Pastor's Sermon
Outline
JANUARY 2, 2005
“GOD’S PROMISES TO HIS CHURCH”
SCRIPTURE READING: ISAIAH 54:1-17
SCRIPTURE TEXT:
ISAIAH 54:3
For thou shalt break
forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit
the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
INTRO: Many people enter the new year with dread and fear,
while others enter the new year with hope and anticipation, what
makes the difference?”
When we entered 2004 none of us knew what was going to happen and
none of us know what 2005 holds.
As we
enter 2005 are we trusting God or are we relying on the arm of
flesh?
Jeremiah 17:5-6
Thus saith the Lord;
Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm,
and whose heart departeth from the Lord.
For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when
good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,
in a salt land and not inhabited.
NOTE: Three
things about this person:
-
He puts his trust in man.
-
His strength is in the flesh.
-
His heart departs from God.
Jeremiah 42:11, 13-16
Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not
afraid of him, saith the Lord:
for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand…But
if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of
the Lord your God,
Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall
see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of
bread; and there will we dwell: and now therefore hear the word of
the Lord, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the Lord
of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter
into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; Then it shall come to pass,
that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the
land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow
close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
Compare this now to the one who puts his
trust in God and His promises.
Jeremiah 17:7- 8
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord,
and whose hope the Lord
is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that
spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat
cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the
year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
God wants to bless us in 2005, it will
depend upon us whether or not we receive the blessings God has
planned for us.
JEREMIAH 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you,"
declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans
to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come
and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find
me when you seek me with all your heart.
NOTE: The blessings of God are not material blessings, they
are spiritual in nature, the material or physical blessings we
receive are byproducts of God’s spiritual blessing they are not the
blessing themselves.
We do not seek the physical or material blessings; we must seek
the spiritual blessings for they are the ones that are eternal.
THE PROMISES GOD HAS FOR HIS CHURCH.
NOTE: We must understand that the Church is more than just
the local body of believers; it includes all the “Blood Washed
Ones”.
There are several promises in ISAIAH 54 the God has for
His Church.
I. HIS CHURCH WILL
BE FRUITFUL. Vrs. 1-3
ISAIAH 54:1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear;
break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail
with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the
children of the married wife, saith the Lord.
NOTE: There are two ways of considering being fruitful:
v
Growing physically.
v
Growing spiritually.
Too often we are more concerned with what God is doing than
learning who He is.
There is far too much emphasis put on physical growth, we must
first grow spiritual before we can grow physically.
We want God to do something for us instead of experiencing His
presence.
Just because a church grows physically does not mean it is bless
of God.
What are the signs of spiritual growth or maturity?
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such
there is no law.
How do we reach spiritual maturity? (Do you really
want God’s blessings?)
Matthew 5:3-11
BLESSED
are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
BLESSED
are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
BLESSED
are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
BLESSED
are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they
shall be filled.
BLESSED
are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
BLESSED
are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
BLESSED
are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
BLESSED
are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
BLESSED
are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say
all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
The only way for God’s Church to grow in number it must
first grow in spiritual strength.
ISAIAH 54: 2-3 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them
stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen
thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on
the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the
Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
NOTE: Once we understand how God wants to bless us we will
understand that this cannot come from man (the arm of flesh) but
must come from God and God alone.
JEREMIAH 29:12-13 Then you will call upon me and come and
pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me
when you seek me with all your heart.
If we truly want God to bless us
individually and as His Church, we must seek His spiritual blessings
over physical or material blessings.
We need to seek:
v
Hearts turning to God.
v
Lives being changed by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
v
Sinner coming to repentance.
v
Believers seeking a closer relationship with God.
v
Lives being delivered from the power of the enemy.
v
Healing taking place, physical, emotional and
spiritual.
v
Believers seeking ways to serve God within the
church.
CONCLUSION: In 2005 let us be the individual and church that
God longs to bless, remembering His blessings are eternal and not
the temporary blessings of this world.
In the next few week we will consider these promises God has given
us.
