Our story tonight is a moving one. We are moved by his problem. We are moved by the dedication of his friends. There have been a good many sermons preached with the understanding that the man’s sickness was his palsy. He could not walk or move on his own. Bro. Hughes looks at the story from a different angle: Rather than this man being sick with palsy, he was sick of the palsy. It may have been that this man was so desperate that he convinced his four friends to go to such extraordinary lengths. Until we become sick of our situation, there will be no changes. As long as we are resolved to live with problems and make work a rounds for them, we will never be willing to do those things necessary to get to the place where there can be real change. There are problems in life that we have tried to get rid of, but they always find their way back to us. Bro. Hughes suggests, “Maybe it is time to get sick of being sick.” The reason that many people live in mediocrity is because it takes too much effort to get to something better. Until we get sick of being sick, we will never get well. Given this, Bro. Hughes asks: “What are you sick of?”

Our story tonight is a moving one. We are moved by his problem. We are moved by the dedication of his friends. There have been a good many sermons preached with the understanding that the man’s sickness was his palsy. He could not walk or move on his own. Bro. Hughes looks at the story from a different angle: Rather than this man being sick with palsy, he was sick of the palsy. It may have been that this man was so desperate that he convinced his four friends to go to such extraordinary lengths. Until we become sick of our situation, there will be no changes. As long as we are resolved to live with problems and make work a rounds for them, we will never be willing to do those things necessary to get to the place where there can be real change. There are problems in life that we have tried to get rid of, but they always find their way back to us. Bro. Hughes suggests, “Maybe it is time to get sick of being sick.” The reason that many people live in mediocrity is because it takes too much effort to get to something better. Until we get sick of being sick, we will never get well. Given this, Bro. Hughes asks: “What are you sick of?”

Bro. Kilgore shares his heart this morning about his life and ministry. Even after more than 60 years in the ministry, Bro. Kilgore has a desire and drive to reach further and do more to reach the lost. Jesus Himself served as an example in the garden when He went in with some of the disciples, and then went even further. We must all strive to go a little further.

Peace is one of the most valuable things a person can have in life. There is no amount of anything that can be possessed in life that can make up for a lack of peace. Our text begins with the phrase “let not your heart be troubled.” This indicates God’s desire that we be at peace in life. Jesus was explaining to the disciples that He was going to leave them. They did not understand what was coming next. Jesus understood their fear and uncertainty, and gave them something that would see then through what was coming next. We cannot choose options in life like ordering a coffee at Starbucks. Life is full of issues and situations that are unexpected. No person on earth is exempt from the surprises that come along with life. We do not question the changing of the seasons. Summer fades to fall and fall to winter without our worrying about what comes next. However when the seasons of life change, some people panic and fret about what is next. So it was with the disciples. He had been telling them for some time that He would go away. They were too caught up in the miracles and the power of His ministry to believe. God will always send someone or something to calm and comfort us during these times of upheaval. Peace is God’s promise that we never have to face the future without His help and presence. When everything else changes, God’s presence never does. Peace means that God will always leave us better than He found us. When we don’t know what is next, we need to rejoice because He knows what is next.

Peace is one of the most valuable things a person can have in life. There is no amount of anything that can be possessed in life that can make up for a lack of peace. Our text begins with the phrase “let not your heart be troubled.” This indicates God’s desire that we be at peace in life. Jesus was explaining to the disciples that He was going to leave them. They did not understand what was coming next. Jesus understood their fear and uncertainty, and gave them something that would see then through what was coming next. We cannot choose options in life like ordering a coffee at Starbucks. Life is full of issues and situations that are unexpected. No person on earth is exempt from the surprises that come along with life. We do not question the changing of the seasons. Summer fades to fall and fall to winter without our worrying about what comes next. However when the seasons of life change, some people panic and fret about what is next. So it was with the disciples. He had been telling them for some time that He would go away. They were too caught up in the miracles and the power of His ministry to believe. God will always send someone or something to calm and comfort us during these times of upheaval. Peace is God’s promise that we never have to face the future without His help and presence. When everything else changes, God’s presence never does. Peace means that God will always leave us better than He found us. When we don’t know what is next, we need to rejoice because He knows what is next.

The gospel is not a complicated thing. It isn’t as simple as simple thinking in our mind “I believe.” It is however not much more complicated than that. The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord. Through repentance we have the ability to do more than all the councilors, psychiatrists and doctors in the world. The blood of Christ has the ability to wash away all sin. We do not have to walk in the bondage of sin because we have been redeemed by the power of the Holy Ghost. The message of the Gospel is simple, and it is our duty to share the glorious gospel with the world.

We all have our roles to play in God’s kingdom. Bro. Shoemake shares stories from his years in the ministry that highlight the fact that we must seek and fulfill God’s purpose for us in His kingdom. Our failure to do this could result in someone being lost for eternity.

We all have our roles to play in God’s kingdom. Bro. Shoemake shares stories from his years in the ministry that highlight the fact that we must seek and fulfill God’s purpose for us in His kingdom. Our failure to do this could result in someone being lost for eternity.

The gospel is not a complicated thing. It isn’t as simple as simple thinking in our mind “I believe.” It is however not much more complicated than that. The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord. Through repentance we have the ability to do more than all the councilors, psychiatrists and doctors in the world. The blood of Christ has the ability to wash away all sin. We do not have to walk in the bondage of sin because we have been redeemed by the power of the Holy Ghost. The message of the Gospel is simple, and it is our duty to share the glorious gospel with the world.

Our text tonight is John’s account of the loaves and fishes. This story is recounted in the other gospels and each tells the story with the detail about the disciples gathering the fragments so that none be lost. This miracle is a picture of Jesus’ gracious sprit and willingness to help. This story is a philosophy of life. The miracle had been performed. Most would be satisfied with the multitude being fed. The command of the Lord to pick up the pieces is a crucial detail. Life is lived in the details and God never forgets the details. He said, “Gather all of the pieces that nothing be lost.” This is an underlying principle of Jesus’ ministry that none be lost. Many times life comes to us broken and in fragments and pieces. This story illustrates that God is interested in the pieces. These pieces are important to the Lord. When life seems to be broken and fragmented, we are close to the heart of God as He is interested in those broken pieces. The way that we act during these broken fragmented times says much about us. The God who made a whole sea of fish and fields of grain sent His disciples to pick up the pieces. There are times in life when we feast and all is going our way, but then comes the other side of life. This story is an illustration that we should handle all of life with care not just the whole. We may be dealing with fragments, but how we handle these fragments is important to God. Don’t let anything be lost, because it all belongs to God. There is a blessing and a ministry of picking up the pieces.