HABAKKUK 2:4 - Reckoned Righteous - Faith is the victory!

TOPIC: Faith; Grace, Imputation, Mercy, Perseverance, Relationship, Salvation

TITLE: RECKONED RIGHTEOUS – Why faith is the victory!
TEXT: Habakkuk 2:4

“Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.”

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Why Must the Righteous Live By Faith?

CONCISE OUTLINE

I. SUPERNATURAL LINK TO GOD NEEDED!
II. DIVINE GIFT NOT WAGES NEEDED!
III. A LASTING RELATIONSHIP NEEDED!

TRUTH CLAIM/CONTEXT: The Old Testament doesn’t specifically mention salvation by grace through faith, as does the New Testament [“For by grace you have been saved through faith.” Ephesians 2:8a].

But scripture does tell us Abraham was reckoned righteous because he believed God when God promised to make his seed a great nation at a time when he was old and childless. And our selected text certainly supports the contention.

No matter how we interpret the salvation of Abraham or translate Habakkuk 2:4, it remains that the whole of Scripture teaches salvation by grace through faith. Whether we use the term faith or trust or belief, it is by the grace of God we are saved ... through faith.

It's not sacrilegious to ask, why through faith? Why not good works? Or love? Or profession [publicly saying we believe in God]? Why has faith been chosen?

Clearly, if God is God, He can do whatever He chooses. If He can have mercy on whom He will have mercy [Romans 9:15], He can likewise choose the vehicle for His saving grace.

God seeks the counsel of no man. If I'm having difficulty with one of my children, seeking the counsel of another is an admission that I'm unable to parent without the help of others. God doesn't have that problem; He needs no ones counsel … He is the perfect parent, etc.

But it's not wrong to seek God's help in understanding His truths.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Why Must the Righteous Live By Faith?
EXPANDED OUTLINE

I. SUPERNATURAL LINK TO GOD NEEDED!

Because a supernatural link to God for man is required - faith is that link!

God has ordained faith as the conduit by which man receives His free gift of grace.

[WATER] It never fails but that our little daughter gets thirsty the minute we are too far from the house to get her one; we do not have a conduit from the water source to our car. If we did we could satisfy her thirst.

Problem: how to get the water to her mouth to satisfy her thirst.

Solution: take her to the source of water or build a conduit for the water to flow from the source to her mouth.

Analogy: So too with God's grace; it's in heaven where we can not go at the moment, far from the thirst of our hearts.

However, God, who spoke the heavens and the earth in existence, has said that faith will be His divine conduit for His grace. What the conduit can be to our need for water, faith is to our need of God's grace.

So it makes no sense to seek another route ... there is only one link between heaven and earth and that link is faith in the Son of God.

[PROMISE] A little boy hears his mom offer him a Snickers candy bar from the kitchen window; all he must do is come to the back door and receive what she's promised.

If he believes she will keep her promise and desires the gift, why would he go to the front door or to the neighbor's door? Why would he expect to receive it anywhere but where she promised?

II. DIVINE GIFT NOT WAGES NEEDED!

Because grace is a gift of God and faith is not the basis of that gift!

How is it a gift of God? It is a gift of God in that we are prevented from playing any role in its acquisition lest the gift be seen as something earned, and our sinful, selfish pride vaunts itself.

In the water illustration above, it is necessary to understand that the conduit didn't create the water nor does it improve the water. The conduit is simply used to move the water from its source to its destination.

The conduit is not the basis of satisfied thirst, rather it is the instrument for its delivery.

Faith is the connection between God and man but not the basis of our salvation. The recipient of water doesn't thank the conduit for the water, neither does the born-again believer thank his faith for salvation.

III. A LASTING RELATIONSHIP NEEDED!

Because Christianity is a relationship not a religion; God initiates that relationship!

Faith links man, who is sinking in a sea of sin, to God who is our Anchor and our Hope. Our need for a link is to provide a way of salvation, once that link is established a relationship exists.

