Month: May 2019

Genesis: The basic question Pt 1

Posted on by mysccf

Rev. Julius A. Harper, Santa Clarita Christian Fellowship

Sermons from the book of Genesis “The basic question”

Genesis 1:1-2 (NKJV)
1  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2  The earth was without form, and void; and darkness wason the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and the hearing of HIS holy and mighty word.

Today we begin a journey together through the book of Genesis. The word Genesis simply means beginning.

The great weight of evidence as confirmed by various theological experts and commentators indicates that this book was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, by Moses.

Moses of course was the great law giver and the writer of the first five books of the bible.

This first book is one that presents a great opportunity for our learning and tackling it is a major step for me personally, because there are so many ways for me to become over-whelmed interms of the details and complexity of the various subjects.

In Genesis, we find the details of the origins of man-kind, the earth and the universe.

Now I can tell you right up front that we will more than likely not be able to manage all of the details associated with the creation account, but as the Spirit enables me to do so, my plan and desire is to present selected message from this book that will help to answer some of the larger questions that we often have in our minds.

So, if you are looking for a heavy academic or theological teaching that can stand up under the rigorof every possible question or theory that can be raised, I’ll let you know right upfront, that you’ll be disappointed, because I cannot do that.

However, if you will pray for me, that the Lord will by His Spirit, stand in my body and speak through my mouth, I believe that He will provide what we need, in the time needed and He will see that His word, will be food to the hearer and will accomplish its purpose and shall not return void of effectiveness.

If you agree with me on that today, then say AMEN.

From the scripture we are going to tackle the basic questions of creation; the who, the what, the where and howthe world we see, came into existence.

So if you are ready to go SAY LET’s Go

What do we learn from Genesis, regarding the basic questions of creation ?

  1. We learn that there was a beginning.

Genesis 1:1a (NKJV)
1  In the beginning

Genesis 1:1a (MSG)
1  First this:

Psalm 102:25 (NKJV)
25  Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens arethe work of Your hands.

Matthew 24:35 (NKJV)
35  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. 

Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV)
27  And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

We approach this first point, with just a few lines from Genesis Chapter 1, and it begins with what is a most incredibly powerful statement.

It simply says “In the beginning.

At the first. At a point before there was anything, there was a beginning.

Now immediately the bible here confronts us, with a reality that there was a time in which the worlds that we see did not exist.

The universe had a beginning.

There was a time when there was nothing, not an atom, not a single molecule, no dust, no matter, no gaseous elements, there was nothing that we now know to be of the physical world before the beginning.

Science itself has managed to tell us, that clearly there was a time when there was nothing and they have developed a theory that out of nothing, came a big bang and then came something.

Here in these first two verses in the bible, nothing is said about how long ago the universe came into being it simply says that there was a beginningand because there was a beginning there consequently will be an ending.

Thought:

Now let’s just camp out there for a moment and think about the implications associated with the reality of their being a beginningand what that says to you and I as people.

The idea and the reality of the concept of beginning and endings is the bible’s first message and a warning to humanity in general and to you in particular, regarding the reality that you as a human being need to be concerned about the fact that you function within the reality that you had beginning and therefore you will have an ENDING.

This world that we live on and experience in the day-to-day realities of time and space, speak a universal truth and that is, that everything we see, everything we experience, will in a matter of time, end.

And that includes YOU.

You as a person, as a human being, especially if you are unsaved, very likely have managed to develop a mindset in which thoughts about such scary subjects as beginnings and endings, don’t creep into your everyday thinking.

But the truth of the matter is that each one of us, has a concern about this reality and though may be able to push it to the back of your mind as you busy yourself with pursuing whatever distraction you have chosen to deaden your sense of fear; the reality remains, that the entire universe and the world around you speaks to you of the reality that you are on a time table and that your existence is finite.

I accessed several thought stimulating scriptures as noted here on the screen before you.

First, we note the words of the Lord Jesus and I quote “Heaven and earth will pass away”

The world that we are living is deteriorating steadily.

Everything you see around you, speaks to the reality that there are points of beginning and endings to everything thing.

