ISAIAH 49:8-9 Quintessential Treaty!

TOPIC: Covenant; Faithfulness (God's), Promises (of God)
TITLE: CHRIST - THE QUINTESSENTIAL TREATY - A Covenant of Peace Between God & Man! [Adapted from Spurgeon's Morning & Evening; January 3, "Morning"]

TEXT: Isaiah 49:8

Thus says the LORD, “… I will … give You for a covenant of the people …”

TRUTH CLAIM: In this day, when truth is so urgently needed in our great nation, a drought has struck this land, a desolate vacuum of integrity has descended upon this people.

If there were ever a day when the sweet, reviving moisture of God’s Word was needed by His people, it would have been in the centuries prior to Christ’s first coming.

But, as we behold these days which precede His second coming, the tearless weeping of God’s children is heard as a silent roar and their parched brittleness cries out for the washing of His Word.

God’s Word is His promise, our covenant, our assurance of peace with God. And God has given His Word. Yes, He has given His Word; and the Redeemed of God must remember His Word.

… the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What then are some of His possessions which are now yours?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. The Power of Christ is ours!
II. The Love of Christ is ours!
III. The Justice of Christ is ours!
IV. The Acceptance of Christ is ours!
V. The Righteousness of Christ is ours!

Jesus Christ is this quintessential covenant; an agreement of peace between God and man. He Himself is the sum and substance of the promise and, as one of its gifts, He … the Lord of lords, the King of kings … is the equity of every believer.

O my friends, YES! Yes, yes, yes! This people needs, and this nation needs, the cool, wet wash of heaven’s Living Water. But we (you and me and all of our redeemed brothers and sisters) do not! We have His promise!

Can you estimate what you have received in Christ? "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily …" [Colossians 2:9]

1. Consider that word “Godhead” and all its infinity! (How does the finite explore the borders of endlessness?)
2. Meditate then upon His loveliness and all His perfection. (How do the unattractive and imperfect enter in to His glory?)

For all that He (Jesus Christ), as God and man, ever had or will have, is yours - out of sovereign, spotless grace, it has been given over to you for your personal possession forever.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What then are some of His possessions which are now yours?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. The Power of Christ is ours!

Does He have power?

His power is yours to sustain and strengthen you, to overcome your enemies, and to preserve you even to the end.

Paul said Jesus was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead [Romans 1:4]; being baptized into His death we are also baptized into His resurrection [Romans 6:1-11].

II. The Love of Christ is ours!

Does He have love?

Well, there is not a drop of love in His heart which is not yours; you may dive into the immense ocean of His love, and you may say of it all, “It is mine.”

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

III. The Justice of Christ is ours!

Does He have justice?

It may seem a stern attribute, but even that is yours, for He will by His justice see to it that all which is promised to you in the covenant of grace shall be most certainly secured to you.

BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES.

Matthew 12:18

IV. The Acceptance of Christ is ours!

Does He have acceptance?

All that He has as perfect man is yours. As a perfect man the Father’s delight was upon Him. He stood accepted by the Most High.

… a voice came out of the heavens: "Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased."

Mark 1:11

O believer, God’s acceptance of Christ is your acceptance; for do you not know that the love which the Father set on a perfect Christ, He sets on you now? For all that Christ did is yours.

V. The Righteousness of Christ is ours!

Does He have righteousness?

That perfect righteousness which Jesus wrought out, when through His stainless life He kept the law and made it honorable, is yours, and is imputed to you.

Paul said …

whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:7-11

If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

1 John 2:29

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Our blessed Jesus, as God, is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. Will it not console you to know that all these great and glorious attributes are altogether yours?

Our blessed Lord, as perfect man, is our substitute, our blood atonement. Does it not give you hope and peace to know that He did these things for you and that they are altogether yours?

Christ Himself is our peace and Christ is our the covenant, but you must be in Him to be a part of the agreement.


[TRUST] Have you ever watched people try to feed the squirrels in the parks; the animal doesn’t seem to trust the human. Even though the man leaves a peanut for the squirrel again and again, it doesn’t trust him … again and again.

No matter how patient the man was the squirrel is not quite persuaded. Some people are like that, “Almost persuaded.”

Covenant, Homiletics, Isaiah,
Preaching, Promises, Sermons

I AM YOUR GOD: God’s All Sufficient Essence

TOPIC: God; Nature, Sufficiency
TITLE: I AM YOUR GOD – God’s All Sufficient Essence
TEXT: PSALM 50:7

“Hear, O My people, and I will speak … I am God, your God.”

