What's In It For Me?

Today's sermon was taken from Isaiah 40:28-31

Even the Christian, whether spoken or unspoken, asks God, "What's in it for me?"  God answers that question throughout scripture. 

We find that the obedient child of God has

• a closer walk with God
• a stronger faith
• a persuasive testimony

God also answers the question, "What's in it for me?" in today's text:

"Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

Paying The Price

Today's Sunday School Lesson was taken from Acts 7:51 - 8:1a.

"Stephen kneeled, down and cried wiht a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.  And when he had said this, he fell asleep" (Acts 7:60).

Acts 7:51 - "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye."

Points from today's lesson:

Fallen man has an unquenchable lust for evil and a heart that rejects God.  It takes a miracle to change the unbeliever's uncircumcised heart and ears.

1. Until you see your salvation in this way (v.5), you really haven't fully grasp what God's grace is.  "Why me"?  Why was I chosen to receive God's salvation?  God's grace!

2. If the Word is truly spoken in your life, there will be strife.

3.  If God is sovereign and holy, you can know without a doubt He can bring you through.

It is important to know that God is sovereign and man is not.  God is holy, man is not.  Let God be holy no matter the uncircumcised in heart and the uncircumcised in ears.  Let God be holy!

There is no greater place in heaven or in earth than in the hands of Holy God.

The Dangers of Love

"To love at all is to be vulnerable.  Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken.  If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal.  Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.   But in the casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change.  It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable....The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the 'dangers of love'...is Hell".  C. S. Lewis

Depending on Jesus, Leaning on Jesus

Today's sermon, "Depending on Jesus, Leaning on Jesus", was taken from Philippians 4:11-13.

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Steadfast Love

This week's Sunday School Lesson, "Steadfast Love", is taken from Hebrews 13:1-3; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.

 

"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity."

Illustrated High Points:

• Let Brotherly Continue
• Entertain Strangers
• Seeketh Not Her Own

Let the children of God be obedient to the words of Jesus:

"But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth the rain on the just and on the unjust."

Faith Alone

Today's sermon, "Faith Alone", was taken from Galatians 2:16-17.

"Faith Alone" is one of the five "Solas":

• “Sola Scriptura” (Scripture Alone)
• “Sola Gratia” (Grace Alone)
• “Sola Fide” (Faith Alone)
• “Solus Christus” (Christ Alone)
• “Soli Deo Gloria” (To God Alone Be Glory)

 

Key points from today's sermon:

• One may think he can get right with God by "working" off his sins. 
• No one can make themselves right with God by observing the law. 
• One is made right with God by "faith alone".
• Romans 3:28 - "...a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
• Romans 5:1 - "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:19-28
"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
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.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
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:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
[Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
[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;
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

 

Steadfast Thanks

This week's Sunday School Lesson, "Steadfast Thanks" is taken from Hebrews 12:18-29.
(Bible Expositor and Illuminator)

"One who does not see a reason to be thankful does not live by faith.  He does not acknowledge God as the Giver of all blessings he enjoys.

The downward spiral of mankind into corruption began wiht an 'unthankful attitude'.
When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankful (Romans 1:21).

Thanklessness is thus a dangerous attitude and a sure sign of a lack of trust.  It may arise out of self-sufficiency that says trust is unnecessary.  Or it may come from disappointment that says trust is futile.

The original readers of Hebrews needed a reminder concerning blessings for which they should have thanked God."


We, too, need to be reminded of the blessings for which we should be thankful for and how great our salvation is.

Read Psalm 136 - "Thanksgiving to God for His Enduring Mercy"