot be effective. I cannot be the man I wish to be. And you know, one of the sad things that I have found is that in churches and fellowships, and I've got some in the fellowship I come from, there are people who come Sunday by Sunday by Sunday and that real need in their heart is never dealt with. And I would suppose there must be people like that in most of the churches represented. Maybe you're even sitting in this room this morning and you know that there is some great inability in your heart to live and to function as you should. So Jesus Christ, in the midst of all these who are about Him, He identifies the man's need. And He says, now it's that that I'm going to deal with. Will you please notice too that those who were gathered in this room, in the synagogue with Him, they were looking for opportunity to accuse Him. They had no power to help this man, but they did know that He did. It's a strange thing, isn't it? They paid Him a backhanded compliment. We can't do it, but we know that you can and we're going to see what you're going to do about this man's need. We can't meet it. You can. So they watched Him. Their motive was dreadful. Their motive was vindictive. Their motive was born out of jealousy and out of the fact that He had ridiculed their tradition. Not God's, but theirs. And so this man stands up in the midst. He's paralyzed. He's withered in His hand. He has no ability to function in this area. They watched Him in order to accuse Him. They're aware that He can help and they're aware that they can't. And what a wonderful thing to recognize this morning that there is one and only one Cook on Health. It's a great thing to know. It's a great thing to come to the end of all our own abilities and all our own efforts. And I wonder how many times this man had longed to find use, strength, power in this part that was enabled, that was incapacitated. I wonder how many times he'd longed for it. I wonder how many times he'd come into that synagogue and thought to himself, if God is here, could it be today? And he comes on this day and God is there. Right there to meet his need. Glory be to His name. And He's here to meet mine and He's here to meet yours. And so, Jesus says to the man, step forward. Stand up in the midst. In the midst of criticism. In the midst of a spirit that was against Him and all that He could do. And yet, they recognized He was the only one who could and yet they were seeking to criticize Him if He did do anything to bring healing to this man. Something about this fellow that stirs my heart. He got to His feet. He didn't sit there and say, either to Jesus or quietly in his own heart, I'll wait till the end. I don't really want to respond now. I'll find a quiet moment. I'll speak to him personally afterwards. He got to his feet because I think he knew there was one here who could do something about his need. Isn't that great to come with expectation in your heart? Don't you think? You obviously don't. Don't you think so? I wonder what expectation you have in your heart. Do you believe that that area of your life that may have been damaged or paralyzed or somehow affected and you've known that you've carried it for years and years and years. Do you have any expectation that today you can rise up in the midst and it can be dealt with? Really dealt with. Permanently dealt with. Properly dealt with by one who has the power to deal with it. If you come into the presence of men you discover that with man nothing is possible. But when you come into the presence of him who has all power with him all things are possible. When Jesus addressed himself to the rich young ruler let's turn there. I'm going to come back to where we are but in the tenth chapter of Mark's Gospel do you recall the words of the young man? He was looking for eternal life. In verse 17 we read he came and he came running. He wanted something and he wanted it pretty desperately. He didn't amble along. He didn't sort of respond on a casual level. He ran. It's always interesting to note when appeals are made at meetings like this or wherever to see the one who bolts from their chair and they can't wait to get to the front fast enough. There's something desperate in their hearts. This young man he came running and he knelt before Jesus and he said to him good teacher what shall I do that I may have eternal life? And Jesus said to him why do you call me good? No one is good but one that is God. And that leaves you and I with one of two options regarding the statement made and the response of Jesus either he's God because he's good or he's not. And Jesus did not make any remark he did not make any denial to the statement of the young man. He simply said why do you call me good? That only one who's good is that God. And if I'm good I'm God. And he surely is. And right in the midst of this young man he declares his Godhead. You know the commandment says Jesus. And if you take note of the six statements made by Jesus they all relate to man's relationship to man. He gives him six commandments. Here they are. You're not to commit adultery. You are not to murder. You're not to steal. You're not to bear false witness. You're not to defraud. Honor your father and mother. They are six of the ten commandments that relate to our relationship to other people. Man with man. The first four relate to our relationship with God. He did not mention them. And this young man's response was this. My relationship with men is right. I have done none of those things. Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth. I've never murdered. I've not committed adultery. I've honored mother and father. I've never stolen. I've never defrauded. He was quite a young man, wasn't he? But it was his relationship with God. The God who was in his presence and to whom he was speaking that was wrong. And will you please note this. Jesus, looking at him, said one thing. And it's always this. It comes down to one thing. It was one thing that was wrong with the man with the wizard hand. Two legs were fine. One hand was fine. Everything else was fine. One thing. And it's that one thing that becomes the great issue in the heart. Lord, if only I could be free of this one thing. I can function okay here. I'm alright there. But this thing. And it was just one thing that paralyzed this young man. It was his love of money. And Jesus said to him, there's just one thing you lack. And the one thing you lack is the right relationship with me. And there's something that masters you, that prevents you from being what I want you to be. Go and sell whatever you have and give it to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. And take up your cross and follow me. And that was the great crux of the issue for this young man. This one thing was the thing that paralyzed him. I've kept this commandment. I've obeyed that one. I've been true to you in this thing. But in this one, says Jesus, you have not. I want you to follow me. And he couldn't. And he went his way. One thing. It's this one thing. This paralyzing thing. I'm going to make reference back to this young man in a moment or two. Let me go back to the third chapter to our poor fellow with his withered hand. Jesus commands him to stand up in the midst. Then he said to them, not to the young man, to the man with the withered hand, but to those around him who were critical. Have you ever noticed how criticism can paralyze you? Have you ever noticed if you are in the company of people who are forever finding false, it can paralyze you? It can stop you from moving. It can stop you from being what God intends you to be. There is nothing more deadly. I am becoming more and more and more convinced of it. Since the last time that I was here, I have had, I would suppose, about the worst six months of my Christian life I can remember. I'm glad I'm still smiling. It's been an amazing few months. I came back in February from India. And when I got back, I discovered that things had been going on that I knew nothing about. And two men in the church had taken a third man and they had spoken to him about baptism, water baptism. I came back from India and this man came and spoke to me and he said, Oh, I want to talk to you about being baptized. So I talked to him. And following my conversation with him, I then spoke to the other elders in the church and our advice to this man was that he should wait. And his parting shot to me following my first conversation with him was, well, if you don't do it, there are others in the church who will. And I sat there, if I can use a colloquialism, gob smacked, my mouth kind of on my knees somewhere, and I said to him, Well, would you mind just repeating that? Yeah, if you don't do it, there's others who will. And I couldn't believe my ears. So, I, a week or so later, got back to this fellow and I said to him, You're going to have to wait. And I thought that was probably the end of it. At least I hoped so. It's amazing how mistaken you can be. And on Easter Sunday this year, completely unknown to me, two of the men who were in the church past tense, they took this man across to a farm where one of them lives and works and they baptised him. He was then told to be quiet. He must not say anything. And it was weeks and weeks later when this fellow, who unable to contain himself anymore, came and told me I was baptised on Easter Sunday. And I was gobsmacked yet again. And I discovered this kind of thing was going on. I had no idea of it at the time. And that has brought real, real heartache. And as a consequence, people have left the church. People that have been with us quite a while. People that we've loved and laid our lives down for. And they've gone. And I want to tell you there is a great heartache and a heartbreak that goes on when these things happen. And it should not happen, but it does. And the outcome of all of this is criticism. I have now been criticised for this and that and the other. I've driven this person and the other person away. And I sit there sometimes thinking to myself and I have to go through it in my mind over and over again Lord, could I have done it differently? Could I have done it better? Should I have done this? Should I have done that? And in the end, I have to come to the conclusion I have no answer to it. But Lord, all I know is I love these folk. I still do. I have nothing in my heart against them. But this has been heartbreaking. And criticism can paralyse. And I had to come right through it and learn that I was not going to be beaten by it nor beaten down by it but I was going to rise above it. And I've had a jolly good six months. I tell you what, I sure have learned a lot. And I have learned how to deal with paralysis with that which would keep me from being what God intends me to be. This man was present in the company of the Christ. There was criticism all around. I imagine that the man who had the wizard hand knew full well if Jesus Christ does something about this wizard