The Man in the Basket
by James Chester
First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:17, Mark 2:4, Mark 2:10

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/james-chester--the-man-in-the-basket
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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thank you for standing and worshiping with the brotherhood you don't have to be seated but you can be seated if you'd like to first peter 2 and 15 honor all men love the brotherhood fear god honor the king in remarkable suddenness the great threat to the church the man from tarsus the mighty persecutor named saul was struck down by the mighty hand of god his threatenings his abuse his reign of terror was stopped with a mighty force and not only did the terror stop but our god our great redeemer took a dangerous man and turned him into a servant glory to god a servant who surrendered his life to a calling and whose calling continues to bless the church this very day i find it peculiar i find it so peculiar that christ with his own power initiated all of this he used no man to stop saul in his tracks that was god versus saul and of course god was the victory but immediately following this epic showdown with god alone god had the brotherhood in place he had the brotherhood in place to support him to guide him to sustain him to hold him up just a few scriptures following the powerful damascus road encounter god prepared a brother by the name of ananias for saul and saul would be led completely blind to this man helpless and vulnerable and that word vulnerable it's a word men tend to not like and the result of seeing the light of god blinded him and for three days he was without his sight and ananias who knew of saul's dangerous past under the direction of god would pray for him and saul would be healed saul would be filled and saul would be baptized in that wonderful name that is above every name and the great persecutor saul of tarshish became a follower and a preacher of the lord jesus christ this man who intended to bring terror to damascus was now coming into this city with an entirely different agenda your bible says that this recently converted man straightway preached christ in the synagogues that jesus was the son of god some were amazed and many were offended and you know what the disciples didn't know if they could trust him his message confounded but also infuriated listeners there were skeptics in the crowd and among the newfound brotherhood itself eventually this led to the jews taking counsel to kill him and the bible says they watched the gates day and night to kill him the city was walled there was one way in and there was one way out and the god that struck him down at conversion hear me men could have brought paul out by his own hand alone this is after all the god of philip the god of miraculous transport surely the god of philip could have done the same thing for paul as well but that just wasn't god's plan that wasn't god's plan for paul god wanted to deliver paul another way and this way of god-provided deliverance gives us a beautiful picture of the brotherhood i believe men that it reveals a key function that i believe the brotherhood is called to embody the newcomer the persecutor the guy that really we weren't all sure about would get into a basket and the brotherhood would be responsible for lowering him down what a sight i want you to think about it tonight men what a sight what a thing to imagine in that moment only god knew what potential was in that basket stop for a moment in this place stop for a moment in this place and ponder those responsible for saving paul's life did not know what would ultimately become of his life safe to ask the question would his conversion stick i mean really was he completely changed this is a question of life or death proportions for the brotherhood paul wasn't the apostle paul he was a wild persecutor let me say this to you tonight anyone would pull on the rope if they knew it was an apostle or bishop but what about the new guy what about the guy that's got a bad rap that's got a bad reputation what about the guy that just got out of rehab or may have just got out of jail you seriously don't know what if anything will come of their future but thank god for the brotherhood thank god for a group of men that wouldn't follow their flesh but listen to the voice of god saying i want you to help this man this was god's design and it's still god's design today two are better than one woe to him that is alone when he falleth men it is imperative and i feel this message in my bones tonight it's imperative that we stop going against god's design can i preach to you a little bit what i feel like the holy ghost gave me today there is no lone ranger there is no john wayne there is no frank sinatra i did it my way that way doesn't lend that message that way doesn't lead to kingdom success thank god for a committed group of men who will love the brotherhood who will love the potential in others enough to make personal sacrifice for them and take a risk for them i cannot imagine what was going through their minds the scripture gives us an understandable admission they said it's not this he that destroyed them which called on this name and came hither for that intent that he might bring them bound unto the chief priest in the brotherhood we are often called to support and help even when we truly have no idea what will actually come of the man that's in the basket we don't know we know now on this side of church history but they didn't have our privilege i'm sure all kinds of things went through their mind i'm sure all kinds of thoughts came about i'm sure they felt torn i'm sure they felt conflicted i'm sure they felt pulled in so many different directions and that's a common feeling for men sometimes life can feel like a giant tug of war i cannot imagine what was going through their minds sometimes life can feel like a giant tug of war so many things pulling us in so many different directions is there a man in this room that feels like that today later paul would make reference to that particular feeling he wrote in his letters to the church at corinth that when they came into macedonia their bodies had no rest and were afflicted at every turn fighting without and fear within i see men in this position and the enemy wants us in one of two positions hear me tonight men our enemy wants us in one of two positions he wants us either paralyzed with fear or fighting in frustration the wrong battle he wants you either doing nothing or he wants you pulling in the wrong direction we have so many using their strength their god-given strength and leadership abilities to pull against each other don't abandon me now to pull against leadership and covering i want to say it out loud to you in this room and i feel like we have this kind of liberty at men's conference they are pulling ropes of destruction they