Our Nations Callousness

Romans 11:1-10  I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.  (2)  God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,  (3)  Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.  (4)  But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.  (5)  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.  (6)  And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.  (7)  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded  (8)  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.  (9)  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:  (10)  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

Introduction:       In these scriptures we can see Why God turned His back on the nation of Israel.  Yet we are told there is a remnant.

              In light of our existence, the United States of America, how does our Nation stand in regard to God’s back?

              Our scripture speaks of Israel killing the prophets, destroying the altars.

              Today, our government approves of abortions, (killing prophets) our President has made it more legal, and he and our congress are in the process of destroying the church (altar) as we know it.

              Elijah was concerned that he alone stood for God.  However, God informed him there were 7000 that had not bended knee to Baal.

              What, in our nation, is the count who have not bended knee to Baal (Government over God)? They have become devoted to the handouts of the government.

I.            THERE IS A REMNANT                                                          (v 5)

              A.           Only Through The Grace Of God

                             1.           Just like with Elijah

Titus 2:11-14  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  (12)  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  (13)  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;  (14)  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

B.              God’s Grace Is:

1.               His only begotten Son

i.                Jesus the Christ

II.           GOD’S GRACE ASSURES A REMNANT               (v  )

A.              The Vast Majority

1.               Is not a part of this remnant

READ   Luke 8:4-15

              B.           The Remnant

                             1.           Is that one in four who heard the Gospel of                                           Christ

                                           i.            Not one in four of our nation

                                                          a.           Only one in four who have                                                                       heard the Gospel of Christ

Romans 9:27  Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

              C.           The Three Of The Four

                             1.           Many sought Salvation

                                           i.            Through their good deeds

                                                          a.           Their personal works

                                           ii.           Through their morality

a.               Opposing sin alone

                                           iii.          Through their hope

a.               Hoping God will be merciful

b.               Hoping God without their belief in Jesus will be merciful

III.         THE NATION ACCUSED

A.              Condemned Of Three Things:

1.               Being drowsy

              i.            Asleep at the wheel

              ii.           Not knowing where you are going

Isaiah 29:9-10  Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.  (10)  For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.

                       

2.               Spiritual stupor

              i.            Not caring what is preached

2 Timothy 4:3-4  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  (4)  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

                                           ii.           It is to hard or it is to strong to bear

3.               We are drunk, we stagger

              i.            Not with alcohol

                             a.           With ourselves

                             b.           Our intelligence

                             c.            Our pride

              ii.           With a calloused heart

a.               A blind heart

B.              Being Worthy Of Judgment

Psalms 69:21-23  They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.  (22)  Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.  (23)  Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

1.               Gall for meat

              i.            We show up to Church

                             a.           We leave our heart at home

                             2.           Vinegar for thirst

                                           i.            Any old thing will do

                                                          a.           The Church doesn’t need                                                                         

                                                                        good stuff

                                           ii.           The Church is Christ

2.               Our table, ourselves

              i.            We become a snare

                             a.           A trap to ourselves

C.              We Become Blind To Scriptures

1.               We take away Jesus

2.               There will be a day of fear

              i.            Our loins will shake

CONCLUSION:               In my mind I have seen a picture of the Last Supper.  That portion prior to Jesus announcing His betrayal by Judas.

              I would imagine it to be like most church services, a bit of fellowship, and on those days we have a meal for fellowship, a jovial friendly atmosphere.   I would imagine it to be an up beat time, everyone having a good time, a light and joyful good time of fellowship.

              This is a picture of Christianity today.   We are more concerned about the Joy and Love of Christ, than we are concerned about the eventual judgment that will fall. 

              They say “That isn’t something to concern myself about today, that may be centuries away.”

              When we study our scripture, in light of our worldly situation, the party may soon be over.

              God sent Joseph to Egypt to save the family of God.  There were secondary purposes, such as Joseph was to help the Pharaoh gain total control of the people.  God through Joseph set up a total and absolute government.  Today we would refer to it as a Marxist government, where in the Government owns it all, the people become slaves to the Pharaoh.  

              Compare what Joseph did to what our Congress is doing and you might find some similarities, scary, repeating scenes.   Right now just less than 50% of the population pays any taxes.  Nearly that many are on one or more welfare roles.  Moses came in and removed God’s people and raped the nation of Egypt.  God totally destroyed the nation of Egypt. It is now a Muslim nation, under the control of their government or their priest.

              Before many years, this Nation, all the people will be blessing “Big Brother” for the sustenance he hands out.

              We the people will be blind to God, but I thank God for He will have a remnant to build on. 

