Romans 3: You Worship a God Who Specializes in the Impossible

Class Outline:

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Only one deposit can unlock our eternal life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re in the resident congregation turn off your electronic devices and put them away. Let this be a place where you aren’t distracted by the world.

 

Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

 

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with a worldwide impact.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  Thanks for listening to this Bible lesson!

 

OPENING AGENDA

 

You may be wondering some things about Barah Ministries, like…

 

Who is the God we worship?

What is our source of truth?

Who is our enemy?

 

We’re always happy to begin each lesson by answering those questions.

 

When we come to Bible study we are coming for a spiritual meal.  We want something different than the world has to offer.  The world’s offer is “maybe so.”  God’s offer is highlighted in Luke, Chapter 1, Verse 37…

 

LUKE 1:37

“…nothing will be impossible with God.”

 

Are you taking advantage of the power to which you have access?

 

Who is the God We Worship?

 

We worship a Triune Godhead.  There is One God who reveals Himself to

mankind as three beings who are separate…distinct…co-equal…co-infinite…co-eternal Persons…God the Father…God the Son…and God the Holy Spirit.

 

GOD THE FATHER is the author of the Triune Godhead’s plan for all creatures. God the Father specializes in the impossible by raising people from the dead, as Peter says in Acts, Chapter 2, Verses 22 to 24…

 

ACTS 2:22

“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God the Father with miracles and wonders and signs which God the Father performed through Jesus in your midst, just as you yourselves know—”

 

ACTS 2:23

“…this Man…Jesus…the Christ…the Jewish Messiah…who was delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God the Father…you nailed to a Cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.”

 

ACTS 2:24

“But God The Father raised Jesus up again (resurrecting Him from the dead)…putting an end to the agony of death…since Jesus couldn't be held in death's power.”

 

GOD THE SON (the Lord) volunteered to execute God the Father’s plan…taking on human form as Jesus…the Christ…the Jewish Messiah…He is the ONE AND ONLY WAY to heaven.  Jesus specializes in the impossible as well…for example, He controls the weather…Mark, Chapter 4, Verses 35 to 39…

 

MARK 4:35

On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us go over to the other side (of the Sea of Galilee).”

 

MARK 4:36

Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus along with them in the boat, just as He was… and other boats were with Him.

 

MARK 4:37

And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up with water.

 

MARK 4:38

Jesus Himself was in the stern of the boat asleep on a cushion…and the disciples

woke Him andsaid to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

 

MARK 4:39

So Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

 

When you invest your faith in the Lord JesusChrist…asking Him to save you…by believing in Him you instantly have the resurrection life…eternal life…in His name.

 

We worship GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.  He is our Mentor and Teacher…the guide who is the rudder of a Christian’s life.  He specializes in casting out demons! Matthew, Chapter 12, Verse 28…

 

MATTHEW 12:28

But if I (the Lord Jesus Christ) cast out demons by the enabling power of God the Holy Spirit…then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

 

In God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit…believers in Christ have a power team that is always on their side…a team who specializes in the impossible.  Are you calling on them for help in times of trouble?

 

What is Our Source of Truth?

 

It’s important to get to know Your God as a Person.  As Christians, the way to develop a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with the entire Godhead is through the study of the Word of God.  The Bible is the Word of God.  The Bible has successfully predicted a series of things….likein Isaiah, Chapter 9, Verses 6 and 7…

 

ISAIAH 9:6

For a Child will be born to us…a Son will be given to us…and the government will rest on His shoulders…and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

 

ISAIAH 9:7

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of His peace…on the throne of David and over his kingdom…to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

 

We will get to see our amazing God deliver on ALL of His promises that He makes in the Word of God.

 

The Bible is a supernatural work…breathed into human writers by God…and it is the ultimate source of absolute truth.  At Barah Ministries, we teach the Bible from God’s perspective and not from man’s perspective because we refuse to teach as doctrinal truth the precepts of men.

 

Who is Our Enemy?

 

GOD HAS AN ENEMY…Satan…whom God made ‘the ruler of this world’ for a finite period.  He is the enemy of believers in Christ as well.

 

Satan cannot accurately predict anything because he is a liar…and he is the one who keeps on fathering lies.  When he lies, he never owns up to it…Job, Chapter 1, Verses 8 to 11…

 

JOB 1:8

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man (a believer in Christ)…fearing God and turning away from evil.”

