You Are Valued!

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CHURCH 911
SERMON 5
WHERE DO I FIT IN?
INTRODUCTION:
EVERYONE HAS A DESIRE TO BE VALUED.
PUAL CAPTURES THIS TRUTH IN HIS WORDS TO THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH HERE IN VERSES 26 THROUGH 31.
BUT HE CAUTIONS THEM NOT TO OVERVALUE THEMSELVES.
HE REMINDS THEM THAT THEIR TRUE VALUE; THEIR SENSE OF WORTH, CANNOT BE BASED ON WORLDLY STANDARDS, BECAUSE IF THIS WERE THE CASE, THEY WOULD NOT BE CHOSEN.
RATHER, THEY ARE TO FIND THEIR VALUE, AND THEIR PURPOSE; THEIR CALLING, IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST, AND IN GOD’S STATED PURPOSE FOR HIS FOLLOWERS.
VERSES 26 THROUGH 31 CALL BELEIVERS TO REFLECT UPON SEVERAL TRUTHS.
HERE’S THE FIRST ONE…
1. CONSIDER YOUR CALLING.
a. FOR CONSIDER YOUR CALLING, BROTHERS: NOT MANY OF YOU WERE WISE ACCORDING TO WORLDLY STANDARDS, NOT MANY WERE POWERFUL, NOT MANY WERE OF NOBLE BIRTH.
b. NOT MANY IN PAUL’S DAY, AND TO BE HONEST, NOT MANY OF US TODAY, CAN LAY CLAIM TO ANYTHING SPECIAL, ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS OF THIS WORLD.
i. FOR THE MOST PART, NONE OF US ARE CATEGORIZED AMONG THE WISE OF THIS WORLD;
ii. NONE OF US WIELD ANY REAL INFLUENCE OVER THE AFFAIRS OF THE WORLD;
iii. AND NONE OF US ARE PEDIGREED, THAT IS WE ARE NOT DESCENDANTS OF NOBILITY OR ROYALTY.
c. STILL YET, GOD CHOSE TO INCLUDE YOU IN EXECUTING HIS PLAN FOR THE REDEMPTION OF MAN.
2. SO, GOD CHOSE YOU IN SPITE OF YOURSELVES.
a. BUT GOD CHOSE WHAT IS FOOLISH IN THE WORLD TO SHAME THE WISE; GOD CHOSE WHAT IS WEAK IN THE WORLD TO SHAME THE STRONG; 28 GOD CHOSE WHAT IS LOW AND DESPISED IN THE WORLD, EVEN THINGS THAT ARE NOT, TO BRING TO NOTHING THINGS THAT ARE,
b. REMEMBER IN VERSE 26, PAUL WRITES THAT NOT MANY BELIEVERS WERE WISE, POWERFUL, OR NOBLE.
c. SO GOD CHOSE THE FOOLISH, THE POWERLESS, AND THE COMMON TO REVEAL TO THE WORLD THE FUTILITY OF WHAT THE WORLD VALUES.
i. HE CHOSE WHAT IS FOOLISH.
1. HE CHOSE WHAT THE WORLD CONSIDERS TO BE FOOLISH TO SHAME THE WISE.
2. THE WORD “FOOLISH” IS A WORD THAT MEANS UNINTELLIGENT, OR DULL-MINDED.
d. THE CULTURE HAS LONG ACCUSED THE CHURCH OF BEING UNINTELLIGENT, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN A LOVING, REDEEMING, CREATOR GOD.
i. THE CULTURE CHOOSES TO PLACE ITS FAITH IN ITSELF.
1. IT HAS LITTLE INTEREST IN DOING GOD’S WILL.
ii. AND THE DANGER IN THAT IS THAT GOD SAYS WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE, HIS WILL, OR OUR OWN WILL.
1. BUT IF WE REJECT HIS WILL, AND CHOOSE OUR OWN WILL, THE PAYMENT FOR THIS CHOICE IS OUR ETERNITY.
iii. HE ALSO CHOSE WHAT IS WEAK.
