Jentezen Franklin - And Then Some
Look with me in Genesis 24. Genesis 24. I want to talk to you about a principle in life from God's word that will guarantee success in your life, in your family, in your relationships, in your business. It is a Bible principle found from Genesis to Revelation, and if you honor it, it will bring great reward to your life. And in this story, I want you to see this principle. I'm going to give it to you in just a moment. It's a great love story, Genesis 24 I think it's the largest chapter in the Old Testament, and it's a love story. A love story between a man and the love of his life. He's the most eligible bachelor on the planet. His name is Isaac, he's the son of Abraham. Abraham made a covenant with God, and God blessed him exceedingly. In cattle, silver, gold, riches, and wealth.
Read it, read it. He's mightily blessed of God. Abraham. And beyond that, spiritual blessings that are remarkable. And God said, "Your seed will be greater than the sands of the seashore". So whoever marries your son and your children are going to produce a whole nation. Out of this boy, Isaac, will come 12 sons that will become the children of Israel. Out of Jacob's will become the children of Israel, the whole nation of Israel, the Messiah will come. So watch this. Abraham's the father, he has a son named Isaac. Back in Bible days, they believed in arranged marriages. You didn't go online and find you somebody to marry, and now, I'm not kicking that. If it floats your boat, then great, make sure they're saved and not a weirdo. But I'm just telling you that back then, they did arranged marriages.
And so, Abraham says to his trusted servant, Eliezer, who by the way is a beautiful type of the Holy Spirit. You want to know what the Holy Spirit's doing? He's getting the bride ready for the groom. And Eliezer in this story is giving the enormous task by the father to, "Go find my boy his bride". And he doesn't know how to find the bride. I mean, this is a huge, prophetic thing here, and out of all the women in the world, he's got to find the one. And he goes to a heathen land, a foreign land. And so, finally, he gets there, and he says, "This is crazy". Eliezer. "I'm supposed to find some girl. I don't know what she looks like. I don't know how to do this. So God, I need Your help. I put a fleece out before You. I'm going to sit right here at the well," because in Bible days, women would gather at the well.
And he said, "I'm going to sit right here with my ten camels, and here's the fleece. Here's how I'll know which one is the pick, for Isaac. I'm going to sit here and say nothing, and the girl who comes and offers me water, is courteous enough, kind enough, to offer me, a stranger, water," and here's the kicker, "And waters the camels also, that'll be the one that I'll know is worthy to be the wife of Isaac," the son of Abraham. So what's he looking for? He's looking for someone who is going to offer him water and his mangy, stinky, ugly camels, ten of them, and they can hold 40 gallons of water each. And all of them on the dashboard has the red light dashing, because they just come out of the desert, and they had nothing to drink for 500 miles. They're on empty.
And here this girl is, and in a culture of the Middle East, there's something known as the law of hospitality, which says this: If a stranger comes, you are to offer them, it's custom, this is what ordinary people do. You offer them some water. That's the normal, but she does something strange. He's sitting there, she does not know that he works for the richest man in the world. She does not know that he is looking for a bride for, basically, Prince Charming. This guy's got it all. I mean, he is super wealthy, he's single, come on, girls. He's good looking, he loves God, he's in covenant with God, he's got a blessing of favor on his life, and he's just looking for a woman. She doesn't know who this guy is, and she walks up and says, "Sir", and by the way, the Bible said she was beautiful. Rachel was beautiful, and she walks up and she says, "Sir, can I offer you water"? And he's just sitting there, watching.
And then, she says, "And by the way, while you sit there and refresh yourself, I'm going to water all ten of your camels," 40 gallons of water per camel, 400 gallons. They didn't have a water hose, folks. She had to take the bucket. She had to do it the old-fashioned way. I mean, she's breaking fingernails. She's getting runs in her pantyhose, her hairdo is falling apart, her mascara's running by the fifth, can you imagine, by the fifth camel that's needing 40 gallons of water? Her stuff's falling all to pieces. I mean, she doesn't look so nice anymore. But this is the lifestyle, this is who she is. She's not just do what average people do, she does what's expected, here it is, and then some.
That's what I'm talking about. This is the principle that will elevate your life above average. It's when you begin to do what is expected, and then some. It was expected to give him water, it was totally unexpected for someone of unusual character, kindness, and Christian love to go far beyond and water every camel until they wouldn't drink anymore. That is someone who's doing what is expected, and then some. I mean, she voluntarily, of her own free will, without knowing that there was any reward attached, here's the weird thing.
She didn't know, but the Bible said that he had filled saddle bags. On those ugly, ugly camels, were filled with saddle bags of gold, gold bracelets, gold earrings. It said rubies and expensive jewels. There she is. She could've said, "It's not in my resume. Get your own water. I've done what I was supposed to do. I've done what anybody else would do. I'm average, and that's all I do". But she, as a lifestyle, is doing this, not knowing anybody's watching her, and the criteria that God is using to choose this girl is not her hips and her lips, is not her hairdo, it's look at this girl, she does what is expected, and then some. And God says, "I choose her to be the bride of Isaac".
