Sermon 09-08-06

DATE:  9-08-06

SUBJECT: HOLINESS

TITLE:   SPEAKING FOR A KING

BIBLICAL REFERENCE: JEREMIAH 15:19-21

OUTLINE

1.  INTRODUCTION

ONCE UPON A TIME, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2002 WE HAD BOUGHT A HOUSE AND MOVED FROM WOODBRIDGE BACK TO DUMFRIES.  WE HAD MOVED TO A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY NAMED SOUTHBRIDGE.  DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL, MY WIFE WAS TAKING THE CHILDREN TO THE BUS STOP WHEN SHE WAS APPROACHED BY AN 11 YEAR OLD CHILD.  THE CHILD ASKED HER WHERE SHE WAS FROM AND JANET RESPONDED “FROM PUERTO RICO”.  THE CHILD BECAME VERY EXCITED AND SAID THAT HER FAMILY WAS ALSO FROM PUERTO RICO.  THE CHILD THEN ASKED MY WIFE WHAT CHURCH WE WENT TO? AND MY WIFE HAD SAID THAT WE DIDN’T GO TO ANY CHURCH AND THAT SHE WAS BACKSLIDDEN.  THE CHILD IMMEDIATELY EXTENDED AND INVITATION TO THE CELL GROUP THAT HER FAMILY ATTENDED AND TO HER CHURCH.  I’M GOING TO WAIT TO TELL YOU WHO THAT IS BUT I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER HOW GOD USED A CHILD TO DO HIS WILL, AND SO BEGAN THE STORY OF MY FAMILY’S LIFE WITH CHRIST

a.  LIFE BEFORE CHRIST

                  i.   WHERE I GREW UP

                 ii.   WHAT I WENT THROUGH

                iii.   MILITARY, MARRIAGE, KIDS

1.  U.S. MARINE CORPS

2.  MARRIED JULY 9, 1994

3.  KIDS

                iv.   AMBITIONS, SUCCESSES, FAILURES

b.  LIFE WITH CHRIST

                  i.   GOD IS #1 IN MY LIFE

                 ii.   WHAT I WENT THROUGH DOESN’T MAKE ME WHO I AM

1.  I AM A “NEW CREATION”

2.  I HAVE BEEN “BOUGHT FOR A PRICE”

3.  I AM PART OF A “CHOSEN PEOPLE” A “ROYAL PRIESTHOOD”

2.  WHAT DOES GOD WANT FROM ALL OF US

READ JEREMIAH 15:19-21

19 Therefore thus says the LORD:
 “If you return, then I will bring you back;

You shall stand before Me; If you take out the precious from the vile, You shall be as My mouth.
Let them return to you, but you must not return to them.
20 And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall;
And they will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you; For I am with you to save you
And deliver you,” says the LORD.
21 “I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked,
and I will redeem you from the grip of the terrible.”

a.  WHO WAS JEREMIAH?

1.  APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS OLD

2.  WASN’T CONFIDENT ABOUT WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO FOR GOD

3.  HE WAS SCARED

4.  HE CHOSE TO SERVE GOD DESPITE HIS HUMAN FEARS

5.  REFERENCE TO JEREMIAH 1

b.  WHAT WAS GOD ASKING JEREMIAH TO DO IN VERSES WHICH I READ

                  i.   GOD ASKS HIM TO RETURN

1.  FROM WHERE?

2.  DISOBEDIENCE?

3.  REBELLION?

4.  WHAT WE WANT INSTEAD VS. WHAT GOD WANTS

                 ii.   GOD WANTS TO BRING HIM BACK

1.  MAYBE YOU FEEL FINE

a.  ARE YOU?

b.  HOW’S YOUR WALK WITH GOD BEEN OVER THE SUMMER?

c.   HAS WHAT YOU’VE BEEN DOING GLORIFY GOD?

                                                      i.   HE DOES SEE ALL

                                                     ii.   HE DOES KNOW ALL

2.  GOD DOESN’T WANT TO LOSE YOU

a.  GOD LOVES YOU

b.  HE DIDN’T CREATE YOU TO BE A FAILURE

c.   THAT IS NOT OF GOD

d.  THAT IS A LIE FROM THE DEVIL

                iii.   STANDING BEFORE GOD

1.  IF WE RETURN

a.  RECOGNIZING OUR WRONGS

b.  ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS

c.   IF WE ALLOW GOD TO BRING US BACK

                                                      i.   GOD BEGINS AN IMMEDIATE PROCESS OF RESTORATION

                                                     ii.   GOD WILL “CAST OUR SINS INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA” (MICAH 7:19)

                                                    iii.   SO WHY DON’T WE ALLOW GOD TO DO SO

                iv.   TAKING OUT THE PRECIOUS

1.  ARE YOU CARRYING AROUND A JUNK DRAWER?

2.  WHAT’S USEFUL FOR GOD IN THAT DRAWER?

a.  TALENTS/ABILITIES

b.  SPIRITUAL GIFTS

3.  WHAT NEEDS TO BE THROWN INTO THE FIRE?

a.  GOD CALLS US TO BE DIFFERENT

                                                      i.   DIFFERENT FROM THOSE IN SCHOOL/WORK

                                                     ii.   DIFFERENT THAN HOW THE WORLD THINKS

                                                    iii.   HE WANTS TO CONSTANTLY CLEAN OUT THE JUNK FROM OUR LIVES

                  v.   YOU SHALL BE AS MY MOUTH

1.  WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SPEAK FOR A KING?

2.  WHAT IF I ABUSE THAT PRIVILEGE?

a.  AM I REALLY SPEAKING FOR GOD?

b.  AM I REPRESENTING GOD’S INTERESTS?

3.  DO MY ACTIONS SPEAK FOR A KING? 

a.  WHAT DO I DO AROUND OTHERS?

b.  AM I A FAKE IN MY WALK WITH CHRIST?

                vi.   LET THEM RETURN TO YOU

1.  DO NOT LOWER GOD’S STANDARDS

2.  WE SHOULD PLEASE GOD, NOT MAN

3.  LET OTHERS SEE WHAT IT IS TO BE A CHILD OF GOD

4.  REMEMBER THAT YOU SPEAK FOR A KING

c.   WHAT IS GOD ASKING OF ALL OF US?

                  i.   OBEDIENCE

                 ii.   TO PLEASE HIM BY ALWAYS LISTENING TO HIS VOICE

3.  CONCLUSION

WHEN I STARTED TO SPEAK I TOLD A STORY OF A CHILD WHO APPROACHED MY WIFE WITH THIS EXCITEMENT TO SERVE GOD AND TO SPREAD HIS WORD.  TODAY I STAND HERE IN FRONT OF YOU BECAUSE OF ONE CHILD, WHO MADE ONE CONTACT, AND SAVED ONE FAMILY BECAUSE SHE LOVED AND OBEYED ONE GOD.  I THANK GOD FOR HER AND I SEE HER HERE TODAY, GROWING UP RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR EYES.  MY PRAYER NOT ONLY FOR HER, BUT FOR ALL OF YOU IS THAT GOD GIVES YOU THE STRENGTH TO HOLD ON TO HIM, NO MATTER HOW HARD LIFE GETS.  LIFE DOESN’T GET EASIER AS TIME GOES ON, BUT HAVING GOD TO GUIDE US THROUGH IT MAKES LIFE A LOT EASIER. 

4.  PRAYER/ALTAR CALL