OceanSide church of Christ

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THE POWER OF ONE

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   There is only one of each of us in the world.

1.    We each are only a speck among the mass of humanity.

2.    Very few people know our names.

3.    Our accomplishments will not be that noticeable.

4.    We are weak and frail creatures.

5.    We will die and only a handful will attend our funeral.

6.    We will be remembered only for a short time by a few after we die.

 

B.   It is very easy for each of us to think of ourselves as very insignificant.

1.    It can’t do much.

2.    What I do doesn’t really matter.

 

C.   In this lesson, we want to debunk this negative thinking.  The title of our lesson is:  “The Power of One.”

 

I.             THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF “POWERFUL ONES”

 

A.   One seed

 

B.   One cell

 

C.   One atom

 

D.   One ray of light

 

E.   One word

 

F.   One discovery

 

G.   One book

 

H.   One leader

 

I.     In Ephesians 4:4-6, Paul mentions seven very powerful ones.

 

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

 

II.           EXAMPLES OF THE POWER OF ONE PERSON

 

A.   One saved the human race from physical destruction.  It was the man Noah (Gen. 6:5-8).

 

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.  And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and creeping thing, and the fowls of the air:  for it repenteth me that I have made them.  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

B.   David was just one man who delivered Israel from Goliath and the Philistines (I Sam. 17:48-51).

 

And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine:  and David put his hand in his bag, and took a stone, and slung it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk deep into his forehead:  and he fell on his face to the earth.  So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him:  but there was not sword in the hand of David.  Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith.  And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

 

C.   Esther was just one person who thwarted the evil schemes of the wicked Haman.

1.    We often talk of Esther going in before the king the first time, and she did with her life hanging in the balance.

2.    We seldom talk about the second time she went in before the king with the same possible consequences existing (Est. 8:3-6).

 

And Esther speak yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.  Then the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther.  So Esther arose, and stood before the king, and said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king’s provinces:  for how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people?  And how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

 

III.         THE SUPEME EXAMPLE OF THE POWER OF ONE:  JESUS CHRIST

 

A.   Jesus was just one man upon the earth.  He, however, made it possible to reverse the effects of sin brought into the world by another man named Adam.

 

B.   In Romans 5, Paul refers to this “one man” four times.

1.    Romans 5:15

 

…much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace as by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

 

2.    Romans 5:17

 

…much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

 

3.    Romans 5:18

 

…even so by the righteousness of one the free gift come upon all men unto justification of life.

 

4.    Romans 5:19

 

…so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

 

 

IV.         WHAT EMPOWERS THE ONE?

 

A.   One plus Christ (Phil. 4:13)

 

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

 

B.   One plus grace (I Cor. 15:10)

 

By the grace of God I am what I am:  and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all:  yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

 

C.   One plus the Word of God (Ps. 119:28)

 

My soul melteth for heaviness:  strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

 

D.   One plus faith (Matt. 17:20)

 

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief:  for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard see, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

 

E.   One plus prayer (Matt. 21:20)

 

And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

 

F.   One plus hope (Rom. 5:3-5a)

 

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:  knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope:  and hope maketh not ashamed…

 

V.           YOUR POWER AS ONE

 

A.   One can love.

 

B.   One can serve:  cup of water (Matt. 10:42)

 

C.   One can stand:  Paul at Mars’ Hill (Acts 17:16-34)

 

D.   One can sow:  a sower went forth to sow (Matt. 13:3)

 

E.   One can encourage:  Barnabas (Acts 4:36)

 

F.   One can comfort:  Jonathan (I Sam. 23:16).

 

G.   One can fight sin:  Phinehas (Num. 25:6-15)

 

H.   One can speak:

 

I.     One can lead:  Nehemiah

 

J.    One can start a movement:  Jesus

 

K.   One can die:  Jesus

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   One person can do great things.

One person can do lasting things.

One person can do courageous things.

One person can do spiritual things.

 

B.   I Corinthians 15:58

 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.