Sermon Central
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Hear The Word And Keep It
Contributed by William R. Nabaza on May 14, 2015 (message contributor)
Summary: To show that GOD blesses us more when we hear and obey/practice GOD'S WORDS in our life.
I. EXORDIUM:
Are you blessed with GOD's WORDS?
Yes. James 1:25
But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience).
II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:
Believers
III. OBJECTIVES:
To show that GOD blesses us more when we hear and obey/practice GOD'S WORDS in our life.
IV. TEXT:
But He said, Blessed (happy and to be envied) rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey and practice it!
V. THESIS:
Praise, worship and thank You very much LORD JESUS You gave Your very own WORD to bless us more and more.
VI. TITLE:
Hear the WORD and keep it
VII. EXPLICATION:
A. Author: Dr. Luke, The Beloved Physician (close friend and traveling companion of Paul)
B. Audience: Theophilus (Greek means friend of GOD, a Christian)
C. Purpose: To give a connected and orderly narrative of the life of CHRIST as seen by eyewitnesses
VIII. MAIN BODY:
A. Blessing are on those who hear GOD's WORDS
"But He said, Blessed (happy and to be envied) rather are those who hear the Word of God"
Blessed or "makarios" in Greek meaning:
1. supremely blest
2. well off
3. blessed, happy
Hear or "akouo" in Greek meaning:
1. give audience
2. come to the ears
3. be noised
4. be reported
5. understand
In hearing and understanding GOD's WORDS there's a blessing on it. You are a real happy person when you hear and understand GOD's WORDS. Unlike unbelievers who don't even believe the WORD, yes, you may see majority of them filthy rich people, but the word "filthy" is attached to them, meaning "dirty, foul, unclean, polluted, defiled by sinful practices, morally impure"
In Titus' time, there are people who only exist just to get base advantage, and disreputable gain. There are people by hook or crook, even if it destroys their morality wanted to be rich in money.
Their mouths must be stopped, for they are mentally distressing and subverting whole families by teaching what they ought not to teach, for the purpose of getting base advantage and disreputable gain.
Some blessings for hearers and doers of GOD's WORDS:
1. You are called a mother and brothers of the LORD JESUS CHRIST
But He answered them, My mother and My brothers are those who listen to the Word of God and do it!
2. His life foundation is the LORD JESUS CHRIST
For everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words [in order to heed their teaching] and does them, I will show you what he is like:
He is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the torrent broke against that house and could not shake or move it, because it had been securely built or founded on a rock.
3. You are a tree planted by the streams of water
BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.
But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.
And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].
The whole world or unbelievers are called grass, but if you hear and obey GOD's WORDS you are a tree.
For all flesh (mankind) is like grass, and all its glory (honor) like [the] flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower drops off,
4. Profitable, peace, prosperity and righteousness
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way that you should go.
Oh, that you had hearkened to My commandments! Then your peace and prosperity would have been like a flowing river, and your righteousness [the holiness and purity of the nation] like the [abundant] waves of the sea.
5. Confidence before GOD
And, beloved, if our consciences (our hearts) do not accuse us [if they do not make us feel guilty and condemn us], we have confidence (complete assurance and boldness) before God,