II. HIS CHURCH NEED NOT BE ASHAMED. Vrs. 4-5
III. HIS MERCIES AND KINDNESS SHALL NEVER DEPART. Vrs. 6-10
IV. HE WILL CLOTHE
HIS CHURCH IN BEAUTY. Vrs. 11-14
V. HE WILL GIVE HIS CHURCH VICTORY. Vrs. 15-17
JANUARY 9, 2005
GOD’S
PROMISES TO THE CHURCH
“GOD
PROMISES TO WIPE AWAY OUR SHAME.”
SCRIPTURE READING:
ISAIAH 54:1-17
SCRIPTURE TEXT:
ISAIAH 54:4
Fear not; for thou
shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not
be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and
shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.
INTRO: No man
wants an unhappy bride and God wants His Church to be filled with
joy.
JOHN 15:11
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in
you, and that your joy might be full.
There are many
things that rob us of joy.
What robs
you of your joy, the fear of the future, the difficulties of the
present or the shame of the past?
God is speaking
to His Church that has had a very shameful past.
They had sinned
and turn away from God.
They had lost the
respect of those around them.
Their enemies had
defeated them.
God’s blessings
were no longer on their lives.
When we as an
individual, as a church or as a nation allow sin to come into our
lives we will lose the joy God wants us to possess.
The Christian’s
joy is dependant on their relationship with God; the closer the
relationship the greater the joy.
When we allow sin
to enter into our lives our relationship with God is broken and
shame and guilt enter in, this in turn will robs us of our joy.
PROVERBS 14:34
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any
people.
If we can sin and not feel guilt or shame,
there is something desperately wrong in our hearts.
Genesis 3:7-11
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they
were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves
aprons. And they heard the
voice of the Lord God
walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife
hid themselves from the presence of the Lord
God amongst the trees of the garden.
And the Lord
God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
And he said, I heard thy
voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I
hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast
thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest
not eat?
ISAIAH 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you
and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will
not hear.
I. THROUGH SALVATION THE SIN OF THE PAST IS
REMOVED.
NOTE: It is when we repent of our sins and confess them to
God that He takes away the shame of our past.
1 JOHN 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
PSALM 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far
hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Hebrews 9:28
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto
them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin
unto salvation.
II. THROUGH SALVATION THE SHAME OF THE PAST IS
REMOVED.
ISAIAH 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy
transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
HEBREWS 10:16-17 This is the covenant that I will make
with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into
their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins
and iniquities will I remember no more.
ROMANS 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit.
ROMANS 8:33-34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of
God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?
It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even
at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
NOTE: God
does not hide our sins He wipes them totally away.
Satan loves to remind us of our past and thus robbing us of the joy
and peace God want for us.
When we bring up the forgiven past of
someone else or even of ourselves, we are doing the work of Satan.
III. THROUGH SALVATION GOD HAS GIVEN US
A BRAND NEW
BEGINNING.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he
is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things
are become new.
EPHESIANS 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after
God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have
apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which
are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I
press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus.
NOTE: Not only did God take away the shame of our sins, He
also removed the shame of failures.
Let us read
Psalm 52 together.
PSALM 51:1-19 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when
Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:
according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my
transgressions. Wash me
throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my
transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have
I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be
justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in
iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, thou desirest truth
in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to
know wisdom. Purge me with
hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than
snow. Make me to hear joy and
gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide thy face from my sins,
and blot out all mine iniquities. Create
in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy
presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of
thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Then will I teach
transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Deliver me from
bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue
shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
O Lord, open thou my lips;
and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
For thou desirest not
sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt
offering. The sacrifices of
God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou
wilt not despise. Do good in
thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Then shalt thou be pleased
with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole
burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
CONCLUSION: Do not allow the sins and failures of your past rob
you of the joy of the present and the hope of the future.
JANUARY 16, 2005
GOD’S PROMISE TO HIS CHURCH
“HIS MERCIES AND KINDNESS WILL NEVER DEPART.”
SCRIPTURE READING:
ISAIAH 54:1-17
SCRIPTURE TEXT:
ISAIAH 54:10
For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my
kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of
my peace be removed, saith the Lord
that hath mercy on thee.
