SERMON SEEDS G47 FOR 2/9/04
Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>
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1 Kings 12:1-24
RESPONSES
Solomon was dead. Rehoboam was made king.
This story of the split of Israel into two nations is a story of various responses.
RESPONSE IN AFFLICTION Vss. 1-4
Israel had suffered under Solomons high taxes.
A request was submitted for some tax relief and a promise of loyalty to the new king.
RESPONSE OF DELAY Vs. 5
Rehoboam wanted some time to think it through before making a response. This was not a bad idea.
RESPONSE OF THE OLD Vss. 6-7
He asked his fathers advisors, old men, what to do. They recommended cooperation with the requests.
RESPONSE OF THE YOUNG Vss. 8-11
The ones the same age as the king wanted the king to take a hard line approach, not giving the Israelites any relief.
RESPONSE OF THE KING Vss. 12-15
The king unwisely followed the advice of the young instead of the old.
RESPONSE OF REBELLION 16-20
There was a split in the Kingdom. The northern Kingdom, Israel rebelled, making Jeroboam king.
RESPONSE OF GOD 21-24
The split of the kingdom into two nations was Gods work.
God had promised this to Solomon. 1 Kings 11:11-13
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2 Kings 3
BAD CIRCUMSTANCES, GREAT GOD
A PARTNERSHIP FORMED Vss. 1-9A
A PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED 9B-10
A PROPHET SOUGHT Vss. 11-12
A PROPHECY MADE Vss. 13-19
A PREDICAMENT OVERCOME Vss. 20-27
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Psalm 63
GOD AT THE CENTER
THIRST FOR GOD Vss. 1-2, 8
THANKS TO GOD Vss. 3-4, 7
THOUGHTS OF GOD Vss. 5-6
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Luke 7:11-17
AVAILABLE
The Lord Jesus was and is always available.
This story shows us the availability of the Lord Jesus.
From this passage we learn that:
JESUS IS AVAILABLE IN CRISIS - Vss. 11-12
Jesus had been in Capernaum where he healed a centurions servant.
Vs. 11 Jesus progressed to Nain, a days journey, about 25 miles from Capernaum.
Vs. 12 Here is a crisis.
It is always sad when someone dies, but it is especially hard when the ones left behind are the parents or as in this case a parent. We parents always expect our children to be burying us and not us burying our children.
In this case the situation was even more difficult because the only one left was a lone widow. There were no other children and no husband. This would have been a great emotional loss, but also a great physical loss. Widows in Bible times had it hard when it came to making ends meet.
There was quite a procession which would have probably included professional mourners and many people of the city.
The thing that strikes me is that Jesus was available.
As always, Gods timing was perfect. Jesus showed up just as the body was being taken out for burial.
Is Jesus available today in times of crisis?
The answer, of course, is yes. John 14:18, Hebrews 13:5-6, Isaiah 41:10, Hebrews 4:14-16
JESUS IS AVAILABLE WITH COMPASSION - Vs. 13
Vs. 13 Jesus was a man of compassion because God is a compassionate God. Lamentations
3:22-23
Jesus often showed compassion. Matthew 9:36, 14:14, 20:34, Mark 1:41, John 11:35
John 11:35 - Jesus wept.
Jesus told her not to weep. Of course He knew that He would raise the man from the dead.
This reminds me that its okay and natural to weep, but there is a time to stop crying.
There is a time to stop mourning and to let Jesus heal us.
JESUS IS AVAILABLE BRINGING CHANGE Vss. 14 -15
Vs. 14 The bier was an open casket
Touching a dead body would render someone ceremonially unclean.
Jesus was not afraid to get involved in tacky situations.
And Jesus does not stand aloof in our times of hurt and sorrow.
Jesus told the young man to get up.
Vs. 15 The young man sat up and began to speak.
Jesus presented the young man to his mother.
Jesus brought about many changes when He walked this earth.
He made cripples whole.
He made insane, demon possessed people, sane.
He made the blind to see.
He made the dead alive.
He changed the lives of his disciples.
And the Lord Jesus is making changes today.
First and foremost He changes every person who is truly born again.
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.
(When I preached this sermon I used the examples of Stuart Hamblin, C.I. Scoefield, and Mel Trotter as those who were dramatically changed when they were saved.)
The Lord is also available to change us after we are saved.
As we allow the Holy Spirit to control us, we will produce the fruit of the Spirit which will actually be change.
We will change from hatred to love
From sorrow to joy
From turmoil to peace
From impatience to longsuffering
From gruffness to gentleness
From crookedness to goodness
From unfaithfulness to faithfulness
From pride to meekness
From being out of control to being under control (Galatians 5:22-23)
JESUS IS AVAILABLE ACCEPTING COMMENDATION - Vss. 16-17
Vs. 16 They did not recognize Him as God, but as a great prophet. Jesus accepted the commendation that came with this.
