I recently replaced a couple of toilets in my house. I hate doing this kind of work; plus I always worry that if I make a mistake, it could end up costing us a lot more money. But the handyman I called came out to the house, but then he never called me back with a bid. So my wife kept telling me that we could do it ourselves. We have replaced toilets in the past, so she was confident that we could replace them.
I have to admit that it went better than I expected. We had to go and buy a few minor parts, but all in all, it went fairly smoothly. Especially since I did the work unwillingly, so I really did it kicking and screaming the whole time. So after the toilets were replaced, what were we to do with the old ones? Our trash service said that we could bring the old toilets to them and they would dispose of them for us for $14 each. That sounded high to me, so I opted instead to bust them up with a sledgehammer. That way I could dispose of them in our regular trash cart and save the fees. Plus, this way we qualify for a rebate from City Utilities for $75 for each toilet that we replaced.
Sometimes in life you just have to use a sledgehammer. There’s no other way around it. Sometimes you just have to physically break things down. Other times of course, you can use softer methods to accomplish your goal. Sometimes we just plead with someone to help us – like a friend or family member.
During this process it occurred to me that people come to faith in Christ in various ways. Chuck Norris says that he was flying in an airplane and God asked him “how long are you going to run from Me?” He says that’s when he then surrendered his life to Christ. George Whitefield was lying sick in bed and he cried out to God “I thirst.” He was thirsty for the living water that can only be supplied by Jesus Christ our Lord. A.W. Tozer was 17 years old, working really long hours in a tire factory when he walked home from work one night and he heard a street preacher say “If you don’t know how to be saved… just call on God.” Tozer went home, went up to his attic, got down on his knees and cried out to God for Him to save him and – God did.
So people come to faith in Jesus in various ways. Some witnessing methods are more subtle than others. Some people say that they came to Jesus just by the love of God. Others are brought into the kingdom by more direct, more confrontational methods. In fact we are told to go out into the highways and byways to invite people into the kingdom (Luke 14:23). Some ways are subtle like merely asking someone to come to church with on Sunday with you. Other ways are more direct, more in your face, more like using a sledgehammer.
We are out here tonight sharing God’s words of truth with you. Some people accuse us of being judgmental. We are not judging anyone. We are merely sharing with you what the Good Book says. We are not the sledgehammer, but we are out here wielding the sledgehammer. Even though Springfield is in the Bible Belt, there are still many people living here that never go to church. So we are out here tonight bringing the church to you. We sung a few hymns earlier and now we are bringing a few messages.
The sledgehammer is the Word of God. Sometimes people fight God. Sometimes they run from God – think of Jonah in the Bible. But after God grabbed Jonah’s undivided attention, Jonah obeyed God and he walked through the city of Nineveh for 3 days crying out “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” ( The citizens of that city repented in sack cloth and ashes from the king on down Jonah 3). God withheld His judgment against them and over 120,000 people were saved. But Jonah wasn’t the sledgehammer. The call to repentance was the sledgehammer.
Jonah used the sledgehammer over 2,500 years ago and a little over 2,000 years ago Jesus used this same sledge hammer during His earthly ministry. The Bible says that Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and the first recorded words of His ministry were: The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15). It is out of love that we are out here tonight wielding this very same sledgehammer – we are calling you to repent. We are calling you to repent and to put your faith in Jesus Christ our Lord (Acts 20:21).
Here’s some more of the sledgehammer, from Jeremiah chapter 23, verse 19: Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked. Again, we are not the sledgehammer – the word of God is. He is the one that sends forth His fury like a whirlwind. He’s the one that’s angry with the wicked. Psalm 7:11 states: God judges the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
Are you one of the wicked ones? Are you a proud, rebellious person tonight? Are you out here looking to satisfy the longings of your flesh? Are you out here tonight living for yourself? Are you out here to fulfill the lusts of your heart? If so, then you are one of the wicked ones that God is angry with.
Continuing in Jeremiah 23 at verse 20: The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he has executed, and till he has performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days you shall consider it perfectly. Again, God is angry with you if you are out here lusting, drinking, doing drugs or doing anything that is contrary to His Holy nature.
The sledgehammer continues with Jeremiah 23:21-29: I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
23 I am a God at hand, says the LORD, and not a God afar off?
24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? says the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? says the LORD.
25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
28 The prophet that has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? says the LORD.
29 Is not my word like as a fire? says the LORD; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
These verses very much describe the majority of today’s American televangelists. They promise you health, wealth and prosperity. They do not preach God’s Holy Word. But please notice what God said in verse 22, but if they had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doing. And in verse 28 God said let him speak my word faithfully. Folks, we are out here faithfully sharing God’s Word with you.
Will you listen? Will you allow the sledgehammer of God’s Word reach your conscience that maybe has been seared over from running from God for so long? Will you let God’s sledgehammer break your hard heart of stone? Will you surrender your life to Jesus Christ tonight? Will you admit that you are a sinner? Will you cry out for God to save you?
Will you fall broken on the Rock – the One – the Way – the Truth – the Life – Jesus Christ? You either fall broken on the Rock or that same Rock will CRUSH you on Judgment Day. Jesus said, And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder (Matthew 21:44).Which is it going to be? Will you continue living a life of sin? Will you continue living for yourself? Will you continue living for the pleasures of the flesh? Or will you forsake all – confess your sins and forsake them; forsake everything you have and fall broken at the Savior’s feet and say “I am yours Lord, do with me as You will?”
Will you allow the sledgehammer of God’s Word break you tonight? God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Will you stop fighting against God and allow Him to show you your sinfulness? Will you cry out for Jesus to cleanse you? Or will you continue blocking Him and running from Him? Will you fall broken at His feet or will you be crushed on that horrible Day of Judgment? For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). All liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death (Revelation 21:8).
Will you suffer for all of eternity for a few years of loving the world (1 John 2:15)? If you die in your sins, you will suffer unimaginable pain and suffering forever and ever. But you don’t have to do that. If God is convicting you tonight; please repent and believe the Gospel. Turn from your sins and turn to Jesus – the risen Son of God who shed His precious blood for guilty sinners like you and me. But you must receive this wonderful gift of salvation.
Repent and put your faith in Jesus. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him (Psalm 2:12). Only trust Him, only trust Him, only trust Him now. He will save you, He will save you, He will save you now.
(This message was lifted up in the open-air on the square in downtown Springfield, MO on August 1, 2014)