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What three attitudes (expectations) interfere with God’s amazing grace?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. THE EXPECTATION OF COMPLETE SANCTIFICATION
II. THE EXPECTATION OF IMMEDIATE SATISFACTION
III. THE EXPECTATION OF ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY

CONTEXT: The author is Asaph, a Levite; the patriarch of a bloodline of poets and singers ... also Psalms 73-83.

Psalm 50 is where we get “God owns … … the cattle on a thousand hills.” [10b]

Asaph was a leader in King David’s choir.

Here is judgment coming, judgment explained, judgment promised; here legalistic hypocrites are revealed ... they dot the “I” and cross the “t” of religion, yet they fail to see who God really is.

TRUTH CLAIM: This is God’s reminder: He doesn’t need them; they need Him; they can’t feed or clothe Him!

Here Asaph brings us to the same point David will in Psalm 51 ... what God desires!

Worship is not a common or pedestrian act.

[PAINTED STICKS] A preacher told how … he had watched a caterpillar climb a painted stick that decorated his garden. After reaching the top, the caterpillar reared itself, feeling this way and that for a juicy twig to feed on, or some way to move on. Finding nothing, it slowly returned to the ground, crawled along till it reached another stick, and did the same thing all over again.

The preacher said: “There are many painted sticks in the world – pleasure, wealth, and fame. All these call to man, ‘Climb me to satisfy your desires, taste the fruit of success, and find fulfillment.’ But they are only painted sticks.”

Solomon tried to find the purpose of life by studying all the “painted sticks.” He gave his heart to wisdom, but learned that it was “vanity and vexation of spirit” [Ecclesiastes 1:15].

He then turned to pleasure for life’s meaning. He built great houses, and gardens, and pools; he had servants and maidens; in fact, he had all that a man could want. However, Solomon's comment on pleasure as a true source of happiness, was, “All was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun” [Ecclesiastes 2:11].

After trying all that the world could offer, Solomon's final decision was, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person” [Ecclesiastes 12:13].

He is “your God” the psalmist writes; with a hint of dismay.

“I am” is the present tense which means He is at this time “your God.” Here again is an appropriate place for “is.” Here is all you require, believer!

INQUIRY: What three attitudes (expectations) interfere with God’s amazing grace?

I. THE EXPECTATION OF COMPLETE SANCTIFICATION

A. Since the day of the Fall, man has felt a need to be fulfilled or satisfied; God asks, “Am I not enough?”
B. How much, then, would be enough?
C. Should we not say, with David, “Our cups overflow; we’ve more than our hearts can stand"?
D. "I am … your God", He says. Are you not in possession of all things?
E. Can you continue to say, “But I want …” or “But I need” and yet forget He is Jehovah Jireh?
F. Who is able to weigh our lusts?
G. Yet the immeasurable, incomparable inheritance that awaits the children of God makes them all irrelevant
H. Are you not complete in Christ? What remains lacking?

“And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 CORINTHIANS 12:9

Or want!!!!

II. THE EXPECTATION OF IMMEDIATE SATISFACTION

A. But it is not just satisfaction we want; we desires exhilarating entertainment and euphoric enjoyment.
B. Think what you desire! God is the Maker of Heaven and earth.
C. There is no entertainment nor enjoyment open to man that provides such rapturous satisfaction as this, “I am God, your God!”
D. This is a body of bliss, an endless ocean of delight.

[SPURGEON] Spurgeon said of this ocean, “Come, bathe thy spirit in it; swim an age, and thou shall find no shore; dive throughout eternity, and thou shall find no bottom.” [Morning & Evening; January 9 “Morning”]

E. “I am … your God.” If this doesn’t ignite a sparkle in your eye, lighten your step, and make your heart increase its pace, nothing you find in this world will
F. And you are most certainly a wolf in sheep’s clothing
G. Don’t you know believers are set-apart (sanctified) to God?

III. THE EXPECTATION OF ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY

A. But man craves more than present delights.
B. He also desires things concerning his exercise of hope … forgiveness, redemption, eternal life.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

“In hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”

Romans 8:24-25

C. So what more is there to hope for than this, "I am is … your God"?
D. This is the masterpiece of all the truth; its appropriation makes heaven on earth, and leads to heaven above

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: So you want to rob the bank and keep the money when you are caught? Your satisfaction in life is all that matters to you … and you want it now! Simple satisfaction is not enough; you had that long ago.

