SERMONS by Former Pastor Lloyd Austin - Spencer Creek Church of God - St. Peters, Missouri

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"Call Unto Me and I will answer..." (Jeremiah 33:3)
SERMONS
The Fullness of Time - Gal. 4:1-7
Thanksgiving - Psalm 95:1-7
Standing in the Way of Christ - John 14:6
Listen When God Speaks - Heb 12:22-29
....................

THE FULLNESS OF TIME!

(all Scripture is from the NKJV)
Galatians 4:1-7
"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law." (v.4)
INTRODUCTION:
1.  Paul is saying -- that when Christ came -- man was like a
    little child in a wealthy home.
2.  The child was an heir -- but the child did not receive the
    inheritance.
3.  The child was no different than a slave.
4.  Paul, looking back to the Birth of Christ said, "But
    when the fullness of time was come,
    God sent forth His Son.
5.  HIS SON.... changed our relationship.
6.  Man was no longer a SLAVE... those who receive Christ become
    heirs, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.
7.  Because we have become heirs, we have been adopted unto
    SONSHIP; and we have been given the Living Christ, the Spirit
    of God, and by Him we cry, "ABBA."
8.  ABBA means more than Father.  It really means "MY
    FATHER."

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BIRTH OF CHRIST CANNOT BE FULLY KNOWN
UNTIL CHRIST LIVES IN OUR HEART.


I.  THE FULLNESS OF TIME

    A.  The moment which God had ordained for Messiah's Coming.
    B.  The Mosaic Law had done its educational work:

        1.  It showed the world the most highly-favored Nation
        2.  It (through Moses' obedience to God) showed and gave
            us the TEN COMMANDMENTS.
        
    C.  Observe the Historical Significance.

        1.  The religion of the Greeks was dead.
        2.  The religion of the Romans was already delegated to
            Mythology.
        3.  The religion of the Persians - never satisfied the
            hearts of the people.
        4.  The Earth-Stage was all set for the GREATEST EVENT 
            IN HISTORY.
        5.  Suddenly- when people were in despair, when people
            were searching for reality, AT THAT MOMENT,
            God sent forth His Son.
        6.  GOD IS ALWAYS ON TIME.

    D.  Observe the Spiritual Significance.

        1.  Paul is stating that Christ came in the FLESH to be
            "GOD WITH US."
        2.  He believed that Christ had entered the world by
            God's miracle to deal with mankind's spiritual needs.
        3.  The greatest need humanity has is FORGIVENESS FOR
            SINS.

II.  THE SPIRIT OF THIS TIME OF YEAR.

    A.  Not Rituals -- but Salvation.

        1.  If the time of Christmas is only a time for
            Decoration and Festivity -- its significance is lost.
        2.  Jesus came to "BE THE CHRIST."
        3.  If He is the Power of Heaven -- living in our hearts
            -- if He is God alive in you -- THEN HE IS THE
            CHRIST.

    B.  Man does not naturally search for God.

        1.  Man is always RETREATING from God.
        2.  Man was HOPELESS... but "JESUS CAME".. and He
            is DRAWING MAN TO HIM.
        3.  He came to pay the debt of sin..  nothing else or no
            one else could pay the price for our GUILT..
        4.  The SON OF GOD came and has paid the price.

III. JESUS - IS GOD'S GIFT FOR THE TIME... THE "END TIMES."
 

    A.  He is GOD'S GIFT FOR YOU.

        1.  The real Spirit of Christmas begins when one accepts
            the BEST GIFT OF ALL.
       
            a.  This GIFT is the SON OF GOD
            b.  This GIFT is the GIFT OF SALVATION
            c.  This GIFT is the GIFT OF FORGIVENESS

        2.  With this GIFT we can call the Father "ABBA FATHER" -
            "MY FATHER."

    B.  What about OUR GIFT TO GOD?

        1.  God wants you to GIVE YOURSELF to Him
        2.  You must be willing to Abandon Self and let God use
            you in any way He chooses.
        3.  If Christ is BORN IN YOUR HEART... God is YOUR
            FATHER, and the SPIRIT IS ALIVE in you.
        4.  Our gift is not only giving of ourselves to Him but
            also giving of ourselves to others.

