Since February 2000
1. Our nation celebrates its birthday on July 4th and Fireworks are a part of most celebrations
a. Some attended a professional fireworks display
b. Some hosted their own fireworks show in their backyard
c. Some watched a show put on by the neighbors across the street
2. Whether the display you watch is professional or amateur, big or small, there are lessons to be learned
a. Bottle rockets are favorites for many people
i. They are inexpensive
ii. They race across the sky
iii. They whistle as they work
b. As Christians, we ought to whistle as we work
i. God wants His people to be happy
1. The beatitudes all start with the word Blessed or happy - These are the attitudes that God wants to be in His people
2. God saw fit to include a whole book on joy in the New Testament. The book of Philippians contains the word over and over again. In the fourth chapter, Paul declared, "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, rejoice" - Philippians 4:4
3. Within the immediate context, he dealt with several things that could have rob them of joy:
a. strife - Philippians 4:2
b. worry - Philippians 4:6
c. and covetousness - Philippians 4:11
ii. Some Christians have lost their joy.
1. Some have let others steal it from them. Discouragers abound - Numbers 13-14
2. Some have lost it due to sin - Psalm 51
a. If you have ever used fireworks very much, then you know that you have to be careful with them because some have a very short fuse
b. As Christians, we need to work hard not to have a short fuse
i. God wants His people to be slow to wrath - James 1:19-20
ii. The man that is soon angry dealeth foolishly - Proverbs 14:17; Ecclesiastes 7:9
iii. God wants us to be patient and temperate - Galatians 5:22; 2 Peter 1:6
iv. Sadly, some are quick to go off
a. As a rule fireworks are designed to explode in the air and be viewed in the night sky. They cannot be hidden.
b. As Christians, we are designed to cause men to look up
i. We are to be a city set on a hill which cannot be hid - Matthew 5:14
ii. We are to let our light so shine that men see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven - Matthew 5:16
a. If you light them much you have probably come across a dud - Some fireworks fizzle out without fulfilling the purpose for which they were created
b. As Christians, we must not fizzle out
i. God made us with a specific purpose in mind. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works - Ephesians 2:10
ii. He wants us to finish the work that He gave us to do - 2 Timothy 4:6-8
iii. Sadly, some have fizzled out without fulfilling their purpose and lost their fire - Revelation 2:19-21; - John 6:66
iv. Some are not burning like they once did - Galatians 5:7
a. Professional firework shows pair up fireworks for effect
i. Alone the fireworks might not be that impressive
ii. They mix colors and styles
iii. Together, they dazzle and awe
b. As Christians, we are to work together
i. The body is made of many different members with different abilities and tasks
ii. Every member is important and contributes something to the overall effectiveness of the body - 1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12
iii. We are to be laborers together with God - 1 Corinthians 3:9; cf. 1 Corinthians 3:6
iv. Jesus prayed for His followers to be one - John 17:20-21
v. Sadly, some Christians are jealous of one another and cause division - 1 Corinthians 3:3
a. Some fireworks just make noise.
i. This may be fine for a time
ii. It gets boring after a while
iii. Most want more than noise
b. As Christians, we are to be more than noise
i. God wants His people to be doers and not just talkers - James 1:22
ii. Those who merely say, "Lord, Lord" will be lost one day - Matthew 7:21
iii. Sadly, some are just talkers: they talk about what they are going to do, but they don’t do it. Jesus told a parable about a son who promised to go and work in the vineyard, but went not - Matthew 21:30
iv. Some are quick to tell others what they are doing wrong, but they are inactive themselves
a. One of my favorite fireworks is the sparkler
i. It sparkles and sparkles
ii. It burns longer than most fireworks and helps to light countless others
b. As Christians, we are to sparkle and light others
i. We are to provoke others unto love and good works - Hebrews 10:24
ii. We are to be like Barnabas, the great encourager - He lit up many early Christians: Paul, John Mark - Acts 4:36-37
1. Whistle while you work - be happy
2. Keep a long fuse - be patient
3. Cause men to look up - glorify God
4. Keep burning - finish His work
5. Work together - we all have a part
6. Get it done - be more than just noise
7. Sparkle and light up others - be an encourager
-- Don Treadway, July 2008 --
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Since February 2000 |