Sermon Tone Analysis

*God is Great!*

Study using “Gripped by the Greatness of God” – James MacDonald

*Personal Introduction – Message*

*Isaiah 1:2-3*

* *

If you are a guest with us today, I’m doing things a little different than normal.

We were scheduled to begin the book of Hebrews today.

However, that’s going to wait until next Sunday.

Wednesday Night we will begin a new Study entitled … “Gripped by the Greatness of God” by Pastor James MacDonald of Chicago Illinois.

I will be using his study to direct us each week.

The study will use passages from the book of Isaiah to lead us.

If you would like to follow along in the workbook, you may order one and we will get them for you, the cost is $12.95.

However, I know some of you will be going through Masterlife or other studies and may not have time or inclination for another daily study at the same time.

So, if you don’t want the daily study, I will give some assignments each week for the coming week.

So, make sure you bring a notebook each week for notes and writing down assignments

 

Some of you have never been with us for a Wednesday Night Study and you may want to know, what happens.

Well, let me give you a taste.

We won’t do it exactly like it … but the first thing is … I’m not up here on the pulpit.

Bryan bring me my Wednesday night podium.

I don’t have on a suit.

There is more time for you to ask questions and interact.

But one thing that IS the same is we Study the Word of God and allow it to speak to us.

There is a phrase that we have all heard, perhaps you were taught it as a prayer … I can start it and you can finish it … but while I’m not a big fan of rote prayers, there is GREAT TRUTH … in this little phrase … I want us to use it tonight to set the tone for what we will study for the next couple of months … on Wednesdays

Finish it For me …

/ “God is Great … “/

Something else we do on Wednesday Night.

I want you to turn to a few people around you talk about those 3 things for just a minute …

What comes to mind immediately when you hear …

“God is Great”?

tell them

“God is Good”?

tell them

“Let us Thank”?

tell them …

On Wednesdays I would give you a little more time to talk about it, share a scripture you think of … but for now let’s go back and take a few minutes on each phrase

 

*/Isaiah 1:2-3 (NIV) \\ 2 Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth!

For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.”/*

The problem folks is sometimes we forget who our GOD IS.

We believe He is less than good and less than great.

Could we be so bold as to say sometimes we think God is average and mediocre or daresay bad?

I want to remind you today who your God is and what you should do about it

 

*1.

God is Great!*

Let’s look at a few verses and be reminded I’m going to let the Word speak

 

*  A.*

He is Great in *Character*

*Deuteronomy 10:17* (NIV) \\ 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

*Deuteronomy 32:3* (NIV) \\ 3 I will proclaim the name of the Lord.

Oh, praise the greatness of our God!

*2 Samuel 7:22* (NIV) \\ 22 “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord!

There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.

*Job 36:26* (NIV) \\ 26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!

The number of his years is past finding out.

*Psalm 48:1* (NIV) \\ 1 Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

*Psalm 104:1* (NIV) \\ 1 Praise the Lord, O my soul.

O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

He is GREAT in Character … He is …

Constant, Holy, Transcendent, Immanent, Eternal, Spirit, One, Trinity

Revealed in Glory, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Righteous, Sovereign

Savior, True, Faithful

 

*  B.*

He is Great in *Deeds* and *Might*

*Deuteronomy 3:24* (NIV) \\ 24 “O Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand.

For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?

*What God is there?

What person is there who compares to God*

*Job 37:5* (NIV) \\ 5 God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.

*Psalm 71:19* (NIV) \\ 19 Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things.

Who, O God, is like you?

*Micah 5:4* (NIV) \\ 4 He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.

*Luke 9:43 (NIV) \\ *43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples,

 

*  C.*

Great in *Salvation* – in Gifts of Mercy and Grace

*Psalm 69:13* (NIV) \\ 13 But I pray to you, O Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.

*Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)* \\ 17 The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”

*1 John 3:1 (NIV)* \\ 1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are! ....

*Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV) \\ *14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.

16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

*Psalm 96:4 (NIV)* \\ 4 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise…”

Say it out loud … GOD IS GREAT! <repeat>

Oh help me with something … when I say “God is Great”  you say “God Alone”

Me à “God is Great”

You à “God Alone”

<REPEAT>

 

Which leads me to the 2nd one …

 

*2.

God is Good*

God is Good _____ ALL THE TIME

ALL THE TIME … God is Good!

Do you believe that or is it just something you are supposed to say?

Do you ever forget it from a practical sense?

I know you KNOW it in your head … but in your heart do you forget sometimes?

Do the circumstances of life sometimes make you doubt it?

Do the forces of evil seek to make you doubt the goodness of God?

 

*Mark it DOWN* … Remember the *greatest tools* of the *Evil* One

Causing us to *Doubt* God’s *Word*

Causing us to *Doubt* God’s *Goodness*

Causing us to *Doubt* God’s *Plan*