Sermon Central
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God Is Good Series
Contributed by Mark Lennon on Feb 3, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: Series 5. Everything that God gives is good and He gives us that which meets our individual needs regarding strength and victory in the trials and temptations of life.
God is Good!
James 1 16-18
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
This is in contrast to last weeks lesson about how we need to take responsibility for our own actions and sins, and how our sins come from within ourselves and not from God. Everything that God gives is good and He gives us that which meets our individual needs regarding strength and victory in the trials and temptations of life.
Two things in this passage that we need to take a hold of.
1. God is the source of what we need. Hebrews 2:18
18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor (aid) them that are tempted.
2. Heaven is where our help comes from. Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Lets go back to verse 18 of James
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
It was by the will of God and by the word of truth that we are saved (begat: born again). The purpose of salvation is that we should live to the praise of His glory. The firstfruits always represented the best of any field and that was to be given to God first. The firstfruits were reserved for Him alone. That’s what we are. The early church was the firstfruits of the church to come. We should live fruitful lives for God. This pleases God and brings glory to Him that we bear much fruit. This is the proof of our discipleship, as said Jesus in John 15:8,
“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”
Out of all creation God has chosen to save man, and gave Heaven’s best—Jesus.
