Sermon on Jonah, Habakkuk and Jesus

Sermon 12-2-12- God’s Gift Giving

Jonah- Living for me...-Habakkuk-Living for Thee...-Jesus-The Living God

God has given us an entire Bible filled with men and women and their stories that tell His story, but today I want to take a look at God’s gift giving as we look at three men and their interactions with God.

As we look at Jonah, Habakkuk and Jesus let’s look at how each of these men interacted with God, and while we do that I want you to see how you interact with God in very much the same way as these men did. All while understanding that God’s gift giving ability is perfect.  Many of us exchange gifts over the Christmas season, with family, friends, co-workers and for the most part many of us are excited to receive gifts, even if it something that we didn’t really think we wanted or needed or maybe even cared for we usually receive that gift with a smile, a genuine thank you and try to look on the bright side giving the person who was given the gift a break and realizing, well at least they tried. Unfortunately many of us don’t receive gifts from the ultimate gift giver as well. Well to be down-right honest many of us, me included get grumpy and complain to God about the way He operates. I think that this comes from a limited view of who God is. As we look at Jonah and Habakkuk and Jesus I want you to see how they viewed God, I really believe it is not until God is infinitely bigger than we think that we start to understand how thankful we should be for Him and His blessings in our life.

Our OT professor at RTS says if he were to simply title Genesis it would be about  Blessings or God Blessing the Nations. And the book of Ruth would be From Emptiness to Fullness, and maybe not title it Ruth but Naomi. So today as we attempt to do the impossible again; Fly through a couple books  in the OT, I hope you see the context I’m trying to frame out for you. Jonah isn’t just some story about a guy who got swallowed by a fish, and Habakkuk isn’t just a book in the OT you look at and think that’s a weird way to spell that, but they are two books specifically placed in the OT so that we might get a deeper and better understanding of who God is. That through studying these texts we might glorify God and enjoy Him. That the doctrine of grace might be etched once again in our minds, our hearts  and our actions. Today I want to frame our discussions with this thought in mind. God is a gift giving God, His mercy and grace surround us. His Love is ever over us, His blessing are new every day, He alone is worthy. We cannot comprehend why, how, when who what or where God gives his gifts but we know that Salvation is a gift, from God to us, To you, From God, So as we look at Jonah and Habakkuk and Jesus this morning let’s remember that this is God’s gift to us, His Word, preserved all these years, and given to us today to unwrap and unpack.

First let’s turn to the book of Jonah and see how Jonah was blessed by God even though he didn’t really recognize it. If I had to sum up Jonah- I would say the book is about Living for Me, In God’s case He is trying to show Jonah that living for me is a great idea! And In Jonah’s case living for me is a terrible idea!

We are going to read bits and pieces of this book at a break neck speed so just hold on. Jonah 1:1-6

God gives Jonah an amazing opportunity, go tell NINEVEH to repent (I want to save them) I’d feel pretty good about that and so would you right? Jonah was like nope going to Tarshish! And he fled the presence of the Lord. You’ve never done that right? God said do this and you say nah I really think it would be better to do this. It usually is really simple when God asks us to do something we can either Rejoice or Sulk, so here is Jonah called by God to do something. He said, Nah I think I’ll go this way the complete opposite direction that God was calling him. Jonah although he knew that God existed, had a GIGANTIC problem, He constantly forgot that God was God, creator of the universe, all powerful, all mighty, Sovereign, God wanted Jonah to be obedient not because He was a taskmaster, but he wanted Jonah to be blessed, God wanted Jonah to see that He was God not Jonah. The ultimate gift giver was like here Jonah here is an easy one, enjoy this gift. So Jonah attempted to flee from God. What do we do when God calls us, well maybe I should think it over, maybe I should let someone more talented than me do that, maybe God was mistaken he didn’t really want me, really, I don’t think that’s a healthy thought.

You see God never changes, if you are disobedient God can still use your disobedience for His good, your bad decisions doesn’t make God happy, but that also won’t stop God from getting the glory He deserves.

Jonah 7-17 Jonah had gotten on a boat and a great storm arose, all the other sailors said call out to your god and make him stop, they threw cargo over and finally Jonah said throw me into the sea. And in His mercy instead of letting Jonah die, God appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah.