Look at yourself and what has happened to you in the past five years.

Every single day the truth concerning the reality of beginning and endings is staring you in the face and it is telling you in no uncertain terms, that just as the earth and the universe and world around had a beginning and therefore will have an end so also do you.

If you haven’t thought about that much, let me suggest very strongly that you do so starting TODAY.

Because no matter how young or old you may be, as one who came into this earth and was born into the world, there will come a time when your life ENDS and then there will be a time of judgment. 

We saw that outlined in the confirming scriptures we just read together a moment ago from Hebrews 9:27

This is not a very comforting thought and indeed I may lose a couple of folks who were watching me on line and perhaps found the sermon entertaining, but now we have to pivot to talk about what an ending may mean to you.

My bible tells me that it is appointed unto men, ONCE to die, but then there is a reality that comes after that.

And every person who dies outside of Christ will be lost, because in that judgement they will be found guilty of SIN.

Heaven and earth will pass away; but my words and the reality of judgement will by no means pass away.

Jesus spoke about the reality of the coming judgement and this is a truth we must embrace within the context of beginnings and…..therefore endings.

What do we learn from Genesis, regarding the basic questions of creation ?

We learn firstly that there was a beginning and secondly…..

  1. We learn that there was a beginner.

Genesis 1:a-b (NKJV)
1  In the beginning God created…

John 1:3 (KJV)
3  All things were made by Him; and without him was not anything made that was made.

Colossians 1:16 (NKJV)
16  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Psalm 14:1a (KJV)
1  The fool hath said in his heart, there isno God.

Here in  this second point, we learn that there was a beginner.

When we hear the word beginner we often think of this word in the way that it traditionally used, to describe a person who is inexperienced or is a novice or neophyte.

Dictionary.com says that the word beginner also describes a person or thing that “BEGINS”.

What do we learn from Genesis regarding the basic questions of creation.?

We learn that there was a beginner, AND the bible simply says that it was GOD.

God was there in the beginning. Again, if we stand back and consider the implications of what is being said here it’s quite breathtaking.

Before there was a beginning, there was God.

Before there could be a beginning, there was a supreme being of infinite intelligence and POWER, who existed outside of beginnings.

He existed before anything that exists could or did exist.

Thought:

Now to Human beings such as you and I who exist in the reality of a physical world: this concept of there being someone who precedes and exist outside of beginnings and endings is MIND BLOWING.

Nothing about HIM was created or made, he existed before anything else. He is totally self-sufficient within himself.

He relies on nothing and no one, he is GOD Almighty.

Perfect in his completeness. Matchless in his attributes. Absolute in his being and in every dimension of his GODNESS.

Thought:

Now again, this confronts us with an uncomfortable reality, because as people, we know that we had a beginning so now we must deal with the reality of a “beginner”

This speaks very powerfully and confrontationally to the agnostic person or the skeptic, who has said in their heart that there is NO God.

Now to some folks this may seem to be a strange thing to bring up, especially when you are in church where presumably everyone believes in God otherwise why would a person come to church or choose to tune in on line or on the TV if in fact they don’t believe in God.

Sad and unbelievable as it may seem, the truth of the matter is that there are places of worship in every part of this world, where there are folks who like church, like to come to worship service, YES even like to hear an entertaining and thought-provoking sermon every once in a while, but in their hearts,  they don’t really believe that there is a God.

But the bible says that such a one is a FOOL.

They are corrupt. They just cannot accept the reality of there being a beginner, instead they embrace the idea of life just being one great big accident.

The bible’s declaration that God created the world, rubs up against the reality of sinful independence, because we want to do our own thing and call our own shots.

The bible’s declaration that God created and began and originated the world, conflicts and rubs up against our materialism and greed for money and stuff.

Materialism and greed and the desire for more and more stuff by the way, is just an expression of our human weakness and desire to the beginner in our own right.

If I can buy it, if I can own it, if I can create my own reality and confirm it by how much stuff I can create and build, then I will be my own God,because I’ll make my world, I’ll be the creator of my own reality, because of the stuff have and the things I can control.

