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God's Promises are Sure! (Part I)
I. LIFE NEED
A. We're going To Talk This Morning About Promises.
1. Do people ever let you down? Has a friend ever
promised to do something and then forgotten? Has anyone ever promised not to do something, and then
went ahead and did it? I guess that's the same as asking if the Pope's Catholic.
2. In just a few weeks our townships, counties, and
state will hold another election. It may not hold the magnitude of a presidential election, but in a sense
they're all the same. There are always promises and high ideals thrown around, but after the election the
promises and high ideals are often forgotten. There are any number of reasons why this is.
a. Some promises are quickly broken because the
candidate never intended to fulfill them.
b. Other promises, while well-intentioned, are
beyond the candidate's power and ability to fulfill.
c. There must be times when unforeseen events or
new information changes a politician's mind.
d. Sometimes powerful special interest groups
exert pressure making sure they get what was promised while less influential people seem to
get lost between the cracks.
e. It's sad, but I guess realistic, that most have
come to accept the fact that politicians are often rather fickle in keeping promises.
B. But What About God?
1. Have you ever been disappointed in God's
promises? Have you ever wondered if he really means what he says? Has he failed your
expectations often enough that you've wondered if there really is a God? Or if he really cares? Shall we
conclude that God may be just as fickle as the politician?
a. Does he make promises he has no intention
of fulfilling?
b. Are some of them beyond his power and
ability to fulfill?
c. Does he change his mind?
d. Do special interest groups get more
attention while others get lost between the cracks?
2. I have to assume the problem is with us, and not
with God. There are too many scriptures that speak of the faithfulness of God. There's too much
evidence of his faithfulness. I have too often experienced the faithfulness of God. I have to
believe the problem lies in our understanding and expectations concerning his promises, rather than in
God being fickle.
C. In the next few weeks we'll be focusing on the promises of God. I'm not so presumptuous as to think
we'll eliminate doubts about God, or his faithfulness, or disappointment in the way he does things.
However, I do hope we'll be ever more convicted of the faithfulness of God, that he keeps his promises
according to his own methods, according to his own intentions, according to his own timing, and according
to his own terms. This morning we'll consider the terms of God's promises.
II. BIBLE LEARNING
A. When a contract is written, the terms, or the requirements and provisions, are usually clearly stated.
Likewise the terms for the promises of God are generally clearly stated, if not for us, then certainly for the
intended recipient. There may be some difficulty understanding those terms today because we're so far
removed time wise from the original promises. But we have the written word. We have enough information
to know what God wants us to know. The terms of God's promises are always either conditional, or
unconditional. It's essential we know which!
1. When I speak of unconditional promises, I merely
mean there are some promises that come with an unconditional guarantee. God promises to hold up
his end of the agreement no matter what we do or don't do. There are no conditions placed on the
promise.
2. The conditional promises, on the other hand, will
only be fulfilled if we meet the conditions, if we follow the directions God has laid out. We'll start
with the conditional promises.
B. The Conditional Promises Of The LORD.
1. Here are some examples. Back in Genesis . . .
a. We're told God created and blessed Adam and
Eve. He told them to be fruitful and multiply, and to rule over the earth. He gave them the tree
of life and indicated they would live forever in this paradise he had given them. This was a
fabulous promise, but we all know it was conditional. God also put a test tree in that
paradise. They were forbidden from eating the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
He assured them if they ate of that tree they would surely die. Now of course the serpent came
along and perverted what God said. In fact he assured Eve they would not surely die. That was
the first lie told and it perpetuates to this day. You see, the condition for enjoying paradise was
obedience. In fact we'll find this is quite typical of the conditional promises and blessings of
God.
b. In Genesis 12 we read of God's call of Abram.
God promised to bless him, to make him into a great nation, to bless those who blessed him, and
to curse those who cursed him. What a grand promise! But it was all conditional on Abram's
obedience to leave his people, his family, his land.
2. Turn please to the book of Exodus (Ch. 19).
a. Exodus 19:3-6. Comments. If. Obey.
b. While here let's read some of the 10
commandments in Exodus 20. Vs. 5&6. Comments. Key words, if, obey. Not there,
but...V. 7. Comments. Key principle, obedience. V. 12. Comments. Key principle, obedience.
c. Now read Exodus 23:20-27. Conditional.
Obedience. V. 22.
3. Actually the Old Testament contains numerous
conditional promises.
a. Joshua 1. God promised success,
prosperity, and protection if the Israelites obeyed the law of Moses.
b. Judges 7. God told Gideon if he followed
directions, he would win the battle.
c. I Samuel 2. God told Eli that his previous
promise to bless his family and maintain his family priesthood was going to be nullified
because of the sins of Eli and his sons.
d. I Samuel 12. When the Israelites asked for a
king God opposed it but allowed it. He even promised good things if the people honored and
obeyed him, but warned of judgment if they rebelled.
e. I Samuel 13. Because King Saul failed to
measure up to God's commands, he forfeited the kingship.
f. Psalm 1. If a person takes his advice from the
LORD and not from the wicked, he will enjoy the LORD's favor.
g. Psalm 37. If you delight in the LORD, then he
shall give you the desires of the heart.
h. Proverb. 2. If a person reveres God, he will find
wisdom and gain God's blessing.
i. Isaiah. 1. Isaiah reminded the people of the
LORD's desire to give them the best he had to offer - if they would only obey him.
j. Ezek. 18. Ezekiel said that a person could expect
judgment if he were guilty, and honor if he were righteous.
k. Jonah 3. Jonah announced judgment on
Nineveh. Actually the text doesn't tell us he required repentance, but we can infer that from
the text, and from the fact that God sent Jonah to warn of impending judgment. The
inhabitants did repent and God stayed the judgment, at least for the time being.
4. The New Testament also contains numerous
conditional promises.
a. The greatest is conditional immortality. Eternal
life is not unconditional. If we meet the required conditions then we will enjoy eternal life in the
eternal kingdom of God.
1. We must believe the gospel of Jesus Christ,
which is the kingdom of God. We must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of
God.
2. We must acknowledge and repent of our
sin.
3. We must be immersed in the name of Jesus
as a result of that belief and repentance.
4. We must then obediently commit to making
Jesus Lord of our lives. He's not available for savior only; he must also be Lord.
b. Matt. 5. The beatitudes promise God's blessing if
we become poor in spirit, mourn over sin, express meekness, etc.
c. Matt. 6. If we seek what has eternal value, God
will take care of our temporal needs.
d. James 4. If we submit to God and resist the
devil, the devil will flee from us.
e. I John. 1. If we confess our sins, God will
forgive. Now here's an example of a promise made to baptized believers. It is not made to the
population at large. We'll talk about his intended recipients another week.
f. I John. 3. God answers our prayers if we obey
his commands and do what pleases him.
g. I John 5. God answers our prayers if it's
according to his will.
I think it's on some of these promises we have to refrain from taking a promise out of context. In
some other passages it implies that God will simply do whatever we ask, almost as though he
is there to do our bidding. However here in I John we see some conditions. There are others
as well. This is why it's imperative we understand the terms, the conditions of his
promises before we badmouth him for not doing what he has supposedly promised. We can't take
a promise out of context. God doesn't include all teachings in all places. We have to take all
the word of God. It is a whole. It nowhere opposes itself. It nowhere contradicts itself.
C. Now, there are also unconditional promises, and next week we will get into those.