 

JOB 1:9

Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing?”

 

JOB 1:10

“Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.”

 

JOB 1:11

“But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has…he will surely curse You to Your face.”

 

Satan contends that the only reason believers in Christ worship God is because He

blesses us.  After losing his children, his home, his servants, and his animals…Job

did not curse God.  Job, Chapter 1, Verses 20 to 22…

 

JOB 1:20

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped God.

 

JOB 1:21

He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I shall return there.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

 

JOB 1:22

Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

 

Did Satan the liar admit he was wrong?  Of course not.  Count on the Lord.  Satan can only be counted on to steal and kill and destroy.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

You Worship a God Who Specializes in the Impossible

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

 

What do you dream about?  A few times this week my dreams were dominated by the awe and wonder of justification by faith.  Isn’t it amazing that the Lord would offer us the precious gift of an eternity in heaven with Him…without a single charge, without a single bit of work, without a single bit of merit or deservedness required?In today’s lesson, we’ll continue to learn about our justification.  The focus is faith.  And as we do every month, we’ll celebrate The Lord’s Supper.

 

OPENING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s hear some music!  When you hear the Bible talk about the “Christian walk” it refers to the lifestyle of faith…a lifestyle our God planned for us in eternity past…a lifestyle of faith in Him.  Second Corinthians, Chapter 5, Verse 7 says…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 5:7

…for we believers in Christ walk by faith, not by sight—

 

For believers in Christ, when we believe it…we see it!

 

Here’s Jeremy Camp tosing about our lifestyle in his song…we WALK BY FAITH.

 

MUSIC

OPENING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

WALK BY FAITH

Jeremy Camp

 

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Father, thank you for being our refuge and our strength…a very present help in times of trouble…You protect us…You are our place of safety…we gladly praise You for Your lovingkindness in the storms of our lives…You prosper us in so many ways…thank you for making us aware of how much we underestimate Your unconditional love for us and Your desire for us to have the desires of our heart through Your power and not our own…thank you for the gift of FAITH…

 

…arm us to do Your will…help us to have an eternal and divine impact on others by sharing Your gospel message…teach us not to shy away from giving the bad news that happens for those who ignore the gospel life…help us share the consequences of unbeliefbefore we give the good news…the benefits of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ…keep us focused on eternal things instead of on the things of this world…help us to grow in faith…our faith in You…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

You Worship a God Who Specializes in the Impossible

 

LESSON PART ONE

 

We continue our study of the apostle Paul's letter to the first-century believers in Christ at Rome…a letter that is even more relevant today than it was then.  We are studying the doctrine of justification by faith.  What is justification by faith?  It is…

 

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

The process by which God declares the guilty to be not guilty, legally considering them to be right with Him because He credits His own righteousness to them.

 

It’s…

 

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

God’slegal declaration that you possess the righteousness required for salvation at the moment you are saved by God.  It is not a righteousness you perform through works…it’s a free gift from a gracious God who credits His own righteousness to you when you place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.

 

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

As a result of justification by faith, those who believe in Jesus Christ have right standingbefore God.  From the moment of your salvation, and forever after, you live as a new creation.  As God sees it, it’s as if you have never sinned.  In the eyes of God, you have the exact same standing before Him as does His Son…our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

In the last two passages of study, we have received a taste of what justification means.  Today we transition to a look at faith.  There is a lot to learn about faith…a small word that has a lot of impact.  The whole human race has a promise from the God who created the heavens and earth.  He declares, “If you just have faith in Me, I will do it.”  In other words, if you place your confidence in His promise to save you, He will…and there is no charge.

 

It's the promise of Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved by God…you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

God’s promise is…“If you just come to Me for salvation, I’ll give it to you.”  His promise IS NOT, “If you just work to please Me…if you are good…if you will clean up your act…if you will feel sorry for your sins…if you become a good person…I will save you.”  The religions of the world have it wrong because religionis the deception of the enemy of God, Satan, and he is so effective he has the whole world working instead of resting in the promise of God.  Hebrews, Chapter 4, Verse 1 says,…

 

HEBREWS 4:1

Therefore, let us believers in Christ (and all mankind) fear…if we fear anything… that while a promise remains of entering His rest (for the salvation of your souls)…any one of you may seem to have come short of it.

