This document contains the text of a sermon given at First Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi on April 22, 2012. The sermon discusses what it means to wait on the Lord and encourages believers to strengthen their relationship with God by weaving together different spiritual disciplines and practices, likening it to strands in a rope. These strands include prayer, Bible reading, meditation on Scripture, focusing on Jesus, assembling with other Christians, and sharing the Gospel. Waiting on the Lord involves both binding oneself to Him through these disciplines and eagerly anticipating His return.

1. Philippians 3:20
April 22, 2012
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

2. "Praying For Our Jerusalem"
Acts 1:8

3. Thank You for Serving
banquet to honor waiters &
waitresses at: The South,
627 East Silas Brown
Jackson, MS 39201
Monday, April 23rd 6-8

6. Next Generation Leader
Luncheon
(For Young Professionals
ages 20-39)
Thursday, April 26, 2012
11:45 a.m.

7. Christian Life Center
Auditorium
Chris Maddux, Speaker
"Are You a Contributor
or a Consumer?"

8. Reservations
$10.00 per person
call (601) 949-1941
or
go online at www.fbcj.org

9. FRIEND DAY
SUNDAY, APRIL 29th
Goal: 2,500 in SS
Offering warm fellowship
and refreshments!

13. FRIENDS
Betty Stevens
Pat Patterson

14. The MacArthur New
Testament Commentary,
Copyright © Moody Press
and John MacArthur, Jr.,
1983-2007.

15. Wait on the Lord
by
Steven P. Wickstrom

16. New American Standard
Bible (NASB)

17. What are we waiting for?

18. Philippians 3:20
“For our citizenship is in
Heaven, from which also we
eagerly wait for a Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ;”

19. Because of Jesus’ promise to
return, believers are to be:
"awaiting eagerly the
revelation of our Lord Jesus
Christ" 1 Cor 1:7, and

20. “we are to wait for Him from
Heaven, Whom God raised
from the dead, that is Jesus,
Who rescues us from the
wrath to come."
1 Thessalonians 1:10

21. Psalm 27:14
14 “Wait for the LORD;
Be strong and let your heart
take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD.”

22. So how are we to “eagerly
wait” for Him?
This word, wait is also found
in Isaiah 40:31.

23. Isaiah 40:31
God texted this message to us
through Isaiah over 2700 years
ago!

24. Isaiah 40:31
31 “Yet those who wait for
the LORD
Will gain new strength;
(the major message of this
passage is about strength)

25. They will mount
up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get
tired, They will walk and not
become weary.”
Isaiah 40:31

27. In life - occasionally we soar
like an eagle,
sometimes we run and don’t
get tired,
but most of life is lived at a
walk.

28. So we must learn to walk
with the Lord (as Enoch did)
and also to wait on the Lord.
In doing so, we will gain new
strength!

29. Wait in Isaiah 40:31 comes
from the Hebrew word –
qavah
which has both a literal
meaning and a figurative
meaning.

30. The literal meaning of the
word qavah (wait) is:
“to bind together like a cord”

31. Think of making a rope
(cord) by twisting or
weaving (binding) thin
strands together to form the
rope.

35. The more strands that are
twisted or woven together in
a rope, the greater is its
strength.

37. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NIV
9 “Two are better than one,
because they have a good
return for their work:

38. 10 If one falls down, his
friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him
up!

39. 11 Also, if two lie down
together, they will keep
warm.
But how can one keep
warm alone?

40. 12 Though one may be
overpowered, two can
defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is
not quickly broken.”
Eccl 4:10-12

43. A piece of string cannot lift
very much weight because it
does not have very many
strands in it.

45. A rope however can lift
hundreds of pounds
because it is made up of
many strands.

47. When a rope lifts or pulls a
load, it stretches a little
while it is working.
As it stretches, the
individual strands are pulled
closer together.

50. Now imagine that One of
those strands in the rope is
Unbreakable!
That One would be none
other than Jesus Christ!

54. While this “stress” is on the
rope, the individual strands
are pulled closer together,
closer to the Unbreakable
One - to lift or to pull the
load.

56. John 16:33
“In the world you have
tribulation (pressure),
but take courage; I have
overcome the world.”

58. So our strength comes
through being united with
Christ.
“I can do all things through
Christ, Who strengthens
me.” Philippians 4:13

59. 2 Thessalonians 3:3
3 “The Lord is faithful, and
He will strengthen and
protect you from the
evil one.”

