Are You Ready?

Mighty Moments On

The Mount

Last Sunday of 2015 Mount Olive AME Church Rev. Johnny R. Calhoun, Preaching Senior Pastor

ARE YOU READY?

SCRIPTURE: LUKE 1:20-49 CONCEPT: BEING READY TO BE BLESSED REQUIRES THAT WE BELIEVE IT, RECEIVE IT AND THEN CONCEIVE IT I RECENTLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH A GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO HELP LAUNCH A NEW YOUTH PROGRAM CALLED READY – RESTORING THE ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPING YOUTH. IT WAS INTERESTING TO SAY THE LEAST WORKING WITH YOUNG RECENTLY GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. MANY OF THEM WITH CHALLENGING BACKGROUNDS. THERE WAS A TRAINING PERIOD THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE BEGINNING TO TEACH THEM ABOUT WATERSHED… THEY WERE PREPARED TO TAKE ON THE TASKS OF PERFORMING ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES. LIKE PLANTING RAIN GARDENS, TREES AND TO DO SOMETHING THEY CALL CONSERVATION LANDSCAPING. ALONG WITH THEIR TECHNICAL TRAINING, WE CONDUCTED VARIOUS ICE BREAKING ACTIVITIES AND HAD THEM JOURNAL AND WRITE DOWN THEIR THOUGHTS. DURING ONE OF THE SESSIONS I ASKED THEM TO RESPOND TO TWO QUESTIONS. FIRSTLY I ASKED THEM TO LOOK WITHIN THEMSELVES AND ASK THEMSELVES ARE YOU READY? WHEN

THEY ASKED FOR WHAT, I ASKED THEM TO LIVE AND TO FACE YOUR LIFE. TO MOVE FORWARD AND TO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT GOD HAS FOR YOU. WHEN I ASKED THEM TO RAISE THEIR HANDS, MOST OF THEM FELT THAT THEY WEREN’T READY. SECONDLY, I ASKED THEM, DO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS, DO THEY THINK AND BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE READY. ALL OF THEM SAID NO! MOST OF THEM DIDN’T FEEL THAT THEY WERE READY AND THEY CONFESSED THAT THE FOLK AROUND THEM DIDN’T THINK SO EITHER.

ARE YOU READY?

THAT’S A QUESTION WE ALL NEED TO CONSIDER. IT’S AN INTERESTING QUESTION. ONE THAT SOME OF US MAY HAVE NEVER ACTUALLY CONSIDERED ON PURPOSE AND DIRECTLY. ARE YOU READY? FOR THE WORLDLY PERSON, THIS QUESTION CAN ONLY BE ANSWERED BY WHAT CAN BE SEEN AND MEASURED. WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE AND WHAT CAN BE PROVED. BUT TO THE BELIEVER, IT’S ULIMATELY A FAITH QUESTION. ONE THAT WE ANSWER, NOT JUST BASED ON THE SEEN, MEASURABLE THINGS, OR THAT HAVE BEEN DONE OR THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO DO. NO, TO THE BELIEVER, THIS QUESTION MUST BE ANSWERED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF GOD’S INTERVENTION AND INVOLVEMENT. IT MUST BE REVIEWED AND CONSIDERED BASED ON THE WILL AND WORD OF GOD. IF GOD BE FOR US, HE IS MORE THAN THE WHOLE WORLD AGAINST. ALL THINGS WORK

TOGETHER FOR GOOD… I CAN DO ALL THINGS THRU CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME.

I PREACHED LAST WEEK FROM THE SUBJECT, “CALL ME BLESSED”. WE POINTED OUT THAT MARY WAS CALLED BLESSED BY AN ANGEL, BECAUSE GOD HAD DECIDED TO HAVE HER GIVE BIRTH TO JESUS. AND AFTER BEING CALLED BLESSED BY THE ANGEL AND BY HER COUSIN, SHE ANNOUNCED THAT ALL GENERATIONS WOULD CALL HER BLESSED!

WE CLOSED THE SERMON, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT GOD HAS CALLED US BLESSED AND HAS BLESSED US THROUGH HIS WORD AND BY THE PROMISES HE HAS MADE. WE LEFT HERE CALLING EACH OTHER BLESSED AND TELLING EACH OTHER TO CALL ME BLESSED. BUT CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION. I HOPE YOU DON’T MIND AND WON’T BE TAKEN BACK BY IT. IT’S A VERY SIMPLE, YET DIRECT QUESTION AND QUERY. ARE YOU READY? READY FOR WHAT, YOU MIGHT ASK? WELL, IN THIS CONTEXT, ARE YOU READY TO BE BLESSED? I MEAN, ARE YOU REALLY READY TO BE BLESSED.

