WHERE IS IT?
Job 15:23
He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
People everywhere are asking this question today, where is it, most of the time it is in a form of selfishness, concerned with what they can obtain of themselves.
1. WHERE IS THE LIBERTY?
II Corinthians 3:17 says
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty
~Christ foretold of this liberty in Isaiah 42
Isaiah 42:6-8 says
I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
~Aren’t you glad that you know His name, and that he has set us free?
Isaiah 61:1-3 says
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
~You and I are called to this Liberty, it is for us!
Galatians 5:1 says
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:13 says
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
What these two verses are telling us is to stand fast in the New Covenant that God has given to us.
~The old Covenant was of BONDAGE—SIN—DEATH
~The new Covenant is of RIGHTEOUSNESS—FREEDOM—ETERNAL LIFE
~It is in the Spirit that we receive this liberty and no where else, not even Super Wal-Mart has it.
Luke 4:18 says
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
**It is Christ and Christ alone that is able to perform this in our lives
John 8:36 says
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
2. WHERE IS HE?
**People are looking for a Savior in everything but, Christ.
(use any of the following verses you would like to)
Numbers 24:16-17says
16 He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Isaiah 7:14 says
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6-7 says
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah 11:10 says
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Isaiah 25:8-9 says
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Isaiah 53 you can read
Isaiah 55:1-4 says
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
Jeremiah 23:5-6 says
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Zechariah 9:9 says
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
**Any and all of these verses are clear to us all that we know who was to come, and who did come, and who is now here with us.
** The people cried out in the Old Testament,
Where is the Root of David?
Where is God?
Where is the high Priest?
Where is the King?
Where is the Bright and Morning Star?
Where is the Prince of Kings?
Where is the Sweet Rose of Sharon?
Where is the Redeemer?
Where is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah?
**The people of the New Testament cry out,
Where is the bread of Life?
Where is the Chief Shepard?
Where is the Chief Corner Stone?
Where is the Holy One?
Where is the Lamb?
Where is The I am?
Where is the Redeemer?
Where is the Resurrection and the Life?
Where is our Emmanuel?
CLOSING:
Matthew 1:23 says
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
The Question was “where is it?’
I want you to know today, that Jesus Christ is here with us today, we need not look any further then to the Cross of Calvary to find what we need. All we need is in the Cross!
For the Cause
Pastor Jerry Stepp
5/7/06