Today we recognize Jesus as God and it reminds me that He accepts our commendation and worship.
As Christians we should be thankful and grateful for what he has done for us. Hebrews 13:15, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 96:1-2, 1 Thessalonians 5:18
JESUS IS AVAILABLE IN CRISIS - Vss. 11-12
JESUS IS AVAILABLE WITH COMPASSION - Vs. 13
JESUS IS AVAILABLE BRINGING CHANGE
Vss. 14 -15
JESUS IS AVAILABLE ACCEPTING COMMENDATION - Vss. 16-17
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John 4
AN EXAMPLE
We are told that we should follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, and yet it is humanly impossible to do so. It is only when the Spirit of Christ controls us that we will be able to follow his example. But to follow his example is something we should strive to do with the help of His Holy Spirit.
Jesus by example cared about the souls of men.
Luke 19:10 - For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Mark 6:34 - And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
We are looking at a classic example of how to win souls presented to us by our Lord Jesus Christ in John 4.
It is the story we call The woman at the well. Here we find:
THE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTS HUMILITY
You are probably familiar with the fact that the Lord Jesus had to humble himself in order to come to earth and to die for us. Philippians 2:5-8
While our Lord walked the earth He was humble.
He was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and yet He lived among men, He ate with them, He allowed them to ridicule Him and even humbled Himself to die for everyones sins.
In John 4, Jesus shows his humility in at least two ways.
· HE WENT TO AN UNLOVELY PLACE
John 4:4 - And he must needs go through Samaria.
The main reason why Jesus had to go to Samaria was that He had an appointment with a sinful woman at a well (More about her in a minute.).
The woman didnt know she had an appointment, but Jesus did. Also he had appointments with other Samaritans, many of which would have their lives changed by Him.
Jesus was traveling. He was leaving Judea, sort of the greater Jerusalem metropolitan area, and going to Galilee, the area where He grew up and often ministered. Cana in Galilee was His headquarters.
As we already saw in verse 4, it was necessary for Him to go through Samaria. He could have avoided Samaria by doing what some devout Jews did. He could have traveled the long way around instead of taking a straight route that went through Samaria.
Why all the fuss over Samaria?
The Jews hated the Samaritans.
The Samaritans, in turn, hated the Jews.
Samaria, at one time was another name used for the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Remember, after King Solomon died the nation split up into a Northern Kingdom called Israel or Samaria, and a Southern Kingdom called Judah.
Because of the sin of the Northern Kingdom, Israel was carried into captivity by the Assyrians. The Assyrians had a policy of removing conquered people from their land and resettle them in another land. So, most of the Jews were taken out of Samaria and replaced with other conquered people from other areas. The new inhabitants intermarried with the poor Jews who were left behind in Samaria. Hence, the Samaritans of Jesus day were half breed Jews.
The Samaritan religion was also a half breed religion. It was a mixture of heathen religion with the Jews religion. When the Jews would not permit the Samaritans to worship at the temple in Jerusalem, they built their own temple.
Samaria to the Jew was an unlovely place.
But Jesus went to Samaria.
Why did Jesus go to Samaria? It was an unlovely place where people needed help.
Lets face it. When most of us share the Gospel, we prefer to go to lovely places. We prefer to go where its respectable and easy to share.
But unlovely places are places where people need Jesus.
Jesus may ask you to go to an unlovely place to share the Gospel.
It might be an unlovely work situation.
It might be an unlovely school situation.
It might be an unlovely neighborhood.
Or Jesus may even send you to an unlovely country.
The important thing we must do is humble ourselves to go with the salvation message wherever God sends us.
· HE WENT TO UNLOVELY PEOPLE
Vss. 5-6 Our Lord arrived outside of a village called Sychar. A well that had evidently been dug by Jacob, Abrahams grandson, was there.
Jesus was very tired.
This reminds us that He, as God in the flesh, experienced all the physical limitations that we experience.
It also reminds me that He did not use being tired as an excuse for not witnessing to this woman.
According to Vs. 8, the disciples went to buy food. Jesus was left by himself.
Vs. 7 The time was probably high noon. It was not a time when the women usually came to the well. It was too hot. But this woman came probably because she was shunned by the other women. This woman was an immoral woman, unlovely as a sinner.
Etiquette of that day would have frowned on a Jewish Rabbi talking to any woman in public, let alone a Samaritan woman. But Jesus care for souls went beyond mans etiquette.
Vs. 9 The woman was shocked that Jesus would talk to her.
She was shocked that he would drink out of a water picture that belonged to a Samaritan, for this was something that the Jews did not do.
