30 July 2006: I AM IS THE LORD - He will remember!

TOPIC: Encouragement; faithfulness, God’s grace, and longsuffering

TITLE: I AM [IS] THE LORD - He will remember!

TEXT: Exodus 6:1-8

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he will let them go, and under compulsion he will drive them out of his land."

God spoke further to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD;
and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them. I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant.

Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession; I am the LORD.'"

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does the Lord encourage Moses?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. HE IDENTIFIES HIMSELF TO MOSES
II. HE PRESENTS EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT HIS CLAIM
III. HE REMINDS MOSES OF THE HISTORY OF HIS NAME
IV. HE REMINDS MOSES OF HIS PROMISES
V. HE REMINDS MOSES NOTHING MISSES HIS NOTICE
VI. HE REMINDS MOSES HE DIDN’T FORGET THE COVENANT

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Notice the wording - "you will see" ... and thus your faith in Me will increase; and twice He says Pharaoh will be "under compulsion."

NOTE: if you have a KJV you will see "with a strong hand shall he let them go"; this is a mistranslation of the Hebrew, better mss. have become available.

What will Moses see? He will witness Pharaoh 1.) let the people go and 2.) drive the people out of the land. And Pharaoh won't be able to stop himself in order that Moses might know why!

The Hebrews have not succeeded under Moses and Aaron; oh they've had some powerful moments but they're in even worse condition than before ... God's timing controlled events.

Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? "Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all."

Exodus 5:22-23

One would think a man of Moses age and experience would not have been so easily tempted by the Hebrews to confront God like this?

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does the Lord encourage Moses?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. HE IDENTIFIES HIMSELF TO MOSES

I Am [is the] Lord [v.2]

The verb of being (to be or to exist) ... in the Hebrew, as in all languages as far as I know, this verb does not have to be present in order to read it in context; in the absence of any other verb it may be assumed, if the context clearly allows it. This is one of those places!

In Exodus 3, especially v.14 the convention may be used often.

Four times God claims "I am (is) the LORD." He is tying this claim to the Patriarchs for a reason. Moses will know God by the same name and He wants to be sure Moses understands He is not another God, but the same with LORD.

God is responding to the grumbling of the Hebrews and their leader Moses one complaint at a time ...

II. HE PRESENTS EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT HIS CLAIM

I Appeared to Your Fathers [v. 3]

These are the three central witnesses of the Hebrew people; all Hebrew teachings descend from them.

Hebrews 12:1 speaks also of other Hebrew witnesses, referring back to Hebrews 11.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us ...

And yet again their will be three witnesses ...

For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

1 John 5:7-8

III. HE REMINDS MOSES OF THE HISTORY OF HIS NAME

But I Made My Name Known to You [v.3]

He appeared to the Patriarchs as El Shaddai (God Almighty), then he says "but by My name Jehovah, did I not make Myself known to them?" As He is now making Himself known to Moses. (LORD = Jehovah or YHWH).

On reflection ... since Moses knew the traditions by heart ... he must have realized and thought, "Have I lost my mind? What am I doing here?"

IV. HE REMINDS MOSES OF HIS PROMISES

I Established My Covenant [v.4]

YHWH is a God who keeps His word ... if He said a thing that thing is as good as done. So Moses is to understand that "the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned," is as good as his.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

Hebrews 11:1-3

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6

By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 11:9-10

V. HE REMINDS MOSES NOTHING MISSES HIS NOTICE

I Heard Them [v.5]

God says, "You don't think I've not heard My children's cries, do you?"

In Genesis 16:11-15, Hagar is run out of Abram's camp at the insistence of Sarah; an angel finds her vanquished in the desert. She is to name her son Ishmael (the patriarch of all Muslims), which means "God heeds."

In Zechariah the prophet is taken to the Temple and shown the golden lampstand as it really is, and is asked to explain it...

The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel--these are the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth.

Zechariah 4:9-10

God both sees and heeds ... but more importantly, He...

VI. HE REMINDS MOSES HE DIDN’T FORGET THE COVENANT

I Remembered My Covenant [vv.4, 5]

God doesn't forget; it is part of both His nature and one of His great attributes - faithfulness.

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: And so here is the real meat of the passage for Christians today … what with all that is going on in the world.