He was in the belly of a fish for three days and nights, So here is where we usually wise up, sometimes it takes getting swallowed by a giant fish to see, okay God you’re right I’m wrong, whatever you ask I’ll do. And it seems Jonah at first look has come to his senses.  But look in verse 7,8,9 Jonah seems a little haughty in his prayer,” when my life was fainting away I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you in your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you, what I have vowed I will pay,” (notice the focus on what Jonah is saying, I remembered, My prayer, I will pay… very self centered, Then finally Jonah cried out to God, after three days, He remembered Salvation belongs to the Lord! The Lord spoke to the fish and it vomited Jonah out on dry land.

Jonah had an opportunity to get back on track. How would Jonah treat this gift.

Well, He went to the people of Nineveh and told them if they didn’t repent in 40 days God would overthrow Nineveh, they all repented, EVERYONE OF THEM! What a great celebration, God withdrew the disaster, God was pleased, but Jonah was angry? WHAT IS UP WITH THIS DUDE? He was mad at God for being gracious to his enemies, he was mad at God for saving an entire nation? Kinda selfish don’t ya think? Then he asks the giver of life to take his life? Who does Jonah sound like, a selfish punk like me. 

Sometimes I shake my fist at God and wonder why me God? Why are these circumstances happening to me? Why do people that I thought were my friends treat me this way? Why haven’t I….You see my view of God is way to small, I know better and frankly so do you, God is more than able to use a tough situation and use it to bless me, to bring Glory to His name. We see that God ends  Jonah by showing Jonah I’m a God who cares about you, get over yourself, I also care about others 120,000 people in Nineveh and their animals that I spared. I’m God. I think it’s okay if I do that, I don’t need your permission or approval, and your disappointment can’t stop me from loving you either.  Which me are you living for?

 

Habakkuk-Living for Thee,

Many of us Live like Jonah, God gives us clear instruction and we run 180 degrees the opposite direction, others of us live like Habakkuk trusting God yet perplexed at why God would choose to do things His way and not in the way we had hoped or expected. Many of us live our lives, standing and crying out to God, “What are you doing?” “Why is this happening to me?” “God don’t you care about me? Don’t you care about righteousness?” How can this be used for your good?”  

Habakkuk 1:5  “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.”

How right God is on this point, He knows us so well doesn’t He, I mean after all He created us! He loves us, He is all knowing, He is,  yeah you get the point, or do you. Maybe you’re like me and need to be reminded A LOT!

After reading Habakkuk this afternoon ask yourself this question, How did Habakkuk treat his relationship with God?” then ask an even harder one “How do I treat my relationship with GOD?”

If you are a believer in Christ Jesus this morning, and if you are not, then you should be TODAY, but if you are or if you’re gonna be later on, you should really think this through, The God the ultimate gift giver has given me His love, God Loves me, and He tells me He is at work in my life and around me in the lives of others, in ways that are mysterious, in ways that are miraculous, in ways that are perplexing and puzzling, in ways that exhilarating and surprising, in ways that are absolutely oblivious to me. He is also bigger than I can imagine, more than able to do whatever He wants. Why do I approach this relationship so different than others, why do I press pause with God, why do I press rewind, Why can’t I enjoy each moment I’ve been given, trusting that GOD, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, really is doing a work that I wouldn’t believe even if He told me?

As I was studying this week I noticed that Jonah and Habakkuk are what we have labeled the minor prophets. And that Jonah is five books from the top and Habakkuk are five books from the bottom. Both are similar in outline too, The book opens with a complaint against God, and God giving an answer, then a prayer, then a response to Who God is. I wish we had more time to explore this but we will save that for later and focus on the one major difference. Jonah ended angry with God, angry enough to die, Let’s look at how Habakkuk ends. He too was complaining to God and God said listen Habakkuk I got this, and Habakkuk remembers in his prayer, right you are the God whose splendor covers the heavens, you are the God who split the rivers and made the moon and sun stand still, you are the God of salvation.      Look at Habakkuk 3:17-19 Habakkuk Rejoices in the Lord: 17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,    nor fruit be on the vines,the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold  and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;  I will take joy in the God of my salvation.19 God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's;  he makes me tread on my high places.                                   To the choirmaster: with stringed[a] instruments.

