God's Nudge
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God’s Nudge
God’s Nudge
As I come forward at end of worship
SLIDE 1 “WELCOME - WE’RE GLAD YOU’RE HERE”
encouragement from worship time
lots of rain yesterday....reminder of the Lord’s power
Overwhelmed with the response of the church this week
You ever get an at -a - boy?
Sometimes in a message at a retreat or conference and nudge the person next to you........elbow thing
Aren’t nudges from God wonderful?
SLIDE 2 “GOD’S NUDGE”
The way you all here love people and all you do is worth a nudge
But sometimes we need a nudge from God to remind us......to be grateful.........to be excited what He has done for us........to keep the faith and stay strong........stay involved....keep serving.....don’t give up....amen?!!
That our message title this morning....”God’s Nudge”
Lets say this together
SLIDE 3 “LORD PLEASE CORRECT ME...............”
Give the Lord and yourself a big AMEN!!
SLIDE 4 “OH LORD GIVE ME COFFEE”
Hey Stop That!!!
Enough of that.....no really.....God’s Nudges re really important
SLIDE 5 “GOD’S NUDGE”
I was talking with Robert Burnett after the meal yesterday......”well I need to go study for tomorrow”.........Robert - “here’s One ....no back door to heaven”
You know I wonder if that has anything to do with what Jesus said “taking the kingdom by force”
It all starts with Jesus getting a message from John....in prison......telling story.......................”blessed is he who do not take offense at Me”
Jesus goes on to tell how John is the greatest of all the prophets.........if you are willing to accept it.....John is Elijah who was to come
But here is where this part of the kingdom I was talking with Robert about .......btw this was found in Matthew 11. okay
But I cross referenced over to Luke for some reason
Check it out here
SLIDE 6
16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
17 “But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.
Now I’ve been in prayer at least two years over this.....wanting that nudge from the Lord what He really means by taking the kingdom by force and ........also not a stroke of the letter will pass away!
Then I read the next verse and..........I’m like “oh Lord not that verse again!!
SLIDE 7
18 “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.
“Lord I surely struggle with this verse because so many who are part of your church family have gone through this!”
But I got a nudge from Him!
SLIDE 8 Put this passage up but I won’t read it
16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
17 “But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.
This is what the Lord had shown me.....speaking in Spirit
Glenn I’ve given redemption and deliverance and healing from the pain of divorce. I also felt Him saying “I am the only source of forgiveness I am the only way through it......but it still does not change what my Law says as so with all my Laws and what the Prophets spoke until John”
Then it hit me..... or the nudge again
And this passage in Matt 19 came to me
SLIDE 9
8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.
Since the times of the Laws were given and the Prophets reminding and proclaiming them......what has men been trying to do?..... Force ourselves around them......a loop hole....an excuse......all of God’s laws....amen!
But you cannot get around them.... As Jesus said ...Not one stroke will pass away........ because all humanity would self destruct without God’s Laws..........they are His provisions, His blessings, His corrections, His direction.........His protection
SLIDE 10 Put this passage up but I will not read it
16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
17 “But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.
In fact Jesus said He came to fulfill the Law in us......He puts His Spirit in us to always desire to follows God’s ways and direction....His laws
You can try to force your way into the kingdom......and many also try thru the back door ......but nope gotta go through Jesus first
You cannot get around the Law of God.....it stands....not a single stroke will pass away.....God has to keep it as it is for humanity’s sake of survival.....if not the whole structure comes crashing down
But if you fail......if you have missed the mark......if you have find that you have broken His laws.....there is a way amen?!!
His name is Jesus.......by grace you are saved.....thru faith....not of yourselves…its a gift of God......
SLIDE 11 “GOD’S NUDGE”
Now I didn’t fully get the revelation or nudge on this till I finished the chapter.....the next story Jesus tells
Because of this next story ....which is important because Jesus follows what we just talked about with this and wow does it make a difference in realizing how the kingdom is being forced upon
But after this next story......which I believe is a true one and the characters He spoke of really were.
After this story no matter how men force, men look for a back door, praise praise God He gave us Jesus....the only way.....check this out......
SLIDE 12
19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.
There are so many nudges in this story
Many of you may know this story already.......before we go on RICH here is - “abundantly supplied”
Lets go on
SLIDE 13
20 “And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,
21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.
Now several things already to notice
Jesus gives no name to the rich man....but the poor man he names Lazarus
POOR here is - no wealth, no influence, no position of honor
The point here is one named and one not is the rich man is not a believer and the poor man is .....why ? when do we get our names written in heaven?.....amen?
Now another point
Do any of us throw away food........so we would say we have scraps that fall from our table?.....kinda let that one sink in okay
But we do struggle in who to help and who not to help when we pass by them correct?......do they really ....are they really?
In this story Jesus helps us
Look at the two verses again.....How was Lazarus put at the gate?..........what was he covered with?-- Sores here are open boils.........and then the dogs as well
So Jesus gives us some help in recognizing but always have the Holy Spirit show you......even if you have already gone on by
Lets read on
SLIDE 14
22 “Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
Notice the difference here as well in this verse?
Now as we go on the key here is letting God nudge us and to be so grateful for Jesus saving us
To nudge us to continue on in our faith.....in how we serve....in how we live our lives and use our gifts to glorify Him....amen?!
Lets read on
SLIDE 15
23 “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’
Notice still the self centeredness, serve me attitude....tell him to come dip his finger and cool my tongue
SLIDE 16
25 “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
26 ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’
This quit an amazing scene the Lord is giving here
I’m wondering also why He is using Abraham here but hang tight this is so good what the Lord revealed to me in Spirit
Noe reading on we will see that even the dead still have consciousness going
SLIDE 17
27 “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house—
28 for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
SLIDE 18
29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
30 “But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’
31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
Now more than likely the 5 brothers know that Lazarus has died so the rich man thinks if they see the miracle of Lazarus raised from the dead they would listen and turn to God
But they needed to hear the Word of God......that was the Law of Moses and the Prophets
Miracles can be a testament of God’s power and authority but its the conviction of God’s word that converts hearts to Him......faith comes by hearing.....hearing by the word of God
Remember the people always asked Jesus for a miracle or a sign
Remember the other time of Jesus raising the other Lazarus from the dead........later on the religious leaders were even trying to find Lazarus and kill him
SLIDE 19 Put this passage up but I will not read it
9 The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also;
Now lastly as we close......why is Abraham referenced here by Jesus? This is so amazing.....remind Jesus has not gone to the cross
Those before His coming believed by faith for the Messiah to come and save them ..... amen?!
So they believed by faith and died in faith.....as Abraham did
Now hold on to that and look at this after Jesus rises from the dead
SLIDE 20
17 Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’ ”
Now I need to point out ......remember the rich man was in Hades and know as the dead right?
SLIDE 21
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
8 Therefore it says,
“When He ascended on high,
He led captive a host of captives,
And He gave gifts to men.”
SLIDE 22
9 (Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)
Amen?!! Give a hand for Jesus our Lord!
Now I need to point out ......remember the rich man was in Hades and know as the dead right?
What happens with them?
SLIDE 23
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
SLIDE 24 “GOD’S NUDGE”
PRAYER
WORSHIP
PASTOR MARK TO DISMISS