God closes out His loving chastisement of Moses with some great encouragement, you and I need to appropriate it! It is the key "Church" segment of the passage. Speaking to us through Moses God says - [vv. 6-8]

A. I Will Unburden you!

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28

B. I Will Deliver You

... and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB."

Romans 11:26

... we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us ...

2 Corinthians 1:9-10

C. I Will Redeem You

Redemption is a picture of someone getting back his personal possessions from a pawn shop where they’ve been hawked.

"with an outstretched arm" no less; a figure not unfamiliar to the Hebrews, for the hieroglyph for power is two outstretched arms ... the LORD only needs one, His right arm ... Christ Jesus!

You have a strong arm; Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted.

Psalms 89:13

O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.

Psalms 98:1

Who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, Who divided the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name

Isaiah 63:12

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4-5

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed ...

Titus 2:11-14a

D. I Will Claim You (as My people)

and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Titus 14b

But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

1 Peter 2:9-10

E. I Will Be Your God

I, the LORD, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

Psalms 81:10

F. I Will Bring You

For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."

Romans 10:11

G. I Will Give You

John 14:1 “In My Father’s house are many mansions …”

In the same way the promise made to Abram was not fully possessed by him but by Moses, the promises made to Moses have not been fully possessed by Israel but by the church through "a new way" made by a blood covenant, because the people were not faithful to the covenants [Acts 7:5; reread the whole message of Stephan before his death].

Will we be as faithful as God has given us freedom to be? Fear not this world or the things in this world for your country is not of this world!

RELATED LINKS: CRIB Sermons

TAGS: Homoletics, Preaching, Sermons

TAGS: Blessings, Deliverance, Encouragement, Exodus,
Grace, Hebrews, Egypt, Longsufffering, Moses, Redemption

23 July 2006: REAL SOVEREIGNTY - What Jesus means when He says "apart form Me"!

TOPIC: Sovereignty; circumspection, discipleship, fruit, humility, life in Christ, sanctification, surrender

TITLE: REAL SOVEREIGNTY – What Jesus Meant by “Apart from Me”!

TEXT: John 15:4-5

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does this passage apply to mankind? CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. APART FROM HIM WE ARE CUT OFF FROM OUR LIFE SOURCE!
II. APART FROM HIM WE WILL CONSUME OURSELVES!
III. APART FROM HIM WE WILL SURELY DIE!

TRUTH/CONTEXT: A branch pruned from its host will die; it will imitate life for a period but, slowly, very slowly it will consume itself, dry out, turn brown, and die. Even while it remains green it is dead.

It is also botanically possible for a branch to remain attached to the trunk and yet wither and die; this is a branch that is virtually “apart from” though not really apart from the host. There are a variety of reasons for this; two are germane, the branch becomes poisoned or the branch becomes diseased.

“Apart from” its host, it “can do nothing.” Now what do you suppose Jesus meant by “nothing”?

A branch which remains is not cut off, will not die, will be full of life, rich with sap, green, and “bear much fruit.”

[GRACE] An example of God’s grace from sister Mary Loretta via Dawn Patrol … she went to find a St. Joseph and found one; just yesterday. God sent him to do what they could not.

Several items in our church news make this an important message: the Israeli war against Hezbollah, the recent deaths on Hwy 15 here in Mexico, the tragic deaths of Paige Greer’s daughter-in-law, the Baker’s granddaughter’s death, and Joe Abernoth’s being rushed to the hospital in Tucson. Apart from God these people are helpless, and at the mercy of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

I’m sure many of you have stories you could tell … Lynn’s trip to get her furniture … Diane’s horse ranch … King’s Kids Orphanage … Rob’s daughter … on and on it goes.

Just as likely is the case of the seniors whose faith is strong but see themselves beyond the age where God would take time to bless! They want to sustained but not spiritually.

And you young people; your brains aren’t done cooking yet so you really don’t have enough experience with life to understand what’s going on … but know this – you have been warned, apart from Him you can do nothing.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does this passage apply to mankind?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. APART FROM HIM WE ARE CUT OFF FROM OUR LIFE SOURCE!

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.”

John 6:53

A. The life we seek, the life we know of instinctively, the life we hope for … for that life, we are dependent upon the Host’s life to own it and sustain it.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life ….”

