SPEAKER_00: Matthew chapter 20.
SPEAKER_00: The first segment of this message will be laying a foundation for a simple statement at the end that should cause us to think just a little bit.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew chapter 20.
SPEAKER_00: And I'm going to show you a couple of one-line statements that Jesus made.
SPEAKER_00: And as we read about these one-line statements and sometimes questions, it shows us about and teaches us about the attitude of our Savior.
SPEAKER_00: Let me show you what I'm talking about.
SPEAKER_00: Look at Matthew chapter 20.
SPEAKER_00: And beginning with you would in verse 29, and we'll lead up to the one-line question that Jesus asked, which tells us a little bit more about his attitude as a Savior.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 29.
SPEAKER_00: And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
SPEAKER_00: And behold, two blind men sitting by the wayside, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.
SPEAKER_00: And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace.
SPEAKER_00: But they cried out the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.
SPEAKER_00: And Jesus stood still.
SPEAKER_00: I want you to see that he was passing by, and as these two blind men began to cry out to him, he stopped.
SPEAKER_00: And called them and said, And here's the question, the one-line statement that I want you to see.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus says to them, What will ye that I do unto you?
SPEAKER_00: You know what that tells us?
SPEAKER_00: That Jesus is a very accommodating Savior.
SPEAKER_00: He said, Hey, hey guys, uh, what can I do for you?
SPEAKER_00: Well, let me ask you a question.
SPEAKER_00: What if Jesus passed by you today and said, uh, hey, uh, what do you need?
SPEAKER_00: What can I do for you?
SPEAKER_00: What what what uh what what heart desires do you have?
SPEAKER_00: What's on your mind right now for your for yourself or or somebody that you know?
SPEAKER_00: What would you that I do unto you?
SPEAKER_00: What what needs do you have?
SPEAKER_00: I want to tell you this morning that it's so good to be serving a willing servant.
SPEAKER_00: We've got a savior that when when when we have needs, we can go to him, and he's a very accommodating savior, and he wants to help us.
SPEAKER_00: He's not someone that sits up there with some big yardstick or ruler looking for us to get out of line to beat us over the head.
SPEAKER_00: We've got a savior that wants to serve us.
SPEAKER_00: Now, sometimes we really don't know what we need.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Uh if Jesus were going to pass by you today, let me ask you a question.
SPEAKER_00: What would you ask him for?
SPEAKER_00: Honestly.
SPEAKER_00: What question would you have for him and say, well, now, Lord, if you would, uh, would you do this for me?
SPEAKER_00: I want you to think just for a minute, because you never can tell when the Holy Spirit passes by and says, What do you want?
SPEAKER_00: What do you need?
SPEAKER_00: What can I do for you?
SPEAKER_00: Have you ever had him do that to you?
SPEAKER_00: I mean, just in the middle of driving or in the middle of somewhere, and you maybe you're not even praying or thinking about it, it was almost like that thought came to your mind, what can I do for you?
SPEAKER_00: If Jesus passed by today, what what would you say that you and he said, Listen, I'm going to give it to you.
SPEAKER_00: I'm going to try to grant your request.
SPEAKER_00: What do you have need of?
SPEAKER_00: Now, um, I should say this.
SPEAKER_00: Uh, is that did that baby get a look at me or something?
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00: Usually when they see me the first time, it's it's uh even from a long distance, it's you know.
SPEAKER_00: There we go.
SPEAKER_00: They got them turned away the other way, amen.
SPEAKER_00: You're better off if you just keep them turned the other way, they won't cry.
SPEAKER_00: If you let them see me, it's a problem.
SPEAKER_00: I have a lot of experience with this, amen.
SPEAKER_00: My uh my two-year-old has finally started liking me, amen.
SPEAKER_00: It always takes that long, believe me.
SPEAKER_00: Last night she came in and she calls me honey.
SPEAKER_00: You know why?
SPEAKER_00: My wife always calls me honey.
SPEAKER_00: So one day when she was about, I'm gonna say, year and a half, my my two-year-old, or year and a half-year-old daughter looked at me and said, Hi, honey.
SPEAKER_00: So from then on out, I kind of like that, amen.
SPEAKER_00: So now I call her honey, she calls me honey.
