U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
Taegu, South Korea
Sunday, 22 August 2004
BIG IDEA: GOD’S PURPOSE FOR BELIEVERS WAS PREARRANGED FOR THEM TO LOVE AND SERVE HIM.
REFERENCES: Predestination: This subject has been the reason for major divisions in Protestantism – Protestants are classified as Calvinist or Arminians from the Arminius – a Dutch Theologian whole lived in the 17th Century); Before (the-rem (tear-rim) – Hebrew Preposition;Matthew 17:12 (I say unto you, that Elias is come already); God’s purpose is to have many sons and daughters, all of whom, will love Him with all their hearts; Matthew 22:37-38 - “You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart and all your soul and all your strength”; Romans 8:28: (And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose); Romans 8:29-30 (For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestination to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestination, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified); John 6:65 (All that my Father has given me shall come unto me. Not one shall be lost); Acts 26:14 (Pauls conversion experience);
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Jeremiah 1:4-10; Romans 8:29-30
II. READ THE PERICOPE: Jeremiah 1:4-10; Romans 8:29-30
III. READ THE TEXT: Jeremiah 1:5 (Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations); & Romans 8:29-30(For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,that he might be the firstborn among many brethren).
PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that God has selected beforehand (prior to the believers very first moment of existence) the goal (OF LOVINGLY SERVING HIM) which He is going to move everyone towards that BELIEVES in Him.
V. SERMONIC THEME: “BEFORE”
INTRODUCTION:
I submit to you this afternoon that the word “Predestination” as seen in Romans 8:29 has been the source of Christian debate for hundreds of years. In fact, the subject of “Predestination” has been the reason for major divisions in Protestantism. Generally speaking, most Protestants are theologically classified as either Calvinist from John Calvin – the founder of the Presbyterian Church or Arminians – from a Dutch Theologian who lived in the 17th Century. The Arminian theology is espoused particularly by most Baptist Churches, the Church of God in Christ, the Assembly of God, and other Pentecostal Churches in America.
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MOVE 1: Now ... in my readings, I came across a STORY about a believer, who after perhaps attending a revival ... gave his testimony, ......
a. ... telling how God had sought him and found him, how God had loved him and called him and saved him, ....
b. delivered him, cleansed him, and healed him -- a tremendous testimony to the glory of God.
c. But, After what appeared to be a revival, ... one rather legalistic brother took him aside and said, "You know, I appreciate all that you said about what God
d. did for you, but you didn’t mention anything about your part in it.
e. Salvation is really part us and part God, and you should have mentioned something about your part." "Oh," the BELIEVER said, "I apologize. I’m sorry; I really should have mentioned that.
f. For you see ... my part was running away, and his part was running after
me until he found me.
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2. Likewise ... my brothers and my sisters ... throughout Scriptures (both Old Testament and New Testament) we find a multiplicity of
incidents where believers are struggling (with excuses), to fight,flee, quit, or run from God’s Call to minister to His people.
a. Proclaiming God’s Word in whatever form (be it preaching, poetry, art, story, music, dance or song) is never seen as the playing it safe thing to do.
b. Rarely, do any of us INITIALLY take God’s Divine Purpose for our lives into consideration.
c. Instead, we often think that IT’S ALL ABOUT US.
d. The trials, the troubles, the lies, accusations, the hurts and pains are all targeting us.
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3. As a result, we say ... if this situation that we’re currently in ...continues to grow at the rate it’s growing; it’s going to ruin our Godly Reputation.
a. It’s going to destroy every aspect of Godly Deeds that we’ve done up to this point. Thus DESTROYING our name ... and hindering our progress in the future.
b. But, I stop by this afternoon to remind ... beievers that God’s Word says “No Weapon that is Formed Against Us Shall Prosper; ... and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment ... thou shalt condemn...(Isa. 54:17a)
c. In order words, whatever you’re going through right now (be it ... sickness, financial, marital, or demonic wiles) “...
d. (As believers) YOU SHOULD BE REMINDED that all things work together for good .... to them that love God, to them who are the called ... according to his purpose.”
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4. And if the truth was told, we ALSO know that “THE CALL, ” was predestined and predetermined IN ORDER to CHANGE ...
a. our FLESHLY CHARACTER to THE SPIRITUAL CHARACTER OF Christ in order for us to serve and LOVE GOD – NO MATTER WHAT.
b. For love is the END and Aim of Life.
c. SO ... IT’S REALLY NOT ABOUT US ... INSTEAD IT’S ALL ABOUT HIM.
d. In our text, today, Paul says that “God predestined the believer.
e. In other words, God has selected before hand the goal toward which he is going to move everyone of us who believes in Christ.
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5. That goal is conformity to the character of Christ. Everything that happens to us focuses on that one supreme purpose.
a. God knows that he can never develop the character he wants without times of difficulty, trials, and suffering.
b. That’s why suffering is an inevitable part of the picture.
c. For it helps us to remember that God’s primary purpose is for us to be holy – whole or complete.
d. My brothers and sisters, I don’t know what I shall be ... but I do know,...I shall be like him.
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6. Finally, in the Book of Jeremiah, we find the Word of The Lord to the prophet Jeremiah saying ...
a. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
b. The WORD “Before” in Hebrew is pronounced – the-rem (tear-rim) – Strong # 02962.
c. It’s a preposition that means – preceding in time; earlier; BEFORE ...
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7. In other words, Jeremiah had a strong sense of his predestination to his task. It was all God’s work.
a. God does the calling; He does the preparing; He provides the power. It’s all God’s doing.
b. The first thing God did for this young man – was to sit him down and
share with him ....BEFORE...
c. In other word, God was saying Jeremiah, I started getting you ready and the world ready for you .... before you were born.
d. I worked through your father,and your mother, your grandfathers and your grandmothers, your great grandfathers, and your great grandmothers. For generations back I have been preparing you.
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8. Through the generation of the past God had begun his work.
a. Jeremiah was about 30 years old at this time. That is when young men began their ministry in Judah.
b. No other prophet felt so strong a sense of divine urgency to prophecy.
c. Jeremiah was not like ISAIAH (see Isa. 6:8).
d. Immediately ... he was willing to respond to God’s call. He protested that he was only a youth and , like Moses under similar circumstances (Ex. 4:10) that he was not eloquent.
e. He knew from the beginning that God had called him to NATIONS. He knew he had been set over nations and kingdoms – He wasn’t just a prophet to Israel.
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CELEBRATION: BEFORE I FORMED THEE IN THE BELLY I KNEW THEE
