THE CHRISTIAN’S MANIFEST DESTINY
#414 THE CHRISTIAN’S MANIFEST DESTINY
Scripture John 14:15-21, NIV Orig. 8/27/1967
Rewr. 1/8/1984
Passage: 15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
Purpose: To call my people to a higher understanding of those measures of our faith that are vital to Christian growth.
Keywords: Christ the Lord Holy Spirit Obedience Creed Spiritual Growth
Introduction
A phrase was coined back in the 1840’s that expressed the nationalistic thinking of many Americans. That was during the time that much was happening in the sphere of national expansion. Many of our countrymen during that era felt that, because of economic and political superiority, the free and democratic government of the United States was destined to rule all of North America.
The phrase “manifest destiny” was born. It was first used in an article promoting the annexation of Texas. It was as if we, our country, had some sovereign right to lay claim to any territory that we would, irregardless of its inhabitants or claims by other governments.
“Manifest Destiny” as it referred to national expansion was a false tenet. It could not be upheld in courts of law.
A similar term could be coined just now among Southern Baptists as we banter back and forth about a “Baptist creed.” Jimmy Draper, our present president, has spoken openly and often about such a need. Many strong, sound voices have spoken in opposition. Baptists have never had a creed. We don’t need one now.
When Charles Colson (Watergate conspirator) last spoke to Southern Baptists, he responded to an often-asked question about why, after his conversion, he had chosen to unite with Southern Baptists. Among other sound reasons, he stated that the lack of a creedal posture had appealed to him.
However, we must not confuse lack of “creed” with a lack of conviction. There are some things that are vital to our welfare, not just as Baptists, but as believers. There are scriptural positions that are so clear, and so often-stated, that we endanger ourselves when we violate or even speculate about such matters.
I want to share four of these scriptural positions with you this morning. 1-The Mediatorial Posture of Jesus. 2-The Counseling Primacy of the Holy Spirit. 3-The Necessary Practice of Loving Obedience. 4-The Enduring Practicality of Father Discipline. 5-The Distrust of the World.
I. The Mediatorial Posture of Jesus. V16, And I will pray the Father and He shall give you another advocate . . . . V18, I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
1. This is to be applied to the salvation experience. Romans 14:4, every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Zechariah the prophet wrote of his experience with the judgment of God. “I looked and, behold, a man with a measuring line. ‘Whither goest thou?’ ‘To measure Jerusalem.’”
2. Jesus Christ is God’s measuring rod for salvation.
John 3:16, For God so loved
Romans 6:23, The gift of God is eternal life
Galatians 3:13, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law
I Corinthians 16:22, If any man love not Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema
Sunday School lesson—if you earnestly studied then you got past those 12 verses in the printed text to verse 19. I had rather speak five words: Jesus Christ, God, Son, Saviour.
II. The Counseling Primacy of the Holy Spirit. V16, He shall give you another comforter, that He may abide with you forever.
1. The Spirit remains in the world to help Christians to grow in grace. Old Testament concept—the spirit came at times of particular stress and was given to certain people. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel. David—more written by and about him; examples of inspired writing; time of depraved life—spirit spoke through Nathan.
2. We have His help and power in exact proportion to our willingness and openness. There is a oneness in marriage _______. I Corinthians 6:17, He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Arthur Pierson—Isaac Newton, Mendelssohn, Michelangelo—their spirit wedded to his he would be like them—so with Christ.
III. The Necessary Practice of Loving Obedience. V15, If ye love me, keep my commandments. Matthew 7:21, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven.
1. You will note the careful description of this. It is loving obedience. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. If you are ready, good; if not, into the furnace, and who is the god who can deliver you? If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, He will deliver us. But if not, be it known to thee O King, that we will not serve your gods, or worship the golden image which you have set up.
2. Obedience without love has not place in the Christian gospel. It is this love that makes obedience a necessity. The mangrove tree grows along tropical _____, near the ocean. Growing along rivers, their stilt-like roots trap silt and build up the land. When built up beyond reach of tide, they die.
IV. The Practicality of Father Discipline. V23, My Father will love him (who loves me) and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
The story is told of a missionary who was serving amidst difficult circumstances and came to feel defeated and frustrated over his work. He tried praying but no answer came. He determined to go into the interior and in a place alone, struggle with God until an answer came. He stopped in the home of another missionary. Going in to pray he saw a placard, “Try thanksgiving.”
Gail Brook Burket, Paradox, C Miller A View p58
Men call me Master, but will not obey;
Good Shepherd, yet delight to go astray;
The Sun of R_________, but choose the night;
The Truth, yet put my precepts from their sight;
The Way, but follow other paths through life;
A Sure Foundation, while they build on sand;
The King of Kings, and spurn my great command.
Men call me Lord and Saviour even now,
Who press the thorns of hatred on my brow.
V. The Distrust of the World. V19, Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more, but ye see me. V22, How is it thou manifest thyself unto us and not to the world?
Edgewater Beach—paragraph missing
Those nine men were called to stand before God in judgment. They learned that their wealth was of no benefit. We will stand before Him and discover that the lack of wealth is no benefit. Only Christ can save and that through personal experience.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
Paul’s five words: Jesus Christ, God, Son, Saviour.
Closing
What is it like to become thus a child of God? It’s like you have been driving in a great city during rush hour in one of those places where a lane is closed, and tenseness and aggravation know no bounds. Suddenly the lanes are open again and you are beyond the city and the suburbs.
All of the traffic and all of the danger may still be present, but the tenseness and the anxiety have disappeared in the open air.
Edgewater Beach--https://thereformedbroker.com/2012/07/25/nine-financiers/