FIVE WONDERFUL THINGS
Introduction:
- John 5:24 . . . "I say to you, he who hears My word..."
- This passage has been used by many followers of Calvin to prove that one cannot fall from grace.
- This verse does not teach us such things, but it does teach us some wonderful things.
Body:
- WONDERFUL PRIVILEGE - HEARING THE WORD.
- Illustrate how many there are in the world who have never heard the gospel, no not even one gospel sermon, or
might be they have never even seen a Bible...eg. India, Darkest Africa.
- Consider what we have in the Gospel.
- The word of God is effective.....Hebrews 4:12
- The word of God is incorruptible...1st Peter 1:23 ; Matt. 24:35.
- The word of God gives us understanding ...Psa 119:104-105.
- The word of God draws us to Christ ....John 6:45.
- The word of God brings comfort to our hearts... 1st Thess. 4:18 ;Romans 15:4.
- It is no wonder that David said in His Psalms "the statutes of the Lord are right...." Psa. 19:8-11
- THERE IS THE WONDERFUL PERSON - GOD.
- God sent Jesus to save mankind, even though man was undeserving of it.... Romans 5:8.
- God thus showed His:
- Love .............John 3:16
- Mercy.............Ephesians 2:4-5 ;Titus 3:5.
- Grace.............Ephesians 2:7-8
- Therefore let thanks be given unto God...1st.Cor.9:15.
- A WONDERFUL POSSESSION - EVERLASTING LIFE.
- "hath everlasting life" is in the present tense and it is a logical conclusion that we somehow must have everlasting
life now in some type of sense, as other verses show us that we have everlasting life in the world to come.
- It is in my judgment that once a person has Spiritual access to Christ, he has a means of everlasting Life.
- This life is not time stretched out, but is a kind of life. Notice what the Scriptures teach:
- John 1:4 ; 6:35 ; 17:3 ; 3:36 ; 6:47.
- Col. 3:4
- 1st John 3:15*** ; 5:13
- A faithful Christian has a new spiritual life, eternal life, abiding in him.
- In another sense eternal life is future.
- Mark 10:29-30
- Titus 1:2 ; Romans 8:24-25
- Romans 6:22
- Romans 2:7. This glory, honor, and immortality is the future eternal life.
- It is now that our life is dependent on abiding in Christ. 1st John 1:3-6
- Illustrate the baby and the dependency of the umbilical cord.
- At birth it no longer needs that cord.
- GOD AND HIS WONDERFUL PROMISE - NO CONDEMNATION.
- Jesus taught that the believer shall not come into condemnation. John 10:27-28
- This eternal security is conditional.
- 1st.Peter 1:5 ..... it is through Faith.
- Heb. 3:12 ; 1st.Tim.1:19 ; 5:12 ; 2nd.Tim.2:18 .... We can lose our Faith, so take heed brethren. Point
out the fact that the Calvinists have problems with this, and exactly why....TULIP is wrong.
- 1st Peter 5:9 ....... The way we resist the devil is by being firm in the Faith.
- Take careful note of John 5:24 it is he who HEARS the word and BELIEVES on God shall not come into
condemnation.
- THE WONDERFUL PASSAGE - DEATH TO LIFE.
- Man as a sinner is DEAD IN SIN.
- Romans 3:23.
- Ezek. 18:20.
- But God has given us an avenue of escape.
- Ephesians 2:1,5.
- It is in baptism that we receive this new life.
- Romans 6:4
- Romans 6:6-11 ... Once dead in sin, now dead to Sin.
Conclusion:
- It is the faith in action that makes this passage from death to life.
- Verily, Verily; affirms the sure saying of this text.
- If we have done what Jesus says, with all the implications, we can rest assuredly as to where we are standing.
Ideas Taken from a sermon by Weldon Warnock.