Here's what I am preaching at St Thomas', Minnis Bay:
O.T. : Deuteronomy 6:17-end
1. CHRIST IS OUR SOVEREIGN 17-19
a. He commands our obedience. 17
The Ten Commandments are not a dead letter but a living rule. If we want
Christ as our Saviour, we must have Him as our Lord - and that means doing as
He says. "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15); "His
commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3). "Why do you call me Lord, Lord,
and do not the things that I say?" (Luke 6:46).
b. He provides our necessities. 18
As we obey Him, all will go well with us; we will enter into all the blessings
which He has prepared for us. "All things work together for good..." (Romans
8:28).
c. He promises our protection. 19
When we start living godly lives, then we start drawing the enemy's fire. He
will drive out all our enemies before our very eyes - human and demonic. We
can put our trust in the shield of faith, and in the whole armour of God.
2. CHRIST IS OUR SAVIOUR 20-23
a. He saves us. 20-21
Each generation needs to be saved afresh - God has no grandchildren. We answer
the questions of our young people with our own testimony of how Jesus saved
us. We were in bondage, etc., etc. . . . How did you get saved? "Be ready
always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason for the hope that
is in you" (1 Peter 3:15). "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so" (Psalm
107:2).
b. He keeps us. 22
Signs and wonders have begun to be multiplied again in our generation. When I
was young I was told that miracles were only for the New Testament days. Now I
know that we are still living in the N.T. days! We can expect an increase in
miracles as the Lord's Return draws near.
c. He satisfies us. 23
He has not only released us from bondage to those things of which we are now
ashamed, but He has satisfied us with joys beyond our imagination. "Though now
you see Him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of
glory" (1 Peter 1:8).
3. CHRIST IS OUR SANCTIFIER 24-25
a. He is the Righteous One of God. 24
None but Christ has kept all the commandments of the Lord blameless. God made
Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
b. He is our Righteousness. 25
Every attempt to keep the commandments reveals to us the extent of our
failure. The Life of the Baptised is to put off our sinfulness and to put on
Christ's righteousness by faith.
_________________________________________________________________________
In Christ,
Ben
--
Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
