Sermon Central
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He Overcame Series
Contributed by Richard White on Oct 20, 2012 (message contributor)
Summary: I gleaned this from a book by RC Sproul by the same title "12 Promises Christians struggle with". The question is Do we believe God or Not?
He Overcame
One of the main reasons we have a problems accepting the promises of God is SIN. Sin comes so naturally to us that our default position is not to believe God.
Adam and Eve failed to believe God, when the Father of lies told them “You will surely not die, you will become like God.” Like our first parents, we, in our “fantasy” have become God, when in reality we are fools.
God did not become God by studying the universe as some religions might teach. God is God because by the Power of His word everything came into existence. To be like God as the Serpent said, we have to construct a reality. But it is a false reality.
The World Says:
1. What works for you
2. Take what you can get
3. People are divided
a. Mozart vs Jazz
b. Country vs Rock and Roll
c. Traditional vs Contemporary
d. Dogs vs. Cats
The Serpent twisted God’s word, he says we will know right from wrong, and that is the only truth in the statement.
To Know Right from Wrong is to study God’s word.
One says God Understands and winks at our sin in our situation. They say:
1. Would you rather have an unfit single mother raising and abusing her child
2. Would you rather have more kids on the public dole because their parents don’t work and would raise them to do the same?
3. Would you rather have more orphans or foster care children?
4. OR would you rather have these little angels in heaven with God?
5. God understands and does not condemn them for having abortions.
Gay Marriage:
1. God is love and wants everyone to be happy
2. God created marriage for all, even the animals have mates for life.
3. God created someone for everyone, God does not want anyone to be alone.
4. Therefore allowing gays to marry is a godly thing.
This worldly thinking has infiltrated some of the congregations in America, parading itself as being enlightened. But the question is, Will we believe God or NOT
Another reason the World does not believe is because they say:
1. Seeing is believing
2. Show Me.
Liturgical churches go through a ceremony to renew a covenant, problem is most go through the ceremony without knowing why, or they are just going through the motions. One liturgy has a recitation as follows:
Let us proclaim the mystery of Faith: Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. Okay, where is the mystery?
Okay so where do we start the metamorphosis from worldly to Godly
1. Come to Worship
2. Come to confess our sins before God
3. Come to give Glory to God
Then we will have the Peace that Jesus Promises. This is where the war continues.
Satan makes War with our Peace. He says:
1. God does not love us
2. God does not care
3. We are too sinful
Jesus says:
I have said all these things to keep you from falling away
What things?
1. That the world hates Him and will hate us because of Him
a. They accuse us of being bigoted
b. They accuse us of being narrow minded
c. They accuse us of being Pharisees
d. They accuse us of not being loving.
2. He warns us of persecution/hardships
3. That the world will think they are serving God, but they are serving themselves, yet they will accuse us, who take God’s word literally of doing so for our own means.
4. They will do this because they do not believe and they do not know God.
As a result, even though Jesus could not remain with us physically, he sent the Holy Spirit to be with us, to exhort, strengthen, encourage, and rebuke us if necessary, as well as remind us of the promises.
Do we believe God or NOT
Sometimes we might be jealous of the original witnesses. What would it be like for us if we saw:
1. The parting of the Red Sea
2. Elijah’s Fiery chariot
3. The battle of Nebo
4. the raising of Lazarus’ daughter
5. The healing of the withered hand
6. The healing of the blind man
7. The raising of Lazarus
They saw all these things before the resurrection. We might envy because we are looking backward.
On to the Promise:
In this world you will have trouble/hardships, but take heart I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.
If he did, then why is there still suffering, pain, heartache, tears?
How come we do not see the boundaries of the Kingdom of God expanding?
Because the battle is already won, the battle between good and evil is over, JESUS IS LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. We who believe are called to His Peace, His Rest.