John 14:6

And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

1 John 5:11-12

B. Because of this dependence we must acknowledge that to Him belongs all the glory! He alone is worthy.

C. We will only bear fruit to the extent we comprehend our dependence

II. APART FROM HIM WE WILL CONSUME OURSELVES

A. The reason so many fail in fruit bearing is not because there’s something wrong with their Host; it is because they’re unwilling to see the Host as their Sovereign King … why do you think the Navarros call the orphanage “The King’s Kids”?

B. Many seniors in the church today have this problem; they are self-made people and it’s hard to surrender their self esteem and pride and admit their total and absolute dependence upon someone else … even God … it’s unnatural
C. to seek his sustenance (grace)

1. Paul three times prayed to have the thorn removed from his side
2. Three times God said, “My grace is sufficient for you! Keep moving!”

D. and to submit to his strength (power) as their strength (power)

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

III. APART FROM HIM WE WILL SURELY DIE

“from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat from it you will surely die.”

Genesis 2:17

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

John 1:4

A. People are empty today – blaming their churches and their pastors –

1. yet they insist on a substitute gospel (Carlton Pearson’s Inclusive Gospel; The Purpose Driven Gospel; the Experiencing God Gospel) –
2. they’ll read Christian and non-Christian books for hours but can’t spend 15 minutes in God’s word
3. and they have a hamartiology (doctrine of sin) called Sin-lite (Sinfulness is low self-esteem, chocolate dessert, or missing Jazzercise).

B. People say one moment they’re hungry for the truth,

1. but when they hear it, they leave and don’t return (my message on Hell)
2. Like Jack Nicholson said to Tom Crude, “You can’t take the truth.”
3. They want a feel good Christianity
4. their mantra is “why can’t we just get along?”
5. their theology is a Christian form of political correctness.

C. they want the Ten Commandments made public, but can’t tell you what the first five are

D. they want prayer back in the schools but fail to pray for their own kids and grandkids daily

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Paul writes …

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Romans 8:1-2

And Jesus says in …

"So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

John 8:36

But we are called to do something, not everything, just something … so remember what John Gill said …

[You can] nothing that is spiritually good; no, not anything at all, be it little or great, easy or difficult to be performed; cannot think a good thought, speak a good word, or do a good action; can neither begin one, nor, when it is begun, perfect it. Nothing is to be done "without Christ"; without his Spirit, grace, strength, and presence; or as "separate from" him.

Were it possible for the branches that are truly in him, to be removed from him, they could bring forth no fruits of good works, any more than a branch separated from the vine can bring forth grapes; so that all the fruitfulness of a believer is to be ascribed to Christ, and his grace, and not to the free will and power of man.

I believe with all my heart that we must follow Scripture’s admonition to ...

1. Love the Lord with all our being (vertical relationship/spiritual)
2. Love our neighbors as our selves (horizontal relationship/natural)
3. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (holiness/sanctification)
4. Take up our crosses, deny ourselves daily, and then follow Him (service)
5. Present ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and well pleasing to the Lord as our reasonable act of worship (sacrifice/surrender)

Remember this day – you can do none of this "apart from" Him, so ask Him to show you how to do it ... ask Him to teach you!

GENERAL TAGS: Homiletics, Preaching, Sermons

SPECIFIC TAGS: Christianity, Discipleship, Fruit,
John 15, Religion, Sanctification, Sovereignty, Surrender

16 July 2006; Luke 9:23 (18-27) Real Discipleship - What's My Cross!

TOPIC: Senior citizenship; discipleship, flesh, sanctification, spirit, walk, world

TITLE: REAL DISCIPLESHIP - What's My Cross? After all I'm 64 Years-old?

Of course the implied question here is what can an old man do? We'll see!

TEXT: Luke 9:23

And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me."

FOCAL PASSAGE: Luke 9:23-27

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What three compulsory acts must believers be willing to do if they truly wish to come after Jesus?

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Jesus must have meant something here. Neither He nor the Scriptures speak vainly, as man does. All words have meaning, and context is everything.

Is the context of this passage salvation? Heaven? Works? What?

Jesus is answering questions from those who would follow Him. What Jesus is addressing here is discipleship, real discipleship.

The text implies Philippians chapter 2, the denial of self! The denial of self would be meaningless if it led to an early death.

Age has nothing to do with the subject of discipleship ... discipleship is a heart condition.

When people get to a certain age apparently many think there is nothing for them to do: they don't volunteer and avoid being seen as available.

[OLD AGE] We should live our lives in such a way that when we die even the undertaker will be sorry that we are gone!

