"God is not asking you to do something that He has not done..."

Preached at Glen Aros Christian Fellowship on Sunday 6th October 2008

God is not asking you to do something that He has not done, nor be something He is not.

Let’s look at Romans 15:1-14

Ro 15:1 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, leading to edification.
3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me."
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,
6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers,
9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: "For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name."
10 And again he says: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!"
11 And again: "Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!"
12 And again, Isaiah says: "There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope."
Ro 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Look at verse 4

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
• Whatever things were written before were written for you learning
• That you through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope

Hallelujah! Through patience and comfort we might have hope

Look at verse 13

Ro 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

• Now may the God of hope
• Fill you with all joy
• In believing
• That you may abound in hope
• By the Holy Spirit.

Can you see the exhortation of God to be patient and be comforted by the Scriptures, and out of that will be hope?

Then in verse 13 may the God of Hope.

You see God is not asking you to produce something that he is not.

He is a God of hope and he exhorts you to have hope.

He asks us to be patient and steadfast and full of comfort, which produces hope because He is full of patience, steadfastness, and comfort

He is not just exhorting you with words written on the pages of Scripture, He is these things, and when he speaks these words in the Scriptures and you believe them, and put them into practice, - I.e. You choose to be patient, and let the comfort of the Scriptures bring you hope – you have the substance of the Father in you, which is in him, already!

As a believer his words become substance in you, because they are true in Him!

Blessed be God, whose words, are substance in Him, and by the Holy Spirit become, substance in you. Hallelujah!

We read in 2 Corinthians 1:3

2Co 1:3 blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort

He is the God of all comfort

He is the Father of mercies

I spoke a few months ago from Acts27:27

Ac 27:27 Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land.

The sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land…”

They sensed this before it arrived, and they sensed it at the darkest hour of the night.

As Paul and the Sailors were being driven up and down the Adriatic Sea the fourteenth night had come.

What did they do with this sense of land approaching?

Verse 28

Ac 27:28 And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms.

They took some soundings

What can the Christian do, what does it mean to take a sounding when you sense something approaching you?

That’s easy!

More Prayer

More Fellowship

More Reading of the Word

Speak to Jesus who lives in the deep things of God

Speak to fellow sailors who are onboard with you.

Tell them of the sense you have of things to come.

Read more of his Word and seek out into the limitless ocean of his word until you reach the ocean floor where your sense of things approaching is confirmed, on the solid foundation of his Character and promises!

The Sailors did not take one sounding, and said ‘I told you so’!

They took another sounding and interestingly with the passage of time they found the ocean floor was closer than the first sounding.

You take the exhortations of Scripture, and through patience, and comfort in the promises, you begin to walk in hope. Even though you may be going through your darkest hour, even though it is midnight for you, trust that your dry land is fast approaching.

Look at Psalm 101:1-8


I will sing of mercy and justice; To You, O LORD, I will sing praises.
2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.
5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbour, Him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, Him I will not endure.
6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me.
7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.
8 Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.

There was a day when I did not posses the substance of these; they were but a hope ahead of me.

But as I have been led by the Holy Spirit of the living God I find myself through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, to be even this day see the possessing of the things I have hoped for.


Let’s look at Malachi 3:16-18

Mal 3:16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name.
17 "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him."
18 Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him.

Look at verse 16

Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name.

• Those who feared the LORD spoke to one another
• The LORD listened to them
• The LORD heard them
• A Book of remembrance was written before Him
• A Book that listed those who feared the LORD
• A book that listed those who meditated on His name.

There is a book in heaven with all the details.

The Lord Jesus is not deceived

Look at verse 18

18 Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him

• Jesus knows the one who serves God
• Jesus knows the one who does not serve Him

The righteous and the wicked are discernable. They can be separated out.

Jesus instructs the owner of the field to let the tares and the corn grow together until the harvest. He knows, and has patience, and comfort of the Scriptures, and hope that all that the Father has promised will come to pass.

Jesus exhorts you to do the same.

4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Can you see – the God of hope fill you – with all joy and peace in believing.

Why?

That you may abound in hope – what a great thing – to abound in hope

And notice it is all done by the Holy Spirit!


Let’s look at Titus 2:11-15

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ,
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

Look at verse 14

14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

• Jesus gave Himself for us
• Jesus desires to redeem us from every lawless deed
• Jesus desires for Himself His own special people
• Jesus desires a people zealous for good works

The grace of God that brings salvation teaches us some wonderful things in verse 12 and 13

• Deny ungodliness
• Deny worldly lusts
• Live soberly
• Live righteously
• Live godly in this present age
• Look for the blessed hope, that is to come
• Look for the glorious appearing of our great God and Savour Jesus Christ

Let’s look at 1 Peter 2:4-10

1Pe 2:4 coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,"
8 and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light;
10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Look at verse 9

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light;

• You are a chosen generation
• You are a royal priesthood
• You are a holy nation
• You are His own special people
• You may, If you want to, proclaim the praise of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light

God does not ask you to do or to be what he is not!