INTRO: There
are times in our lives when we are faced with adversities:
v
Illness
v
Disappointments
v
Conflicts
v
Financial set backs
Some of
these come by way of:
v
Natural (“it rains on the just & the unjust”)
v
Choices we or someone else has made
v
Satan’s attack
v
God is testing us.
v
They are a form of God chastening us.
Chastening has
two extremes:
- All
difficulties in life are God chastening us for our sins.
- God is a God
of love and does not chasten Christians.
We see this carried out in real life,
there are parents who are very harsh in the disciplining of their
children and there are those who never discipline.
Both of
these have adverse effect.
I. GOD CHASTENS
THOSE HE LOVES.
Hebrews 12:5-11
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as
unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord,
nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord
loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he
receiveth. If ye
endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son
is he whom the father chasteneth not?
But if ye be
without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye
bastards, and not sons.
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected
us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in
subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
For they verily
for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he
for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Now no
chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous:
nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
NOTE: The word chasten is the Greek word,
pahee-dyoo'-o;
to train up a child, i.e. educate, or (by implication)
discipline (by punishment) chasten (-ise), instruct, learn,
teach.
The key to the chastening of God is found in verse 6 “for
whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth”
The Lord’s
chastening is never to condemn and destroy, but to redeem and to
save.
PROVERBS 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he
will not depart from it.
The Church as
Judah often strays away from God and He will chasten us to bring us
back.
Isaiah 54:7-8
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies
will I gather thee. In
a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with
everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord
thy Redeemer.
v
We
have served other gods.
v
We have been faithless
stewards.
v
We have been at heart
callous and cold.
God will bring hardship and difficulties into our lives not to
punish us but rather to bring us back to Him.
There is a difference between
chastisement and judgment.
Judgment only comes after we fail to
heed God’s chastening.
If we are not willing to hear God
whispers of chastisement we will be forced to hear His thunder of
judgment.
II. GOD DELIGHTS IN BEING FAITHFUL AND
MERCIFUL.
NOTE: God
disciplines those He loves; yet the affections are only temporary.
Micah 7:18-19
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth
by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth
not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
He will turn
again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our
iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the
sea.
NOTE: The difference between the chastening of the Lord and
His mercies and faithfulness.
God’s
discipline is only a short while; His kindness, love is
everlasting.
Isaiah 54:7-8:
v
For a small moment have I forsaken thee;
v
But with great mercies will I gather thee.
v
In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a
moment;
v
But with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on
thee,
Lamentations 3:22-26
It is of the Lord's
mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord
is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord
is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the
salvation of the Lord.
NOTE: Human
mercies and human faithfulness has limitations but there is no
limitation to the mercies and faithfulness of God.
v
He sought the lost sheep.
v
He searched for the lost coin.
v
He welcomed back the lost son.
III. WE HAVE
HOPE IN GOD’S PROMISES.
Psalm 30:5
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping
may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Isaiah 26:20
Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors
about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the
indignation be overpast.
2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
A. IN HIS
CHASTENING GOD REVEALS HIS LOVE.
ISAIAH 54:10
For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed;
but my kindness shall not depart from thee,
Hebrews 12:6
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son
whom he receiveth.
NOTE: God’s love for us is an everlasting
love.
Jeremiah 31:3
The Lord hath
appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an
everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
B. IN TIMES OF TURMOIL AND CHAOS GOD HAS PROMISED US PEACE.
… neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed.
John 16:33 (GW)
I've told you this so that my peace will be with you. In the
world you'll have trouble. But cheer up! I have overcome the world."
C. IN HIS CHASTENING GOD REMEMBERS MERCY.
… saith the Lord
that hath mercy on thee
Habakkuk 3:2
O Lord, I have heard
thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord,
revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years
make known; in wrath remember mercy.
James 2:13 (GW)
No mercy will be shown to those who show no mercy to others.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Psalm 118:29
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy
endureth for ever.
NOTE: Forty-one times the phrase, “His mercy endureth
forever” appears in the Bible.
Isaiah 43:1-2
But now thus saith the Lord
that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear
not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou
art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;
and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou
walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall
the flame kindle upon thee.
