Is Anything Too Hard For God?
Notes
Transcript
Is Anything Too Hard For God?
Text: Genesis 18:1–15 (AV)
1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. 7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
* In the passage of Scripture this evening God is re-confirming a promise that he had made to Abraham when he was 75 year old.
* Abraham is now 99 years old and his wife Sarah is now 90 years old.
9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD?
At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Introduction:
* There is a truth here that can revolutionize your life this evening.
* There is a truth in this passage of scripture that will pick you up out of the deep depression that takes hold upon our hearts in a time like this.
* If you will get hold of this truth from the Word of God, the Bible, this evening, it will change your life forever!
* If you will believe this truth from the Bible your life will never be the same!
I. The most important questions ever asked.
* There are 7 great questions in this chapter which reveal great, profound, truths about the character of God this evening, but I want to take a minute to look with me at the greatest question of all in this chapter in verse 14:
* 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD?
* I believe with all my heart this evening that this is the greatest question ever asked throughout all the ages of the world… “Is there anything too hard for God?”
* This is not a question raised by man, this is a question raised by God Himself
“Is anything too hard for God?”
* God was discussing with Abraham something that, with man, would be an impossibility!
* God is discussing with Abraham the possibility that a man that was almost 100 years old and a woman that wan 90 years old would have a baby!
* That would be impossibility with man; it would take a miracle of God!
* Sarah laughed at this thought! I don’t think she was being disrespectful, but I think she was reaction like any woman would today.
* What would a lady do if someone said the same thing today? Her first reactions would be to laugh, because it’s an impossibility!
* This is the third time that God appears to Abraham. Each time that God appeared to Abraham, He re-confirmed his promise that he would give him the land of Canaan and make of him a great nation that would bless all the nations of the world!
* God asked the question “Is anything to hard for the Lord” because with man it was an impossibility for a 100 year man to have a son!
* God later answers His own question in
Jeremiah 32:17–18 (KJV 1900)
17 Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm,
and there is nothing too hard for thee.
* We know from the Word of God created the heavens and the earth.
*Listen to the words of Job about what God can do…
Job 26:6–14 (AV)
6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. 7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. 8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. 9 He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. 10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. 11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof. 12 He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. 13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. 14 Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?
* My friend today there is nothing too hard for God.
* I want you to know today that God specializes in hard things!
* There are no promises in the Word of God that are too hard to fulfill!
II. God is able to give peace to the trouble soul.
* Jesus said in John 14
John 14:25–27 (KJV 1900)
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
* Through the power of the Holy Spirit God is able to calm the trobled soul.
* I thank God for the Holy Spirit this evening. He is my friend and my constant friend and companion.
* He helped me prepare this sermon last night.
* Jesus had a troubled heart. On many occasions we read in the Bible that Jesus wept!
* I remember the story of how when Jesus was coming to his last hours upon this earth before he was crucified he had a trouble soul.
Mark 14:32–36 (KJV 1900)
32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. 33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. 35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, Abba,
Father, all things are possible unto thee;
(Is anything to hard for God?)
take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
* I want you to know this evening that we have a God who has suffered also.
Hebrews 4:14–16 (KJV 1900)
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
* My mind goes to the Bible this evening to the story of the disciples on the sea of Galilee.
Matthew 8:23–27 (KJV 1900)
23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
* If God is able to control the universe and calm the trouble sea this evening He is also able to calm your trouble heart!
III. God can meet any need.
* Everyone in this building has some kind of need this evening.
- It may be a health need
- It may be a matter of the heart
- You may be in financial trouble
- Your marriage may be falling apart this evening
* I don’t think there is such a thing as a person without a need this evening!
* You can have all the material things of this world and still have a need that only God can fill this evening!
* Jesus said in Matthew 16:26:
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
* We are all like the lame man in the book af acts holding out our cup because we have a need.
* What that crippled man really needed only God could fill!
* We all have needs that only God can fill this evening!
* I am so glad today that God specializes in hard things!
* God wants to meet your need this evening if you will only humble yourself and bring your need to Him.
* Listen to the word that God told the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 33:3:
3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
* My friend God can meet any need this evening because there is nothing too hard for God!
* There is no need that God cannot meet this evening!
IV. There is no trouble too hard for God to deliver his people from.
* My friend I want you to know that there is no trial of faith too hard for God to deliver you!