1. HE CHOSE WHAT THE WORLD CONSIDERS OF LITTLE INFLUENCE TO MAKE A GLOBAL IMPACT FOR CHRIST.
e. IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING A DEEP IMPACT FOR THE LORD AROUND THE WORLD, WE USUALLY THINK OF CELEBRITY SPIRITUAL LEADERS LIKE FRANCIS CHAN, OR FRANKLIN GRAHAM.
f. AND WHILE THESE LEADERS ARE DOING GREAT WORKS, MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING INCREDIBLE THINGS FOR GOD ARE JUST COMMON PEOPLE, WHO’S NAMES WILL NEVER BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT.
1. THOSE OF LITTLE INFLUENCE, ACCORDING TO THE WORLD’S STANDARDS.
g. THEN, PAUL SAYS, HE CHOSE WHAT IS LOW AND DESPISED.
1. HE CHOSE WHAT THE WORLD CONSIDERS TO BE OF NO VALUE TO REVEAL THE TRUE VALUE OF WORLDLY THINGS.
ii. THE CULTURE AROUND US PROVES TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT IT PLACES VERY LITTLE VALUE ON YOU.
1. IF YOU WERE NOT HERE TOMORROW, THE CULTURE WILL CARRY ON AS IF YOU NEVER EXISTED.
iii. AS A MATTER OF FACT, OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES WE HAVE WITNESSED A RAPID DEVALUING OF HUMAN LIFE.
1. AND IN RECENT DAYS, WE HAVE WITNESSED AN ACCELERATION OF THIS DEVALUATION.
iv. BUT GOD VALUES HUMAN LIFE GREATLY, SO MUCH SO THAT HE SENT HIS SON TO TAKE OUR PLACE, TO BECOME A SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS, AND TO MAKE A WAY FOR US TO BE RECONCILED TO HIM.
h. YOU HAD NOTHING TO BRING TO THE TABLE, YET GOD STILL CHOSE YOU.
i. AUGUSTINE – “CHRIST CAUGHT ORATORS BY FISHERMEN, NOT FISHERMEN BY ORATORS.”
i. ALL YOUR PERCEIVED ACHIEVEMENTS ARE WORTHLESS TO GOD, YET STILL HE CHOSE YOU.
3. THEREFORE, BOASTING IN HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT IS FOOLISH.
a. SO THAT NO HUMAN BEING MIGHT BOAST IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
i. GOD WORKS THE WAY HE DOES, CHOOSING THE FOOLISH, WEAK, LOW, AND DESPISED, BECAUSE THE NATURAL TENDENCY OF THE HUMAN HEART IS TO TRY TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THINGS THAT ARE REALLY ENABLED BY GOD.
ii. – 13 COME NOW, YOU WHO SAY, “TODAY OR TOMORROW WE WILL GO INTO SUCH AND SUCH A TOWN AND SPEND A YEAR THERE AND TRADE AND MAKE A PROFIT”— 14 YET YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT TOMORROW WILL BRING. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? FOR YOU ARE A MIST THAT APPEARS FOR A LITTLE TIME AND THEN VANISHES. 15 INSTEAD YOU OUGHT TO SAY, “IF THE LORD WILLS, WE WILL LIVE AND DO THIS OR THAT.” 16 AS IT IS, YOU BOAST IN YOUR ARROGANCE. ALL SUCH BOASTING IS EVIL. 17 SO WHOEVER KNOWS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND FAILS TO DO IT, FOR HIM IT IS SIN.
iii. JAMES REMINDS US THAT BOASTING IN OUR OWN CAPABILITIES IS A SIGN OF ARROGANCE.
iv. SINCE WE DEPEND UPON THE LORD FOR THE VERY BREATH WE BREATHE.
b. SO WHAT ARE WE TO BOAST ABOUT?