Three words distinguish her from everybody else, and then some. I'll show you what God looks for. Not just, you know, an attitude that says, "That's not on my resume. That's not on my job description. That's not what I'm supposed to, that's not my department". We work as unto God. And God looks for people to elevate and bless who do what's expected, and then some. He judged her by her work ethic. He judged her by her work standard. And it was a lousy job. It'd be wonderful if she was working in a palace, and, you know, with Chanel Number Five and everything, but it's manure number six, it's nasty. It's nasty. And she's got a sorry job, but she's giving it everything she's got, and then some, and God says, "Uh-oh. I won't let you stay in that level of what you're doing," because when you touch this principle of and then some, it raises you. You will not stay hidden, you will not stay in the shadows.
She's a nobody, she has no idea that a multi-multi... is watching her. You don't know who's watching you. Three words that distinguish highly successful people from average people is and then some. Highly successful people do what is expected, and then some. Highly successful marriages have spouses who do what is expected, and then some. And the marriage is blessed. Students that do well, do what is expected and then some. Athletes who do amazing and make it to the top of their world, they do what is expected, everybody else does it, but they always, every time, do something that other people won't do. It's an and then some factor. Christians that are outstanding are not Christians who say, "I'm going to do as little as I can to get by and make it into heaven".
We need some and then some Christians, who don't just come to church, and do what's supposed to do, and I'm done. But it's when you move into the area of sacrifice, it's when you move... what did the fire fall on? What brought the presence of God in the Bible? It's when they sacrificed, and there's something about doing what is expected, and then some, that God really, really honors. Current workplace philosophy is do the least expected, and try to get the most for it. I'm going to do minimum effort, and I want maximum reward. Give me insurance, give me this, give me that, give me this, give me that, and I'm going to give you the least I can, and hold onto my job. But that's not what God blesses. God blesses people who do something that Jesus called the extra mile.
Jesus said, "If a man compels you to go a mile and carry his bag for him, you are to go the second mile without him asking". You become a second mile person. You become and then some: I know you hired me to go one mile, but I'll go two miles, because I'm an and then some person. Jesus said, "Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the pharisees, you'll not enter the Kingdom of Heaven". What was their pharisee righteousness like? They would do only what was required. They were legalist. They were clock-watchers. They were looking for payday and sun down, and that's it. Is that how you go to your job? "Well, it's a sorry job. I'm flipping burgers. I don't like it. I should be owning the place. I'm going to be this". You're not going to be nothing if you don't learn how to succeed where you are. And when you start giving what is required and then some, and a lousy job, that was not a sweet, beautiful, wonderful job.
Those animals spitting on her, those animals, that nasty smell of a mangy camel, but she's giving it everything she's got. What's happening in this generation? We need a generation of young people who don't sit back and say, "You ought to give me this, and give me that, and give me", you need to get something in you that says, "I'm not going to be average in my generation. I'm going to be an and then some person, and I'm going to do everything that they expect, and then some". Come on. How many of you want some "and then some" children?
This is going to shock some of you. You're not going to win anybody to Jesus with Christian bumper stickers on your car. I know that's a shocker. But I'll tell you what'll win people to the Lord, and give you a platform in their life. Maybe the greatest tool of evangelism to reach this culture of unchurched people is when we do what is expected of us in the workplace and then some, on a consistent basis, as a lifestyle. People just start seeing it, and suddenly, they say, "Wow". After you've done what is expected, you do a little extra. If that happened, if Christians started operating the principle that I'm talking about, you would not be the tail at that job long, you would be the head. It's a matter of time before somebody, and you're not doing it when the boss is watching. She didn't know anybody. This was who she was. She was doing it because it needed to be done. "And I know it's not on my job disc, but look at that box, it needs to be picked up. I need to clean that area up. Somebody spilt something here". "And I know that's so-and-so's job, well, I ain't gonna do..." But there's something about an and-then-some person. And boy y'all don't shout me down this morning. I mean, the crowd participation is amazing this morning.
Talk about a witness. Jesus is telling us that quoting scriptures on the job and testifying, when you're not giving maximum effort, is a waste of time. People don't care about your testimony if they see you a lazy bud. Amazing thing is when you're the top producer in your field, you can say whatever you want. Nobody don't want to hear your secret if you just lost the ball game, if you just lost a big contract. Nobody don't want to hear about your testimony. But when you have done something and you've worked and you've gone the extra mile, and you've gone beyond what was expected, and now, you're reaping the benefits of that hard work, there's something about that moment that you can stand on that platform, in that moment, and say, "Well, as I receive this award, first of all, I want to give glory and honor to Jesus Christ". That's powerful.