God makes me feet like the HINDS!, In Calvin’s commentaries, I’m paraphrasing here,  Calvin says not so We can fly over and dominate our enemies, but so that we can climb any mountain, any obstacle any thing that comes our way we can walk through it with God! The hope that God gives us in Jesus, the help Jesus has given us in the Holy Spirit, THE GIFT THAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU AND ME, the Gospel, the GOOD NEWS is our feet can move, we can walk, one foot can go in front of the other, God the Lord is our strength, he will make us tread in the high places. LET US REJOICE IN THE LORD!!

And so we come to Jesus-The living Son of God, King, Brother… God’s gift and gift giver

 Let’s contrast Jonah and Jesus. Jesus was called to go to a foreign land and share a message. Repent and believe. Did Jesus run in the opposite direction? No but he could have. Jesus was tossed about during society, many people questioned who is this man that thinks He is the Son of God? Jesus was executed, on a cross, innocent, he bled and died, and on the third day he rose again. God used Jonah to save a nation, God sent Jesus His own Son to be sacrificed for all Nations, for His Kingdom. Jesus sought God’s will first, Jonah sought his own will. Jesus prayed to God before His death Father, “if you are willing remove this cup from me, nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done.” One disobedient son of God, God uses to save a nation, One obedient Son of God, God uses to save and usher in His Kingdom. What’s the difference, One Son had the utmost trust for His Father, He knew His Father loved Him and was willing to do whatever it took to obey, the other disobeyed God because He didn’t think God had his best interest at heart. Jesus being the Son of God knew how big God was,is. Jonah didn’t have a clue, We are so like Jonah in this regard, we think we know God, especially some of us well studied Presbyterians we know God and all how He works, okay, well I’m a lot more like Jonah and so are you. I’m not saying I don’t believe in Sanctification, I wholeheartedly do! I think I’ve grown in my Christian life tremendously but I still think my vision of who God is, so much closely relates to Jonah than Jesus. But the Good news for me and you today is that God has Given us JESUS!! And with Him, we can know the father more and more Listen to this verse, one of my favorite verses in Scripture, from a little known OT book called Zephaniah, Zephaniah 3:17 says, THE LORD GOD IS IN YOUR MIDST, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. God, WANTS TO REJOICE OVER YOU WITH GLADNESS, to quiet you with HIS LOVE, to EXULT OVER YOU WITH LOUD SINGING,  Are you running from HIM? Or toward Him? Look at me! He uses ordinary people like Jonah, like me, like you, to accomplish his objectives, His given us His Word, His Son, to bring about Salvation, to build His Kingdom! We have got to start rejoicing in Jesus like Habakkuk and not sulking about ourselves like Jonah.

This is real life. Are you being like Jonah or Jesus. When God calls you to do something, do you look for the easy way out like Jonah? Or are you willing to lay it all on the line like Jesus? Think about that this you know the next time when you are called to stand up for Jesus or just be silent, think about this the next time you are battling yourself with well I know I should do this but I really want to do this, who will you follow? Are you going to put your trust in God or self? Is your God big enough, is the God you believe in Big enough that you always have questions, or do you have God all figured out? Make it your mission to be more like Jesus in all areas of your life. How do you do that?, by doing the right thing, by putting first things first, God’s first period, His ways are right, period, follow Him, believe in Him, worship Him in all areas of your life, or don’t. There really is no in between.

 

 God’s a gift giver, AND A PRETTY DOG GONE GOOD ONE AT THAT!, He is the giver of Salvation! He has given up His Son so that we might be forgiven, saved, reborn, revitalized! Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit! We have the third person of the trinity at work in us! And if you are not a believer you have the third person of the trinity at work amongst you, if not already in you. God is constantly blessing His people, and not monetarily or earthly but with every spiritual blessing, God is alive and He is not far off. ARE YOU KIDDING ME, THE HOLY SPIRIT! GOD HAS GIVING YOU THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!  But sometimes we insist on looking at US, we insist on being JONAH on having it our way, God says I’m God, I’m the gift giver, when I give you a gift, ACCEPT IT! LOVE IT! USE IT! SHARE IT! I’m GOD I think I might know what I’m doing. Why are you complaining? What have you done? Did you create this gift? Did you have any ownership in this gift? SERIOUSLY! Don’t be a Jonah a miss out on the gift, We must be more like Habakkuk that sees that it is ALL GOD! That God is where our joy is, that He is the God of our Salvation! Accept the greatest gift God has ever given, Let Jesus be your strength your joy your salvation this Christmas! Quit trying to be good enough or waiting for the right time, Start today, unwrap your gift, if you’ve already opened your gift, maybe it was 50 years ago, just remember God never changes, that gift is still as good as it was then, enjoy Him today, share Him with others, be blessed by God’s gift giving.