It sounds foolish, but that is what the FOOL has said in his or her own heart, there is no beginner or creator, I make my own world.

What do we learn from Genesis, regarding the basic questions of creation ?

Thirdly….

  1. We learn what was “begun”

Genesis 1:1-2 (NKJV)
1  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Jeremiah 32:17a-c (NKJV)
17  ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm.

Isaiah 48:13 (NKJV)
13  Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens;WhenI call to them,They stand up together.

Isaiah 48:13 (MSG)
13  Earth is my work, handmade. And the skies—I made them too, horizon to horizon.When I speak, they’re on their feet, at attention.

Psalm 19:1 (NKJV)
1  The heavens declare the glory of God;And the firmament shows His handiwork.

From these first words in Genesis, we’ve learned so far that there was a beginning and a beginner and here we learn what was begun or created.

God created or began the heavens and the earth.

This is the basic story and one of the most primary questions that man has about the world that he sees around him.

You’ve more than likely heard me talk about this as part of other sermons or teachings on the subject, but just in case you have not heard some of the fascinating stats that define what we know about our world and the larger realities of the existence of 1000’s of galaxies just like our own milky way, you might just want to hold on to your hats.

The little blue planet that we call home is just one of perhaps millions of worlds that make up the universe that we can see.

Our Sun which is a star as you well know, is so large that it could hold 1.3 million planets the size of earth, within itself.

There are billions and billions of stars scattered throughout the heavens, one star called Betelgeuse is over 215 million miles in diameter.

When we look up at the heavens, from this little blue planet of ours and see the massiveness of the worlds above, we wonder where did this all come from.

Genesis tells us that it was BEGUN by the beginner.

God created it, out of nothing.

The owner of all, who exist outside of time and space and who was there before the beginning CREATED all that we see.

In the beginning God created.

The word that is being used here is ‘Bara” and it is a word that is used to describe when God creates something “ex-hilo”……… out of nothing.

I know that we have a hard time wrapping our heads around that because you and I to a certain extent are able to create things.

You can take some wood a create a new house, or you can take some silicone and metal and plastic and create a computer chip, but that is not “ex-hilo”.

What you did was “Asha” that is not bara in the God sense of the word, because you simply took existing materials and you created something out of something that already existed.

What God did was something that only he as the BEGINNER could do, because he called every atom and every star and everything out of nothing.

It’s his HANDI work. He did it. The earth testifies of HIM and the stars declare HIS Power.

He laid the foundations of the earth and he stretched out the heavens and put every star in it’s place and he knows them by name.

The universe we see, the planets, the galaxies, the stars now forming and the multitude of heavenly bodies that we can now see, aided by our powerful telescopes and the wonder of computing power, did not come out of nothing, nor were they produced by happenstance.

They were put in place, by God in order to declare HIM….. the creator.

Thought:

The worlds that we see would put in their places by HIM to declare HIM.

Now that has serious implications.

Because if the earth and heavens were begun or created by God, then that means He possesses all the rights and control of everything.

And that means that he is large and in charge of everything and everyonethat lives here on this little spec called earth.

Genesis teaches us that that God was the one who made it BEGAN the world and because he is the beginner he is the owner and he has authority over everything.

Now you understand that…… no doubt.

You understand that YOU take authority and ownership over a house that you didn’t build, but you call it yours because you paid for it.

  • How much more can God demand and claim authority over the inhabitants of this world?
  • How much more can God demand and claim authority over YOU ?

Sinful rebellion and pride tell us today, that we are large and in charge.

Sinful rebellion and pride tell us that we are NOT accountable to anyone and that we accidental creatures who just live on this planet and that your basic goal in life is to simply enjoy, pursue and acquire as much pleasure and satisfaction as possible, but such a concept is based in foolish thinking.

What do we learn from Genesis, regarding the basic questions of creation ?

4thand finally for today…

  1. We learn the details of how the earth was formed

Genesis 1:1-2 (NKJV)
1  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2  The earth was without form, and void; and darkness wason the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Genesis 1:2 (MSG)
2  Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God’s Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.

