The God of Peace

 Temple Baptist Church - 4-28-2021

Hebrews 13:20

 

Introduction:

 A.  The Book of Hebrews ends with a Benediction, in verse 20, and a Final Exhortation, in verse 21.

 B.  I want to look at each of these separately.

 C.  A Benediction is something that we are used to though we rarely use the word.  When I was young, I have heard our pastor say, “Bro. So-in-so, please give the Benediction.”

 

Benediction - the utterance or bestowing of a blessing, especially at the end of a religious service.  A closing prayer.

 

D.  Paul beings his closing prayer with “The God of peace.”  This is not the peace of God and neither is it peace with God.  It is an expression of an attribute of God.  He is a God of peace who holds the availability and power of peace in His hand.

 

Isaiah 26:3-4  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  (4)  Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

 

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (Our Lord wanted His children to both have peace and live in peace in this world.)

 

1.  Troubled hearts are an enemy to peace in our lives.  In John 14:1, our Lord said, “Let not your hearts be troubled.”  This indicates that a troubled heart is something that we allow.

 

2.  Fear is the other culprit that robs the child of God of peace.  2 Timothy 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

 

E.  Peace is an important aspect of salvation, sanctification, and service.  In our verse we find three things: 

 

1.  Positional Peace: an inward peace that comes through the faith and assurance of our salvation.

 

2.  Provisional Peace: an outward peace through the faith and assurance of our possessions.

 

3.  Prophetical Peace: an upward peace through the faith and assurance of our eternal security.

 

F.  Let us look at these three areas of peace.  Turn to 1 John, chapter 5:  I John was written to “my little children” – little children must be fed, protected, and taught.

 

1.  Positional Peace: “that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus.” This is the knowledge that we have peace with God through the finished work of Gospel and a new birth.

 

1 John 5:10-12 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.  (11)  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  (12)  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 

 

a.  My favorite song is “Blessed Assurance.”  What a wonderful thing to know that you know that you are saved! 

 

b.  Assurance of salvation is the most important aspect of the life of the believer.  It brings peace!

 

c.  Assurance comes through faith in the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ.  What He started, He finished: He died on an old, rugged cross for our sins according to the Scripture, He was buried, and He rose again the third day according to the Scripture.

 

d.  Salvation is a finished work and it comes only through faith in the Gospel!

 

2.  Provisional Peace: “that great shepherd of the sheep.”  This is the faith that all things come from God and He provides for His children.

 

1 John 5:14-15 (14)  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:  (15)  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

 

a.  I learned early on in my salvation that I could trust God in my finances.  I was saved in November and became a tither in late December or January.  Barbara and I tithe together.  Before our salary ever is put into our hands, Barbara writes down our tithes and missions down in the check book.

 

b.  God has never been late in His provision for my family.  We have had much, and we have had little, but we have always had enough. 

 

c.  I want everyone here tonight to understand that my God can and will supply all your need when you trust Him.

 

3.  Prophetical Peace: “through the blood of the everlasting covenant.”  This is the promise of eternal life through the precious blood of Christ.

 

1 John 5:11,13  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son … (13)  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 

 

a.  I miss Bro. Alvin Wilson tonight.  I am glad that Alvin Wilson knew the Lord and that I will see him again shortly.

 

b.  God wants us to not only know that we are saved but that we are secured for all eternity through His blood!  What is better than being saved?  Being saved and knowing that what you and I have is eternal.  It could not be earned, and it cannot be lost.  I am His and He is mine.

 

c.  Heaven is my home!

The Glory of God - The Glory of God’s Mercy

Temple Baptist Church - 4-25-2021

Lamentations 3:22-23

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  In Exodus, chapters 33-34, Israel is at Mt. Sinai and Moses alone with God at the summit.  Moses, like most of us, wanted to see God’s glory because of the great task of leading a rebellious nation into the Promised Land of Canaan where there would be war! 

 

B.  God concealed the Glory of His Person (Exodus 33:21-23) but revealed to Moses the Gloriousness of His Work: 34:5-8.  Let me give you a little analogy to help understand this precept.

 

1.  Our work for Christ on earth glorifies God in heaven.

 

Matthew 5:14-16  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  (15)  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  (16)  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 

2.  God’s glorious work on earth also glorifies God in heaven.

 

Exodus 33:22-23  And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:  (23)  And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

 

Exodus 15:6  Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

 

C.  In the Psalm of Psalms, the 23rd Psalm, verse 6 sums it up:

 

Psalms 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.  (Notice with me the word “surely.” Something that we can be assured of.)

 

1.  The goodness and mercy of God are a surety in the life of the child of God!  God has always been good and merciful to us and He, who cannot change, will always be the same.

