God Has Spoken

God Has Spoken

2003019

Topic # 279 (grace)
Introduction:

A. Series on grace continues…

1. Series at the very core & heart of redemption because salvation a gift from God. Rom. 5:8

2. By sending Jesus,…He gave us the means on eternal redemption.

B. RF Turner said it is impossible to discuss idea of God w/o dealing w/authority.

1. “God” expresses:

a) sovereignty; absoluteness

b) the climax of all that is good; right

C. When one thinks of the true nature & will of God – he realizes there no way to know it unless He first reveals it to us.

1. Think about God for a moment. Our very being depends upon Him.

2. How can we know what He wants of us? He must tell us.

I. God has expressed His will.

A. Rom. 9:19-21 – note Paul’s reasoning about the sovereign power & authority of God.

1. 9:19 – some always want to argue w/God. Talk back…

2. 9:20-21 – We have no right to argue w/God!

B. Hab. 2:20 – God does the talking! He is in charge & in control!

C. There is no way we can know His will unless He reveals Himself to us.

1. 1 Cor. 2:11a – you know your most inner thoughts – no one else does.

2. 1 Cor. 2:11b – application made to God – The HS has revealed things we need to know about God. This how we know about Him. We are the listeners.

D. Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God to man.

1. John 14:8-9a – what do you mean,…show us the Father?

2. 14:9b – answer

3. Jesus means: perceiving Him; understanding Him

4. 14:9 – we can see God in the teaching of Jesus; His self sacrifice; His compassion.

E. Can we not see the love of God demonstrated through Jesus? You see, we see God through Jesus!

1. Thoughts/attitudes/conduct of life/kind of people we ought to be

2. 1 Tim. 3:16 – Jesus manifested it to us!

3. We cannot know the things of God except as we know Jesus!

F. The Bible is God’s revealed will for man. God manifests His will here!

1. Yes…it’s easy to say “I believe the Bible is the word of God.”

2. Takes a great deal to apply this!

II. If God has spoken, what responsibility is upon me?

A. Much we don’t understand. Whatever we understand, it places a tremendous responsibility upon us!

1. Bible: God says, “This is what I want of you.”

B. God has made His will understandable.

1. Scripture CAN be understood.

a) Peter thought so. 2 Pet. 1:13-15; 3:1-2. Here he wrote some things down he wanted Christians to remember.

b) Peter thought the written word could be understood!

3. Paul believed we could understand what he wrote! Eph. 3:1-2 God gave it to Paul; Paul gave it to us. See 3:3-4

4. John believed we could understand what he wrote! Jhn. 20:30-31

a) Remember,…great care has been taken to preserve what God wants us to know!

C. I have the resp. to approach God’s word objectively!

1. Many: subjectively….they go by their feelings. Feels right? Seems right? Must be right. Prejudiced from the beginning.

2. Objective approach? “What does the Bible say?”

a) We are recipients of the message & must listen to Him.

3. e.g., Jesus told apostles countless times about His coming death. They didn’t want to hear it.

a) Lk. 9:44-45 – why could they not understand it?

b) Mk. 9:31-32 – parallel account.

4. 9:45 – says it was concealed from them. Why? Why concealed when he told them to understand it in 9:44?

5. Another occasion when people failed to understand – Jesus said it was “hidden from them.”

a) But He explains why it was hidden. It was hidden because they didn’t want it! Mt. 13:15

b) Sometimes when we “don’t get it,” could it be because we have already made up our minds as to what we want to hear?

III. How do we treat God?

A. The way we treat God’s word shows how we treat God.

1. God has delivered His truth through the apostles & prophets.

2. God told us what has been said is understandable!

3. So the way I treat His message is the way I treat God.

B. Js. 2:1-9 – it is wrong to show partiality.

1. 2:10 – what is the point here?

2. 2:11-12 – God gave us some laws. No adultery. No murder.

3. God gave these laws! God has spoken!

4. We have no right to pick/choose what should be a law & not be a law!

C. Not only were people of James’ day showing disrespect for law itself – but they displayed disrespect for the one who gave the law!

1. 2:11-12

2. We are judged BY the law! We are not a judge OF the law to select the portion we desire.

3. By becoming a judge of the law – we become the judge of Him who gave the law in the first place.

D. Whatever God has said…we are to be judged by it. See 4:10-11

1. 4:12 – we have no business making laws or executing laws.

2. 4:12 – one law giver – this is legislative authority. God has it all.

3. 4:12 – who able to save/destroy… this is administrative authority. God has all of it.

4. 4:12 – who are you to judge one another? This is judicial authority. God has all of it.

E. God is the one to whom we must look.

1. We are subject to Him because we will be judged by Him.

2. How we treat His words shows how we treat Him.

3. Remember…we’ll be judged by His word. John 12:48; 1 Thess. 2:13

IV. God’s message to man is the most important thing on earth.

A. What God has said is most important! Nothing more vital to man!

1. We must pay attention!

2. Nothing more important in life than God’s truth!

3. Message of God has been given to affect your life & eternal well being.

B. But yet…. We treat it as no big deal.

1. Poor BS; Poor attendance at bible class; sporadic worship

2. allow mind to wander during preaching/teaching/sleep

C. Heb. 2:1-3

Conclusion:

A. Today we talked about the message of God.

1. His message been conveyed in understandable fashion.

2. We can put it to use! How we put it to use effects eternal well being.

3. We judged by response to His word. This most important thing in life!

B. Have you responded?

C. I N V I T A T I O N



God Has Spoken 2003019 Topic # 279 (grace) Introduction: A. Series on grace continues… 1. Series at the very core & heart of redemption because salvation a gift from God. Rom. 5:8 2. By sending Jesus,…He gave us the means on eternal redemption. B. RF Turner said it is impossible to discuss idea of God w/o dealing w/authority. 1. “God” expresses: a) sovereignty; absoluteness b) the climax of all that is good; right C. When one thinks of the true nature & will of God – he realizes there no way to know it unless He first reveals it to us. 1. Think about God for a moment. Our very being depends upon Him. 2. How can we know what He wants of us? He must tell us. I. God has expressed His will. A. Rom. 9:19-21 – note Paul’s reasoning about the sovereign power & authority of God. 1. 9:19 – some always want to argue w/God. Talk back… 2. 9:20-21 – We have no right to argue w/God! B. Hab. 2:20 – God does the talking! He is in charge & in control! C. There is no way we can know His will unless He reveals Himself to us. 1. 1 Cor. 2:11a – you know your most inner thoughts – no one else does. 2. 1 Cor. 2:11b – application made to God – The HS has revealed things we need to know about God. This how we know about Him. We are the listeners. D. Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God to man. 1. John 14:8-9a – what do you mean,…show us the Father? 2. 14:9b – answer 3. Jesus means: perceiving Him; understanding Him 4. 14:9 – we can see God in the teaching of Jesus; His self sacrifice; His compassion. E. Can we not see the love of God demonstrated through Jesus? You see, we see God through Jesus! 1. Thoughts/attitudes/conduct of life/kind of people we ought to be 2. 1 Tim. 3:16 – Jesus manifested it to us! 3. We cannot know the things of God except as we know Jesus! F. The Bible is God’s revealed will for man. God manifests His will here! 1. Yes…it’s easy to say “I believe the Bible is the word of God.” 2. Takes a great deal to apply this! II. If God has spoken, what responsibility is upon me? A. Much we don’t understand. Whatever we understand, it places a tremendous responsibility upon us! 1. Bible: God says, “This is what I want of you.” B. God has made His will understandable. 1. Scripture CAN be understood. a) Peter thought so. 2 Pet. 1:13-15; 3:1-2. Here he wrote some things down he wanted Christians to remember. b) Peter thought the written word could be understood! 3. Paul believed we could understand what he wrote! Eph. 3:1-2 God gave it to Paul; Paul gave it to us. See 3:3-4 4. John believed we could understand what he wrote! Jhn. 20:30-31 a) Remember,…great care has been taken to preserve what God wants us to know! C. I have the resp. to approach God’s word objectively! 1. Many: subjectively….they go by their feelings. Feels right? Seems right? Must be right. Prejudiced from the beginning. 2. Objective approach? “What does the Bible say?” a) We are recipients of the message & must listen to Him. 3. e.g., Jesus told apostles countless times about His coming death. They didn’t want to hear it. a) Lk. 9:44-45 – why could they not understand it? b) Mk. 9:31-32 – parallel account. 4. 9:45 – says it was concealed from them. Why? Why concealed when he told them to understand it in 9:44? 5. Another occasion when people failed to understand – Jesus said it was “hidden from them.” a) But He explains why it was hidden. It was hidden because they didn’t want it! Mt. 13:15 b) Sometimes when we “don’t get it,” could it be because we have already made up our minds as to what we want to hear? III. How do we treat God? A. The way we treat God’s word shows how we treat God. 1. God has delivered His truth through the apostles & prophets. 2. God told us what has been said is understandable! 3. So the way I treat His message is the way I treat God. B. Js. 2:1-9 – it is wrong to show partiality. 1. 2:10 – what is the point here? 2. 2:11-12 – God gave us some laws. No adultery. No murder. 3. God gave these laws! God has spoken! 4. We have no right to pick/choose what should be a law & not be a law! C. Not only were people of James’ day showing disrespect for law itself – but they displayed disrespect for the one who gave the law! 1. 2:11-12 2. We are judged BY the law! We are not a judge OF the law to select the portion we desire. 3. By becoming a judge of the law – we become the judge of Him who gave the law in the first place. D. Whatever God has said…we are to be judged by it. See 4:10-11 1. 4:12 – we have no business making laws or executing laws. 2. 4:12 – one law giver – this is legislative authority. God has it all. 3. 4:12 – who able to save/destroy… this is administrative authority. God has all of it. 4. 4:12 – who are you to judge one another? This is judicial authority. God has all of it. E. God is the one to whom we must look. 1. We are subject to Him because we will be judged by Him. 2. How we treat His words shows how we treat Him. 3. Remember…we’ll be judged by His word. John 12:48; 1 Thess. 2:13 IV. God’s message to man is the most important thing on earth. A. What God has said is most important! Nothing more vital to man! 1. We must pay attention! 2. Nothing more important in life than God’s truth! 3. Message of God has been given to affect your life & eternal well being. B. But yet…. We treat it as no big deal. 1. Poor BS; Poor attendance at bible class; sporadic worship 2. allow mind to wander during preaching/teaching/sleep C. Heb. 2:1-3 Conclusion: A. Today we talked about the message of God. 1. His message been conveyed in understandable fashion. 2. We can put it to use! How we put it to use effects eternal well being. 3. We judged by response to His word. This most important thing in life! B. Have you responded? C. I N V I T A T I O N