4. WE BOAST ABOUT THE GRACE AND MERCY OF GOD.
a. – 30 AND BECAUSE OF HIM YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO BECAME TO US WISDOM FROM GOD, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SANCTIFICATION AND REDEMPTION, 31 SO THAT, AS IT IS WRITTEN, “LET THE ONE WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”
b. IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE SAVED FROM THE PENALTY OF OUR SIN.
c. IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE WISDOM OF GOD, THROUGH THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST.
d. IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT WE ARE RIGHTEOUS BEFORE HIM, BECAUSE IT IS IN HIM THAT WE HAVE BEEN MADE RIGHTEOUS.
e. IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT WE HAVE BEEN SET APART FOR A HOLY PURPOSE.
i. THAT WORD “SANCTIFICATION” IS A WORD THAT MEANS TO BE SET APART FOR HOLY PURPOSES.
1. DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU CAME TO FAITH IN CHRIST, YOU BEGAN THE PROCESS OF BEING SET APART FOR GOD’S HOLY PURPOSE?
2. NOW, THE OVERARCHING HOLY PURPOSE OF GOD IS TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS.
3. BUT IN THAT OVERARCHING PURPOSE, EACH AND EVERY BELIEVER HAS AN ASSIGNMENT AND IS RESPONSIBLE TO GOD TO BE A GOOD STEWARD OF THAT ASSIGNMENT.
ii. GOD SOMETIMES CHANGES THE ASSIGNMENT, BUT HE NEVER LEAVES US WITHOUT AN ASSIGNMENT.
iii. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO DETERMINE, THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT OF OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS, WHAT ASSIGNMENT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
iv. AND THEN, ONCE THAT HAS BEEN DETERMINED, WE ARE TO THROW OURSELVES INTO THAT WORK, FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.
v. IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM, THAT WE HAVE BEEN SET APART FOR A HOLY PURPOSE.
vi. AND IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT WE HAVE BEEN REDEEMED FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN.
vii. I’VE GOT TO TELL YOU, THIS ONE VERSE, VERSE 30, IS PREGNANT WITH SPIRITUAL TRUTH.
viii. PAUL LISTS, IN REVERSE ORDER, THE THINGS WE RECEIVE; THE THINGS WE CAN BOAST ABOUT, AS A RESULT OF OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.
f. WE ARE REDEEMED, WE ARE SANCTIFIED (SET APART FOR GOD’S HOLY PURPOSES), WE ARE MADE RIGHTEOUS, AND WE RECEIVE WISDOM FROM GOD.
i. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE TO BOAST IN!
g. BECAUSE OUR BOASTING IS NOT TO BE IN WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO, BUT IN WHAT GOD IS ABLE TO DO IN AND WITH, AND THROUGH US.
CONCLUSION:
SO HERE’S THE QUESTION FOR YOU TODAY.
IN WHAT DO YOU FIND YOUR VALUE?
REMEMBER, PAUL, WRITING UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, CAUTIONS THE CORINTHIAN BELIEVERS, AND YOU AND I BY VIRTUE OF THE PRESERVATION OF GOD’S WORD, NOT TO OVERVALUE THEMSELVES OR OURSELVES.
HE REMINDS US THAT OUR TRUE VALUE; OUR SENSE OF WORTH, CANNOT BE BASED ON WORLDLY STANDARDS, BECAUSE IF THIS WERE THE CASE, WE WOULD NOT BE CHOSEN.
RATHER, WE ARE TO FIND OUR VALUE, AND OUR PURPOSE; OUR CALLING, IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST, AND IN GOD’S STATED PURPOSE FOR HIS FOLLOWERS.
THE FIRST STEP IN UNDRESTANDING OUR VALUE IN THE EYES OF GOD IS TO RECOGNIZE WHAT HE DID IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST.
GET THE BULLETIN AND READ THROUGH THE PLAN OF SALVATION.
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