MATTHEW 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen.
HEBREWS 13:5 Let your conversation be without
covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for
he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
CONCLUSION: In difficult days, we must remain faithful. In
times of testing we must trust. In times of disciplining we must
repent and return to Him. In Him and in Him alone, we have HOPE.
Don’t be discouraged by the circumstances or disheartened by the
hardship we are going through.
“A faith strong enough to grasp this
will light up every forest, and overcome every foe.”W. M.
Statham
JANUARY 30, 2005
GOD’S
PROMISES TO HIS CHURCH
“HE WILL CLOTH US WITH BEAUTY”
SCRIPTURE
READING: ISAIAH 54:1-17
SCRIPTURE TEXT:
ZECHARIAH 3:4
And he answered and spake unto those
that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from
him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to
pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
INTRO: Someone said,
“Cloths make a man.”
Almost any man
looks good in at tux.
There is an old
movie, Tales of Manhattan, about a special coat that changes the
lives of those who ware it.
God has promised
His Church that He would clothe them in Beauty.
ISAIAH 52:1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put
on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for
henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and
the unclean.
ISAIAH 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the
garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of
righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and
as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
I. BEFORE WE
CAME TO CHRIST WE WERE NAKED AND UNCLEAN.
NOTE: When
Adam sinned he lost the covering that God had provided for him and
he found himself naked.
Genesis 3:10
And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid,
because I was naked; and I hid myself.
EZEKIEL 16:4-5
(NLT) When you were born, no one cared about you. Your
umbilical cord was left uncut, and you were never washed, rubbed
with salt, and dressed in warm clothing. No one had the slightest
interest in you; no one pitied you or cared for you. On the day you
were born, you were dumped in a field and left to die, unwanted.
Ever since that
time man has tried to clothe himself.
Genesis 3:7
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were
naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves
aprons.
But the best
efforts fall far to short.
Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are
as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities,
like the wind, have taken us away.
Many feel they are able to cover their
nakedness through religious efforts.
Revelation 3:17
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and
have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Proverbs 20:9
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
II. GOD HAS
PROMISED TO CLOTHE US IN BEAUTY.
A. REPENTANCE GIVES US NEW CLOTHING.
NOTE: Only God can provide the proper clothing that will
allow us to stand before Him.
Zechariah 3:1-5
And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel
of the Lord, and Satan
standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord
said unto Satan, The Lord
rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord
that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked
out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and
stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that
stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him.
And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass
from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I
said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair
mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of
the Lord stood by.
ISAIAH 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to
give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the
garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be
called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord,
that he might be glorified.
NOTE: Ashes speak to us of true repentance and when we truly
repent of our sins, God takes the filthy garments of sin and our
rages of self-righteousness and exchanges them for garments of His
Righteousness.
He takes the
sorrow for our sins and exchanges them for the garments of praise.
NOTE: Jesus
invites us to exchange the nakedness of our sins for the white
raiment of His Righteouness.
REVELATION 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in
the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou
mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not
appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
NOTE: Jesus
invites us to come and buy but how can we pay for anything we might
need from God.
Isaiah 55:1-3, 6-9
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that
hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Wherefore do ye
spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that
which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that
which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Incline your
ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will
make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of
David…
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked
forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him
return unto the Lord,
and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will
abundantly pardon.
For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith
the Lord.
For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Jesus has paid
the full price for our salvation.
Yet there are
those who reject the garment of Salvation that Jesus offers and seek
to use their own garment of rags.
ILL: The
Marriage Feast. MATTHEW 22:1-14 (10-12)
So those servants went
out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they
found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with
guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a
man which had not on a wedding garment: and he saith unto him,
Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And
he was speechless.
NOTE: The king had provided
proper clothing for his guest but this guest rejected that which the
king had provided and chose to come in his own garment.
There are those who refuse to dress appropriately and say, “If they
don’t like the way I dress, let them deal with it.” This is not
said out of humility but out of defiance.
ZEPHANIAH 1:7-8 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord
God: for the day of the
Lord is at hand: for
the Lord hath prepared
a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.
And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the
king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.
