Physically speaking, God can be found anywhere in the universe at any time.
Notice what David said in Psalm 139:7-12:
Psalm 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or
whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art
there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings
of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there
shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely
the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea,
the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the
darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
Solomon said in 1 Kings 8:27:
“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?”
Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 23:24:
“Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.”
-Thus we see from these verses of Scripture that God
in omnipresent, which means that He is everywhere present at the same time. We
also see that man cannot hide himself from God, however hard they may try. He
knows where we are. He knows all about us. He knows all about our hearts and
our thoughts, and He knows our motives.
-God’s glory we see, can be found in nature. In
Psalms 19:1 we are told that:
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament
sheweth His handiwork.”
-But beloved, few
today acknowledge God’s glory in the nature. They attribute God’s glory and
power to random chance. Yes, truly “…the fool hath said in His heart there is
no God.” But all will bow the knee to Him sooner or later.
-The
creation itself, we are told, reveals the truth about God’s power and
Godhead.
In
Romans 1:19-20 we read:
Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is
manifest in them; for God hath shewed it
unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so
that they are without excuse:
-Then we see that our natural conscience also bears witness to God’s law, and to His Holiness, and to His law’s just demands.
We are told in Romans 2:14-15:
Romans 2:14 For when the
Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law,
these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of
the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing
or else excusing one another;)
But beloved, even with the testimonies of nature, and creation, and conscience; mankind cannot know God personally through these. And yes, we can know God personally. The Gnostics teach that God, if He exists, is separate from His creation and cannot be known by men. How wrong and how foolish they are! We can know God, and God can and will be found by His people, but it takes more than just the testimonies of nature, and creation, and conscience to reveal Him personally to His people.
This morning we want to see where God will be found
in salvation. Next week we will see where God will be found in the life of the
believer.
1.
Where Will God Be Found in Salvation?:
This is perhaps the most important question that one
can ask. The answer to the this question is of utmost importance. Those who
depart this life not knowing the answer to this question, will find themselves
eternally forsaken of God, banished in the torments of eternal punishment. There
it will be too late to find the answer.
There is no second chance, once we pass from this life into the next.
1)
First this morning, God will only be found through His Son the Lord
Jesus Christ:
All the religions of the world, which seek after God outside of Jesus Christ, will never find Him. Notice the following verses of Scripture:
John 14:6 Jesus
saith unto him (that is, to Thomas), I am the way (that is, to Heaven and to the Father), the truth (that
is about God and the way of salvation), and the
life (that is, life eternal with
God in Heaven): no man (not a single man in all of time) cometh unto the Father (on earth or to the throne in Heaven), but
by me. (Jesus is the only way to
God.)
Matthew 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man
knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the
Son, and [he] to whomsoever the Son will reveal [him]. (Jesus must reveal God the Father to us, if
we are ever going to know Him; therefore we only can know the Father through
Jesus the Son.)
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation
in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved. (Beloved,
Mohammed (founder of Islam), Buddha, Confucius, Charles Russell (founder of the
Jehovah Witnesses), Joseph Smith (founder of the Mormons), Mary Baker Eddy
(founder of Christian Science), or any other name under Heaven, will not reveal
God in salvation. But the only name
given whereby we must be saved is Jesus Christ. There is no hope of salvation
outside of His precious Name.)
2)
Secondly, God will be found through Jesus being lifted up:
John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have eternal life.
John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Jesus was lifted up on the cross, and through the
power of His cross He is drawing all of His people unto himself. Yes,
beloved, He will draw everyone of them for which He died, and consequently they
shall all find the Father through the cross of Jesus. There is power in the
cross of Jesus! There is power is the gospel message, which is the message of
the cross whereon Jesus our Lord was lifted up for the sins of His people! Whereupon
He died to satisfy God’s justice for the sins of His people; and then was
buried in that tomb, and rose again to third day for our justification and
eternal life.
And we, His redeemed people, must also lift Him up
in our preaching, in our lives, in our testimonies, and in all that we do in
this world; that others might see Jesus lifted up through our lives. We are to
be lifting up the cross of Jesus for the world to see, that through seeing
Jesus lifted up they might believe on Him, and be saved.
3)
Thirdly, God will be found through faith in Jesus:
We want to see just how near God’s salvation
is to everyone this morning. Notice Romans 10:1-10 with me:
1 Brethren, my
heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
(Oh, that this might be our heart’s desire and prayer to
God for our kinsmen and countrymen)
2 For I bear them
record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
(Zeal in and of itself, beloved, is no profit. Good intentions are no good outside of the
truth.)
3 For they being
ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
(Going about to establish their own righteousness; is true
of all religion outside of Christ and His righteousness. All other religions teach righteousness by
works.)
4 For Christ is
the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
(The law of God leads men to Christ, Who fulfilled all
righteousness that we could not fulfill).
5 For Moses
describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth
those things shall live by them.
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on
this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to
bring Christ down from above:)
7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to
bring up Christ again from the dead.)
(Note: the idea is that faith is not a difficult thing, but rather
simple)
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart:
that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
(Salvation by faith is not far off
but nigh or near!)
9 That if thou
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart
that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the
heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation.
Where will God be
found in salvation? In your heart, by faith in Jesus and His work on the cross.
Salvation is not far-off!, but is near. Everyone who will simply believe in
their heart that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again for them, will be
eternally saved at that very moment; and will confess Jesus with their mouth as
evidence of saving faith in Him. Being saved is not a work or a process, but
simple faith in Jesus the Savior, who was lifted up for you on the cross of
Calvary.
Conclusion:
-God will only be found through the person and work
of Jesus Christ His Son.
-God will only be found through the lifting up of
His Son (on the cross and through preaching).
-God will only be found by faith in His Son, and
what He did for sinners on the cross of Calvary.