SPEAKER_00: We got a thing, amen.
SPEAKER_00: So last night I was laying on the bed, got home uh, and was just tired and laid down, and she came in and she said, My honey.
SPEAKER_00: I said, Come here, honey, and scratch your honey's back, amen?
SPEAKER_00: So she's starting to like me.
SPEAKER_00: I give her candy, she likes me, but uh takes a little while.
SPEAKER_00: What would you do if Jesus passed by you and said, What do you need?
SPEAKER_00: Now, the Bible is so critical for us as Christians, we as Christians, to know what our needs are.
SPEAKER_00: If we don't read the Bible, we don't know what our needs are.
SPEAKER_00: For example, I didn't know I needed salvation until I read the book.
SPEAKER_00: If you listen to what's going on out there in the world, someone will tell you, listen, God rejects nobody.
SPEAKER_00: He's not going to reject anybody, don't worry about it.
SPEAKER_00: He's a God of love and everything.
SPEAKER_00: And when I read the Bible, I found out that wasn't true.
SPEAKER_00: God's planning on rejecting people who reject his son.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: Um people will say, now listen, listen, uh, don't worry about it because you know what happens is if you've had a if you've done bad in your life, you just go through the fire a little bit longer, you get cleaned up, and everybody sooner or later gets to God.
SPEAKER_00: That's not in this book.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: The doctrine of purgatory is not in this book.
SPEAKER_00: Stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: Uh some people say, well, you know, uh, God, if you're accepted by God, well, listen, if you're not accepted, don't worry about it because you'll be annihilated, you'll cease to exist, and you won't even know anything about it.
SPEAKER_00: Or they got this concept that hell's a big party.
SPEAKER_00: Now, listen, that's that's not, you won't find that in the book.
SPEAKER_00: Uh some people have this idea, and if you listen to some of the movie stars and everything, and they talk about, well, if you have a good life and you have good karma, you know, you'll come back as a better person.
SPEAKER_00: And I guess if you don't, you come back as a fly or something.
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
SPEAKER_00: But you know what I'm talking about?
SPEAKER_00: Reincarnation?
SPEAKER_00: And that's not in the book.
SPEAKER_00: It's a point under men wants to die.
SPEAKER_00: So there's a lot of things in this Bible that tell us about our needs.
SPEAKER_00: If Jesus were to pass by today, I wonder if you've been in the book enough to say, you know what, I think my needs are.
SPEAKER_00: Would you take away, Father, my temper?
SPEAKER_00: Would you root out this bitterness that's in me?
unknown: Yeah.
SPEAKER_00: Because really, all the money in the world, you say, well, that'll buy all that stuff.
SPEAKER_00: No, it won't.
SPEAKER_00: So the Bible tells us some needs, and he's willing to accommodate those needs.
SPEAKER_00: Look at Matthew 9, stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: Or looking at the attitude of the Savior, stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew chapter 9.
SPEAKER_00: What will ye that I should do to you?
SPEAKER_00: What do you want of me?
SPEAKER_00: What can I help you with?
SPEAKER_00: Now look at Matthew 9.
SPEAKER_00: And would you also pick up Hebrews chapter 4?
SPEAKER_00: You're doing great.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew 9, Hebrews chapter 4.
SPEAKER_00: Our air conditioning is working frantically.
SPEAKER_00: Everything will be fine.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew 9, Hebrews chapter 4.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for turning to both of those scriptures.
SPEAKER_00: In Matthew chapter 9, I want you to see one more little phrase.
SPEAKER_00: And look if you would in verse 27.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 27.
SPEAKER_00: And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.
SPEAKER_00: And when he was come unto the house, the blind men came to him.
SPEAKER_00: They're pretty persistent, amen.
SPEAKER_00: And Jesus said unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this?
SPEAKER_00: Now, not only is he going to ask, What will ye have that we that he should do unto us?
SPEAKER_00: But then it comes down to this.
SPEAKER_00: If I know I have a need, I've got to believe that he's able to take care of that need.
SPEAKER_00: I've got to believe, if you would, that he's able to change me.
SPEAKER_00: I've got to believe that he's able to supply.
SPEAKER_00: I've got to believe that he's able to supply somebody else's need.