CONCLUSION: God has provided
us with the glorious garment of His Salvation it is up to us to
accept that which He hath provided.
ISAIAH 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the
garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of
righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and
as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
FEBRUARY 6, 2005
GOD’S
PROMISES TO HIS CHURCH
“HE
HAS PROMISED HIS CHURCH VICTORY”
SCRIPTURE READING:
ISAIAH 54:1-17
SCRIPTURE TEXT:
ISAIAH 54:17
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every
tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.
NOTE: Often
times in our Christian walk it seems that we are on the losing
side.
v
The persecution many Christians are facing.
v
The eroding of our Christian liberties.
v
Personal failures and disappointments.
We often
feel like David in Psalm
13:1-2
How long wilt
thou forget me, O Lord?
Forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I
take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long
shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
But in spite of
what may seem the Truth is that God has promised His Church
Victory.
I. CHRISTIANS
FACE TIMES OF DIFFICULTIES.
NOTE: Being
a Christian does not exempt us from trouble.
JOHN 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me
ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be
of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
There are
four reasons why we may experience difficulties on our life:
v
It is for the strengthening of our faith.
v
It is an act of discipline because of sin.
v
It just happens (It rains on the just and the
unjust alike)
v
It is an attack from Satan.
NOTE: The
first two God sends but the second two may come through his approval
but He does not send them.
Isaiah 54:15-16
Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me:
whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy
sake. Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the
fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have
created the waster to destroy.
God promises us
four things here:
- Times
of trouble will come against us.
Psalm 34:19
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
-
He has not sent them.
NOTE: God
did not send Satan against Job.
-
They will fail in their plans.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:
but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above
that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to
escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
-
He has set their limits.
NOTE: Even
as God set the limits on Satan’s attack against Job, God has set the
limits of Satan attacks against His Church.
II. THE CONFLICT CHRISTIANS FACE IS AGAINST THE
SPIRITUAL NOT
THE
PHYSICAL.
NOTE: The
reason why so many Christians fail to possess the victory that God
has promised His Church is that they are looking for physical
victories, health, wealth, happiness and so on, and they do not
understand that God is speaking of spiritual victories over our
spiritual enemies.
We are often like
those in New Testament times who were looking for deliverance from
Rome and failed to understand that Jesus brought deliverance from
Satan and sin.
One of Satan’s favorite tricks is to get
us to look at things through natural eyes and understanding instead
of seeing things through spiritual eyes and living by faith.
We must not allow the difficulties we
experience in the physical world to rob us of the victories God has
promised in the spiritual world.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be
in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields
shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and
there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord
God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and
he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer
on my stringed instruments.
In our text, God is speaking of a
spiritual enemy and of a spiritual victory.
Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness
of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(for the weapons
of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling
down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high
thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
How can we, mere mortals, hope to attain spiritual victory
over Satan and sin?
III. OUR VICTORY IS OBTAINED THROUGH THE
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF
CHRIST.
Isaiah 54:14
In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far
from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it
shall not come near thee.
NOTE: The battle is not ours it is the Lord.
The key to spiritual victory is being
in His Righteousness and not our own.
God has promised to give us victory
over oppression, fear and terror.
Our enemy is not the terrorist of this
natural world but the terror of the spirit world, Satan.
1 PETER 5:8 Be careful!
Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls
around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.
NOTE: Satan may attack us on a physical plane but it is for a
spiritual victory that he is seeking.
The apostle presents the same ground of
confidence in 2 TIMOTHY 2:13 If we believe not, yet he
abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
God’s righteousness is our security,
because it guarantees that he never promises:
v
More than he intends to
perform
v
More than he can perform;
and
v
More than he will perform.
ROMANS 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had
promised, he was able also to perform.
2 CORINTHIANS 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are
yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
TITUS 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot
lie, promised before the world began;
HEBREWS 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith
without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
The promises of man will fail, but the
promises of God will always be fulfilled.
PSALM 146:3
Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no
salvation.
Isaiah
50:7-9 For the Lord God
will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I
set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
He is near that
justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who
is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
Behold, the Lord
God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they
all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
CONCLUSION: Trust God utterly, for in
Him alone is found the “Righteousness” that can bring us the victory
over Satan and sin.