are pulling ropes of division they are pulling roads of conflict and i challenge every man in this house to do some evaluation and be sure that you're pulling in the right direction that we are engaged in the right battle i'm reminded of a ben franklin quote if we don't hang together we will most assuredly hang separately the brotherhood needs unity and engagement loyalty faith disunity and isolation are satan's tools to disrupt the strength of the brotherhood don't get into pulling don't get into a pulling match against your brother generations suffer when godly men pull against one another let me say it boldly to you we are busy playing king of the hill and tongue of war while people are dying and facing eternity and i feel like i need to say this to you all tonight and i hope you hear me listen just because somebody invites you to a conflict doesn't mean you have to accept me and the best response you can give is simply i have better things to pull for than to pull against my brethren i believe god truly wants to use the strength of men and hear me we can't afford to exert needed strength on pointless battles when our strength and focus is so desperately needed elsewhere pulling against one another pulling against one another ensures we are not on the same team pulling with one another and while we pull against our brethren no one is pulling for souls no one is supporting the basket when your constant perpetual position is tug of war a rope of conflict you won't have time to pull for rescue jude reminds us in the end time there's going to be some scoffers propelled by their own ungodly desires these people are divisive they are worldly and jude says they're devoid of the spirit but you he's talking to us you you brothers you must build different and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh i want to be with the brotherhood i said i want to be with the brotherhood i want to be with the brotherhood pulling and saving with fear so you know what instead of pulling on this never-ending conflict division and conflict i've got to make up my mind it's time to take my god-given strength and use it for its god-given purpose i need my helper to help me he's somewhere there he is you got to make sure you're pulling in the right direction the enemy wants us either neutralized or he wants us pulling against one another but what i see beyond this conference is us putting those conflicts aside and getting on the right rope and getting with the right group and pulling for the right cause come on man can i get an amen hear me we cannot allow trivial strife to hinder brotherly love of course we contend for the faith but i'm here to tell you we have no command to be contentious with one another or to contend for politics sorry not sorry somebody needed to say it preacher preached the kingdom of heaven and men be a witness for the kingdom of heaven there's already a predicted end to the kingdom of this earth take your stand for morality yes but don't waste your precious strength on every political battle because here's the truth we surrender the strength of collaboration when we dwell in contention and the conduct that it brings also i want to tell you men you got to be careful that we're not prioritizing the wrong things can i preach a little bit to you tonight without question it's god's will for man to work and it's god's command that men must worship and worship is only reserved for god so if i worship work i don't worship god we can't be guilty of going all in for gold and have nothing left for god we can't be guilty going all in for ambition for success going for broke but the brotherhood somehow we're missing in action is that all right be careful tell your neighbor be careful be careful working those extra hours and missing worship obligation to providing a livelihood is one thing but the extra is another keeping up with the joneses can lead to losing track of the brotherhood and we've got men in the basket and we need strength on the rope take a moment and praise him right now we gotta stir up something in this room hear it bishop this leads to a sad reality and what is that sad reality for some churches some men are pulling in the wrong direction in the church and then there's other men that just don't pull at all they're missing in action and how truly and profoundly sad it is for a man who has experienced his own rescue but devotes no time to the brotherhood i got to hurry joseph's brother failed him miserably they listen listen to me they put him in a pit and then they set down to eat that's what your bible says and atrocity they sat down and filled their bellies after putting their brother in a pit brothers how can you eat when your brother's in a pit in my personal reading recently i read this horrible admission from his brothers years years later after joseph's imprisonment things is coming around then they said talking about the brothers then they said one to another in truth we are guilty concerning our brother and that we saw the distress of his soul when he begged us and we did not listen and that's why this distress has come upon us don't fail your brothers gentlemen sacrifice is required to love the brotherhood they heard his distress from that pit they heard him begging and they were sitting that close while filling their bellies within earshot they did not listen they did not respond to a cry of help don't let life's tug of war sign line sideline you and keep you from pulling for souls can you give me a minute this has been on my heart i've been burdened with this message it bothers me when i see men in the altar needing the brotherhood and only ladies are praying and god forbid nobody's there praying at all what a shame for holy ghost field men to sit in the pew leaving a man hanging in the basket come on brothers don't leave a man hanging there's a reason satan's trying to keep you out of wednesday night service there's a reason you feel that pull to take you away from sunday it's because there's a man that needs the brotherhood are you caught in a tug of war here to provide some direction tonight there's a need we need real men apostolic men who will participate and help pull in the right direction all men you should honor god is to be feared we should honor government officials but peter says the brotherhood should be loved we are not obeying the scripture when we honor the brotherhood only we honor all men but we love the brotherhood all brothers it doesn't matter color culture or background we love the brotherhood it's not enough to respect the brotherhood it's not enough to honor the brotherhood you are expected to love it by this all men will know that you're my disciples if you have love for one another and the greek word used there is agape love it requires sacrifice the brotherhood will inconvenience you it won't be easy for you to get to the church service god has called you to come into oh hear me how long has it