Sacred Truth Friday: God's Will; Look Out!

Morning Sermon

God's Will

While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My  brothers!For  whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” - Matthew 12:46-50 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew12:46-50&version=NKJV

Doing God's will gives us spiritual kinship with His family. 

“Not everyone who says to Me,  ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who  does the will of My Father in heaven.Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we  not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’And  then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;  depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ - Matthew 7:21-23 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew7:21-23&version=NKJV

However if we don't do His will, we'll stand condemned. All the good we do in this life won't matter if we don't obey Him. Without obedience, we'll just doom ourselves to hell. 

We do God's will through obedience to the Gospel and living faithfully for Him. 

As we read God's will, it helps us understand what is will is (Ephesians 5:17). But we must be doers of the Word and not hearers only (James 

1:22)

Lesson: God's will Do it. Live by it. 

Afternoon Sermon

Look Out!

Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. - James 5:19-20 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James5:19-20&version=NKJV

Sometimes our brothers and sisters in Christ fall from the faith through hard times, persecution, or sin in their lives. True love will turn them from their error. When we turn them back we save them from eternal condemnation. 

You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. - Galatians 5:4 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians5:4&version=NKJV

It's possible to fall from grace. To depart from the living God (Hebrews 3:12). And the apostate state of a once faithful Christian is worse than if they had never obeyed the Gospel at all in the first place (2 Peter 2:20-22). Based on the fact that they have turned their backs on Christ. 

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”  says the Lord. And again, “The  Lord  will judge His people.”It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. - Hebrews 10:26-31 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews10:26-31&version=NKJV

And here is a sobering thought: when we turn our backs on God, insult the Holy Spirit, trample God's Son underfoot through apostasy, we are counted God's enemies. If we have any fallen brothers and sisters, let's do all we can to restore them with a gentle spirit. And be careful lest we be tempted ( Galatians 6:1). 

Lesson: Look out the brethren and restore the fallen. 

Two wonderful sermons from Stephen Wiggins.