Quote from Forum Archives on February 5, 2004, 11:11 am

Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>

WELCOME TO SERMON SEEDS FOR FEBRUARY 2, 2004

 

My apologies for a late edition of Sermon Seeds this week.  Lord willing, we will be back on regular schedule next Monday

 

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1 Samuel 16:1-13

MOVING ON

 

Life is full of disappointments.  Our own actions, circumstances, health conditions, people, and a host of other things will disappoint us.  It is very easy to let the disappointments get us so discouraged that we stop serving the Lord!  When things aren't going the way we'd like them to go we have a tendency to give up.  There is a time to accept the disappointments and move on to whatever God has planned for us next.

 

The prophet Samuel was discouraged.  He had anointed Saul as King of Israel, but in God's eyes, he was a great failure. 1 Samuel 13:5-16, 1 Samuel 15:1-31

 

Through the life of Samuel, God teaches some lessons about moving on after a disappointment.

 

1. THERE IS A TIME TO STOP MOURNING. - Vs. 1 - Samuel mourned because of Saul's failure.  All the mourning in the world does not change situations.  There is a time to stop grieving, realizing that in spite of disappointments, God is in control.

 

2. THERE IS A TIME TO ACCEPT GOD'S WILL - Vs. 1 - Saul had been rejected!  Samuel had to accept the fact that God had another plan for Israel and for him.  So often we stubbornly hold on to what we think God's will should be, when in reality, God has another plan. God's plan is always the best plan.

 

3. THERE IS A TIME TO MOVE ON IN MINISTRY - Vss. 1-5 - God's plan was for Samuel to go to Bethlehem and anoint another king.  Although Samuel was afraid of what Saul would do, he chose to obey God and go to Bethlehem.  When we finally stop mourning and accept God's will in a disappointment, it is time to move forward and do as God directs.

 

4. THERE IS A TIME TO BE SENSITIVE TO GOD'S LEADING - Vss. 6-13 - It would have been easy for Samuel to anoint the wrong son of Jesse as king. He had to listen for God's guidance and God led him to His choice as King.  After we have been grieving, we especially need to get back "in tune" with God and allow Him to guide us.

 

If we think about it, it is always time to accept God's will, move on in ministry and to be sensitive to God's leading.

 

Sermon Seeds C13

 

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Psalm 141

HE IS LORD!

 

LORD OF MY PRAYERS – Vss. 1-2

LORD OF MY LIPS – Vs. 3

LORD OF MY HEART – Vs. 4

LORD OF MY CORRECTION – Vs. 5

LORD OF MY EYES – Vss. 7-8

LORD OF MY STEPS – Vss. 9-10

 

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Mark 5:1-20

WHAT A MIRACLE!

 

MISERY – Vss. 1-5 – This demoniac was in bondage to Satan.

 

MASTERY – Vss. 6-13 – The legion of demons was cast out of the man and into the pigs.

 

MERCY – Vss. 14-17 – The man was delivered and “…sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind…”

 

MINISTRY – Vss. 18-20 – The man who received mercy was sent home to tell others what God had done.

 

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Luke 7:36-50

DINNER PARTY

 

In the days of Jesus when someone had a dinner party, it was open for outsiders to come and watch.  Jesus was invited to dinner at the home of a Pharisee.

This unique dinner party featured:

 

A REPENTANT SINNER – Vss. 37-38

A RIGHTEOUS PHARISEE – Vs. 39

A REBUKING MASTER – Vss. 40-47

A REASSURING SAVIOR – Vss. 48-50

 

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Romans 14:10-13

WHEN TEMPTED TO BE JUDGMENTAL

 

REMEMBER THAT ALL WILL APPEAR BEFORE CHRIST – Vs. 10

REMEMBER THAT ALL WILL ACKNOWLEDGE CHRIST AS LORD – Vs. 11

REMEMBER THAT ALL WILL GIVE ACCOUNT – Vs. 12

REMEMBER THAT JUDGMENT IS TO BE AVOIDED – Vs. 13

Matthew 7:1-5

 

Note: The type of judgment being discussed here is the type that critically evaluates others.

Out and out sin is to be judged by the believer and corrected.  1 Corinthians 5

 

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NEED TO KNOW

 

If you think about it, whatever we do and whatever decisions we need to make, we need to know certain things in order to do a job right or in order to make an intelligent decision.

 

The most important decision that anyone can make is to trust the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

We usually refer to it as being “saved”.

If you ask someone who has not trusted Jesus as their Savior if they are saved, they, in many cases won’t understand what you talking about.  They may respond saying they don’t know what you are talking about.  Or, they respond with a “no”.  Or they may say “yes”, thinking that being saved is something entirely different from what you know it is.

 

If someone is going to make a decision to trust Christ as Savior, there are certain things they need to know.

 

1. THEY ARE SINNERS WHO DON’T DESERVE HEAVEN

 

Before a person can be saved, he or she must realize that he is lost!  That is, that they aren’t going to Heaven in their current state.

Many people have a wrong idea about what sin is.

Many will refer to sin as just being human or simply making a mistake.

If you ask them if they are sinners, they will say “no”.

If you ask them why God should let them into Heaven, they’ll tell you because they are basically good people who try to do good things.

 

Many people think that sin is what murderers, bank robbers, drug users and adulterers do.