been since you struggled and needed somebody to hold up your hands how long's it been since it took a group of men to help you and praying about this message and i'm hastening to a close i believe the lord showed me that the brotherhood needs faithful dependable strength that will hold steady and be committed to pulling in the right direction in war men cannot fight alone and survive very long same in spiritual warfare there's a myth and some of you are buying into it that men must shoulder their own responsibilities but i want to tell you something god gave us a glimpse of something in the life of of of our apostle paul's vulnerability was designed by god the brotherhood was called to engage and support a dangerous new stranger you know the rule of the jungle says never show weakness inadequacy fear to do so gives an advantage to the opponent in addition to faithful strength the brotherhood needs vulnerable men who realize they need to be in the basket i have a strong admission for all of you tonight the bible says confess your faults one to another my wife will be glad to hear this confession sometimes i'm a basket case i go to church to worship jesus i go to church to lead my family by example i go to church to love the family of god love the brotherhood but i have to admit there are times i need prayer i need strength i need support and i tell you this night sometimes pride wants me to believe that my only place is on the rope but i have to be vulnerable enough to admit it's me that belongs in that basket sometimes it's okay for a preacher to get prayed for it's okay for the men's director to get prayed for it's okay i feel the holy ghost there's not a man in this room who doesn't need the strength of the brotherhood our creator designed this church this body this family this brotherhood in such a way that we depend upon one another we all have our moments when we are in fact not the strength on the rope but we are the man in the basket we are the basket case i'm a basket case if you haven't been a basket case yet you'll be a basket case soon but i've got good news for you if you're here tonight and you're a man saying pastor chester after all of these months of restrictions and all of these months of losing finances and all these months of suffering i feel like a basket case i got good news you're in good company moses was a basket case in the bull rush paul was a basket case down the wall and i think it's all right tonight for you to say i'm in a season where i don't have the strength to pull myself remain standing if you can i've got a hurry paul being lowered down by the brotherhood this is not the first time seeing in such an act play out in scripture mark two and four says and when they could not come nigh unto him for the press are you following me they uncovered the roof where he was oh i like it i like where this is going that bad guy's about to get it when they had broken it up somebody was on the rope they let down the bed we're in the sick of the palsy and very powerfully your bible says when jesus saw their faith he said to the sick of the palsy son thy sins be forgiven verse 10 says i say unto you rise up jesus saw the faith of the brotherhood and he healed the man that was in the bastions i believe the eyes of the lord is upon this service right now will he find faith in the brotherhood will he see men using their strength pulling for a brother in need the music will come when moses arms grew tired aaron and her brought a stone for him to sit on while they stood beside him and held up his arms holding them steady until the sun went down in this way joshua totally defeated the amalekites hear me when i say this men we are commanded to lift up holy hands oh yes we're commanded to lift up holy hands without wrath without doubting getting your hands up is required and getting your hands up when they are heavy from the weight of this world is critical and it can feel impossible and you may be tempted to go passive from the things that overwhelm you but when you love the brotherhood you don't mind lifting your hands and you don't mind being an aaron and a her who will keep another brother's hand in the air i'm here to challenge you men tonight you go to church and lift up your holy hands that's one level and i'm glad you're doing it but the next level for you is to help somebody else lift their hands and this is what i have found out you can't help somebody lift their hands without you lifting your hands with them praise them right now they're getting ready to sing my god i was a benefactor of the brotherhood i closed with this when i was 16 years old i sat as a young man at a youth camp brother carpenter i'm making a confession i sit in the back of that service i thought i was mr cool i was raised around the church but didn't have any interest in real change in my life i watched as god touched other young people i determined i will sit back here as long as i sit back here nothing can happen to me but i had a problem i had a brotherhood tell you what these men did to me they came back to where i was sitting cold and silent and i believe it was greg crocker one of my best friends that spoke up got my buddies and they came back to me and he spoke up he said let's go and they escorted me i feel bad i wish i just would have went but they came back there and they got me so you know what my heart of pride said my heart of pride said well james chesser all these guys lifting up their hands and surrender if you'll just keep your hands in your pockets nothing's going to happen to you i'm telling you the truth so that's what i did i put my hands in my pocket jerry and i walked like an inmate i felt like an inmate walking down there walked down there with my hands in my pocket and i sat there and i stood there like a statue ain't nothing going to happen to me but you know what these brothers did i'm telling you i'm telling you i don't recommend this but this is what they did brother batson they took my hands and they pulled them out of my pockets and i started feeling afraid inside and i'm telling you this night when my hands got about here i felt something like i've never felt before in my life and i was revealed with the holy ghost and i know i would not be who i am today if it wasn't for james and greg crocker if it wasn't for kenny chesser if it wasn't for jason clifton they wouldn't allow me to stay lost guys we've got men in the basket we need somebody pulling somebody holding the rope somebody all over this place every hand let's lift it up to god before they sing if you want to pray you come on and pray but we're going to proceed in song for a minute but lift up holy hands lift up holy hands if you're here and you're standing next to someone and you know their soul weighs in the balance don't sit back with apathy don't be like joseph's brothers and just sit and eat and sit and live it's time to pull for the brotherhood go ahead brother wall