And you will believe in God for sure … if He will just make an appointment with you at a convenient time … that’ll do it.

Asaph pleads on behalf of God, that disobedient men repent of their ritualistic religion and return to true worship … surrendering to God with a broken and contrite spirit.

[KING] Noblemen were gathered together in London waiting for the King of Great Britain. They all knew him personally, yet they all honored him as their king. When he entered, they stood solemnly to their feet. "Take your seats, gentlemen," he said, "I count you as my personal friends." And then joking he added, "I am not the Lord, you know!" Immediately one of the noblemen, a Christian, said, "No, sir, if you were our Lord, we would not have stood to our feet; we would have fallen to our knees."

God doesn't focus on the outer man; instead His eyes constantly search the inner man ... there is where our religion is … for “He is God, our God!”

So let’s not fool ourselves into believing as the Jews did that God is unaware of and uninvolved in our lives ...

• Let’s dwell in His Light
• Let’s be spellbound by His love
• Let’s get out the fatted calf
• Let’s give God the best of our worship
• Let’s live up to our privilege
• Let’s rejoice with unspeakable joy …

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!


Morning & Evening

Christianity, Preaching,
Psalms, Religion, Sermons

FIRST THINGS FIRST: God’s Priorities Are Not Necessarily Mine!

TOPIC: Jesus
TITLE: FIRST THINGS FIRST – God’s Priorities Are Not Necessarily Mine!
SERIES: Jesus – His Person and His Works

TEXT: Isaiah 41:14

“Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you,” declares the LORD, “and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.”

This morning, as we continue to look at the person and the works of Jesus, let’s hear the Lord Jesus speak to us, both individually and corporately. Jehovah has said to Jacob (aka: Israel), “I will help you.”

However, let’s notice God’s opinion concerning those He “will help.” He addresses them and says, “you worm.” He sees them not only as of nature but in nature.

He sees them as the smallest of creatures, slimy and slithering. They are useful, but not to themselves; they are garbage eaters and soil turners, walked upon, eaten by scavengers. And yet he says, “Jacob.” Is this Jacob of Hebrews 11:22? Doesn't this tell you His inner feelings for this worm?

Now (far more than ought to be necessary), we’ve taught that Jesus is Jehovah God; when we speak of Jesus, we speak of God in the flesh [John 1:1, 14]. And we know that we are the objects of God’s promises to Israel, since their promises are now in Christ, to His Bride, the Church.

The point is if He promised help to Israel, He will also help believers, and in the same way, since He is immutable (unchanging).

There have been times in my daily walk when I wonder where God is and (if He indeed is never to forsake me or depart from me) why is He not at that moment busy meeting my every need?

When I do this, Jesus says, “Do you not understand that it is a small thing for me, your Creator, to help you. Yet, in spite of this you continue to suggest I am not helping you?”

Jesus says, “Consider for a moment what I’ve already done. Did I not ransom you with My blood? What, that is somehow not enough and you still wonder if I will help you in your time of need?”

Jesus says, “Did I not die for you, even while you were yet in your sin; and if I’ve done this great thing, won’t I do the lesser things?”

He says, “I am the Lord your God, and that which I have done for you is a small feat. I’ve done greater, and will do even more.”

• “Do you not know, before the world began, I chose you and made My covenant with you?”
• “Do you not know, I set aside My divine glory and took on flesh for you?”
• “Do you not know, I freely gave My life for you. If I have done all this, will I not help you now?”
• “Do you not realize, if you were to need a thousand times as much help, that I would give it to you?”
• “Do you not comprehend, you require little compared with what I have already given and that I am ready to give even more?”

“Or what man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”

Matthew 7:9-11

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: There is much for us to need, but it is nothing for God to give it all. He told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you."

Jesus says, “What, still you think I might not help you?” Child of God, consider ...

• Can you use more strength than the omnipotence of the Triune Godhead?
• Do you truly desire greater wisdom than already exists in you in the Father?
• Do you wish for more love than has been displayed by the Son?
• Do you desire more power than that manifested by the Holy Spirit?
• Is your thirst for more than that provided by the Water of Life?
• Is your hunger for truth not satisfied by the Bread of Life?
• Is not the Door that leads to eternal life greater than the door of opportu-nity?
• Is the Way of Christ not the only way?

Jesus says, “Bring your empty vessel! Surely, My Living Water shall fill it; you shall never again thirst”

“Hurry!” He says, “Bring your wants to Me – your emptiness, your woes, your deficiencies. My River is equal to your need. What else can you possibly desire?”