hand I'm an outcast. I am going to be branded. I am not going to be welcomed in this synagogue. I am going to be a man who has stood up in the midst and sided with the Christ. And this critical crowd are going to be critical of me as well as of him. But he stood up. A brave fellow, don't you think? Good. I'm glad you think. I think he was a brave man. I think we tend to overlook the state of mind that he must have been in and the questions and the uncertainty that must have run through his mind when he heard Jesus say stand up, go on in the midst of all of this criticism of all this failure here you are in the synagogue, the house of God and no one can meet your needs but I can. And he stood. Okay. And there was silence. I like that. It's good when there's silence. And then Jesus did this. He spoke again to the man. His first commandment to him was to stand up in the midst and he did so. And then his second commandment was this. You are to stretch out your hand. What utter nonsense. What utter ridiculousness. Was this Jesus mocking this man? Here he was. Withered. Powerless. Nervous. Muscle-less. With no ability to do anything with it. And here's a man who said stretch it out. It's an impossibility. And maybe you are faced with things in your own life which seem impossibility. I tried. God knows I tried. I've been for counsel to this, to this, to that. And Lord, somehow I can't get through. I've been covered Aurora for so many years and nothing seems to happen of any permanence. So he said to him stretch out your hand. Now was Jesus mocking him? What was he doing? Now this is where we need to think carefully. I'd like to suggest to you that what the Lord Jesus was doing was speaking to the very will of this man. And ultimately all response to God is going to involve you in your will. Something else has cropped up recently back at home. This is not a confessional by the way. But last night Norman made some reference to music. I think this is great. But he did say that this is not meant to create an atmosphere. I had a conversation with somebody back at home and there was a complaint that we need more of something I presume this person meant music or something that's going to create an atmosphere so that people will feel safe to move in gifts of the Spirit in worship, in whatever. You've got to have an atmosphere. Now I want to say to you that when Jesus Christ dealt with this man the only atmosphere that was around him was one of criticism. But in his heart was one of absolute love. I can meet this need in the midst of everything that's opposed to it. And well I'm not much for atmospheres. Now I know that you're probably thinking oh well, you know this guy's a Welshman and these Welshmen are all emotional and they've got oil, you know and they're getting... Well, I don't know. I'll tell you one thing I discovered. I thought as I got older I would become less emotional. But it's absolutely the opposite. I don't cry at anything. I can. It's funny isn't it? You think you'll get more mature and able to cope with things. I'm discovering I can't cope with much of anything. Especially the last six months. Wonderful. That here in the midst of everything that was in opposition to Jesus Christ doing what he wanted to do and no wonder he was angry. No wonder. He says to this man now stretch forth your hand. Now the response of this man had to be it had to be I cannot. I don't have the ability. I don't have the power. I can't do it. I tried. Wouldn't that have been his mental response? It had to be. And yet here in the presence of this one who's either mocking him or he's either got the ability to do it this man knows I can respond to this. Now please don't go from here thinking that I believe in mind over matter or I'm preaching some sort of name it and claim it thing. This man was going to respond to the word of Jesus Christ to God in the midst to this one who's altogether good. He's going to respond to a command. He's responded to one. It's good to respond to one. If you respond to one it's easier next time to respond to the next command. Always. If you disobey the first one you won't obey the second. He stood up. I will. I'm going to have this. I'm going to let this withered inability be dealt with. I'm not going to have it anymore. So he did. He stood up. And then Jesus said to him now go on stretch it out. And I want to suggest to everybody in this room that faith is not faith if it is simply an emotional response to something that's in a meeting an atmosphere something created. It is in the end faith that is is a response in your will to the command of another. This I can do. Do you believe me? And he said I can't but I will. What an absolute contradiction. What nonsense to the human element of it. How foolish to the natural man. Here I am. I can't but I will. Why will I? Because of the one who said you ought to do it and obey you Lord. And he did. And you know what happened as well as I. He stretched it out. In the moment that his will was engaged with the commandment the word of God strength came. I can't explain to you how I have not the least idea how I don't even want to begin to imagine how but strength came ability came a releasing of the thing that had been bound for years and he came right out of it all. Amen. And it was restored. Look at this. I can do it. I can use it. I am free of it. And there was an appeal in the commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ to this man's will. And that