“STANDING ON THE PROMISES” Gal. 3:15-29
INTRO – How are you at keeping your promises? We live in a society where promises are expected to be broken.
Story of Harry, a dept. manager in a retail store.
- Rising up corporate ladder.
- Strong Xn. Lived his witness faithfully in front of coworkers.
- Offered a position as a youth leader in a church. Resigned and asked to be able to pick and train his replacement for a month.
- Trained Tim, a non-Xn whom he had been witnessing to. Took 2 wks. instead of 4.
- Mgr. Called Harry in. “Can’t afford to pay 2 men to do same job. If you’re not sure you have church job, let me know and I’ll keep you and release Tim.”
- No struggle for Harry. Did not matter if church position fell through. Had given both his job and his word to Tim. Remembered David’s words in Ps. 15:4 that G honors those who keep their oath, even when it hurts.
- G would honor Harry’s integrity.
- Did it make a difference to Tim? Yes, better employee and a better Xn b/c of what Harry did for him.
(Taken from Practical Illustrations, Gal.-Col., pg. 29)
What would you have done in that situation? What would you have done if you knew that the church job was not a definite? Would you have thought twice about keeping your word to Tim?
Keeping promises is not a very popular activity in our society today. Promises are made and broken all the time, in all areas of our lives:
- Between government and citizens
- …Businesses and customers
- …Teachers and students
- …Coaches and players
- …Employers and employees
- …Husbands and wives
- …Parents and children
- …Us and God
Today on this Father’s Day, I want to issue a call to all of us – fathers, mothers, children, married, single, young, old – to make a new commitment to stand on the promises in our lives. I especially want to encourage the dads that are present today to do some serious introspection in the area of promise-keeping. The impact of a father in the home – both for good and bad – cannot be underestimated nor overlooked.
Listen to these testimonies from some of our own church members about the impact of their fathers on their lives:
- Steve Moreman’s testimony
- Mary Ann Martin’s testimony
- Jimmy Ray’s testimony
Simply put, fathers have an incredible opportunity to impact their kids’ lives either for good or for bad for the rest of their kids’ lives. What if I could tell you that there was a way to guarantee that your children will be:
- 5 times less likely to commit suicide;
- 32 times less likely to run away;
- 20 times less likely to have behavioral disorders;
- 14 times less likely to commit rape;
- 9 times less likely to drop out of high school;
- 10 times less likely to abuse chemical substances;
- 9 times less likely to end up in state-operated institutions?
Would you be interested in finding out the secret? THE PRESENCE OF A FATHER IN THE HOME. (Being a Good Dad When You Didn’t Have One)
Here are 2 insights that we need to consider if we desire to live a life of standing on the promises:
I. WE CAN ALWAYS STAND ON THE PROMISES THAT GOD HAS MADE TO US.
A. Our G is a promise-making, promise-keeping G.
i. He spoke His promises to Abraham – v. 16
ii. He gave the Law – v. 17
iii. The Law fulfilled its promised purpose – v. 19, 24
1. It still fulfills its promised purpose. How?
a. Story told about a proud fishing pond and a fish. Across the land, fishermen would come and exclaim how clear the water was in the pond. Upon hearing yet another positive accolade, the pond’s level of pride began to reach flood stage. “I must be the best and clearest pond in the world!” It didn’t take long for the old fish at the bottom of the pond to grow weary of this overdone pride. He had heard it for years. And he, better than anyone, knew what was really in the pond.
b. Resting on the bottom of the pond, the old fish began to rapidly flutter his fins. As he did, the motion of the water began to stir up the silt on the bottom. It did not take long for the pond to fill up w/ a murky cloud.
c. “Stop! What are you doing to me? How dare you dirty me up!” screamed the offended pond. The fish responded in measured and striking words: “I haven’t done a thing to you except to show what has been in you all the time.”
iv. The Savior – the Seed; the Promise – came – v. 22
v. Our promised salvation has been given to us – v. 22
1. “Salvation is moving from lifeless death to deathless life.” (Jack Odell, The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart, p. 503)
B. We can count on G making promises to us and keeping His promises to us. We can stand on His promises!
i. We will always have His presence.
1. His power
2. His permission to approach Him
3. His provision for our needs
4. Our place in heaven
5. His peace
ii. He has promised His grace
1. His gifts
2. His goodness
iii. He has promised His faithfulness
1. His forgiveness
2. His filling
iv. He has promised His strength
1. His storehouse of riches
2. His Savior
v. He has promised His Holy Spirit
1. His home in heaven
2. His heart for broken, lost, and hurting people
vi. He has promised His courage
1. His character
2. His compassion
vii. He has promised His law
1. His life
2. His love
C. Take these promises, count on them, stand on them, and make them the foundation of your life.
i. And the first promise you need to stand on is the promise that He had made to make you His child the moment you place your faith in X and X alone for your salvation – v. 26
1. He promises delight for those who accept Him.
2. But He also promises damnation for those who reject Him.
D. Stand on the promises of G and your life will have a strong foundation!
II. WE MUST STAND ON THE PROMISES THAT WE’VE MADE.
A. PK card in wallet – “7 Promises of a PK”
i. Don’t have to attend a PK conference to make and keep these promises.
1. It’s not an organization one joins.
ii. Good framework on which to build our lives, especially as men, and, on this day, especially as fathers.
B. Every dad has some feelings of regret and remorse over broken promises to their kids.
i. Wish we could go back and do some things differently.
ii. Wish we could go back and do some things we didn’t do.
iii. Wish we could go back and undo some things we did do.
C. And though that’s not possible, we can take advantage of this moment that G has given us to make a new commitment to G to stand on His promises that He will give us the power and ability to stand on our promises!
i. Dads, our sons need to know what biblical masculinity is by watching our lives and listening to our words. They need us to keep our promises so that they will know how to live as Xn men.
1. “Society at large can’t make up its mind about men. Having spent the last 30 years redefining masculinity into something more sensitive, safe, manageable, and, well, feminine, it now berates men for not being men. Boys will be boys, they sigh. As though if a man were to truly grow up he would forsake wilderness and wanderlust and settle down, be at home forever in Aunt Polly’s parlor. “Where are all the REAL men?” is regular fare for talk shows and new books. YOU ASKED THEM TO BE WOMEN, I want to say. They result is a gender confusion never experienced at such a wide level in the history of the world. How can a man know he is one when his highest aim is minding his manners?” (John Eldredge, Wild At Heart, p. 7)
ii. Dads, our daughters also need to know what biblical masculinity is by watching our lives and listening to our words. They need us to keep our promises so that they will know that they are safe, they are valuable, and they are precious in our eyes and in the eyes of their heavenly Father.
1. “From the first time a father reaches to take his daughter’s infant hand, she reaches up and takes his heart. She never returns it. He is her protector, her provider. Her knight. Her hero. In turn, she is his lamb. His angel on loan. His beauty of beauties.” (Max Lucado, And the Angels Were Silent)
iii. Dads, our kids need to know what it means to be a part of the Body of X, the church, by watching our lives and listening to our words.
1. In both positive and negative ways, our kids will emulate dad in their commitment level to the church.
iv. Dads, our kids need to know what a Xn marriage is supposed to be by watching our lives and listening to our words as we relate to our wives.
1. Canada’s homosexual marriage laws.
CONCLUSION – “Finding Nemo” – Dad named Marlin who raises his son, Nemo, by himself. Main storyline is the story of Marlin pursuing Nemo after he is lost. Doesn’t stop until he finds him. No matter what it takes.
- Our heavenly Dad is just like that.
o Pursues us relentlessly.
o Loves us passionately.
o Calls out to us endlessly.
