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Sermons from Miracle Valley 25th February 2018.
In our covenant walk, we look up to God. The faithful ones will reach the destination of promise. Israel looked forward to Canaan, but modern believers are looking beyond the material Canaan, to the New Jerusalem, the eternal seat of Jesus, who is our .Lord and King.
As children of God, we have the opportunity that Jesus came to this world and opened the chapter for forgiveness and repentance. In the old testament those who sinned did not have the chance to seek pardon. There was instant justice for offences according to the category of sin. Christ therefore gave us a better covenant, because men could not keep the law as it was. All the same Jesus never cancelled the law, but bore the curse of instant justice, by shedding His blood on the cross.
IS THAT NOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY?
He is coming Again. And what will He do on His return?
16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. (John 16 : 8-11).
Who are those to say “we wait for thy coming oh! Lord?
Only the righteous will cry and say we wait for thy coming. The unrigteous will never expect Christ soon, because He is coming to judge the unrighteous people, but to reward the faithfuls.
People whose covenant destination is physical Canaan will be angry about the returning of Christ.
A rich man who was told he will die in a forth night cried ” my money, my houses, my cars and may have added my wives”
How can man get to heaven if he does not die?
Basis For Judgement
There are basis on which God will judge the world. He is not going to judge man in surprise rules. He will judge in line with the following:
1) according to God’s word
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day”. (John 12 : 48)
People who reject God’s word or select what to do have problem in their salvation.
2) according to opportunities:
“And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city”. (Mark 6:11).
Use every opportunity you have to serve God because some of those opportunities may not come to you again.
3) according to the truth:
“But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things”. (Romans 2 :2).
If you do evil you will be judged accordingly. These sermons must speak the truth and will never mislead people.
4) according to works :
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad”. (2 Corinthians 5 : 10).
Judgement After Death :
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”: (Hebrews 9 :27).
Everyone who is alive has the oppotunity to repent. Judgement comes at death, let those who worship God for the sake of salvation take note.
The Place of the Righteous before God:
“He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted”. (Job 36 : 7)
15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. (Proverbs 15 : 29)
BUT THE RIGHTEOUS Shall Flourish.
“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon”. (Psalm 92 : 12)
Yet there is none Righteous:
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” (Romans 3 : 10).
Is this not a paradox? There is none righteous. Only God is righteous, but He has cleansed those who fear Him and made them worthy through the blood of Jesus. We are saved by grace after we have accepted Him and walked in His will.
Miracle Valley Sermons February 2018.
Rev, Prof. P. C. Nnaocha.