SPEAKER_00: He said, Believe ye that I'm able to do this.
SPEAKER_00: And then he goes on in verse 29 and says a little statement, according to your what?
SPEAKER_00: Faith be it unto you.
SPEAKER_00: Brethren, please look up here just for a moment.
SPEAKER_00: If I don't believe he can really do it, I'm not going to ask him.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: If I don't really think he's able, if I really don't think that he can do that, I'm not going to spend my time asking him for something that I don't think he can accomplish.
SPEAKER_00: Look at Hebrews chapter 4, stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: And we're leading to something in the end.
SPEAKER_00: Hebrews chapter 4.
SPEAKER_00: Look, if you would at one verse of scripture.
SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 2, please.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 2.
SPEAKER_00: And thank you for studying your book with me this morning.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 2.
SPEAKER_00: For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them.
SPEAKER_00: But the what?
SPEAKER_00: Say it.
SPEAKER_00: The word preached did not profit them.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: Not being mixed with what?
SPEAKER_00: Faith.
SPEAKER_00: Someone can read this Bible, but if they don't believe it, it doesn't do anything for them.
SPEAKER_00: We have to believe the promises and act out upon them.
SPEAKER_00: That's why Jesus said, believe ye that I am able to do this?
SPEAKER_00: The words that are put in this book about our Savior, we must have the belief and the faith, and by the way, he's the one that authors the faith and finishes the faith, that what we've heard is true.
SPEAKER_00: So stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: If Jesus were to pass by today and say, let's see, uh, Brother Pierce, uh, what can I do for you?
SPEAKER_00: What do you have need of today?
SPEAKER_00: Brother Shapiro, what what what do you have need of today?
SPEAKER_00: Uh uh, Brother Riley?
SPEAKER_00: Mr.
SPEAKER_00: Riley, uh, what do y'all have need of today?
SPEAKER_00: What could I do for you?
SPEAKER_00: I'm a willing savior, I'm an accommodating savior.
SPEAKER_00: I uh I want to I want to help you.
SPEAKER_00: What are your needs today?
SPEAKER_00: One of the things that would have to happen before we were willing to ask would be that we would have to believe.
SPEAKER_00: Have faith that he is able.
SPEAKER_00: The words have to be mixed with faith, so we act upon them.
SPEAKER_00: Now, look at John chapter 5.
SPEAKER_00: John chapter 5.
SPEAKER_00: Stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: A simple little thought process that'll bring us to something in a minute.
SPEAKER_00: John chapter 5.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, it's a good sound.
SPEAKER_00: All those pages turning.
SPEAKER_00: John chapter 5.
SPEAKER_00: So so far we've got this.
SPEAKER_00: Stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: We've got uh, what would ye that I should do for you?
SPEAKER_00: What do you want?
SPEAKER_00: What can I help you with?
SPEAKER_00: Uh, number two, then, uh, having the faith to understand our needs, and then ask him according to those needs.
SPEAKER_00: And then look at John chapter 5, and notice, if you would, uh, verse 5.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 5.
SPEAKER_00: And a certain man was there which had an infirmity 38 years.
SPEAKER_00: That's a long time.
SPEAKER_00: When Jesus saw him lie and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he said unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
SPEAKER_00: Now I'm gonna paraphrase as I read that.
SPEAKER_00: Wilt thou be made whole?
SPEAKER_00: It's almost like Jesus is having this attitude.
SPEAKER_00: Do you want my help?
SPEAKER_00: Do you want to be made whole?
SPEAKER_00: You say, preacher, that's that's ridiculous after 38 years?
SPEAKER_00: No, Jesus is that way.
SPEAKER_00: If you read and study about it, do you want my help?
SPEAKER_00: I've been in situations before where it was almost like the Lord said, uh, do you want my help or do you want to try to do it yourself?
SPEAKER_00: Now let me back up.
SPEAKER_00: Stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: What will you have me to do for you today?
SPEAKER_00: What what can I help you with?
SPEAKER_00: What are your needs?
SPEAKER_00: You think I can do it?
SPEAKER_00: Believe you that I'm able?
SPEAKER_00: You want my help?
SPEAKER_00: Or you want to do it yourself?
SPEAKER_00: You say, you mean Jesus doesn't just barge in?
