Sermons from Good News: Known secrets.

 

Church 4/20/2024

Offertory scripture:

Malachi 3:10-11

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the Lord of hosts;

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 5:8

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

Sermon message:

Thesis: Known secrets.

God’s thoughts and ways vs our thoughts and ways.

Isaiah 55:8-9

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

The enemy tries to get us to forget what God reveals to us. But God wants us to know things about Him. God wants to say things to us, today.

Point #1: you clean a fish after you catch it.

A common lie is people think they don’t belong in church because they messed up or think that they’re mess-ups.

Similarly some believe this lie by judging others this way and try to put them down or keep/kick them out of church.

Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Jesus says: catch them and then clean them.

Isaiah 64:8

But now, O Lord,

You are our Father;

We are the clay, and You our potter;

And all we are the work of Your hand.

God wants you in the body of believers.

Point #2: God is aware of their sins and yours.

Romans 3:23

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

All have fallen short of the glory of God. Be aware and be careful. Jesus hates it when we get judgmental and condemning of others. He knows about their sins, and about yours.

Jesus told the Pharisees that they were of their father, the devil.

“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone!”

John 8:7-11

7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

11 She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Jesus: “I forgive you. Now don’t sin anymore.”

Caution: Gossip sells. Watch out for the boomerang effect. Jesus says be careful how you judge and condemn others, because it will bounce back to bite you.

Matthew 7:12

Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Treat others how you want to be treated.

Point #3: Restoring someone is more important than revealing or reporting.

Galatians 6:1-2

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

James 2:8

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;

Point #4: Leaders are developed, not delivered at birth. (this is for the leaders and those who are called to leadership)

Myth: people are born to be leaders.

Fact: they are developed and trained.

Philippians 1:6

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

David failed terribly but developed into a great leader. Moses, same thing. Peter, same thing.

Point #5: Mistakes are mountains that can be removed.

Confess your sins.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Speak to the mountain.

Mark 11:23

For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

Mountains are there so we can remove them.

Point #6: God uses the unlikely to do the unbelievable.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Consider Gideon.