The LORD's Day April 11, 2010

God Almighty

Genesis 17.1-22

Too often, far too often, our perception of the LORD is far too small. We are human so we do not have perfect understanding. Yet we can describe our problems with precision and great detail. Our need is to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. The devil is often in the details (of our problems!)

I love the point here in Abraham's life when the LORD revealed Himself as El Shaddai, God Almighty. God is in control.

1. In Control Even When We Mess Up.
v.18- Ishmael was the result of Abraham and Sarah trying to help God out.
We mess up when we try to help the LORD out.
He doesn't need our help. We need his desperately.

After missing the mark, God confirms His Covenant to Abraham. This is amazing grace v.2

Abraham was 99 years old, older than any of us here this morning, and yet God said to him (v.6) I will make you very fruitful. In Psalm 92.14 speaking of the righteous, the Psalmist writes "They will still bear fruit in old age..." We are children of Abraham through faith. Jesus said, "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples." John 15.8

God was fulfilling His promise to Abraham. He is faithful to all His promises. This is why we need to get into His Word and dig them out.

So in spite of mess ups, God still has a plan, His plan. He still works. He does what is impossible. Genesis 18.14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? God still had His plan and He was about to fulfill it supernaturally.

The consequences of Ishmael/ The fulfillment of the promise of Isaac.

Abraham was discovering God Almighty

2. In Control and Accomplishing His Will in Times of Great Wickedness. vs.16-21

I don't want to minimize the wickedness of our time. God is at work today and He is in control. He is working out His Sovereign will right now. Some have lost sight of that by looking too much at the wickedness.

Sodom and Gommorah were wicked cities- a result of having too much leisure time due to the easiness of the work there.

Today we are facing this problem in America. We are in an intense spiritual battle today. There is the battle of Babylon versus Jerusalem and there is the battle of Jerusalem versus Sodom.
Jerusalem, Salem, as it was called back then= peace
Sodom= burning

We need a contest of power today like Elijah had with Baal in I Kings 18

We need to hear this truth: In a time of great wickedness, God does wonderful things. Issac was conceived while Sodom was facing judgment. Jesus was born in the heyday of the Roman Empire. Great movements of God are birthed in times of great spiritual need. We have hope today because of God Almighty!

3. In Control in the past, present, and future!
From Creation to Revelation
From the In the Beginning to the Amen. The First and the Last.

I loved the way God worked in Joseph's life. This great grandson of Abraham was used by God, but not before some difficult and powerful trials and tests Psalm 105.16-22
v.19 "... till the Word of the LORD proved him true." I love that! God worked in the dreams He gave Joseph and at the proper time God gave proof through His Word in Joseph's life. Present Promises mean future hope.

Joseph's situation appeared totally hopeless. God gave Abraham a promise of a son through Sarah. Then the LORD let time pass- lots of it years, until it became laughable that it would happen. The LORD lets the impossibilities come not to overwhelm us but to show His power and glory and that He is God Almighty. He delights in keeping His promises to the faithful. $100 in my account in Bible College in 1977.

Today El Shaddai, God Almighty, wants to work in your life in wonder filled ways.

Up From The Grave!

John 20.1-31

We associate graves and tombs and cemeteries with looking down. That is grief. That is death's effect on us. That is where our loved ones remains are.

Everyone was downcast that first Easter morning. Death has a tremendous effect on us. The Grief Group discussed this the past month and a half. C.S. Lewis, who wrote The Grief Observed, spoke about this, "There is sort of an invisible blanket between the world and me."

Jesus' death left His followers without hope at first. On the Road to Emmaus- Luke 24.13-24 v.21 we had hoped that He was the One Who was going to redeem Israel. If you have lost hope this morning you have come to the right place! Today your hope can be restored! As they were soon to find out their hopes were not high enough to begin with. He was and is the One Who redeems not only Israel but the world and for eternity! The LORD is able to do immeasurably more- exceeding abundantly over we can ask or imagine!

1. Graves are a place of Grief and Sorrow. v.1a

They were going to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body with spices.

*Costly

*Unnecessary as they were soon to find out.

Jesus spoke of an anointing and was an eternal living memorial (Mark 14.8-9)

Jesus forever changed the way God's people view cemeteries and graves and burials.

We have this hope because Jesus rose from the dead. I Thessalonians 4.13-18

Despair is an emotion you never find at the funeral of a Christian. There is grief but we do not grieve like the rest of men who have no hope.

2. The Empty Tomb brought an array of Emotional Thoughts vs.1b-28

v.2 Mary Magdalene human reasoning said, "They have taken the LORD out of the tomb" Who are they? Certainly not the disciples- they were hiding and fearing for their lives. Not the Jews, they requested a guard be posted. The Romans were the ones who posted the guard and sealed the tomb.

Mary was saying what came to her mind. In emotional times our logic can be wrong. It is difficult to think logically when we are on an emotional roller coaster. Never make a major decision in times of distress.

Then there is Peter and John v.3-9

John believed. Both of them did not understand the Word of God concerning this.

v.10-11 The disciples went back behind closed doors. Mary stayed, wept and got to speak to some angels. If you are going through pain stay put, pour out your heart ton God and see what He does.

v.18 I have seen the LORD- Mary of Magdala- first to see Him- first eyewitness.

Your brother will rise again John 11.23

Fear was a big part of that first Resurrection LORD's Day- v.19

Jesus comes to us in our fears. What are you afraid of today? Jesus will meet you at that point. He is waiting to bring you relief now.

v.19 Now Thomas

I have to see to believe. I need proof or I won't believe.

Doubt can hold us from so many things- one of them is joy. (v.20)

Jesus rose up from the grave.

3. There are blessings in believing. v.29-31

Because you have seen (v.29) There is a blessing- Thomas believed.

The greater blessing is for those who have not seen and yet have believed.

That is you and I. How do we believe?

v.30 We know there is infinitely more to the LORD than we can ever know here.

v.31 We read what is written in God's Word- we have faith.

By believing we have Life in His Name: Eternal Life, Spiritual Life, Abundant Life. The same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead. The Life giving Spirit at work in our lives.

Jesus came up from the grave 2,000 years ago. He is alive! Forever! He conquered death. All of our doubts and fears and failures of faith are swallowed up in His victory today and forever!