SPEAKER_00: As I see his attitude here, he often just kind of is in the background saying, Well, I'm helping you, I will help you, I'm able to help you, I want to help you, but do you want my help?
SPEAKER_00: Now, honestly, how many of you have you ever done something and you forgot to ask for help?
SPEAKER_00: I mean, we just kind of had a decision to make and we didn't really even take time to, it was a major decision or a big decision, and we never really didn't even take time to pray about it because we already knew what we were going to do.
SPEAKER_00: If Jesus were to pass by today in the simplicity, hey uh, Doug, uh what would you have me to do?
SPEAKER_00: What are your needs right now, Doug?
SPEAKER_00: Uh okay.
SPEAKER_00: Believe you that I'm able to meet those needs?
SPEAKER_00: Yeah?
SPEAKER_00: I believe you're able, Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Well, let me ask you a third question, Doug.
SPEAKER_00: Do you want me to help?
SPEAKER_00: You say that seems ridiculous as a question.
SPEAKER_00: No?
SPEAKER_00: How many of you are parents in here and you've uh seen your two or three or four-year-old almost like, I'll do it myself.
SPEAKER_00: I mean, you used to feed them, and now they grab it and they want to do it themselves?
SPEAKER_00: They stick it in their ear?
SPEAKER_00: Come on.
SPEAKER_00: Have you ever seen that?
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I I've watched that a few years at our home, amen.
SPEAKER_00: We have a few children that I get to observe along the way.
SPEAKER_00: Even though they don't want to have anything to do with me until they know I have money and they need money, then I'm just kidding.
SPEAKER_00: Uh, you see that very pronounced in that in that two to three-year-old category.
SPEAKER_00: For example, they want to dress themselves.
SPEAKER_00: You remember those days?
SPEAKER_00: You might have to think back a while, but some of you may be going through it right now, and it's like, no, I'll dress myself, and they get the thing all messed up.
SPEAKER_00: And you say, Good job, good job.
SPEAKER_00: Here, let me help you.
SPEAKER_00: Do you know what I'm talking about?
SPEAKER_00: Y'all look at it like we start, we, we start at a young age doing that.
SPEAKER_00: And then, you know, they're eight or nine years old or ten years old or whatever, depending on their maturity level.
SPEAKER_00: And I mean, you try to help with something, they want to do it themselves.
SPEAKER_00: And then once they're 15 or 16, they'll just stand there like this.
SPEAKER_00: Not quite like that, but like, I'll do it.
SPEAKER_00: Let me do it.
SPEAKER_00: Okay, you want to do it?
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
SPEAKER_00: You ever have that?
SPEAKER_00: Come on, you're you're you're looking at my kid like my kids are wicked.
SPEAKER_00: We've got one in mind in my life, I wouldn't have to tell you tell her who it is.
SPEAKER_00: That that that child will just.
SPEAKER_00: And that's why I think the Lord sometimes says, Do you want my help?
SPEAKER_00: I'm willing, I'm an accommodating servant, I want to help you, and I want you to know I'm able, the pages of this book, you have to believe that I'm able, and believe what's on here.
SPEAKER_00: Now, do you want my help?
SPEAKER_00: Look at Matthew 8.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew 8, stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: You're doing great.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew 8.
SPEAKER_00: I'm talking to you about our Savior today, Matthew 8.
SPEAKER_00: And I want you to see his attitude.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew 8.
SPEAKER_00: And to save some time, I'm going to ask you to turn to the last scripture also and put your finger in it.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew 8, and then 2 Samuel 14.
SPEAKER_00: Please.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew 8, 2 Samuel 14, the last two scriptures we'll look at.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew 8, 2 Samuel 14.
SPEAKER_00: Now let me stop right here.
SPEAKER_00: And I and I mean this.
SPEAKER_00: I want you to think with me.
SPEAKER_00: Would you get something in your mind now?
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you've been praying for something for yourself, or something for your spouse, or something for your children, or something for someone else you know, somebody else you know, maybe it's not just for you.
SPEAKER_00: And it's a need.
SPEAKER_00: And maybe you've brought it to the Savior before, maybe it's a maybe it just came up and you really haven't taken it to him before, for whatever reason.
