Hath, He Quickened You? Series

INTRODUCTION

Outline.

1. Hath, He Quickened You?

Introductory Remarks.

1. In our lesson today, we will discuss the theme: Hath, He Quickened You? The word "quickened" means to be made alive. This quickening occurred when you were dead in your trespasses and sins with Christ. It was then God saved you by His grace. The question before us today is this: “Hath, He made you alive in Christ: having forgiven you all your trespasses and sins?” God did this because of His immeasurable love and grace towards us. God saved us by grace: and forgave us: when we were united with Christ.

2. Many will immediately reject this truth because they believe baptism is not essential to salvation. However, God has placed salvation in Christ. The repentant believer is granted God's grace in baptism "through the faith of the operation of God," Colossians 2:11-13. The God of heaven who had given Christ for our sins; and chosen us in Christ before the world began; “has manifested His word of eternal life through preaching; committed to the holy apostles and prophets: according to the commandment of God, our Savior, Jesus Christ,” Titus 1:1-3.

3. God has placed our cleansing from sins in the water while with Christ Jesus. The lame man waited for the "troubling of the water” after the angel had gotten into the pool. He made every attempt to get in the pool while agitated, to be healed of his affliction. It was only possible if he got into the pool with the angel during the water’s agitation. No bystander would dare say: "there is nothing in the water." For this impotent man, healing was possible in the water. And he had made innumerable attempts, to get into the pool while it was being troubled!

4. God has placed forgiveness of sins and salvation in Christ. Those who willingly get into the water with Him will be cleansed of all their trespasses and sins: “through God’s quickening power, while they are together with Christ.” And, this will be the only time, we the sinners: will ever be with Jesus in our sins! Therefore, until this union with Christ, the sinners will remain in their sins and transgressions. Only through faith and obedience to the gospel of Christ can the sinner be forgiven of sins and be saved: through the faith of the operation of God’s manifold love, mercy, and grace. With this brief introduction, we are now ready to answer this question: "Hath, He Quickened You?"

BODY OF LESSON

I HATH, HE QUICKENED YOU?

A. God’s quickening power. In this lesson, we will be discussing the subject of God's quickening power. This lesson is what I call a "textual sermon." We will draw from the text, the sermon title, its main points, and the conclusion for this lesson. Believers in God will readily identify the actual message and hope in God’s quickening power. I trust you will also engage in this lesson with me as we answer the question: Hath, He quickened you?

1. Jesus said: "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life,” John 6:63. All members of the Godhead (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) hath quickening powers. Observe,

a. The Father. Paul wrote Timothy: “I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession,” 1 Timothy 6:13; Romans 4:17.

b. The Son. Jesus said: "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so, the Son quickeneth whom He will," John 5:21.

c. The Holy Ghost, see John 6:63; Psalms 119:40.

1) Peter wrote: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit,” 1 Peter 3:18. This quickening enabled the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and doth also now save us, 1 Peter 3:20-22.

2) Paul wrote: “But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by His Spirit that dwelleth in you,” Romans 8:11; Romans 8:23; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30.

3) Paul again: “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory,” 1 Timothy 3:16.

d. The word of God. Paul wrote: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing down even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,” Hebrews 4:12; Psalms 119:154. It enlightens us to discern between “good and evil,” Hebrews 5:12-14.