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IF WE ARE HIS (2)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Last week, we ended the first lesson of this series revealing who Jesus is.  In addition to the things we noted, He is:

1.       Emmanuel (Matt. 1:23)

2.       The Word (John 1:1)

3.       The Apostle and High Priest of our profession (Heb. 3:1)

4.       The Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2)

5.       The Bishop of our souls (1 Pet. 2:25)

6.       The Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4)

7.       The bright and morning star (Rev. 22:16)

 

B.      He is all of these things, and more, and we can be His.  He has provided us a way to His purchased possession.

 

C.     Many of us in the audience are His. 

1.       We must remember that with privilege comes responsibility. 

2.       If we are truly His, there will be some outward manifestations within our lives that are realities. 

3.       We looked at two points last week.

a.       If we are His, we have obeyed the gospel.  It is the only way to be His.

b.      If we are His, we will give heed to His holy instructions for our lives.

 

D.     Let’s continue the second part of this lesson entitled:  “If We Are His.”

 

I.                    IF WE ARE HIS, WE ARE ABRAHAM’S SEED

 

A.     Paul stated this point in Galatians 3:29.

 

And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

 

B.      This may not be a point that is very interesting to us, but it should be. 

1.       One reason it should be is because we are Gentiles and not Jews.

2.       Another reason is because it is a point that we need to explain to many of our denominational friends who still believe that the Jews are Abraham’s seed.

 

C.     After Abraham offered up Isaac upon the altar, God made a promise to him (Gen. 22:18).

 

And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

 

1.       One of Abraham’s seed would bring the blessing.

2.       The blessing was promised to “all nations of the earth.”

 

D.     The Jews never comprehended the full extent of this promise give to Abraham. 

1.       They saw themselves as the sole children of Abraham.

2.       They based their salvation on the fact that they were the children of Abraham.

 

E.      Jesus, the seed of Abraham, (Matt. 1:1) did not come to earth to bring blessings to the Jews only. 

1.       All families of the earth were to be blessed.

2.       When the Gentiles obeyed the gospel, they, too, became the seed of Abraham and heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:29).

a.       What’s interesting about Abraham is that he was saved by faithful obedience and was never under the Law of Moses.

b.      In like manner, Gentles, can be saved by faithful obedience even though they were never subservient to the Law of Moses.

c.       Galatians 3:26-29

 

For ye are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female:  of ye are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

 

F.      The Jews are no longer the chosen people of God.

Christians are God’s chosen people.

Christians are spiritual Israel.

Spiritual Israel is composed of men and women from all nations, culture, and languages.

 

G.     If someone asks you:  “Are you a child of Abraham?”  You ought to respond:  “Yes I am.”  You should continue by saying:  “And, I am an heir according to the promise given to that grand patriarch.”

 

II.                 IF WE ARE HIS, WE WILL LOOK LIKE HIM

 

A.     When we say that we are to look like Christ, we are not saying that we must all be Jews, grow a light beard, and walk around town in a robe and sandals.

 

B.      What we are saying is that our lives, our behaviors, our manner of life should be patterned after Jesus Christ.

 

C.     This is a tall order for two reasons.

1.       First, the example Jesus set is perfect.  His example is faultless and flawless (Heb. 7:26).

 

For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.

 

2.       Second, His example is to permeate every area of our lives (1 Cor. 6:20).

 

For ye are bought with a price:  therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

 

D.     If we are going to look like Jesus Christ, our aim every day must be the same as His.

1.       John 4:34

 

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

 

2.       John 5:30

 

…because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

 

3.       John 6:38

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

 

E.      We sing a hymn entitled, “O To Be Like Thee.”  Here are the words to the first verse:

 

 

Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

 

                        Question:  When we sing the words, do we really mean them?

 

III.              IF WE ARE HIS, WE WILL SERVE HIM

 

A.     In our relationship with Jesus, we are servants and He is Lord (John 13:13).

 

Ye call me Master and Lord:  and ye say well; for so I am.

 

1.       Lord (Greek, kurios)

a.       Strong (2962):  supreme in authority, controller

b.      Thayer:  the owner, the one who has control, the master

c.       Vine:  having power or authority…the one to whom service is due on any grounds

2.       Servant (Greek, doulos)

a.       Strong (1401):  slave

b.      Thayer:  slave, bondman, man of servile condition…one who gives himself up to another’s will…devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests

c.       Vine:  in bondage

 

B.      As servants, there are some things that are true.

1.       Servants are to do ALL the will of their master (Matt. 28:20).

 

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…

 

2.       Servants do not get to pick and choose what they will do or not do (King Saul, 1 Sam. 15:7-11, esp. v. 11).

 

It repented me that I have set up Saul to be king:  for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments…

 

3.       Servants are not allowed to have excuses for not serving (Luke 14:16-20).

4.       Servants have nothing about which to brag after doing what is commanded (Luke 17:10).

 

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.

 

5.       Good servants are usually rewarded.  Evil servants are usually punished.  We learn this in The Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-30).

a.       The five and two talent men were made rulers over many things and were invited into the joy of their Lord (vs. 21, 23)

b.      The one talent man was cast into outer darkness (v. 30).

CONCLUSION

 

A.     As we talk about the responsibilities we have because we belong to Christ, we might begin to think, this is too hard, this is oppressive.

 

B.      Thought:  “What if you did not belong to Jesus Christ?”

1.       You would belong to another master, Satan, who is a harsh and cruel taskmaster.

2.       Your service might benefit you a little bit here, but often the service of Satan is harmful and destructive to mankind.

3.       Those who are in the service of Satan will eventually find themselves in the pit of hell.

 

C.     How we feel about serving the Christ is all a matter of perspective. 

1.       I can serve out of gratitude for what He has done for me.

2.       I can serve with bitterness because of what He asks me to do for him.

3.       Hebrews 12:28

 

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

 

a.       Focus on the benefit:  We have received a kingdom.

b.      Attitude:  We serve acceptably with reverence and godly fear.