Sermon Notes

Click here to download printable sermon notes in pdf format.

Psalms 34:17, 19  many are the afflictions of the righteous.

Genesis 17:1-6  God told Abraham to walk before Him, and to be perfect.

When God called Abraham, he took his nephew Lot with him.  After Abraham’s father died, Abraham and Lot’s possession began to increase mightily.  So much so, that Abraham suggested that they split up, so that there wouldn’t be conflict between them.  Later on, there was a great war between nine different kings, and Lot, and all his stuff were taken.  One of Lot’s servants escaped, and went to Abraham.  Abraham gathered together his servants, and armed them, and they went off after Lot.  The Bible says that there were 318 men.  They went up against this one king and his army, and rescued Lot, and recovered all of his stuff, and everything pertaining to the king of Sodom.  Abraham returned all of that stuff, and the king of Sodom tried to pay Abraham for his servants.  Abraham refused to take anything from him.  The king didn’t argue too much; I guess when you talking to a guy who has 318 servants that can defeat an entire army, you really don’t want to say too much to him.

 1 Corinthians 15:57  God has given us the victory through Christ; I think Abraham could have said that, too.

 I personally don’t like conflict, but sometimes it’s unavoidable.  Some might ask, “Why would God put us in a position where we have to take a stand, and have to be hard about it?”  The answer is, because God is a righteous God.  Think about it, where does a light shine the brightest? in the darkness.  We don’t like to be put in a position like that, but sometimes we just have to pray that God would give us the Spirit to do what He wants us to do; to set the example for other people.

 Genesis 13:5-13  Abraham, trying to avoid strife between his herdsmen and Lot’s, gives Lot the choice of where Lot wants to go, and promises to go the other way himself.

 Lot made the best choice for himself, based on what he could see.  He didn’t pray about it, or ask God’s counsel, he didn’t even consider his uncle’s needs, he just did what seemed best in his own eyes.  Of course, as a result of this decision, he ended up facing many consequences later.  Many times we find ourselves in a situation, and say, “How did I get here?”  Sometimes it’s through no fault of own, but, many times, it’s because we made a bad decision when we thought we didn’t need God’s advice (or want God’s advice), but, no matter what, God is always able to give us an answer.

 Jude 3  earnestly contend for the faith.

 God wants us to be contenders.  The problem exists when we don’t look to Him.  There are some people who say they are waiting on the Lord, and there is Scripture that says that.  Waiting on the Lord doesn’t mean sitting on the couch drinking lemonade, though.  There are things that we know we should do:

1.        Love and honor Him.  If somebody said that they loved you, but didn’t spend any time with you or talk to you, you would be asking, “What kind of love is that?”

2.         Be faithful in His work.

a.          pray

b.        read His word

c.        worship (you don't have to be in church to worship)

d.        fellowship (where two or three are gathered ...)

e.        tell others (teach all nations)

Some people say that they don’t need to pray or worship, because, “God knows what’s in my heart.”  Yes, He does; that’s why sent Jesus to die on the cross because He does know what’s in our hearts.

 Jude 3  it is incumbent on us to contend for the faith.

 Psalms 34:17  the righteous cry, and the Lord heareth.

                           Sermon notes by Pete Shepherd