What Gifts God Deserves on this Special Day
Matthew 6:9-13
DATE:
21 June, 1998 AM
Father's Day
PLACE: BBC Blarney
I. Introduction (Rom 13:7)
1. When we honour our Lord's birth at Christmas - at least you SHOULD
2. When we honour His resurrection
3. When we honour Ireland's independence and past leaders
4. And especially when we honour our parents
II. Message - What
God Wants for Father's Day (Matthew
6:9-13)
1. So much honour is going to nobodies (Ex 4:11)! Dust!
a. The filthy movie makers and stars: Emmy's, Oscars, Tony's - Jerks!
b. Music singers and musicians - showing off THEIR voices and talent
c. Beauty babes - showing off THEIR bodies
2. So little honour going to God!
a. The only time people use the name Jesus or God is when cursing, and swearing! All the glory of creation is attributed to somebody called "MOTHER NATURE!"
b. God deserves some GLORY (Jn 12:28; Ps 103:1)! True, born again, Bible believing Christians need to get back to loving and honouring the name and very thought of God Almighty! How?
1) With our Mind 2Co 10:5 bringing everything under His dominion!
2) With our Lips - Ps 34:1 "I will bless the LORD at all times…"
3) With our Life - live a life that is above the rest (Phlp 1:20,21)
3. Crown Him ladies and gentlemen! Crown Him with praise, and worship, and honour that you KNOW He deserves!!! Crown Him throughout each day, and in everything, let Him know that HE is something special!
1. Surrender To God's Kingdom! Salvation - MUST surrender!
a. It is something you must seek (Mt 6:33) Look forward to!
b. It is something that you must find (John 3:3) in Jesus!
2. Surrender To God's Will - His way of doing things
a. On Father's Day we ask our Dad's, "What would you really want?" "Special dinner, or some work done, etc?"
b. We need to start asking God "What do YOU want done?" (Ps 40:8; Acts 9:6), and then do it like He says! That's what blesses Him!
1) We are like a bunch of spoiled brat children - throwing temper tantrums in order to get things our way (Isa 53:6)
2) It's time we grew up and said Abba, Father, I want to do THY will!
3. God give us some broken, surrendered sinners who sell-out everything; dump everything that is holding them back, so that they can let God be God, and run things HIS way, and bring about His glory!
4. That's what they do in heaven - we ought to do it too, here, on earth!
1. Requires Dependence upon Him at first, not at the last - you need God!
a. God delights in us coming to Him when we are in need - PRAY!!!
1) Ps 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee
2) Ps 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
b. That's why we have troubles, and needs - to keep us dependent upon God! If we get to where we don't need God, we have only made ourselves like the devil, thinking that we shall be as gods!
c. There is nothing wrong with total dependence, and reliance upon God. As a matter of fact, it blesses God to know we realise we need Him!
2. Requires Delight in what He supplies - this is the hardest part (Phlp 4:19)!
a. Daily WHAT? Bread? (Num 21:5) Miraculous bread! People are stupid
b. God was miraculously providing and all they did was complain as if it was never enough! Never what THEY wanted! Never pleasing to them!
c. True delight is found in Christ! Found in HIM (Heb 13:5; Act 3:3-6)!
d. God asks us to learn to be satisfied with:
1) Salvation - the greatest gift (can't play piano, or make a million, or turn heads, can't carry a tune - so what! Are you saved from hell?)
2) Simplicity - the simple life (food and raiment, family, a Bible believing church, job, mansion in heaven) - you are rich!
3. This Father's Day, and every day from now on, be thankful for what your heavenly Father does for you! And be content with it! It makes Him happy!
1. Based upon Forgiveness - "forgive us…"
a. Sin separates (Isa 59:2; Pr15:29; Jer 5:25) - people are fooled into a false relationship - just a relationship with a mirror - not God of Bible!
b. The only problem that people have with God, is their sin that they just continue to hold onto!
1) No peace in prayer? No joy in service? No desire for souls?
2) Simply because something sinful is blocking God's presence
3) Identify it, dump it, and repent of loving it
4) And then you will discover the kind of closeness that you could never dream of - starts with finding forgiveness:
a) Between you and God - get back right with Him!
b) Between you and others - bitterness and anger, will quench the Holy Spirit's work in you!
2. Based upon Following - "lead us…"
a. Not a request to keep God from sending you into temptation, but rather to LEAD you so that you don't end up in temptation!
b. People are so used to ending up in places and situations where they get tempted, and give-up. A true Christian surrenders back to God and asks that HE lead them so they don't get back down into the miry pits of sin any more - they want to be FREE!
c. God wants a kind of relationship where we are not fighting to go our own way - that's how we were before salvation (Isa 53:6)!
3. Oh if we would just follow - we would stay out of a whole lot of trouble!
1. A people that stands out in the crowd - not weird, but washed (1Cor 6:9-11)
2. A people that knows the benefit of God's chastening hand - for our benefit
3. A people that seek to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness (Ps 29:2), not half-heartedness, or with hidden sins behind their back!
4. God wants a people that He can say that he is NOT ashamed of being called their God - He actually WANTS to be associated with those kind!
1. People mess up their lives, and mess up other people's lives simply because they really believe that everything belongs to THEM!
a. Ps 24:1, "the earth is the LORD's…" We are part of God's creation, not part of an evolutionary experiment!
b. 1 Cor 6:19,20, "ye are not your own!" We are bought with a price, not free to do as we will!
c. Ps 100:3 What you have, came from God; What you are, is because of God; What makes you think any of this life is YOURS? We belong to the King!
2. The key to Biblical Christianity (1Co 3:21-23) Stewardship, not Ownership
a. God gives you responsibility to take care of a family - you better do it
b. God puts you in charge of a brand-new, clean life - better keep it clean!
c. God gives you a Bible - you better learn it and live it!
d. God allows access to His throne in heaven - you better show up there!
e. Why? Because you will have to answer to the BOSS, the OWNER!
3. And all God's people said… AMEN!
III. Conclusion - What Does God want for Father's Day? SIX THINGS!
No need for a Tie, or golf clubs, a new shirt, or slippers. What He wants goes far deeper! Far costlier than you could imagine - but He is worth it!
1. With our Mind 2Co 10:5 bringing everything under His dominion!
2. With our Lips - Ps 34:1 "I will bless the LORD at all times…"
3. With our Life - live a life that is above the rest (Phlp 1:20,21)
1. Surrender To God's Kingdom! Salvation - MUST surrender!
2. Surrender To God's Will - His way of doing things
1. Requires Dependence upon Him at first, not at the last - you need God!
2. Requires Delight in what He supplies - this is the hardest part (Phlp 4:19)!
1. Based upon Forgiveness - "forgive us…"
2. Based upon Following - "lead us…"