In the beginning of the sermon, I told you that there would be parts of this series, that I would do my best to speak to you on and that there are going to be parts of the scripture that are somewhat difficult to manage.

Here we find ourselves at such a point, and I’m just at verse two of the series, so again please pray for me.

Here the scriptures tell us how the earth was formed.

The narrative of Moses, now shifts from speaking of the creation of the heavens and now focuses on the earth.

Here the scripture describes what the earth looked like in the early stages of God’s creative work.

What is described here is an earth that is very much like some of the other heavenly bodies and planets that we have learned about recently.

Through the power of telescopes and computers, we’ve been able to see and to project what the conditions are like on other planets.

Remember now and place this into context, because the person who was writing this and doing so under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was living in a time when there was no knowledge about other planets or worlds.

Here Genesis describes earth before it was made into the beautiful place it now is.

It was unformed, it was un-shappen, there were various gases in the formative stages and more than likely there was a cornucopia of elements and molecular materials that came from God’s creative work…just floating out there on the ready.

The earth was wrapped in a blanket of darkness and the earth was covered by water.

The face of the earth was a place of turmoil and tectonic upheaval; the earth was covered with raging waters, all taking place under the blanket of total darkness.

And then it simply says “the Spirit of God was hovering”

H.C Leopold in his exposition of Genesis said that this hovering was not just a single act, but in fact it describes a continual process.

Think about that for a moment and let it hit you right between the eyes.

The Spirit of God was hovering over the earth, watching over it and preparing the earth for the time in which God would move upon that chaotic mess.

God was waiting, watching, preparing the moment in which he would call forth and create life and order upon this earth.

Thought:

Here in my mind’s eye a picture of the Spirit HOVERING and this picture begins to speak to me.

In my mind’s eye I can see how God’s Sprit hovered over my life; while I was out in the world as an unsaved sinner doing all kinds of things.

I didn’t know it at the time, but I understand now that God was watching out over my life and he was protecting me, until the day he would call me into HIS family.

This is what he did for you my friend, he hovered over your life until one day, he generated faith in your heart and love for Jesus.

  • You and I were just like that unformed and dark earth before it was formed.
  • We were purposeless.
  • We were Hopeless.
  • We were Lost in our sins.
  • And we were void of anything of apparent value.

But God loved us so much, that he looked upon our lost souls, seeing not the darkness and void-ness and confusion of our lives, but instead He saw a testimony.

He saw the glory that you would bring to Him on the day when he didn’t just hover over you, but instead he filled you and sealed you with HIS Spirit and made you HIS.

Close:

Today, you may be one who is sitting UNDER the sound of my voice and you may in fact recognize that the Spirit of God is hovering over you.

In fact, you’ve known for quite some time, that God has been speaking to you and calling you to himself.

My friend, I am here today to tell you that the message of creation, is a message for YOU that speaks of God’s redemptive plan for you.

He’s still waiting. He still wants to create, that is why he gave his only SON for you.

John 3:16 declares that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, should not perish but have ever lasting life.

That is the plan and will of God concerning every man, every woman and every boy and girl born on planted earth.

He wants to save you.

He wants to bring purpose and order and peace into your life; the question is……do you want to receive his precious gift.

While all eyes are closed and heads are bowed,….

Click here for the full service and video

 

 

 

A word of Promise

Posted on by mysccf

Sermon by Rev. Julius A. Harper  Senior Pastor, Santa Clarita Christian Fellowship

A Word of Promise to Those Who Fear God

Malachi 3:16-18 (NKJV)
16  Then those who feared the LORDspoke to one another, And the LORDlistened and heard them;So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORDAnd who meditate on His name.
17  “They shall be Mine,” says the LORDof hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
18  Then you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him.

May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and the hearing of HIS holy and mighty word. 

We are concluding this sermon series we’ve been walking through together which is taken from the Old Testament book of Malachi.

If you are a guest of ours here today or you’ve been away and managed to miss the first seven parts of this series, I want to encourage you to go on line and catch the sermon series at our website which can be found when you browse to our address www.mysccf.com/sermons.

In the last sermon we shared together we looked at an area of upsetness or concern on the part of God, regarding issues of rebellion and blasphemy which were taking place among the children of Israel against the Lord God.