SUMMER CAMP Life on Easy Street?

How many of you have ever been to a week long summer camp? Well since I can’t hear your responses I’ll assume some of you have.

            There are all types of summer camps out there. Music, theatre, sports, art, wilderness, church and cub scout camp are just a few that you could send your child to or that you may have attended as a child.

            I’ve gone to a few camps in my day. Basketball, baseball and church camp are the ones I remember the most I’m sure there were others but I just don’t recall at this moment.

            As a camper you expect a few things, good times, decent food and a cool t-shirt.  Another thing about campers is that they rarely have any idea of all the hard work it takes to make those three things happen.

            For the last several years I’ve been on a leadership team that puts together three camps a year. Southland Student Conferences puts on a weekend retreat in Ocala for around 300 middle school students from Presbyterian churches throughout Florida. We also put together a middle school summer conference in High Springs, Florida that usually is 5 days in July. And the last event is a High School Conference located at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia this too is held for a week in July.

            I’ve been taking students to these camps for 10 years now as a counselor. The last three years I’ve been the camp director for the Mid-Winter weekend for middle school students. One thing I’ve learned about these events is that it takes a lot of people willing to love students to make them happen.

            As a leadership team we pray a lot. Mainly because we feel without God being in charge and His Holy Spirit leading us and others to focus on Him, that these events would never happen. Our main goal at Southland is to point students to Christ and to community. We really believe that students need to know how much God loves them, and we need to offer solid biblical teaching to show them God’s love for them in His word. We also feel students need community, we all do. Students need opportunity to learn how to love God and share God’s love with others.

            There are a lot of details involved in transporting, housing, feeding, caring for, entertaining 300-500 students. Not to mention the pressure of sending them home with a cool t-shirt.  It also costs a few dollars.

            We are solely a volunteer organization that is non-profit. As we like to say after 50 some years of doing this we’ve yet to make a profit, but we hope and know that God’s Word is profiting all those who have heard it. We see the impact that this ministry has had and will continue to have on students and their communities.

            Where God places you He provides and He has always down this with Southland. Sure there are always ways to do more and do it better but we’ve found we can honor God with what He gives us, whether a little or a lot.

            There is not a lot of sleep this time of year for youth workers and volunteers. Many work long hours to make sure that camp is “Fun”.  Even though our goal is bigger and broader than “fun” and “safe” we do spend a lot of time in working toward these two goals.

            If you are interested in supporting Southland and helping us point students to Christ and community you can contact me at kdkelly32@embarqmail.com . If you want to know more about Southland you can check out our website at http://www.SouthlandCamps.com.

                  So if you send your student off to camp this year whether it is church camp or not, remind them to be thankful for all those who have worked hard to make their camp happen. Remind them that things don’t just happen in life and that they should be grateful to you for allowing them to go and grateful to those who had a vision for them to be there.

            Thanks for supporting our future.

SUMMER TIME

Summer Time.

By the times this runs it will be mid July. Truly Summer time in sunny Florida and hopefully we have had some rain too.

Growing up in Hardee County we always went one of three directions during the Summer to cool off. North, East or West rarely if ever did we go South, excluding maybe a trip to some relatives in Miami and southwest to Lemon Bay/Englewood area.

Usually we would head West to Anna Maria Island to hop in the gulf waters or a swimming pool and beat the heat. I remember taking long walks, catching fish, playing tennis, cards and lots of swimming on that Island. It also happens to be the place I first kissed my wife. Oops it’s not mannerly to kiss and tell.

