Messages of Hope for a Breakthrough: Sermons of Inspiration

By Dr. J. Sherman Pelt

While struggling with cancer and his own need for a breakthrough, Dr. Pelt was inspired to write "Messages of Hope for a Breakthrough". In this book are messages Dr. Pelt selected for publication that he preached over the years.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 22, 2015
• ISBN: 9780996610612

Book preview

Breakthrough

Sermon One

A Dinner Invitation from Four Homeless Men

II Kings 7:3-11

Background Statement

Most of us that live in a metropolitan area of some size are aware of the growing number of homeless and marginalized people in our cities. In our context for ministry in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, this issue faces us daily. In partnership with Atlanta West Pentecostal Church of Lithia Springs, our Love in Action Ministry tries to address this nagging issue. In our context, we minister to the needs of our brothers and sisters on each Saturday. We feed them spiritually and physically. Occasionally, we provide clothing and give haircuts. We have also provided AIDS testing.

This message evolved out of my passion for those who have limited resources to live a normal life, as we know it. This message also developed out of my concern that society, and too often the church, tend to dehumanize the personhood of the marginalized. Therefore, I used the thanksgiving season to preach a message that is at the very heart of our everyday ministry. This message was preached at Liberty Baptist Church-Atlanta, on November 25, 2012, a few days after Thanksgiving, to demonstrate that the least of these, could be our means of liberation.

This is the season of celebration, visitation and relaxation; the season of invitation, motivation and expectation. This is the time when we pull back and enjoy the scene, when we change the pace, when we appreciate what we have, when we fellowship with family and friends, and when we share with others out of the depth of our hearts.

We have just come through one phase of fellowshipping around the table - Thanksgiving. And we are already getting ready for the biggest celebration of the year. Yes, you guessed it - Christmas!

Among many things, during this season, we invite people into our homes for dinner. The people that we invite are special in one way or another. They may be family members, friends or coworkers. However, it is during this season that we specifically desire to spend time with those we love.

Today, I want to look at a Biblical story where four homeless men invited an entire city to dinner. Let me repeat what I have just said. I want to look at a Biblical story where four men, not wealthy men, but four homeless men invited an entire city for dinner.

In Chapter 6 of II Kings, we are informed that King Benhadad of Syria had sieged, had shut down, the city of Samaria. That is, the Syrian army had camped just outside the city of Samaria not allowing people or supplies to go in, or to come out. Therefore, it was not long before the market tables were bare and before food was difficult to find, which meant that the siege was working for Syria, and in a few days, Samaria would be waving the white flag, submitting to King Benhadad.

But in the meantime, we are introduced to four leprous men outside the gates of Samaria. We are aware that leprosy is a chronic, infectious, contagious and deadly disease. People who had leprous symptoms had to show themselves to the priest. Subsequently, once the priest made the diagnosis that the person had leprosy, that patient was quarantined, dismissed, and expelled from family, friends, work and all social contact. That person was then put outside the walls of the city, and outside of the common everyday activity of life in the city. So, here it is, these four men have been diagnosed with having leprosy and have been put out of the city.

This is not the first time that we have heard about this disease called leprosy. In Exodus 4:6-9, leprosy is presented as one of the signs that Moses was given to demonstrate that God would be with him when he goes to Egypt to liberate God's people. Moses places his hand into his bosom, and when he pulls it out, his hand has leprosy. Then, he places his hand back into his bosom and takes it out again, and his hand is healed.

Numbers 12:1-12, records the account where Moses' sister, Miriam, is stricken with leprosy for saying that Moses thinks that he is the only one that God speaks to. As a result, she was dismissed out of the camp; but re-entered the camp after seven days after God healed her.

II King 5 gives the account of the Syrian Captain, Naaman, who was healed of his leprosy after he dipped seven times in the muddy Jordan River.

II Chronicles, Chapter 26, provides an account of King Uzziah, who was one of Judah's greatest kings. In this account, the Bible tells us that God strikes him with leprosy after he goes into the temple and offers up incense to God, which only the priest was authorized to do. Consequently, he spends the rest of his life reigning as a king in isolation.

In Luke 17:11-19, Luke pens a description of Jesus and the twelve disciples going through Samaria, on their way to Jerusalem. They come near ten lepers. The lepers call out to Jesus