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The Power of Again
Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief
I. Intro
A. Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever.
1. 1985 Rookie of the year
2. Defensive player of the year 1988
3. 14 Time All Star
4. Six Time MVP
5. Six NBA Championships
a) One would correctly say that he is the pinnacle of NBA success
B. The Michael Jordan Failure commercial
1. I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career
2. I’ve lost almost 300 games
3. 26 times, I’ve missed the game winning shot
4. I’ve failed over, and over, and over, in my life… and that is why I succeed
a) The story of Michael Jordan is one filled with failure
b) Cut from his high school basketball team
c) But the failure is never final
Clarence McCartney the late preacher of Pittsburgh Tabernacle once described the greatest words in the Bible.
- Sin is the saddest word
- Forgiveness is the most beautiful word
- Tomorrow is the most dangerous word
- No is the hardest word
But there is a word that I feel is even more powerful than all of these other words. A word that was not mentioned by Rev. McCartney. That word is AGAIN!
II. Again in the Bible
A. Consider with me that
1. Sin – 389 times
2. Anger – 234 times
3. Hate – 87 times
4. Bitterness – 22 times
5. Envy – 20 times
6. Lust – 18 times
7. Again is used 651 times
a) Again is a word that is extensively used throughout all of the Bible
B. God speaks again
1st Samuel 3:8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.
1. Samuel – Understanding
a) God kept calling to Samuel, until Samuel got understanding
b) God didn’t give up, but He patiently waited for Samuel to understand and respond
2. Samson – Confirmation
Judges 13:8-9 Then Manoah entreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her.
a) Manoah’s wife in the field receives an angelic visitor
b) Gives her instructions about the son that she will soon have
c) God came again, to confirm His word
3. Gideon – Belief
a) Gideon received an angelic visitor as well
b) Hail mighty man of valor
(1) God if this is really you make the fleece wet and the ground dry
(2) God if this is really you, make the ground wet and the fleece dry
(3) Again God answered the request.
III. God moves again
Mark 8:22-25 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
A. The blind man is brought to Jesus
1. Jesus touches him and asks him if he can see
2. I see men as trees walking
3. So Jesus touches him again
a) It was the admission of the man, that I need more, that caused Jesus to reach to him again.
Mark 3:1-3 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. 2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. 3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth
B. The man with the withered hand was a regular attendee
1. Jesus came again to the Synagogue
2. Why, because someone there needed Him, and the only time He saw the man was on the Sabbath.
a) Only at church.
3. Again, Jesus came, Again Jesus moved, Again Jesus healed.
C. The woman caught in adultery
John 8:6-8 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground
1. Taken in the very act
a) There is no doubt that she is guilty
b) But again Jesus extends grace
D. Jesus rose again
1. Jesus prophesied about His own death
2. But nine times He told the disciples that He would rise “again.”
a) Just as He said He would, He rose again from the grave.
IV. Again for the believer
A. Get back up again
1. Song by Toby Mac
2. Isaac dug the wells again
3. Samson’s hair grew again
4. Elijah was strengthened again
5. Jeremiah received the word of the Lord again
6. Peter received the rooftop vision again
7. Paul was given a second chance
8. Solomon wrote – that a just man falls seven times, but rises “again”
1st John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