[LIFE-LINES] The drowning man does not reject the life-line thrown from a rescue ship in order to grab a pallet floating by … why? Because the pallet offers only temporary deliverance, whereas the line to the ship offers permanent deliverance!

Likewise, God offers a life-line of faith in His Son, promising to reckon us righteous if we'll but trust Him.

[CABLE] Though faith seems a thin thread to many, it is in reality an unbreakable cable, held by the hands of Almighty God, whose infinite power slowly and surely draws all men to His heavenly shore. [paraphrase of Spurgeon]

There must, of necessity, be a relationship between the drowning man and the rescue ship.

However, it cannot just be a life-line, someone must be on board to pull the man from the water.

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: The half brother of Jesus said faith without action is dead.

Now action issues from faith in two ways: first, all action is a function of faith (walking, eating, exploring, employment, athletics, teaching, banking, politics, etc.); second, faith in God is a function of the knowledge of His love for us, such knowledge prompts acts of affection on the part of the recipients of His love.

That heart invaded by God is saved from sin and urged onward to holiness, prayer, sacrifice and service.

[FAITH] "What oil is to the wheels ... what wings are to birds ... faith is to all holy duties and services." [Spurgeon]

“… with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness.”

Romans 10:10a

God knows faith is the result of an understanding of His love which germinates in the heart, this understanding will result in right doing [i.e., righteousness].

Our love of God results in our loving our fellow man ... this, the Bible says, glorifies God and proves that we are disciples of Christ [John 15:8].

This loving faith results in blessings and James says,

"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights."

James 1:1 7

Earlier the same writer says,

"Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial, for once he has been approved (i.e., perfected), he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."

James 1:12

In combination, this cycle of trials and blessings, prepares us for glory: strengthening our ability to persevere under testing, on the one hand, and strengthening our ability to resist temptation, on the other.

Faith furnishes us with armor for this life and prepares us for the life to come. We are to walk fearlessly in our relationship with the living Lamb of God knowing what Paul knew:

“For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”

2 Timothy 1: 12

Faith does what nothing else can do. Why then would anyone attempt another route into the sheepfold?

[SAFE] It's a foolish man who labors on the door of a safe which holds the secret of eternal life, pounding and pulling, grunting and groaning … when the owner of the safe will provide the combination for free.

Ill-informed sheep and shepherds are leading the lost to the wrong gate to the wrong sheepfold; I fear thousands will not see glory because lazy or careless witnesses did not understand sola fide.

Christianity, Expository, Faith,
Habakkuk, Homiletics,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

Genesis 1:1, 2 - Turn on the Lights!

TOPIC: God’s watchcare; Creation; Darkness; God's works; Light; Salvation; Damnation

TITLE: God’s Spirit is Moving – Turn on the Lights!
TEXT: Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How is God’s creative work in the sinner’s heart similar to His creative work in the beginning?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. THEY ARE SIMILAR IN THEIR EXISTENCE!
II. THEY ARE SIMILAR IN THEIR CONDITION!
III. THEY ARE SIMILAR IN THEIR DEFICIENCY!
IV. THEY ARE SIMILAR IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP!
V. THEY ARE SIMILAR IN THEIR POTENTIAL!

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Here is the beginning of something great, something beyond comprehension! God was in a creative mood! He was about to implement the plan of the ages!

Now, in the beginning, He created two things: 1.) the earth and 2.) everything that was not the earth (“the heavens”)!

When He created the earth, it was created without form and was void! So, did God make a mistake? Of course not! He had a plan, a purpose! He made it that way on purpose!

Darkness also existed, but not in and of itself; it existed only because God the Great Electrician had not installed wiring or bulbs yet! Later, God did!

But, after the lights, darkness was not everywhere over the deep; it existed only where it was allowed to: on the backside of celestial objects (separated from the source of the light) and ultimately in a sinner’s heart (likewise separated)!

Now, before the light switch was thrown, God in the person of the Holy Spirit moved over the surface of the waters where the darkness everywhere existed!

NOTE: There was no life before the light! God is again in a creative mood … His Spirit is once more hovering over the deep and the surface of the deep is once more covered by darkness!