A University of Wisconsin study determined if we're physically well and keep active as we get older, we can enjoy people, laugh at ourselves and get as much out of life at 90 as we did when we were 40!

The saying is that life begins at 40. It really begins when we want it to begin!

• Moses was 80 when he received the Law.
• Aaron was 83 when he began to perform miracles and plagues in Egypt.
• Joshua was 85 when he led Israel into the promised land.
• Will Durant sold a series of television programs at the ripe young age of 91.
• Frank Lloyd Wright created the magnificent Guggenheim Museum at 89.
• Colonel Sanders was in his 60s when he sold his first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise.
• Immanuel Kant wrote one of his best philosophical works at the age of 74.
• Verdi penned his classic "Ave Maria" at 85. . . .
• President Ronald Reagan was the most powerful man in the world at 75
• Ted Williams slammed a home run in his last official time at bat, at age 42.
• Golda Meir was 71 when she elected Israel's Prime Minister.
• George Bernard Shaw was 94 when one of his plays was produced.
• How about Benjamin Franklin? He was a columnist at 16 and a framer of the United States Constitution at 81.
• At age 71 an agent turned down Jack Benny thinking he was washed up. Jack found another agent and fulfilled twelve million dollars more in bookings before he died at the age of 81
• Michelangelo was 87 when he completed The Pieta, his finest work of art: a life-sized sculpture of a seated Mary holding the dead Jesus in her lap

The Cross that Jesus bore was ours to begin with; it was His God ordained Cross, to bear OUR crosses. It was His mission in life.

So Jesus said to His disciples,

"My time is not yet here, but your time is al-ways opportune."

John 7:6

His time was "appointed" and He would be there at the proper time.

Many think their cross is a curse or a sin or a fault or a demon or sign of their unsaved condition. It isn't!

Which of you would say you don't wish to come after Jesus? If you use your age as an excuse shame on you, for that is a virtual rejection of His invitation.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What three compulsory acts must believers be willing to do if they truly wish to come after Jesus?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. THEY MUST BE WILLING TO DENY THEMSELVES!

A. The active and indicative sense of the word is to contradict, to refuse to grant, to withhold, to refuse or neglect, to disown
B. I am told "To deny ones self, is to decline the gratification of appetites [or desires of the flesh]; to refrain from; to abstain"
C. Consider 1 John 2:15-16

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

D. Take a look at Galatians 5 ...

1. Deeds of the flesh (verses 16-21)
2. The flesh dies; brings death and death rots and returns to dust
3. Fruits of the Spirit (verses 22-25)
4. The Spirit is renewing; seed to seed brings life, life brings more life and returns to its Maker
5. Consider the final fruit mentioned specifically - self-control!
6. "The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak"! [Mark 14:38]

II. THEY MUST BE WILLING TO TAKE UP THEIR CROSS DAILY!

A. Romans 12:2 says "so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
B. Clearly we are confronted with hundreds of crosses to bear up each day but there is only one that allows us to focus on the mission without distraction … James 4:5-6 and 7-8a (4-10)

Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."

And then He says ...

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

III. AND THEY MUST BE WILLING TO FOLLOW HIM!

A. Where! Is He referring to heaven? If He were, He’d be working on the doctrine of soteriology. But that is not what He is referring to because it would be works righteousness ... a false doctrine.
B. This is literally a willingness to go to your death for the Lord
C. Would there be any other option?
D. Does He mean we must all die martyrs? I don’t believe so. I believe He is anticipating the teaching of Paul in that we must die to self.
E. We can’t serve two masters is Jesus teaching [Matthew 6:34]; we cannot have divided allegiances.

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Jesus focused on ...

1.) the time of His mission
2.) the purpose of His mission and
3.) the cost of His mission …

In other words,

• He let nothing distract Him from the hour of His suffering for us;
• He denied Himself daily, so He didn’t allow the world, the flesh, or the devil weaken His focus
• He was willing to pay it all with all that He had; according to Philippians 2:5-7 we should ...
  

Have this attitude in [our]selves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

And so He has said to us this day to ...

1.) focus on the race set before us
2.) deny the world the flesh, and the devil any control over us, that we might be slaves to them; and
3.) follow Him to the altar of sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2).

Christ has set the example for us all; He could have easily said "follow my example," but we would have watered down His example, to the point it didn’t resemble anything of what He had done!