SPEAKER_00: But get that question or that answer to his question, if he were to pass by today and say, What can I do for you?
SPEAKER_00: What what need have you of me?
SPEAKER_00: And get that question in your mind just for a moment.
SPEAKER_00: And then, if you would, look at Matthew chapter 8.
SPEAKER_00: And notice two statements, and you'll see the attitude of our Savior.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 1, when he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes follow him.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 2, and behold, there came a leper and worshiped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
SPEAKER_00: That had the element of faith there in that.
SPEAKER_00: Lord, if you if you want to, you can make me clean.
SPEAKER_00: And Jesus put forth his hand and touched him, saying, What's the next two words?
SPEAKER_00: Say it, I will.
SPEAKER_00: Say it again, I will.
SPEAKER_00: Be thou clean.
SPEAKER_00: And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 5, look at it.
SPEAKER_00: And when Jesus went entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion beseeching him and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
SPEAKER_00: And Jesus said unto him, What's the next three words?
SPEAKER_00: I will come.
SPEAKER_00: And then he says, and heal him.
SPEAKER_00: I just circled there the two statements that he made.
SPEAKER_00: He said, I will.
SPEAKER_00: I will.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you've been waiting for an answer to prayer.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe this morning the Lord would say to you, I will.
SPEAKER_00: The woman with an issue of blood, even though she was a cultural outcast because of her disease, which she could do nothing about, braved the crowds and walked through the midst of them and said to herself, If I can just touch the hem of his garment.
SPEAKER_00: And finally she moved through the crowd and got up and touched him, and he stopped.
SPEAKER_00: And he said, I perceive virtue as going out of me.
SPEAKER_00: And he said, Who touched me?
SPEAKER_00: And all his disciples were saying, What do you mean, who touched you?
SPEAKER_00: The throngs, the crowds all around you.
SPEAKER_00: I mean, all kinds of people are bumping into you.
SPEAKER_00: But he said, No, who touched me?
SPEAKER_00: And he was meaning, who touched me with the faith that needed something and got their will, their need.
SPEAKER_00: And the woman kind of sheepishly came forward.
SPEAKER_00: Brethren, I want to say something to you that Jesus is willing.
SPEAKER_00: And if he were to pass by to you and say, What need ye have ye of me?
SPEAKER_00: What can I do for you?
SPEAKER_00: We need to believe that he's able.
SPEAKER_00: And believe that he will.
SPEAKER_00: And please look up here.
SPEAKER_00: He may be waiting to see if we want to do it ourselves.
SPEAKER_00: And I realize there's health problems in here that people have that can't be taken care of by ourselves, but please look up here.
SPEAKER_00: Even though sometimes he allows physical infirmities to come on us, please.
SPEAKER_00: You could go to him and say, God, give me the tolerance to bear the pain of this infirmity.
SPEAKER_00: I need to, I need from you, God, if this infirmity, if this thorn in the flesh is going to stay on me, I need from you the ability to bear up under the pain.
SPEAKER_00: You see, sometimes we say, Oh God, take this infirmity away.
SPEAKER_00: That's what Paul said.
SPEAKER_00: He besought the Lord thrice, and God said, My grace is sufficient for you.
SPEAKER_00: It may be that what we need to say is, Lord, help me bear the pain.
SPEAKER_00: I'm willing to glory in the infirmity, but help me to bear the pain.
SPEAKER_00: And he might come by and say, All right, I will.
SPEAKER_00: I will.
SPEAKER_00: I'll help you bear up under that situation.
SPEAKER_00: I'll help you bear up under that load.
SPEAKER_00: I'll I'll help, but but I've kind of been waiting for you to ask me because I didn't know if you wanted my help.
SPEAKER_00: I was thinking about the four men that bore the guy, took him up on the rooftop, broke the roof.
SPEAKER_00: How would you like it today if all of a sudden the a Jesus were passing by and the roofs started breaking up?
SPEAKER_00: What in the world?
SPEAKER_00: What's going on up there?
SPEAKER_00: And down through this roof comes a stretcher with a guy on it.
SPEAKER_00: I mean, you'd think, man, are we, what are we, wacko?
SPEAKER_00: What's going on here?
SPEAKER_00: No, it was four guys on the roof that had faith.