IV.  CONCLUSION:

    A.  If the "FULLNESS OF TIME" has happened in your heart -
        you must be His servant.
    B.  If you really want the SPIRIT OF CHRIST to live in you -
        you must be His servant.
    C.  If He rally lives in your heart... then He has everything
        to say about your life.
THIS IS WHAT THE "TIME OF CHRISTMAS" IS ALL ABOUT ... NOTHING MORE
....................

THANKSGIVING!

(all Scripture is from the NKJV)
Psalm 95:1-7
"Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!  Let us shout
joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before His
presence with thanksgiving:  Let us shout joyfully to Him with
psalms.  For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above
all gods.  In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The
heights of the hills are His also.  The sea is His, for He made
it; And His hands formed the dry land.  Oh come, let us worship
and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.  For His is
our God.  And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep 
of His hand."


I Thessalonians 5:16-18

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give
thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."


INTRODUCTION:

1.  IN ALL THINGS .... GIVE THANKS
2.  THANKSGIVING is a fixed FESTIVAL by proclamation of the
    President as a Legal Holiday.
3.  The earliest THANKSGIVING for their harvest was kept by the
    Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth - in 1621.
4.  Since 1883 every President has issued each year a 
    proclamation appointing the last Thursday of November as
    THANKSGIVING DAY (Except F.D. Roosevelt).


BUT... THANKSGIVING IS NOT JUST A LEGAL HOLIDAY 
  

I.  OBSERVE WHAT THANKSGIVING REALLY IS SUPPOSED TO BE.


    A.  It is the "ACT" of rendering Thanks and Praise
    to God.

        1.  In PRAYER we honor Him (we pray, "HALLOWED BY THY
            NAME")
        2.  Being OBEDIENT in our giving - we Thank Him.
        3.  We should THANK HIM:

            a.  for health
            b.  for blessings He gives
            c.  for the ability to earn a living

    B.  THANKSGIVING is "PRAYER EXPRESSING GRATITUDE."
    
        1.  The Psalmist says in Psalm 103:2, "Bless the
            Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits."
   
        2.  He also states in Psalm 116:12, "What shall I
            render to the Lord For all His benefits toward me?"
 
        3.  We should GIVE THANKS for the "good" - but also thank
            God for being there when things are not so good!"

II.  SOME SAY, "WHAT SHOULD I THANK GOD FOR, ANYWAY?"
 

    A.  Without Him - there would be no "AIR" to breathe.
    B.  Without Him - there would be no "LIFE" to live.
    C.  God is the "SOURCE" of ALL BLESSINGS.
    D.  The Scripture, in James 1:17, gives this premise, that
        all good things come from above. 

III.  WE SHOULD ASK, "WHY ARE WE SO BLESSED?"

    A.  Why do our stomachs ACHE from being so FULL
        - and others will ACHE because of being so 
        EMPTY ?
    B.  WHY?

IV.  MOST OF ALL - WE SHOULD THANK GOD FOR OUR SALVATION
        AND HOPE OF HEAVEN.

    A.  John 3:16 states, "For God so loved the world that
        He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
        Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
    B.  Jesus states in John 14:1-3, "Let not your heart be
        troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  'In My
        Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I
        would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.
        And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
        again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there
        you may be also."
    C.  Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, and 31 gives the same plea:

        "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His
        goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of
        men!
    
    ILLUS:  THE HOG AND THE ACORN 

            A boy and his father were crossing a field one day
            and stopped to look at an oak tree.  Under the tree
            was a hog.  It was burrowing about, picking up the
            acorns that now and then the wind loosened from the
            tree.

