THE HOUND OF HEAVEN
JOHN 11:28

A. Francis Thompson write “The Hound of Heaven” He was not being irreverent or disrespectful.
1. Saying, “Where ever he went God followed.” Aware of God’s blessings & offer of salvation.
a. PS. 139:7-10.
(A) God is like that. He seeks mankind to save them. Does every thing in his power to bless
them.
(1) In Bethany was a home Jesus Loved. Mary, Martha, Lazareth. A place of rest.
(a) Jesus was away teaching & Lazarus died. Jesus did not return for the funeral.
(b) The sisters belief was, “If Jesus hd been here Lazarus would not have died.”
(2) In our sorrow, we often think that God has forsaken us. When tragedy touches
our lives we have a tendency to blame God.
(1) God not promised Pie in the Sky. Never said, " The skies will always be blue."
(2) God has promised to be with us. To provide every need to the end of the way.
(B) Four days after Lazareth died Jesus returned to Bethany.
The 1st words He spoke were about the future Life. JNO. 11:23-25.
(a) Through sorrow they learned to turn to God. That’s just one of the ways God
seeks us.
(b) Did you ever wonder about all the ways God makes us aware of need for Him?
(c) Those are the ways He makes us wonder about Him and begin to seek Him.
(2) God calls us through the Bible. From Genesis to Revleation we hear God calling.
(a) GEN. 1:3:9, “My Adam, My Adam, where are you.”
(b) God’s favorite words are, “Come to Me.”
(c) In the Old Testament we hear God calling through the prophets, ISA. 55:1.
(C) In the New Testament we hear that call more distinctly. We understand it more clearly.
(1) The call has greater urgency, clearer meaning.
(a) MATT. 11:28.
(b) Yoke was the collar oxen pulled with. If it did not fit it would gauld and make a
sore. Made the bruden very painful. Carpenter would shape & smooth the yoke
so that it was no longer Painful.
(2) JNO. 6:37.
(a) It boils down to this. The Bible is a personal Invitation from God Himself.
(b) Invitation written on the pages of this Book, sealed with the blood of God’s Son.
b. God calls us through Loved ones. They can be great example and encouragement.
(A) My wife’s quiet life for the Lord. Faithful inspsite of me. She walked in the cold rain.
(1) Little, by little the beauty of God in her drew me to Him. She was God’s word to me.
(a) 2 COR. 3:2-3.
If you have a Godly wife or husband you are truly blessed.
(b) You need to become one with them in Christ. The last thing you want to do
is be a hinderance to them in their relationship to God.
(2) God calls us through His goodness.
(1) ROM. 2:4.
(b) Warning about rejecting God. Recognize God’s goodness & let it draw you
to Him.
(c) Once you find God & follow Him the more aware you become of His goodness.
(d) You are what you allow God to make you. Or you are what you allow Satan
to make of you.

(3) If a boy loves a Girl he does everything in his power to prove it. She comes first.
(a) If she Loves him in return she does not treat him with Indifference.
(b) Proof of love, depth, degree is seen by the response it makes.
(c) JAS. 1:17.
(d) How do I respond to that unending love?
(B) God calls us through heartache, difficulties, troubles. That may sound paradoxical but
it’s still true.
(1) Heard saying, “Sometimes you have to hit a Mule between eyes to get his attention?”
(a) Some people only think of God when they experience hard times.
(b) Never see Jesus until their eyes are washed with own tears. They never hear
God’s call until their ears are filled with the sound of their own sobs.
(2) 2 SAM 14.
(1) Joab had a Barley field that was prized. Absolom wanted to send a message to David by Joab. Called Joab and Joab refused to come. Finally Absolom set the field on fire. Joab asked, “WHY?” “To get your attention and it worked, you’re here.”
(a) Ever see a shepherd throw a Lamb into a stream. It gets the Ewes to follow.
(b) An unfaithful Christian lost his youngest son. He railed, cursed God.
(c) After a long discussion he told me, “Kennie is happier than I could ever make him
and I’m Thankful to God for caring for Kennie. I’ll serve God so I can see my son
again.”
(3) The lesson is obvious. It’s easier to serve God voluntarily than to have God have call
you the hard way?
(a) There is one who loves you more than any parent ever loved a child.
(b) He died for you and wants to bless you. Dont’ wait to return His love.
(c) As Martha said to Mary in JNO. 11:28, “The Master has come and calls for you,”
(d) ACTS 20:32.

Spur - 2/18/2001 pm