He says, “Go child, in your greatest need. I Am is your helper!”

“Fear not!” He comforts. “I am is with you. And I am is your God and I Am will give you help."
“Do not fear or be dismayed,” [Deuteronomy 1:21] brothers and sisters!

“[be] content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,’ so that we confidently say, ‘THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT SHALL MAN DO TO ME?’” [Hebrews 13:5, 6]

[MOUSE] If a mouse sought nourishment at the door of an overflowing Nebraska silo, the company could not in a thousand years ruin its finances if it gave the mouse a handful of corn each day. You are nothing but a tiny worm at the door of God’s all-sufficient grace, mercy, and love. And out of this sufficiency, Jesus has said, “I will help you.”

Morning & Evening

Grace, Isaiah, Jesus, Love, Preaching,
Priorities, Sermons, Sufficiency

Isaiah 53:1-8 Higher Purpose!

Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He [cf. 52:13-15] grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched [i.e., “dry”] ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.

By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and, as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?

TOPIC: Easter; atonement (substitutionary), sacrifice, worship
TITLE: The Message of God to Man!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What can we say of God’s Suffering Servant?

TRUTH/CONTEXT: This is my continuing Easter prequel for the lack of a better word. I intend to have a bona fide Easter Series but want to build up to it by covering the marvelous touchstones of the season … so much! So much indeed! We must remember Isaiah’s Suffering Servant did this not just as an act of obedience to the Father and an act of love to mankind, but as an act of worship as well.

[SACRIFICE] When the government phased out its surplus commodity food program, a poor man went early to the closest distribution to get into line before the food ran out. A few hours later, he neared the door where the food was handed out. In the corner of his eye he saw a neighbor approach the end of the line. He called out to him. He knew the man. Neither his wife nor he had any work for some time. They had four children.

The man in line knew the food would run out soon, but he insisted his neighbor take his place. The first man went to the end of the line. Within a short time the distribution ended; the one who gave up his place also gave up his food.

In the same way, Jesus Christ drew us to His place, while He stepped into ours … taking upon Himself all the consequences of our failures.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What can we say of God’s Suffering Servant?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. WE CAN SAY: WHILE HELL FOCUSED ON HIM, HE FOCUSED ON US!

A. He Knew …

1. Sorrow

a) Anguish
b) Affliction

2. Grief

a) Malady
b) Disease
c) Sickness

B. He was treated Like a Leper …

People hid (pulled cloaks over) their faces from Him [i.e., averted]

C. He was disparaged and disrespected

1. Distained
2. Scorned

D. Other …

1. Stricken – violently taken and thrown around
2. Smitten – severely beaten
3. Afflicted

E. Instead He …

1. Bore our griefs

a) Both lifted up and
b) Carried away

2. Carried our sorrows

a) Bent under
b) Burdened by

II. WE CAN SAY: WHILE FORFEITING HIS OWN WELL-BEING, HE LABORED FOR OURS!

A. For Our Transgressions – Pierced!
B. For Our Iniquities – Crushed!

1. Beaten
2. Bruised
3. Incapable of carrying himself; muscles wouldn’t respond

C. For Our Healing – Scourged!

1. The Passion of Christ
2. Black and blue all over
3. Cut and bleeding

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: He suffered and He died that we might live; while we were yet in our sins, He died for you and for me.

Man was and is prone to do what seems right in his own eyes, to go the way of least resistance.

[LIGHT] No one switches on a flashlight in broad daylight; we turn on the light to dispel darkness. It is the darkness that makes the light necessary. God from eternity knew we would choose the darkness rather than His Light, and therefore He sent His only begotten Son to shine in the darkness … and the darkness will flee.

And so He, the Light of God, shined in the darkness [John 1:4, 5] and he “has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”

He was tortured and stomped, mocked, and spat upon, “Yet He did not open His mouth.”

His fate was as certain as a new born lamb on the day He was born … He would be “led to the slaughter,” to be torn apart to cover and feed the flesh. He knew this but He did not bleat!

Man wanted to destroy the Lamb of God for his own purposes but God had a greater purpose for His Lamb.

[COVERING] Two Aussies invented an inflatable covering for cars to protect them during hailstorms. The blanket is stored in the trunk until needed; then inflated with a lighter attachment in about 45 seconds. By the time the covering is up its too late! We need a covering to protect us from the strokes that are due us ... the covering provided by Christ does just that.

