Sermon Central
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God At His Best!
Contributed by Lark Lewis on Nov 8, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: When man was at his worse God was at his best!
God at His Best!
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
God is immutable, unchanging, ever the same..
God is never better than at man’s worst moment.
John Newton had fallen into such disgrace that his father ostracized him and fellow sailors reviled him. He was held in such low regard that on one occasion when he fell overboard in a drunken stupor, his shipmates rescued him by throwing a harpoon in his leg. He held a reputation as a cruel ship master while hauling loads of slaves. But it was during a terrible storm at sea that he met Jesus Christ. Later he wrote the song.
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.
God is always at His best when man is at his worst.
O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
Thank God when I came to him I didn’t get what I deserve, He gave me mercy.
And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
When man was at his worth, God was at His best.
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For 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. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Throne of mercy, not throne of marble...
Lament. 3:22-23
It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Rahab-a condemned woman living in a condemned city, but was saved by a scarlet thread, ends up in the list of heroes of faith.
Ruth-she found grace
Jonah, the word of the Lord came to him a second time.
Ephes. 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Ephes. 2:1-8
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
The woman caught in adultery.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
John 21..Peter at his worse, God at his best...
Ps 136 states more than 20 times “His mercy endureth forever.”