man had to do something that he knew he was incapable of but he was willing to obey. He wanted to obey. He did obey. And in the moment of willing strength came. Ability came. Power came. And my friend I want to suggest to you if you've been in bondage if you've been paralyzed if you have found inabilities to be what you know God has called you to be this morning if you will but move in your will Jesus Christ will come and empower you to go and live as you and I are intended to live not by some emotion that next week will be gone not trying to recapture the memory of the meeting you responded at but somehow it's gone it's eluded you He will provide for you absolute strength where your weakness is and faith only is faith when it responds in will to the commandment of Him who says I will and your response is and so will I and instantly there's releasing there's restoring there's strength isn't that wonderful I will I will though I can't I will though I'm bound up though I'm withered I will because you said so do you know the story at the end of John gospel chapter 4 is one of the most wonderful I think do you recall the statement of Jesus unless this generation sees signs and wonders they will not believe and there came this noble man and he asked Jesus regarding the healing of his sick son and the marvel of it is this that that man did not see the healing of his son he did not see it until he'd gone home and found his son to be whole he went on the sheer word of God Jesus said to him go your way exercise your will go home it'll be done he didn't stay and say no no it'll be done he didn't stay and say no no not until I see it Jesus said go your way and he went his way and you know don't you as well as I his son had been healed in the very hour that Jesus had said it and all he did he believed the word of God and his will was exercised yours must be my friend please I beg you will you come off emotionalism waiting for something in the meeting to raise your emotion to some level where you may then feel now I can respond it's going to be in the stark realities of paralysis this is paralyzed Jesus why didn't you come and tell me how well I can dance I've got two good feet I've got one good hand to serve you no he came and he pinpointed the one thing the one area of need like with the rich young ruler he had one area of need you won't let me march to you in this area go sell give come follow and he said no and he would not bow his will to the will of the one whom he had heard say none is good but God and I'm good I'm God I'm the one now here you and I are gathered in this conference and my friend maybe just maybe I don't know maybe you're thinking to yourself cool darling that just about describes me I've been coming for years and still I know there's an area here of my life that's never been dealt with my friend if you will move in your will this morning and you will say to Jesus Christ I'm going to stretch out and I'm going to let you come in your power and minister to this need of mine and I'm going to be dealt with properly now let me make one final suggestion in relation to the story when this fellow got healed what do you think he did? I wonder whether he thought to himself oh I know I know what I'll do I better go and see Dave Dave Vine that is and get him to give me a sling and I can wrap it round my shoulder and I can put my arm up here and I can kind and I'll nurse it and I'll look after it and I'll protect it and I'll make sure that it's well protected it's been so unwell for so long I'll just kind of you know mollycobble it do you know that word? my mother used to use that word I think it may be a Welshy one do you know mollycobble? oh good yes so Welsh has got into England I'm going to protect it I'm going to look after it what do you think he did with it? he made use of it he put it to use one of the things that all of us in this room need to recognise is this stop protecting yourself stop protecting your own kind of my own spirituality my own I've got to make sure I don't make contact with this and this and this it might affect me listen Jesus Christ went to man harlots and sinners and he loved them and he poured his life out for them and he used every power that was his and you and I have got to do the same and he was restored whole in order that he should be usable the thing was paralysed it was not usable and he was restored so that he should be useful how about you my friend? are you feeling this morning well I don't know whether I could let go I might get affected or contaminated or well for goodness sake isn't that which is in you greater than that which is in the world? isn't he able to keep you? yes he is Peter said we are kept by the power of God through faith that's all we require just believing Lord I exercise my will I trust you no matter where you take me I'm going to believe and I'm not going to let anything that you do in the course of my life today in the course of this conference I'm not going to go home and protect it I'm going to sell myself for the work I'm going to pour myself in to the church I'm going to be committed 100% glory be to God now if you are here and you are here and you know I'm here in absolute weakness then my friend there is wonderful wonderful hope I want to tell you a story now some of you young people may have heard this before hang on a minute just in case it moves let me tell you a story two young men they were hill walking in Wales and they were up in the Brecon