-Explain the gospel of Jesus
Where
God Will be Found (Part II)
Introduction:
In our message this evening we want to see three places where God will be found by His children. We might ask the question: “Do God’s children seek the Lord?” The wicked we know don’t seek the Lord. But beloved, we as God’s people do seek the Lord, or at least we better seek Him if we know what is good for us and if we want His blessings and tender mercies upon our lives and upon our families and our churches!!! So then, lets notice three places where we as believers can expect to find God as we seek for Him all our days.
1) First, we can expect to find God in His
Church:
In the great
commission Jesus promised His presence with His Church:
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 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.
Jesus was not
speaking to His disciples so much, but rather He was speaking to His Church. We
know that the Apostles are no longer here with us. They are not here on earth
unto the end of the world. But rather His Church will be here until His coming
for us in the air.
Revelation 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus
write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand,
who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Jesus walks in the midst of His Churches. He is here
with us even right now this evening. We don’t see Him, but He is here! May He
give us the grace and faith to perceive Him and to believe that He is here. Not
only is Jesus here with us, but the Holy Spirit of God is here directing in the
services, and working in the hearts of the saved, and we hope in the unsaved to
bring them to repentance and faith as it pleases Him. If you are touched by the
Lord, it is not because of the preacher, but it is the Spirit of God
that touches you and moves you to tears of joy, or tears of repentance. It is
the Spirit of God that touches your heart with some truth and causes your
spirit with leap within your breast for joy! It is the Holy Spirit that has
lifted some burden or has spoken to you concerning some trouble in your soul,
or has given you answer to some special prayer that you have so desired.
Beloved, oft times the Lord speaks to us and blesses
us in special ways when we assemble together in His house. Therefore we are to
come expecting to meet with the Lord. Come expecting, not just to sing a few
songs and hear another dry sermon, but come expecting to meet with Jesus- To be
touched by Him, and with hopes that others will be touched by Him; especially
the lost with salvation.
Sometimes I think we fail to expect God to be at
church when we get there. But this is the real purpose for assembling. Yes,
beloved, we come together to fellowship with one another, but truly our
fellowship is with the Father and with His Son the Lord Jesus. It is God that we
need to hear from and to fill our hearts with His Spirit and with truth, and
with His manifold grace. May we expect to find God when we come to church! May
we come expecting to hear from Heaven and to be instructed of the Almighty, and
to receive of His blessings. Beloved, God won’t be found in just any church;
not in the since that we are speaking of tonight.
John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and
now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in
truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God [is] a Spirit: and
they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.
Only true churches of the Lord Jesus Christ are
capable of worshipping God in Spirit and in truth. Only true churches have the
baptism of the Holy Spirit, and only true churches are pillar and ground of the
truth (1 Tim. 3:15). If you are saved, are you a member of one of the Lord’s
true, New Testament Baptist Churches? If not, may the Holy Spirit be pleased to
lead you into one of His churches, so that you too may find the Lord in His
Church!
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot
be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let
us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need.
Beloved, God is on His throne, and His throne room is always open to His children. He bids us come to His throne of grace. I believe that God can always be found of His children at the throne of grace, when we come to Him with our hearts aright. Now if we regard iniquity in our hearts He will not hear us; Psalm 66:18 tells us. The blind man in John chapter 9 could see spiritually well enough to know that God will not hear the prayers of sinners; and that I believe includes saved sinners who regard iniquity in their hearts and in their lives:
John 9:31 Now we know that
God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his
will, him he heareth.
But beloved, if only we His children could
fully see the blessedness of this glorious truth, that we will always find God
there on His throne when we come to Him in prayer. Any time, day or night, God
is always there. He doesn’t take vacations! He doesn’t have an answering
machine. He doesn’t screen our calls when we call on Him in prayer. The Lord
doesn’t say “Oh, its just Chris again; he bugs me all the time! Tell him to
call back later”; or “let the machine get it” or “let an angel take that
prayer”. No beloved, God personally hears each and every one of our prayers,
and answers them according to His good will.
How many of us must confess our shortcomings in our
prayer life. Prayer, beloved, is one of the greatest means of obtaining grace
for living the Christian life. To fail in prayer, is to fail in one of the most
important graces of Christianity; and to miss out on many blessings that God
has for us. James said in James 4:2 that “…ye
have not, because ye ask not”.
Our text in Hebrews 4 said that we can come boldly
to His throne. We can come boldly because Jesus is our sympathizing Savior, and
God is our loving heavenly Father. Jesus is touched with the feeling of our
infirmities. He is not a cold and heartless Savior, as sometimes even we
Baptists may erringly portray Him. But Jesus has feelings. He has feelings of
grief and of sorrow, and He has feelings of love and compassion for His people.
Beloved when you hurt, He hurts with you. He is touched with the
feelings of our infirmities! Don’t let our belief in sovereign grace rob us of
our faith in a sympathizing Savior. This very fact is a part of His sovereign
grace. Beloved if our acceptance into His throne room was dependant on us and
our righteousness and our worthiness, then woe is unto us- for none of us would
ever be accepted of Him. But, beloved, we are accepted in the Beloved:
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his
will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us
accepted in the beloved.
We can only approach unto the throne of Almighty God
because of what Jesus hath done for us! We come to God “in the Beloved”, that is, in Jesus, God’s Beloved Son. We come
because we were predestinated unto the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ to
Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. Let us never lose the
sense of God’s love and compassion for His children. We who are saved by His
amazing grace, we can rest assured that we are welcome into His presence in
prayer. He wants us to come. He wants to bestow mercy and grace upon us and to
help us in time of need. And nothing is to small or too simple for God! Yes
beloved, God can help us with the “big things” that we face in life, as there
is nothing to hard for God, but let us not forget that He will also help us
with the “small things” in life that we have need of.
3) Thirdly, we can expect to find God in His
Word.
1.
The Bible is God’s Word.
That is, He is the author of His Word and not man.
Although God used men to write the Bible, the very words were inspired
or “God breathed”:
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: 17 That
the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by
the will of man: but holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2.