PSALM 27:1
The Lord is my light
and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord
is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
PSALM 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord:
he is their strength in the time of trouble.
FEBRUARY 13, 2005
“GOD’S
VALENTINE OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR US”
SCRIPTURE READING:
ROMANS 5:1-15
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Romans
5:8 (GW) Christ died for us while we were still
sinners. This demonstrates God's love for us.
NOTE: Can
you remember giving and receiving valentines?
Have you ever
given a valentine to someone whom you knew didn’t like you?
What was their reaction?
Have you ever
received a valentine from someone you didn’t like but you knew they
liked you? What was your reaction?
ILL:
Chase’s Valentine of Love.
Sonya Reeder, "My Forgiving Valentine"
Christian Parenting Today,
(Spring 2003), Vol. 16, No. 1, p. 54
God sent the
greatest valentine to those whom He knew did not love Him.
How did you react the first time you heard of God’s love for you?
I. GOD
SENT HIS VALENTINE TO THOSE WHO DID NOT LOVE HIM.
1 JOHN 4:19
We love him, because he first loved us.
NOTE:
Before we ever thought of seeking God, God was seeking us.
Before we ever
thought of loving God, God loved us.
It is one thing
to love someone who loves you, but it is entirely different to love
someone who instead of loving you:
v
Ignores your love.
v
Rejects your love.
v
Despises your love.
v
Makes fun of your love.
This many have
done with God’s love, but still He loves us and sent His only Son to
reveal to us just how great His love for us is.
ILL: “Jesus
Showed God’s Love for Us.”
There
are four things in this passage of Scripture that shows God’s love
for us.
God
loved us when we were:
A. WITHOUT
STRENGTH
ROMANS 5:6a For when we were yet without strength…
NOTE: No matter what we do or how hard we try we are unable
to lift ourselves out of our fallen state.
Job 14:4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
Not one.
Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I
am pure from my sin?
Proverbs 30:12 There is a generation that are pure in
their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
2 Cor. 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number,
or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they
measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among
themselves, are not wise.
B. UNGODLY
ROMANS 5:6b …in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
NOTE: Not
only are we unable to change our way of life we have no desire to
change our life.
We are content to
live our lives without God, without thinking about God or our
relationship with Him.
Before God came
into our lives, our thoughts, dreams and plans were made without any
consideration of God and what He wanted.
We lived a life
that did not include God.
C. SINNERS
Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
NOTE: The
third thought about God’s unconditional love for us is that not only
were we unable to change our ways, nor were will willing to change
our ways, we desperately needed to change.
Romans 3:9-18
What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have
before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is
none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all
gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is
none that doeth good, no, not one.
Their throat is
an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the
poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing
and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and
misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known:
there is no fear of God before their eyes.
We were far
from God and we were unable to go to Him the way we were.
D. ENEMIES OF
GOD
NOTE: The
strongest statement is saved for last.
Because we needed
to changed our sinful nature, because we had no desire to change
ourselves, and even we wanted to change we were are unable to do so,
we were enemies of God.
Romans 5:10
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death
of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his
life.
Ephesians 2:3
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the
lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the
mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
We deserved the
wrath of God but instead He sent His Grace.
II. GOD’S LOVE
IS UNCONDITIONAL.
NOTE: God’s
love for us is unconditional in that He accepts as we are, where we
are, in spite of who or what we are.
God’s
unconditional love is so great that He refuses to allow us to stay
the way we are but changes us into His Children.
1 John 3:1-3
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world
knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Beloved, now are
we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but
we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we
shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope
in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
There are those who contend that God’s
unconditional love allows us to remain in a life of sin and still
spend eternity with Him.
God’s Word tell us in
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord:
Because of God’s unconditional love for us, instead of living a
life to please ourselves, we must strive to live a life that is
pleasing to Him.
God’s unconditional love cause Him to:
v
Do far beyond what we would be willing to do.
v
Do what we were incapable of doing.
ILL: Reaching Into the Filth of This World:
If God loves us with an unconditional love how should we
respond to Him and to others?