SPEAKER_00: That the guy down there, and because they couldn't reach him, it was so crowded, that Jesus was able to help that guy on the stretcher.
SPEAKER_00: So they got up on the roof and broke it all up, and down he came.
SPEAKER_00: And when Jesus saw their faith, he was able, they were willing, and he healed the guy.
SPEAKER_00: Now, I asked you to think about a need that you might have.
SPEAKER_00: Look up here just for a moment to make sure your neighbors are awake.
SPEAKER_00: Please look up here.
SPEAKER_00: And if you right now would say, you know what, I have a need for myself, or I have a need in mind for someone else, that if God be willing, and if he were to pass by, I would ask him to take care of that need, and I believe he'd able.
SPEAKER_00: And I believe that if he would, he will.
SPEAKER_00: How many of you got something in your mind right now?
SPEAKER_00: Come on, I mean it.
SPEAKER_00: I mean it.
SPEAKER_00: You got something in your mind.
SPEAKER_00: All right?
SPEAKER_00: You may put them down.
SPEAKER_00: Now, for those of you who have nothing in your mind, look at 2 Samuel 14.
SPEAKER_00: 2 Samuel 14.
SPEAKER_00: I want to show you something.
SPEAKER_00: I want you to, right at the end now, but I want you to see this.
SPEAKER_00: 2 Samuel 14.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 27.
SPEAKER_00: And unto Absalom there were born three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar.
SPEAKER_00: If you remember the story, Tamar had been defiled.
SPEAKER_00: Absalom had killed the one who had defiled him.
SPEAKER_00: His name was Abnon.
SPEAKER_00: And Absalom was banished from the presence of his father, who was King David.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 28.
SPEAKER_00: So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem and saw not the king's face.
SPEAKER_00: Remember, the king was Absalom's dad.
SPEAKER_00: So for two, four years he was in the city, but he never saw his dad's face.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 29.
SPEAKER_00: Therefore Absalom sent for Joab.
SPEAKER_00: Joab was the captain of the king's host, the general of the army of David.
SPEAKER_00: Therefore Absalom sent for Joab to have sent him to the king.
SPEAKER_00: Absalom tries to get a hold of Joab, who has access to the king, and Absalom wants to go and see his father, but he would not come to him.
SPEAKER_00: When he sent again the second time, he would not come.
SPEAKER_00: Therefore he said to his servants, see, Joab's field is near mine.
SPEAKER_00: And he asked Barley there.
SPEAKER_00: Look what Absalom does to Joab's field to get Joab's attention.
SPEAKER_00: Go and do what?
SPEAKER_00: Say it.
SPEAKER_00: Set it on fire.
SPEAKER_00: Say it again.
SPEAKER_00: Set it on fire.
SPEAKER_00: You know why he sent his sermon to do that?
SPEAKER_00: He wanted to see the king.
SPEAKER_00: And the access to the king, his father, was through Joab, and he wanted Joab to go in and talk to the king for him.
SPEAKER_00: But Joab, after being sent for twice, wouldn't listen to him.
SPEAKER_00: So Absalom said, I tell you what, this will get his attention.
SPEAKER_00: Go set his field on fire.
SPEAKER_00: And Absalom's servant set the field on fire.
SPEAKER_00: Then Joab arose and came to Absalom.
SPEAKER_00: It worked.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither that I may send thee to the king.
SPEAKER_00: The point I want to make is this.
SPEAKER_00: When Absalom wanted Joab's attention, he had to do something in such a way that it got Joab's attention.
SPEAKER_00: So he went and set his field on fire.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe God has never worked with you this way before.
SPEAKER_00: Some God works through compassion, and others, the book of Jude says through fear.
SPEAKER_00: But I've noticed in my life that I can get so busy that every once in a while God sends someone to set my field on fire.
SPEAKER_00: And when my field's burning, it has a tendency to cause me to look up and ask for help.
SPEAKER_00: You know, um, God, I really don't have any needs.
SPEAKER_00: I got it all handled.
SPEAKER_00: Everything's going pretty good.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, I'll let you know.
SPEAKER_00: Anything comes up.
SPEAKER_00: No, don't have any needs.
SPEAKER_00: No, everything's going well.
SPEAKER_00: I got it all under control.
