First Baptist Church Laredo
Sunday Worship 8-11-19
2 Corinthians 12:8–9CSB
- Your Grace Is Enough
- Open My Eyes
Psalm 8CSB
Psalm 116:2HCSB
- Worship The Great I Am
Acts 10:43–44CSB
- Holy Spirit
- O Praise The Name
- Once again, let’s begin by reading our theme verse together.
Deuteronomy 10:17 CSB 17 For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe.So far in our message series, we have looked at some of the “El” names for God.Elohim - He is the Mighty Creator God.El Roi - He is the God who sees me.El Shaddai - He is the Almighty God.El Elyon - He is God Most High.Next, we began to look at names which are compound words with God’s proper name, Yahweh.Yahweh Jireh - God will see to it. God will provide.This morning, we are going to look at another name given to Yahweh. This name of God is meant to inspire us, to rally us, give us hope, and courage.Open you Bibles to .The people of Israel had been freed from slavery in the land of Egypt. Then had witnessed the parting of the Red Sea and the destruction of Pharaoh’s armies. They have had manna, quail, and water provided for them by divine intervention. Now, they face a new challenge.Exodus 17:8–16 CSB 8 At Rephidim, Amalek came and fought against Israel. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Select some men for us and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God’s staff in my hand.” 10 Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 While Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his hand down, Amalek prevailed. 12 When Moses’s hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword. 14 The Lord then said to Moses, “Write this down on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua: I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar and named it, “The Lord Is My Banner.” 16 He said, “Indeed, my hand is lifted up toward the Lord’s throne. The Lord will be at war with Amalek from generation to generation.”Exodus 17:8-It is amazing to me how many times people have tried to exterminate the Jewish people. It is literally a miracle that the Jewish people have survived as a people group. So many times the Jews have been targeted and yet, every time, God had protected them from their oppressors. They are still his people. This is why it is so important that we, as a nation, love and support Israel. God promised to bless those that bless his people and curse those that curse his people. Antisemitism has no place in Christianity. When you hear people denouncing and targeting Israel and the Jewish people, mark those people. They do not love God and they are pawns of Satan.In our text for this morning, it is Amalek who has targeted the Jewish people for destruction. The Israelites had only been free from slavery for a little while. They did not pose a significant military challenge for a trained fighting force. What were they going to do?Moses did the only thing he knew to do. He went to the top of the hill overlooking the battle field and he lifted his hands in prayer. He appealed to God to fight for them. He asked God to intervene on their behalf. He interceded for the nation of Israel.But there was a problem. Moses couldn’t hold up his hands in prayer for the entire day. Whenever he would drop his hands, Amalek would start winning. Then, Joshua and Hur stepped in. They had Moses sit on a rock and they held up his hands until the sun went down.Then, for the first time, God tells man to write something down. He told Moses to write down that he would completely blot out the memory of Amalek under heaven. Do you think God deals seriously with people who lift their hands against the Jewish people? I think so.After this Moses built and altar. He called God, Yahweh Nissi.Yahweh Nissi - God is my Banner.There are so many applications we could pull out of the text this morning. We could talk about the importance of lifting your hands in prayer and worship. We could talk about finding others who can support us in prayer. We could talk about remembering what God has done for us; however, this morning, I want to focus on the name of God, Yahweh Nissi. God is my Banner.It is not very often that we use the word “banner” today like it was historically used. Banner means to be high, raised, and conspicuous. A raised banner is a symbol of victory. The banner is symbolic of power and authority. The banner is what we rally around. As long as the banner is up, we fight. As Americans, we rally around the Star Spangled Banner. It is our symbol as a nation. This is why is it so offensive, or at least it should be, when someone or some group tears down our banner and desecrates it. We feel personally assaulted because the banner represents the power and spirit of our nation.Now take this concept and apply it to what Moses is saying in . God is Yahweh Nissi. God is our Banner. He is high and lifted up. He is our victory. He is our power and authority. It is God who we rally around. As long as God is lifted up, we fight, not against flesh and blood. Our battle is spiritual.Ephesians 6:12 CSB 