Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to two previous sermons:  And His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful - Isaiah 9:6     
                                                                                       And His Name Shall Be Called Counsellor - Isaiah 9:6     

Isaiah 9:6-7 reads, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulders: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever.  The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

Now, the fullness of this promise and prophecy has not yet been fulfilled.  The Lord Jesus Christ has not yet come in the fullness of His glory as King of kings and Lord of lords to rule and reign over the whole world from the throne of David in Jerusalem.  Yet the fulfillment of this promise and prophecy has indeed begun to be fulfilled.  Unto us that Child has been born.  Unto us that Son has been given.  The zeal of the Lord is already at work.  God the Father has already sent God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be born into this world as God in human flesh.  The fulfillment of this promise and prophecy has already begun in Christ’s first coming, and most certainly the fulfillment will be completed in Christ’s second coming.  Amen, and amen.  “Even so come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

However, the focus of this message is not upon the coming of our Lord, but upon the char-acter of our Lord.  In the closing portion of verse 6 five titles are given to reveal the character of our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son who was given to be born in human flesh – “And His name [His title] shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”  In this message let us consider five truths concerning the third of these titles – “And His name shall be called . . . The mighty God.”

Now, the phrase, “The mighty God,” refers to the one true and living God who is almighty in His eternal Person and in His sovereign works.  So then, in what ways is our Lord Jesus Christ to be called The mighty God?

Outlines in Psalms

This outline is a companion to three previous outlines:
                                   O Lord, Thou Hast Searched Me, and Known Me - Psalm 139   
                                   Such Knowledge Is Too Wonderful for Me - Psalm 139:1-6     
                                   Whither Shall I Flee from Thy Presence - Psalm 139:7-12     

1.  The Lord our God sovereignly possessed me from my conception.

Psalm 139:13 – “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.”

2.  The Lord our God wonderfully created me for His glory.

Psalm 139:14 – “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

3.  The Lord our God completely knew my substance from my beginning.

Psalm 139:15-16a – “My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.  Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect.”

4.  The Lord our God personally predetermined all of my personal characteristics.

Psalm 139:16b – “And in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”

5.  The Lord our God abundantly cares for me throughout my daily walk.

Psalm 139:17-18a – “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!  How great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.”

6.  The Lord our God continually remains present with me (as one of His own).

Psalm 139:18b – “When I awake, I am still with thee.”

Posted in Outlines in Psalms, Sovereignty of the Lord, The Creator God, Knowledge of the Lord, Lovingkindness of the Lord

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Outlines in Psalms

“To the chief Musician.  A Psalm of David.”

  I.  The Lord does completely know me. (Psalm 139:1-6)
 II.  The Lord is continually present with me. (Psalm 139:7-12)
      III.  The Lord has wonderfully created me. (Psalm 139:13-16)
      IV.  The Lord does abundantly care for me. (Psalm 139:17-18)
             V.  I stand contrary against the Lord’s adversaries. (Psalm 139:19-22)
            VI.  I submit consistently unto the Lord’s examination. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Weekly Sermon

Genesis 14:18-20 reads, “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.  And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.  And he gave him tithes of all.”

In Genesis 13 we find that Abram and Lot had both become rich in flocks of sheep and herds of cattle.  Yet this created a problem; the land was not able to support both sets of flocks and herds.  Thus a strife arose “between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle.” (Genesis 13:7)  In order to solve this strife, Abram offered for Lot to separate himself in whatever direction he would choose and then for himself to go in the opposite direction.  Even so, we read of Lot’s choice in Genesis 13:10-13 – “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.  Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.  Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.  But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.” 

Yet eventually Lot moved himself and his family into that wicked city of Sodom.  Now, over time Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other two cities of the plain entered into conflict with Chedorlaomer king of Elam and the four kings that were confederate with him.  Thus we read in Genesis 14:10-12, “And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.  And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.  And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.”

When Abram received news of this matter, he gathered a force in order to deliver Lot from captivity.  Indeed, the Lord granted Abram a great victory.  Even so, we read in Genesis 14:13-16, “And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.  And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.  And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.  And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.” 

Then in Genesis 14:17-20 the account continues, “And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.  And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.  And he [Melchizedek] blessed him [Abram], and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.  And he [Abram] gave him [Melchizedek] tithes of all.”