Mankind (under the influence of sin) took the Lamb away to be cut off from the land (Israel) in order that Satan might deliver “the stroke … due” God’s people “for [their] transgression.” Notice the singular form of the word “transgression” … it’s a collective – meaning rebellion.

What was the greater purpose of God in all of this … other than that He would provide the ram as Abraham told his son God would do? It was this …

• Instead of His Lamb being used by man, He would be used for man.
• Instead of His Lamb being used by man to satisfy the Law, He would be used by God to satisfy the Royal Law.
• Instead of satisfying the flesh (will of man), He would satisfy the Spirit (will of God).
• Instead of a mortal, perishable, and natural purpose, He would be used for an immortal, imperishable, and supernatural purpose.

God gave His only begotten that He might be worshipped in the way He desires and deserves … a living sacrifice, whole and well-pleasing.

His Son gave Himself as a living propitiation to His Father, for our rebellion, that we might be cleansed and prepared for that Great Day of salvation and glory.

What, I pray, what have you given of yourself that you might be so presented on that day?

Atonement, Christianity, Easter, Expository,
Homiletics, Isaiah, Outlines, Preaching,
Sermons, Sufficiency

JOHN - Seed Archive

3:7, 14, 30

TOPIC: Absolutes; Atonement, Good News, Prophecy, Relativism
TITLE: John 3's Four Absolutes!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What four absolutes in John 3 help us understand the Good News?

I. The Sons of Men Must Be Born-again! (John 3:7)
II. The Son of Man Must Be Lifted-up! (John 3:14)
III. The Bridegroom Must Increase! (John 3:30a)
IV. The Friends of the Bridegroom Must Decrease! (John 3:30b)

11:1-45

TOPIC: Death; Doctrine, Easter, Faith, Resurrection, Sovereignty of God

TITLE: UP FROM THE GRAVE HE CALLED - Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead!*

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What doctrinal ignorance existed among the people?

I. A Misunderstanding Concerning Death [12]
II. A Misunderstanding Concerning Resurrection [23-25]
III. A Misunderstanding Concerning Faith [38-40]

14:6

TOPIC: The Way
TITLE: THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE – Jesus is the way!

Jesus answered him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How is Jesus the way?

I. HE IS THE WAY BY DOCTRINE
II. HE IS THE WAY BY EXAMPLE
III. HE IS THE WAY BY THE SPIRIT
IV. HE IS THE WAY BY SACRIFICE

15:1-8

TOPIC: Church, Priorities
TITLE: THE PRIORITIES OF THE CHURCH - Under His Banner of Love!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How do we experience God's love?

I. Through Body Life
II. Through Fellowship
III. Through People
IV. Through Organization
V. Through Programs

16:8-15

TOPIC: Conviction, Holy Spirit, Ministry, Submission, Truth
TITLE: The Ministry of The Holy Spirit

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What are the Holy Spirit's ministries?

I. His ministry to the world! [8-11]

A. Conviction of sin! [9]
B. Conviction of righteousness! [10]
C. Conviction of judgment! [11]

II. His ministry to Christ's disciples! [12,13]

A. For guidance! [13]
B. For truth! [13]

III. His ministry to the Son of God! [14,15]

A. Revealing Him! [14]
B. Glorifying Him! [14]

16:32-33

TOPIC: Personality, Character, Nature of Jesus
TITLE: TWO UNITED IN ONE - Seeing the Humanity in Jesus' Divinity!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How do we see Jesus humanity?

I. IN HIS LONELY UNITY!

Though left alone by His friends [and He is saddened], He is not alone in the Father [for They are One].

II. IN HIS TEMPORAL MERCY!

Jesus knew His disciples would abandon Him; He brought it up now that they might be forewarned and reach beyond it, yet He did not bring it up later to hold it against them. [After all, while we were yet sinners He died for us ... why should this transgression be thought so great a thing?]

III. IN HIS OMNISCIENT SYMPATHY!

Well He knew the weaknesses of man. One such weakness was to let guilt caused by personal failure become despair. [Knowing they would lack Pentecostal power for some time yet, Jesus exhorted them, offering them peace and encouragement.]

IV. In His Shared Omnipotence!

Knowing their weakness and knowing the final outcome of the ages, Jesus shares the final chapter with His disciples.

[Thanks to Wm. Barclay for the seed thoughts for this message; see his Daily Bible Study Series, "The Gospel of John" (Westminster Press, Phil.), 1956, volume 2, pp. 237-38; Sermon Seed; Sermon-Outline-A-Week, August 2000]

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