We can find God in His Word because the Word is God.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Not the paper and ink, beloved, but the truth
contained therein. The very heart of God can be found in His Word. Everything
that can be known of God on this side of eternity can be found in His Word. All
that can be known about His Person and His attributes, are revealed in His
Word. His mercy love and grace, His Holiness, His power, His sovereignty, His
glory, His faithfulness, His truthfulness, His wisdom- His will for our lives;
all can be found in His Word. Yes beloved, if we want to find God as His
children, this is where we can be sure to find him. Too many people today are
looking for God in signs and visions and other places outside of His Word. But
this is unwise! Those things cannot be trusted. They will lead you astray. But
His Word is sure, and it can always be trusted to teach us and to lead us
aright.
3.
We are to receive the Word of God as the Word of God and not of men:
1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received [it] not [as] the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
When the preacher preaches according to “thus saith
the Lord”, or when we are reading and studying our Bibles, we need to keep in
our minds that it is God’s Word, and that it is God Who is speaking to us. We
must hold His Word in great reverence, and receive the engrafted Word with fear
and trembling. It is not to be taken lightly. It is not to be disregarded, but
received as God’s Word and God’s message to our very souls.
4.
The Word of God is true, and we can believe it, and trust it as truth. Jesus
said:
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy
truth: thy word is truth.
The Word of God is all true. Not just parts
of it, but all of it. God’s Word is not divided. It is not partly inspired, or
just partly true. Not only the red letters are inspired, as some wrongly
suppose, but it is all inspired, both Old and New Testaments, and therefore it
is all true. Because God’s Word is true, we need to receive it as such; and
more so, we need to obey it from the heart!
5.
The Word of God is also very powerful:
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Yes God’s Word is quick, that is it is alive, and as
such it is life giving [Jesus told Satan that man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God]; and God’s
Word is very powerful [“the Greek word for powerful here is: en-er-gace’”,
which is translated energize in English];
the gospel is the power (or dynamite) unto salvation, and the entire Word of
God is the spiritual energy for living the Christian life [who is a strong
Christian?]; the Word of God is also very sharp [literally- it doesn’t hack
with many strokes, but it cuts clean as with a single stroke, like a surgeons
scalpel]; it pierces or penetrates deep into the soul and spirit [it doesn’t
just cut on the surface, but goes deep into the soul]; and it is a discerner
[the Greek word for discerner is kritikos krit-ee-kos;
which is translated “critic” in English], and therefore it is a critic of
the thoughts and intents of the heart. It will tell us like it really is and
will not lie. It will cut us to the quick. It will tell us when we are right
and when we are wrong. And all this is for our good, that we might be
sanctified; that we might be made holy; that we might be made perfect or
complete; that we might be thoroughly furnished unto every good work!
6.
We are to study God’s Word:
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The Bible is not intended to be a center piece for our living room table, but rather it is our instruction book for life and godliness and for Christian service. It is our guide and our comforter in times of trials. It is our peace in troubled times. We are to study it to show ourselves approved, as believers who are ready give to answer to every man who asketh us a reason of the hope within us, with meekness and fear.
7.
We are to hide it in our hearts that we might not sin against God:
Psalms 119:11
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
8.
We are to take heed to it and obey:
Psalms 119:9
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according
to thy word.
9.
We are to use it as our guide in life:
Psalms 119:105
Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Yes, beloved, if ever there was a place where God can be found of His people, it is in His Word. How oft do we find Him there as we go through the days and weeks of our pilgrimage.
Conclusion:
We have seen three places this evening where God can
be found by His people.
First, God can be found in His Church. Do we fine Him in one of the Lord’s true New
Testament Baptist Churches? Do we come expecting Him to be here and to touch
lives and to speak to our souls through His Word?
Secondly, God can be found in prayer. How often do we find Him there? Do we
believe that He is there and that He always hears us and answers our prayers
according to His will? May God help us to see this wonderful truth and to find
Him there often as we travel through our days.
And finally, God can be found in His Word. How
privileged we are to be able to own a complete copy of His Word. How often do
we find God in His Word, and listen intently as He gently speaks to our hearts
and souls.
Have you found God in salvation? Do you know His Son
the Lord Jesus Christ this evening?
Psalms 110:3 Thy people [shall be] willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
Psalms 65:4 Blessed
[is the man whom] thou choosest, and causest to approach [unto thee, that] he
may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house,
[even] of thy holy temple.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me
draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
May
God be pleased to make you willing in the day of His power. May He be pleased
by His sovereign grace and mercy to cause you to approach unto Him. And may God
be pleased to draw you to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the sacrifice
for your sins; that He died on the cross, was buried in the tomb, and was
raised again the third day for you.
May God bless His Word!
Where
God Will be Found (Part III)
In our first message we saw that God would be found in salvation in and through the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way to heaven; there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved! And we saw that we come to God in salvation by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, and for justification, and for eternal life.
In our second message we saw three places where we
as believers expect to find God. Those places included His Church, His throne
of grace where we come to Him in prayer, and His Holy Word. These are the
foremost places where we find God in the days of our pilgrimage.
This morning we want to begin
to notice some of the special, and less conspicuous places that we will find
God as believers. These are not as apparent as those we seen in past studies,
but they are important to us, and special to our personal relationship with the
Lord. These we might think of as being the icing on the cake of our personal
encounters with God in this life. This morning we want to study from the life
of Jacob in Genesis Chapter 28, that God will be found in a special way
through obedience to His revealed will. (Read Genesis 28:1-4).
1. First this
morning, God commands His people to be a separated people unto Himself:
(Read verse 1 again) Isaac
charged Jacob not to marry a wife of the Canaanites, which are heathen. Why,
because this is a violation of the will of God. Also, the unsaved idolatrous
spouse will lead the child of God away from the worship of God, and will be a
grief to the child of God all the days of their life. Oh, how many times have I
seen this in my short life as a Christian! Child of God take head to my warning
concerning this thing- I believe I speak for the good of your soul!!! Beloved, God wants us to be
a separated people…
2 Cor. 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath
light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath
Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple
of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I
will dwell in them, and walk in them;
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out
from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And
will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the
Lord Almighty.
