Impossible and the Improbable

A short play in three actsIt aint gonna happenYou cant make it happenIt already happened!

Impossiblesand the Improbable

Impossible You Say?What does the Bible have to say about impossible things? Matthew 19:23-26 As he watched him go, Jesus told his disciples, "Do you have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to enter God's kingdom? (24) Let me tell you, it's easier to gallop a camel through a needle's eye than for the rich to enter God's kingdom." (25) The disciples were staggered. "Then who has any chance at all?" (26) Jesus looked hard at them and said, "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it."Listening to a conversation among the Holy TrinityAct 1. It aint gonna happen!Impossible 1Gen 3:22-24 GOD said, "The Man has become like one of us, capable of knowing everything, ranging from good to evil. What if he now should reach out and take fruit from the Tree-of-Life and eat, and live forever? Never--this cannot happen!" (23) So GOD expelled them from the Garden of Eden and sent them to work the ground, the same dirt out of which they'd been made. (24) He threw them out of the garden and stationed angel-cherubim and a revolving sword of fire east of it, guarding the path to the Tree-of-Life.

Why the concern about living forever?Evil and Good are warring with each other on EarthMan chose the way of evil, going against the clear instruction of GodGods plan is to rid His creation of evil by putting evil to deathman had to die.Restoration with God (ridding man of evil) a prerequisite for man to inherit eternal life.Moses speaks for GodDeuteronomy 30:11-16 This commandment that I'm commanding you today isn't too much for you, it's not out of your reach. (12) It's not on a high mountain--you don't have to get mountaineers to climb the peak and bring it down to your level and explain it before you can live it. (13) And it's not across the ocean--you don't have to send sailors out to get it, bring it back, and then explain it before you can live it. (14) No. The word is right here and now--as near as the tongue in your mouth, as near as the heart in your chest. Just do it! (15) Look at what I've done for you today: I've placed in front of you Life and Good, Death and Evil. (16) And I command you today: Love GOD, your God. Walk in his ways. Keep his commandments, regulations, and rules so that you will live, really live, live exuberantly, blessed by GOD, your God,

1. ConclusionsWhat lessons can we draw from Act one of our play?It is impossible to have eternal life apart from God.God challenges His people to a life of obedienceThis in turn leads to life and an eternal inheritanceThe alternative is death and destructionToo often His people have chosen death and destruction.Good clean living and self-righteousness Versus rottenness and humilityAct 2. You cant make it happen!Impossible 2Luke 18:10-14 "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. (11) The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people--robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. (12) I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.' (13) "Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'" (14) Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."

Nose in the airFace in handsAm I good or what?My works are goodMy thoughts are goodMy life is goodI am worthy of GodWhat good is in me?My works are dirty ragsMy thoughts are evilMy life is a messI am unworthy of GodAlternative views on SelfIsaiah speaks for GodIsaiah 66:1-3 GOD's Message: "Heaven's my throne, earth is my footstool. What sort of house could you build for me? What holiday spot reserve for me? (2) I made all this! I own all this!" GOD's Decree. "But there is something I'm looking for: a person simple and plain, reverently responsive to what I say. (3) Your acts of worship are acts of sin: Your sacrificial slaughter of the ox is no different from murdering the neighbor; Your offerings for worship, no different from dumping pig's blood on the altar; Your presentation of memorial gifts, no different from honoring a no-god idol. You choose self-serving worship, you delight in self-centered worship--disgusting! "2. ConclusionsWhat lessons can we draw from Act two of our play? It is impossible to win Gods favor by our own deeds.Simple reverent responsiveness to God winsSelf-styled worship is repugnant to Hima total lossSeek to glorify God in everythingbut how?The tyranny of the absolute.Impossible, perfect, good and evil, life and death. All of these bespeak some of the absolutes of life. Many today flee from absolutes of any kind. Life itself forces our hand. We will deal with them sooner or later.Os GuinnessHebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.Matthew 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible."A flashback to an earlier conversation among the trinityAct 3. It already happened!

The ImprobableEphesians 1:4-5 Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. (5) Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!)The ImprobablePhilippians 2:6-8 He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. (7) Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! (8) Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death--and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.It already happened!The impossible has become possible. How improbable is that?After reviewing his life the wisest man that ever lived opined, I've seen it all and it's nothing but smoke--smoke, and spitting into the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:14God spoke, Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature Genesis 1:26Which view wins? How?Paul speaks for God2Corinthians 12:9-10 and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. (10) Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size--abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.3. ConclusionsWhat lessons can we draw from Act three of our play?Although it seemed improbableHe became a man/slavehe lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient deathfor us!John 3:16Can we do any less?My response to the improbable and impossible in my life is ________I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

I trust Him as my Lord and Savior.

Confession20

FluteSynth BassSynth Bass 2Orch HitAtmosphereEffectsFantasiaStringsDrums 1 BassBrassDrums 2 (Power)ThunderSweep PadMission ImpossibleThe Movie ThemeBy Larry Mullen &Adam ClaytonPlayed ByAnne Wallace