FORGIVENESS

Matthew 6:14-15  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  (15)  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Definition of forgiveness:   1.  The act of forgiving; the pardon of an offender, by which he is considered and treated as not guilty.  The forgiveness of enemies is a Christian duty.

2.  The pardon or remission of an offense or crime; as the forgiveness of sin or of injuries.

Note:     Trespass(es) means to stumble, to fall, to deviate from God's Word.

              Jesus, our Christ our Lord and Saviour forgave us all on that “Old Rugged Cross.”  So to be “Forgiven” is to accept Him as your personal Saviour.  Once He died on that Cross so that all my sins will be cast into the deepest of deep seas.  Never to be accounted against me ever again.

              I have had men tell me that Salvation was receiving “forgiveness.”  If that were the case all anybody would have to do is simply state “Jesus forgive me.”  Salvation is very simple, yet it is not receiving “forgiveness.”  That comes as a part of our Salvation, we receive forgiveness when we humbly accept God’s only begotten Son as our Saviour.  If it came any other way it would be salvation by works.  Salvation is of Faith and only by Faith.

              This “Lord’s Prayer” is to be used as a model to structure our prayers.  These verse are for those who have accepted Jesus as their personal Saviour.

I.               THE PROMISE  (God will Forgive)                                      (v 14)

           A.              Forgive Others, Be Forgiven

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

B.              Some of The Prerequisites For Forgiveness.

1.               A person Must confess HIS sins

i.            To Jesus Christ (Not to Men)

2.               A person MUST have faith in God

Hebrews 11:6       But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

3.               A person Must repent

i.       Turn to God, His ways   (No Burger King)

Acts 3:19              Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

4.               A person MUST forgive those who has done wrong

i.                No hard feelings

ii.               Must be sincere

II.              ATTITUDES TO FORGIVNESS

A.              The Agnostic Or The Doubter

Greek for A = not   Greek for Gnostic = I know   Latin synonym = ignoramus

1.               God may be,

2.               God may not be

i.            All that matters is that men are to forgive men

B.              The Guilt Stricken Person

1.               Knows little or nothing about a personal God.

2.               Deeply conscious of guilt

i.            Has need for forgiveness

C.              The Social Church Goer

1.               Mentally aware of need for forgiveness

i.              Makes an occasional confession

a.               Feels forgiven

b.               No more guilt till later

ii.           A false forgiveness

a.           A mental forgiveness

iii.          Views God as a Grand-Father

a.           Makes and occasional 

showing to stay in the will

iv.          He ignores and denies the              righteousness of God

D.              The Mature Believer

1.               Knows His own Sinful self

2.               Knows His continual need for God's forgiveness

3.               He lives in a

i.                Spirit of Confession

ii.               Spirit of Repentance

4.           Comes to Know God's

i.                Forgiveness

ii.               The assurance of eternal forgiveness

John 10:28           And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

III.            FORGIVNESS OF OTHERS

Galatians 6:1-3  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  ² Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.  ³ For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

A.              Christ Knows We Need Forgiveness

1.               We are sinners

i.            We have failed God's law

2.               Even the best of the Christian lot

i.            We always fall short

Romans 3:23       For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

3.               We must forgive each other

B.              The Greatest Thing That Can Happen

1.               Be Forgiven of God

i.                To be accepted

ii.               To be restored

iii.             To be assured of seeing Christ

iv.             To be set free

a.             To eternal life.

              C.              There Is Only One Way To Be Forgiven

                             1.           Jesus the Christ is the only way

Ephesians 4:31-32  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: ³²And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

2.           Forgive others, we are not to be

i.                Judgmental

ii.               Bitter

iii.             Revenge seekers

iv.             Hold hard feelings

v.               Gossips

a.           Correct rumor

vi.             Not to be rejoicing over others problems

3.           We are to love and pray for one another

CONCLUSION:  In verse 15 of our text we find a warning, paraphrased it sounds like this:

 Refuse to forgive, is to be unforgiven

A person who asks God for forgiveness, yet is unwilling to forgive is a hypocrite.

              That person is asking God to do what he is not WILLING to do

              A.           Bad Feelings Show

1.               A person does not know

a.               The true nature of God

1.)          The perfection of God

b.               the true nature of man

1.)          The real depth of man's sinful nature

2.               When a person walks and lives in self righteousness

a.               Thinks he is acceptable

1.)          By his deeds of righteousness

3.               Has not taken the necessary steps to be forgiven

4.               When a person is living by standards of society

a.               Not by God's Word

Luke 6:36-37       Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.  ³⁷ Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

The opposite of Luke 6:36-37 states:

 Judge and ye shall be judged, condemn and ye shall be condemned, be unforgiving and ye shall be unforgiven.