SPEAKER_00: I'm doing real well down here.
SPEAKER_00: Doing fine.
SPEAKER_00: You know, I don't know if you've read the Bible enough to realize that God wants to be needed.
SPEAKER_00: Let me say it again.
SPEAKER_00: God wants to be needed.
SPEAKER_00: God wants to be leaned on.
SPEAKER_00: God wants to be a helper.
SPEAKER_00: God wants his children to communicate with him.
SPEAKER_00: God wants his children to be attentive to him.
SPEAKER_00: How would you feel if your children, as they get older, just never contacted you?
SPEAKER_00: Never called you?
SPEAKER_00: Never wrote you a letter?
SPEAKER_00: I mean, uh, you would call them and they said, yeah, yeah, no, I'm busy.
SPEAKER_00: Listen, I'll call you later, and they never call.
SPEAKER_00: I mean, you write them a nice note, letter, never get anything in return.
SPEAKER_00: I mean, after a while you would feel like, you know, where's their love?
SPEAKER_00: I don't know if God's ever did this for you because he loves you, but sometimes there's a need for God to bring a little tribulation in our life.
SPEAKER_00: And it's not so much that we are being punished, it's that he wants our attention.
SPEAKER_00: It's that he wants to be called upon again.
SPEAKER_00: It's that he wants to be leaned on again, he wants to be God in our life again.
SPEAKER_00: How many of you were saved, became a Christian as adults?
SPEAKER_00: Oh man.
SPEAKER_00: Hold him up.
SPEAKER_00: Let me see.
SPEAKER_00: Wow.
SPEAKER_00: Let me ask you a question.
SPEAKER_00: Did you have tribulation and trouble leading up to your salvation?
SPEAKER_00: I mean, did you have just, and I'm talking as adults now, children may not get this, but I mean, did you have all kinds of non-coincidental things going on that just seems like you talk about your field getting set on fire?
SPEAKER_00: This happened and that happened.
SPEAKER_00: And don't you look back and say that was God's way of getting my attention?
SPEAKER_00: How many of you had trouble like that?
SPEAKER_00: Probably a lot of you.
SPEAKER_00: Now, some it's with compassion.
SPEAKER_00: That's how God uses his love to draw people to himself.
SPEAKER_00: Others of us who are a little more hard-headed, he uses fear, trouble, trials, tribulations, and maybe even tragedies.
SPEAKER_00: But he does it because he knows what it'll take to get our full attention.
SPEAKER_00: I'll guarantee you when Joab rose up and looked out and said, Man, my barley field's on fire.
SPEAKER_00: Who did this?
SPEAKER_00: And somebody said, Absalom sent his servants, and they just went out there and set it on fire.
SPEAKER_00: Don't you know that Joab went right to Absalom?
SPEAKER_00: And Absalom said, I've been trying to get hold of you.
SPEAKER_00: I sent for you twice.
SPEAKER_00: Now that you're here, would you mind going telling my dad, the king, that I'd like to see him?
SPEAKER_00: If you know the story, Joab sets it up for Absalom to go see the king.
SPEAKER_00: I think sometimes God has a way of saying, you know, Doug, you've been pretty busy.
SPEAKER_00: Well, you've been busy.
SPEAKER_00: Been watching you.
SPEAKER_00: You know your prayer life has slipped quite a bit.
SPEAKER_00: You just don't talk to me the way you used to.
SPEAKER_00: Don't seem to need me the way you used to.
SPEAKER_00: You don't seem to check it out with me the way you used to.
SPEAKER_00: Seems like you're relying on yourself a little bit more than you used to.
SPEAKER_00: And I really did like it when we kind of were co-laboring together.
SPEAKER_00: I really did like it, Doug, when we were yoked up better together.
SPEAKER_00: And so, not because I'm destroying you, but because I wanted to be the way the Bible says it should be, I'm God and your clay.
SPEAKER_00: And you need my help.
SPEAKER_00: You need my wisdom, and you need my blessings, so I can get glory like I'm supposed to get out of your life.
SPEAKER_00: Better send a little trouble in.
SPEAKER_00: It's gonna break you down.
SPEAKER_00: And then you're gonna look up and say, God, first of all, I want to say it.
