What is our most precious possession? What do we own that is of greatest value? Are they the same thing?
I. I Am Their Inheritance: Ezekiel 44:28
“It shall be, in regard to their inheritance, that I am their inheritance. You shall give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession.
This passage is speaking of the priests. Their possession was not land, but God Himself. Of course, no one can actually possess God. It is a means of understanding the priority, or nature, of the relationship between each priest and God. That relationship is of more value than any material thing.
II. We Are a Royal Priesthood: I Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
As a part of the new covenant that we have with God in Christ, the Levitical priesthood is replaced. All Christians are a part of the new priesthood. We are all able to enter into the presence of God through our faith in Jesus Christ. As a new priesthood, we can lay claim to the promise made to the old priesthood. We can now consider God to be our ‘possession’.
III. The Pearl of Great Price: Mathew 13: 45-46
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
What could be of more value than God? Yet how much effort do we put into developing our relationship with God? How much time do we spend in the Word? How much time do we spend in prayer? How much priority do we place on being present in worship in the house of God?
IV. A Living Sacrifice: Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
If we have recognized the value of our relationship with God, it is reasonable to offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. We should be willing to submit to whatever God’s will is for our lives. The challenge is to be able to discern what that will of God is for us. There is that which is acceptable, that which is good, and that which is perfect. May we be able to discern and follow the perfect will of God.
These are the sermon notes from 9/6/15. Any advertisements are placed by WordPress. I have no control over them, nor do I receive any money from them.
Things We Should Know
September 28, 2015There are some things that we know, or should know, as Christians that we really ought to share with anyone who will listen.
I. Lack of Knowledge: Hosea 4:1 & 6
There are some simple, powerful truths in the Bible that Christians should know and share. Without that knowledge people perish. Their lives are sorely diminished.
II. God Loves You: John 3:16
The first thing that we need to know and share is that God loves us. All of us. Everyone. He has offered us forgiveness of sins and a new eternal life through the sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ. We are simply called to believe this good news.
III. Pursue Knowledge: Hosea 6:3
As we pursue the knowledge of God there is a wonderful truth that we can grasp and hold on to. God has a plan for us...and it is a good one.
Jeremiah 29:11
The person who has given their life over to God has a future and a hope. Whatever circumstances come our way God can give us wisdom and strength. Wisdom to know what to do. Strength to do it. God will help us with the challenges of this life. Even if this life is rough, we have a hope of an eternity with Him in heaven.
IV. Mercy
In Hosea 4:1, already quoted above, the absence of mercy contributes to the problem. Mercy is when we are not given the punishment that we deserve. As Christians we are called upon to forgive those who have wronged us. We even pray “forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” Forgiveness is a very important part of who we are as believers. We are both forgiven and forgiving.
V. Things Will Work Out: Romans 8:28
We are not God. We are not capable of seeing things from His perspective. Even when we cannot understand, we can trust. All things will work out for good for those who believe. We may not be able to see how they work out in this life, but once we have an eternal perspective we may understand. For those who do not believe, their ultimate end, unfortunately, is destruction and torment. It does not work out so well for them.
These basic truths are very important to Christians. We should be aware of them ourselves, and we should share them with others. These truths offer us, and all who would believe, a hope that is unshakable.
Hope can really make a difference.
God makes a difference.
These are the sermon notes from 9/13/15. Any advertisements that might appear are placed by WordPress. I have no control over them, nor do I receive any money from them.
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