We are to be a separated people unto the Lord:
-We are to be
separated in marriage, as in the case of Jacob in Genesis 28.
-We are to be
separated from idols and false religions, and manmade churches that are not the
Lord’s Church, that do not worship God in Spirit and in truth; and from other
religious heathen organizations such as the Masonic Lodge.
-We are to be
separated from ungodly friends and companions (we are known by the company we
keep)…
1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications
corrupt good manners.
-Evil
communications means evil companions and our conversation with them.
-Corrupt means to
lead away from the faith, or to destroy sound faith in the Word of God.
-Good manners
means good customs such as sound doctrine and godly practices that we have been
taught in the Lord’s Church; and it also means good morals and godly character.
-We are also to be
separated from this present evil world:
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not
that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will
be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
1 John 2:15 Love
not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that [is] in the
world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Oh beloved
brothers and sisters, God wants us and expects us to be a separated people unto
Himself and unto His service.
2. Jacob obeyed his father but Esau did not (Read verses
5-9):
Lets consider this
word obedience for a moment. What does it mean to obey God?
-To obey God is to
do or to keep His commandments and His laws.
-To obey God is to
live according to His instruction and council that are found in His Word.
-To obey God is to
humbly do His commandments without question or debate. Many believers today are
like attorneys; they are always looking for a loophole in the Word of God! They
reason in their hearts “Hath God really said” or “does the Bible really mean
what it says?”
-To obey is to do
God’s Will even when it is contrary to our will (Contrast Jonah and Moses).
-To obey God shows
that we have spiritual understanding (Contrast Jacob and Esau).
-It shows we
understand that Jesus is Lord, and that He requires obedience from His
servants.
-It shows we
understand that God is the all-wise sovereign God, and that He knows what is right
and that He knows what is best for us.
-It shows we
understand that our obedience to God is best for us.
-It shows we
understand that our obedience glorifies God and lifts up Jesus Christ our
Savior.
-To obey God is to
do all of His revealed will and not just part of it (Contrast Saul and
Josiah. Saul was cursed because He only partly obeyed God in the destruction of
the Amalekites. Josiah on the other hand was blessed and praised because he
obeyed all of God’s Word in destroying the idol worship and repairing the
breaches in the House of God and observing the Lord’s Passover).
-To obey God is to
do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.
-Both Jacob and Esau knew that their father’s commandment was the right thing
to do.
-Jacob deliberately obeyed and Esau deliberately disobeyed.
-By his obedience Jacob showed evidence of personal righteousness and of true
faith.
-By his disobedience Esau showed evidence of his unrighteousness and unbelief.
-Obedience to God
is a work of faith, believing that we will receive the blessing of the Lord.
-Esau could see no blessings in obedience. He gave up on receiving any blessings
of God.
-Jacob obeyed with hopes of receiving the blessings of God; and by faith he
received them!
-Obedience is not
limited to the mature or to the “elite” believer. Jacob was a supplanter. He
bought his brother’s birthright, and deceived his father and thereby robbed his
brother of his blessing. Now we know that this was all done in accordance with
the providential will of God; nevertheless, Jacob paid for his deception in
years to come. But Jacob obeyed his father Isaac in this thing. No matter what
our failures may have been in the past as believers, or in our lost estate
before we were saved, we can still obey the Lord from this day forward!
3. Jacob found God through his obedience (Read verses
10-19):
-Through obedience
Jacob found the place of God’s special presence.
-He experienced a very real encounter with the Lord; one that had lasting
effects on his life.
-Do we want to know God in a more intimate way? God reveals Himself when
we obey Him.
-Through his
obedience Jacob received a special revelation of God.
-In a dream he saw God in heaven, and the ministration of His angels.
-Through obedience
Jacob received precious promises of God.
4. Jacob was changed as a result of finding God through
obedience (Read verses 20-22):
When we find God
through our obedience, it works a change in our hearts and lives.
-Jacob vowed that
if the Lord would keep His promises that He made to him, then the Lord would be
his God.
-God kept His
promises to Jacob as He said He would. He kept him and cared for him, and
brought him back into his father’s house in peace as He promised.
-Jacob also kept
his vow to the Lord. We see through the remainder of Jacob’s life that God was
his God, and he had no other God’s.
-Jacob hallowed
the place where God met with him as Bethel, the house of God.
-Jacob had respect unto the house of God from that time forward.
-Jacob vowed to give a tenth of all that the Lord gave him back to the Lord.
So Jacob was
blessed of the Lord and he was changed as a result of finding the Lord through
obedience. He was made a stronger and more faithful believer. He came to
greater heights of understanding God, and his personal relationship with the
Lord also grew deeper as a result.
Conclusion:
As believers, are
we living our lives in obedience to the Lord? We sing the song “trust and obey,
for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey”.
Do we apply
ourselves to the Word of God that we might know His laws and His commandments
that we might know how to obey Him as we should? We emphasized
separation in our message this morning, but there are many other things that we
must know if we would be obedient children of God. Reading and studying the
Word of God, and attending His services are so important and fundamental to our
obedience to the Lord.
Have we found God
through our obedience to Him? Has He revealed Himself to us in special ways as
a result of our obedience? Has He shown us special blessings, and precious
promises as a result of our obedience? Beloved, there are blessings in
obedience, and there are precious promises to them who will obey the Lord in
their lives.
Has your life been
changed and your relationship with the Lord grown deeper through your obedience
to Him?
May God help each
and every one of us to see and know the blessedness of a life of obedience to
His Holy Word!
May God bless His
Word to our hearts.