Beacons and they were planning to go across some of the hills up Corn D and up to Pen-y-van and down to the lake if you've ever been you should go it's beautiful and these two young men were walking they had rucksacks on their back and they were planning to camp all the night and they were going to do a kind of a circular walk and as they were climbing a hill sheep everywhere I guess you're aware that we've got one or two in Wales and they were climbing this hill and they heard a noise that attracted their attention and they stopped and listened and they were aware of other sheep on the hillside and they were bleating and mothers calling to their young but there was a different sound one that they could not quite identify and they began to walk towards it and as they did so so the noise became clearer and they came to the edge of a field and there was a drop and the drop was about 8 or 10 feet down and they realised that the sound was coming from over here and as they approached and looked over there was a sheep down there and it had gone over the hill down and it had been enjoying the grass which is always greener on the other side so you think and it had gone down and it had been enjoying itself all on its own it could indulge no competition there it was and it had eaten its full and suddenly it had realised that its food had all gone and it couldn't get back up 10 or 12 feet a very very steep drop and it couldn't get back up and there it was letting everybody around know poor me I'm having a hard time down here things have gone wrong things are difficult and I need to be rescued poor me and so these two fellows thought you know, what do we do and they thought well I guess the only thing to do is to go and contact the shepherd they realised if they tried to rescue the thing they could cause more harm than good especially as the ledge on which the sheep was resting below that was a fairly long drop and if it came off the ledge it would go down a long way so they went looking for the shepherd and they spotted a farmhouse where that knocked the door and they asked Mr Jones we've just discovered one of your sheep and it's down so-and-so-and-so and he said well thank you very much he said would you mind just coming and showing me and they took him and they showed him where the sheep was and he said I'm very grateful to you thank you very much and he flew around and he walked away and these two fellows kind of looked at each other and thought well surely he's going to do something so they sort of followed him up the field and said excuse me Mr Jones but aren't you going to do something about this oh yes he said yes he said but I'm going to leave it for a day or two and they kind of looked at him and they thought this is some shepherd leave him for a day or two yes and he said where are you off to oh we're going to climb Cornday and Penavan and kind of do a circuit well he said why don't you come back in a day or two's time and he said you can help me and they thought well ok alright fine so they agreed and sure enough a day or two later back they came knocked at Mr Jones's door and he said ah nice to see you come and have a cup of tea they're very hospitable in Wales and they came in for a cup of tea and they chatted and they said to him how is the sheep oh fine you haven't rescued it yet no he said it's about ready so he took them down and sure enough he took with him a couple of ropes and they got to the ledge and there was the sheep but oh dear dear dear it really upset these two fellows there was hardly any noise a sort of a a whimper and I'm not going to try and do a sheep's whimper but there was this whimper this this almost lifeless noise and um they said well it's in a terrible state oh no no no he said it's just right and uh they said well what are you going to do he said well we're going to go rescue it he said I'm going to rope myself up I'd like you two fellows if you wouldn't mind just to hold this end and you could help me down and help me up and down he went and sure enough the sheep just lay there and he picked it up and he put it across his shoulders and he tied the legs so his hands were free and he said righto boys and up he came and on to the top there was his sheep and they they took it back to the farmhouse where for the next two three days Mr. Jones nursed it fed it cared for it until all its strength was restored and out it went and they said to him before they left well it was great to see what happened but why did you leave it why did you not rescue it when we first came why did you leave it well he said the explanation is very very simple because it was far too strong it was far too full of strength it was far too able it was full of strength and had I gone down into the farmhouse and I would have lost it forever but I went in and I left it I mean after the winter I wanted to hear the call the cry I wanted to hear the winter I wanted to hear it and when I heard it I knew Christ had died that's right no time Mr. Jones if you will spare not for your own strength but oh God help me so I can go and do my own thing God help me so I can get through this I need to hear the cry when the harvest comes to the end of itself and down he went and rescue was inevitable and the thing was reared to health and strength isn't that wonderful now that's quite a true story yeah what a lovely picture I'm glad that the Bible's full of Jesus as the shepherd it's great to watch sheep and to see some of the things