DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
Text: Romans 8:28-29
Intro: We are all under some kind of pressure. And the things that are in these verses all have pressure in them that will affect us to some measure.
Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
LET’S LOOK AT HOW A DIAMOND BECOMES A DIAMOND.
1. THE CREATION OF A DIAMOND.
Diamonds form about 100 miles (161 km) below the Earth’s surface, in the molten rock of the Earth’s mantle, which provides the right amounts of pressure and heat to transform carbon into diamond. In order for a diamond to be created, carbon must be placed under at least 435,113 pounds per square inch (psi or 30 kilobars) of pressure at a temperature of at least 752 degrees Fahrenheit (400 Celsius). If conditions drop below either of these two points, graphite will be created. At depths of 93 miles (150 km) or more, pressure builds to about 725,189 psi (50 kilobars) and heat can exceed 2,192 F (1,200 C). Most diamonds that we see today were formed thousands of years ago. Powerful magma eruptions brought the diamonds to the surface, creating kimberlite pipes.
SO DIAMONDS ARE FORMED UNDER PRESSURE.
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
(KJV)
** Look at the pressure Joseph was put under.
1. Soled into slavery by his family.
2. Soled to Potiphar and subjected to his wife.
3. Put into prison for doing what was right.
4. But then God brought him out and set him behind only the Pharaoh.
WE HAVE ALL HEARD WHAT DON’T KILL US MAKES US STRONGER
NO PAIN NO GAIN
GOD IS MAKING DIAMONDS FOR HIS GLORY NOT MINE AND YOURS.
Mal 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Isa 62:3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
WE ARE ALL UNDER PRESSURE BUT GOD IS CONTROLING THE HEAT AND THE PRESSURE.
2. THE CHARACTER OF A DIAMOND.
A) Diamonds are characterized by 4 things.
1. The clarity, 2, the cut of the diamond, 3, the color and 4th the carat.
The clarity-
SI1 and SI2 stand for Slightly Included. This means a professional easily saw inclusions with 10 power magnification, but may or may not be able to see them with the naked eye.
VS1 and VS2 stand for Very Slight inclusions. VS1 is difficult for a professional to see with 10 power magnification. VS2 is easier to see, still under magnification. It is very unlikely that an observer will see VS inclusions with the naked eye.
VVS1 and VVS2 stand for Very Very Slight inclusions. This means the professional found it very difficult to see minute inclusions under magnification. There is practically no chance an observer will see such inclusions with the naked eye.
F and IF means the diamond is Flawless or Internally Flawless when examined by a trained professional under 10 power magnifications. Such diamonds are very rare and are costly.
THERE HAS ONLY BEEN ONE FLAWLESS DIAMOND HIS NAME IS JESUS.
** The rest of us have flaws
Ro 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Psalms 14
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
WE MIGHT NOT WANT TO ADMIT IT BUT WE ALL HAVE FLAWS.
THE ONLY THING THAT WILL REMOVE FLAWS IS THE WORD OF THE LIVING GOD AND TIME.
** I thank God I don’t have as many flaws as I use to have, I still have a lot but not as many.
B) The cut of the diamond.
**Cut is the most important aspect of diamond beauty.
DIAMONDS DON’T COME OUT OF THE GROUND LOOKING LIKE THEY DO IN YOUR RINGS.
A diamond’s proportions determine how well a diamond will sparkle and reflect light.
**A diamond has no say in how it is cut.
WE ARE TO JUST SPARKLE AND SHINE FOR THE LIGHT.
C) The color of a diamond
THE COLOR OF A DIAMOND HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WHERE THE DIAMOND WAS FORMED. (CAUSED BY NITROGEN)
** When a person is saved and are around positive people you will be able to tell their color (they will be positive)
** When a person is around negative people they will be negative.
ALL ARE STILL DIAMONDS BUT SOME ARE MORE CLEAR THEN OTHERS.
D) The carat-
Carat weight is not the same thing as size. As diamonds increase in weight their apparent size becomes less predictable. Diamonds cut too shallow may appear larger than they should, while diamonds cut too deep may look smaller. Too shallow and too deep are both undesirable. In this example bigger is not better.
GOD DOES NOT JUDGE US ON THE OUTSIDE BUT ON THE INSIDE.
3. THE CONFORMATION OF A DIAMOND.
A) There is what is called a conflict diamond. (Or blood diamond)
(also called a converted diamond, conflict diamond, hot diamond or a war diamond) refers to a diamond mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, invading army’s war efforts, or a warlord’s activity, usually in Africa.
**WE ALL KNOW SOME CHRISTIANS WHO COULD BE CALLED CONFLICT CHRISTIANS.
B) Then we have a cubic Zirconia
Cubic zirconia (or CZ), is the cubic crystalline form of zirconium. The synthesized material is hard, optically flawless
** They look like a diamond in all ways they will even look flawless.
BUT IT IS A FAKE!
C) The real thing.
** Diamonds are very hard.
A) The word "Diamond" comes from the Greek word "Adamas", which means indestructible.
Romans 8
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(KJV)
THE ONLY THING THAT CAN SCRATCH A DIAMOND IS ANOTHER DIAMOND.
I HEARD A PREACHER SAY EVERY TIME I TRIED TO DO SOMETHING FOR GOD I DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM FROM THE CLUBS, DRUNKS, DRUG ADDICTS.
BUT THE OPPOSITION ALWAYS COMES FROM OTHER CHRISTIANS.
B) It is the only gem known to man that is made of a single element, Carbon,
THE ONLY THING YOU AND I HAVE IN COMMON THAT MAKES US ANYTHING IS THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
1 Peter 1 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
I AM GLAD I HAVE BEEN CONFORMED BY HIS BLOOD.
ONE DAY GOD WILL CALL US TO BE WITH HIM AND WE WILL BE PLACED IN HIS JEWELRY BOX.
WHERE WE WILL BE FOREVER
