Sermon Tone Analysis

Believe

Welcome to week 28 of our Believe Series as we unpack what it means to live out the story of the Bible to become like Jesus.

Think, Act, Be

This is a 30 week journey taking us through what it means to Think, Act, and Be like Jesus.

It has often been said that actions speak louder than words.

For believers in Christ this means our actions need to match our words, what we do needs to match what we say we believe.

Faithfulness

Faithfullness is ....

Loyalty

God Is Faithful

God is Faithful to His Person

Now when we say God is faithful to his person we are referring to God being faithful, loyal, consistant with WHO He is, His character.

In other words as Num 23:19 says

In other words the very character of God is such that by his nature he tells the truth and doesn't lie.

Character has to do with what something is like.

A piece of wood has a different character than a piece of steel.

A spider has different characteristics and thus a different character than a tiger.

What you expect of a spider is NOT what you expect of a tiger.

And so what you expect of God is based on his character or your understanding of His character.

What we see in Scripture is that God never deviates from his character.

While you and I sometimes do - as children of God for instance we are not supposed to sin any longer, but we do - everytime we deviate/stray from God's character.

This never happens with God, however, which is why he is so trustworthy.

There are no cracks, gaps, fakes or posing in WHO he is.

God is Faithful to His Purpose

Purpose has to do with WHAT God is all about.

What He wants done in the world.

Why he created it, etc.

God has a plan for his creation which he will certainly accomplish.

It is carried out through the control of circumstances and his choice and use of people, and above all in the life, death, resurrection and second coming of Jesus Christ.

Manser, Martin H. Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies.

London: Martin Manser, 2009.

Print.

So what is God's purpose?

Habakkuk sums it up nicely for us!

All through the Bible you see this idea talked about.

God desires everyone, everywhere to KNOW Him, not just to know about him but to KNOW Him - to be saved, be a believer, be a child of God, be adopted into His family.

Not only does he desire you to know Him but He desires you to be made alive.

All through Scripture, since Adam and Eve sinned we also see that God is busy bringing new life, restoration, wholeness and more to His creation.

Romans 8 tells us the whole earth is broken and groaing and to be back together like Humpty Dumpty that fell off the wall.

Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel all repeatedly talk about God's plan to renew ALL things - look what Rev 21.5 says

Ezekiel further provides a record of an awesome visionary experiene the prophet Ezekiel had showing had God would take a dead and destroyed people and renew them - even bringing them back to life!

Video: Dry Bones (1:50)

But HOW will God do this?

God is Faithful to His Plan

God's Plan has to do with HOW he carries out or accomplishes His Purpose.

Believe Video 28: Faithfulness (3:00)

Cf. further the demons who know who Jesus is but don't know His plans nor time-table.

But WHO will God use to do this?

God calls out people.

He chooses people like Abraham and David.

But He's also looking for people who are willing to be fully committed (read that as faithful and loyal) to Him.

People who refuse to align themselves with God, to be faithful, loyal to Him, His Person, Purpose, Plan - are foolish.

But some people, the few (like the Marines, but better) the few, the faithful - are not foolish, rather they not only obey God but willingly volunteer to help him.

God sends people, HIS people to partner with Him in His plan to fulfill His purposes on earth!

God is Faithful to His People

God's People has to do with WHO He involves in His plans to accomplish his purposes.

This is the relational aspect of God shining through.

God's faithfulness, his hesed, to his people is famous.

Even Rahab when she heard the Israelites were coming said

Rahab had heard what God had done more than 40 years ago - remember after God freed his people from Egypt they were not faithful to him so they wandered for 40 years in the wilderness while the rebellious people died and then God continued his plan to bring them to the promised land.

See God didn't change his purpose or his plan, but the people who did't want to follow his plan got destroyed in the process - while he continued to show love to those who were faithful to him.

Thus I say

"God's coming through with or without you so get on board or get destroyed!"

Fast forward to the time of Jesus and we get to Simeon and Anna - two older saints in the Bible.

Remember Simeon and Anna - we talked about them a few weeks ago.

God had promised Simeon that he would see the Messiah before he died and on that special day God had him working in the temple when Mary and Joseph walked in with Jesus.

We've seen what God does.

How He is faithful/loyal to his Person/Character, His Purpose, His Plan and His People.

Now what about YOU? Are you faithful?

Will you be faithful?

You Be Faithful

Be Faithful to God's Person

Be faithful to WHO God is, His Character.

When you stay close to God, His Spirit will make you more like Himself.

Your person will begin to look more like His.

But there's both God's work (which he promises to complete

and then there's your work - to listen and obey - that's your choice.

And when you refuse you suffer and other people suffer too.

So first things first, be WITH God to become LIKE God and then you can begin working on ...

Be Faithful to God's Purpose

Be Faithful to WHAT God is doing and trying to accomplish in the world.

So many people want God to just bless what they're doing but God has his own plans - we need to get on board with what he's doing - that's already being blessed.

This is not a halfway commitment.

This is complete faithfulness, complete loyalty to God and His purpose.

Rememer, his purpose is to renew, remake all things and reconcile people to himself.

How is he doing that and how are you supposed to get involved with that?

Be Faithful to God's Plan

Be Faithful to HOW God is accomplishing His purpose in the world.

Since it is God's Purposes that we are considered with and His purposes will not be stopped it is important that we be on God's side.

We don't ask God to get on our side - that's why debates and arguments about which sports team God prefers are dumb - if you have believers on both teams how can both sides be praying to win and God answer both positively?

We miss the point.

God's plan is about promoting His purpose and maybe that means you need to lose the game for same reason - now this doesn't excuse any laziness, etc.

I'm just saying we're missing the point when we have all these Christian teams praying to win.

God's plan is not a sports team - it's a church team!

So let's get serious about the church team he has given us and let's get serious about being a team, a family with one goal - of accomplishing God's purpose.

That's why our tagline at KCC is Fulfilling God's Purpose by Living God's Plan in God's Power.

The plan is for you to make disciples, to help people to become followers of King Jesus.

Why?

Because that's the only way they truly live.

Remember the dry bones of Ezekiel?