Where God Will be Found (Part IV)
Another special place to find God: Finding God in Persistence and
Perseverance
This morning’s sermon contains advanced material for
the believer who wants to deepen their relationship with God. The casual or
nominal believer may not appreciate this sermon. However, for those of you who
want more out of your Christian lives than mediocre and shallow encounters with
God in your lives, then this message is for you.
This morning we want to see where God
will be found in persistence and perseverance in prayer. (READ Genesis 32:24-30):
This is a most mysterious passage of Scripture. I
will never fully understand this passage in the days of my flesh. It is too
high, and too wonderful for me. How could a man see God face to face and live,
much less wrestle with God and prevail against Him?! But we must simply take
this passage at face value and believe that it means what it says. This story,
I believe, was one of several pre-incarnate revelations of Christ in the Old
Testament. Here Jacob met Christ in a very special way. He already knew Christ
by faith in salvation, but here his intimate knowledge of Christ is greatly
increased through wrestling with Christ for a special blessing.
This morning we want to notice four
things from this passage.
1. First we see that Jacob wrestled with
the pre-incarnate Son of God. This is a great mystery to me, but Jacob
literally and physically wrestled with the Lord. (vs. 24, READ).
-This wrestling match, as it were, was for the
blessing of the Lord. The prize for
prevailing with God was to win the blessing of God!
This no doubt was for a special blessing, over and above the normal blessings
that one expects to receive from God in this life. We sing the song, “Deeper,
Deeper, in the love of Jesus!”- Beloved, to wrestle with the Lord is to go deeper
into the blessings and knowledge of God than the most believers ever dare to
go!
-It appears they wrestled at night until Jacob
persevered and prevailed with God, and won the blessing. How often have we
wrestled all night with God in prayer until we prevailed against Him?
-This passage implies some things that we should
take notice of:
-It implies that God wants
His children to wrestle with Him for a blessing.
-How easily and how soon we
give up and fall short of a blessing!
-It implies that the Lord
wants for us to prevail and win the blessing!
-It clearly shows that one
can prevail with God and win the blessing.
2. Jacob was physically impaired as a result of
persevering with the Lord (READ vs. 25)
-There may be consequences for being so bold with
the Lord as Jacob was willing to be. We must be willing to receive the humbling
touch of the Lord’s hand on our flesh, in order to obtain the greatest
spiritual blessings that Jesus has for us in this life. In a similar situation
Paul was given a thorn in the flesh along with the abundant revelations and
special blessings that he received of the Lord, to keep him in his rightful
place as a humble servant, and to prevent him from being puffed up in the
flesh. So, we must be willing to bare a thorn, or a disjointed thigh in order
to receive the special intimate blessings of God.
-Were the spiritual blessings that Jacob and Paul
received worth the affliction in the flesh that they had to bare in order to
obtain them?
Notice Paul’s own words on this matter:
2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted
above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a
thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be
exalted above measure. 8 For this thing
I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient
for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore
will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon
me.
-So then to walk with a limp or to live with a thorn
in the flesh, is well worth the spiritual benefits that God has for those who
persevere and prevail with Him in prayer.
3. Jacob was very bold and persistent with the
Lord (vs. 26)
-Is it possible to not let go of the Lord in
prayer until He blesses us? I believe it is possible. I’m sure that some of you
can attest to this fact. You may remember times when you wrestled long and hard
with the Lord until He blessed you, or until He answered your prayer. Again
beloved, this is advanced theology. It may not be for everyone. But I will say
that the Lord Jesus encourages all of His children to prevail with God in
prayer, and to not let go of Him until we receive His blessing:
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it
shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto
you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to
him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if
his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he
give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto
your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good
things to them that ask him?
-Consider those three words “Ask, seek, and
knock”. Each of these words
implies earnestness, diligence,
persistence, and perseverance with the Lord.
-Ask: Means to ask and keep on asking: Ask anything;
ask for big things or small things; but ASK, ASK, ASK and keep ASKING. We know
the old saying “it doesn’t hurt to ask”, and, “it doesn’t cost anything to
ask”. Well, beloved, God wants us to ask and keep on asking until we prevail
with Him and receive His blessing! And Jesus said that if we keep on asking God
will give us of His blessings!
-Seek: Means to seek and keep on seeking. Don’t quit
seeking the Lord’s blessing until we find what we are seeking for. And if we
keep seeking, Jesus said we will find it!
-Knock: Means to knock and keep on knocking. Don’t
quit knocking until God opens that door unto us. And if we keep on knocking,
Jesus said that God will open that door unto us!
Let’s notice a New Testament illustration:
Luke 18:1 And he spake a
parable unto them [to this end], that men ought always to pray, and not to
faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither
regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him,
saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward
he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because
this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she
weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall
not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear
long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless
when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
-Beloved it takes faith to be so bold with the Lord
as to not let Him go, and to not give up until we prevail with God and receive
the blessing. Without faith one would be presumptuous to be so bold and
persistent with the Lord. But by faith we can and we will prevail in prayer and
receive the blessing of God!
-May the Lord increase our faith that we may be more
bold towards Him in our prayer life; that we might have the wherewithal to
“ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK” until we receive the blessing!
4. Jacob’s blessings for his persistence and
perseverance.
-What were the blessings that Jacob received as a
result of persevering with the Lord? I don’t know if we can fully understand
what these blessings were, but we can make some conjectures based on the
information we have.
1-Jacob received a new name “Israel” meaning “God
prevails” (READ vs. 27-28)
Consider this; when we prevail with God, in reality
God has prevailed with us because we are brought to where he wants us in His
service!!!
2-Jacob received greater power and authority with
God! (Vs. 28). This was signified by his new name.
3-Jacob saw God face to face because he prevailed to
the dawning of the day.
-Those who prevail with the Lord in prayer will get
a closer look at God. I don’t mean physically, but spiritually; and therefore
we will know Him better personally.
