If You Were God for A Day

2005057

Topic # 0279 (grace)

Introduction:

A. What if you had the powers of the governor for one day? What would you do?

1. Imagine having his powers and options and being able to do anything the law allowed a governor could do.

B. What would you do if you could be president for a day?

1. If you could do anything the law permits a president to do, what would you do?

C. What would you do to the tax laws of this country if you had the authority to rewrite them?

D. What would you do if you could rewrite the Social Security system?

E. What would you do if you could be God for a day?

I. Seeing What God Sees

A. What you could do if you were in God’s position for 24 hours.

1. You could see what God sees.

2. You could hear what God hears.

3. You could know the hearts and motives of every person.

4. You could know every expression of evil in every person.

B. Imagine being able to know everything that happens at any given moment.

1. What you would see

a. Every child who was abused & every child abuser.

1) You knew what happened within each child because of the abuse.

2) You knew exactly why the abuse committed those horrible acts…

b. Every spouse and person who was abused in some way.

c. Every person who was raped.

1) You knew what happened to the life of each rape victim.

d. Every injustice, murder, despair and grief, and those who committed these evils.

2. Suppose you had God’s power on that day.

a. What would you do?

b. How would you use your knowledge and power?

II. Judah’s Predicament (Isaiah 1)

A. God made it clear to His people they had reached a point where He could no longer ignore or forgive their iniquities.

1. Their level of iniquity

a. No part of their body is healthy – 1:4-6

b. God hid (ignored) their worship – 1:10-15

c. Jerusalem had become a haven for evildoers – 1:21-23

d. God would cleanse His city and people – 1:24-31

2. God has declared two things…

a. His people were guilty of evil; tried and convicted

b. God promised vengeance and destruction upon them

B. The judgments pronounced by God eventually came to pass.

1. Judah was conquered, her people captured.

2. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, starved Jerusalem into submission.

a) Israelites were taken as captives to Babylon – they lost the good life & became slaves.

b) Jerusalem was completely destroyed. City & walls reduced to rubble.

3. The temple was destroyed along with their hope.

III. Isa. 55:1-13 – God offers to reconcile with His people.

A. 55:1-5 - Invites His people to remember why they need Him.

1. 55:1 - All of those who realized they needed God – were invited to come to the waters.

2. 55:2 - God would extend to them His blessings

a) You do not need money…

b) You need to trust my grace/goodness

3. 55:3-5 – I will be as dependable and as merciful to you as I was to David.

B. 55:6-7 - Isaiah speaks: God wants His people to come and obey Him.

1. 55:6 – God is calling – seek Him while you can.

2. 55:7 – God will have compassion on you & pardon you.

C. 55:8-11 – God speaks: Submission to Him is key.

1. Do not try to figure me out – trust me enough to come to me.

2. My purposes will be accomplished – what I say will happen – depend on it.

D. 55:12-13 – Isaiah speaks: Peace can once more be found in God.

1. Go with joy while God calls you & find peace.

2. If you will trust God & return – all of His creation will applaud you.

3. Everything that opposed your return will now help you.

E. Though they deserved their punishment, God was willing to bring them back home.

IV. God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways

A. Consider how you felt at the beginning of this lesson.

1. Two questions

a. Would you offer any grace or mercy to those who commit evil?

1) Not saying they shouldn’t be punished.

2) Would you just destroy them for their deeds?

b. Would you be willing to offer them a second chance?

1) Or is it that they had their chance?

B. We often cannot understand why God would not just destroy those who violate His will. 55:8-9

1. Point to consider: If He did, where would it leave us?

2. Would any of us be here today?

a. Does it matter what kind of sin we commit?

1) Consider dishonesty: are there little and big lies?

2) Consider sin in general: does God distinguish b/t sins? Isa. 59:1-8

3. We should be willing to forgive those who wrong us. Matt. 7:12; 18:21ff

a. We often don’t go a good job with this.

b. Praise God His ways are higher than ours!

4. Must all realize that no matter good we are, we still are not worthy. Lk. 17:10

a. One sin is not greater or lesser than another.

1) A liar is not better than a murderer, etc.

