CBC THE RULES HAVE NOT CHANGED
KVT
1/17/08 *ADAPTED FROM A SERMON BY REV. SHERMAN HARPER
TEXT:
MALACHI 3:6 : I AM THE LORD AND I CHANGE NOT
HEBREWS 13:8: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
INTRODUCTION: ISN’T IT STRANGE IN THIS WORLD TODAY HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO CHANGE THE RULES OF LIFE. THE WORLD AROUND US SEEMS TO CHANGE CONSTANTLY. SOME GOOD, BUT MOSTLY BAD.
1. I READ IN THE ALABAMA BAPTIST ABOUT TWO YOUNG MEN ARRESTED FOR ARSON AND VANDALISM OF A CHURCH.
THEY HAD PAINTED THE WALLS WITH SATANIC SLOGANS AND SUGGESTIONS OF DEVIL WORSHIP. WHEN ARRESTED THEY FIRMLY ACCLAIMED TO BE SATAN WORSHIPPERS.
2. DID YOU EVER THINK YOU WOULD SEE SUCH AN OCCURRENCE IN YOUR LIFETIME.? (OPEN ALLEGIANCE TO SATAN, BURNING CHURCHES ETC.
3. MUCH OF TODAY’S SOCIETY WOULD CHANGE ALL OF THE “RULES” OF RELIGIOUS AMERICA.
4. GOD’S WORD IS UNCHANGEABLE. HIS RULES ARE UNCHANGEABLE. TO HAVE THE BENEFITS OF HIS GRACE AND GLORY, WE MUST OBEY HIS WORD.
5. UNTIL ALL THINGS ARE FULFILLED, AND GOD CALLS HIS CHURCH HOME, THE WORD OF GOD ASSURES US OF SOME NEVER CHANGING PROMISES.
I. THE SAVIOR WILL NEVER CHANGE.
(A) HE WILL NEVER CHANGE HIS MORALS.
ROMANS 12: 2>>BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD BUT BE TRANSFORMED .
1. ONLY THE WORD OF GOD (RULE BOOK) WILL TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE.
2. THE MODERN DAY PHILOSOPHY OF “DO WHAT YOU WANT, GO WHERE YOU WANT, WEAR WHAT YOU WANT,(for some that has gotten to be very little)
3. THIS MODERN DAY SOCIETY HAS MADE IT EASY TO COMMIT SIN AND MAKE IT LOOK ACCEPTABLE.
“JUNKIES” AND “DRUNKIES” ARE NOW CLASSIFIED AS “CHEMICAL DEPENDENT” (they were once called dope addicts and drunks)*
MORALLY WRONG IS NOW POLITICALLY CORRECT.
PREACHERS WHO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD IN ALL OF IT’S POWER AND PURITY ARE NOW CALLED “MEDDLESOME, HATE MONGERS AND MEAN SPIRITED PEOPLE.
THE RULES OF THE WORLD HAVE CHANGED, BUT GOD’S RULES (WORD) STILL STANDS AND FOREVER WILL.
4. MANY CARE NOTHING FOR WHAT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS ABOUT SELF- RESPECT AND MORAL DISCIPLINE. 2 COR. 6:17:
"Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord. Touch not unclean things,
and I will receive you."
5. THE WORLD TODAY IS LOOKING FOR A “RELIGION” THAT WILL FIT THEIR LIFESTYLE. HEREIN LIES THE DIFFERENCE OF RELIGION AND SALVATION.
5. RELIGION IS MAN REACHING UP TO GOD, SALVATION IS GOD REACHING DOWN AND TOUCHING MAN’S LIFE AND CREATING A NEW LIFE WITHIN THAT PERSON**2 Cor 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ , he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
(B) HE WILL NEVER CHANGE HIS MESSAGE JOHN 3: 6, 7:
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
2 Peter 3:9:
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish , but that all should come to repentance.