4-Jacob also received protection from his brother
Esau as well as an abundant
entrance back into the promised land.
-Beloved, when we prevail with God, not only do we
receive the all-important spiritual blessings, but we also receive even those
physical things we have need of! Jesus said:
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you.
Conclusion:
-Children of God,
do we wrestle with God in prayer?
-Do we prevail
with Him and receive His blessings?
-Do we have the
kind of faith we need to persevere with God, and hold on to Him until He
blesses us?
-Do we have need
of His blessings that are worth wrestling for?
(Personally, our church, others).
-Finally, do you
know Him this morning in the pardon and remission of your sins? (give gospel).
Where God Will be Found (Part V)
Philippians 3:10 That
I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his
sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Introduction:
We want to briefly
discuss what it means to know Christ.
1. We can know Him in Salvation. (discuss).
2. We can know Him historically through His
Word:
-We read about His
love and compassion when He said in Matthew 11:28-30:
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek
and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is
easy, and my burden is light.
-We read about His
mighty works, when He calmed the raging storms and tempestuous seas; when He
raised the dead to life again, and opened the eyes of the blind to see; when He
healed all manner of diseases and cast demons out of those who were possessed
and enslaved to them; when He fed the five thousand with five loaves and two
small fishes. We could go on and on. In all these we learn about what a mighty,
wonderful and merciful Savior He is.
-We know Him
historically in His sufferings, when we consider all that He suffered for us
and for our sins in the garden of Gethsemane and of course on the cross of
Calvary.
3. Then, we know
Him in the obedience of faith as we walk by faith, believing and trusting in
Jesus for all things pertaining to our lives; as we walk in His Spirit; as we
grow up in Him through exercise of those common graces of the Spirit, that is
through the preaching of His Word, attendance of His house, and in prayer.
4. Some of us may
come to know Him by wrestling with Him all night in prayer, as we saw last
week. This knowledge of Jesus through persistence and perseverance is truly
higher than most of us will ever attain unto in this life.
5. But the highest
knowledge of Christ in this life, where few of us will ever find Him, is to
know Him in the fellowship of His sufferings. I dare say, that few of us want
to know Jesus in His sufferings. We talked last week about wrestling with God
being advanced theology; well this is even more advanced. We Baptists think we
are so knowledgeable of the things of God, yet few of us know Him in this
way.
Beloved, we don’t
want to suffer; it is contrary to our nature, and certainly contrary to the
norms and customs of our society. The big thing in the medical field today is
pain management. The nurse will ask you “On a scale of 1 to 10, what is your
pain.” You tell her a number, and she gives you the appropriate dose of
medication to bring down your pain. Our mindset in today’s society, especially
in America, is for pleasure and comfort. We want to live and die without
feeling the bitterness and anguish of pain. Pain and suffering, beloved, is the
last thing we want to experience.
I am not a sadist,
beloved, and our message this morning is not nearly so much about physical pain
and suffering, though it includes physical suffering, but it is more about a
spiritual aspect of suffering. But never has there been a society that is so
unconditioned to suffering. In America suffering is the exception, where historically
suffering has been the rule. This fact was so evident in Jesus’ day. So many were sick and infirmed and suffered
long time, and there were no physical cures and no relief of pain back then as
there is today. Many common ailments that we get today and think nothing of,
people in even recent times died from. But this morning our message is about
knowing Christ in the fellowship of His sufferings.
*Most professed Christians, beloved, are willing to
reign with Christ, but we would not be willing to suffer with Him; most of us
would be willing to wear a crown of glory like Him, but not the crown of
thorns; most of us would be willing to put on the robes of splendor, which we
will ware in heaven, but not the scarlet robe of contempt and mockery. We,
beloved, would desire to share the glories and triumphs of redemption, but not
its poverty, contempt, and persecution.
Beloved, this was not the feeling of the Apostle
Paul. He wanted to know the Lord in every way. He wished in all things to be
just like Christ, and thus he counted it an honor to be permitted to suffer
with Jesus and for Jesus, that he might know Him in His sufferings also. This
is why Peter said, "rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s
sufferings," 1 Pet. 4:13. So Paul says, Col. 1:24, that he rejoiced in his
sufferings in behalf of his brethren, and desired "to fill up that which
was behind of the afflictions of Christ," or that in which he had come
short of the afflictions which Christ endured.
The idea is, beloved, that it is an honor to suffer
as Christ suffered; and that the true Christian will esteem it a privilege to
be made just like him, not only in glory, but in trials and in suffering.
To do this is an evidence of true piety; and we may
ask ourselves, therefore, whether these are the feelings of our hearts. Are we
seeking merely the honors of heaven or an escape from hell, or should we esteem
it a privilege to be reproached and reviled, as Christ was; to have our names
cast out, as His was; to be made the object of sport and derision, as He was;
and to be held up to the contempt of a world, as He was? Would we count it a
privilege to suffer cruel tortures, and even a painful, violent death as our
Lord suffered? If so, it is evidence that we love him. If not, and we are merely seeking the crown
of glory or merely an escape from the bitter flames of hell, we should doubt
whether we have ever known anything of true Christianity.
Beloved, to know Jesus is to be like Him. To follow,
as it were, in His steps. To walk those very steps of suffering, and shame, and
pain ourselves, that Jesus our Lord walked. To feel and experience what Jesus
suffered, not just to read about it- but to experience it ourselves. “I hadn’t
known, nor ever understood, until I went there and saw, and felt, and
experienced it for myself.” Yes, beloved, this is the highest knowledge of
Christ. The question is, do we want to know Jesus in the highest sense that
sinful creatures can know him on this side of eternity? Then we must be willing;
yea rather, as Paul we must desire to know Him in the fellowship of his
sufferings.
So then this morning we want to consider some
aspects of Christian suffering wherein we can better come to know Jesus Christ
our Savior. Keep in mind, this is merely a message of instruction as to how we
might better know Christ through suffering. We will not know him in this way as
a result of this message, but only if we put this message to practice in our
lives, will it be of ultimate benefit to us.
