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Simple Sermons 1 & 2
for Christ Covenant International Ministries

Covenant with God Series: Seven Simple Sermons

Sermon 1: God's Gift of Value

 

Bible Texts: Is. 43: 1-4, Ex. 19: 3-6, Ps 2: 7-11, Rom 8:12-17

        Memory Verse

God says: “You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.” (Isaiah 43:4)

“Children of Promise:  You are a Precious”

1)  God has given us the gift of VALUE

             “If you obey my voice and keep my covenant, 
you shall be my treasured possession out of all peoples.” 
(Exodus 19:5)

 God called a people into a covenant relationship—
and calls us to maintain that covenant relationship.

We are adopted as children of God
and given the privileges of the people who were first called by God.

We receive their instruction about how to respond to that special calling
and live in relationship with a holy God.

 “God said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have begotten you…’” (Psalm 2:7)

This verse reminds the reader that kings were called the children of God—and those rulers
were reminded that they must always submit to God’s wisdom and judgment.

We are also called the children of God, and we too must submit to God’s plan for us.

 “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.
You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.”
(Isaiah 43: 2, 4)

The prophet Isaiah is reminding the people that God has already redeemed them.
God has loved them from the beginning and calls them by name in an intimate relationship—
like a loving father and his child.

We too are invited to take part in that loving relationship and call God our father.

 “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God…

You have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Romans 8:13, 16)

Paul reminds us that we are not called to a spirit of slavery, but we received a spirit of adoption.

We are considered children of God and are led by the Spirit of God.

When we cry out to God: “Abba, Father” we know that the Spirit of God is bearing witness
with our spirit that we are children of God. We can be confident in God’s love.

God Tells us in Many Ways and in Many Places in Scripture: We are Loved and Treasured

Throughout the Bible God tells us that we are very special to him: Exodus, Psalms, Isaiah, Romans. God talks to us in many ways to explain that we are God’s treasure and God wants a special, personal relationship—like a loving father and his child—with each of us.

Our memory verse reminds us of how special we are to God:

You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.” (Isaiah 43: 4)

All these verses bear testimony that God considers each of us of great value.

 2) What it doesn’t mean to be valuable to God

 We do not have “free reign”               We do not get to do whatever we want.

We do not have permission to neglect ourselves or others.
The obvious response to a loving request such as God has made is to love in return.

We so not use this opportunity to be irresponsible.

            EXAMPLE: Beautiful, rich blond girls sometime go to jail for bad behavior, even though their daddies are rich and powerful.

 3) What it does mean to be valuable to God

 We know that we are valuable, because God has told us so.
God is reliable, the scripture can be believed, so we know it is true: we are of great value!
We respond by treating ourselves as very valuable—think of how you would treat a treasure.
Loving and being loved is transforming: we become a new creature.

 We are not valuable because we have beautiful faces, or because we are rich and powerful.
God sees all—and we have always been there when we have sinned.

The Bible tells us that we are valuable to God, but it also tells us that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” What can this mean?  God knows us, and God still loves us.

 If God loves us, and God is wise—then we must love ourselves.
If God believes that we are valuable—then we must treat ourselves as valuable.
If God tells us that other people are valuable—as we are—then we must treat others as valuable.

4)  Bible Story: Joseph in Egypt

Sometimes we forget that we are beautiful.
Sometimes we are mistreated and begin to believe that we are not really special.
Sometimes we experience hard times and wonder of God really loves us.
But God does not forget any of us.
God continues to love and value us—whatever we do, whatever happens to us.

Joseph is a very special person in the Bible. Genesis tells us that Joseph was his father’s favored son, and he gave Joseph a “coat of many colors.” But when Joseph—who was the youngest one—went out into the field to tell his brothers that then needed to come home, his brothers sold him into slavery and put goats blood on his beautiful coat. They told his father that Joseph had been killed by a beast, and Joseph went in slavery to Egypt .

 Many things happened to Joseph—some good and some very bad—but through it all he remembered that God loved him and had a special plan for his life. He was a slave in a rich man’s house (Potifer), but the man’s wife accused him of wicked things and he was thrown into jail for many years. While he was in jail, he interpreted dreams for his fellow prisoners, and asked them to remember him when they were released. His interpretations of the dreams came true, but the man who was released forgot to help Joseph. When the king had strange dreams, Joseph was called, and he told the king about a coming drought and helped save the kingdom from disaster. When his brothers came for grain during the drought, he showed that he forgave them and loved them. His family was brought to Egypt to stay while all the rest of the country was starving.  Joseph never forgot how special God thought he was. Joseph always trusted God, in spite of his adversity and troubles.

 5)  Message for Today

Remember that you are "beautiful." You are treasured. You are precious.
God has called you so, and God knows what he is doing.