This is what the book of Malachi is about by the way, it is a message to the people delivered through the mouth of God’s prophet or messenger.

God was upset because he was being disrespected and the first seven sermons from this series, outlined and detailed the offenses.

Here as we come to the conclusion of the words of Malachi we pivot in terms of the content and focus of the letter to hear from a specific group of people.

Now in the past, the words that we heard, which were attributed to the rebellious people of Israel, were words of disrespect and blasphemy.

They were giving God attitude and they were bad mouthing God.

Back in the first 7 messages that were taken from this book, we would see a disrespectful pattern emerge in which God would speak to the people about an issue of concern and then the people would question God and they would challenge God’s assertion and answer him with attitude.

Here however the group who responds this time, are those that fear the Lord. We read that in verse 16 of chapter three.

God had launched his final charge against the children of Israel as a nation, and indeed the majority of them were guilty as charged.

But here we see, a wonderful reality.

A silver lining if you please, for there were even among a nation that was mired in sinfulness and self-deception a remnant of those who feared the Lord.

And I saw that as particularly comforting today because I like many of you, have found this series to be tough.

When reading about the complaints that GOD had against the children of Israel; hearing about some of the issues, would often leave me, feeling kind of bruised and sometimes chastised, even though it wasn’t written directly to me.

This book was a challenging book and it was tough medicine, so today we look forward to a word of encouragement, written for and expressed TO those who fear and respect God.

If you are ready to embrace and to celebrate that reality say AMEN.

Those who reverence and fear God may be confident and assured that….

  1. God sees and listens to those who fear and reverence him.

Malachi 3:16a-b (NKJV)
16a-b  Then those who feared the LORDspoke to one another, And the LORDlistened and heard them;

Psalm 34:15 (NKJV)
15  The eyes of the LORDareon the righteous, And His ears are opento their cry.

Psalm 33:18 (NKJV)
18  Behold, the eye of the LORDison those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,

John 9:31 (NKJV)
31  Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.

We begin point number one, with a surprising and much welcomed pivot in which God transitions from speaking to the nation of Israel as a God who is expressing his “upsetness” to a God of comfort who responds to a group of listeners who previously had not been heard from.

Notice if would please the words from Malachi chapter 3:16a that we selected for you as our thought-starting scripture for point number one, where it reads and I quote” Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord heard them”

Thought;

Remember now and place this into context.

The first 7 messages that we shared together and the first portions of these three chapters had been all about, God laying down a list of complaints against the people of Israel, concerning issues of offensive sin that were real and serious.

  • God said I’m upset because you don’t honor me.
  • I’m upset because you doubt my word.
  • I’m upset because you are brining me 2ndhand offerings and sacrifices, try to give your governor those things and see if he will accept them.

God was delivering what we sometimes get on some Sunday mornings, which is a message or a series of messages in which all you can do is say OUCH.

And as a preacher by the way, I personally don’t get much pleasure from delivering those kinds of messages.

Messages in which all you talk about is SIN and failure and how displeased God is.

And as a minister I am sometimes reticent about having to lay out one of those “thus saith the Lord” type of sermons, because you know there are some folks, who are living right and serving the Lord and doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing, but when a tough message or word goes forth, it hits everybody.

This very likely is what was happening, as Malachi the messenger of God, was laying down the strap.

Some folks were rebelling. Some folks were sucking their teeth. Some folks were dismissing the word in their minds and saying to themselves, who does this preacher think he is…

But there were also among the listeners, those who feared and reverenced and respected God and the word says, they spoke to one another.

As the word was going forth, there were true believers who were listening and encouraging and talking with each other and praying about what the preacher was saying AND …and the scripture said God listened as they talked to and encouraged each other …….and he heard them.

This my brothers and sisters, to us who believe and fear God IS an important word of encouragement and assurance.

And here is it….

As upset as God was with the nation of Israel and the rebellious disrespect of the people and their offense towards God, God always and listens to those who fear and respect him.

This is what you as a child of God can be confident in.

