PRAISING GOD FOR WHAT WE HAVE HEARD
LUKE 2:20
Introduction:
The shepherds had seen the Lord, the promised Savior of Israel. The Scriptures have prophesied the coming of the Savior since the time of Adam and now they had seen God’s promise fulfilled.
They were full of praise for the Lord. They were overwhelmed by the glory of those events. They could only praise God for His great blessing.
I. THE SUBJECT OF THEIR PRAISE WAS THE GOOD NEWS OF THE SAVIOR
A. Praise for what we have heard, the TRUTH, Ephesians 1:13, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”
B. Praise for the ONE whom we have NOT seen, 1 Peter 1:8, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”
1. We love the Lord Jesus even though we have not seen Him, John 14:21, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
2. We believe Jesus having not seen Him, John 20:29, “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
a. The Apostle John has seen the Lord, 1 John 1:1, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;”
b. What he saw and heard he declared unto us, 1 John 1:3, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
C. Praise for what we have experienced, 2 Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
D. Praise for what we shall experience, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
1. The Resurrection of ALL of the Saints who have gone on before us, Revelation 20:5, “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
2. The Rapture of the LIVING Saints at His Coming, James 5:7, “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
II. THE PRAISE OF OBEDIENCE
A. Hearing must be jointed by faith, Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
1. Without faith it is impossible to please 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.”
2. For Righteousness of God is by Faith in Jesus Christ, Romans 3:22, “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:”
B. Faith must be jointed by obedience, Hebrews 5:9, “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”
1. Obedience shows our love, John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
2. Our obedience must be to God’s commandments, Acts 5:29, “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”
a. Obedience establishes our testimony for Christ, Romans 6:4, Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
b. Our Obedience determines TO WHOM we are servants, Romans 6:16, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”
CONCLUSION
God has blessed us with the hearing of the truth of God’s Word. He has saved those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior. He has blessed us with many blessings and will yet bless us more in the near future at His Second Coming. We wait patiently for that coming.