Now, in Genesis 14:18-20 the Lord our God is called “the most high God” three times.  In Genesis 14:19 Melchizedek, the priest of the most high God, described Abram as being “of the most high God.”  Abram was a servant of the most high God.  In like manner, we believers are also the people of the most high God.  He is our eternal Savior, and we are His chosen ones.  He is our heavenly Father, and we are His dear children.  He is our Lord, and we are His servants.  He is the most high God, and we are His peculiar people.  In 1 Peter 2:9-10 God’s Word declares, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”  Again in 2 Corinthians 6:16 God’s Word declares, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?  For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”  Yet again in 1 John 3:1 God’s Word declares, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”  Indeed, we are the people, the children, the servants of the most high God.  So then, what can we learn from Genesis 14:19-20 concerning this relationship?

Outlines in Psalms

“Praise ye the LORD.”

  I.  The Commitment of the Lord’s Servant. (Psalm 146:1-2)
 II.  The Counsel of the Lord’s Servant. (Psalm 146:3-4)
III.  The Consequence of Trusting the Lord. (Psalm 146:5)
IV.  The Cause for Trusting the Lord. (Psalm 146:6-10)

“Praise ye the LORD.”

Outlines in Psalms

“Praise ye the LORD.”

 I.  Praise the LORD from the heavens. (Psalm 148:1-6)
II.  Praise the LORD from the earth. (Psalm 148:7-14)

“Praise ye the LORD.”

Proverbs for Life

Proverbs 22:2 presents the truth, saying, “The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.” 

Among the sixty-six books of the Bible, the book of the Proverbs reveals God’s wisdom for our daily living.  This book of the Bible speaks concerning many aspects of our lives.  It speaks concerning our relationship with the Lord, concerning our relationship to God’s truth, concerning our relationship to righteous living, concerning our relationship with others, concerning the relationships within our families, concerning our relationship with friends, concerning our practice of verbal communication, concerning our viewpoint of money and material things, concerning our diligence in work and labor, etc.

In Proverbs 22:2 we find a truth concerning our relationship with the Lord our God.  In fact, this verse reveals one aspect of the Lord’s place in our lives.  Now, this verse does not speak concerning the place that the Lord ought to have in our lives.  It does not speak concerning the place that we ought to grant unto the Lord our God in our lives.  Rather, this verse speaks concerning the place that the Lord our God has in our lives regardless of our submission unto Him.  It speaks concerning the place that the Lord has in our lives as THE Lord God, whether we are righteously obedient unto Him or rebelliously wicked before Him. 

Yea, overall the book of the Proverbs reveals four basic truths concerning the Lord’s place in our lives.

Outlines in Psalms

Psalm 74 can be divided into three divisions:
              I.  The Complaint of a Troubled Heart (Psalm 74:1-11)
             II.  The Turning Point of a Confident Faith (Psalm 74:12-17)
            III.  The Cry of a Trusting Heart (Psalm 74:18-23)

Under the second division, we find great truth concerning who our Lord God is and what our Lord God does, con-cerning His character and His conduct.

Outlines in Psalms

Psalm 100 – “A Psalm of Praise”

  I.  Serve the Lord with Gladness. (vs. 1-2)
      II.  Why?  Because He Is God. (v. 3)
III.  Give Thanks unto the Lord. (v. 4)
      IV.  Why?  Because He Is Good. (v. 5)

Proverbs for Life

This is a companion post to a series of previous posts:  The Proverbs & Our Relationship with the Lord (Part 1) 
                                                                                        The Proverbs & Our Relationship with the Lord (Part 2)
                                                                                        The Proverbs & Our Relationship with the Lord (Part 3)
                                                                                        The Proverbs & Our Relationship with the Lord (Part 4)
                                                                                        The Proverbs & Our Relationship with the Lord (Part 5)
                                                                                        The Proverbs & Our Relationship with the Lord (Part 6)

A proverb is a short, pithy saying that expresses a significant, substantial truth for life.  In the book of the Proverbs, the actual compilation of proverbial statements begins with chapter 10 and extends to the end of the book.  In the following series of posts, I wish to present those proverbial statements that specifically mention our relationship with the Lord.  Certainly, every proverb of God’s Holy Word concerns our relationship with the Lord our God; for every proverb concerns the character of our walk before Him.  Yet the following list of proverbial statements make specific mention of the Lord and of our relationship to Him.  In the first six parts of this study (see above), we considered passages from Proverbs 10-24.  In this part of the study, we shall consider passages from Proverbs 25-31.