Standing On The Promises Series

OPEN: I’d like you to stand with me as we sing this great Hymn: “Standing on the Promises.”

Sing with me:

“Standing on the promises that cannot fail

When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,

By the living Word of God I shall prevail

Standing on the promises of God.

(Chorus)

Standing, standing,

Standing on the promises of God my Savior;

Standing, standing,

I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I cannot fall

List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,

Resting in my Savior as my all in all,

Standing on the promises of God.

(Chorus)

Standing, standing,

Standing on the promises of God my Savior;

Standing, standing,

I’m standing on the promises of God."

(Speak to the audience)...

Standing on the Promises.

Promises that cannot fail.

Promises that will help me not to fall.

ILLUS: You know – as mortals – we have trouble standing on OUR promises. As my kids were growing up I learned to be very careful about what kind of promises I made. I learned that if I told them that:

• I was going to do something for them

• I was going to take them someplace

• I was going get something for them…

And then (for whatever reason) I didn’t do that, you know what they’d say to me?

(wait for audience to respond)

That’s right: “BUT YOU PROMISED!”

Now why would they say that to me?

They’d say this because they were counting on me to stand on MY promises.

Now the problem for me was… I am mortal.

I’d forget things. Have you ever forgotten things?

I’d get busy. Have you ever gotten busy?

I’d get distracted. Have you gotten distracted?

We all have.

So I learned, early on, to be very careful what I would tell my children I’d do for them, because I am frail and faulty enough to fall short. And I knew they’d hold me responsible to do what I said I would do.

And sometimes… I couldn’t.

But, that’s because I’m mortal.

I fail.

I forget.

I make mistakes.

God however doesn’t suffer from those problems.

He’s immortal. He’d divine. He doesn’t forget.

When God makes a promise… He keeps it.

In Isaiah God declared: “What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.” Isaiah 46:11b

And again God said, "Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.” Isaiah 14:24

God STANDS ON His promises.

And God’s people in the Old Testament learned to rely on those promises:

The writer of the 119th Psalm said “Your promises have been THOROUGHLY TESTED, and your servant loves them.” Psalm 119:140

And David declared “…The LORD is FAITHFUL to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.” Psalm 145:13

This was such a powerful reality for those in the Old Testament that it influenced how they prayed. If you examine the prayers of the great people of the Old Testament you’d see that they began their prayers, praising God for the things He’d created, or the things He’d done in their lives. Then they would cite a specific promise God had made. And based on that promise they make their petition before His throne.

They weren’t nagging God.

They were telling God: “You said this was what you’d do, we believe it, and NOW we’re watching for to see what you’ll do.

And God would answer their prayers!!!

Now, that’s just in the Old Testament. But Hebrews tells us that no matter what promises God made in the Old Testament “… the ministry Jesus has received is … founded on BETTER promises.” Hebrews 8:6

Better promises?

In fact, Peter tells us “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness 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 and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” 2 Peter 1:3-4

So, Jesus has given us BETTER promises than those the Old Testament Saints received. And these promises give us everything we need for life and godliness. In fact, these promises help us “participate in the divine nature, AND they help us escape the corruption in this world.

So what kind of promises did Jesus give us?

Well, three of the most important ones are found right here in this 1st chapter of Acts. These three promises are foundational. They are central to our faith. Without these 3 promises the teachings of our faith would be no different than those that other religions teach.

What are these 3 promises of Jesus?