Remember our memory verse: 
God says: “You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.” (Isaiah 43:4)

God preserves. God has a plan. God has a plan for you.
What are you doing to take care of the special treasure that you are?
What are you doing to further God’s plan for you?

 Prayer:

Thank you, God, for redeeming me. Thank you for loving me, even when I am hard to love. Thank you for preserving my life. Thank you for making a plan for me.
Forgive me for failing you. Forgive me for failing to love myself as a special treasure.
Open my heart to receive your love. Teach me to love myself.
Remind me that Jesus died for me. Prepare me to live with you.
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Charge and Benediction

God bestows worth with seeming abandon and lack of power positioning.
God gives extraterrestrial value to anyone who might turn their head to gaze at him.

Referenced Bible Texts:

Isaiah 43:1-4

“But now thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel , your Savior …
You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.”

Memory Verse

God says: “You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.”
(Isaiah 43:4)

                         Psalm 2:7-11

“I will tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have begotten you…
Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.’
Serve the Lord with fear; with trembling kiss his feet…
Happy are all who take refuge in God.”

                         Exodus 19:3-6

“The Lord called Moses from the mountain saying, ‘Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: you have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.’”

                         Romans 8:12-17

“So, brothers and sisters … if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’
it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…”

 Bible Story (Genesis 37-50):   Joseph in Egypt : God does not forget—we are precious in God’s sight

Sermon 2: God's Gift of Hope

 

Bible Texts: Psalm 33:18-22, Romans 8:18-28

        Memory Verse

Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience
.”
Romans 8:24-25

“Living in Hope: God’s Gift of Reliability”

1)  Review:  God has given us the gifts of Love, Value, and Faithfulness

 God tells us in many ways and in many places in Scripture: We are loved and treasured
Further, we are assured that God is faithful, and God is good.

Bible Stories:

 In the story of Joseph in Egypt we learned that God considers us of great value, and although the world may treat us badly—even our own relatives—God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives.

Today we will talk about how God provides promises and delivers people from oppression as we look at the suffering people in Egypt .

You have probably already noticed that these Bible stories have elements of the lives you have led in Sudan and the US . One of God’s wonderful blessings to us are multiple Bible stories to help us think about our lives and our continuing care within God’s promises.

 Bible Verses:

 God says, “If you obey my voice and keep my covenant,
you shall be my treasured possession out of all peoples.” 
(Exodus 19:5)

  “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.
You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.”
(Isaiah 43: 2, 4)

“You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.” (Isaiah 43: 4)

“All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God… You have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Romans 8:13, 16)

The Bible verses and stories we study today confirm that not only are we are loved and valued, but God is faithful and reliable. Therefore, we know that we can trust God.

When in doubt remember: God is good all the time. All the time, God is good.

God is good. God promises. God delivers. We can trust God All the time.

2) We Have Good Reason to Trust God

 >>Our Bible story today tells us of God’s promises and God’s ability,
and God’s deliverance.

Bible Story     People Enslaved in Egypt —God provides hope through promise and delivery

Exodus 1:6-16   6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers, and that whole generation.  7 But the Israelites were fruitful and prolific; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.  8 Now a new king arose over Egypt , who did not know Joseph.  9 He said to his people, "Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we.  10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land."  11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh.  12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.  13 The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites,  14 and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them.  15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,  16 "When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live."

 >>We read in Psalm 136 about all the wonderful things God has done for us, 
and 26 times we are told: “God’s steadfast love endures forever.”

 We have good reason to trust God and live in hope.

 3) We are Called to Trust God and live in hope.
     Because we can trust God, we can live in hope.

>>God is trustworthy. God is reliable. God is good. (Repeat) We can trust God.

            EXAMPLE: My child was frightened about getting into a bath of hot water because he could do nothing to protect himself, but I realized the water was hot before placing him in the tub: so he was safe. 
Remember that God can do things that we cannot do.

             God is all powerful. God can do things we can’t even imagine.

Note: Sometimes we wonder, if God is all powerful, why do bad things happen? Below are some possible reasons for bad things to happen, but talk to God about the ones bothering you today.

  1. Consequences for risky behavior

  2.  Consequences for risky behavior of others

  3.  Natural phenomena: earthquake, fire, hunger, fatigue, illness, death

  4.  Learning experience—some of us are very slow

  5.  Sometimes there is no known explanation (see above)

 Paul reminds us of some basic logic.

Memory Verse

Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience
.”
Romans 8:24-25

At all times we are called to

  1. Be in awe (Ps 33:18)—that is, hope in God’s steadfast love

  2.  Wait for the Lord, knowing he is our help and shield (Ps 33:20)

  3.  Be glad—because we trust god’s holy name

  4.  Call humbly to God with our needs and hope. (Ps 33:22)

  5.  Acknowledge our folly and helplessness (Ps 131)

  6.  Give thanks and praise—that is, acknowledge God’s goodness and steadfast love

 4)  Trust is the Most Natural Response to God’s Character

 >>God provides both promises and deliverance.