If we did not go West we would head East, again Southeast doesn’t count as South. I’d either head just a few hundred yards East to the Peace River and canoe, fish and swim or I’d venture a little farther to a small lake some people have called Lake June in Winter. We’ve had family and friends with house’s on this lake for years. It’s always been a great place to “hydro-slide”,  knee-board, ski or tube. It’s always fun running around on a wave-runner, jet-ski or sea-doo, too! But my favorite thing to do is wade the shoreline and fish about 30 minutes before dark and fish until the mosquitoes have driven me back home.

I learned to wade fish from my Dad. Several times he would fish Lake Walk in the Water, Lake Josephine or others in the area this way. Many times he would catch more fish than when we used the boat. His favorite was an old black worm that was 10-12 inches in length.

The other direction was North. We would head for North Carolina or Atlanta depending on which family I was with that day. The North Carolina family would head to Glennville area, we head up to Tennessee too. These were great times as a family taking in all the tourist trap stops along the way, arguing over whether we left the gift shop with the “Indian” tomohawk, drum set or bow and arrow, or the cowboy pop-gun.

I remember mining for gold, going through caverns, hiking up mountains, playing in ice cold mountain streams, fishing at trout ponds and lots of more stuff I don’t want my kids to find out about because they will want me to take them to do all of it. We always had a great time driving each other crazy.

This was back before seat belts and the like so we would sleep in the well of the old station wagon or practice throwing ourselves back and forth over the seat as we fought over one toy or another. As I’m sure now our parents were agonizing over hearing one more of us say, “I need to go,” or “How much longer,” or “I’m thirsty.”

 As for the Atlanta family we would always go to Atlanta and stay in the Holiday Inn, watch three Atlanta Braves baseball games, which I loved. Then after the ball games were done we would spend the next couple of days at Stone Mountain. I’m not sure what happened there, mainly because I was a total brat and pain in the rear that I’ve blocked that portion of memory from recall. But I’m sure there are family members who can readily recall each horrific moment in detail. I remember once being offered well more like told I was going to be put on a Greyhound back to Wauchula.

Our trips to Atlanta were ever so memorable and fun, again in the station wagon albeit a different one. We hit every Shoney’s restaurant known to my Dad, and now that I have two kids that can eat I understand full well the allure of “kid’s eat free.”

We also seemed to indulge my Dad and his love for the Georgia agrirama, know called, “the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village,” they cleverly note , “Where the Present meets the Past!”  I guess growing up in Wauchula on the Peace River I felt pretty much like I had a keen grasp on the past and I was always looking toward the future. I didn’t really see the sense in studying the past, especially in Georgia during summer break. However looking back now I see a lot more clearly.

I was truly blessed growing up in Hardee County having two families that loved me and invested a huge amount of time and money in my life. I treasure the memories that we have made together and the memories our kids our now getting to make with each other. I think Summer time is a great time to be a family in America, a great time to see each other’s short comings and love each other anyway.

So whether you float down the Peace River or venture out to the Grand Canyon or up to Canada or maybe even go to Europe this Summer remember to enjoy each moment you have, be thankful for what you have been given.  God knows exactly what you need, He knows exactly where you are and He cares deeply about where you are going even during the Summer time.

5-22-11- Graduation Sunday, John 3:16-21 The Love you want, The Love you need, The Love He gives

5-22-11- Graduation Sunday, John 3:16-21 The Love you want, The Love you need, The Love He gives.  John 3:16-21 (English Standard Version)

As I look at these guys who have and will graduate, I want you to know that there is a lot of choices you will have to make in the upcoming years.  You can either love the darkness of sin, or you can do what is true and live in the light, and let the light of Christ shine through you so it may be clearly seen that your works are being carried out in God. My Prayer for you is that you will LIVE LIKE YOU are Loved by the Father.

Let’s start by reading God’s Word, John 3:16-21, Remember this is Jesus Christ, Son of God, truly human and truly God speaking. This is the Word of God, This is God telling us about His love for us.

For God So Loved the World  16"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."