Job 5:19–26 (KJV 1900)
19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles:
Yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
20 In famine he shall redeem thee from death:
And in war from the power of the sword.
21 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue:
Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.
22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh:
Neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field:
And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.
24 And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace;
And thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.
25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great,
And thine offspring as the grass of the earth.
26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age,
Like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.
* Listen to the encouraging words God spoke to Jeremiah before he sent him to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land.
Joshua 1:8–9 (KJV 1900)
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
* Tonight I think of Daniel in the Den of Lions.
* Daniel had disciplined himself to pray three times a day.
* Daniel’s enemies got to gather and decided that the only way they were going to catch Daniel in any wrong doing was if it concerned his God.
* He enemies devised a wicked plan to bring Daniel down. The convinced the king to make a law that if anyone was to pray to any god beside the king, they would be thrown to the lions.
* Knowing the danger, Daniel went up to his chamber to pray as usual.
* My friends it didn’t look good for Daniel at all. It looked like this was the end of that Godly man.
* But tonight this was not problem for God! God loves hard things!
* When they through old Daniel into that den of ferocious lions old leo the lion looked over at Fred the lion and said “You know, I’m not really that hungry right now.”
* Old Fred the lion said to Leo the loin, “you know eve since I ate that last guy I’ve not been feeling too well.”
* I believe old Daniel pulled him up a lion a fluffed him up real good and used him for a pillow that night.
* The next morning the old King ran down to the lion pit and hollered “Daniel, was your God able to deliver you?”
* Daniel answered back and said “THERE IS NOTHING TOO HARD FOR MY GOD!”
* The King got mad and commanded that the throw Daniel’s enemies into the lions den. O’l Leo looked a Fred and said “You know I missed completely missed supper last night, I’m starved. O’l Fred looked at Leo and said “Yea, I know what you mean, I could eat half a dozen men right now!
* I think of the three Hebrew children tonight.
* Once again we find God’s children in between a rock and a hard place.
* The King once again sent out a decree that when a certain music was played, that everyone in the kingdom was to bow down and worship the Golden Image of himself that had be set up.
* Anyone who did not bow down was to be cast into the fiery hot furnace and burned alive.
* Oh, this looked like the end this time for sure!
* These three young men were thrown in alive into the fiery furnace!
* This time the furnace had been heated 7 times hatter than it had ever been before! I even burned up the men who threw them in!
* After the fire cooled a little down the King went and hollered into the furnace “Daniel, Mesheck, Shadrak, Obednego, are you in there?”
* Daniel hollered back and said “Yeah, we’re still in here! Hey I want you to meet my friend Jesus!”
* IS THERE ANYTHING TO HARD FOR THE LORD TONIGHT?
* MY FRIEND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THER IS NOTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD TONIGHT!
Isaiah 54:16–17 (KJV 1900)
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; And every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.
* I think of the story of Gideon tonight.
* God found Gideon hiding from the enemy trying to prepare some food.
Judges 6:11–12 (KJV 1900)
11 And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
* Now friend there is a great truth here.
* If it had been me, I would have said Gideon, what are you doing hiding from the enemy like a coward?
* My friend instead God called him a mighty man of valour!
* Why do God pay this man such a great compliment that was hiding in fear from the enemy?
* Listen up now, don’t miss the great truth- God did not see what Gideon was, but GOD SAW WHAT HE COULD BE!
* My friend I am so thankful that God didn’t give up on me when He saw what I was! God called me to preach because He say in me what I could be!
* I am here to tell you tonight that God sees you not as you, are but what you can be!
* Gideon went out and gathered a great army.
Judges 7 (KJV 1900)
7 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying,
Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. 4 And the Lord said unto Gideon,
The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. 5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.
* Oh how God loves a challenge this evening! God whittle Gideon’s army down to 300 men!
* Then God has 300 men blow on a trumpet with one hand and break a pitcher revealing a light with the other!
* Now I don’t know about you, but if I woke up out of a dead sleep to 300 men playing 300 different notes on a trumpet in the middle of the night I would have been a little confused too!
* That great army of Midianites jumped up in the middle of the night, blinded by the lights when those pitchers broke, and grabbed their swords. They were so startled that all killed each other!
* I’m convinced that God has a wonderful since of humor tonight!
* I believe God looked over that the angles right before Gideon gave the order to blow the trumpet and said “Watch this, this is going to be good!”
* Reminds me of the time I sneaked up on a cat in a dumpster in the dark!