Here it is now, and I'm almost done, but hang in there. Extra blessings come from extra efforts. If you don't get nothing else out of this sermon, say that with me, come on, say it bold at every campus. "Extra blessings come from extra efforts". Think about an and then some effort in your marriage. If extra effort leads to extra reward, what would happen, gentlemen, if you came home, and I know it's not your job in your mind 'cause you work all day long, and blah-blah-blah, blah-blah, but what if your wife came home and the house was clean? See? See? Did you hear that? Crickets. Crickets.
I know you young couples, y'all got your little babies and stuff, and here's what I learned from our five children, that extra effort brings extra reward. If I would just break away, I'm busy, I got all these people, and they've got a lot of issues, and I have to pastor them. Cherise, you don't understand. But what I finally realized is if I'll give extra effort to help her with those babies, when they were babies, what's that look like? I'd go home sometimes, and I'd say, "You go get your fingers done. You need a break. You're about to kill us all. Go, get out of the house". She's been shut up in the house with five little, drunk midgets running around, tearing everything, vomiting, throwing up, messing in their pants. She does this day after day, so what does the extra effort looks like?
Yeah, I got a tremendous, Sunday's always coming, I've got to have a... I got stuff all the time. But when you go and just say, "I got the kids. I've got 'em for three hours. Go do your thing". Extra effort. Which explains why they kept coming, the children. One after another after another after another, so. Bear that in mind. But I'm just telling you, I'm trying to help you. A good marriage is not 50/50, a good marriage is and then some. I don't live for self, it's not about "I'm not getting what I need out of this marriage".
Marriages don't go into divorce court because mates are doing extra for each other. Marriages go into divorce court because people are sitting on their fat rear-ends, whining about what they're not getting out of the relationship, when you ought to be giving an "then some". If you want to be the head of your home, bud, there's more to being the head of your home than having a zipper on your pants. Ed Cole said, "You are male by birth, you are man by choice," and manhood means I take responsibility for my marriage, my family, my children, my resources. That's what a man does. An then some.
I thought this was cool. The Disneyland CEO, Eisner was once asked, because the grounds of Disneyworld are so immaculate, clean, if you've ever been there. I mean, just tens of thousands of people, and you never see trash. You never see it. It's just spotless. And so, he was asked one time by a reporter, "How many do you have in maintenance to keep this place this pristine? What's the deal"? He said, "We have 45.000 employed in maintenance". And the guy said, "I must've misunderstood you. Did you mean 4.500"? He said, "No. 45.000. Every employee knows that if there's trash on the floor, if you're the first to see it, pick it up". "And that is not in my job description". And then some. I'd throw that out in this church. If you go in the bathroom and you see a paper towel on the ground, don't rub your foot on it and keep on walking; clean your shoe too. Okay, alright. Don't let your children grow up with a just enough attitude. "Just enough". They'll never be successful. If your gonna be successful, you gotta realize He's El Shaddai, more than enough.
I close with this thought. Listen to this. There are so many galaxies, 60 billion galaxies. Your God is an and then some God. We only need one for man. We're the only thing living that we know of. But God says, "I'm going to and then some, so I'm going to add another 60 billion, 'cause that's who I am. I'm not enough, I'm more than enough". I'm saying to you today, that here's the point, and I close with this. Don't shoot those camels, ride them. Don't shoot that job. What you don't know is, that that ugly situation is the gateway to the greatest reward she will ever receive in her life. Doesn't look like much, but if you give everything you've got and then some to an ugly situation, it will not stay ugly. It will actually transport you from where you are, and she gets on those same camels that she's tanked up, like riding an Escalade, to her little rich boy out in the field, little Isaac, got bling-bling, all over.
The Bible said that in those side bags, she had bracelets. Can you imagine, and earrings that weighed a half a talent? My lord, these are massive. Gold, solid gold. She has hit the jackpot, and then she's got a good looking guy, waiting in the field, and he sees her coming on the camels, the silhouette, and he jumps off of his horse, and runs through the field. This is in Genesis 24, you should read the Bible sometime. And he's running through the field, and he's never seen her, and she jumps off the camel, and she's running, and her big ol' earrings are "bling-bling-bling".
And it all happened, God chose her for this kind of life. She becomes the multiplier of the Kingdom of God that ultimately produces the Messiah. I mean, her seed was more than the sands of the seashore. That's a lot of stretch marks. A lot. That's a lot of babies. And it all started with I've got an ugly, ugly, low-class, low-paying, good-for-nothing job here. But I'm going to give everything I've got to it, and then some. And God says, "That's going to carry you to the greatest reward you could ever imagine, because you weren't doing it unto him. 'As you do it unto the least of these, you have done it,' — you work for Me, and I will reward your effort.