Paul reminds us of the Father’s Love in Romans 8:32 (English Standard Version)32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

The Father’s Love… We’ve talked about who the Father is, we’ve talked about the type of Father He is, So we know He is a loving Father. So what do we do with the Father’s Love? Is that the question? What are you doing with the Father’s love? Are you being a good steward of the varied grace you have been given? Why? Or Why not? Maybe you know God, Maybe you even know God loves you, but maybe you don’t see that the Father, YOUR FATHER, Who is in Heaven, LOVES YOU. Maybe today you will see His love for you a little clearer, maybe you will experience it by meeting with Him in His Word, which He has preserved for you for this moment. Accept the Father’s Love today if you haven’t, if you have, share it with yourself again, remind yourself and then share it with others. It is GOOD NEWS, The Father’s Love. We are going to jump around the text this morning and start in v.19 and 20. Then back to 16-18 then end with 20-21

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

1. The Love you want.
            A. Darkness
            B. Light

The love you want. Is the love you want leading you to darkness or light.

When we reject God’s love, we love the darkness.  We love the darkness because our works are evil! What are you searching for? What are you hiding from? Something anything, lots of things, lots of “SOMETHINGS” to fill your void, to fill your pain, to fill your ache, to repair your brokenness.

We want love that will satisfy our selfish desires. We want love that makes us feel good, look good and do good as long as we can do that our way. We want love that isn’t costly, isn’t hard, isn’t a bummer, We want love that isn’t messy, or complicated or frustrating. We want love that gives us a good feeling about ourselves. We want love to last and not just be fleeting moments.

We want love. We want love that makes us feel loved, that makes us feel safe. We want love that doesn’t reject us, that doesn’t criticize us, that accepts us how we are. We want love that takes away the hurt and replaces it with healing, comfort, and pleasure. We want love that is real not just empty words and half-hearted actions. Is this Bad? Is this wrong, to want this kind of love?

When the light shines on us, when we come into the light, our darkness is exposed, this is tough because, We want to be love, we want to be the answer, If I could just do this, then they will love me, then I will love myself…really? The truth is clear, the light is all revealing, we want to be god, we want to be in control, we want our way first and foremost, …. until we have known, felt, experienced, accepted, been engulfed by, been overwhelmed by, been re-birthed by the Father’s Love.

God says if we don’t know Him, we don’t know Love. God is Light, The darkness tries to tell you, you are happy, that you don’t need God or His Love, that you can just take care of yourself. You don’t need a father’s love. But God offers us a Hope, a Home, and ability to believe in His Son, whom He sent to Save us, to accept His free gift, of un-ending, un-leashed, un-blemished love.

The Love you really want is God’s Love, That’s the love you are really looking for, waiting for and longing for. Step into the light, It’s not like anything else you’ve tried, It’s everything you wanted and more, It’s exactly what you need.

John 1:4,5,9 , “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. V9) The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

            2. The Love you need.
            A. Rejecting
             B. Accepting

We’ve got to stop rejecting GOD’S LOVE! You have to accept Jesus and Jesus alone for your salvation, Jesus is the LOVE YOU NEED and He is here for you today! He has justified, sanctified and glorified us. Why do we insist that we know what we need? Are we really that confident? Are we really that sure? Or is that just our way of rejecting God’s love. Bowing the knee to Jesus, to our King is hard, taking away pride is difficult because we’d rather be master than servant, especially when we are unwilling to accept God’s love. Because in God’s grace and mercy we are more than servants, we are more than conquerors of fear and doubt, we are children of God, co-heirs with Christ, we are a family built in God’s Love.

How do you accept God’s love? Ephesians 2:8,9 says “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Believe in the Him, Believe in Jesus, Step out of the darkness into God’s gracious light. Let your evil deeds be exposed.  Sure this may be humbling, Sure this may be embarrassing, sure this may bring you ridicule, sure this may cause you and your family and friends suffering. Your sin is worse than you think, it is more damaging than you could imagine, it is offensive to a Holy God, it is generational it isn’t only hurting you, But God’s Grace is so much deeper, so much wider, so much fuller and freeing than your sin.
Accept God’s gift and the finished work of Jesus Christ, for your evil deeds. Accept God’s holiness for your “un”holiness, His righteousness for your unrighteousness. Believe that God is THE GOD, that He is THE Father, That He is God the Father, that so loved the world he gave his one and only son…

 16"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ARE YOU SERIOUS THIS IS AMAZING NEWS, JESUS HIMSELF IS TELLING US OF THE FATHER’S LOVE, JESUS WANTS US TO KNOW HIM>>>FOREVER…17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Are you rejecting or accepting JESUS this morning? Has Jesus saved you from your sin, if your answer is no, TRUST IN HIM TODAY!!! Because without believing in the only Son of God you are already condemned. There is no in between, you are either rejecting God’s Love, God’s Son or you are accepting The Father’s Love, you are accepting His free gift.