BROTHERS AND SISTERS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS, IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW MUCH YOU CALL YOURSELF BLESSED, OR HAVE OTHER PEOPLE CALL YOU BLESSED OR EVEN LISTEN AS PEOPLE TELL YOU, THAT YOU ARE BLESSED, IF YOU AREN’T READY TO BE BLESSED, IT DOESN’T

MAKE ONE DIFFERENCE AT ALL.

IT’S JUST TINKLING CYMBALS AND

SOUNDING BRASS. TALKING LOUD AND SAYING NOTHING. IN OTHER WORDS, JUST MAKING NOISE.

BELOVED, ONE OF THE PREREQUISITES OF BEING CALLED BLESSED IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE READY. YOU CAN SAY IT TO SOMEBODY ALL YOU WANT, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE READY FOR IT. CAUSE EVEN IF THEY GET A BLESSING, THEY’LL CALL IT LUCK OR SAY THAT IT WAS SOMEBODY WHO DID THIS OR THAT, OR THAT THEY WORKED FOR IT. BUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SAY THAT YOU ARE BLESSED BY GOD AND ACCEPT THAT GOD IS AND IS GOING TO BLESS YOU, YOU HAVE TO BE READY?

ASK SOMEBODY, ARE YOU READY TO BE BLESSED? CAN I SUGGEST THAT THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT MUST HAPPEN IN ORDER TO BE TRULY READY TO BE BLESSED. THEY ARE RIGHT HERE IN THIS SAME CHAPTER OF LUKE. I’VE BEEN PREACHING FROM THIS CHAPTER FROM THE LAST TWO WEEKS. IT’S AN ADVENT TEXT. FOR SOME REASON, THE LORD HAS KEPT ME HERE AND SO LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT HE SHOWED ME.

FIRSTLY, WE REMEMBER ZACHARIAS, ELIZABETH’S HUSBAND WHO IS ALSO A PRIEST. WHO ONE DAY FINDS HIMSELF DOING HIS JOB IN THE TEMPLE AND IS APPROACHED BY AN ANGEL. THE ANGEL GABRIEL 13 said unto him, Fear

not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

14

And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

16

And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17

And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

INSTEAD OF BELIEVING THE ANGEL AND ASKING FOR HIM TO EXPLAIN IT TO HIM, LIKE MARY, HE INSTEAD ASKED FOR PROOF. HOW SHALL I KNOW THIS, HOW CAN I BE SURE? IN OTHER WORDS WHAT ZACHARIAS SAID WAS THAT HE REALLY WASN’T READY. HE NEEDED PROOF BEFORE. HE HAD TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT. THE FIRST POINT IS THAT IF YOU WANT TO BE READY TO BE BLESSED, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE. THE ANGEL RESPONDED TO ZACHARIAS AND SAID TO HIM, 19

And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

20

And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

IT WAS IF HE SAID, GOD SENT ME HERE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING AND TO GIVE YOU A BLESSING AND YOU’RE STANDING HERE TELLING ME YOU NEED MORE PROOF. DON’T YOU KNOW THAT I STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND THAT HE HAS SENT ME HERE TO BLESS YOU. BUT IN MY MINDS EYE I HEAR HIM SAY, I SEE WHAT’S UP. YOU’VE BEEN ASKING GOD FOR A BLESSING, BUT YOU’RE NOT READY TO BE BLESSED. AND HE TELLS ZACHARIAS IN THE V30 THAT HE IS GOING TO MAKE IT SO HE CAN’T SPEAK UNTIL IT COMES TO PASS, FOR ONE SPECIFIC REASON. BECAUSE THOU BELIEVEST NOT MY WORDS. CAN I SUGGEST THAT TO BE READY TO BE BLESSED, YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE. THAT IF GOD SAYS IT, WE HAVE TO BELIEVE IT AND THAT SETTLES IT. WE CAN’T LEAN UPON OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. IT DOESN’T ALWAYS MAKE SENSE, HOW GOD DOES WHAT HE DOES AND CAN DO WHAT HE CAN DO. IF WE WANT TO BE READY TO BE BLESSED, FIRSTLY WE HAVE TO BELIEVE. I WANT YOU TO SEE SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS RESIDING IN THIS TEXT. GOD REVEALED TO ME THAT THE ANGEL REALIZED THAT IF HE DIDN’T SHUT ZACHARIAS UP, HIS LACK OF FAITH, EXPRESSED THRU HIS WORDS WOULD DISRUPT AND DESTROY THE BLESSING GOD HAD FOR THEM. HE WOULD HAVE CAUSED ELIZABETH NOT TO BELIEVE AND WOULD HAVE ALLOWED DOUBT,