God’s Promises (Ps 33, Ps 31)

  1.  God promises to deliver our souls from death (Ps 33:19)

  2.  God keeps us alive during difficulties (Ps 33:19)

  3.  Awareness and steadfast love is provided to those who trust (Ps 33:18)
    Note: God’s loves those who don’t trust too, but they don’t know it.

  4.  Refuge (Ps 31:19-21)
    Note: Shelter can take many forms. EXAMPLE: poverty, allergies, difficulties
    God devises ways to keep us safe from evil—EXAMPLE, plainness, weakness

God’s Provision (Ps 146)

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 Hope, happiness, creation, justice for oppressed, food for hungry

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 Sets prisoners free, opens eyes of the blind, lifts up those who are bowed down

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 Loves the righteous, watches over strangers, upholds the orphan & widow

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 Brings the wicked to ruin

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 EXAMPLE—brought Hebrew people to freedom from slavery in Egypt

Note: God’s deliverance does not return things to “the way they were.”

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Giving up is both easy and costly. God won’t allow beloved to give up
Although God loves you when you are weak, God doesn’t want you to stay weak.

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 There are health benefits to trusting God: “Depression, fear, 
hostility and anxiety” cause heart attacks and other illnesses.

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Trusting God brings peace of mind.

>>God calls us to trust. God is reliable. God is faithful.

The most natural, reasonable response to God’s loving, trustworthy character 
is to love and trust God in return.

>>Trusting God provides peace of mind, comfort, courage, confidence, strength, power. When we trust God, we experience:

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 Calm—peace of mind

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 We take comfort in God’s love and reliability and develop confidence

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 God provides courage and strength, wisdom

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 A positive outlook becomes possible

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 We become patient—the ability to wait calmly in hope

Note:  There is no easy way to follow God through all trials—but it is harder not to.

READ: November Notes (below), a poem written during recovery from cancer in 1997.
From Season of Lovers by Mary Carol Lewis © 2003

November Notes

          Thank you for
the woodland morning glories
the gentle murmur of waking birds
the sun’s radiance sweeping away the clouds
    in the morning sky
the tree that stands alone in the distant mist
the call of the migrating geese
the vast grassy field with dew on every blade
the vibrant red field flowers
    against the golden harvest grain
the last summer song of the evening cricket
 

          Thank you for
the vast, powerful, gray-green ocean
the ever-pounding surf
the raucous call of sea birds
the strong, salty wind
the mounds of shifting sand
the radiant clouds
the golden sun rising

          Thank you for
shocking reality
the comfort of structure 
invigorating freedom
the awareness of pain
the confrontation of anger
the path-altering terror of fear
challenging ideas
soul-searching questions
solid, vibrant answers
patience
time

The difficulties she faced made Mary Carol Lewis a poet.

>>Others may not forgive you for the wrongs you have done toward them,
but you can live as if you have been forgiven—because God has forgiven you.
And you can develop patience toward those who fail to forgive you.

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God calls us to authority

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God gives us power, freedom and strength

>>We can picture ourselves as God sees us: full of hope and trust.

Remember: God is good all the time.

God loves you. God provides for you. God gives you opportunities like coming today.

God gives you spirit. God gives you confidence.

God delivers you from evil—as we said in the Lord’s prayer today.

God has a plan for you. God provides discernment to guide you.

You can follow God’s way, or your own. You have a choice.

 Prayer:

Thank you, God, for loving me and redeeming me and preserving my life.
Thank you for making a plan for me and calling me to yourself.
Thank you for being holy and full of love.
Forgive me for failing you and failing others.
Forgive me for failing to love myself every day.
Open my heart to receive your love. Teach me to love myself.
Remind me that you are always good—regardless of my circumstances.
Remind me that Jesus died for me. Prepare me to live with you.
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

 God is good. All the time.

 Charge and Benediction from my grandmother’s Bible (Jeremiah 29:11-12)

 “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare
and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. 
Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 
When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.”

Go in peace with hope.

Scripture Texts

Psalm 33:18-22  

18 Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.  
20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield.  
21 Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.  
22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Romans 8:18-28  

18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing
with the glory about to be revealed to us.
19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God;  
20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one
who subjected it, in hope 
21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay
and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now;  
23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 
24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes
for what is seen? 
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.  
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.  27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  
28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

Memory Verse

Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience
.”
Romans 8:24-25

Click here to read the first sermon in the Covenant With God series: "God's Gift of Value"

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