            As they watched, the boy finally said, "The hog
            never sees the tree. It doesn't seem to care where
            the acorns come from."  The father thought for a
            few moments and then replied, "Perhaps we are
            often like the hog.  We have blessings that God
            sends.  We enjoy them, but how often do we look up to
            think of where they come from?"
                                               [author unknown]
   
    D.  The Psalmist says in chapter 150 and verse 6, "Let
        everything that has breath praise the Lord."
    E.  Let this THANKSGIVING DAY be a day of "BEING THANKFUL"
        and not just "BEING FULL"

PRAYER:  Lord, I thank you for all of Your Blessings. 
         Forgive me for not LOOKING UP and remembering from where
         "ALL" my blessings come from.  Help me to remember those
         who are not blessed as I am.   LORD, I THANK YOU!
         Amen.
....................


STANDING IN THE WAY OF CHRIST!
(all Scripture is from the NKJV)
John 14:6 states, "Jesus said to him,(Thomas)'I am the
way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except
through Me.'" 

Also in Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way which seems right
to a man, But its end is the way of death." 

INTRODUCTION:  1.  There are many WAYS today in which people 
                   are trying to go to Heaven.
               2.  There are many philosophies and thoughts about
                   the WAY to Heaven.
               3.  BUT... Jesus said, "I AM THE WAY."
               4.  We must follow the WAY OF CHRIST if we hope to
                   go to Heaven.
               5.  OBSERVE some of those mentioned in the Bible
                   that dared to get "IN THE WAY" of Christ.


I.  ZACCHAEUS. [Luke 19:1-10]

    A.  He was a Publican- a Tax Collector.
    B.  Anything that he collected over the required tax - he
        could keep for himself.
    C.  Many people were hungry because of this man.
    D.  He cheated... he lied... he stole from the people.
    E.  One day, JESUS PASSED BY, and for some reason Zacchaeus
        wanted a personal look.

        1.  Until a man takes a personal look at Jesus he will
            never find the way.
        2.  If you haven't taken a personal look at Jesus you
            cannot understand the way.

    F.  The Scriptures declare that this man got up in a tree to
        see Jesus as He passed by.
    G.  When Jesus passed by He looked up into the tree and saw
        Zacchaeus.

        1.  Verse 5 states, "And when Jesus came to the place,
            He looked up and saw him, and said to him,
            'Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I
             must stay at your house.'"
        2.  Whatever it takes - we must find Jesus.
        3.  Many today are "up-a-tree" and don't know what to do.
        4.  BUT... Jesus notices you even when you're up-a-tree.

    H.  Jesus went home with Zacchaeus.

        1.  After this visit, Zacchaeus said, "I want to be
            different."
        2.  In verse 8 he states, "...Lord, I give half of my
            goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from
            anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."
        3.  He was converted.
        4.  He had a change of heart.
        5.  He confessed, repented and followed in the WAY OF
            CHRIST.

II.  BLIND BARTIMAEUS. [Mark 10:46-52]

    A.  When Jesus passed by where he was Bartimaeus began to cry
        out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 
    B.  Many today need to cry out to Jesus this same thing.
    C.  Many are told to be quiet as this man was.
    D.  But Jesus noticed him and told them to call him.

        1.  Jesus called him
        2.  Jesus healed him
        3.  Jesus told him to go his way.

III. THE ROMAN CENTURION. [Matthew 8:5-13]

    A.  This man had a servant at home paralyzed and dreadfully
        tormented.
    B.  Jesus said, "I will come and heal him."

        1.  The Centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy that
            You should come under my roof.  But speak the word,
            and my servant will be healed."
        2.  Jesus said, "...I have not found such great faith,
            not even in Israel."

    C.  This man found the WAY OF CHRIST.

IV. A MAN BORN BLIND. [John 9:1-41]

    A.  As Jesus passed by - He saw this man "blind from birth."
    B.  Verse 6 declares that Jesus spit on the ground and made
        clay and anointed the eyes of the blind man and told him
        to go wash in the pool of Siloam.

        1.  He went
        2.  He washed
        3.  He saw

    C.  The Pharisees tried to get the man to accuse Jesus of
        performing this miracle on the Sabbath.

        1.  They tried to get him to say that this Man was not
            from God because he did not keep the Sabbath and was
            a sinner.
        2.  This (once blind) man said in verse 25,"...
            Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know.  One
            thing I know:  that though I was blind, now I see."
   