SPOKEN THRU WORDS OF DISBELIE, WOULD HAVE UNDO WHAT GOD HAD IN STORE. JAMES SAYS THAT SOMEONE WHO DOUBTS IS LIKE A WAVE TOSSED TO AND FRO. HE SAYS, LET NOT THAT MAN THINK HE’LL RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM THE LORD. IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE READY, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE AND IF YOU ARE GOING TO BELIEVE IT, YOU CAN’T TALK LIKE YOU DON’T. SECONDLY, WE FIND IN V28, THE SAME ANGEL COMES TO MARY AND TELLS HER SHE’S BLESSED. IN V29 SHE WONDERS TO HERSELF WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, HOW CAN THIS BE? I’M A VIRGIN. AND THE ANGEL TELLS HER, DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE BLESSED, YOU HAVE FOUND FAVOR WITH GOD. V31, HE TELLS HER THAT SHE’S GOING TO CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON AND WILL CALL HIM JESUS. THE SECOND POINT AFTER YOU BELIEVE IT, YOU HAVE TO RECEIVE IT. HE SAID, YOU WILL CONCEIVE. SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU AND YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO RECEIVE IT WILL BEFORE IT DOES.

WHEN A RECEIVER CATCHES A BALL, FIRST HE MUST MOVE INTO POSITION TO GET IT. HE ALREADY BELIEVES THAT IT WILL BE WHERE ITS SUPPOSE TO BE AND HE BEGINS TO MOVE TO WHERE IT’S GOING TO BE AND PREPARES HIM SELF TO CATCH IT. ACCEPT THAT YOUR BLESSING

IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND BEGIN TO ACT LIKE IT’S YOURS. ONCE YOU BELIEVE IT, YOU MUST RECEIVE IT. IT’S NOT THERE YET, BUT YOU’RE ACTING LIKE YOU’RE GOING TO GET IT. RECEIVE IT. MARK 11:24, SAYS 24

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

BEFORE YOU GET UP FROM YOU KNEES, BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR EYES, BEFORE IT CAN BE SEEN, YOU HAVE TO RECEIVE, AND THEN YOU SHALL HAVE THEM. MARY SAYS V38 38

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

IT’S LIKE SHE’S SAYING, GOD HAS CALLED THE PLAY, NOW I’M READY TO RECEIVE LET IT BE UNTO ME ACCORDING TO THY WORD. WHEN YOU’RE READY TO BE BLESSED YOU MUST FIRSTLY BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE AND THEN ACT LIKE YOU WILL BE. THAT’S WHAT ELIZABETH TELLS MARY IN V45. SHE SAYS YOU ARE BLESSED BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE. AND THEN YOU HAVE TO RECEIVE IT AND BEGIN TO ACT LIKE IT’S YOURS. RUNNING FOR IT, BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN SEE IT. KNOWING THAT IT’S ON THE WAY, IT’S COMING. SOMETIMES YOU MAY HAVE TO STRETCH FOR IT. DIVE TO GET IT, JUMP OVER SOMEBODY ELSE TRYING TO BLOCK IT. BUT YOU HAVE TO GO FOR IT LIKE IT’S YOURS ALREADY, BECAUSE YOU ARE A RECEIVER. THE BLESSING LINE…HE’LL BLESS YOU RIGHT ON TIME, IF YOU HOLD YOUR PLACE IN THE BLESSING LINE!

LOOK AT MARY, SHE BEGINS TO PRAISE GOD IN V46, MY SOUL DOTH MAGNIFY THE LORD. THE CEV SAYS, WITH ALL MY HEART I PRAISE THE LORD. SHE’S CRYING THANK YOU LORD, YOU’VE BLESSED ME AND I RECEIVE IT. YOU DON’T SAY THANK YOU FOR SOMETHING BEFORE YOU RECEIVE IT. AFTER YOU RECEIVE A GIFT OR ACT OF KINDNESS FROM SOMEONE, IT’S THEN THAT YOU SAY THANK YOU. MARY HAS RECEIVED IT BY FAITH. IT HASN’T HAPPENED YET, JESUS HAS NOT BEEN BORN, BUT SHE’S ACTING LIKE SHE HAS ALREADY CONCEIVED. SHE RECEIVES IT AND BEGINS TO PRAISE GOD FOR IT! IF YOU WANT TO BE READY TO BE BLESSED, YOU MUST BELIEVE THE WORDS OF GOD AND BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE BLESSED AND THEN YOU HAVE TO RECEIVE IT. ACT LIKE IT’S YOURS, PRAISE GOD LIKE ITS YOURS. TALK LIKE ITS YOURS. THANK GOD LIKE YOU HAVE RECEIVED IT ALREADY. FINALLY, THE THIRD POINT IS THAT IT HAS TO BE CONCEIVED. YOU HAVE TO SEE IT, EVEN THOUGH IT CAN’T BE SEEN. WHEN A MOTHER HAS A BABY, BEFORE THAT BABY IS BORN AND COMES INTO THE WORLD, IT MUST FIRST BE CONCEIVED. YOU MUST DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO CREATE AND PRODUCE THE CHILD. EVEN THOUGH YOU WON’T SEE IT WITH YOUR EYES FOR MONTHS, YOU HAVE TO SEE I BY FAITH. YOU GO AND BEGIN TO BUY THINGS FOR THE BABY. YOU TELL PEOPLE, I’M

