INTRODUCTION:
This is an illustrated sermon which
I believe was first preached by Tommy Barnett of First A/G in Phoenix, AZ.
It has been a very popular sermon among A/G preachers. The Biblical
basis for this sermon is 2Cor.4:4.
(SCARECROW hanging on CROSS - ALL COVERED -
under the scarecrow poster board is stapled
to the cross with the words SALVATION,
HOLY SPIRIT, HEALING, and SECOND COMING)
A. WHO’S THE
BIGGEST SCARECROW IN THE WORLD?
1. Some have said
the world’s biggest scarecrow is
Saddam Hussein of Iraq.
2. Others have
said it is Fidel Castro of Cuba.
3. Others have
said it is Moamar Kadaffy of Libya.
4. Each one has
scared a lot of people and rattled a
lot of cages.
5. Some say the
world’s biggest scarecrow is Bill
Clinton.
6. But, WHO is
the biggest scarecrow in the world?
B. IS THE WORLD’S
BIGGEST SCARECROW HERE TODAY?
1. Yes, he makes
his presence known here from time
to time.
2. Is it one of
our deacons? No!
3. Is it a former
deacon? No!
4. Is it Pastor
Bruce? No!
5. Is it Brother
Stambaugh? No!
6. How many of
you think you know who the world’s
biggest scarecrow is?
7. Let me see your
hands.
8. Well, let's
find out and expose him right now!
(PULL SHEET OFF SCARECROW)
I. IT’S THE DEVIL!
A. THE DEVIL
IS THE WORLD’S BIGGEST SCARECROW
1. The BIBLE SAYS
many things about the devil.
2. It says that
he is a roaring lion seeking whom
he may devour.
3. The BIBLE
SAYS that he is the god of this old world.
4. Who will
doubt that he is the god of this evil world
5. The BIBLE
says that he is the prince of the power
of the air. It means that he is literally in control
of the elements of the world.
6. The BIBLE
tells us he is the accuser of the saints.
7. He tries
to get you depressed and discouraged.
8. He tries
to oppress you with feelings of anger.
9. He tries
to obsess you with uncontrolable habits.
B. LET’S GET
THIS GUY OUT OF HERE!
1. I am going
to do something today that I have wanted
to do for a long time.
2. I always
wanted to KICK THE DEVIL out of the devil!
3. I’ve always
wanted to kick him out of the church.
(PREACHER KICKS SCARECROW DOWN THE AISLE)
4. Ushers,
get him out of here.
5. Run that
rascal out of here in a hurry.
C. THE DEVIL
IS SUBTLE
1. How many
wish it was that easy?
2. I wish
it was as simple as that, but he is subtle.
3. He came
to the first family as the angel of light.
4. He still
comes that way.
5. He shows
you the picture of the handsome young man
with the cold beer in his hand, not the red-nosed
drunk that young man’s going to become.
6. He shows
you the sexy and seductive young woman,
not the prostitute dieing of AIDS a few years later.
7. He doesn’t
show you the true nature of sin.
8. He puts
a mask on it.
C. LOOK! HE
WAS TRYING TO HIDE THINGS FROM YOU
1. 2Cor
4:4 from the New Century Version reads:
"The devil who rules this world has
blinded the
minds of those who do not believe. They cannot
see the light of the Good News..."
2. What are
some things he is trying to hide?
3. He would
like to scare us away from four of the
richest blessings Christ purchased on the cross:
a. SALVATION,
b. the HOLY SPIRIT,
c. HEALING, and
d. the SECOND COMING of CHRIST.
II. THE GOODNEWS ABOUT SALVATION
A. HE HIDES
THE GOODNEWS OF SALVATION BY FAITH
1. He'd like
to tell you Jesus doesn't really save.
2. He'd like
to say that repeating the sinner's
prayer cannot possibly be enough.
3. He’d like
to tell you that just going to an altar
and praying, "God, be merciful to me a sinner,"
could not possibly bring salvation.
4. But, the
BIBLE SAYS that, "They that call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved."
B. HE TWISTS
THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION BY FAITH
1. If he
can’t hide it, then he will twist it.
2. He will
hide part of it.
3. He will
tell you that it really doesn’t matter what
you believe, as long as you are sincere.