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.We fight in the spiritual realm armed with the Word of God and prayer. We call on God in prayer to fight for us and win the victory. The banner leads the way. The banner is in front of us inspiring us to move forward in victory. God always goes before us. He makes our paths straight and he fights our battles.Remember this.Victory is won when we rally around Yahweh Nissi.We rally around Yahweh Nissi when we lift our hands in prayer asking him to do for us what we can’t do for ourselves. We rally around Yahweh Nissi when we follow his will to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with him. We rally around Yahweh Nissi when we go and make disciples by baptizing them and teaching them what Jesus taught his disciples. We rally around Yahweh Nissi when we move from where we are to where he wants us to be. Yahweh Nissi gives us the victory!I don’t know much about warfare. I do read Sun Tzu’s The Art of War yearly. In his book, he talks about win conditions. He talks about how nations can be victorious in battle. It got me thinking. Individuals don’t win wars. Sure, one solider or a squad can change the course of a battle, but they can’t win the war by themselves. It is the nation that wins or loses a war. In order to win a war, the whole nation must come together to mobilize against the enemy.History tells us that this is how World War II was won. Everyone, whether on the front lines of battle or at home, contributed to the war effort. The victory was won because every American came together to rally around the banner. We saw, tragically, in subsequent wars what happens when a nation is divided against itself.Now, let’s take this idea into the spiritual realm. Over and over God’s Word records the necessity of believers to be unified. It was Jesus’ prayer for us before he was crucified.John 17:20–23 CSB 20 “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. 21 May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.He could have prayed for so many different things, but he prayed for us to be unified.We are unified under Yahweh Nissi.Just as the people of a nation are unified by their core beliefs, Jesus’ disciples are unified by core beliefs. One of the best documents that expresses our core beliefs is the Apostle’s Creed. Some of you may think that it is a Catholic document, but it isn’t. It is an ancient document that expresses what we believe.I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth;And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic (universal) Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic (universal) Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.If you are interested in learning more about what the Apostle’s Creed means, go to our YouTube channel. We did a whole Wednesday night Bible study breaking down each phrase of the Apostle’s Creed. This is where we find our unity. Praise the Lord for our diversity as a congregation. Praise the Lord for our unity and may it always be so.Victory is won when we rally around Yahweh Nissi.Yahweh Nissi is our focal point and source of hope.In battle, the banner went before the army. It was a source of hope. It was the focal point of the battle. If the banner fell or started to retreat, the battle would be lost. The army followed the banner.Likewise, as disciples of Jesus, we follow Yahweh Nissi. He is our focal point and our source of hope. If we take our eyes of the banner, we could be separated from the rest of the army. If we are isolated, we are easily picked off by the evil one. For this reason, the writer said,There was an old hymn that we used to sing. It fell out of favor because our modern “sensibilities” told us that it was too militaristic. How foolish we can be.Hebrews 12:2 CSB 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.In the tumultuous battle, it is easy to take your eyes off the banner and focus on the enemy. In the everyday affairs of life, it is easy to take our eyes off of Jesus and focus them on our jobs, our problems, and our struggles. When our eyes become distracted from Jesus, we run into danger.Yahweh Nissi is to be our focal point. He is to be our source of hope. Don’t allow your eyes to be distracted from following the banner. Don’t retreat. Don’t give up. Rally around Yahweh.I found a video clip that demonstrates the power of a banner.