Full And Overflowing

Full and Overflowing

Romans 15:8-13

http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/121107pm.mp3

There once were two villages in the Allegheny Mountains. Each village had its own water supply. One had a small trickling stream, which in summer was reduced to nearly nothing. Those villagers barely had enough to get by. The other village had in the center a natural fountain, fed by an underground stream. It was always full and overflowing, regardless of the weather.

John 10:10

... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

There are two villages in life, which do you live in? Every Christian has life, but is it just a trickle, or is it full and overflowing? Is your joy like a trickling stream, or is it joy like a fountain?

In your OT, when Israel left slavery in Egypt, they headed for the promised land of abundance. It was 11 days away. But when they saw from a distance the giants there, they turned around and chose to live life in the barren wilderness. It would take 40 years to get there? Why? Did Moses refuse to stop and get directions? No, it was unbelief, and settling for less in life. Yes, God gave them manna, but the land of milk and honey w/ grapes the size of basketballs was also on the menu, if they wouldn't have settled for scraps.

1. What Jesus did FOR us. = life

2. What Jesus does IN us. = abundant life

What did Jesus do for us?

a. Promises to the Jews

v. 8

'circumcision' = the Jews

'fathers' = Jewish patriarchs

Some 333 specific prophecies in the OT have been fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. Big details like the place and circumstances of His birth, how He would teach, when He would enter the temple, and how He would die, to little details of no eternal significance. What are the odds? Peter Stoner, a Christian mathematician, said the odds of just 8 prophecies being fulfilled in one person would be 1:10[to the 28th]. That's a 1 w/ 28 zeroes. That's the entire state of Texas being covered knee high in silver dollars, and one of them has a mark on it. Blind fold a man and give him one chance to find it.

v. 8b 'He came to confirm the promises'

Don't ever let anyone make fun of you for believing in Jesus! The most logical and intellectual conclusion you can ever reach is that Jesus is God!

Jesus came to the Jew first, because He chose to use them not as a bucket to fill, but as a pipe to flow thru for the benefit of all the others.

a. Promises to the Jews

b. Prophecies to the Gentiles

v. 9a 'that the Gentiles might also be saved!'

Next, Paul reveals from the OT that the salvation of the Gentiles wasn't an afterthought w/ God, but part of His plan all along.

Rapid Fire Quotes:

v. 9b A quote of Psalm 18:49

v. 10 Deut. 32:43

v. 11 Psalm 117:1

v. 12 Isaiah 11:10

Notice that these quotes are from the law, the psalms, and the prophets. All 3 witnesses establish this.

He came. He came for us all. Why? That we might have life! Ye must be born again.

v. 13 Now we see life more abundant! Abounding life.

Christ did something FOR us in giving us life. Next, He wants to do something IN us so that life will be abundant.

What does Jesus want to do in us?

v. 13 speaks of joy and peace and hope...abounding...full and overflowing...not like a trickling stream, but like a fountain bursting forth!

1. The Source of abundant life.

v. 13 The God of hope! There is no other source. No bottle. No pill. No President. No other person. Money doesn't do it. God has a monopoly on the abundant life, and you're not gonna outsmart Him and find another way around to it.

ill.--Arnold Palmer spoke to the National Association of Blind Golfers. A bell is rung at the pin and they golf toward it. Their leader challenged him to play their best blind golfer for $10,000 to the charity of their choice. It didn't seem fair, but he agreed. "When is tee time?" They replied, "10 PM!"

You can't beat a man at his own game.

God is the expert at the game of life which He originated. He created physical life, spiritual life, and the abundant life!

2. The Scope of the abundant life.

v. 13 Joy, Peace, and Hope

The world is spending a fortune trying to attain these three.

Joy doesn't come from people, possessions, or places. That is looking for joy in all the wrong places.

Peace--there's 2 kinds: peace OF God and peace WITH God. And you cannot experience the peace of God until you make peace with God. There is a state of hostility between man's sinfulness and God's holiness. Theologically, we are God's enemies before we are saved.