PREGNANT. WE’VE CONCEIVED A CHILD. THE DOCTOR SHOWED IT TO ME. AND ITS MY BLESSING. WE CONCEIVED IT. AND I CAN SEE IT. IT HASN’T BEEN BORN YET, BUT I CAN SEE IT. LISTEN TO WHAT MARY SAID, 48

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49

For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

SHE ALREADY RECEIVED IT BEFORE TO BE ABLE TO SAY, I KNOW HE’S GOING TO DO IT, BUT NOW SHE SEES IT AND SAYS, ALL GENERATION ARE GOING TO CALL ME BLESSED. I CAN SEE IT NOW. I SEE WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE, WE RECEIVE IT IN OUR HEARTS BY FAITH, THEN WE CONCEIVE IN OUR MINDS WITH TRUST AND UNDERSTANDING. OUR HEART AND MIND MUST LINE UP TOGETHER, IN ORDER TO BE READY. IF EITHER IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT WE WON’T BE READY. WE’LL BE FICKLE AND WAVER. BACK AND FORTH.

FOR HE THAT IS MIGHTY HAS DONE TO ME GREAT THINGS. AND HOLY IS HIS NAME. WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AND SEE WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE TO ME, THEY ARE GOING TO CALL ME BLESSED. I SEE IT, IT’S BEEN CONCEIVED IN HER MIND. AND BECAUSE IT HAS, IT’S GOING TO BE

BORN. IT’S COMING. BUT I KNOW IT’S ALREADY THERE AND HAS BEEN CONCEIVED. MATTHEW 7:7 SAYS IT DIFFERENTLY BUT IT’S THE SAME THING. ASK AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN. YOU DON’T HAVE IT IN YOUR HANDS, BUT YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE BLESSED. SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND. RECEIVE IT TO THE POINT THAT YOU START LOOKING FOR IT. KNOCK AND THE DOOR SHALL BE OPEN. YOU CAN SEE IT. IT’S BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR, BUT IT’S THERE. YOU SEE IT AND YOU’RE READY TO CLAIM IT. IT’S BEEN CONCEIVED. IT’S HERE YOU CAN SEE IT AND KNOW THAT IT EXISTS.

IF YOU WANT TO BE READY TO BE BLESSED AND CALLED BLESSED, FIRST YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IT, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN GOD’S WORD THAT YOU ARE BLESSED BY GOD. BECAUSE HE SAYS THAT YOU ARE. SECONDLY YOU HAVE TO RECEIVE THE BLESSING BY FAITH. ACT LIKE YOU KNOW ITS ON THE WAY AND THAT ITS COMING TO YOU. IT’S YOURS FOR THE TAKING. YOU JUST HAVE TO GET IN POSITION TO GET IT. AND THEN BELOVED YOU HAVE TO CONCEIVE IT IN YOUR MIND. SALVATION OPERATES THE SAME WAY: BELIEVE, RECEIVE, CONCEIVE. WE MUST BELIEVE: GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN, SON AND WHOEVER BELIEVETH…

ONCE WE BELIEVE IN CHRIST, HIS DYING ON THE CROSS AND HIS RESURRECTION, THEN WE MUST RECEIVE HIM. BUT TO AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM TO THEM GAVE HE POWER TO BECOME THE SONS OF GOD, EVEN TO THEM WHO BELIEVETH ON HIS NAME. AND THEN WE MUST BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF OUR MIND. AS A MAN THINKETH SO IS HE. IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST HE IS A NEW CREATURE. OLD THINGS PASS AWAY AND BEHOLD ALL THINGS BECOME NEW. YOU MUST BE ABLE TO SEE YOURSELF AS A NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST. CONCEIVING NOT ONLY THAT WE DIED ON THE CROSS WITH CHRIST AND BE BEING BURIED IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS DEATH, BUT ALSO WE MUST CONCEIVE THAT WE HAVE BEEN RAISED IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS RESURRECTION. ARE YOU READY TO BE SAVED? TO BE BORN AGAIN? ARE YOU READY?

JOHN 3:16; ROMANS 10:9 BELIEVE; EPHESIANS 2:8 JOHN 1:12 RECEIVE ACTS 1:8; EPHESIANS 3:20