They do not consider themselves to be sinners, who need help.

But the Scriptures paint a totally different picture.

 

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 

If you compare yourself to other human beings, you can usually come to the conclusion that you are not such a bad person.  You can always find people who are more immoral, more nasty, more dishonest or more hypocritical than you are.

 

But when we compare ourselves to God we find that we are definitely inferior.  We have “fallen short” compared to a righteous, holy, God.

 

This is bad news. But it gets worse as we examine

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.

 

This verse is very graphic.

We are all dirty.

 

And though we may think ourselves to be very righteous, our righteousness is like filthy rags. 

You have probably met people who thought they were smartly dressed, when in reality their clothes were not nice at all.

Anyone who is trying to get to Heaven based on their own righteousness or goodness is dressed in filthy rags because they are trying to place their righteousness on the same level as God’s.  It doesn’t work.

 

It says that all fade like a leaf.  Leaves eventually shrivel up, so does our righteousness fade in proportion to God’s righteousness.

And our iniquities are so bad, that they carry us away like a good stiff wind!

 

So, basically put, we do not deserve to be in the presence of God because of our sin. He is holy and we are not.  We don’t deserve to go to Heaven because God is holy and we are not.

 

So why is this a problem?  Ezekiel 18:4 answers that question.

Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

 

Because He is creator, God owns everyone.

The rich, the poor, the famous, the infamous, the showy, the bland, all belong to God.

That means every one of us will answer to God.

 

Romans 14:12 - So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

 

And then the verse adds, the soul that sinneth, it shall die.   

 

Death is separation.  A dead body is separated from life.

A dead soul is separated from God.

A dead soul suffers in Hell

 

And Romans 6:23a tells us more - For the wages of sin is death;

 

If we are paid what we deserve, everyone of us has earned spiritual death, spiritual separation from God.

God is a righteous God, and therefore requires that payment be made for our sins.

 

But there is good news for all sinners. 

2. THERE IS A SAVIOR WHO DIED FOR THEM

 

We just said that God is a righteous, holy God, requiring payment for sin.

But the good news is that not only is God righteous and holy, but God is a God of love.

 

God in His love made a way for our sins to be paid for as Romans 5:6-8 tells us. - For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

[8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 

When we were without strength Christ died for the ungodly.

We have already showed you that the ungodly is all of us.

And when Christ died for us it was in “due time” or as the NASB says, “in the right time”.

 

Paul goes on to state that it would be understandable if someone might die for someone who was righteous or good, but we are neither.

 

But God’s love was so strong that He sent His Son to die while we were yet sinners.”

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us more about this amazing act of love.

 

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

Jesus, God’s Son, did not deserve to die, but He died in your place and mine.

He was sinless - You and I are not.

He was perfect – You and I are not.

He did not deserve to die – You and I do.

He did not deserve to suffer for our sins – You and I do.

 

3. THERE IS SALVATION THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST

 

First of all, we must remember to tell those who are hearing the Gospel, that Jesus is alive from the dead!

 

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 - For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

 

Salvation, or being rescued from the penalty of our sin, is not based on what we do, but on what we believe.   

 

Romans 5:1 - Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

 

To be justified is to be declared right with God.

Notice we don’t earn being right with God, we are declared right God, based on our faith.

We end up with peace with God and actually become His children

 

John 1:12 - But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

 

We mentioned the first part of Romans 6:23 before, For the wages of sin is death;   

But now look at the whole verse.

 

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Salvation is a gift based on what Christ did to die for our sins.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

Grace is God giving me what I don’t deserve as a gift.

It is “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”!

I accept this gift by faith.

 

Of course, the Gospel has been summed up nicely by John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

We need to realize that God has provided each individual a choice.  If we decide to believe on Jesus Christ and accept his free gift, we have eternal life and a new life now.

If we fail to accept His free gift, we have a problem.

 

John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

 

There are many who have heard the Gospel and have failed to act on it.  Failing to believe is rejecting Christ’s free offer.

I can’t help it if somebody fails to trust Christ for forgiveness and eternal life.

However I am responsible to share what I know with others, so they have the opportunity to believe.

 

Romans 10:13-15 - For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. [14] How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? [15] And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

 

Your unsaved friends and loved ones need to know three things in order to make a decision to trust Christ as Savior.   

  

1. THEY ARE SINNERS WHO DON’T DESERVE HEAVEN   

2. THERE IS A SAVIOR WHO DIED FOR THEM   

3. THERE IS SALVATION THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST   

 

 

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THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

 

THE PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Acts 5:3-4 (He is God!), John 16:7-14

 

THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

John 7:37-39, John 14:16-18, Acts 2:1-4, Romans 8:8-11, 15-17

 

THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Acts 1:8, Romans 15:13

 

THE PROMINENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Romans 8:14, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Galatians 5:16, Ephesians 5:18

 

THE PRODUCTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Ephesians 5:9, 19-21, Galatians 5:22-23

   

PRAYER IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

Ephesians 6:18, Jude 1:20-21

 

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ABOUT SERMON SEEDS:

 

Sermon Seeds is a weekly e-mailing of free brief sermon outlines from Pastor Jack Peters. These outlines are meant to help other pastors and Bible Teachers in their own preparations.

 

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