Would Jesus have survived without the drink of water? Yes.
Jesus motive was to draw this unlovely, immoral woman into a conversation.
I want you to realize two things.
First of all, we are all unlovely. Isaiah 64:6
Second, as Jesus humbled himself to talk to unlovely people, we should do the same.
Undoubtedly you know some unlovely people who need Jesus. They are often crude, immoral, antagonistic, and down right unpleasant. They need you to humble yourself, become their friend, and tell them about Jesus.
THE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTS HELPFULNESS
An unlovely person has just given an unlovely response to Jesus.
He could have ignored her.
He could have lashed out at her with a brutal, righteous reprimand.
Instead Jesus chose to be helpful. John 4:10
Our Lord begins a gentle process of witnessing to this lady. He mentions to her that if she knew who she was talking to, she could ask Him of Living Water. He is helping her by beginning to point her to Himself.
May I remind you that the most helpful thing that you can do for anyone is to talk to them about their soul, and their need to trust Jesus as Savior?
Of course our Lord was talking of Spiritual things. As the conversation with the woman continued, our Lord pointed out in Verses 13-14 that anyone who drinks of that well will thirst again. But the living water that Jesus gives will be a well springing up to everlasting life.
When a person places their faith in the Lord Jesus, turning their back on everything and everyone else for eternal life, that person is born again. As a result of being born again, the Spirit of God comes to live inside a believer and hence the well springing up to life. John 7:37-39
John 4:15 - The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
The woman is still thinking of physical things. She wants that water, so she does not have to come to the well to draw water.
Our Lord saw the womans need. He knew she needed help, and the opening conversation with her is the beginning of that help. But Jesus needed to go a step further.
THE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTS HONESTY
John 4:16 - Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
Our Lord is now ready to help her in her immediate area of need, her sin. In order for anyone to be saved, they must see how sinful they are.
This womans problem is a moral one, so Jesus says to her, Go, bring your husband.
As we strive to help needy souls, let us remember to be honest. We need to get people lost, so to speak, before they will turn to people for salvation.
John 4:17-18 - The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: [18] For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
The woman says that she has no husband. Jesus agrees with her. Youve had five husbands, and this one you are living with is not your husband. The Lord points the finger of conviction right at her.
Let us remember to show people just how sinful they are. That takes honesty.
Next Jesus did what was necessary to point her to himself.
By the time that Jesus is done talking to her she says in
Vs. 25 - The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
Jesus gives the honest answer that she needed to hear in Vs. 26, Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
Our conversation with people is to follow Jesus example of honesty.
Not only must we tell people of their sin, but we must point out to people that Jesus, the sinless Son of God died for that sin, was buried and rose again. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Also in our honesty we must tell them that faith in Jesus is the only way to forgiveness and eternal life.
The good news is that the woman believed on Christ. John 4:28-29
THE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTS HUNGER
His disciples returned.
John 4:31-34 - In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. [32] But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. [33] Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? [34] Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Jesus was hungry to do the will of God.
The meat that He had was the satisfaction of doing the will of God.
Part of Jesus hunger to do the will of God, was to see souls come to know Him as Savior.
John 4:35 - Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
The fields that Jesus referred to are people.
He was hungry to see them saved.
You claim Jesus as your Savior.
You say you want to do his will.
Do you have any of that same hunger to see people come to Him?
THE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTS HUMILITY
THE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTS HELPFULNESS
THE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTS HONESTY
THE EXAMPLE OF CHRISTS HUNGER
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1 Thessalonians 1:5-10
GOSPEL IMPACT!
I once had a little 1969 Opel. I bought it brand new. It wasn't long before I realized that this car seemed to be carrying an invisible sign that said "HIT ME!". Many a time that car was involved in an accident that left an impact on the car (That is, a dent!). In our crazy English, you might say "The impact had an impact!"
When the Gospel, the good news of Christ's death, burial and resurrection
is believed a person becomes born again, or saved. At that point the Gospel begins to have an impact, an influence on the person who has believed in Christ.
In our text we see the impact that the Gospel had on the Thessalonians, and does have on us when we are saved.
THE GOSPEL COMES EFFECTIVELY Vss. 4-5
THE GOSPEL CHANGES LIVES Vss. 6-9
THE GOSPEL CAUSES HOPE Vs. 10
Sermon Seeds A28
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PEACE IN THE CHURCH
Titus 3:8-11
As we do the things Paul tells Titus, our churches will tend to be more peaceful.
REACH OUT WITH GOOD WORKS Vs. 8
RETREAT FROM FOOLISH QUESTIONS Vs. 9
REJECT HERETICS Vss. 10-11
False teaching has to be dealt with in order for peace to result.
Sermon Seeds A16
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