2) We’re all sinners in the sight of God! Rom. 3:23

3) We all deserve spiritual death – Rom. 6:23a

C. Through all of this, God calls us to respond to Him! Rom. 6:23b; 2 Cor. 6:16-18.

D. This is why passages in Eph. 1:3-8; 2:1-10 are so empowering.

1. Think of the potential we now have because we’ve been forgiven!

2. The only reason we stand is because of God’s mercy; love; and forgiveness!

Conclusion

A. Because we are not like God makes me thankful none of us can be God.

B. Have you taken advantage of His mercy and grace?

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



If You Were God for A Day 2005057 Topic # 0279 (grace) Introduction: A. What if you had the powers of the governor for one day? What would you do? 1. Imagine having his powers and options and being able to do anything the law allowed a governor could do. B. What would you do if you could be president for a day? 1. If you could do anything the law permits a president to do, what would you do? C. What would you do to the tax laws of this country if you had the authority to rewrite them? D. What would you do if you could rewrite the Social Security system? E. What would you do if you could be God for a day? I. Seeing What God Sees A. What you could do if you were in God’s position for 24 hours. 1. You could see what God sees. 2. You could hear what God hears. 3. You could know the hearts and motives of every person. 4. You could know every expression of evil in every person. B. Imagine being able to know everything that happens at any given moment. 1. What you would see a. Every child who was abused & every child abuser. 1) You knew what happened within each child because of the abuse. 2) You knew exactly why the abuse committed those horrible acts… b. Every spouse and person who was abused in some way. c. Every person who was raped. 1) You knew what happened to the life of each rape victim. d. Every injustice, murder, despair and grief, and those who committed these evils. 2. Suppose you had God’s power on that day. a. What would you do? b. How would you use your knowledge and power? II. Judah’s Predicament (Isaiah 1) A. God made it clear to His people they had reached a point where He could no longer ignore or forgive their iniquities. 1. Their level of iniquity a. No part of their body is healthy – 1:4-6 b. God hid (ignored) their worship – 1:10-15 c. Jerusalem had become a haven for evildoers – 1:21-23 d. God would cleanse His city and people – 1:24-31 2. God has declared two things… a. His people were guilty of evil; tried and convicted b. God promised vengeance and destruction upon them B. The judgments pronounced by God eventually came to pass. 1. Judah was conquered, her people captured. 2. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, starved Jerusalem into submission. a) Israelites were taken as captives to Babylon – they lost the good life & became slaves. b) Jerusalem was completely destroyed. City & walls reduced to rubble. 3. The temple was destroyed along with their hope. III. Isa. 55:1-13 – God offers to reconcile with His people. A. 55:1-5 - Invites His people to remember why they need Him. 1. 55:1 - All of those who realized they needed God – were invited to come to the waters. 2. 55:2 - God would extend to them His blessings a) You do not need money… b) You need to trust my grace/goodness 3. 55:3-5 – I will be as dependable and as merciful to you as I was to David. B. 55:6-7 - Isaiah speaks: God wants His people to come and obey Him. 1. 55:6 – God is calling – seek Him while you can. 2. 55:7 – God will have compassion on you & pardon you. C. 55:8-11 – God speaks: Submission to Him is key. 1. Do not try to figure me out – trust me enough to come to me. 2. My purposes will be accomplished – what I say will happen – depend on it. D. 55:12-13 – Isaiah speaks: Peace can once more be found in God. 1. Go with joy while God calls you & find peace. 2. If you will trust God & return – all of His creation will applaud you. 3. Everything that opposed your return will now help you. E. Though they deserved their punishment, God was willing to bring them back home. IV. God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways A. Consider how you felt at the beginning of this lesson. 1. Two questions a. Would you offer any grace or mercy to those who commit evil? 1) Not saying they shouldn’t be punished. 2) Would you just destroy them for their deeds? b. Would you be willing to offer them a second chance? 1) Or is it that they had their chance? B. We often cannot understand why God would not just destroy those who violate His will. 55:8-9 1. Point to consider: If He did, where would it leave us? 2. Would any of us be here today? a. Does it matter what kind of sin we commit? 1) Consider dishonesty: are there little and big lies? 2) Consider sin in general: does God distinguish b/t sins? Isa. 59:1-8 3. We should be willing to forgive those who wrong us. Matt. 7:12; 18:21ff a. We often don’t go a good job with this. b. Praise God His ways are higher than ours! 4. Must all realize that no matter good we are, we still are not worthy. Lk. 17:10 a. One sin is not greater or lesser than another. 1) A liar is not better than a murderer, etc. 2) We’re all sinners in the sight of God! Rom. 3:23 3) We all deserve spiritual death – Rom. 6:23a C. Through all of this, God calls us to respond to Him! Rom. 6:23b; 2 Cor. 6:16-18. D. This is why passages in Eph. 1:3-8; 2:1-10 are so empowering. 1. Think of the potential we now have because we’ve been forgiven! 2. The only reason we stand is because of God’s mercy; love; and forgiveness! Conclusion A. Because we are not like God makes me thankful none of us can be God. B. Have you taken advantage of His mercy and grace? C. I N V I T A T I O N