Dedicated To The Men of God Who Preach the Word of God As It
Is To Men As They Are
"Preach The Word"
Glad Tidings In 1998
TEXT:
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
INTRODUCTION:
Notice the words in v.15, "Glad tidings of good things."
Just yesterday I look at what ABC News regards as some of the main news events of the Year 1997. Some of it was good news while other was bad news. There was more bad news than there was good. Here is the list they posted on their web-site on Dec. 12,1997:
1. Military Sex Scandals- They mentioned how that on Feb.3, Sgt. Major Gene McKinney, the Army’s top enlisted man responsible for reviewing sex harrassment policies, is charged himself with sexual misconduct.
2. O.J. Simpson’s Endgame--They bring out how O.J. Simpson was found responsible for the deaths of Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman and a judge ordered him to pay their families $33.5 million dollars.
3. From Science Fiction to Reality--It mentioned how Scottish scientest, Ian Wilmut introduces the world to its first cloned animal, a sheep named Dolly.
4. Wall Street Comes Off Wild Year--They mentioned how on March 11, the Dow stock began a month long plunge. It set off a wild year on wall street.
5. Heaven’s Gate Suicides--On March 27, deputies found the bodies of 39 Heaven’s Gate cult members who committed suicide in the apparent belief they would soon meet up with a UFO following behind the Hale Bob Comet.
6. Kibla Takes Zaire--Turmoil, ethnic warefare, and leader ousting in the African nation.
7-. The Paul Jones Problem is mentioned--On May 27 the Supreme Court ruled that she can pursue her sexual harrassment case against the President of the US.
8- On June 13 the main news was he Oklahoma Bombing trials.
Timothy McVeigh was convicted in the bombing of the federal building.
9- El Nino is mentioned as causing havoc- It is supposed to led to deadly and freak weather conditions around the world--it was blamed for drough in Indonesia to floods in Mexico.
10- The death of Princess Diana in Paris on Aug. 31 was mentioned.
11- Saddam ordering Americans out of Iraq on Oct. 22 was stressed. It prompted a crisis in the United Nations and a quick military build-up in the Persian Gulf.
12- On Dec. 11th there was a Global Warming Treaty agreed to among more than 150 nations. We are emitting to many gases that overheats the globe and may bring about catastrophic climate changes.
Those are only a few things that were mentioned. As I already said, some of those stories are good news but most of them have bad news in them.
It is so easy for a person to see the bad rather than the good.
We have good tidings to tell because some good things have happened.
1. It is good Jesus descended.
2. It is good Jesus died.
3. It is good Jesus declared his deity.
4. It is good Jesus dominated over death.
5. It is good Jesus destroyed the works of the devil.
"Because I live, ye shall live also."
As we think about going into a New Year, there will be negative things that will be recognized at the end of next year. But, on the other hand, God’s people do not need to dwell on the negative, but accentuate the positive.
"Glad tidings" should be what God’s people major upon. When we get to the end of next year I am sure there will be several things as we look back in reflection that we can truly say were "glad tidings."
As I pondered the coming year, I thought of several things that I would have the opportunity to hear that had take place in the year 1998.
I. SINNERS HAVE BEEN SAVED
God’s attitude toward the sinner is revealed in1Tim. 2:4: " Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."
A. Man’s Plight--Rom.3:23; Isa.64:6
B. Spirit’s Pull- Jn. 6:44
C. Christ’s Provision- 2 Cor. 5:21
D. Father’s Permission-Jn. 6:37
II. SAINTS HAVE BEEN REDEDICATED
Isaiah 44:22 says, "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee."
There needs to be a returning to the Lord among God’s people.
Why?
A. Tendency to Carelessness
The things of God become common place- no thrill, etc.
B. Tendency to Foolishness
To put anything above the Lord is foolish.
C. Tendency to Restlessness
Never seem to be satisfied as Israel in the wilderness when God sent down manna and quail every day. Israel could not be content.
III. SATAN HAS BEEN RESISTED
James tells us in Ja. 4:7, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. We cannot resist the devil in our own strength, so that is why we first submit ourselves to God, and then we can stand against Satan in the strength and might of the Lord Himself.
A. Resist his Destructive Plans
He is a "destroyer." He will try to destroy your home, your church relationship, your testimony, etc.
B. Resist his Downward Pull
Satan’s way is never up, it is always down.
C. Resist his Depraved Promptings.
He will try to work through your old nature. Since it is depraved it is a prime tool of the devil.
IV. SAINTS HAVE BEEN REVIVED
Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name [is] Holy; I dwell in the high and holy [place], with him also [that is] of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
This verse tells us who the Lord will revive.
"the contrite"means to be crushed, broken to pieces, shattered.
"the humble"be brought low- opposite of whatever pride is.
A. Saints Must Want Revival. (Ill. Days or Ezra)
B. Savior Must Bring Revival.(2 Chron. 7:14)
C. Others Can See Revival(in and through us).
V. SAVIOR HAS RETURNED
Phillipians 3:20 says, "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ"
Jesus promised in John 14:3, " And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also."
A. He Will Come Suddenly (in such an hour ye think not)
B. He Will Come Selectively (first for his bride-seven years later in judgment.)
C. He Will Come Surely (there is no possibility that He will not come because He has given his promise).
CONCLUSION:
What do you want to hear and see by the end of next year?
SERMON BY DR. TOM
WALKER
Pastor: Zion Hill Baptist Church- Marion, NC--USA
Site created by Tom Walker