 

In other words…let God do the work of your salvation…don’t do it yourself.  Salvation IS NOT a DIY (do-it-yourself) project.

 

The theme of Paul’s sixteen-chapter letter to the Romans is the gospel message…the good news of the Lord's salvation…offered to the entire human race.

Paul says, “Let me tell you about the gospel of God…a magnificent promise to all of humanity” …he starts the message in Romans, Chapter 1, Verse 1…

 

ROMANS 1:1

This letter is written by me, Paul, a bond-servant and voluntary slave of Christ Jesus…by the calling from God…an apostle…set apart by God the Father for the dissemination of the gospel message as a minister…

 

God has set me apart for the same job, a job that includes teaching the whole realm of Scripture.  What a privilege!

 

Paul communicates in the first three chapters of Romans that we are not right with God…there’s nobody good enough for God…all human beings fall well below the righteousness standard.  Paul asks, “What kind of sinner are you?  Are you an immoral sinner…are you a moral sinner…or are you a religious sinner?  A sinner is a sinner…sinners are unbelievers…and sinners need a Savior.

 

Beginning at Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 20…and continuing into Romans Chapter 4…Paul reveals the way the Lord Jesus Christ solved the sin problem, and this truly is gospel…it truly is GOOD NEWS!  God’s promise… “I willgive you salvation if you have faith in Me.”  So in Romans, Chapter 4, Paul outlines what puts us right with God by using Abraham as an example.

 

From our last lesson we see how Abraham was saved, and it was simple…Genesis, Chapter 15, Verse 6…

 

GENESIS 15:6

Abraham believed in the Lord (his gift of faith expressed)…and THE LORD CREDITED Abraham’s account with absolute righteousness.

 

Faith.  Abraham placed His faith in the promise of God and he was saved.  And as we learned last week, Abraham is not only the father of the Jewish Race, he is the father of EVERYONE who expresses the same faith he did.

 

The word CREDITED in Romans, Chapter 4, Verse 3 is the Greek word logizomai…and Paul uses it thirty-five times in his letters.  What does credited mean?  It means…

 

CREDITED

To deposit funds into an account that is without sufficient funds

 

Romans, Chapter 4, Verse 12 says…

 

ROMANS 4:12

...Abraham is the father of circumcision not only to those who are of the circumcision…the Jews…but also to those who follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised as a Gentile.

 

FAITH is believing as gospel what the Lord promises.

 

In today’s passage…the second half of Romans, Chapter 4…we’ll examine faith…and we’ll spend a couple of weeks here because there is a lot to learn about faith…the Biblical account of faith.  Let’s begin with the New Living Translation of this passage…Romans, Chapter 4, Verses 17 to 25…

 

ROMANS 4:17

That is what the Scriptures meant when God told Abraham, "I have made you the father of many nations." This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

 

ROMANS 4:18

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he

would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have (as many as the stars of the sky and as many as the grains of sand on the seashore)!”

 

ROMANS 4:19

And Abraham’s faith did not waver, even thoughat about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as sexually dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.

 

ROMANS 4:20

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise (of giving him a child from his own loins…Isaac). In fact, Abraham’s faith grew stronger, and this faith brought glory to God.

 

ROMANS 4:21

Abraham was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.

 

ROMANS 4:22

And because of Abraham’s FAITH, God counted him as righteous.

 

ROMANS 4:23

And when God counted Abraham as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded…

 

ROMANS 4:24

…for our benefit, too, assuring us that God the Father will also count us as righteous if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ…this God and Father who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

 

ROMANS 4:25

Jesus was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised to the resurrection life to make us right with God.

 

What a beautiful passage!  Let's study it verse-by-verse.  Anyone who wants to go to heaven has to have the exact same faith as Abraham…he believed in God's promise.  Romans, Chapter 4, Verses 17 connects the second passage to the first passage in Chapter 4…

 

ROMANS 4:17

…(as it is written (Genesis 17:5), “A father of many nations have I made

you…Abraham”) in the presence of Him whom Abraham believed, even God the Father, who gives life to the dead and brings to pass things that do not exist.