that are done in them and with them and for them but listen here, how about you? when you come to the end of yourself and to the place where you can say this morning with all your heart Lord I want nothing more than just to have my withered hand restored my inability cured I want to be absolutely and wholeheartedly yours I want my own strength my own ability I want to be yours let me conclude by reminding you again of what I said a few minutes ago that those who have a faith and that's been born the exercise of the will Jesus commanded that young man he commanded that man stretch forth your hand stretch forth that which you have no ability to stretch forth when you do it and if it stands forth I will and in the moment that he willed it he came in contact with all the resources and all the abilities of the Christ who was present to meet with him and he can meet with you and he can meet with me in everything not to go from here with your arm in a sling nurturing and protecting anything for the life lay down which is why when Jesus said to the young man the rich young man he said go sell all that you have come follow me but before he said come follow me he said to him take up your cross and come follow me it's to be an end of your own will and faith can only operate where we, you and I come to an end of the exercise of our own will and we absolutely are convinced of the ability of the one who is present to meet with us and he'll come and meet with me and you this morning if we will move in our hearts and say Lord I will I will not waiting for some emotion to rise simply on the basis and ground I will I am going to move in this area where I have been incapacitated I am going to move in this area where I've been withered where I've been nerveless where I've been cowardly where I've been unable Lord I am going to because your presence to enable me to move at the response of your command you say it I'll move, I will and it'll be done Amen we're going to pray we're going to pray I mean we, not me we're going to pray and my friend if you have come to this meeting this morning and you know that what's been said has been spoken to your heart please I beg you don't stay where you are move in your will move in it and tell Jesus Christ Lord I believe you I will not stay here I will not remain in bondage I will not remain withered up I'm going to move and your power and strength is present to meet with me and when we've prayed if you really believe in your heart that that's just what Christ has come to do and you respond in your heart to that then my friend I would like you to do something stand up in the midst just like that man did and he said I'm going to be whole and he moved in his will and God met with him and you can stand in the midst you may by doing so have to confess I've been withered I've not been what I should be but it matters not remember that he said you go and tell my disciples and Peter and maybe you're a Peter a Mary, a John, a whoever and you'll know Lord I want you to come and meet with me thank you for having me in mind now let's pray glory to your name Lord glory to your name we will not be silent we will not be still we will not be bound up we will not be held down we come into the presence of this Christ of ours this altogether lovely one this one whom we confess has power and ability to meet with every need and in response Lord to your word to that which you commanded that young man we rise up we stand and we declare Lord that in our hearts, in our wills, now we move to you in order that we may lay hold of that power which is available to us to meet with our needs not some fanciful thing not some theory that we have held for years for oh Lord deliver us from theory from knowing that you can do it but it's not been done come among us now Lord we would respond in our hearts I do Lord I move in my will to you and with all my heart say to you Lord I trust you I believe that your power is available to me not that I should nurse it but I should be poured out that this world should know that Jesus Christ is real and can really deliver people glory to your name now my friend if you know that you need that to happen in your life you stand be brave like that man don't you worry about the criticisms of others nor the accusations of an enemy rise up and let your heart move and tell him Lord I can't but I will I believe you are here to meet with me blessed be your name Lord we move to you we move to you Lord we respond in our hearts to you hallelujah glory be to your name Lord hallelujah this power is available to every believing heart glory I will arise and go forth I will you are for us Lord and not against us bless your lovely name Lord thank you Lord Jesus Amen Amen we are going to sing in this chorus book number 48 which is purify my heart when we sing it and as we sing it let's do so with the expectation that everything that may have hindered us shall be dealt with the song that follows it is reigning me sorry Lord reigning me and we are going to sing that one afterwards ok let's stand and sing purify my heart your name Lord that your grace is sufficient for us and that your strength is made perfect in weakness we are not ashamed of our weakness we come to glory in your strength and to know that in the movings of our heart to you Lord and in that which wills for all your will your strength is guaranteed us we commend ourselves now then Lord to your grace to your mercy and to your love in Jesus name Amen