SPEAKER_00: I'm sorry for not being in fellowship with you the way I should be, and I haven't called you in a while.
SPEAKER_00: I said some prayers, but they really weren't heartfelt.
SPEAKER_00: And you got my attention.
SPEAKER_00: And uh now I have a need.
SPEAKER_00: Just like those two blind men cried out and said, Help! As the Lord passed by, don't be surprised.
SPEAKER_00: Please look up here if the Lord stops and looks and says, What will thou, that would ye have me to do?
SPEAKER_00: Okay, believe ye that I'm able.
SPEAKER_00: All right.
SPEAKER_00: Do you want my help?
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
SPEAKER_00: I will.
SPEAKER_00: Brother, sometimes even though we know he's willing, we don't know what we need.
SPEAKER_00: We don't see we have needs.
SPEAKER_00: Even though we know he's able, sometimes we don't believe that he will.
SPEAKER_00: And even though that he we know he's willing, able, and wanting to and willing, sometimes our pride just won't let us ask him.
SPEAKER_00: We want to do it ourselves.
SPEAKER_00: Now, a question.
SPEAKER_00: If Jesus were to pass by today, how many of y'all have needs?
SPEAKER_00: I do.
SPEAKER_00: How many of you all, it's not just needs for yourself, but if he were to pass by, you'd have to make a choice between, okay, do I ask him for something for myself or boy that person in my life or that person I know?
SPEAKER_00: Their need is much greater than mine.
SPEAKER_00: I think what I would possibly do is say, Lord, instead of for me, I'm gonna ask you to do something for someone else.
SPEAKER_00: He's willing.
SPEAKER_00: He's able.
SPEAKER_00: And he wants to know that we want his help.
SPEAKER_00: And don't be surprised when he says, okay, then I will.
SPEAKER_00: I will.
SPEAKER_00: Would you all stand?
SPEAKER_00: Please don't leave.
SPEAKER_00: Please look right up here at me just for a moment.
SPEAKER_00: It would be better this morning for us to go to him than he have to set our field on fire to get our attention so we come to him.
SPEAKER_00: It would be better for us to read the scriptures and believe them and then act upon them.
SPEAKER_00: Then he have to say, well, then I'm gonna do it the hard way, but I'd prefer to do it the easy way.
SPEAKER_00: Why don't you just get back into your prayer habits again?
SPEAKER_00: Why don't you just get back into relying on me again?
SPEAKER_00: Because I want to be needed in your life.
SPEAKER_00: I bought you, I paid for you, and I want to be your God, your friend, your savior, your confidant, your comforter, the one you lean on.
SPEAKER_00: But if not, I can arrange it.
SPEAKER_00: So you look up to me and cry for help again.
SPEAKER_00: Not because I don't like you, because I do like you.
SPEAKER_00: In fact, I I enjoy your fellowship a great deal.
SPEAKER_00: I'd like to have some of it again.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe your need this morning is to get to know this Savior as far as salvation.
SPEAKER_00: I want to tell you that God is not willing that any should perish.
SPEAKER_00: But that all come to repentance.
SPEAKER_00: He's not willing that anybody on the face of this earth would be stopped from getting to know him.
SPEAKER_00: When he said all, he meant all.
SPEAKER_00: And he would receive you today.
SPEAKER_00: If you would just simply do this as he passes by, what will that thou would have me to do?
SPEAKER_00: Lord, today the Bible says that I understand that I need salvation, I need forgiveness.
SPEAKER_00: Believe ye that I'm able?
SPEAKER_00: Lord, I believe that you're able.
SPEAKER_00: Do you want help?
SPEAKER_00: Lord, I want your help.
SPEAKER_00: And don't be surprised when Jesus said, Okay, I will.
SPEAKER_00: Ask me to forgive your sins.
SPEAKER_00: And I will.
SPEAKER_00: If you've never done that, today would be a good day.
SPEAKER_00: Christian?
SPEAKER_00: You got that need?
SPEAKER_00: Either for yourself or someone else?
SPEAKER_00: Maybe right now Jesus passing by and said, you know what, why don't you just take a moment before you leave this building?
SPEAKER_00: If you your custom is to come forward and use an altar or kneel where you're at, or sit down where you're at, or however your custom is, right now I'm standing still and listening.