Monthly Archives: July 2009

According to your Faith: Principles of Faith Promise Giving

Sunday Morning Sermons

II Corinthians 9:1-10

Preached Sunday Morning, July 5, 2009

 

Introduction:

 

Matthew 9:28-29

28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

 

          In many churches across this country I am sure that preachers will be reflecting upon freedom and the state of our great nation.  It is no secret that we are facing some challenging and even dangerous times.  I would go so far as to say that the nation that we grew up with is being radically changed, perhaps even beyond repair, and apathetic, ineffective Christianity is to blame. 

 

          Today we are going to talk about economics.  Jobless rates are at historical highs.  The stock market is plummeting, and our retirement is fading away.  It would seem that God is slowly removing His hand of blessing from our at one time very prosperous nation.  This morning we are going to look at a way to protect our assets and our jobs.  You see, God provides for us in order for us to serve Him with our increase.  If we do not place our faith in Him regarding our finances, then He has no reason to protect what we have and provide future financial blessing.

 

          You have heard the term “Faith Promise Missions” from time to time.  This morning we are going to explain exactly what we mean by that, where we get it in the Bible, and why giving sacrificially to Faith Promise will help to protect and increase your financial ability to serve God.  The blind came to Jesus and He told them that the blessings that they would receive would be in direct proportion to their faith in Him.  I believe that this same principle applies to our finances.  God blesses us according to our faith, this is the premise of faith promise giving.

 

I.                   Faith Promise Giving is not Tithing

 

A.     Tithing was done before the Law and commanded by Jesus, therefore it was not done away with after Calvary.

 

Genesis 14:20

20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

 

Genesis 28:21-22

21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

 

Matthew 23:23

23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.  

 

B.     Specific directions and promises correspond with tithing.

 

Malachi 3:8-11

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.  11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 

 

1.     A Tithe is 10%

 

2.     To withhold a tithe is to rob God.

 

3.     To withhold a tithe is to bring a curse on your finances.

 

4.     To obey God and give tithes brings God’s blessings.

 

5.     Tithes Go into God’s house.

 

6.     The Church is God’s house this side of Calvary.

 

1 Timothy 3:15

15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 

 

7.     Offerings are something given that is different than tithes.

 

II.                Faith Promise Giving Supports works outside the Local Church.

 

 

A.     The Church of Macedonia gave in spite of their poverty to support Paul and the other missionaries with him.

 

2 Corinthians 8:1-4

Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.  3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

 

1.     They were very poor

 

2.     They were sacrificially giving to mission support.

 

3.     Their gift was a way to join in fellowship with the missionaries.

 

B.     Paul uses the Church of Macedonia to encourage the Corinthian church to continue the same practice.

 

2 Corinthians 9:1-5

For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. 3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: 4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready,  as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.  

 

 

1.     Paul is encouraged by the openness to missionary giving.

 

2.  Compliance by the Corinthian Church had a direct effect on their testimony in the region.

 

III.             Faith Promise Giving taps directly into the Promises of God.

 

A.     You reap as you sow

 

2 Corinthians 9:6

6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

 

Philippians 4:15-17

15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. 16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. 17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

 

Matthew 9:29

29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

 

B.     This giving is not tithing because the individual determines the amount that you give.

 

2 Corinthians 9:7

7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

 

C.     God will increase His grace toward those that need it.

 

2 Corinthians 9:8

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

 

D.    Eternal souls are impacted by your faith or lack of it.

 

Romans 10:13-17

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 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? 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! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?   17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

1.     To call upon the Lord, one must believe.

 

2.     To believe, one must hear.

 

3.     To hear, there must be a preacher.

 

4.     To have a preacher, he must be sent.

 

5.     Some missionaries will be hindered if we fail to meet our financial commitments.

 

6.     There are many more mission fields that are waiting for preachers.

 

7.     We need to send more missionaries, not just maintain the ones we have.

 

8.     What are you willing to do regarding this need?

 

9.     God will directly bless you according to your faith.

The Atonement for Sin

Sunday Evening Sermons

1 John 2:1-11

 Preached Sunday Evening, July 5, 2009

 

Introduction:

 

          How is sin paid for or atoned? This is the most important theological issue in the Bible. Some believe that works or penance can be atoned for sin. Some believe that Jesus is a perpetual sacrifice and sin is atoned through the Holy Eucharist. Tonight we will search the scriptures regarding this matter of atonement for sin.

 

 

 

STATEMENT OF FAITH OF THE EVANGELICAL

BAPTIST CHURCH

 

SECTION VIII -THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN

 

WE BELIEVE (a) that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace (b) through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God who by the appointment of the Father freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; (c) that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the just dying for the unjust, Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; (d) that, having risen from the dead He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person, the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior.

 

a)       Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24

b)       John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4-7;

Romans 3:25; I John 4:10; I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21

c)       John 10:18; Philippians 2:8; Galatians 1:4; I Peter 2:24; 3:18; Isaiah

53:11; Hebrews 12:2

d)       I Corinthians 15:20; Isaiah 53:12; Hebrews 7:25; 9:12-15; I John 2:2

 

 

 

 

 

 

I.                   Atonement for sin comes by grace alone

 

A.     This grace offered to the whole world

 

1 John 2:1-2

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

 

Acts 15:11

11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

 

Romans 3:24

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

 

B.     This grace is accessed by faith

 

Ephesians 2:8

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

 

Romans 5:2

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

 

II.                Atonement for sin comes through Jesus Christ

 

A.     Commissioned by the Father

 

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

B.     Lived a perfect life, dedicated to saving the lost

 

 

Matthew 18:11

11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

 

Philippians 2:7

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

 

Hebrews 2:14

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

 

C.     Obedient unto death

 

Isaiah 53:4-7

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.   6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

 

III.             Christ took our place, making atonement for our sins.

 

A.     Volunteered- not martyred

John 10:18

18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

 

Philippians 2:8

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

 

Hebrews 12:2

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

 

B.     Took our blame

 

2 Corinthians 5:2

2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

 

1 Peter 2:24

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 

 

1 Peter 3:18

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

 

C.     Paid what we owed

 

Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Romans 3:25

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;  

 

1 John 4:10

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

 

Galatians 1:4

4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

 

Isaiah 53:11

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

 

IV.              Christ is our all sufficient Savior

 

A.     For eternal life

 

1 Corinthians 15:20

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

 

B.     For intercession

 

Isaiah 53:12

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

 

Hebrews 7:25

25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 

 

C.     For purification through his blood

 

Hebrews 9:12-15

12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

 

 

 

 

V.                 Christ is Our Shepherd of Love

 

A.     Obedience demonstrates our love for Jesus.

 

1 John 2:3-6

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

 

B.     Love for others demonstrates our established relationship with Jesus.

 

1 John 2:7-11

7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.