3. The Love He gives.
            A. filled with truth and light
            B. takes away fear, guilt and apathy and replaces it with hope and perserverance and action.

His love is pure, His love is Holy, His love is right, His love is true, His love is steadfast, His love endures, His love overcomes, His love knows no tears, His love heals, His love redeems, His love restores, His love is clearly seen, His love is radical, His love is freeing, His love is overwhelming, His love is filled with truth and light.

His love draws you near, His love drives fear away, His love leaves us guiltless, His love destroys doubt, His love fills us with aspirations, His love compels us to love, His love is hope secured, His love is eternal, His love encourages us to keep loving.

20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."

Are you living in fear this morning? Are you standing in the darkness? Are you scared? Are you hoarding or rejecting God’s varied grace? God’s love is ready to break through, His love is at work. His love is filled with truth and light. Listen to Him this morning.

Ephesians 5:13But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible

Romans 13:12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Job 24:13"There are those who rebel against the light,
   who are not acquainted with its ways,
   and do not stay in its paths.

There is no better News today… The Father’s Love, takes away fear, guilt and apathy and replaces it with hope and perseverance and action.

Ephesians 3:14-21Prayer for Spiritual Strength 14For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Do you see the Hope we have been given, do you understand how we can persevere through anything, Isn’t His Love, The Father’s LOVE AMAZING in Action..

Romans 6:20-23 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.           

The Father’s Love, what an AMAZING LOVE, how can it be? We can’t love when we are living in fear and guilt, we can’t love when we don’t care, but The Father’s Love gives us hope, a hope eternally secured in Jesus, The Father’s Love gives us the perseverance to endure today, to run the race He has set before us, the perseverance to Love Him and others, and most of all the Father’s Love gives us the ability to actively Love, to accept His Love from an unending fountain and share it, to come to the Light that needs no sun, but that is powered by THE SON, and reflect His glory to everyone we meet. The Father’s Love The Love you want, The Love you need, The Love He gives. Now go and Live LIKE YOU are Loved, by the Father.

Sermon on May 15th-- 1 Peter 4:1-11 GOD THE “Father”

May 15^th-- 1 Peter 4:1-11   GOD THE “Father”

God THE “Father”

I.               Being like-minded with Christ

A.     Suffering in the Flesh w/ victory over  sin

B.     Placing our focus on the Father

II.             Pray, Love and Serve as a response to the Father’s Love.

A.     Spend time praying to your Father, in Christ

B.     Spend time loving your Father, in Christ

C.     Spend time Serving your Father, in Christ

III.           God THE “Father” in everything

A.     Complete surrender = Complete Freedom

1 Peter 4:1-11 

In 1 Peter 4 we see how we can be Stewards of God’s Grace by Living for God

 1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

 7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen

Last week we talked about the God, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, Today I want to talk about one person of the trinity God the Father.

         After reading our passage you may find it a stretch to see exactly what I’m trying to show you in the short time we have here this morning but I want you to remember the Series, THE FATHER’S LOVE,

Last week we talked about THE GOD, that love was from God and because God loved us we can love others. This week we will see how Jesus, fully God and fully man, saw God as Father, he did NOT think that equality with God was something to be grasped.

Philippians 2:5-11 

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in very nature God, 
   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 
7 rather, he made himself nothing 
   by taking the very nature of a servant, 
   being made in human likeness. 
8 And being found in appearance as a man, 
   he humbled himself 
   by becoming obedient to death— 
      even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place 
   and gave him the name that is above every name, 
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, 
   to the glory of God the Father.

Let’s begin by taking a big picture view of the first two verses of our passage,

 1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

Jesus suffered to end the penalty of sin for us, He suffered to defeat the power of sin over us, He didn’t live in the flesh for human passions but for the will of God, (GOD THE FATHER!)

