"LOOKING AT THE IN CROWD" 1 SAM 16:4-13
INTRODUCTION: THIS PAST WEEK THE “IN” THING TO BE DOING IN AMERICA WAS FOURTH OF JULY, FLAG WAVING, PATRIOTISM! THIS “IN” THING REMINDED ME OF A CONVERSATION I ONCE OVERHEARD EVANGELIST JUNIOR. HILL TALKING TO A PASTOR JUNIOR ASKED "WHO IS SUCH AND SUCH CHURCH TALKING TO ABOUT COMING AS PASTOR?" THE PASTOR REPLIED "THEY ARE STILL TALKING TO THE SONS OF JESSE."
WHAT WAS THIS PASTOR TALKING ABOUT? I HAD TO GO BACK AND REFRESH MY MEMORY IN THE SCRIPTURES. READ DESCRIBE SCENE
SAMUEL SEES THE SONS OF JESSE IN THE ORDER JESSE WANTED THEM TO BE SEEN. THE FIRST WAS ELIAB (V6) THE OLDEST, THE BEST LOOKING, THE ONE THAT JESSE THOUGHT WOULD MAKE THE BEST KING. SAMUEL ASSUMES THIS IS THE ONE. WHY? 1 SAM 9:1-2 ELIAB FIT THE MOLD FOR WHAT SAMUEL THOUGHT THE KING WOULD BE. HE HAD THE "IN" LOOK, BOTH JESSE AND SAMUEL THOUGHT SO. HE LOOKED LIKE WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT A KING SHOULD LOOK LIKE. SAMUEL FELL INTO THE TRAP OF JUDGING THE TRUTH BY WHAT HE SAW AND FELT.
HOWEVER GODS WAYS ARE DIFFERENT. GOD IS NOT INTO THE "IN CROWD." BLESSINGS OF GOD ARE IN BUT GODS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON IS NOT! ILL. ANGELS ARE IN, PSYHICS ARE IN, SPIRIT GUIDES ARE IN, NEW AGE THEORY IS IN, RELIGION IS IN BUT JESUS CHRIST IS NOT A PART OF THE "IN CROWD" TODAY IN AMERICA. WHY IS THIS TRUE? BECAUSE THE WORLD, JUST LIKE JESSE AND SAMUEL, JUDGES A PERSON BY WHAT IS SEEN ON THE OUTSIDE.
ILL. PRETTY WOMEN - HANDSOME MEN - ON COMMERCIALS, NEVER SEE A REGULAR PERSON
BUT GOD JUDGES PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY. V7 GOD JUDGES A PERSON BY HIS HEART AND WHERE THAT HEART STANDS WITH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.
SATAN WANTS EACH OF US TO BE A PART OF THE IN CROWD. DEVIL WANTS YOU SO "IN" THAT YOU MISS "OUT" ON WHAT GOD IS DOING ALL AROUND YOU.
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT THE ONLY REAL "IN CROWD" IN THE WORLD TODAY IS A CHRISTIAN WHO IS LIVING FOR CHRIST. YOU DON’T THINK OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AS BEING IN? LET ME SHOW YOU SOME "IN" THINGS...
A CHRISTIAN HAS...
I. INFINITE - WHAT GODS LOVE FOR US IS
ROMANS 8:38-39
FOR I AM CONVINCED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NEITHER ANGELS NOR DEMONS, NEITHER THE PRESENT NOR THE FUTURE, NOR ANY POWERS, NEITHER HEIGHT NOR DEPTH,NOR ANYTHING ELSE IN ALL CREATION, WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.
II. INCORRUPTIBLE - WHAT WE ARE IN CHRIST
1COR.15:42-44 & 54-55
SO WILL IT BE WITH THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. THE BODY THAT IS SOWN IS PERISHABLE, IT IS RAISED IMPERISHABLE; IT IS SOWN IN DISHONOR, IT IS RAISED IN GLORY; IT IS SOWN IN WEAKNESS, IT IS RAISED IN POWER; IT IS SOWN A NATURAL BODY, IT IS RAISED A SPIRITUAL BODY. IF THERE IS A NATURAL BODY, THERE IS ALSO A SPIRITUAL BODY. 54 WHEN THE PERISHABLE HAS BEEN CLOTHED WITH THE IMPERISHABLE, AND THE MORTAL WITH IMMORTALITY, THEN THE SAYING THAT IS WRITTEN WILL COME TRUE: "DEATH HAS BEEN SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR VICTORY? WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR STING?"
III. INADMISSABLE - WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR SIN
1 JOHN 1:9 & 2:1
IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST AND WILL FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND PURIFY US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. 2:1 MY DEAR CHILDREN, I WRITE THIS TO YOU SO THAT YOU WILL NOT SIN. BUT IF ANYBODY DOES SIN, WE HAVE ONE WHO SPEAKS TO THE FATHER IN OUR DEFENSE--JESUS CHRIST, THE RIGHTEOUS ONE.
IV. INNOCENT - WHAT WE ARE AT JUDGEMENT
COL. 1:21-22
ONCE YOU WERE ALIENATED FROM GOD AND WERE ENEMIES IN YOUR MINDS BECAUSE OF YOUR EVIL BEHAVIOR. BUT NOW HE HAS RECONCILED YOU BY CHRIST’S PHYSICAL BODY THROUGH DEATH TO PRESENT YOU HOLY IN HIS SIGHT, WITHOUT BLEMISH AND FREE FROM ACCUSATION--
V. INHERITANCE - WHAT WE HAVE IN CHRIST ROMANS 8:16-17
THE SPIRIT HIMSELF TESTIFIES WITH OUR SPIRIT THAT WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN. NOW IF WE ARE CHILDREN, THEN WE ARE HEIRS--HEIRS OF GOD AND CO-HEIRS WITH CHRIST, IF INDEED WE SHARE IN HIS SUFFERINGS IN ORDER THAT WE MAY ALSO SHARE IN HIS GLORY.
VI. INQUIRE - WHAT WE CAN DO TO GOD
ROMANS 10:13 & MT.7:7-8
"EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." MT 7:7-8 "ASK AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU; SEEK AND YOU WILL FIND; KNOCK AND THE DOOR WILL BE OPENED TO YOU. FOR EVERYONE WHO ASKS RECEIVES; HE WHO SEEKS FINDS; AND TO HIM WHO KNOCKS, THE DOOR WILL BE OPENED.
VII. INSPIRATION - WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US
2 TIM 3:16
ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING AND TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS,
VIII. INSTRUMENT - WHAT GOD CAN DO THROUGH US
JN 10:10 & GAL 5:22
THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY; I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT TO THE FULL. BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL. AGAINST SUCH THINGS THERE IS NO LAW.
REVIEW TOGETHER
THE "IN CROWD" THAT YOU NEED TO BE A PART OF IS THE CROWD THAT IS "IN CHRIST!"
PRAYER
INVITATION:
LISTEN TO THIS INVITATION THAT JESUS GIVES TO YOU THIS AM.
REV 22:17
1. "SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY COME" CHURCH SAYS
COME JESUS
2. "LET HIM WHO THIRST COME, WHOEVER DESIRES LET
HIM TAKE OF THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY."
DO YOU HAVE A SPIRITUAL THIRST THIS AM? EMPTY PLACE IN YOUR LIFE?
LOST - TAKE OF THE WATER OF LIFE, JESUS - PRAY
HURTING, STRUGGLING - "WHOEVER" MEANS YOU. COME AND GIVE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD AND DRINK AFRESH OF HIS LOVE.
