Isn’t He Wonderful?
1. Yes He is but you have not and can not come to that realization on your own. The Devine Promise of God has had to or will have to reveal that to you or you will never know it.
2. My how we need the Holy Spirit amongst us today to teach us how wonderful Jesus really is. Friend, He isn’t just wonderful because of what He does. He is wonderful simply because of who He is.
(1 Pet 2:7 KJV) Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
A. Believe what? The revelation of the Holy Spirit of who Jesus really is.
1. He is not just the healer of my body He is the lover of my soul.
Text: (Gen 24:2-9 KJV) And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: {3} And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: {4} But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. {5} And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? {6} And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. {7} The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence. {8} And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again. {9} And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.
1. I invite you take a little trip with me. A trip back in time to one of the most beautiful examples one could ever find to give us a picture of the Holy Spirit’s work in our day.
2. Abraham the father wished to find the perfect bride for his son. Not just any old bride would do. No, not for his son. This bride had to be perfect; the best. Trust me, the father did not have an ordinary bride in mind.
3. He didn’t trust this job to just anyone off the street.
Elezier was the oldest, most trusted servant not just someone off the street. Can you picture Abraham saying "this is no big deal, and besides, I need Eliezer here so I will send someone I don’t need to pick out someone for Isaac.
A. For one thing, he was sending very important gifts that had to be protected. These gifts were a reflection of the one sending them.
B. Eliezer would have had more than a hired hand role. He represented the family.
4. The gifts were an earnest of her inheritance. If she accepted the earnest then all that the father had was hers also.
(Eph 1:11-14 KJV) In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: {12} That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. {13} In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, {14} Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Text: (Gen 24:15-16 KJV) And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. {16} And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her:
1. Eliezer only had the power to find a bride that was pure. The Holy Spirit has the power to help the bride become pure.
2. A key element in Eliezer’s search was a bride that had a ministering spirit.
A. I think one of the characteristics of one who will make up the bride of Christ is a ministering spirit. How do we minister? One, in worship and praise, and two, in ministering to the body.
(Gen 24:19 KJV) And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
3. Just like Eliezer, the Holy Spirit is on a mission.
4. Eliezer brought much wealth and the promise of riches untold but in comparison to the groom the riches were nothing.
A. Rebekah’s inheritance wasn’t just in more gold and riches but in Isaac.
1. The gifts without the groom would have left her a rich but lonely woman.
2. I think this is a picture of much of the church world today. They are miserable and lonely because they want the gifts God has sent by His messenger but they aren’t really in love with the groom.
5. Friend of mine, you are chosen. Rebekah did not come to Eliezer and say "I have chosen you. He chose her.
6. Eliezer gave her many jewels. The Spirit want to adorn us with the gifts God has sent with him.
(Gen 24:53 KJV) And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
A. I believe there will be others who will benefit from our relationship.
(Gal 5:22-23 KJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, {23} Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
7. Rebekah had to chose to follow Eliezer.
(Gen 24:58 KJV) And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
8. The way the spirit leads us will always be toward the groom.
(Gen 24:61 KJV) And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
A. I know this is just a play on words but the Holy Spirit has a way to go and it will require us to follow Him not our own path. Rebekah had never been where she was going so it would have been foolish for her to have given Eliezer directions.
9. Rebekah was in love with Isaac even before she saw him because Eliezer had given her such a beautiful and complete discription.
(Gen 24:64 KJV) And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
10. She was not presumptious.
(Gen 24:65 KJV) For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself.
A. The veil was a sign of modesty and respect.
B. Today many are so flippant in their approach to holy things it is alarming. Many approach the bridegroom with such a light attitude that it scares me.
1. Many in the church bristle at the thought of spending time preparing to come into the presence of God. Many have the idea that it is nobodies business how they approach God or how they handle holy things.
Conclusion: The father has sent the Holy Spirit to bring home a bride for Jesus. Will you come?