1. The fact of Christian Suffering:
First we want to just say that our message is not
about the common suffering that mankind suffers as a result of sin, and the
curse of sin and death. Oh, the millions of souls that suffer the bitterness of
the pains of sin, and yet know not Christ.
This is vanity and vexation of spirit. There is no good to be said for
this; that people suffer the bitter pains of this life, and then go out into
eternity to suffer the eternal pains of the wrath of God! So then, suffering in
and of itself is of no benefit, unless through it God is pleased to bring that
one to Jesus for the healing of the soul.
1.
Suffering reproach and persecution:
Luke 6:22 Blessed are ye,
when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company,
and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s
sake.
Matthew 5:11 Blessed are ye,
when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil
against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Lets notice several things from these verses:
1. We are hated for no other reason than because we
are Christians; that is, followers or disciples of Jesus. No one wants to be
hated, but if people know that we are Christians, we will be.
2. Worldlings will separate from our company. This
means family (spouse, parents, brothers and sisters in the flesh, even
parents). How cruel can sinners be, even to their own flesh and blood! Our old
friends will no longer want to keep company with us. They don’t want to be
around us anymore!!! And they don’t want us to come around them. They hate
righteousness, and they hate Jesus, and we remind them of Jesus and of their
sinfulness and of their judgment to come.
They hate the light and won’t come to the light; and they don’t want the
light coming around shining on them.
3. The world will reproach us and try to destroy our
name and your testimony as an evildoer for Jesus’ sake. They will say evil
things to us and mock us, and make up lies and spread malicious gossip about us
to destroy our good name and testimony.
4. They will
persecute us by plotting against us to injure our person. They will bare false
witness against us, so as to cause us loss of our livelihood, or our lands and
possessions, as they did with the poor saints at Jerusalem, and afterwards
through the dark ages. It may even be that they will inflict bodily harm of
cruel tortures and martyrdom, as was common practice to believers of all ages. Only
in more recent years have these things not been practiced in Western society,
but were done even in America not many years back.
5. The repercussions for being a Christian very well
may touch every aspect of our lives. These reproaches and persecutions may not
always be so blatant and obvious, but don’t think that Christians are loved
more today than we were in the past. Don’t suppose that the devil and his angels
have turned to befriend Christians. Don’t think that the world, which is
blindly led by the devil at his will, is a friend of Christianity. Don’t be
deceived into thinking that the old carnal nature of unbelievers is now a
friend of those who walk in the Spirit. Our own sinful natures within our
breasts, and the constant warfare between the flesh and the spirit that rages
within our own hearts, ever reminds us that this just isn’t so!
2.
Abandonment and Banishment:
2 Timothy 4:6-18
(READ)
Paul was left alone in that Roman prison to die;
this being his second Roman imprisonment. Even most of his Christian companions
by this time had abandoned him. He was discarded, cast away, cast into a
filthy, nasty, Roman dungeon for the cause of Jesus. When he began to testify
of Christ there, no man stood with him. What as sad testimony for such a mighty
gospel warrior! But Jesus stood with him!
About five years early, Paul wrote the book of
Philippians from this Roman prison. And there he penned these words:
Phil. 3:8-11 Yea doubtless, and I count all things
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom
I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may
win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is
of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness
which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his
resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto
his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Now Paul knew, that in just a short time, he would
get to fully experience, and attain unto what he sought after years ago. He
knew that he was abandoned and banished, and would never come out of that
prison alive. He knew that he would soon attain unto the resurrection of the
dead; that he would soon be with Christ, which he said is far better (Phil.
1:23).
The apostle John was banished on the isle of Patmos.
Revelation 1:9 I John, who
also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and
patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word
of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
-John was banished for the testimony of Jesus, yet
through his sufferings he experienced a knowledge of Jesus that few others have
ever known in this life.
2. The reasons for Christian suffering:
1. The world hated Jesus and therefore
it will hate, and persecute His people:
John 15:18 If the world hate
you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world,
the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have
chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the
word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they
have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying,
they will keep yours also.
The world hated Jesus, and therefore it will most
certainly hate you. If the world loves you, and thinks highly of you, and lifts
you up on a pedestal, and makes over you, then I recommend examination of your
faith. The world hated Jesus, and lifted Him upon a cross, not a pedestal! And the world hates Jesus today, because
that is the nature of man, to be at enmity with God.
We are not of the world, beloved. We were born again
from above by the will of God, by the Spirit of God, through the faith of
Christ. We are not of this world, but our citizenship is in heaven, where one
day soon we will go. This old world is not our home. We are pilgrims are
sojourners. We are just passing through this old world. And because we are not
of this world, the world hateth us. If we stand for Christ, and live for
Christ, and thereby disclose our heavenly identity, then the world will turn on
us to rend us, and persecute us, and do us all manner of hurt, because we are
not of this world.
We are not to be friends of this world. The friend
of the world is an enemy of God. Again
I would ask; “does the world love you?” If the world loves you, and worse yet,
it you love the world, perhaps you are of the world. Perhaps your citizenship
is not in Heaven. Perhaps you have made a profession of religion, yet have
no possession of the true religion of Christ. Maybe you are living the lie of a
hypocrite. “Oh, preacher” I hear someone say, “maybe you shouldn’t say such
things.” Well, beloved, is it not better to tell the truth than to mollycoddle
false professors into hell. What is better for hypocrites; to tell them that
their profession is empty and worthless, in hopes that the Holy Spirit will
awake them to their miserable state, or to coddle them in their hypocrisy? But
I hear both John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus warning those hypocrites in
their day; “O generation of vipers, who hath warned the to flee from the wrath
to come? Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance!”
The servant is not greater than his Lord (Verse 20).
