Untitled Sermon (9)

THERE ARE CERTAIN VERSES IN THE BIBLE WHICH I REMEMBER HEARING FOR THE FIRST TIME— THE FACT THAT THEY WERE SO RELATABLE— SO REAL— SO REASSURING.

I remember the first time I hear the words from Jeremiah 29:11. Gal. 2:20. I REMEMBER SEEING KEITH KISER’S SIGNATURE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND LOOKING UP I SAM. 12:24 WHERE IT SAYS, “Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.”

I REMEMBER HOW CAREFUL YOU OUGHT TO BE IN QUOTING SCRIPTURE, TOO.

Several years ago, Al Gore sought to quote the Bible and it backfired on him. In seeking to pursuade the American people that he deserved to be considered as a candidate for the presidency, he quoted from JOHN 16:3: “And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.”

or like the pastor who made a Saturday visit and did not find the couple at home, so he put a note on the door with this Bible verse:

Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Genesis 3:10: “And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

But I remember hearing for the first time Philippians 1:6 and being moved at the thought that the Lord Jesus will continue His work in my heart.

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

The third step in their time-line was futuristic...Their fellowship in the gospel had begun at the river side, had continued through Paul’s prison, had continued now through his prison stay in Rome and Paul was confident that the Lord would work in and through them unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for the church.

PAUL’S CONFIDENCE in CHRIST

Barnes notes state: This is strong language. It means to be fully and firmly persuaded or convinced. It means here that Paul was entirely convinced of the truth of what he said. It is the language of a man who had no doubt on the subject.

Paul’s settled persuasion concerning these people was grounded in what they had previously done and what the Lord would continue in them. In verse seven, Paul admits his fair thoughts of them because they were in his heart.

Paul’s confidence was not in a what; it was in a who.

Gal. 5:7: “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?”

THE WILL OF CHRIST IN THE CHURCH

That he which hath begun a good work in you

What was this good work?

Some say that the good work here referred to is none other than true piety, called the The work of God- John 6:29: “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

The work of the Lord- I Cor. 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

The work of Christ- Phil. 2:30: “Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.”

Paul affirms here that that work was begun by God. It was not by their own agency or will. It was on the fact that it was begun by God, that he based his firm conviction that it would be permanent.

Acts 5:37-40: “After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.”

THE WORK OF CHRIST THROUGH THE CHURCH

THERE IS A DESIRE— AND THERE IS A POWER TO DO IT. There has been some form of church here since the early part of the 20th Century. Buildings. $ was given. Something had happened. That was obvious. Something used to be alive that no longer was virile. But then God touched it.

Eze. 38-

Will perform it

The Lord God that begins this work in you will complete the task at hand. God is not a man that He should LIE, LINGER OR LEAVE His children.

1 Chronicles 28:20 says, And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

Psalms 138:8 says, The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

He will never forsake the works of His hands. But, why? 1. His power to complete the task. The Lord God has never come up against His inability to complete a task. In Matthew 28:18 Jesus Christ declares, All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth. There has never been a tool He needed to borrow or a job subcontracted. He is at work in His children. He even said, I will come again and receive you unto myself.

2. His proven record of completing His work. Creation- I cannot accept a theory of creation that mixes the truth of creation and the life of evolution which states that God created the matter of the universe and left the elements up to themselves to converge. The Bible says He saw the work that He had done and said, “It is good.” Cross work- He completed the work of redemption for mankind on Calvary’s cross.

Covenant with Israel- Has He left one promise undone for Israel that He promised to complete? NO. Will He neglect His promise to Abraham concerning the Hebrew people? NO, He shall not. 3. His picture in Scripture as an artisan.

The potter- Jeremiah 18:1-4: “The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.”

The refiner- Micah 3:2-3: “Who hate the good, and love the evil; Who pluck off their skin from off them, And their flesh from off their bones; Who also eat the flesh of my people, And flay their skin from off them; And they break their bones, And chop them in pieces, as for the pot, And as flesh within the caldron.”

The Goldsmith- I 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:”

4. His purpose is eternal- No plans for His children are temporal in nature. He doesn’t experiment with His plans for them. Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

CAREY=

I’LL GO ANYWHERE IF SOMEONE WILL HOLD THE ROPE-

CAREY NOT MESMERIZED BY SUCCESS— BUT I CAN PLOD!

ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS FOR GOD; EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM GOD!

“I was once young and now I am old, but not once have I been witness to God’s failure to supply my need when first I had given for the furtherance of His work. He has never failed in His promise, so I cannot fail in my service to Him.” -WILLIAM CAREY