[NEEDLE & THREAD] An old Congolese (now Niger) man once prayed, "Lawd, you be da needle, I be da thread ... you go in first, I follow where you go!"

Did Jesus mean what He said? Oh yes! Every word! Listen to the same passage in another place ...

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

Matthew 10:38

I try very hard to do this ... I'll be honest, I do pretty well until I read that "[my] righteousness is like a filthy rag." I fail miserably by His standards.

What do I do? Where do I go? To whom do I go? Grace and mercy at the feet of my Savior!

[OLD AGE #2] It is now believed that a man reaches his peak mentally around the age of 35 and that this peak is maintained even past 70 years of age.

It has also been proven that the old saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is untrue. The learning power at 70 is about the same as it is at 17.

As one authority put it, we do not become old through the passing of years, but rather by our reactions to the circumstances of life. [e-Sword]

You can make yourself available to your Lord ... you can do this.

GENERAL TAGS: Homoletics, Preaching, Sermons

SPECIFIC TAGS: Discipleship, Flesh, Old age, Sacrifice,
Sanctification, Selflessness, Seniors, Spirit, World, Worship

9 July 2006 A Higher Purpose: The message of God to Man!

TOPIC: Atonement (substitutionary); love, sacrifice, worship

TITLE: A HIGHER PURPOSE – The Message of God to Man!

TEXT: Isaiah 53:1-8

Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.

By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And, as for His genera-tion, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What can we say of God's Suffering Servant?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. WE CAN SAY: WHILE HE FOCUSED ON US, HELL FOCUSED ON HIM!
II. WE CAN SAY: WHILE HE PAID OUR DEBT, SIN EXACTED FULL PAYMENT!
III. WE CAN SAY: WHILE HE LABORED FOR OUR WELL-BEING, HE SACRIFICED HIS OWN!

TRUTH/CONTEXT: We must remember Isaiah's Suffering Servant did this not just as an act of obedience to the Father and an act of love to mankind, but as an act of worship as well.

[NOT A MITE] The late Dr. Peter Marshall once selected for use in a church service the familiar hymn of consecration, "Take My Life and Let It Be." He requested the congregation to give particular thought to the words:

"Take my silver and my gold, Not a mite would I withhold."

Exacting the practical sense of the words "not a mite would I withhold," he asked that all who could not sing this line with literal sincerity, refrain from singing it at all.

The effect was a dramatic commentary on the thoughtless manner in which, all too often, we sing our hymns. Hundreds of voices, with organ accompaniment, sang strongly to the designated point; then, suddenly … only the sound of the organ music. Not a single voice ventured to so challenging a height!

I dare say we are once again crippled in spirit at the thought of our common guilt here; we too would have been silenced, I've been here not two months and I already know that some among you have possessions of several orders of magnitude you would not relinquish to the Lord even if threatened with death.

Oh, in the light of what the Lord has done, what shame and reproach we bring upon His name, His cause, and His kingdom … for the Scripture says:

Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but right-eousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Romans 14:16-17

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What can we say of God's Suffering Servant?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. WE CAN SAY: WHILE HE FOCUSED ON US, HELL FOCUSED ON HIM!

And yet He had no special powers or privileges …

A. Nothing special [v.2]

1. Not from rich soil - "parched ground"
2. No powerful breeding - "no stately form or majesty that we should notice Him"
3. Nor appearance - "that we should be attracted to Him"

B. In fact He was "despised and forsaken" [v.3]

1. with "sorrows" - meaning much to be depressed about [like "O Brother Where Art Thou," by Union Station]
2. and "acquainted grief" - meaning much to weep about
3. "did not esteem Him" - aka Rodney Dangerfield
4. He was treated Like a Leper - people hid (pulled cloaks over) their faces from Him [i.e., averted]

II. WE CAN SAY: WHILE HE PAID OUR DEBT, SIN EXACTED FULL PAYMENT!

A. While He … [v. 4]

1. Bore our griefs

a) Collected them and
b) Placed them on His shoulders

2. Carried our sorrows

a) Bent under
b) Burdened by

3. And then carried them away where they cannot be found

B. Our iniquities caused Him to be … [v. 5]

1. Disparaged and disrespected
2. Distained
3. Scorned

C. As well as …

1. Stricken - violently taken and thrown around
2. Smitten - severely beaten
3. Afflicted

III. WE CAN SAY: WHILE HE LABORED FOR OUR WELL-BEING, HE SACRIFICED HIS OWN!

A. For Our Transgressions - Pierced!
B. For Our Iniquities - Crushed!

1. Beaten
2. Bruised
3. Incapable of carrying himself; muscles wouldn’t respond

C. For Our Healing - Scourged!

1. The Passion of Christ
2. Black and blue all over
3. Cut and bleeding

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: He suffered and He died that we might live; while we were yet in our sins, He died for you and for me.

