God Promised - So I'll Say Amen
God Promised – So I’ll Say Amen
2 Corinthians 1:20
Introduction
Do you remember when your child grew up and wanted his or her first car? They thought that they were old enough to drive. Maybe they were mature enough for that. Driving a car carried a lot of responsibility. So they began to dream of the car that they were going to purchase.
Then came the realities of life. Without cash they would have to borrow the money. However, there was one problem. They weren’t credit worthy, yet. In other words, nobody wanted to loan them money.
So, as a loving parent you agreed to cosign the loan. That meant that you placed your promise with the promise of your child that the payments would be made. If your child missed a payment, you promised to make it for him.
Have you ever made excuses for God? He didn’t do what He promised. So to save face, you had to explain to other people why God did not keep His promise.
You thought that God promised in His word that you would be healed. You weren’t. Now you have to explain why you weren’t.
You thought that God promised to take care of His own. Yet, you may have experienced the devastation and humiliation of bankruptcy. Now you have to explain why God’s promise failed you.
What you are doing at that point is cosigning God’s note.
Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:20 that God made a lot of promises.
He, then, tells us that every one of them is “Yes” in Christ.
What that means is that not one of them will fail. Christ died that God’s promises would be 100% paid in full.
What are some of these promises that God made? Let’s look at three.
- John 3:16 – Promise of Everlasting Life
“I, God, promise that if you will believe in my Son for salvation, I will give you everlasting life.”
Why did God make such an expensive promise – i.e. the suffering and death of His Son? -- Because He loved you so much.
How credit worthy is God? In other words, can He be trusted to pay this debt? Will He fulfill His promise to you?
Revelation 7:9,10 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
John was taken into heaven to be an eye witness to us that people really were given eternal life. He saw it and he told you it’s true. John 3:16 is true.
Application Have you accepted His promise in your life? You are closer to eternity than I am. Your time is more limited. Accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior right now. Pray this, “Dear Jesus. Save me right now. I want to go to heaven when I die. Forgive me of my sins. I accept God’s promise into my life today. Thank you, Jesus. I love you. Amen.”
- Philippians 4:6,7 – Promise of Peace
“I, God, promise that if you will choose to not be anxious, but rather, with thanksgiving, commit your prayer requests to me, I will give you peace that far exceeds any understanding that anybody could ever have.”
Much of mental illness, today lies in the fact that we have no peace. We worry whether there will be enough money for retirement. How will we survive on social security benefits alone?
According to “Peace of Mind” and organization in Canada:
Over the course of a lifetime, 17% of people will experience depression, and 12% of people will experience chronic anxiety disorder.
They go on to assert that both are treatable. One way is to use medication, if it has been determined that there is a chemical imbalance in the brain. If there is no imbalance they will use a treatment called “Talk Therapy”.
In other words, people just need someone to listen and to provide positive feedback.
Paul tells us in Philippians that to avoid anxiety requires two steps:
· Choose to not be anxious. That is not easy. However, you can set your mind at ease by telling yourself that God is going to take the responsibility off your shoulders right now. Relax. Thank Jesus for being such a wonderful LORD.
· Pray. He says that we should pray with thanksgiving. What are we to be thankful about? First, that God is listening. That He cares. Second, that He wants to answer our prayer.
The result is peace. The kind that passes all understanding.
Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will fend rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Galatians 5:22 For the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace…
Application God wants to give you peace. Do you need peace right now? Tell God what is troubling you. He will listen and care. “Dear Jesus. I commit my troubles to you right now. I choose to not be anxious. I need your peace that passes all understanding. In response to your invitation I am coming to receive your yoke. I certainly cannot carry mine. I need rest. Thank you for caring. Amen.”
- Lamentations 3:18-25 Promise of Faithfulness
Is There Anyone Else Up There?
A man named Jack was walking along a steep cliff one day when he accidentally got too close to the edge and fell. On the way down he grabbed a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down and to his horror saw that the canyon fell straight down for more than a thousand feet. He couldn't hang onto the branch forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff.
So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him and lower a rope or something. "HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? "HELP!" He yelled for a long time, but no one heard him. He was about to give up when he heard a voice.
"Jack, Jack. Can you hear me?"
"Yes, yes! I can hear you. I'm down here!"
"I can see you, Jack. Are you all right?"
"Yes, but who are you, and where are you?
"I am the Lord, Jack. I'm everywhere."
"The Lord? You mean, GOD?"
"That's Me."
"God, please help me! I promise if, you'll get me down from here, I'll stop sinning. I'll be a really good person. I'll serve You for the rest of my life."
"Easy on the promises, Jack. Let's get you off from there, then we can talk."
"Now, here's what I want you to do. Listen carefully."
"I'll do anything, Lord. Just tell me what to do."
"Okay. Let go of the branch."
"What?"
"I said, let go of the branch." Just trust Me. Let go."
There was a long silence.
Finally Jack yelled, "HELP! HELP! IS ANYONE ELSE UP THERE?"
Source unknown.
We sometimes have a hard time believing in God’s faithfulness. I’m here to tell you that He is completely faithful. You can trust Him with every area of your life.
Listen to the words of the great song Great is Thy Faithfulness.
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
Refrain
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Refrain
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
The song was written by Thomas Chisholm in 1923. According to his testimony, he did not write this song based upon some event. Rather he was considering the goodness of God.
When William Runyan took on the task of writing the music for this poem, he prayed that God would give him a melody to do the words justice.
Conclusion
Back to our text. Paul said that every promise God made will be kept. They are “Yes” in Christ. What does that mean? It means when I ask, “Are you really going to keep this promise?” He answers, “Yes, in Christ.” Only through the sacrificial offering that Jesus made on the cross are any of God’s promises available to us.
· Promise of Eternal Life – That’s heaven.
· Promise of Peace – That’s earth.
· Promise of Faithfulness – That’s God
Our response then is, “Amen”