Tuesday, December 16, 2014
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The sign said Antique Auto Show, so my wife and I decided that we'd take fifteen minutes and stop at this car dealership and look at the antique autos. Really we were interested in seeing the ones that, you know, like went back to the 50s and 60s. There was this one, sleek, black '66 Mustang that had a flawless exterior, a rich interior, the hood was open so you could look at the horsepower underneath.
There, sitting on the engine block, was a thick book of photos. Now, it wasn't the guy's children or grandchildren. It was his car. And at the beginning of this photo album there were before pictures of the car. Let me tell you, it was trash when he started. The first pictures were of this rusted, wrecked, banged-up Mustang. It must have been what he bought. And as you looked through the book, step by step you could see the car was slowly being transformed. It took months, maybe years for the owner to give patient attention to get this beautiful classic. When the owner saw that wreck, he saw more than a wreck. He saw something that others didn't see.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Rebuilder's Dream."
Well, let's go to our word for today from the Word of God in Judges 6. God is looking for a general for His troops, someone who will be a mighty commander and beat the Midianites who have intimidated and terrorized the Israelites for years. And He speaks to Gideon in verse 11, "The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak where Gideon was threshing wheat in a wine press to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, He said, 'The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.'"
Verse 14 says, "The Lord turned to him and said, 'Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?' 'But Lord,' Gideon asked, 'how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.' The Lord answered, 'I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.'"
Okay, here is Gideon. He's hiding in a pit. He doesn't look like a mighty warrior at all. And God comes along and says, "Mighty warrior!" This is no mighty warrior. But God didn't see what Gideon was. He saw what he could be and what He intended to make him. Same thing happened with Peter. Jesus said, "Peter, you're going to be a rock when I'm done with you." I imagine when people heard this they said, "Peter? He's a flake! Not a rock." But, see, when he came to Jesus he was sort of a flake. He was always up and down and inconsistent. But Jesus saw the rock He was going to make him.
He looks at you the way that Mustang owner saw that banged-up car. He sees the value in you more than you do. He knows the person He created you to be. In God's words, "His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works He prepared in advance for you to do." And His photo album shows where you were and His step-by-step rebuilding.
See, if you believe how God sees you, then there are some important changes in how life should look to you. First, when you're down about who you are, look back at the old pictures. Look what you used to be. You're becoming something aren't you?
Second, when you're down on yourself, realize you're not finished yet. The rebuilder is in the process. The Bible says in Philippians 1:6, "He who has begun a good work in you, will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." And third, when you're dealing with other people, look for and encourage the person God is building in them. Be part of His rebuilding project in their life. Tell people what they could be. Tell them the good you see in them – the potential.
And fourth, if you're a parent, don't get hung up on what your child is now. Look at what he or she could be and tell them what they could be. You, your friends, your mate, your children, they're all in the rebuilding program of Jesus Christ. Life looks different when we see our self and others through His eyes. He sees what we can be. Patiently and step-by-step, the Master is building you into a classic.