 

Now the second passage…Romans, Chapter 4, Verse 18…

 

ROMANS 4:18

In hope against hope, Abraham believed…so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken to him by God (in Genesis 15:5), “So shall your descendants be.”

 

Here’s Genesis, Chapter 15, Verse 5…a powerful promise from a God who always keeps His Word…

 

GENESIS 15:5

And the Lord took Abraham outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens…and count the stars if you are able to count them.” And the Lord said to Abraham, “So shall your descendants be.”

 

Boom shakalaka!  Abraham believes the Lord and it is credited to his account as righteousness.  Romans, Chapter 4, Verses 19 to 21…

 

ROMANS 4:19

Without becoming weak in faith Abraham contemplated his own body, now as good as sexually dead since he was about a hundred years old…and Abraham contemplated the deadness of Sarah’s womb (she was 90)…

 

ROMANS 4:20

…yet, concerning the promise of God, Abraham did not waver in unbelief…instead, he grew strong in faith which kept on giving glory to God…

 

ROMANS 4:21

…and Abraham was fully assured that what God had promised…He has the divine power to perform.

 

Here’s how faith is described in Scripture…Hebrews, Chapter 11, Verse 1…

 

HEBREWS 11:1

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for…the conviction of things not seen.

 

Faith is not blind…faith is not “I hope so” …faith is confident obedience to God’s Word with the expectation that God always comes through!God speaks the gospel message of His Word…God speaks promises…we hear His Word…we trust His Word fully…we act on His Word…and His Word is always true.

 

Abraham didn’t waver.  What is wavering?  It’s…

 

WAVERING

The act of fluttering…to sway back and forth…to vacillate…to be indecisive…lacking firmness of mind or opinion.

 

Those who have faith say, “I may be wrong but I am not confused.”  Why didn’t Abraham vacillate?  He knew the truth of Luke, Chapter 1, Verse 37…

 

LUKE 1:37

“For nothing is impossible with God.”

 

Abraham hoped against hope…he had hope when there appeared to be no hope.  What one hundred-year-old, sexually dead man actually thinks he can father a child…especially with a barren wife?  Romans, Chapter 4, Verses 22 to 25…

 

ROMANS 4:22

Therefore, Abraham’s faith was CREDITED to him as righteousness.

 

ROMANS 4:23

Now not only for Abraham’s sake was it written that righteousness was CREDITED to him…

 

ROMANS 4:24

…but for our sake also, to whom righteousness will be CREDITED, as those who believe in the God and Father who resurrected Jesus our Lord from the dead…

 

ROMANS 4:25

…as those who believe in Jesus…the One who was delivered over because of our sins and was raised from the dead because of our justification.

 

Jesus standing in for us at the Cross…paying for our sins with His blood…put

righteousness into our depleted account.  So anyone who wants to go to heaven must believe like Abraham believed.

 

We'll study this passage in more depth next week, but for now, let's enjoy it that we who are believers in Christ have the exact same faith as Abraham…saving faith.  And that faith is well placed because we worship a God who specializes in the impossible.

 

When we return from the break, we’ll take the offering and then we’ll celebrate the Lord’s Supper.  Through the Cross, the Lord Jesus Christ Gave Us Faith.

 

FIVE-MINUTE BREAK

NOBODY

Casting Crowns

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

You Worship a God Who Specializes in the Impossible

 

OFFERING INTRODUCTION

 

One of the great pleasures of life is givingtime, talent, and treasure to those who want to learn about the Lord Jesus Christfree of charge.  True ministry involves giving, not receiving.  Yet it’s an equal pleasure being given to in return.  In Philippians, Chapter 4, Verse 17, the apostle Paul says…

 

PHILIPPIANS 4:17

Not that I seek the gift (for myself that you Philippians believers have given me …even though I appreciate it) … but I seek for the profit which increases to your account (from God does when you give).

 

You’re invited to join in giving…to make giving to Barah Ministries part of your weekly routine.God blesses your giving and makes it have impact in places all over the worldwith people you know nothing about.  Simultaneously, God gives abundant CREDIT back to your account.  If you listen to Barah Ministries, we appreciate it when you contribute to Barah Ministries.  No amount is too small.