Even when and if you are not perfect and none of us are, because you respect God and honor him through your relationship with Jesus Christ his beloved SON, God will always hear your prayers and his ears will always be open to your cry.

Those two scriptures we read from which are posted on the screen were given as faith building mechanisms for those who believe, for the word says that the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him.

You as a respecting, God honoring child of God may always be fully confident that the eyes and ears and attention of God is on you and open to you.

Those who reverence and fear God may be confident and assured that….

  1. God records their names in the book of remembrance.

Malachi 3:16c-d (NKJV)
16  Then those who feared the LORDspoke to one another, And the LORDlistened and heard them;So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORDAnd who meditate on His name.

Philippians 4:3 (NKJV)
3  And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names arein the Book of Life.

Luke 10:20b (NKJV)
20b  rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Revelation 20:12  (NKJV)
12  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Bookof Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
Again, to help place this teaching into context, I want to remind you of what has been the theme and tenor of God’s word as spoken through the prophet Malachi, up to this point.

Consider if you would please that God when he was speaking through the prophet was presenting his case as a complaint.

And he was challenging and confronting the people of Israel, about a series of actions and words and attitudes that were being launched against God, the result of which was that the people in their actions were communicating a lack of respect and honor and reverence for God.

In chapter one verses 14-16 God recounts and recalls the sin of the people of Israel and the evidence of their contempt of him, in that the men of Israel were guilty of breaking their marriage covenants with their wives and they were divorcing the woman who they had married when they were young and putting them awayand instead hooking up with the foreign women, who were younger and newer and more exciting to their eyes and to their flesh.

God was not only offended by their actions, but he was incensed and insulted because their dishonest covenant breaking action were being committed in the face of a loving and covenant keeping God.

And like a prosecuting attorney who had written evidence of their wrong deeds, God had every right to pronounced judgment and to execute justice, because their deeds were written and recorded in HIS books.

But here God turns to those identified as those who fear and reverence himand he delivers a word of assurance, not a warning of condemnation, but rather God himself delivers a most astounding word of assurance and promise.

God says to those who respect and fear him, that their names are written in HIS book of remembrance.

Revelations seems to refer to this as the book of life.

Not a book of condemnation.

Not a book that has a record of wrong doings and shortcoming.

No what God is promising and assuring them is that their names are written in the Lamb’s Book of life.

This is the shout, this is the place where you need to celebrate and give God some praise, because the word to the believer and the word to him that reverences and trust in God, is that your name is written in The Book of Life.

Luke records that Jesus said rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

This for the child of God is exciting and comforting.

This for me, does not frighten me or cause me to fret and be concerned.

This for me put a smile on my face and it causes me to be happy.

And the reason why I’m happy and not worried about my name being written in the Lamb’s book of life is because I didn’t do anything to get my name written there.

Thought:

You see the Lamb’s book of life is an entirely different book than another set of books that are being kept in heaven.

Revelations 20:12 may be frightening to some folks who are watching on line and rightfully so.

There in the book of Revelation, the writer records a most spectacular scene, which takes place at the end of the age and at the time of judgement.

There standing before the throne of God, will be a set of books.

But those books are not the lamb’s book of life, those books are a record of the sins and offenses of every man, woman, boy or girl who lived and died in this world, without the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ covering their lives.

Your name is in THAT BOOKif you died without Jesus Christ as Lord of your life.

In other words, there is a set of books being kept in heaven and a record is there that cannot be hacked into by some nerd with a computer down in his basement.

There is no virus that can be sent through the internet and there is no way of missing any action thought or deed of a sinful nature that occurs in the life of a person whether done intentionally by commission or omission.

Your name is written in that book, if you die tonight as an unsaved sinner.

This reality applies to black folks and white folks, it applies to Jews and gentiles, and it applies to everyone who’s name is NOT written in the lamb’s book of life.

On that day NO one will pass the test and every person whose name is written in those books, will be consigned to an eternal death of suffering pain and darkness with no hope.

If your name is written in that book, you stand guilty before a HOLY God because there will be at least ONE sin written next to your name and that is enough to send you to a devil’s hell.

But for those who meditate on his name.