INQUIRY: How is God’s creative work in the sinner’s heart similar to His creative work on the earth?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. They are similar in their existence!

A. Before the lights, God had only created “the heavens and the earth” … lifeless and useless!
B. Both existed, just as the sinner’s heart exists! It’s just there … lifeless and useless!

II. They are similar in their condition!

A. The Bible says, “the earth was formless and void”!
B. Formless: without organization; no appearance of usefulness or purpose!
C. Void: empty; unfulfilled!
D. In the same way sin has entered into the sinner’s heart and made it formless and void … empty, unfulfilled!

III. They are alike in their deficiency!

A. The earth had no light and so it had no life!
B. So too the sinner’s heart! Where their is no light there is no life! [1 John 5:9-13]

IV. They are similar in their relationship!

A. The Bible says, “and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters”!
B. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is moving over the hearts of sinful/sin-filled man! [John 16:7-11]

V. They are similar in their potential!

A. EARTH: Life & fruit:

1. God look at what existed before the light and thought to Himself, “This is not good”!
2. And “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” [v.3]
3. “And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.” [VV.4-5]
4. And then He created life and it filled the earth and it bore fruit!

B. HEART: Life & fruit:

1. In the same way God looks at the heart of the sinner and says through His messengers, “This is not good”!
2. In the same way He as sent the Light.
3. And God has said that the Light is good; and He separated the Light from the darkness … and He called the Light salvation, and the darkness He called damnation!
4. And He told those who lived in the light to fill the earth and bear much fruit! [Matthew 28:19,20; John 15:8]

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Oh, dear friends the Holy Spirit is moving about the surface of the earth today! He is brooding over the hearts of sinful man, desiring they receive the light He has sent!

The Bible says they will not turn on the light unless someone goes and shows them where the light switch is! [Romans 10:14, 15] Won’t you go today!

Christianity, Creation, Expository, Genesis,
Homiletics, Outlines, Preaching,
Redemption, Sermons

AMOS - Seed Archive

7:14-17 [cp. James 1:27]

TITLE: Evidence of A Right Relationship
TOPIC: Godliness

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Amos reveals three qualities of a godly man, what are they?

I. A Godly Man Always Gives A Response [cp. 1 Peter 3:15, 16]

A. Humbly to his fellow man [14]
B. Immediately to his God [15]

II. A Godly Man Differentiates Tween Man's Word & God's Word [16, 17]

(Notice that both Amaziah and the Lord commanded Amos to "Go!")

III. A Godly Man Cannot Be Silenced [17]

Amos, Homiletics,
Preaching, Sermons

ROMANS 6:4-7 - DISCIPLESHIP: It’s A Relationship, Not A Religion!

TOPIC: Discipleship; relationship (with God), religion
TITLE: DISCIPLESHIP: It’s A Relationship, Not A Religion!
TEXT: Romans 6:4-7

“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.”

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What kind of relationship do we have with God?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. It's A Past Relationship - via our Old Nature!
II. It's A Present Relationship - via our New Nature!
III. It's A Prophetic Relationship - via our Promised Nature!

TRUTH CLAIM: Our relationship with God is not only in the shadow of today but in the shadows of the yesterdays and tomorrows, as well. A relationship requires two people; that is, we need a person on the other side of a relationship, to have one.

We have relationships with all sorts of people (e.g., family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc.), but love relationships are few, as they rightly ought to be.

Christianity is the only spiritual body that has or ever has claimed to have a God who desires, let alone allows, a personal, love relationship with His followers.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What kind of relationship do we have with God?

Not to dismiss the majesty and wonder of a love relationship with our Creator, let me say that we have -

I. A Past Relationship - via our Old Nature!

A. As a Debtor!

We are related to God through Grace!

[BURDEN] Debt of any kind is a burden. God tells us to owe no man anything; He understands the nature of debt. All of us have been in debt
at sometime; some quite seriously. It’s a heavy weight to bear - when the debt is finally lifted, what a relief.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God - ."

