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Sermon
of 10-05-02
The
Best is Yet To Come
by Dr. David A. Farmer, pastor
Scripture - Jeremiah 29:11-13; "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
V:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. V:13
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."
I hold here in my hand the 2003 Sharing Book of the Year by Pastor Mark Finley. It's called "Satisfied". In chapter 9 I found this a very good story. A story I've heard before. In fact someone had email me a copy of it a few years back. The story is called "The Best is Yet to Come." Which is where I get this mornings topic title. The story goes something like this.
Martha had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. She had been a deaconess in her church for over 40 years. She was loved by all who knew her. She was one of those cheerful, optimistic, and truly happy type people. As she was getting her things "in order", she contacted her pastor and asked him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service. She gave him the Scriptures she wanted read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. The woman also requested to be buried with her
favorite Bible.
After everything was said and in order, just before the pastor was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something very important to her. "Pastor" she said, "There's one more thing." "What's that?" The pastor replied. "This is very important to me," Martha continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."
The pastor stood looking at the woman not knowing quite what to say. "That surprises you, doesn't it?" Martha asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,"
said the pastor. Martha explained. "In all my years as a deaconess attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main courses were being cleared, we deaconess would say to everyone there, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming like chocolate cake or deep-dish Apple pie. It always meant something better, something wonderful was yet to come.
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand. I want them to wonder, 'What's with the fork?'" Pastor I want you to tell them: 'Martha believe the
best is yet to come!'"
This story reminds me of when Jesus was on the cross. Listen to Luke 23:42-43;
"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
V:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."
Even though He could not see beyond the grave any more than we can, He knew the best was yet to come. A paradise.
What about you this morning? Have you ever hung on by thread before? Ever had a burning bush experience before? You know what I mean don't you? Have you ever had something bad happen in your life? Something so bad that it caused you to wonder where was God?
Listen to 1 Peter 4:12-13; "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
V:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."
Friends, the Bible says that when you suffer some difficult trial, then the best is yet to come. In this case here in 1 Peter 4 we have "exceeding joy" to look forward to.
Let me see if I can explain it another way I think the Bible is saying. If you came from a broken home, the Bible says that the best is yet to come. Did you grow up in an abused childhood? Then the best is yet to come. Have you ever suffered from or currently going through a divorce? Then the best is yet to come. Have you lost a very close loved one? Then the best is yet to come. Has the doctor ever told you that he has discovered something that doesn't look good? Then the best is yet to come. Is your body racked with rheumatism or arthritis? Then the best is yet to come. Have you ever had financial worries before? Then the best is yet to come. Have you been hurt by someone? Either at home, work, school, or even here at church, then the best is yet to come. Have your kids been unruly or uncontrolled, have they been in trouble with the law? Then best is yet to come. And finally, have you ever struggled with guilt or troubled with the thoughts whether you are saved or not? Then I promise you, the Bible says that the best is yet to come.
I suppose you want Biblical proof? Listen to Exodus 1:22; "And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive."
This is where Pharaoh has given the order that every male child was to be killed. In other words a curse was placed on the Hebrews. And because of that death decree, Exodus chapter 2 tells how Moses' mother takes her baby boy down to the river and places him in a basket. Soon the Pharaoh's daughter finds Moses, and she adopts him as her own son. From a slave to the grandson of the Pharaoh. From a nobody to a very important somebody. From a curse to a blessing. The Pharaoh intended to destroy the Israelites, but instead, his courts educates the very one that would lead the Israelites to the Promise Land.
For over 400 years the Hebrews worked as slaves. But the Hebrews also knew that the best was yet to come because of a promise God had vowed to Abraham years before. God had told Abraham in Genesis 15:5 that his descendants were to be as numbered as the stars of the heavens. And now the promised deliverer was about to lead the Israelites to freedom. Lead them to the Promised Land. But before that was to take place, Moses himself was to go through some trials.
Hopefully you remember the story in Exodus 2:11-15 where Moses killed an Egyptian soldier who was whipping and beating a fellow Hebrew.
"And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
V:12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
V:13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? V:14
And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. V:15
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well."
It was if Moses was ready to say; "Lord - I'm ready to defend and lead You're people."