Was It In Vain For You?

Isaiah 45:18-25  For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is 
none else.  (19)  I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.  (20) Assemble yourselves and 
come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of 
their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.  (21) Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the 
LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.  (22) Look unto me, 
and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.  (23)  I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.  (24)  Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him 
shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.  (25) In the LORD shall all the seed of 
Israel be justified, and shall glory.

THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS:  Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work, which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us (that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion) that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.

President Abraham Lincoln

VAIN, a.  1.  Empty; worthless; having no substance, [no] value or importance.  2.  Fruitless; ineffectual. 

              Today we are honoring not only those who died in the Civil War, we are honoring all who served for freedom, fought for freedom, and died for freedom in many wars.

              The Revolutionary War;

              The War of 1812;

              The Spanish American War,

              World War 1 and 2,

              Korea,

              Viet-Nam,

              Granada,

              The Gulf War

              Iraq

              And Afganastan

              Each of us has lost loved ones, relatives and friends to war.  This day is a day to stop and remember what they gave us, but, it is also a day for us to look at what we are doing to insure that these men and women did not die in vain.

(Isaiah 45:18)  For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

(Philippians 2:16)  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

We see in these two scripture verses one states “…He created it not in vain…”

The other states “…that I may rejoice…that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.”

God tells us first; He created it all and it was not in vain, it all had a purpose,

Then we see Paul telling us he also did nothing in vain.

I.            WHAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY?                                    (v 18)

A.            To Know That Our Nation

1.               Was not formed in vain

i.                God has never done a vainful thing

              B.           To Know God                                                             (v 19)

                             1.           Not to seek Him in vain

             

              C.           Assemble Ourselves

                             1.           To draw near

Hebrews 10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

2.               A sincere heart

3.               Without an evil conscience

4.               clean

5.               And all in “…full assurance of faith…”

II.           LOOK UNTO GOD                                                                 (v 22)

A.              Through Our Salvation    

1.               His Word has gone out before us

B.              Every Knee Shall Bow

1.               Every tongue shall (swear) confess

Romans 14:11-12  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.  (12)  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

2.               We shall ALL give an account of himself

              i.            To God

  

III.         WE HAVE ANOTHER SACRIFICE TO HONOUR

A.           Another Man Stepped Up To The Duty Plate.

                             1.           This man Jesus.

(John 19:11-12)  Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.  ¹² And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

                             2.           Pilate didn’t send Him

3.               The Jews captured Him

4.               God crucified Him

B.           Jesus Had A Choice.

(Matthew 4:5-6)  Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,  ⁶ And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

                       

C.           You Have A Choice.

(Matthew 7:13-14)  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: ¹⁴ Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

                             1.           Enter the strait gate

                                           a.           Narrow is the way

                                           b.           It leads to life

                                           c.            Few will find it

CONCLUSION:               The final question is the title of this message concerning your walk with God “Has It All In Vain For You?”          

              Has it been in vain for our soldiers?  We find it easy to defend our country, yet, we hear so many tearing down what God has set up. 

              This week is a week of remembering and honouring our fallen.  This should also include our Peace Officers, our Firemen and all that have given of themselves to protect us by our constitution, protect us from physical harm, and those who protect our homes and our lives.

              All of this is important, yet we are still talking concerning our physicalness.  One gave His life for my spirit, to give me an eternal life in the presence of God.  He made His choice for the possibility that we might, can I reiterate “that we might” accept Him as our Saviour.  Nothing says because we would, just that we might make Him our choice.

              Have you made that choice?  Have you called upon Jesus the Christ as your Saviour?

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, all that you work for, all that you do will all be in vain.

              Your honoring the fallen will be all in vain.

God tells us in Isaiah it was not in vain when He created the world.

              He knew about the coming of Jesus, He knew what was to take place.

              We each are to choose; we can choose the narrow way Jesus Christ or choose the broadway, the way of the devil.

Matthew 7:13-14  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  (14)  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

              A.           Make The Choice Today.

(Romans 3:23)  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

1.               You know you are a sinner

2.               You know you have fallen short

(Romans 6:23)  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

                             3.           Not the first death, the second death

                                           a.           That “Lake of Fire.”

                             4.           Understand, it is a gift of God

                                           a.           Jesus the Christ

(Romans 5:8)  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

                             5.           He loved us, before we knew Him

                             6.           He died, knowing I was a sinner

(John 3:16)  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

                             7.           The key; “…believeth…”

(Romans 10:9)  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

                             8.           The key; “…believe…”

(Romans 10:13)  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

(Joel 2:32)  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:…

Don’t let your life have been in vain, accept Jesus today.