For those who fear the Lord and are called by HIS name.

For those who have connected with God the Father, through faith in HIS only begotten Son, be assured, be confident, that God has translated you from the kingdom of darkness and he has placed YOUR NAME in HIS book special book.

And here is the double shout, as long as I am in HIM, I’m in the book, therefore a book of remembrance is nothing that I need to fear, but I can rest knowing that I am secure HIS book, through Jesus who has secured my place and written my name in his blood.

Those who reverence and fear God may be confident and assured that….

  1. God will make them to be his own treasured possession.

Malachi 3:17a-b (NKJV)
17  “They shall be Mine,” says the LORDof hosts, “On the daythat I make them My jewels.

Titus 2:14a-c (MSG)
14a-c  He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of,

1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)
9  But you area chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light

This third point somewhat ties into and is related to the previous point, in that it harkens to and speaks of a time in the future.

In chapter 2 somewhere around verse 17, the Lord had spoken through the words of the prophet Malachi, concerning the fact that the people of Israel has wearied him.

The people had bad mouthed God and accused him wrongly; they had questioned his GOODNESS and they had become a source of irritation, rather than the delightful and pleasing people he wanted them to be.

The nation as a whole was failing God, yet in the midst of all of this rebellion and dishonor he notices and hears the prayers, words and thoughts of a few and to them he issues this promise.

There in Malachi chapter 3:17a, speaking to those who reverence him, God says these wonderful words and I quote.. They shall be Mine,” says the LORDof hosts, “On the daythat I make them My jewels.

This is a word of assurance written to them that fear the Lord and it is a great place to say AMEN for us.

That same assurance is something that you child of God can rest in.

It’s is something that you can look forward to, even above and on-top of the blessing of having your name written in the lamb’s book of life.

In my mind’s eye and through the visual picture of my imagination. I get excited about the fact that one day, God himself is one day, going to present US to himself, as Jewels.

Thought:

When we studied the letter written to the church at ROME, Paul introduced us to the coming reality of our glorification.

This has always been the plan of God; to take regular folks from down HERE and to put the on display for all of heaven to see, as God’s cherished possessions.

The bible tells me in Titus chapter 2, that he did it for himself. This is why he went to the cross to save us YES, but also to make us a people that he can be proud of, as a treasured possession for himself.

Peter expresses it in a different way, when he refers to the believer, as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and HIS own special people.

Malachi simply said I’ll make them my Jewels! I’ll be proud of them because they are MINE.

I’ll put them on my shelf, I’ll clothe them in robes of white, I’ll wash away their sins and put palm branches in their hands as symbols of peace and they will be MY treasures for all to see.

That is the promise to child of God who reverences and fears HIM and it will happen on that day.

Those who reverence and fear God may be confident and assured that….

  1. God will be merciful to them and spare them on the day of judgement.

Malachi 3:17b (NKJV)
17b   on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.”

Psalm 103:13 (NLT2)
13  The LORDis like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

Psalm 103:13-14 (Darby)
13  As a father pitieth [his] children, so Jehovah pitieth them that fear him.
14  For himself knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Matthew 25:34,41 (NKJV)
34  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

41  Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

Titus 3:4-5 (NLT2)
4  But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love,
5  he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

This 4thpoint again builds a crescendo of sorts, where the intensity and the magnificence of the promises are revealed.

Here again as we fast forward through time and space the prophet speaks the words of God, who speaks of and refer to “that day”

Malachi in the words of complaint spoken on behalf of God, had made several devastating charges.

In Malachi chapter 3:13-16, God expresses his upsetness, with the fact that HIS people were questioning the value of serving God.

They were looking around at the prosperity the nations; they were looking at the materials accoutrements of their neighbors, and saying to God this is a waste of time, because it’s worthless to serve God and I’m not getting my stuff.

Thought:

This for me would have been (If I were god) the moment I would have vaporized the whole bunch of them.

Their words rose up to heaven.

Their words insulted God. 

YET God held back from wiping them off the face of the earth…….. but he declared that A DAY was coming.