    D.  We were once BLIND IN OUR SINS
    E.  We were once LOST IN DARKNESS
    F.  But NOW (because of standing in the Way of Christ) WE
        SEE!  WE are in His marvelous light.

V.  JESUS IS PASSING BY YOUR WAY TODAY.

    A.  Call out to Him and receive your needs.
    B.  Call out to Him and be saved from your sins. 
    C.  Call out to Him and be healed in your body.
    D.  Call out to Him and hear Him say:

        1.  "Come down out of your tree"
        2.  "Be healed"
        3.  "I forgive"

VI. JESUS CAME TO THOSE WHO NEEDED HIM.

    A.  He knows your need.
    B.  He will come to you and meet your needs.
    C.  All anyone had to do in the Scriptures was to "CALL UNTO
        HIM" and He heard them and responded to them.
    D.  He never turned anyone away.
    E.  All you have to do is "STAND IN THE WAY OF CHRIST."

VII. CONCLUSION.

    A.  Will you dare to reach out and touch Him as He passes
        your way today?
    B.  Will you turn from unbelief and believe today?
    C.  Part of an old song states it this way:

         "One day a sinner, I found relief,
          Gone was my burden, gone was my grief.
          Angels were singing, and so was I,
          There is a reason, Jesus passed by.
           [author Marvin P. Dalton]
           [copyright: 1955 to Tennessee Music & Printing Co]
PRAYER: Lord, I thank you because Jesus is passing by my way today. I will call out to Him and I know that He will hear me. Amen.

....................

LISTEN WHEN GOD SPEAKS! 

Heb. 12:22-29 states, "SEE THAT YOU DO NOT REFUSE HIM
 WHO SPEAKS..." (NKJV)

I.  WE NEED TO LISTEN WHEN GOD SPEAKS.    

     A.  Every time the Word is preached - GOD IS SPEAKING.    
     B.  If you have the ability to perceive anything - you must
         hear and do what God says.    
     C.  As believers we have become spiritual possessors.    

         1.  We are in a position where GRACE is occupied.    
         2.  We are in a place of FIRM STANDING as we are IN
             CHRIST.
  
II.  WE AS BELIEVERS OUGHT TO BE RICH IN SPIRITUAL THINGS.
 
  
     A.  Worldliness and Ungodliness crowds out spiritual
         blessings.
     B.  We have, as believers, an OBLIGATION to God.   

         1.  Paul declares in Romans 1:14, "I AM A DEBTOR."
  
         2.  Our devotion to God is required.    
         3.  The way to DEVOTION to God is to "Pay more
             attention" when God speaks.

     C.  It may be that in the past you may have borne witness of
         Christ - TODAY you stand silent.    
     D.  In the past you may have loved your brother and sister -
         TODAY there may be contention and strife.    
     E.  In the past you may have READ and RECEIVED God's Word -
         TODAY it is a closed Book to you.    
     F.  In Matthew 17:5, at the Transfiguration of Christ a
         voice was heard from Heaven saying: "THIS IS MY
         BELOVED SON IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.  HEAR YE HIM."
     (KJV)  
     G.  He can not be seen visibly - but His Word is spoken in
         songs, teaching, and preaching.    
     I.  It's up to each believer to HEAR and LISTEN to God.  

III. IF YOU ARE NOT A BELIEVER TODAY YOU CAN BECOME ONE BY
      HEARING GOD SPEAK TO YOUR HEART.

     A.  The Lord says in Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand
         at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and
         opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him,
         and he with Me" (NKJV).  
     B.  He says in the familiar verse that almost everyone can
         quote, John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He
         gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
         should not perish but have everlasting life" (NKJV).
     C.  If we listen to what He says now - we will hear Him say,
         "WELL DONE."  There is a song which we sing in our
         churches titled, "WHEN MY NAME IS CALLED IN GLORY I'LL
         BE THERE."  
     D.  We must listen to Him here in order to hear Him then.
PRAYER: Lord, I thank you for Your Word...help me to receive it as coming directly from You - help me to respond while you are calling. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORD! Amen.

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