1. REPENTANCE IS WHAT GOD REQUIRES.
John 1:29:
Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
2. NOTICE THE WORD IS SIN (NOT SINS) IT IS THE SIN OF UNBELIEF THAT GOD TAKES AWAY AND ENABLES US TO BECOME A CHILD OF GOD.(JOHN 3:18)
( C) HE WILL NEVER CHANGE HIS MISSION.
HE CAME INTO THIS WORLD TO BE OUR SACRIFICIAL SAVIOR
Rev 13:8-9:
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
If any man have an ear, let him hear.
1. IT IS A MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE AND ACCEPTANCE.
2. REPENTING OF SIN AND ACCEPTING THE PLAN OF SALVATION
Rom 10:9-10:
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
II. THE SCRIPTURE WILL NEVER CHANGE. PS. 118:95
GOD SAID HIS WORD IS FOREVER SETTLED IN HEAVEN.
(A) IN HEAVEN WHERE IT ALL COUNTS.
1. MAN MAY TRY TO CHANGE AND DISTORT THE WORD OF GOD BUT GOD SAID IT IS FOREVER SETTLED.
(B) THE AUTHOR WILL NEVER CHANGE.
(C ) THE AUTHORITY WILL NEVER CHANGE
III. THE LOVE OF GOD WILL NEVER CHANGE
Rom 5:8-10:
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
(A) GOD STILL LOVES SINNERS, EVEN THOUGH HE HATES SIN.
(B) GOD STILL LOVES THE BACKSLIDER (EVEN THOUGH HE DOESN’T HEAR MUCH FROM HIM)
( C) GOD LOVES HIS CHILDREN (HE LOVES TO HAVE THEM IN THE HOUSE OF GOD AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THEM)
(D) IMAGINE A FATHER SITTING HOME EVERY DAY AND NEVER HAVING HIS CHILDREN VISIT WITH HIM. (VERY SAD)
IV. SIN WILL NEVER CHANGE.
SATAN STILL USES THE SAME TACTICS AS HE DID IN GENESIS CHAPTER 3.
1. LUST OF THE FLESH
2. LUST OF THE EYES
3. PRIDE OF LIFE.
(A) DEADLY WAGES OF SIN REMAIN THE SAME. Rom 6:23-
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(B) DECEPTION OF SATAN REMAINS THE SAME.
1. LIFE MAY CHANGE, LIFESTYLES MAY CHANGE, HABITS MAY CHANGE, BUT SATAN CONTINUES TO USE THE SAME DECEPTIVE MEASURES AS ALWAYS.
2. CAMOUFLAGE THE “BAIT” TO THROW YOU OFF TRACK.
MAKE IT LOOK ACCEPTABLE IN THE EYES OF SOCIETY, YOU BETTER CHECK FIRST WITH THE WORD OF GOD, ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE YOUR DECISIONS.
( C) DOMINION OF SIN REMAINS THE SAME.
SORROW AND SADNESS ARE THE MARKS OF SIN’S BONDAGE
LIKE A SPIDER WEBB, ENTANGLING HIS PRISONER IN BONDAGE.
V. SALVATION OF THE LORD WILL NEVER CHANGE
(A) YOU HEAR THE GOSPEL, THE FINISHED WORK OF THE CROSS OF CALVARY. ROMANS 10: 17: FAITH COMES BY HEARING, HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.
(B) YOU BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD.
1. THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS TO YOUR HEART, CONVICTS YOU OF YOUR SIN, CONVINCES YOU THAT YOU ARE LOST AND ON YOUR WAY TO HELL.
2. THE HOLY SPIRIT THEN BREAKS YOUR SINFUL PRIDE AND CONVINCES YOU OF YOUR NEED FOR SALVATION
3. YOU CONFESS THAT YOU ARE A HELL-BOUND SINNER, LOST WITHOUT CHRIST, REPENT OF YOUR SIN, RECEIVE CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND CONFESS HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR.
CONCLUSION: YOU CAN CHANGE ALL THE RULES YOU DESIRE, BUT ONE DAY YOU WILL STAND BEFORE GOD, AND THE ONLY RULE THAT WILL COUNT IS FOUND IN HIS WORD. “YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN.