If they persecuted Jesus, they will persecute you. Why should we suppose that
the Savior should suffer all, and bare His cross for us, and we go free without
a cross to bear? No, beloved, there is a cross for everyone of His children to
bare. I hear the blessed Savior upon several occasions say; “take up thy cross,
and follow me!” His is the Lord, we are His servants. He took up His cross for
us, now may we take up our cross for Him!
2.
Suffering is the direct result of godly living.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all
that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Living godly will bring persecution upon us. The question is, then, what is living godly?
-Godly living is living according to the will of God as revealed in His Word.
-Godly living is living our
lives to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
-Godly living is living soberly and righteously in this present world.
-Godly living is living Holy, separated lives unto the Lord, and set apart from this world!
Beloved, if we live godly, we
“shall” suffer persecution. Godly living is contrary to the lifestyle of the
world. Godly living is to live like Jesus lived. That is 1) Jesus always did
His Father’s will, whereas lost sinners always rebel against the revealed will
of God; 2) Jesus obeyed the law of God perfectly; whereas lost sinners cannot,
nor do they desire to keep the law of God; 3) Jesus lived separate from sin;
whereas lost sinners cannot, and will not cease from their sinning; 4) Jesus
always did good, and dispensed the mercy, love, and grace of God upon all who
would receive it. Peter said in Acts 10:38 concerning Jesus:
“How God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and
healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”
But they persecuted Jesus, in spite of all the good that He did. Though He never harmed a single soul, but rather was the Savior of souls; yet they hated Him and persecuted Him because He lived a godly life!
3.
Suffering is the direct result of witnessing for the Lord.
Acts 5:40 And to him they
agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded
that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 And they
departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted
worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Beloved, here the Apostles were beaten with a Roman
whip for preaching in the Name of Jesus. Ah, herein is the heart of
persecution. The world may somewhat tolerate our peculiarities; they may
somewhat overlook our godly lifestyle, although that in itself is convicting to
them. But what the world cannot bare is the message of repentance, and faith in
Jesus. Lost sinners, like the demons, cringe at the name of Jesus. They cry out
“leave us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth, Son of
David?” Christian, don’t say that NAME in my ears!!!
Beloved, this world can stand to hear just about
anything, from just about anyone. They
talk of all kinds of repulsive, and hideous things; and that with no respect
for innocent ears. And they talk about other religions, and other faiths, and
they bare it well. But dare to mention that precious Name of the lovely Lord
Jesus Christ, and see them fly off into a living rage. See the wheels of
persecution begin to churn, till they have stopped our mouths from speaking the
glorious name of Jesus! Oh, beloved, this is so true. Those of you who often
tell others about Jesus and salvation through His Name; you know what I am
talking about!
4.
The fourth reason is, that suffering for Jesus is ordained of God.
Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of
Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Suffering for Jesus is given to us of the Father. We might say that it is a package deal. We all like that part about “believing on Him” for eternal salvation. We so often point out that soul salvation is as easy and simple as just believing the gospel message. This is so very true, and we would not add anything to the gospel of Jesus; it would be better for us to tie a millstone around our neck and jump into the Ohio River, than to add anything to the simplicity of the gospel for the salvation of the soul.
But beloved, along with the package of eternal
salvation, come some sacrifices on our part, and responsibilities to the
Savior. And one of these is our responsibility to suffer for His sake!!! Let us
always bear in mind, that our sufferings for Christ in this life cannot be
compared with His sufferings that He suffered for us. And as Paul said, our
sufferings in this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall
be revealed in us, when Jesus comes back again:
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of
bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that
we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon
that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the
glory which shall be revealed in us.
Oh beloved, the Spirit of God bares witness with our
spirits, that we are the children of God. Do you know the sweet presence of the
Spirit, whereby you cry “Abba, Father”? No, all the sufferings of this life are
not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
As we have seen today, suffering for Jesus’ sake is
part of the Christian life. The
question is, do we claim that part of our salvation? Do we live that godly
life, and are we the kind of witness that brings us suffering? Have we gone
with Jesus, and suffered with Him without the camp.
3. The benefits of Christian suffering:
1. Blessed of the Lord (Luke 6:22)
“Blessed are Ye”:
Do we not think that Jesus will bless us when we
suffer for Him? Yes, He will!
2. Joy and great gladness in our
Christian experience (Matt. 5:12) “Rejoice and be exceeding glad”:
It is hard to understand that we will have joy and
gladness as a result of suffering! But
there is a wonderful joy and gladness, for being counted worthy of suffering
for His sake. Do we realize that not only is suffering a part the Christian
life, but that it is a privilege?
3. Greater riches and rewards in Heaven
(Matt. 5:12)“for great is your reward in Heaven”:
In return for our sufferings for Him down here, He
has great rewards for us up there.
4. To know Christ in the fellowship of
His sufferings:
Philippians 3:10 That
I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his
sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
As
we started out this morning, this message is about finding God in Christian
suffering. Although we as Christians do and will suffer, as this
is part of the Christian life, yet the degree in which we suffer for Him will
vary according to our willingness and submissiveness to do so. And as we said
this morning, there is a deeper knowledge and intimacy with Christ that we
experience, that is directly proportionate with the degree of suffering that we
endure for Christ and His cause in this world. Few of us, however, will ever
know the depths of this knowledge of Christ, like the apostle Paul so desired
and was so privileged to know.
5. The furtherance of the gospel, the
salvation of souls, and the growth of our church:
Beloved, the advancement of the gospel and growth of
our church is also proportionate to the degree that members of the church are
will to deny ourselves, and take up our cross, and suffer for His sake.
6.
For the glory of God:
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or
whatsoever ye do, do (what?) all to the glory of
God.
Conclusion:
Have we found God in suffering?
Are we suffering for Jesus?
Are we willing to suffer that we might attain unto
to greatest heights of the knowledge of God?
Do you know Jesus in salvation? If not, repent and
believe in Him even now!!!