 

2.  When David wrote the 23rd Psalm, did not know the greatness of his future failures.  He did not understand the greatness of God’s tender mercies as the “sweet psalmist of Israel” sat on a hillside, watching over his flock, and wrote of the mercy of
God.  Jeremiah the Prophet said it all in Lamentations 3.  God has been merciful to each of us.

 

D.  This morning, you are looking at a one hell deserving preacher!  Without any false humility and certainly with no bragging on a past, sinful life, I often say that I have no idea why God would give me the “time of day.”  I think of the verse that says, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?”

 

E.  You should be able to praise Him for all eternity for just the little that I have already said!  No wonder the psalmist said, “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”

 

F.  The word “mercy” is found 276x in 261 verses; the word “mercies” is found 44x in 44 verses, while the word “merciful” is found 40x in 36 verses but we will look at enough to cause us to praise the name of the Lord!  We will find that:

 

1.  The Lord Is Merciful In His Salvation - 1 Peter 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  (He saw our sinfulness and still sent the Saviour!  We deserved Hell and yet He send His only begotten Son that we might go to Heaven one day.  He saved us from a life of sinfulness and a Devil’s Hell!  Do not tell me He is not worth to be praised this morning!  Glory to His wonderful name!)

 

2.  The Lord Is Merciful In His Provision - Psalms 78:72  So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.  (God has been good to me in times when I have not been so good to Him.  He has never let me down in the 32+ years that I have been saved.  I have lived well; I have eaten well; I have paid the bills!  When I was laid off, He gave me a job.  When I had a great need, He sent someone.  That is mercy!)

 

3.  The Lord Is Merciful In His Protection - Psalms 4:8  I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

 

4.  The Lord Is Merciful In His Forgiveness - 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.  (No matter how terribly that I fail Him, He forgives!  No matter how often I fail Him, He forgives!  No matter how many times I fail Him, He always forgives and—and thank God—He forgets!)

 

G.  God’s Mercy on earth Glorifies Him in Heaven!

 

1.  God’s Mercy Is Everlasting - Psalms 100:5  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

 

2.  God’s Mercy Is Unchanging - Lamentations 3:22-23  It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 

 

3.  God’s Mercy Is Abundant - Numbers 14:18  The Lord is longsuffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression...

 

4.  God’s Mercy Is Motivational - Romans 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 

5.  God’s Mercy Is Inexhaustible - Nehemiah 9:27  Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

 

6.  God’s Mercy Is Renewable – Lamentations 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

God’s Purpose For Israel Fulfilled

 Temple Baptist Church - 4-18-2021

Revelation 12:4-6

 

Revelation 12:4-6  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.  (5)  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.  (6)  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

 

A.  We have now discussed the three “players” found in heaven before the foundations of the world were laid.  They were found in the mind of God’s foreknowledge in eternity past.

 

1.  The Woman is Israel, God’s covenant people.  Jeremiah 31:3  The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

 

2.  The Child is the Messiah, the Seed of the Woman.  Genesis 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

 

3.  The Great Red Dragon, Lucifer AKA Satan.  Revelation 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

 

B.  God has a Purpose.  It cannot be changed or thwarted. 

 

Isaiah 46:9-11  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,  (10)  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:  (11)  Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

 

C.  Satan has a Plan.

 

1.  His Plan to destroy the Woman’s Seed.  Genesis 4:8-12  And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.  (9)  And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?  (10)  And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.  (11)  And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;  (12)  When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

 

2.  His Plan to destroy Israel. 

 

His Plan to Bypass The Promised Seed – Genesis 16:1-2  Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.  (2)  And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

 

His Plan to Destroy A Father of Israel – Genesis 27:39-41  And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;  (40)  And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.  (41)  And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

 

His Plan to Kill Israel’s Deliverer – Exodus 1:15-17  And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:  (16)  And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.  (17)  But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

 

His Plan to Stop Israel’s Throne – 1 Samuel 19:2  But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself:

 

His Plan to Defile Israel’s King – 1 Chronicles 21:1  And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

 

His Plan to Withstand Israel’s Priesthood – Zechariah 3:1  And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

 

The List could go on at this point.

 

3.  His Plan to Destroy the Christ.

 

At Christ’s Birth – Matthew 2:16-18  Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.  (17)  Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,  (18)  In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

 

During Christ’s Life – Luke 4:29  And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

 

John 8:59  Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

 

Before Christ’s Propitiation - Isaiah 52:14  As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

 

Matthew 27:26-27  Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.  (27)  Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

 

Through Christ’s scourging and the beatings that He endured, a normal man would not have lived to be crucified.  His crucifixion was essential to our propitiation and salvation!

 

D.  God Hides Israel – Verse 6.

 

1.  God’s Warning to Israel – Matthew 24:15-22  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)  (16)  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:  (17)  Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:  (18)  Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.  (19)  And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!  (20)  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:  (21)  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  (22)  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

 

2.  God’s Hiding of Israel – “where she hath a place prepared of God.” 

 

There has been much speculation as to where God will hide Israel.  Most theologians say that He will hide them at Petra, the Hidden City.  This city carved into the face of cliffs is found in southern Jordan.  It is a Cave City that covers over 30 square miles.