 

Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with one of his always inspiring offering messages.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

ISAIAH 11:2

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him…the spirit of wisdom and understanding… the spirit of counsel and strength…the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

Instrumental Version

 

THE LORD’S SUPPER CELEBRATION

Through the Cross, the Lord Jesus Christ Gave Us Faith

 

Welcome to the Lord’s Supper Celebration!

 

As we remember the Lord, let’s enjoy recalling the things the Lord has done for us, especially His work on the Cross on our behalf.  The Lord’s Supper gives us a chance to direct our focus to the Lord alone.

 

Concerning the Lord’s Supper, our God commands us in Luke, Chapter 22, Verse 19 to…

 

LUKE 22:19c

“…keep on doing this Lord’s Supper Celebrationin remembrance of Me.”

 

In celebrating the Lord’s Supper, the Lord Jesus Christ wants us to make time to think about everything special in our lives, especially the most important relationship in our lives…whether we are believers in Christ or even unbelievers… the relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  A relationship with the Lord is critically and eternally important.

 

Yet the Lord’s Supper Celebration is for the born-again ones…for spiritually alive believers in Christ who were placed into union with Christ through the baptism of God the Holy Spirit at the moment of their salvation.  God the Holy Spirit turned us into eternal companions of Christ.

 

It is not wise to celebrate The Lord’s Supper on the move.  It’s a chance to be still and to reflect on the blessings the Lord directs to us.

 

What are a few of the things the Word of God teaches Christians about faith?Matthew, Chapter 17, Verse 20 tells us faith doesn’t have to be very big…

 

MATTHEW 17:20a

And Jesus said to the disciples, “(You were not able to cast out the demon) because of the littleness of your faith…for truly I (the Lord Jesus Christ) say to you…if you have faith the size of a mustard seed…

 

MATTHEW 17:20b

…(maybe you will and maybe you won’t…you have a choice)…you will say to a mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move…and nothing will be impossible to you.’”

 

The God who specializes in the impossible makes possible your impossible.

 

We learn that faith is a treasure to be grasped and held on to…Second Timothy, Chapter 4, Verse 7…

 

SECOND TIMOTHY 4:7

I (Paul) have fought the good fight…I have finished the course…I have kept the faith…

 

We learn that faith comes with a prize…Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 1…

 

ROMANS 5:1

Therefore, having been justified on the principle of faith in the past, we believers in Christ…right now and forevermore…keep on having peace with God the Father through our union with the Lord Jesus Christ…

 

We learn that faith gives us the victory in this life…First John, Chapter 5, Verse 4…

 

FIRST JOHN 5:4

For whoever is a born again one of God overcomes the world…and this is the

victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

 

We learn that faith pleases God…Hebrews, Chapter 11, Verse 6…

 

HEBREWS 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God the Father…for he who comes to God the Father must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

 

We learn that faith is a defensive weapon…Ephesians, Chapter 6, Verse 16…

 

EPHESIANS 6:16

…take up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

 

We learn that faith in God is more powerful than anything…First Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verse 5…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:5

…so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but (that your faith would rest) on the divinepower of God.

 

We learn that faith is a pugilistic endeavor…it's a fight…First Timothy, Chapter 6, Verse 12…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 6:12

Fight the good fight of faith…take hold of the eternal life to which you were calledand you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

 

We learn that faith has a great result…James, Chapter 1, Verse 3…

 

JAMES 1:3

…knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

 

We learn that faith doesn’t waver…James, Chapter 1, Verse 6…

 

JAMES 1:6

But the one who lacks wisdom must ask God in faith without any doubting…for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea…driven and tossed by the wind.

 

The opposite of faith is fear.  These are just a few of the things the Bible says about faith, and the Lord Jesus Christ inspired our faith at the Cross.