Man was and is prone to do what seems right in his own eyes, to go the way of least resistance.

[LIGHT] No one switches on a flashlight in broad daylight; we turn on the light to dispel darkness. It is the darkness that makes the light necessary. God from eternity knew we would choose the darkness rather than His Light, and therefore He sent His only begotten Son to shine in the darkness … and the darkness will flee.

And so He, the Light of God, shined in the darkness [John 1:4-5] and he "has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him."

He was tortured and stomped, mocked, and spat upon, "Yet He did not open His mouth."

His fate was as certain as a new born lamb on the day He was born … He would be "led to the slaughter," to be torn apart to cover and feed the flesh. He knew this but He did not bleat!

Man wanted to destroy the Lamb of God for his own purposes but God had a greater purpose for His Lamb.

[COVERING] Two Aussies invented an inflatable covering for cars to protect them during hailstorms. The blanket is stored in the trunk until needed; then inflated with a lighter attachment in about 45 sec-onds. By the time the covering is up its too late!

We need a covering to protect us from the strokes that are due us ... the covering provided by Christ does just that.

Mankind (under the influence of sin) took the Lamb away to be cut off from the land (Israel) in order that Satan might deliver "the stroke … due" God's people "for [their] transgression." Notice the singular form of the word transgression … it's a collective - meaning rebellion.

What was the greater purpose of God in all of this … other than that He would provide the ram as Abraham told his son God would do? It was this …

• Instead of His Lamb being used by man, He would be used for man.
• Instead of His Lamb doing away with the Law, He would be used by God to fulfill both the Law and the Royal Law.
• Instead of satisfying the flesh (man's will), He would satisfy the Spirit (God's will).
• Instead of a mortal, perishable, and natural purpose, He would be used for an immortal, imperishable, and supernatural purpose.

God gave His only begotten that He might be worshipped in the way He desires and deserves … a living sacrifice, whole and well-pleasing.

His Son gave Himself as a living propitiation to His Father, for our rebellion, that we might be cleansed and prepared for that Great Day of salvation and glory.

What, I pray, what have you given of yourself that you might be so presented on that day?

GENERAL TAGS: Homoletics, Preaching, Sermons

SPECIFIC TAGS: Atonement, love, sacrifice, Selflessness, worship

2 July 2006: Works v. Faith

TOPIC: CONSECRATION; Belief, Faith, Fruit, Sanctification, Walk, Works

TITLE: WORKS v. FAITH - Essentials of Christian Living

TEXT: James 1:21-25; (supporting text Matthew 22:34-40)

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.

But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How should we understand the apparent gap between works and faith?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. WE SHOULD SEE THE VERTICAL RELATIONSHIP – The Great Commandment!
II. WE SHOULD SEE THE HORIZONTAL RELATIONSHIP – The Second Great Commandment!

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Christian organizations are fond of issuing "Statements of Faith" ... we at SCCC have one on the back of our bulletin.

Have you ever spent any time considering its significance? (Yea, right!)

How do you think our “Statement of Faith” stands up to John 15:8?

My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

How about Romans 12:1-2?

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your act of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

How about Luke 9:23?

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

I could go on with all of the other "follow Me" verses (19x in 4 Gospels), but they all prove the same thing ... as do hundreds of other verses ... Jesus rarely asks us what we believe, rather He asks us to follow Him in doing His work.

I am of the opinion churches would be better served if they issued "Statements of Works" (or Actions)! And those proactive not reactive!

One states what we believe; the other would state what we are doing as a result of what we believe!

[STRADLE SADDLE] When our son Justin was in grade school Rita owned a mule ... Justin wasn’t big enough to get on so he sat on the fence and waited for the mule to saunter by and he jumped on its back and off he'd go for a ride. He was five-years-old.

