The man in the arena

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out

how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

The Man in the Arena

It is not the critic who counts; not the man

who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better

Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

3 principles: critisism

The credit belongs to the man who is actually

in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly……

Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

3 principles: action

who errs, who comes short again and again, because

there is no effort without error and shortcoming;

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

3 principles: we can’t fail

Moses Elijah Jeremiah Jesus Christ

4 Examples

Exo 14:11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves

in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

Num 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:

Num 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. Num 14:2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

Moses and his critics

Critics become…….Self fulfilling prophets Num 14:30 Doubtless ye shall not come into

the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Num 14:31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

Num 14:32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.

Moses and his critics

Whether we are critics or listening to the critic in our heads……

Mat 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

Mat 25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

Mat 25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

Mat 25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

Moses and his critics

Num 11:10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families,

every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.

Num 11:11 And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

Num 11:12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?

Num 11:13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.

Num 11:14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

Num 11:15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

Moses dealing with failure

Exo 33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses

face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

Exo 33:12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.

God’s critique of Moses

1Ki 18:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw

Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

1Ki 19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Ki 19:2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

Elijah and his critics

1Ki 19:4 But he himself went a day's journey

into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Elijah dealing with failure

1Ki 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and

lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

1Ki 19:10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

Elijah dealing with failure

Mat 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh

Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

God’s estimation of Elijah

Jer 20:1 Now Pashur the son of Immer the

priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.

Jer 20:2 Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.

Jeremiah and his critics

Jer 36:10 Then read Baruch in the book the words of

Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD'S house, in the ears of all the people……

Jer 36:22 Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.

Jer 36:23 And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.

Jeremiah and his critics

Jer 38:3 Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into

the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it. Jer 38:4 Therefore the princes said unto the king, We

beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.

Jer 38:5 Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.

Jer 38:6 Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.

Jeremiah and his critics

Jer 20:7 O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was

deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.

Jer 20:8 For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.

Jer 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

Jeremiah dealing with failure

Jer 20:14 Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the

day wherein my mother bare me be blessed. Jer 20:15 Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father,

saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad. Jer 20:16 And let that man be as the cities which the LORD

overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;

Jer 20:17 Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.

Jer 20:18 Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

Jeremiah dealing with failure

Jer 25:1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the

people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;

Jer 25:2 The which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,

Jer 25:3 From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.

Jer 25:4 And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.

Jer 25:7 Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.

Jeremiah dealing with failure

Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and

before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Jer 1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

Jer 1:7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

Jer 1:8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

Jer 1:9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

God’s view of Jeremiah

Mat 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said:

nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Mat 26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

Mat 26:66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

Mat 26:67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

Mat 26:68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

Jesus and his critics

Mat 27:39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging

their heads, Mat 27:40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple,

and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Mat 27:41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

Mat 27:42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

Mat 27:43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

Jesus and his critics

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus

cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus and failure

Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This

is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

God’s view of his son

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love

of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

What about us and our struggles

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,

peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Be doers not critics