Titus 2:14

Who gave himself for us
Redeemed us from every lawless deed
Purified for Himself his own special people
Zealous for good works

What has He not done for us?

Hebrews 1:1-3

Heb 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Look at verse 3

3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

• When He had by Himself purged our sins

Your sins have been purged

1John 1:5-10

1Jo 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Look at verse 7

7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

• If you walk in the light
• In the same way that Jesus is in the light
• You and I have fellowship with one another
• And the blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanses us from all sin.

Jesus has cleansed us from all sin

You must walk in the light in the same way Jesus walks in the light

He walks in the light so that we may walk in the light

He does not call us to do what he has not done

Walk in the light

Because Jesus walks in the light

When we walk in the light like Jesus, there is the place, where we have fellowship with one another

Exodus 15:11-18

11 "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12 You stretched out Your right hand; The earth swallowed them.
13 You in Your mercy have led forth The people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength To Your holy habitation.
14 "The people will hear and be afraid; Sorrow will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; The mighty men of Moab, Trembling will take hold of them; All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away.
16 Fear and dread will fall on them; By the greatness of Your arm They will be as still as a stone, Till Your people pass over, O LORD, Till the people pass over Whom You have purchased.
17 You will bring them in and plant them In the mountain of Your inheritance, In the place, O LORD, which You have made For Your own dwelling, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 "The LORD shall reign forever and ever."

Look at verse 16
16 Fear and dread will fall on them; by the greatness of Your arm They will be as still as a stone, Till Your people pass over, O LORD, Till the people pass over Whom You have purchased.

• Fear will fall upon them
• Dread will fall upon them
• By the greatness of Your arm they will be as still as a stone
• Until Your people pass over
• O LORD, till the people pass over whom You have purchased

You are the people whom the Lord Jesus has purchased with his blood

You are called to pass over

Your enemies are full of dread

Your enemies are full of fear

Your enemies have become still as a stone until you have passed over.

Look at verse 17

You will bring them in and plant them In the mountain of Your inheritance, In the place, O LORD, which You have made For Your own dwelling, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.

• It is God’s desire to bring his people in and plant them in the mountain of His inheritance
• It is Jesus desire to bring you into the place which He has made for His own dwelling
• Jesus desires you come into the sanctuary which His hands have established.

Your call is not this side of the Vale!

Your call is through the Vale, in the Sanctuary!

Jesus has gone before you. To bring you into your call.

Psalm 138:1-8

Ps 138:1 A Psalm of David. I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You.
2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your loving kindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD, When they hear the words of Your mouth.
5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, For great is the glory of the LORD.
6 Though the LORD is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.
8 The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Look at verse 3

3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.

• Have you cried out?
• Has Jesus answered you?
• Has Jesus made you Bold?
• Has Jesus put strength in your soul?

Look at verse 7

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.

• Thou you walk in the midst of trouble
• Jesus will revive you
• Jesus will stretch out His hand against the wrath of your enemies
• Jesus will save you by His right hand

Look at verse 8

The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

• The Lord will perfect that which concerns you
• Jesus’ mercy towards you endures forever
• Jesus will not forsake you; you are the work of His hands.

So, cry out to him that he might perform it for you! Let Jesus bring you into your calling and election, that which is beyond the Vale.

Let me quote from Andrew Murray who is speaking about waiting on God. This is what Andrew Murray says:

‘What Jesus asks of us, in the way of surrender, and obedience, and desire and trust, is all comprised in this one word, ‘Waiting on Him, waiting for His Salvation’.

This statement, ‘waiting on Him, waiting for His Salvation’ combines two things

• The deep sense of our entire helplessness in ourselves to work what is divinely good.
• And our perfect confidence that our God will work it all in His divine power.

That is why we must …Through patience and comfort of the Scriptures to have hope!

Ephesians 5:1-7

Eph 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;
4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks
5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Look at verse 1

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

• Jesus was an imitator of God, or as the Greek says, ‘a follower’.

God does not ask us to do or be anything that He himself is not already in being and action!

Look at verse 2

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

• Walk in love
• Because Jesus has love us
• Because Jesus became an offering and a sacrifice to God and a sweet smelling aroma

Jesus was always obedient to the Father

When Jesus was a child he said I must be about my Fathers business!

There is a story of a man who struggled to follow in his fathers footsteps, following in the family business.

Constantly he had this inner desire to go to sea and be a captain of a great ship.

As he looked into his family history he discovered he was not the son of the father who brought him up. He was an adopted son, and his real father was a captain of a great ship, and was descended from a long line of seafarers.

I want to say to you this morning that you are an adopted son

You are form a long line of peculiar people, called to do the work of the sanctuary; you are called to walk in the calling which is in your Spirit.

The call of God is in your Spirit

Now is the time for you to be up and be about your Fathers business.

Eph 5:14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."

Jesus does not call you to do what He does not do himself

Jesus is the very essence of the Father; He by the Holy Spirit lives in you.

He rises from the dead

And says to you; 'Rise from the dead'!

He walks in the light of His Father

And says to you, 'Walk in the light as he is in the light'

The light of Jesus causes you to arise and sleep no more!