“Four Things to Remember”
April 26, 2020
1 Peter 1:2-13
“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body”
When a pastor retires it seems like one of those things that are a long time coming – and then happens too quickly. But the time is here and this is my last official sermon as a pastor. I expect I will preach many times in the future but it will be as a guest speaker and not as your pastor.
It’s been a long time coming. The pastorate is a heavy burden. Carrying the weight of each member’s burdens is heavy and truly impossible without the Lord’s help. Maintaining the physical plant, handling the financial load, dealing with all the red tape that goes along with it is burdensome, to say the least. My physical situation has limited me so much that it has limited my effectiveness as a pastor – so I have concluded it is time to turn the reins over to a younger and stronger man. Actually, that’s not entirely true. I actually told the Lord last year something like this. “Lord, I don’t know when to quit. I am yours and I will continue on as long as you give me strength. I can’t do much - but I can be faithful. I will continue on until I know it is your will.”
And I put out a fleece. God answered it in a most spectacular manner and I knew it was time – as I clearly knew He called me to preach it 1971 and gave me the grace to pastor since 1975 – I knew He was relieving me of the call to pastor- NOT the call to serve, I might add. I will do that ‘til the day I die.
So – knowing this is my last official sermon, I asked God to lead me in what to share – and here’s what we came up with. There are five things I want to remind you of about God; five things I have experienced and am certain about God. I guess I ought to say that I agree with the guy who said, “I know two things for sure. There is a God – and I am not Him!” I know there is a God and I assume you do, too. I am not going to argue for His existence. I take it for granted that you believe, too. So here’s five things I have discovered about God.
First of all, 1. God is love. You’re probably thinking, “Pssss! We all know that!” We have all been taught that since we were little kids. In Sunday school we sang, “Jesus love me, this I know” and “Jesus loves the little children – all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, there are precious in His sight”. We memorized John 3:16.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us…!” 1 John 3:1
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them”
1 John 4:8, 16
The Bible is full of declarations that God is love. Many people read it, memorize it and even preach it – but until you experience it personally it is just empty words; empty theology. I can remember clearly the day that Jesus came to me and told me He loved me. From that moment on I knew I was loved. Sometimes I didn’t feel like it. I needed to read it in His Word again and again. But deep down I had experienced that epiphany moment when I experienced the love of God. And I know this for sure and want you to, too – God is love.
Another thing I want you to know about God is that 2. God is holy. You have heard it. You have read it in Scriptures like these,
“I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.” Leviticus 11:44-45
“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16
A lot of people believe God is holy – but they don’t have to be. Why? Because our holiness is in Jesus. While it is true that holiness comes only through the power of Jesus – we have a part in it, too. Otherwise why would God tell us to be holy. He could have just said that we are made holy. But He didn’t. It’s an imperative. It’s a command. In the New Testament it tells us to be holy in all we do. It says to not conform to evil desires. We still have them, but through the grace of Jesus, we don’t have to submit to them. We can live holy lives – as we are instructed to. Why? Because God is a holy God. The Bible says,
“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” Hebrews 10:26-27
God is a holy God and has provided a way we can be holy. It is provided through the blood of Jesus. It is available - but we need to do our part. What is that? Sanctification – entire sanctification. That is giving our all – body, soul and spirit completely to God. That is the only way we can be made holy.
Here’s a third thing I learned about God. 3. God is faithful. Again – we read it – but it is so hard to believe. Listen.
“God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear…”
1 Corinthians 10:13
“The Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”
2 Thessalonians 3:3
“without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23
“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.” Deuteronomy 7:9
We know without faith we can’t please God. We can’t even be saved without faith. Faith is built on the promises of God (hope) and we believe, trust and act – which is faith. Likewise God is faithful to us. When we live in love and obedience with Him – He puts His trust in us; He believes in us; and He acts on our behalf fulfilling the promises He made to us.
This pandemic with the Coronavirus has been an interesting exercise in faith to me. When we first heard about it, I claimed Psalm 91 personally. God promises that we don’t have to fear the pestilence that stalks the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at noonday. God says that a thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand – but it will not come near you. I believed that – and God has been faithful. God is always faithful. If we put our faith in Him He will be faithful to His promises. Remember – faith is preceded by revelation. Whether it is the Holy Spirit’s still small voice or the witness of the Word – when we receive a revelation from God then we can act in faith and God will be faithful.
The fourth thing I have learned about God is that 4. God is just. That is why there is a judgment Day coming. God will mete out His justice. Nobody is getting away with anything. That terrifies some people. It should. They have a lot to answer for. For the Christian, though, it should inspire joy and hope. Jesus said,
“Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.” Mark 9:41
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Hebrews 6:10
Do you understand that every good thing you do will be rewarded? People may not notice. You may be unappreciated all your life. Work, home, family may not see; they may ignore or be ignorant of the things you do. But God sees! God cares! You work is not invain. Keep up the good work. It will be richly rewarded.
“Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
One last thing I want to remind you about God. 5. God is good! The Psalmist says, “Taste and see that the LORD is good…” Psalm 34:8
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Psalm 107:1
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17
“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life”
Psalm 23:6
God has been so good to me. I have been through some rough times and trials. I was born in poverty and experienced physical, emotional and just about every other kind of pain and battle there is. But I relate to Paul. He said,
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12
God has intervened physically for me time and again. I feel blessed to be reasonably healthy. I am able to walk and talk and do the things I love with the people I love. Every day I realize - and I tell God - that I am blessed. He has been so good to me. Never forget that God is good. Never doubt that God is good and will work everything that happens to you in life for good – if you let Him.
I want to conclude with Paul’s words to Timothy in his second letter. He said,
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
2 Timothy 4:7
I think I have fought a pretty good fight. I know I have kept the faith. My race isn’t over yet – just this part of it. But I feel like I have been successful – because to me success is not in numbers or wealth or prestige. Success is being in the center of God’s will and that is where I always want to be. Success is being in God’s love and surrounded by family and friends who l love and who love me. Thank you for being a part of my life and journey.