 

Faith is placing your confidence in an object of faith.  What happened when you placed your faith in Christ?  We placed our faith in a God…

 

WE PLACED OUR FAITH IN A GOD…

 

…who can bring the dead back to life

 

…who can make something from nothing

 

…who can speak things into existence that don’t exist

 

WE PLACED OUR FAITH IN A GOD…

 

…who will raise us from the dead

 

…who paid for all our sins at the Cross

 

…who can transport us to heaven

 

WE PLACED OUR FAITH IN A GOD…

 

…who can save our souls

 

…who can give us eternal life

 

…who can make us a new creation

 

WE PLACED OUR FAITH IN A GOD…

 

…who can call us out of darkness to the light

 

…who can seat us at the right hand of God the Father in heaven

 

…who can restore the sight of the blind

 

 

WE PLACED OUR FAITH IN A GOD…

 

…who can turn water into wine

 

…who can feed over fifteen thousand with two fish and five loaves of bread

 

…who can lay down His life and then take it up again

 

WE PLACED OUR FAITH IN A GOD…

 

…who is born of a virgin

 

…who can say a dead girl is only sleeping

 

…who raised His friend Lazarus from the dead in the presence of witnesses

 

WE PLACED OUR FAITH IN A GOD…

 

…who forgave a woman caught in the act of adultery

 

…who forgave betrayers like Peter and Judas Iscariot

 

…who specializes in impossible things

 

John, Chapter 20, Verses 30 and 31…

 

JOHN 20:30

Therefore, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book (the Bible)…

 

JOHN 20:31

…but these things written here in the Bible have been written so that you may BELIEVE that Jesus is the Christ…the Jewish Messiah…the Son of Godin human form…and that by believing in Him you may have the resurrection life in Hisname.

 

Faith.

 

There is much to learn about it from the Biblical perspective.  Suffice it to say

when we place our faith in the Lord and His Word, we are making a decision that has eternal rewards.  In today’s Lord’s Supper Celebration we remember the One who makes our faith effective for righteousness.

 

THE LORD’S SUPPER CELEBRATION

Enjoying the Elements

 

Bread and wine.

 

The Lord gave us these things to remember Him.  We will enjoy the elements together in a few moments as we listen to The Lord’s Supper Song.

 

Matthew, Chapter 26, Verses 26 to 28 tells us the reason the Lord wants us to celebrate this meal together…

 

MATTHEW 26:26

While the apostles were eating, Jesus took some bread…and after a blessing…He

broke the bread, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take…eat…this is My body which is being broken for you.”

 

MATTHEW 26:27

And when Jesus had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it…all of you…”

 

MATTHEW 26:28

“…for this is My blood…the blood of a new covenant…My blood…poured out for WHOSOEVER…for the forgiveness of sins.”

 

We celebrate to remember.  Jesus Christ died as our sin substitute…Jesus Christ is risen from the dead to prove His Deity…Jesus Christ loves us unconditionally… Jesus Christ forgives us once and for all time through His work on the Cross… Jesus Christ’s BLOOD paid for our sins…Jesus Christ saved us from the wrath of God the Father…Jesus Christ will come again to gather us unto Himself.  As believers in Christ, we celebrate through this Lord’s Supper and we are grateful that His work on the Cross gives us hope...the assurance of an amazing future.

 

Enjoy the elements as Zack Williams sings about the opposite of faith in his song…FEAR IS A LIAR.

 

THE LORD’S SUPPER SONG

 

FEAR IS A LIAR

Zack Williams

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

The closing moments of this lesson could be the ten most important minutes of your life.  You’ll be introduced to the good news concerning how you can spend all eternity in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  We want you to know that…

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

He Wants You Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

There is a Person at the core of Christianity…the Creator of Christianity…who cares about YOU.  His name is Jesus Christ.  He is the Sovereign God of the Universe…He is the truth…He is the light…He is God…and He wants a relationship with YOU!  This is your chance to choose to have a personal relationship with Him.

 

Your problem is that you were born a sinner in God’s eyes.  Sinners need a Savior.  The Savior of the whole world is Jesus Christ and He wants you to be saved…First Timothy, Chapter 2, Verses 3 and 4 say…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 2:3

This is what is good and acceptable in the sight of the God who is our Savior…the Lord Jesus Christ…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 2:4

…who desires for all men to be saved and who wants all men to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 

You will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire at physical death if you choose not to believe in Him.

 

There is only ONE WAY to get to heaven…by placing your faith in Jesus Christ to save you…by trusting what He has done at the Cross on your behalf.  If you’re going to place your confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation, you probably should get to know Him.  While there are many things to know about Him, here are the critical few things.  John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…

 

JOHN 14:6

Jesus said to the doubting apostle, Thomas, “I am the way (to salvation)…and I am the truth (through the Word of God, especially the gospel message)… and I am the resurrection life (eternal life)…and no one comes to God the Father in heaven but through believing in Me.”