* God loves a challenge tonight!
* I am here to tell you that THERE IS NOTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD!
IV. God can save any soul.
* Immediately after Jesus calmed the sea in Matthew 8, Jesus and His disciples got out of the boat and encounter a strange man.
* This man was such a wicked sinful man that he had become an outcast and lived out in the cemeteries and caves outside town.
* This man was full of demons.
* This is what happens when you live in sin for such a long time as this man did. The demons of sin come in and enslave you in your sin.
* This man was totally possessed by evil. When Jesus asked him his name the demons answered legion because we are many.
* This man lived outside of town and ran through the graveyards naked cutting himself the Bible says in Matthew chapter 8.
* I am sure the townspeople asked “Why is this preacher talking to this man- he’s too far gone to ever be saved!”
* I would venture to say even Jesus’s own disciples said “This man is crazy, what good would it do to talk to him about God”
* After Jesus told this man who he was, the man believed on Jesus and was delivered from the wicked demons that had taken over his life.
* This terrible, awful, wicked sinner was miraculously born again!
* The Bible says that there were so many demons living in this man that Jesus allowed them to go into a heard of pigs. The demons were too much for the pigs and they ran down a steep hill into the sea and were drowned!
* The Bible says that the next time the townspeople saw this man, he was clothed and sitting in his right mind at the feet of Jesus!
* This man, who no one thought God could save, had been born again! He had become a new creation and was cleaned up and in his right mind!
* The people were amazed that God saved a man full of demons!
* I remember a story my dad told me once that happened when he was a young preacher in Pontiac Michigan.
* Dad was preaching inside a cell block in a prison just outsider of Detroit. He had preached a salvation message to those prisoners.
* A large man with tears streaming down his face pressed his body against the bars of his cell, and asked can God save a man that has murdered?
* My dad answered yes God can save anybody who comes to Him for salvation!
* This large beast of a man cried out again and said “but preacher, can God really save a man that has killed a whole family?”
* My father answered and said yes God can save a man that has murdered a whole family.”
* This man had murdered a whole family of seven.
* My Dad took the Bible that afternoon and showed this man that God could save anybody, because nothing was too hard for God!
* There is nobody too hard for God to save this evening because there is nothing too hard for God!
V. God can raise the dead!
* We find ourselves here today because of the death of a loved one.
* From talking with the family this man had humbled himself and came to the Lord for salvation.
* We are here this evening to pay our last tribute to the memory of a man and to commit this body to the ground from which it came.
* Jesus was at a funeral once with a broken heart. The Bible says that His spirit groaned within Him.
* Jesus asked his sister “Do you believe that your brother will live again?” She said yes Lord, in the resurrection, (meaning the at the last days).
* Jesus turned around and said remove the stone. The he said Lasurus come forth! He raised that man from the dead!
* God can raise this man from the dead this evening also because there is nothing too hard for God!
John 6:40 (KJV 1900)
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Romans 8:10–11 (KJV 1900)
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
1 Corinthians 15:19–20 (KJV 1900)
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1 Corinthians 15:42–44 (KJV 1900)
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:48–52 (KJV 1900)
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Corinthians 15:54–55 (KJV 1900)
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
Conclusion:
* I have been discussing the question “Is there anything that is too hard for God.” I would not be honest with the Bible this evening if I show you both sides of the coin.
* God truly can do anything. But the other side of the coin is that there is one thing that God will not do.
* God will not forgive the person who says no to the Holy Spirit of God when He calls on you to be saved. Listen to the words of Jesus in Matthew 12:
Matthew 12:31–32 (KJV 1900)
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
* Romans 10:13 says “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the lord shall be saved.” My friend that means anyone can be saved!
* This is good news. But I also want you to know that if you refuse the Holy Spirit as he speaks to your heart, pleading with you to call on the name of the Lord Jesus for salvation, according to the Bible, there will no longer be any hope for your soul!
* You will die and wake up like up in Hell, like the rich man in the book of Luke, being in torments.
Hebrews 2:3–4 (KJV 1900)
3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
* My friend if you neglect to believe the Gospel of salvation through Jesus you will not escape the eternal wrath that will be poured out on those who have refused to be saved.
* My friend don’t turn away the Holy Spirit of God as He draws you to be saved today.
Daniel 12:2 (KJV 1900)
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
*I beg of you find the answer to this question- “When you die will you awake to everlasting life?, or will you awake to everlasting contempt?