61. The “rope” of our lives gains
us new strength by being
twisted or woven or bound
together with the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

62. We are to entwine our lives
around His life while we are
waiting!
A rope's strength remains
constant even when it is not
being used.

63. *When a rope is not being
used, what is it doing?
The rope is “waiting.”
*It “waits” for its Owner to
put it to use.

64. So how exactly do we “wait”
upon the Lord?

65. *The best analogy again is
this one of a rope made up
of many strands.
*The literal definition of
“qavah” implies strength
through numbers.

66. A rope is made up of many
strands and so is our
relationship with God.
*The more “strands” that
we weave into our
relationship with God, the

67. stronger that relationship
will be.
What strands make up our
relationship with God?

68. • Pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
We are practicing the
presence of God when we
pray so we must show up for
practice.

70. • Read and Study the Bible
daily - 2 Timothy 2:15
• Memorize the Word -
Psalm 119:11
• Meditate on His Word day
and night – Psalm 1:1-2

74. • Keep our focus on Jesus -
Hebrews 12:2
2b “fixing our eyes on Jesus,
the Author and Perfecter of
our faith,”

75. • Assemble with other
Christians –
Hebrews 10:24-25

76. Hebrews 10:24-25
24“and let us consider how to
stimulate one another to love
and good deeds,
25 not forsaking our own
assembling together, as is

77. the habit of some,
but encouraging one
another; and all the more as
you see the day drawing
near.”
Hebrews 10:24-25

78. • Share the Gospel –
Matthew 28:19-20, Luke 19
• What are some other
“strands” that we can weave
into strengthening our
relationship with God?

79. That is how we renew and
gain new strength.
That is how we rise up with
wings like an eagle's.

80. That is how we run through
life and not get weary.
That is how we walk
through problems and
adversity without fainting.

81. By weaving all the strands
together, we “wait” upon
the Lord.
So while we are waiting, we
are to entwine our lives
around His life!

82. So the literal meaning of the
word qavah (wait) is:
“to bind together like a cord”

83. The figurative definition of
the word “qavah” is:
“to hope, to expect.”
The figurative meaning of
“qavah” conveys
anticipation.

84. It is the same type of
waiting that children do on
Christmas morning
while waiting for Mom and
Dad to get out of bed so
they can open presents.

86. It is also the same type of
waiting that a child does
when told that their
Granddaddy built them a
playhouse and is coming to
pick them up and take them

87. to play in it for the first time!
So the child stares out of the
window expectantly
anticipating the arrival of
the One who loves them.

88. Luke 2:25-38
25 “And there was a man in
Jerusalem whose name was
Simeon; and this man
was righteous and devout,

89. looking for the consolation
of Israel; and the Holy Spirit
was upon him.

90. 26 And it had been revealed
to him by the Holy Spirit
that he would not see death
before he had seen the
Lord’s Christ.

91. 27 And he came in the Spirit
into the temple; and when
the parents brought in the
Child Jesus, to carry out for
Him the custom of the Law,

92. 28 then he took Him into his
arms, and blessed God, and

93. said, 29 “Now Lord, You are
releasing Your bond-servant
to depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen
Your salvation,

94. 31 Which You have
prepared in the presence of
all peoples,
32 A LIGHT OF
REVELATION TO THE
GENTILES,

95. And the glory of Your
people Israel.”
33 And His father
and mother were amazed at
the things which were being
said about Him.

96. 34 And Simeon blessed
them and said to Mary His
mother, “Behold, this Child
is appointed for the fall and
rise of many in Israel, and
for a sign to be opposed—”

97. 35 and a sword will pierce
even your own soul—to the
end that thoughts from
many hearts may be
revealed.”

98. 36 And there was a
prophetess, Anna the
daughter of Phanuel, of the
tribe of Asher. She was
advanced in years and had
lived with her husband

99. seven years after her
marriage,
37 and then as a widow to
the age of eighty-four. She
never left the temple,
serving night and day with

100. fastings and prayers.
38 At that very moment she
came up and began giving
thanks to God, and
continued to speak of Him
to all those who were

101. looking for the redemption
of Jerusalem.
Luke 2: 25-38

104. Until Christ returns,
believers "groan within
themselves, waiting eagerly
for their adoption as sons,
the redemption of the body"
(Romans 8:23).