Here as we look at the words of Malachi, God speaks of that reality and I quote “On the day And I will spare them”

This is the promise to those that reverence and fear God, this is the place where you shout and run around the church like a mad man, this is the place where you celebrate the confidence and assurance that you have IN CHRIST, for on that day those who names are written in the lambs book of life, who are CALLED by his name will be spared judgment.

The psalmist declared these wonderful words and I quote “ The LORDis like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

That means that even though we failed to keep the promise that we made to him, again, He spares us, even though we deserve punishment, he spares us…but there will be day when there are those who are not spared.

Mathew records the wonderful reality and the blessing of our chosenness; BUT it also paints an unvarnished and powerful truth of what is to come for those reverence him not.

Listen as I read from the scriptures and look at it for your self…

Matthew 25:34,41 (NKJV)
34  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
41  Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

Thought:

This of course is NOT a very uplifting and happy set of visuals and thoughts; the issue of hell is NOT what most folks want to think about, but I am reminded that HELL is real.

I’m reminded that the reality of everlasting fire is a real and the bible declares that HELL hath enlarged itself, to accommodate not only the devil and his angels, but to house for all eternity, PEOPLE who have rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and who lived their sinful lives in rebellion.

Those who reverence and fear God may be confident and assured 5thand finally that….

  1. God will execute “true justice” on that day.

Malachi 3:18 (NKJV)
18  Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked,between one who serves GodAnd one who does not serve Him.

Revelation 20:11-15 (NKJV)
11  Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
12  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Bookof Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
13  The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.14  Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

The people noted in the opening scripture text we read together who were identified as those who feared the Lord, were very likely imperfect people just like you and me.

Earlier in the sermon I spoke about what sometimes occurs on Sunday morning when the preacher is delivering a particularly confrontational and hard to listen sermon, which is bathed and covered with fire and brimstone.

This message that Malachi was preaching, very likely would have raised some all too human questionsin the minds of that small minority of believers who reverenced and respected God.

As they were encouraging each other and exhorting each other and praying with each other, I am sure that in their humanitythey may have wondered “when God was going to set things right”

They saw how people were living, they saw the sinfulness of the people around them and understandably, they may have wondered when was God going to straighten these folks up?

Here in Malachi chapter 3:18, God gives a word of promise in which he states in unequivocal terms, that a time of distinction is going to be made.

A time is going to come, God would say, that the wicked and the righteous are not going to be mixed into same group.

No longer would they have to endure a world where people were cursing God and appearing to get away with it.

No longer would they be vexed and stressed out by the disrespect and dishonor that was being thrown in the face of the Almighty

The message translation of chapter 3:18 says it kind of like this. The time is coming “when you’ll see the difference it makes between being a person who does the right thing and one who doesn’t, the time is coming when you will see that there is a difference between serving God and not serving him”

God was declaring to those who feared him, that he would not always withhold HIS justice.

God was telling the true believers, don’t grow weary in well doing, for one day and on that day, you’ll see that it makes a difference and you’ll see the distinction.

Close:

As a closing picture and thought to leave you with, I again revisit that powerful visual of the scene in heaven that takes place at the end of the age.

There in Revelations 20:11-13, we see an even more graphic description of that day.

Those whose names are written in the book of life are ushered into eternity to be with God in peace with him forever.

Those whose names were not written in that book, but rather whose names and deeds were recorded in God’s record of sinfulness, were judged and found guilty in their sins.

  • Not one person, could stand up under the standard of God’s perfect Holiness.
  • Not a rich man with all of his wealth.
  • Not a good man with all of his good deeds and charitable giving.
  • Not the kindest Mom, who loved her children with a perfect love.

Because they were judged according to their works and NO person could hit the mark.

And therefore, they were cast into the lake of fire, eternally separated from God without HOPE.

The message of assurance that we’ve outlined in these five powerful points is to those who fear God, wholove his SON and have embraced and believed in HIM as LORD.

If that is YOU and YOU are inside the family of God through Jesus Christ praise God you are good to go.

But if that is NOT you, then you need to take the appropriate steps to get where you need to be IN Christ.

AMEN.

Click here to view the entire service and sermon