A Sermon For You
A Ministry of Huckaby’s Evangelism
Today’s Sermon Title
IN
By- Evangelist Gary Huckaby
Our text for this message is found in the very first book, chapter, and verse, of the Bible. Genesis 1:1, please read along with me if you will.
Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
There are many seemingly insignificant words in literature. Just as there are seemingly insignificant words in the Scriptures, but these little words hold a powerful and important place in the life of every human being that has, or will live. One such little word is the word "IN".
The first word one reads in God’s Word is this word "IN". The word itself denoted that everything that exists is a part of someone or something. "In the beginning," or when the beginning happened. it was done by God or, was in God. The word "IN" is used through the Bible some 1722 times.
"In the beginning God."
To be in something there is a surrounding of the thing the IN is a part of. The beginning of the heaven and the earth was IN God. God already existed when heaven and earth began. They were the result’s of God’s beginning for them. The beginning was IN God Almighty. IN the Father, IN the Son, and IN the Spirit of God. If the word "IN" is so insignificant, then why did God use it to start all other words of His Holy Word?
Little words have big or great meanings in God’s Word. Even the crossing of the t’s and the dotting of the i’s are inspired of God in His Word. Therefore, "IN" is a very special word in Scripture. Let us look now at a small portion of Scripture in which we find the word "IN" used.
Man Created IN God’s Image
Genesis 1:26, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them
have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."
The first man Adam was created IN God’s image. IN God’s image means to be made eternal, or without end. IN God’s image is to be self willed. Man can do as he chooses, and God Himself will not inter fear with his choice IN God’s image man is a thinking, creating being. Inventions, modifications are a part of mans intellect. IN God’s image man had dominion, authority and control over everything on the earth.
This image was partially lost at the fall of the first man Adam. When Adam chose to do his own will, instead of God’s will, he lost much of the image of God. Because Adam sinned, he then passed that sin nature down to every person born of man. Now the Bible proclaims to us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
In The Seventh Day
Genesis 2:1-3, "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. "
Note verse 3 again please. "Because that IN it He had rested on the Seventh day from all His work which God created and made. In the seventh day, God rested or ceased His creating work. The Seventh day is blessed by God, for on the Seventh day God ended His work. Just as God created the heaven and earth in a day, He also ended and rested IN the Seventh day. This was the chosen day that the Old Testament saints were by the law of God, told to do no work. To rest from all their labors. The day when they were to cease physical labor and to remember their creator, God. A day to reflect on His mercy, and His loving care for them. As you well know they later refused to obey God’s law, and because of that, God had to punish, or chastise them for their disobedience. That chastisement came in the form of being taken into captivity by other nations.
In The Day
Genesis 2:17, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for
in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
Man is in the garden of Eden here. His home, his service place to God. He was there to fellowship with God, to live freely, to dress the garden, to keep it; His only job. A wonderful duty of service, All except one tree there was perfect. That one tree was not man’s creation, it was the creation of one of God’s created beings. A creation of Lucifer, now named Satan. The tree of sin, the tree of disobedience to God. The work of the devil. God told the man, Adam, "thou shalt not eat of it; for IN the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
The serpent when talking to Eve twisted this command of God by saying. " For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:5. The devil used the phrase,"IN the day" but the rest of his words were just that, his words, not God’s. The results of Eve’s action were catastrophic. She ate and then got Adam to eat. They disobeyed the direct and only law of God for this first couple. Sin was the result, and death was sin’s chastisement, or penalty. Separation from the loving creator.
In The Garden, In The Cool of The Day
The voice of God (Christ) was heard walking in the garden IN the cool of the day. The morning, or evening was when God’s Word came to fellowship with His created image, but this time His created image hid from Him. Sin always causes one to run and hide from God. The Bible states, " For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23. Although created in God’s image, sin caused man to come short of God’s glory. Short of His holiness, His perfection. Man missed the mark when he did not obey God’s command. The penalty for man’s missing the mark is seen in Genesis 3:17, " And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;"
The whole earth now bares the curse of sin. Sin brought it, man bought it, and time has now taught it. Death was the result. Adam and Eve died spiritually the moment they broke the law of God, and later the paid the physical price of bodily death.
Man IN sin passed on his fallen nature to his children too, Genesis 4:1-3, " And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD."
"In the process of time it came to pass." Cain the first son later killed his brother Abel because of sin that was born IN his nature.David stated it like this; "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." Psalms 51:5. Did you see that; "IN SIN." The man that was created IN God’s image is now a man IN sin.
Romans 5:12,says; "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:"
Again in verse 17 and 18 the Bible tells us; " For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign IN life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."
Romans 6: 8-10, "Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God."
Jesus Christ died for our sin once, and the following verse tells us that those who have received Him are alive IN Him and alive unto God. Romans 6:11,"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."
In The Spirit
Next I want to read from Romans 8:8-11, As we read listen to the Scriptures to see if you are IN the Spirit or not, and if not I will close this message with the Bible way to have eternal life, and how you can be "Born again."
Romans 8:8-11, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Did you notice the number of times the word IN is used? IN the flesh, IN the Spirit, IN you. Listen carefully my friends; If God’s Holy Spirit does not live IN you, then you are not a child of God. you are a lost sinner, waiting for the judgment of God’s wrath. The Good News though is that you can receive forgiveness from sin, You can have everlasting life, you can be saved from God’s wrath, and here is how.
Believe In Thine Heart Romans 10:9, "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." Two things must happen for one to obtain God’s gift of eternal life.
1- Confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus.
2- Believe IN thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead.Thou shalt (will) be saved. You have God’s Word on it. And God cannot lie.
Are you saved from your sins today? Do you know where you stand IN God’s sight? Come to the risen Saviour right now and confess Christ and believe with all your heart that He is the way.
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." 1 John 5:13.
If you would like to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, pray this prayer from your heart.
Lord Jesus save me from my sins. I believe that you died for me, and rose from the dead to save me. I repent of my sins, and trust you for eternal life. In Jesus Christ I ask it. Amen.
If you have trusted Christ as your Saviour, please write and we will rejoice with you in this your greatest decision. We will also send you some literature to help you get started in you new life IN Christ.
Huckaby’s Evangelism
P.O.Box 1011
Pine Mountain, GA. 31822
glhuck@earthlink.net
glhuckaby@excite.com