MATTHEW 22:37-40 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind. This is the first
and great commandment. And
the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself. On these two
commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
1 John 3:16
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life
for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
CONCLUSION: How have you responding to God’s unconditional
love?
ILL: Received But Unread:
Chase’s Valentine
of Love.
One night after
supper, [my son] Chase sat down in the living room to begin the task
of signing and sealing the Valentine's Day cards he had picked out
for his second-grade classmates. Seeing him surrounded by mountains
of cards, envelopes, and a list of names that filled an entire page,
I decided to enter into the spirit of the holiday and give him a
hand.
“Here, you can
seal the cards and mark the names off the list," he said shoving 15
or more cards and envelopes into my lap.
I set my coffee
down on a coaster and began stuffing cards into their proper
envelopes. About halfway through the stack I noticed a bold red and
pink Valentine inscribed with the words, "I am thankful for you."
What caught my eye was not what the card said, but the thick black
lines that had been scrawled over the word
thankful.
I nudged Chase
and said; " I don't think it would be very kind to give this card to
one of your friends."
I was not
prepared for the angry outburst that followed. Chase sat up straight
and yelled, "Every day that girl calls me names, and I have asked
her to stop, but she just laughs and curses at me!"
My heart felt a
lurch of pain as I pictured Chase standing undefended in the
schoolyard with this unknown girl teasing him. I sat and took in the
tears that were rolling down Chase's face. I told him how sorry I
was and that I could understand why he felt so hurt.
Chase jerked
himself loose from my arm and with a fresh flow of tears choked out,
"She embarrasses me! Do you want me to just stand there and let her
call me names?"
Here was my young
son facing a moment of suffering that might seem small to some but
was clearly a big deal to him. What did I want Chase to learn about
suffering in this moment?
I put my arm
around Chase, wiped his tears with a Kleenex, and said, "Yes, Chase,
I do want you to let her call you names. I don't want you to do
anything that would hurt her."
I continued to
hold him as he calmed down and thought about his choice. After a few
moments, he slowly picked up a new card and addressed it neatly to
this girl who so easily hurt his heart. His choice was to offer her
forgiveness and grace in the form of a Valentine's card.
Citation:
Adapted from Sonya Reeder, "My Forgiving Valentine"
Christian Parenting Today,
(Spring 2003), Vol. 16, No. 1, p. 54
Jesus
Showed God’s Love For Us:
The young woman was married and had two
beautiful children, but one day as she was standing over the sink,
washing dishes, she thought, ’There must be more to life than this.’
When her husband came home, he found a note she’d written and began
to weep.
She would call him about once every week to
check on the children, and he would always tell her of his great
love for her and beg her to come home. She would always say no and
hang up.
Finally, he hired a private investigator to
find her and he went to the apartment where she was staying,
nervously holding a spray of flowers in his hand as he stood at the
door.
He had rehearsed over and over what he would
say and he finally got up the nerve to knock on the door. She opened
the door and he started to speak, but she suddenly began to weep and
fell into his arms. "Let’s go home." She managed through her tears.
Months after, when things were starting to
heal; he finally asked her something that had been bothering him.
"All those times I talked to you on the phone; I asked you to come
back and you refused. Why did you come back now?"
“Before," she started, tears in her eyes,
"you were just telling me that you loved me. When you came, you
showed me."
The Bible tells us of God’s love, but Jesus
came and showed God’s love...
Chad West
Reaching Into
the Filth of This World:
The story is
told of a beautiful dressed woman, her arm bared to the elbow,
searching in the mud and slime of the gutter for something. A crowd
gathered and then a policeman came.
“What’s the matter,
lady? What are you hunting for?” the officer asked.
“I lost my ring,” answered the woman, looking up with tears in her
eyes. “It was a diamond ring that my husband gave me. He was a
soldier and never made it back. This ring was the only thing I had
left that belonged to him.