Ephesians 2:8

What a gift!

"[For] God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

Romans 5:8-9

What a God! What a relationship!

Remember, it was accounted to Abraham because he believed! That is, God credited his account to pay his debt!

B. As a Dead-man!

We are related to God through death!

[PLOTS] An acquaintance shared with me that he had a visit from an inexperienced and very nervous salesman the other day. The young man was selling cemetery plots. Being gracious, he allowed the sales pitch to be presented. But when finished he informed the youngster that he and his wife had previously purchased two burial plots at a competitor’s across town.

Awkwardly, the salesman excused himself and made his way to the door. As he hurried down the sidewalk, he turned and petulantly said, "Well, I hope you’ll both be very happy there!"

"Well, God has purchased us a burial plot only we won't have to stay there for long ... ."

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Read Romans 6:2-7, in its entirety.

We’re dead to sin! We’re free from the bonds of sin and death! We’re alive to God in Christ!

C. As a New Man!

We are related to God through life; through our new nature!

[BUTTERFLY] Think about the freedom the butterfly must feel as it experiences its new nature. Oh, I recall my joy when I shed my old nature and flew with the eagles!

"- if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

2 Corinthians 5:17

This segues us neatly into the present.

II. It's A Present Relationship - via our New Nature!

A. As a Citizen!

We are related to God through citizenship! We are aliens, strangers, and

foreigners in this land!

[CALVYN] For almost two years our church had a visitor from Indonesia, a student at one of the local universities. No amount of effort or prayer on our part could change the fact that he was from Indonesia. In our land he was and always would be an alien, a stranger, and a foreigner.

So too are Christians on this The Third Rock from the Sun!

"- conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth -"

1 Peter 1:17b

"- our citizenship is in heaven -"

Philippians 3:20

B. As a Stewards and Ambassadors!

We are related to God through the Gospel of the King!

"Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy."

1 Corinthians 4:1-2

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes - For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith -"

Romans 1:16-17a

"- we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel -"

1 Thessalonians 2:4

"- we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

2 Corinthians 5:20

C. As a Family Member!

We are related to God through our blood-line - we’re brothers and sisters of the Father’s only begotten Son!

"'And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,' says the Lord Almighty."

2 Corinthians 6:18

We are related to God through our blood-line - we’re children of God!

[ADOPTIONS] This past Saturday, judges, social workers, and attorneys from all over California gathered in Los Angeles to do their annual "one-day" adoptions.

Normally, it can take years to process an adoption in Los Angeles County due to the bureaucratic red-tape. But once a year these folks get together to speed it up. The Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court presided; over 200 foster kids were process through the system to new families.

Praise God we have been adopted by the Father through the Son. The Chief Justice of Creation’s Supreme Court presided over our adoption. What the Law could not accomplish in a lifetime of lifetimes, God accomplished on the Cross in the twinkling of an eye.

"Beloved, now we are children of God -"

1 John 3:2a

"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him."

Romans 8:16-17

III. It's A Prophetic Relationship - via our Promised Nature!

As an Heir apparent!

We are related to God through hope!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

1 Peter 1:3-5

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Oh, my beloved brethren, there are so many other aspects of our relationship to God that I could present but time and space prevent me.

God in His wisdom revealed through His Son our relationship with the Father - past, present, and future!

Praise God we’re related to Him -

• through grace - we’re no longer debtors!
• through death - we’re no longer bound by it!
• through life - we’ve received a new nature, the old has passed away!
• through citizenship - our kingdom is not of this world!
• through the Gospel - we’re stewards of the Good News, ambassadors for the Prince of Peace and Reconciliation!
• through blood - we’re so glad to be a part of the family of God!
• through hope - we’re heirs of the King!
  

And our God has never, ever broken His Word!

Do you know this? Do you have a relationship? Can you say that you are related in this way? If not, why not? And why do you delay while the Father waits by the road for His prodigals to return?

Christianity, Expository Preaching, Homiletics,
Preaching, Relationship, Sermon Outlines, Sermons