Fellowship Baptist Church
Sunday October 19th Am service
  • Jesus we crown you with praise

      • Romans 8:18–23ESV

  • To God Be the Glory
  • Praise Him! Praise Him!
  • Revive Us Again
  • A. Rapport for the time
    Conversation that extends from the what we discussed last week together in God’s word.
    Have you ever questioned the goodness of God?
    It is impossible to walk with God if we question his goodness.
    B. Reading of the text
    James 1:16–18 ESV
    16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
    C. Review of the text
    Trials are inevitable
    Wisdom from God by Prayer
    Humbly going before God in our state of need
    No place to blame God for our sin...Our sin comes from us giving into temptation in the midst of a trial —which was last week 13-15
    James 1:13–15 ESV
    13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
    But ultimately there is no way to blame God be HE IS ALWAYS GOOD
    D. Relevance of the text
    My greatest desire this morning for my heart and yours is to look at the goodness of God and be reminded of what HE ALONE has done for your and I!
    T.S. We begin this morning in verse 16 Discerning the True Source.

    I. Discern the True Source

    James 1:16 ESV
    16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
    Deceived—To cause someone to hold a wrong view and thus be mistaken, to mislead
    Did you know you can lie to yourself even as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ?
    Galatians 6:7–10 ESV
    7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
    James is talking to people who are going through a deep trial at this very moment and telling them “don’t deceive yourself.” I love that James does not talk the trial away as though they are just making this up and they just need to get over it. I love that the bible doesn’t tell us to be a robot and get over ourselves. What we must do is run to the Lord who will give us the wisdom need to bear up under trials that we might be conformed into the image of our creator. James says don’t blame God for the sin you do.
    Self Deception
    Men err by attaching greater importance to the affairs of this life, than to those of eternity
    Men deceive themselves by the hope of a death-bed repentance
    Men err in their view of the nature, the evil and the consequence of sin
    Men err in their view of the Devine law that is, the moral law
    Men err and deceive themselves in their view of their own character
    Men err in their apprehension of the character of God
    Instead look be reminded in hard times of the Goodness of God and what he has done for you, Today!!
    T.S.

    II. Discover God’s Unwavering Nature

    James 1:17 ESV
    17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
    A. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above
    Psalm 18:30 ESV
    30 This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
    Psalm 19:7 ESV
    7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
    1 Corinthians 15:7–11 ESV
    7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
    MacArthur—Everything related to divine giving is adequate, complete, and beneficial.
    B. Coming down from the Father of lights
    Father of Lights...Jewish expression for God as the Creator of the universe.
    Genesis 1:14–19 ESV
    14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
    Romans 1:20 ESV
    20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
    Kent Hughes...
    “This means that God fathered the lights of the universe, giving birth to each of its ten octillion stars in their individual brightness, ordering them in their distinctive constellations, and framing the physical laws that keep them on their courses, as well as ordering and sustaining the suns and the planets and moons of the solar systems—all of which exist in such perfections that he pronounced them “good””
    C. Whom there is no variation or shadow due to change
    You and I go stand outside on this beautiful day and there are some thing that are inevitable. First, your shadow will vary all day all because of the light that God created.
    Second, If you happen to have red hair and just stand out in the sun you will be more wrinkly than when you started.
    In fact, what part of you doesn’t remain in constant change your entire lifetime? Can you think of a constant?
    God does not change in any way at all, ever. You want comfort in a trial? You want to find kindness and love in the midst of difficult circumstances? You want to never be dismissed or just shrug off as though you don’t matter?
    Then Go to God..The creator of the world who doesn’t Change and who has no darkness in him.
    Malachi 3:6 ESV
    6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
    1 John 1:5 ESV
    5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
    You want to know what stays constant? That which God put into place and holds together by the power of his hand.
    Newton’s 3 laws of motion..
    an object in motion, and an object at rest stays at rest, unless acted upon by an external force.
    Force = mass X acceleration
    For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction
    Earth’s distance from sun—What changes if we move closer or further? 93 million miles on average away from sun.
    Every good and perfect gift reigns from above, from the Father who is unchanging. This provides hope and security, as believers can rest assured that God’s nature and his gifts are immutable. You might suggest that recognizing God as the unwavering source of goodness helps foster a faithful response, especially when worldly circumstances are unstable. Encouraging the congregation to anchor their trust in God’s consistent goodness can transform their perspective on life’s gifts.

    III. Destined for Divine Purpose

    James 1:18 ESV
    18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
    Of his own will he brought us forth—
    MacArthur—regeneration is not just a wish, but an active expression of God’s will.
    You want to know of the goodness of God? Do you doubt him? Beloved you are found in him this very day according to HIS OWN WILL.
    Ephesians 1:4–5 ESV
    4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
    John 3:3–7 ESV
    3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
    Regeneration is God’s ultimate goodness to you and I.
    Romans 10:17 ESV
    17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
    1 Peter 1:22–23 ESV
    22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
    1 John 3:9 ESV
    9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
    by the word of truth—Word of truth—Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
    Firstfruits..
    OT thought of taking the best of the first of your crops as an offering to God. You didn’t take leftovers or whatever you thought you might want to spare to God. In our worship to the God we took that which was best.
    Romans 8:19–23 ESV
    19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
    You and I are the firstfruits—the first evidence of all that is coming.
    2 Peter 3:10–13 ESV
    10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
    Focus on the idea of rebirth and identity as part of God’s good creation. Through His word of truth, God has chosen to give us birth, signifying His loving initiative in granting us a new identity. This section highlights that believers are a firstfruit, valuable and cherished by God. Suggest exploring how understanding this identity can instill confidence and purpose amid adversity. Encourage the congregation to embrace their role as reflections of God’s goodness, inspired by Christ’s ultimate example of love and sacrifice.
    Application:
    The goodness of God is the Key to Spiritual Sanity..Why that is true in our life?

      • James 1:16–18ESV

      • James 1:13–15ESV

      • James 1:16ESV

      • Galatians 6:7–10ESV

      • James 1:17ESV

      • Psalm 18:30ESV

      • Psalm 19:7ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 15:7–11ESV

      • Genesis 1:14–19ESV

      • Romans 1:20ESV

      • Malachi 3:6ESV

      • 1 John 1:5ESV

      • James 1:18ESV

      • Ephesians 1:4–5ESV

      • John 3:3–7ESV

      • Romans 10:17ESV

      • 1 Peter 1:22–23ESV

      • 1 John 3:9ESV

      • Romans 8:19–23ESV

      • 2 Peter 3:10–13ESV

  • Goodness of God
Fellowship Baptist Church
fellowshipbartlett@gmail.com
901-331-3074
https://fellowshipbartlett.org
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