One day he decided to try something different by leaving one foot outside the fence as he jumped (his mother was worried about safety and he thought perhaps it might be "safer"). Immediately the mule sidled away from the fence. Needless to say, after his little legs stretched as far as they would go, he fell on his face.

You'd think experiences like this would teach us a lesson. Yet we all find ourselves trying to "straddle the fence." The results are always the same as at the first.

This is disastrous for a Christian. The fence isn't a real fence and the mule is Christ ... and because of our lack of commitment to Him we fall on our faces. Believe me; a fall from this fence hurts a lot more.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How should we see in the apparent gap between works and faith?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. WE SHOULD SEE THE VERTICAL RELATIONSHIP – The Great Commandment!

If we had a Statement of Actions, I believe it should start like this …

Those who Worship at SCCC are keepers of the Great Commandment ... we love the Lord our God with all our being (Matthew 22:34-40; focus directed upward)

1. Those who Worship at SCCC Seek His Kingdom and His righteousness, first before all else (Matthew 6:33)
2. Those who Worship at SCCC Prove they are disciples by bearing much fruit (John 15:8)
3. Those who Worship at SCCC are living and holy sacrifices, acceptable to God (Romans 12:1)
4. Those who Worship at SCCC are not conformed to this world but are being transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2)
5. Those who Worship at SCCC Walk by the Spirit if indeed we live by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25)
6. Those who Worship at SCCC Resist the devil, they submit to God (James 4:7)
7. Those who Worship at SCCC Focus on things above and not on the things of this world (Colossians 3:2)
8. Those who Worship at SCCC Use wisdom from above (James 3:17) and not of this world (James 3:15)

I. WE SHOULD SEE THE HORIZONTAL RELATIONSHIP – The Second Great Commandment!

Again, I believe, if we had a Statement of Actions we would separate the faith components from the works components …

Those who Worship at SCCC keep the command and love their brothers and sisters as themselves (Matthew 22:39; focus directed outward)

If … you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF," you are doing well.

James 2:8

1. Those who Worship at SCCC run the race set before them and earnestly desire to win (1 Corinthians 9:24)
2. Those who Worship at SCCC lay aside every encumbrance and entanglement of sin in order to run the race set before them with endurance. (Hebrews 12:1)
3. Those who Worship at SCCC witness for Christ; first to families, then neighbors, then countrymen, and then to all the world (Acts 1:8)
4. Those who Worship at SCCC “do” for the least of men, in order to do for the greatest of men (Matthew 25:45)

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Which is greater, The Great Commandment or the Great Commission?

The former is obviously the most important! Why? First, because it is the "great" command and, second, because great works only come from those whose heart desires to love the Lord their God with all their being?

James 2:14 tells us "mercy triumphs over judgment" ... that is, the spiritual triumphs over the walk ... the latter is external, the former is internal; the later is horizontal, the former is vertical; and the latter can be done out of the flesh but the former can only done with a right relationship with the Lord.

As you might guess, this is only a handful of those things we should be doers of, not just believers in!

One of the great mysteries of the church/faith is how the visible church doesn't grasp the simple truth that all those things which bother her so much (discord, war, crime, immorality, debauchery, abuse, anger, etc.) would all but disappear if the invisible church ... with a united voice ... would but stand and say, "We have decided to follow Jesus!"

Like our son, too many true believers lack commitment to the object of their faith.

[AVAILABILITY] People acquire great abilities which they cultivate and demonstrate. In the service of God, there is an ability which is the greatest ability of all. Is it sociability, compatibility, accountability, adaptability, or reliability?

The greatest ability is availability. If we don't step out in faith and make ourselves available to God, no matter what other kind of ability we have, it is of no value. Ability without availability is a liability to God. Just as faith/belief without works/action is useless!

What does availability mean? It means to place one's self totally, absolutely, completely at God's disposal for Him to do anything and everything He wants to do in us, through us, with us, for us, when He chooses. Anything less than that is straddling between commitment to Jesus Christ and commitment to the world.

[REAL MEN] There is a story that a certain social organization in South Africa once wrote to David Livingston … "Livingston - have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you."

Livingston replied, "If you have men who will come ONLY if they know there is a good road, I don't want them.

God is of the same opinion.

RELATED LINKS:

The SHEEP'S CRIB

GENERAL TAGS: Homiletics, Preaching, Sermons

SPECIFIC TAGS: Belief, Consecration, Faith,
Fruit, Sanctification, Walk, Works