MY FRIENDS, WE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED BECAUSE “MULTITUDES ARE PERISHING WITHIN REACH OF ABUNDANT HELP”
October 30, 1974, one of the greatest fights in the history of boxing took place in Kinshasa Zaire, “The Rumble in the Jungle.” It pitted a 28 year old Foreman who seemed an overwhelming favorite against the 32-year old Muhammad Ali. After being stripped of his license and title in 1967, once again was given a chance to fight for the world championship. Ali had told everyone that he had a secret plan for Foreman. A plan strategy Ali later dubbed the rope-a-dope.
As a result, Foreman spent his energy throughout the fight throwing punches that either did not hit Ali or were deflected in a way that made it difficult for Foreman to hit Ali at all. As the fight drew into the eighth round, Foreman’s punching and defense became ineffective as the strain of throwing so many wild shots took its toll. The fight showed that Ali was capable of taking a punch and highlighted his tactical genius, as Foreman struck Ali with hundreds of thunderous blows, to no effect.
No one, least of all Foreman, anticipated that Ali would do what he did, which was to demonstrate so passionately his burning belief in his own ability
to meet and master any other man on any terms. My friends, Six thousand years ago Satan thought he had stripped Christ of all rights to call this world His domain saying in his heart ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God… I will be like the Most High. Isa. 14:13,14 (KJV) But God told us all, He had a plan for man’s salvation, and the victory would be won, not in Kinshasa Zaire, but on a site called Calvary.
And no matter how many thunderous blows Satan would throw, they would be of no effect. How this was done, God’s word gives a step by step account of the tactical genius of our all knowing, all powerful, omnipresence God, along with the challenges we face from the same foe, which is Satan? The plan was to give the world His only begotten Son, so that “who so ever would believe in Him would not parish but have life everlasting” John 3:16 (KJV)
“As Christ was dying on the cross He “saw how deep is the hold of sin upon the human heart,[and] how few would be willing to break from its power. He knew that without help from God, humanity must perish, and He saw multitudes perishing within reach of abundant help.”(E.G, White) My friends, the challenge to us today is, do we have the passion to serve? as “multitudes perish within reach of our help”
In addition, somewhere deep down inside of us, does God’s spirit continued to let us know our responsibility? And once we know our responsibility do we fall on our knees in humility and a contrite heart as we ask for forgiveness for all of Gods precious time we have wasted as we cry out, Dear God, “not my will but, thy will be done”? My friends, it must become personal as we realize the sacrifices made for our salvation.
In addition, We must never forget that Christ the victor, now reigns in the heavenly courts, advocating on our behalf and it is up to us, heirs to His kingdom and joint heirs with His Son to understand God’s plan for our life because we have been given an awesome responsibility. And friends, that responsibility is, go with a burning passion into all the world and become witnesses because, “multitudes are perishing within reach of abundant help.”
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