Only to hear God say; "Moses, you're not ready." The saga continues and Moses was forced to flee to the wilderness for 40 years. After these 40 long years of thinking about his mistake, of trying to step ahead of God, the Lord came to him in the form of a burning bush found in Exodus 3:4 and says; "Moses, now you're ready." Only to have Moses replied; "Lord, I'm not ready."
Moses thought he had failed God in Egypt 40 years earlier. He felt lonely, discouraged, disappointed in himself. And that's when God said, "Moses, now I can use you." God used a burning bush to get Moses' attention.
Sometimes God has to send us a burning bush experience to get our attention too. Moses had made a poor decision when he killed the Egyptian. He was trying to take matters into his own hands - instead of allowing God to work in His time.
Have you ever done the same? You know, jumped ahead of God when God was saying to wait. Only to pay and sometimes pay big for your mistake. Well, if you are sinner me you have. But have you ever notice how God often takes our poor decisions and turns them into blessings?
Friends, God is no different now than when He made the promise in Exodus 3:7;
"And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;"
God knows our sorrows. He knows our pains, our grief's, and our disappointed moments.
He knows when we've had lonely nights and cry ourselves to sleep. He knows how our bad decision can make us feel. Friends, God knows and sees us every moment of our lives. God may allow us to wonder in the wilderness or in the valleys of life to get our attention. He may have to allow a burning bush experience and permit us to get burned or crushed. But is that bad?
Do you know how grape juice is made? The grapes have to be crushed to bring forth the juice. You can't drink grapes. But you can drink the juice from them. After the juice is squeezed from the grape the now liquid grape is inspected, examined, and scrutinized to make sure it will retain its natural taste while in its container. They test it to make sure it's untainted by fermentation.
Friends we need to pray that God does the same with us. We need to be squeezed, crushed, inspected, examined, and scrutinized by God's hands. Why do I say that? Because when crushed, inspected, examined, and scrutinized by God's hands, we are produced into a different people. Better people. People like Jesus.
Yes, before God can use us, He may have to allow us to be crushed. And it's only after we have been crushed or tested that God will do for us what He did for Moses.
Listen to verses 13-14 of Exodus 3; "And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? V:14
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM:...."
Have you ever wondered what does God meant when He said, "I AM what I AM?" To me God was saying, "Moses, I AM your strength. I AM your courage. I AM your pillar of fire by night and your cloud of protection by day. I AM your covering. I AM your guide. I AM your burning bush experience. I AM all you need in life. But greatest of all Moses, I'm your best to come!"
And friends, when we come to our burning bush experience, God says to us; "I AM your strength when you are weak. I AM your courage when you are scared. I AM the love you didn't receive as a child. I AM the forgiveness for your guilt you feel. I AM the inner feeling you pray for when you are alone at night. I AM your guide when you are lost. I AM all your heart needs during your burning bush experience. But greatest of all, I'm your best to come!"
Friends, if you hear nothing else I say this morning hear this. God doesn't rain down manna when our stomachs are full. When we have just finished a great meal, food is not what's on our mind. But when we are hungry, then food is all we can think about. Most of never go to bed hungry. That is unless we are on a diet. No, we have nice roofs over heads, good jobs and food in our stomachs. And when we are filled, when everything is going our way, when we are on top of the mountain, we seldom look to God for anything.
It's sad but true, when we are on top, we have the tendency not to stay as close to God.
We forget that the best is yet to come. We become satisfied with life.
Moses would have been satisfied if God had just allowed him to die in the Promise Land. But that was not God's plan. That was not God's goal for Moses. No, Moses had forgotten that God had promised that the best was yet to come.
Listen to Deuteronomy 34:4,5,6; "And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
V:6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day."
Moses had a dream to die in the Promised Land but God had a better dream for Moses.
We know from Jude 9 Jesus argues with Satan for Moses' body. The Bible says Jesus resurrects Moses and takes him not to the earthly Promised Land but to the Heavenly promised land. The same Promised Land you and I have been promised.
To end let me say this. When your dreams are crushed, when your plans or goals are shattered, when your heart is broken, then remember that the best is yet to come.
With Christ in your heart. With Christ in your life, then during the long lonely nights when you will feel abandoned by the world, you will feel as someone of value. When the devil reminds you of your childhood, with Christ in your life, you can remind him of his end.
Friends, when your finances, your marriage, your job, your health, or your wayward kids weight you down, then "cast all your cares upon Him because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7) because the best is yet to come.
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