 

The Lord Jesus Christ is YOUR CREATOR…John, Chapter 1, Verse 3…

 

JOHN 1:3

All things came into being through the Lord (God the Son)…and apart fromHim, nothing came into being that has come into being.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ loves you UNconditionally…First John, Chapter 4, Verse 8…

 

FIRST JOHN 4:8

The one who does not love unconditionally does not know the Lord…for the LordISunconditional love (it’s His Person and His identity).

 

You don’t have to impress Him.  You don’t have to clean up your life to be part of His kingdom.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ has forgiven ALL of your sins…past… present…and future…Isaiah, Chapter 43, Verse 25…

 

ISAIAH 43:25

“I, even I (the Lord), am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake…and I will NOT remember your sins.”

 

The Lord doesn’t want you to work to please Him…Romans, Chapter 11, Verse 6 says…

 

ROMANS 11:6

But if salvation is by grace, and of course it is, it is no longer on the basis ofyour works…otherwise grace is no longer grace.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t want you to go to the Lake of Fire…Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 9…

 

SECOND PETER 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise of salvation, as some accuse Him of…instead, He is patient toward unbelievers…not wishing for any of you to perish in the Lake of Fire…but for all of you to come to repentance (a change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).

 

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Perfect Person to lead you to salvation.

 

God’s graciousness offers you a plan to be saved as a free gift.  Ephesians, Chapter 2, Verses 8 and 9…

 

EPHESIANS 2:8

For by God’s grace you have been saved through faith in Christ for salvation…and that grace and that faith and that salvation are not from the source of yourselves…it is the gift of God the Father…

 

EPHESIANS 2:9

…so being saved is not as a result ofyour works (deeds you have done in self-righteousness) … so that no one may boast (about savinghimself).

 

So how can you get to heaven?  This loving, forgiving, patient God who wants you to be saved is willing to save you right this minute.  RIGHT WHERE YOU SIT, RIGHT NOWyou can tell God the Father that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christand that is the moment of eternal life foryou.  Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved by God, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

So, heed the warning and accept the invitation in John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment…but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

 

Who is this God who saves you?  The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus

Christ in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (Paul) delivered to you as of primary importance the gospel message I alsoreceived from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according tothe Old Testament Scriptures…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4

…and that He was buried…and He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

When you get to know Jesus Christ, you’ll have no problem placing your confidence in Him, both for your salvation and for everything else.  Why?  Because the Sovereign God of the Universe wants a relationship with you, He loves you UNconditionally, and He died for you.  So, take advantage of His grace and you’ll be saved RIGHT NOW!

 

What happens if you reject a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?  Matthew, Chapter 25, Verse 41…

 

MATTHEW 25:41

“Then Jesus will say to those on His left (unbelievers)…‘Depart from Me accursed ones into the eternal Lake of Fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels…”

 

Those are neither words you want to hear, nor words you have to hear.  John, Chapter 3, Verse 18…

 

JOHN 3:18

He who believes in Jesus Christ…placing his trust in Him for salvation…is not judged…he who does not believe in Jesus Christ has been judged already, because he is in a state of unbelief about the Person and the promise from the uniquely born Son of God.

 

Take the easy road to salvation…believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

CLOSING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s close with music!  Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m mad at God?”  Have you been mad at God yourself because your prayers weren’t answered?  Well if you have faith that God works all things together for your good, are you willing to have FAITH that your unanswered prayer will result in something more magnificent because the God who promises is faithful?Here's Danny Gokey to encourage us to STAND IN FAITH.

 

MUSIC

CLOSING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

STAND IN FAITH

Danny Gokey

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Almighty God and Father…

 

…help us to realize that when our prayers are not answered You have another way…and Your thoughts are higher than our thoughts and Your ways are better than our ways…help us realize that if we got what we were asking for it would be much lesser than You had planned for us…let us take refuge in You…let us have faith in You…help us to trust You…and as our faith grows, help us to remember all the times when You di things for us we could have never imagined…because You are the God we worship…the God who specializes in the impossible

 

We ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

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KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD DAILY!

 

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