<show The Patriot> video clip.I don’t know about you, but the only thing that clip needs is a bald eagle landing on the top of the Star Spangled Banner. And yes, that was the Betsy Ross flag and no it is not a racist symbol. It is a symbol of inspiration, courage, and the hope of freedom. We, as Americans, should be inspired by our flag and patriotism. Even more so, we, as disciples of Jesus Christ, should be inspired by Yahweh. You should feel a passion to honor his name. He is our banner. He leads the way. He inspires us and give us courage. God goes before you, follow him and keep you eyes firmly fixed on Jesus.There was an old hymn that we used to sing. It fell out of favor because our modern “sensibilities” told us that it was too militaristic. How foolish we can be. I am not going to sing, some of you got worried.Stand up, stand up for Jesus, Ye soldiers of the cross; Lift high his royal banner, It must not suffer loss. From victory unto victory His army shall he lead, Till every foe is vanquished, And Christ is Lord indeed.Stand up, stand up for Jesus, Stand in his strength alone; The arm of flesh will fail you, Ye dare not trust your own. Put on the gospel armor,Each piece put on with prayer; Where duty calls or danger, Be never wanting there.Each piece put on with prayer; Where duty calls or danger, Be never wanting there.Stand up, stand up for Jesus, The strife will not be long; This day the noise of battle, The next the victor's song. To those who vanquish evil A crown of life shall be; They with the King of Glory Shall reign eternally.There is much truth and doctrine in these old hymns. Are you following the banner? Are you in the fight? Are you doing battle in prayer? Are you rallying around the banner, Yahweh Nissi? Brothers and sisters, we have the victory in Jesus, in Yahweh Nissi. He is our hope. He is our focus. There is no victory outside of Yahweh Nissi.Perhaps you are here this morning and you are not experiencing victory in your life. If you were honest, your life is a mess. You pretend to have it all together, but really you don’t. You may even believe in God’s existence, but he is not in control of your life. You were made to glorify God, but right now you are just living for yourself.The truth is at one point in time; all of us were living our lives for ourselves. Without a personal relationship with God, we all stray away from what’s right. We stray right into danger. We are all bent towards sin. We never had to be taught to do wrong. It is just natural for us. Naturally, we are all sinners. Our sin separates us from a holy God. The evil one will try to convince you that you have to deal with your problems on your own. He will try to convince you that you’ve got to get your life straight by your own power. He will try to tell you that after what you have done, God probably doesn’t want you.God loved you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to become sin for us and to die on the cross for our sins to be raised from the dead. Jesus offers you forgiveness. Anything and everything you have ever done can be forgiven by God and you can be new. When Jesus washes away your sin, he cleanses you and he’s not only to be your Savior, but also your Lord. He is to be Lord of your life. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. If you look at your life right now, how you spend your time, the way you spend your money, the way you invest your life, you would have to say, Jesus is not my Lord.<praise team beings to play softly>Please bow your heads and close your eyes. Today, your life can be changed. You can be forgiven. No longer will you be known by the title of sinner. You will be known as a child of God.There are those of you here today who need God’s grace in your life. You are ready to be made new. Today, by faith, when you call on Jesus, your sins will be forgiven and you will be made new. If that is you, pray with me.“Heavenly Father, forgive me for my sins, make me new. I ask Jesus to be my Savior and to be the Lord of my life, first in every way. My life is not my own, I give it to you. Thank you for new life. In Jesus’ name, I pray.” Amen.In just moment, we are going to sing a song. I will be at the front of the worship center. If you need prayer, please come. Get on your knees before God and we will pray with you. Brothers and sisters, come and humble yourself before God. Recommit your life to following the banner, to following Yahweh Nissi. Find the victory that he has promised you when you move from where you are to where he wants you to be.Our deacons will be coming forward to pray with you and for you. If you prayed to receive Jesus, please come and let us pray with you and celebrate your new life in Christ. If God is dealing in your heart and life right now, don’t let this moment pass.As you stand and we sing together.<after closing the time of invitation>Perhaps you didn’t come forward for one reason or another, but you really do want to talk with us about what is going on in your life. Perhaps you need help, prayer, or you just want to know more about being a follower of Jesus. I would encourage you to do one of two things. After we are dismissed, just stay where you are. One of our deacons will come and talk with you and pray with you. The other thing you can do is check one of the boxes on the Connection Card. Put it in the offering plate as it passes. We will get in touch with you this week. You see, this church exists to minister to one another. We are here to support you in your walk with God. Deuteronomy 10:17CSB
Exodus 17:8–16HCSB
Joshua 1HCSB
Ephesians 6:12CSB
John 17:20–23CSB
Hebrews 12:2CSB
- Take My Life And Let It Be (Hendon)
- Come Thou Fount Come Thou King