4. But, I
know people who are sincere, and they are
sincerely wrong.
5. I know
them and I’ve seen them torture themselves
with their sincere beliefs.
6. They are
so sincere that they will go through all
kinds of ceremonies.
7. They even
torture their bodies because of their
sincere beliefs.
8. But they
are sincerely wrong.
9. Satan
will tell you,"It is enough to just do good
works.
a. Just go to church
b. It’s enough to just be a member
c. It’s enough to just pay your tithes
d. It’s enough to put your name on the roll.
e. All you need is to shake the preacher’s hand
10. Satan
uses all of these to scare you away from
true salvation.
III. THE GOODNEWS ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
A. SATAN
WOULD LIKE TO SCARE YOU AWAY FROM THE
GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT!
1. It’s the
HOLY SPIRIT who woos you to Christ.
2. It’s the
HOLY SPIRIT who tugs at your heart and
convicts you of sin.
3. It’s the
HOLY SPIRIT who pleads with you to turn
to the Savior, Jesus Christ.
4. But, the
devil would like to convince you otherwise.
B. SATAN WANTS
TO CONVINCE YOU THAT IT’S NOT GOD
1. Satan
wants you to think it’s just a guilty
conscience.
2. Satan
wants to convince you that everything will be
fine once you get out of here.
3. But, things
want be fine.
4. You see,
the HOLY SPIRIT is pleading with you for a
purpose.
5. The HOLY
SPIRIT wants you to accept the only
salvation that is available to you.
6. Acts 4:12
"Neither is there salvation in any other
for there is none other name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved.
7. Listen,
you think it’s terrible when the Holy Spirit
puts the pressure on you.
8. But there’s
one thing worse.
9. When the
Holy Spirit leaves you, like He did King
Saul.
10. There’s nothing
worse than having the HOLY SPIRIT
look at your miserable life and determine that you
will never repent.
11. At that point
you’re a reprobate bound for hell!
IV. THE GOODNEWS ABOUT HEALING
A. SATAN
WOULD LIKE TO SCARE YOU AWAY FROM THE GOOD
NEWS ABOUT DIVINE HEALING
1. There
are those who tell us that healing is not for
our generation.
2. They claim
it was for a different dispensation if
they believe in them at all.
3. They believe
that miracles are myths.
4. But, if
so, we have been "myth"taken.
5. And we
are actually "myth"erable.
6. How many
know what I am talking about?
B. SOME HAVE
MISUSED HEALING
1. The devil
says,"Some have misused healing."
2. I AGREE!
3. He tells
us, "Therefore, we should avoid it!"
4. I DISAGREE!
5. There
have been those that have used the promise of
healing for fame and money.
6. There
have been charlatans who have abused it.
7. Satan
says, "Devils can do miracles, therefore you
should run from healing."
8. I’m telling
you that God does greater healing!
9. Luke 11:11-13
"You then being evil know how to…"
C. SOME CLAIM
IT’S JUST A DOCTRINE OF MAN
1. I’m here
to tell you that I don’t believe in healing
just because it’s Assembly of God Doctrine.
2. I’m here
to tell you that I don’t believe in healing
just because P.C. Nelson believed in it.
3. I’m here
to tell you that I don’t believe in healing
just because Oral Roberts believes in it. say it, it
is not because Oral Roberts says it:
4. I’m here
to tell you that I BELIEVE in healing
because God believes in it!
5. The BIBLE
SAYS, "I am the Lord that healeth thee."
(Exodus 15:26)
6. That’s
good enough for me.
V. THE GOODNEWS OF THE SECOND COMING
A. SATAN
TRIES TO SCARE US AWAY FROM THE GOOD NEWS
OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
1. The devil
will tell you, "Even in the Bible it says,
they expected Him to come back. But He didn’t come
then and He’s not coming now."
2. What he
doesn’t tell you is that the Bible also says
Jesus will return as a thief in the night!
3. The devil
will tell you, "Even if Christ does come
back, it won’t be for a long time…"
4. He encourages
you to just sin for a season, you’ve
got plenty of time.
5. But, Matthew
24:43-44 says, "43 But know this, that
if the goodman of the house had known in what watch
the thief would come, he would have watched, and
would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour
as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
6. I would
not want to miss the rapture.
7. What about
YOU?