So what if we suffer, SERIOUSLY, WHAT DOES IT MATTER? I’ve suffered a lot lately, so have you, some of your suffering is what makes me suffer, so what are we to make of it? DOES IT MATTER that we suffer?? YES it matters to God. He has given us victory of sin! He has given us His Word to arm ourselves with the mind of Christ. He has given us Jesus HIMSELF! When Jesus suffered in the flesh what did he do? He cried out to his Daddy! His Father! God the Father please take this away, if not please help me through, because I know my Dad cares, my Dad loves, my Dad gives.  What should we do when we suffer, blame everyone around us, blame ourselves, or run to God the Father and bow the knee to our selfish pride, our self centered, limited, myopic view and ask that His will be done.

WHAT GREAT NEWS,      point one on the outline should cause us to exhort one another, to enjoy one another and erupt with thankfulness…We aren’t dead in sin, yet we are living for the will of God, in Christ Jesus, and not just living we are living with blessings upon blessings, with grace upon grace from our heavenly Father, we have been made holy priests, co-heirs with Christ, we have been given the Helper in the Holy Spirit, we are children of the living, everlasting Father.

Next let’s look at verses 3-6.

2      3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

NEXT in the outline you see Pray Love and serve as a response to the Father’s Love Pray, Love and Serve as a response to the Father’s Love.

D.    Spend time praying to your Father, in Christ

E.     Spend time loving your Father, in Christ

F.     Spend time Serving your Father, in Christ

3     < People will be surprised when you do this, We are not to engage in Sensuality, passions, drunkenness, origies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. Don’t join in this flood of debauchery. But preach the gospel to the dead,  so they might come to know the FATHER! So they might come to live in the spirit the way GOD DOES.

God the Father will be the final judge. Not us. Not me. Not you. This is why we must pray to our Father that in Christ he would bring the lost to himself. This is why we need to spend time loving God the Father, just spend time thanking him and rejoicing that He is your Father and that from right now through eternity that will never change, That is much more permanent than the fleeting high we get from immoral behavior listed above. If we look at Jesus he took time to talk to His Dad, he took time to love his Dad, he took time to serve his Dad, Everything he did was to serve his Dad. EVERYTHING  he thought, taught, or took part in was to bring about God’s will, because JESUS UNDERSTOOD INFINITELY MORE THAN WE DO that GOD LOVED HIM!

Do you see it yet, THE FATHER’S LOVE? Are you starting to get a picture an idea and inkling… that THE GOD, God the FATHER, loves you… well hold on there’s more.

Maybe you are not there yet, maybe you are like some of the old testament believers that, God is Master and Lord, but Father is a stretch.

I think he has to be everything to us before we can totally submit, even saying totally submit is kind of a ridiculous statement  

once you have …

you see it’s not really submitting as much as it is rejoicing over what you have received.

Let’s look at the last several verses,

  7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:

IN ORDER THAT IN EVERYTHING---GOD may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

What gift, God’s varied Grace, GOD’s RICHES AT CHRIST EXPENSE… His grace is so varied and so overwhelming and so unbelievable at times we feel like we can’t receive it, but we must not only receive this gift of grace we must be good stewards of it, we must be grace dispensers, not lawless idolators!

IN EVERYTHING!! In our marriage, in our parenting, in our jobs, in our friendships, in our families, in our society, we must be GRACE DISPENSERS not LAWLESS IDOLATORS!

HOW? BY THE STRENGTH THAT GOD THE FATHER SUPPLIES!! Why so HE MAY BE GLORIFIED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

Because why, because the glory and dominion for ever an ever are HIS!! Not yours.

IV.            God THE “Father” in everything

B.     Complete surrender = Complete Freedom

Once THE GOD, is GOD THE FATHER! In EVERYTHING, then you can, no then you will want to, no then you will be  glad to receive his gift and gladly surrender your junk(life) and then you will be surrounded by the FATHER’s LOVE, you will have complete freedom in Jesus Christ to approach the Father, You can cry out to Him, love Him, rejoice over Him, share Him, serve Him, with no worries, no fears, no shame.