Only a great love could have persuaded her
to mingle with filth.
v
Daniel Jeffers
Received But
Unread:
When Elizabeth married the famous poet Robert Browning, her parents
were so upset they disowned her. She and her husband settled far
from home in Florence, Italy. Elizabeth loved her mother and father
and did everything she could to be reconciled with them. Several
times a month she wrote expressive, loving letters. After 10 years
without any response, finally, a package came from her parents. It
was a happy moment for Elizabeth as she opened it. But inside she
found all of the letters she had sent- unopened. Like her husband,
Elizabeth was a poet and her letters of reconciliation were
eloquent. They have been called “some of the most beautiful and
expressive in all English literature.” But her parents never read
them.
Jesus Christ,
like Elizabeth, went to extreme measures in a reconciliation
attempt. He died so sinful men could be reconciled to God. It breaks
his heart that many refuse to even read the letter of Calvary’s
love....
v
Davon Huss
FEBRUARY 20, 2005
“THE
HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK IN OUR HEARTS”
SCRIPTURE READING: JOHN 16: 7-15
SCRIPTURE TEXT:
JOHN 16:8-11
And when He is
come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on
Me; Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no
more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
INTRO: There
are many misconceptions about the Holy Spirit and His role in the
life of a Christian.
The Word of God
makes it very clear Who the Holy Spirit is and His role in our daily
lives.
The work of the
Holy Spirit within the life of a Christian has many facets but one
of the most important is that of convicting of sin.
The word reprove, (el-eng'-kho) means: to
confute, admonish convict, convince, tell a fault, rebuke,
reprove.
We often consider the role of the
conviction of the Holy Spirit to be directed to sinners outside the
Church.
REVELATION 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:
be zealous therefore, and repent.
Before God
begins to convict the sinners or their sins, He will first convict
those within the Church.
1 Peter 4:17
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of
God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that
obey not the gospel of God?
Christians are
not immune to sinning and often times when they do sin they fail to
recognize their sin.
I. HOW DOES A
CHRISTIAN FALL INTO SIN?
NOTE: The
sin of David is a great example of a Believer allowing sin to enter
into their heart. II SAMUEL 11 & 12
A.
SPIRITUAL COMPLACENCY PREPARES THE GROUND FOR THE SEED
OF SIN.
NOTE:
Christians often falls into sin when they are complacent in their
relationship with God.
2 Samuel 11:1
And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when
kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants
with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of
Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
NOTE: There are three things in this verse that tell us why
David fell into sin:
v
He was not doing what he was called to do
v
He sent Joab to fulfill his responsibility
v
He was in the wrong place at the wrong time
AMOS 6:1 How terrible it will be for you who lounge in
luxury and think you are secure in Jerusalem and Samaria! You are
famous and popular in Israel, you to whom the people go for help.
When we think we
have arrived we need to understand that we haven’t even started.
REVELATION 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and
increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that
thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
ILL: The Rich Fool. LUKE 12:16-21
B. FAILURE TO RESIST TEMPTATION.
2 Samuel 11:2
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off
his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the
roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very
beautiful to look upon.
NOTE: David could not sleep.
ILL: When I was a child and had done something wrong I had a
difficult time sleeping.
David saw with his eyes, entertained in his mind and lusted in
his heart.
JAMES 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you.
Until we are
submitted unto God we cannot successfully resist the devil.
David committed
physical adultery because he first committed spiritual adultery.
When we fail to
fulfill the will of God in our lives we have committed spiritual
adultery.
C. DAVID
SOUGHT TO COVER UP HIS SIN.
NOTE:
Whenever a Christian falls into sin they seek to shift the blame.
-
David sent for Uriah.
When David found out that Bath-sheba was pregnant he
sought to cover his sin by calling Uriah home from the battle.
Uriah was
more honorable than David in that he refused to go home to his wife
while his comrades were on the battlefield.
-
David sought to get Uriah drunk.
-
David sent a letter to Joab by Uriah that was
Uriah’s death Warrant.
2 Samuel 11:15
And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront
of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be
smitten, and die.
-
David made light of Uriah’s death.
2 Samuel 11:25
Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab,
Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as
well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and
overthrow it: and encourage thou him.
-
David brought Bath-sheba into his household not
for the reasons the people thought.
Many people may have thought David brought Bath-sheba into
his household out of compassion for the widow of Uriah.
II. THE
PROPHET NATHAN IS A TYPE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
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