Dedicated To The Men of God Who Preach the Word of God As It Is To Men As They Are

"Preach The Word"

WAITING FOR THE DEAD

Text:
Judges 4:1-21; 5:24-28

We read the account here of the death of Sisera. Who was he anyway?
The "commander" of the army of Jabin king of Canaan, and for twenty years
oppressed the Israelites with a force of 900 chariots of iron <Judg.
4:2-3>. When Sisera received tidings of the march of Barak to Mt. Tabor, he mustered his army at the Kishon, where it was thrown into confusion and
utterly routed (vv. 10-16). Sisera, to save himself, sprang from his
chariot and fled on foot. He took refuge in the tent of Jael, the wife of
Heber the Kenite.
JAEL  -- (mountain goat)-- Sisera accepted Jael's invitation to seek refuge
in her tent. She covered him with a mantle, gave him milk to quench his
thirst, and promised to stand guard against intruders. Instead, Jael killed
Sisera as he slept by driving a tent peg through his temple while he slept
<Judg. 4:17-22>.In her famous song, the prophetess Deborah honored Jael:
"Most blessed above women is Jael" <Judg. 5:24>.
My focus for this message is in Chap. 5 – Sisera's mother is sitting
wearily watching at the window for the coming of her son who was already
lying cold in death in the tent of Heber's wife. She was waiting for
something that would never happen and for someone who would never come.
Her waiting was truly in vain – waiting for the dead. 
The same cause of this mother's waiting is the cause why so many today
still wait in vain – because of a lack of the knowledge of the truth.
Are you waiting for the dead today?  You are waiting on the dead if…

I. YOU ARE WAITING FOR SALVATION APART FROM JESUS CHRIST
A. John 3:36
B. See the provision stated – "believeth on the Son hath everlasting life…"
C. See the promise stated – "believeth not…shall not see life…"
D. See the penalty stated – "…wrath of God abideth on Him"
     John 3:18;
E. Many people are deceived and think they will be saved by other       means or lifestyles; but I must tell you today that…
   1. Your salvation won't come by hitting the powerball
   2. Your salvation won't come by being a good person
   3. Your salvation won't come by doing good deeds for others
   4. Your salvation won't come if you are faithful to church
   5. Your salvation won't come because you were baptized or sprinkled
   6. Your salvation will ONLY come by accepting the free gift of God of
        salvation by His grace and by your faith in Jesus Christ!  Ephesians 2:8
        (salvation is a gift of God!)
My friend, you are truly waiting on the dead if you expect to be saved
apart from Jesus Christ! It just won't happen!

II. YOU ARE WAITING TO FEEL SAVED BEFORE YOU COME TO CHRIST – Mark 5:25-28
Notice some things about this woman and her affliction
A. Her disease (v. 25)– issue of blood; hemorrhage for 12 years
B. Her disappointment (v. 26)– tried doctors and spent her life savings
C. Her discernment (v. 27-28)– she knew of Jesus; but more so she knew       that she must touch the Savior to experience the healing in her life
   1.   The need of our hour today is for people to come to the place where            they realize that they aren't going to feel saved until they come to             know  Christ as Savior – there is too much going on in religion today             that bases things on feelings!
    2. The only way to feel saved is when a change has taken place within           your heart and God has cleansed the very seat of your sinful soul and           made you a new creature! – 2 Cor. 5:17
My dear friend, you are still waiting on the dead if you think you are
going to feel saved before you get saved! It just never will happen!

III. YOU ARE WAITING TO GET PEACE WITH GOD WITHOUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS
A. Mankind doesn't know peace because he is alienated from God
   1. Sin alienated man from God in the Garden of Eden
   2. Sin alienated man from God throughout the O.T., hence the priest who
       would enter the holy of holies
   3. Sin alienated man up until the very time that Jesus died on Calvary's
       cross – but then the blood took over…
      a. Christ's blood broke down that middle wall of partition between us            and a Holy, Just God
       b. Christ's blood put a stop to the sacrifices and offerings that could
           never atone for man's sin
       c. Christ's blood is the ONLY thing today my friend, that will allow you              to know the true peace of God
       d. 1 Tim. 2:5 – one mediator between God and man
B. When you get saved, you can have peace – Rom. 5:1
C. When you are serving, you can have peace – Rom. 8:6
D. When you are suffering, you can have peace – Phil. 4:6-7

Conclusion:

Again, my friend, you may be here this morning and you are struggling in
your life just trying to have peace in your heart – but you will never know
it because you have placed all your hope and trust in this world and in
mankind rather than in the precious Blood that was shed by my Lord at
Calvary for the remission of your sins and mine! You are waiting on a dead
man that never will come…

My friend, maybe you are trying to live your life by yourself, yet you are
wondering why you don't have that settled, peaceful state in your heart –
why?
Because of the way you live your life – you are merely waiting for the
dead; you are wasting your days waiting for something that is never going
to come – until you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior
I urge you today – quit waiting on the dead; choose life instead!
Deut. 30:19-20

SERMON FROM TOM FELLOWS- GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
LAGRANGE, KENTUCKY--USA

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