Lordship Living — God Provides

Sermon: The Blessings We Don’t Deserve — Relationship
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Duration: 31:07
Size: 14.2 MB

“Go Ahead—You Deserve It!”
(Don’t You?)

Have you ever noticed some people around us don’t seem to get what they deserve? I mean, you’re standing in line at the grocery, you’re dog-tired, the kids are squealing, and some young, skinny, cute person—without a care in the world—steps in front of you. Did I mention you’re in the line for “12 Items Only,” and the line-breaker has 35 (you have only 3)?

If only we were God! We could discreetly point our finger and ZAP—the line-breaker would shrink to the size of the little person we already knew her to be (about the size of a housefly). Then the clerk would swat the little annoying creature, and we would once again be ready to pop our groceries on the belt.

Ah, but line isn’t like that, is it? We see undeserving persons receive glory, promotions, honor and other benefits all the time, when we know full well they don’t really deserve them (but we do).

What do we really deserve? It’s a question worth asking. Today let’s examine it and try to find some answers.

The Blessings We Don’t Deserve

1. God expects us to extend grace and mercy to those who seemingly don’t deserve them, because the truth is, we don’t deserve them any more than they do.
2. As we consider the characters Jacob, the Prodigal Son, and the Dying Thief, remember: God provides new beginnings for old scoundrels.

Three Undeserving Scoundrels

1. Without doubt, our God is the God of underdogs.
2. Jacob was an old scoundrel who received a blessing from the Father, and who finally turned from rebellion to a right relationship with the Lord.
3. The Prodigal Son was an old scoundrel who received a blessing from his father and finally turned from his rebellion and to obedience and humility.
4. The point is: the Dying Thief was an old scoundrel who received a blessing from God in his final breaths.

Rebellion, Religion and Relationship

1. Jacob truly represents an undeserving rebellious scoundrel. But his older twin brother, Esau, represents an apathetic, religious scoundrel.
2. Jacob, the Prodigal Son and the Dying Thief—clearly understood they did not deserve to receive the blessings of Father God—so they finally humbled themselves, turned from rebellion, and entered into right relationships with the Lord.
3. Rebellion is shaking a fist in God’s face.
4. Religion is climbing the ladder of self-righteousness believing we will meet God at the top.
5. Relationship is God coming down the ladder in the person of His Son and meeting us at the bottom rung where we’ve humbled ourselves.

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.
Sin has left a crimson stain;
He washed it white as snow.
—Elvina Hall

Next week: How Am I Doing?

Lordship Living — God Provides

Sermon: Isn’t It All Mine? — Ownership
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Genesis 1:1
Duration: 32:18
Size: 14.7 MB

“In the beginning God created…”

The entire 66 books of the Bible begin with this simple but rich phrase. The opening chapters of Genesis go on to tell us God created every part of our world, from the lowliest piece of plankton to the most complex of creatures—man and woman.

If God created you and me and all the wonderful things around us, how should we treat these items? More importantly, if God is the Provider of everything we possess, what should be our response to Him?

This week we begin a journey in Lordship Living through the chapters of Genesis. Over the coming days, we will look at the lives of some of the saints of the faith, and we’ll find we have a lot in common with them.They learned, and so can we, that God provides—what we need, when we need it.

Join me today ans we examine the significant issue of ownership.

Isn’t It All Mine?

1. Our present culture has a mentality and a mission statement much like a strong-willed 2-year-old, since it does not recognize Almighty God as the Source, Creator and Owner of His own world.
2. Actually, the theme of Genesis may be best defined with two eye-opening words: God Provides!

Question One — Isn’t Almighty God the Source of Everything? (Genesis 1:1a)

1. Without the Source, there would be no resources.

Question Two — Isn’t Almighty God the Creator of Everything? (Genesis 1:1b)

1. Little things of nature we usually take for granted, like rosebuds and hummingbirds, point us to a creator.
2. God provides for His birds, His flowers, and His children. So don’t worry, just worship! (Matthew 6:25-34)

Question Three — Isn’t Almighty God the Owner of Everything? (Genesis 1:1c)

1. Human beings are the crown of God’s Creation.
2. Instead of having attitudes like toddlers and clutching everything that belongs to God, let us surrender all and come willingly to the Lord for an attitude transplant.

“Where God presides, God provides!”
—Kerry Willis

Next week: The Blessings We Don’t Deserve

The life of Moses can be divided into three periods of time of 40 years each:

• Palace: pomp and privilege.
• Wilderness: preparation.
• Leadership: leading the Children of Israel.

Moses protested and gave God four reasons why he would not be able to complete that task:

1. He was unworthy — he was a murderer.
2. He was ignorant — he had no godly training.
3. He lacked the eloquence of being able to speak well.
4. He believed no one would believe him.

Moses threw the staff down as God told him to do and it became a snake. Gold told him to pick it up by the tail and it became a staff.

God did a lot with Moses’ staff:

• Exodus 7:17 — Nile turned to blood.
• Exodus 8:5 — Frogs came out of the water.
• Exodus 9:23 — He brought down thunder, hail and lightning.
• Exodus 10:13 — A plague of locusts appeared.
• Exodus 17:6 — He struck a rock and water came out.
• Exodus 17:9 — Moses held it high in the air and the warriors were victorious.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

1. Christ’s Blood Pictures God’s Love
   Luke 22:20
   John 6:54-56
   Hebrews 12:2
   Matthew 16:21-23
2. Christ’s Blood Proves God’s Love
   “You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.”
   Hebrews 9:22
3. Christ’s Blood Promises God’s Love
   I John 4:16
   Colossians 2:9-10
   John 15:5
   II Timothy 2:12
   Revelation 20:6

It’s not what we’ll be doing, it’s who we’ll be doing it with.
Romans 3:10-11,23
Romans 6:23
Romans 10:9-10,13

Conclusion
Valentines are a message of love.
God sends Valentines to all of us.
Every breath, every sunset, every meal, every second of our lives.
Each day is Valentine’s Day, when you are the beloved of God.
Ephesians 3:17-20