(no title)

The Absolute Greatness of the God I Serve, part 3.

As we look at honor today we will look at the attribute of our God that makes Him worthy of our honor. That will be His power. Then we will look at how we can honor Him for the Power He has displayed in our lives. The word glory literally means beauty, to honor, to boast about. So let us get started.

HONOR

Jerimiah 10:11-12 – Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

Jeremiah 27:5 I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.

First, let us look at the power aspect.
Let us talk about His power.

He spoke the world into existence. We talked about this last week.
He made man and breathed His own breath into him. (last week as well.)
He is making an everlasting home for His children –

Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

1 To be God’s child you must be born again.
2 Not all people are children of God.

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Revelation 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written,

KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS

No earthly leader will ever match the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
His kingdom is eternal. All man’s kingdoms will come to an end.
HE IS MY KING AND MY LORD, is He yours?

Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

God has made Himself known to ALL men.
He is seen in all His creation.
Man who rejects God is without excuse because God shows Himself daily to all men. (the sun, the moon, the stars, the sea, the mountains, the trees, the flowers, the animals, etc. ALL MADE BY GOD HIMSELF.

1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

We demonstrate His power, not by doing supernatural things, but by loving each other.
We can love each other because His Holy Spirit dwells in us.
Only through Christ can our love become perfect – we demonstrate His love, not our own. Expand

Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen

His power enables us to Grow.
His power enables us to Glorify Him.
The natural man lacks the ability to truly Praise and Glorify Him.

HONOR

1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

We begin by having a reverence for Who He is, not necessarily for what He can do.

Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

We realize action, not lip service is a must. (praise is demonstrated not only by words, but by being obedient.

1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Malachi 1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.Honor for God is shown by our honor for those in our own Home.

Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.Honor for God involves us being humbled.

1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Honor is shown by our ability to endure the hardships of life. (persecution, pain, hurt, etc.)

1 Thessalonians 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;Honor is shown by forsaking the world and living a Godly life.

2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Proverbs 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

Honor is shown by my willingness to give to His work. NOTE: He should get the first, not the leftovers. (time, money, talents, family, etc.)

I Thessalonians 5:12-15 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

Honor is demonstrated by the way I treat those in spiritual authority.
Honor is demonstrated by the way I treat my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Honor is demonstrated by the way I treat the lost.

The ultimate way to honor His is to make Him known.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

2 Corinthians 7:14 For if I have boasted anything to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.

2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

The Absolute Greatness of the God I Serve., part 2

PRAISE

Psalms 29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. My God made the heavens, and earth and plants and oceans, and mankind, what has your god done?

Psalms 96:4-9 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

Psalms 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

There is no god like our God.

He is the only God worthy of my worship.He is the only God that can change your life –

II Corinthians 5;17-18 – Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

Praise Him because He has trusted you to carry this message of God news

Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

To better understand the love of God, learn to be still. (clear your mind of your thoughts and fill it with His.)
Get to know God as you would a friend.
He will never forsake His children –

Hebrews 13:5-6 – Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Acts 17:22-31 – Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Any other god is only an idol – money, fame, popularity, people, etc. We are to give Him praise (too often we give men praise for what God has done.

Exodus 20:3 – Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

The Absolute Greatness of the God I Serve

I Chronicles 29:11 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

I am here to declare to you that the God that I serve is a great God and worthy of all my praise, honor, service, and surrender! He rules over both heaven and earth and will give me the victory!

Revelation 4:10-11 – The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Revelation 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

Revelation 7:9-12 – After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

PRAISE

There is no god like our God.

Any other god is only an idol – money, fame, popularity, people, etc. We are to give Him praise (too often we give men praise for what God has done.

Psalms 29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

Psalms 96:4-9 – For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

Psalms 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

My God made the heavens, and earth and plants and oceans, and mankind, what has your god done?

HONOR

Jerimiah 10:11-12 -11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

Jeremiah 27:5 I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.

SERVICE

Psalms 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Philippians 2:3-8 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus set the example.

I represent Jesus to the world.

Real servanthood is:

Humility
Obedience
Action

VICTORY

Jude 1:24-25 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Heaven is a wonderful place, Part 2 – Rewards

John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Heaven is a place for rewards.

II Corinthians 5:8-10 – We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Five Crowns

a. Victor’s Crown –Self Discipline – I Corinthians 9:25-27 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway,
b. Crown of rejoicing – Faithful witness – I Thessalonians 2:19-20 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 20 For ye are our glory and joy.
c. Crown of life – persecuted’s crown – James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him., Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
d Crown of Righteousness – for those who live in light of His coming
again – II Timothy 4:8 – Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that
day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
e Crown of Glory – faithful servants – I Peter 5:1-4 – The elders which
are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Heaven requires “reservations” be made

John 3:1-7 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

A. You MUST be born again. John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

B. Physical birth does not make you a child of God.

John 1:12-13 – But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name;13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

C. Works will not get you in –

2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Romans 3:20-28 – Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Titus 3:3-5 – For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not 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;

D. Have you made your reservation?

Romans 10:9-13 – That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Standing Strong – What about our responsibility in the matter -Part 4

Often we focus on the sin of others, not the sinful condition of others. The sin they commit today is not what sends them to hell, but their sinful nature. All are born sinners. One cannot help but to sin. It is in one’s nature. Without the cleansing blood of Jesus, all are condemned because of this sinful nature,

John 3:17-19 – For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

– all lost people are living a condemned life regardless of what sin they commit.

– Belief in the right thing is necessary to remove the condemnation,

– The purpose of Jesus in not to condemn the already condemned, but to offer a pardon and mercy to those who are condemned.

Now, let us examine our text verses for today. Romans 1:14-21 The first three are the three I ams,

Verse 14 –I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

Debtor – To take Jesus to everyone possible – We are all debtors to the world to take them the gospel.

Why: Because of what Jesus has done for us. We were all undeserving sinners. All of us. We are saved by Grace and Grace alone. We are underserving of such love. Now that His grace has been manifest within us, we MUST carry this good news to others

Verse 15 – So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

Ready – Eager to share the gospel of Jesus with those who have rejected His love an also had rejected Paul.

He took the gospel to those who oppose Him.

Verse 16-17 (Key to understanding the book of Romans) – 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Ashamed of the gospel.

It is power (dunamis – word for dynamite).

Power of GOD to save (deliver from Judgement)

I was saved, I am saved, I shall be saved.

NOTE: the Jews were the first to hear the gospel, but they rejected it.

Paul took the gospel everywhere He went

Who are you taking the Gospel to?

John 3:16-17 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Pardon is only complete in Jesus – there is no other way!

It is offered to all who will believe.

One becomes righteous – to be made right (right before God and Man)

Judged innocent.

Salvation is the subtraction of sin and the addition of righteousness.

Psalm 103:12. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Hebrews 13:15-18 – Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

NEXT WEEK: THE CONDITION OF OUR WORLD!

Verse 18-21 – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

The Absolute Greatness of the God I Serve, part 3.