 

The city of Petra was established as a trading post by the Nabateans, an Arab Bedouin tribe indigenous to the region in what is now southwestern Jordan. The Nabateans living and trading in Petra soon accumulated a significant amount of wealth, and an envious Greek Empire attacked the city in 312 B.C.

 

I personally put no confidence in Petra because: a)  Satan know where Petra is and b) God will hide Israel, an entire nation where no one can find her!  Israel will be hidden for 3 ½ years or until the end of the Tribulation Period until she beholds the Deliverer, her Lord and Messiah, Jesus Christ.

The Glory of God - Shew Me Thy Glory

 Temple Baptist Church - 4-18-2021

Exodus 33:18-23; 34:5-8

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  In our text, Israel is at Mt. Sinai and Moses alone with God at the summit.  Moses, like most of us, wanted to see God’s glory because of the great task of leading a rebellious nation into the Promised Land of Canaan where there would be war! 

 

1.  An insurmountable task! 

 

a)  God used Moses to bring them out of Egypt and through the Red Sea to this place where God gave him the Law.  God “handpicked” this man for the task ahead. 

 

b)  Now, Moses has been given a seemingly insurmountable task of taking the nation of Israel through the great wilderness and into Canaan’s land.  Moses is looking for assurance.

 

2.  An awesome responsibility! 

 

a)  Do not send me alone!  In verse 12, God had promised grace to Moses for the task, but Moses is looking for someone to go with him.  He understood the awesome responsibility because these were God’s people and knew that the way would be hard.

 

b)  Show me thy way!  In verse 13, Moses asked God to lead him.  Moses was a ruler in Egypt and knew the “short way” to Canaan and, therefore, knew that the Sinai Peninsula was neither the easy way nor the shortest way to go.

 

3.  A rebellious and stiff-necked people! 

 

a)  They rebelled in Egypt!  Exodus 5:21  And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

 

b)  They rebelled at the Red Sea.  Exodus 14:11  And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

 

c)  They rebelled at the waters of Marah!  Exodus 15:24  And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

 

d)  They rebelled by making the calf at Sinai!  Exodus 32:1  And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

 

4.  A twofold promise!  Jehovah God, in verse 14, made a twofold promise to Moses:

 

a)  The promise of God’s presence in a hard place.  “MY presence shall go with thee!”  That alone should be enough.

 

b)  The promise of God’s rest in a hard journey.  “AND I will give thee rest!  Resting in His presence in the hard places ahead.

 

B.  Moses’ Request – Exodus 33:18  And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

 

C.  God’s Answer – Exodus 33:20-23  And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.  (21)  And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:  (22)  And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:  (23)  And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.  (God told Moses that he could not see God’s face but he could see where God had been!)

 

D.  Though God did not allow Moses to see His glory, He pronounced His glory in numerating His works.  This is how you and I perceive God’s glory today.

 

Exodus 34:5-8  And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.  (6)  And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,  (7)  Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.  (8)  And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.

 

E.  Though God could not be seen, His glory can be both perceived and seen!  God led Israel through the Red Sea and destroyed Pharoah’s entire army and ridded Israel of its power and continued threat.  One fell sweep by God and their problem disappeared forever.  Never again would Egypt bother God’s people.

F.  By the same token, God’s children can behold the glory of God in many ways and that glory gives us a proper perspective of who He is.  Paul said in Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him …”  This morning, I want to tie two thoughts together: a) That I may know Him and b) Shew me thy glory. 

 

G.  Often, we hear someone say that they have seen God or Jesus.  These people are deceivers!  I say that without apology because they are calling God a liar by doing so.

 

John 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

 

1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

1 Timothy 6:14-16  That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:  (15)  Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;  (16)  Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

 

John 1:18  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

 

H.  I have read several verses that speak of the invisibility of God but, through your bible and Christian experience, you can know God and, to know God is to see His glory! 

 

1.  We see God in Creation.  Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

 

Colossians 1:15-16 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

 

2.  We see God in His Word.  Hebrews 10:7  Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

 

3.  We see God in Faith.  Hebrews 11:1-3  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  (2)  For by it the elders obtained a good report.  (3)  Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

 

2 Corinthians 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

 

4.  We see God in Deliverances.  The First Mention of Glorious - Exodus 15:3-6  The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.  (4)  Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.  (5)  The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.  (6)  Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

 

Genesis 18:14a  Is any thing too hard for the LORD?

 

Luke 1:37  For with God nothing shall be impossible.

 

5.  We see God in Trials and Tribulations.  Hebrews 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

 

1 Peter 1:5-7  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  (6)  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  (7)  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

 

6.  And one day, we shall see Him as HE IS – 1 John 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.