UNREAL!!!!!
Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning, Aug. 15, 1999, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia:
UNREAL!!!!!
By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: Gen. 42:1-11
Text: Genesis 42:11
Genesis 42:11 We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
Introduction: The title for my message is an expression of disbelief. If something is unbelievable, or too good to be true, someone might say, “Unreal!” I’m afraid that a lot of people and things are unreal. They are false. Joseph’s brethren maintained that they were TRUE men. They said they were all one man’s sons. I’m going to deal with this in a moment, but how many people who claim to be God’s children are REALLY saved?
Read email from lady who wrote this week. Is her husband really saved? Was he ever really saved?
In verses 11, 19, 31, 33, and 34 of our chapter today, the expression, “true men,” occurs. Joseph accused his brothers of being spies, but they maintained they were “true men.”
Spies among God’s people in a local church are “tares” among the “wheat.” That is, they are children of the devil who are posing as children of God. Also, there are people in a church was are genuinely saved, but there are other areas of their lives that are pretended.
ARE YOU REAL?
I. IS YOUR SALVATION REAL?
Genesis 42:11 We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
A. It’s real only if the REPROOF was right
* It is what we call “Holy Ghost conviction.”
* The Lord spoke of it in Jn. 16:7-11.
* If inner “pressure” is involved in trusting Christ, it must come primarily from the Lord, not from the preacher, the soul-winner, family members, or friends.
B. It’s real only if the REPORT was right
* It is called our “report” in Rom. 10:16.
* The report is the gospel of 1 Cor. 15:3-4.
* No one is truly saved apart from the preaching of the vicarious, victorious work of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:16).
C. It’s real only if the RESPONSE was right
* The sinner’s inquiry and the soul-winners’ answer is found in Acts 16:29-31. “What must I do to be saved?” has an exact, simple answer in scripture.
* Eph. 2:8-9 are clear as to the method by which God saves sinners.
* This type of belief in the report is said to be obedience to the gospel in Rom. 10:16.
II. IS YOUR SEPARATION REAL?
Separation in itself is not necessarily a good thing. The ones who crucified our Lord were very separated.
Jude spoke of wicked people who separated themselves, but had not the Spirit of God (Jude 1:19).
Matthew 23:25-27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
A. The division of separation must be right
* It must be inward and outward.
* Total sanctification includes spirit, soul, and body – 1 Thess. 5:23.
B. The direction of separation must be right
* Separation that is only FROM things is not complete.
* Negatives require a positive.
* Paul was separated UNTO the gospel of God (Rom. 1:1).
C. The duration of separation must be right
* All places – church, work, recreation, vacation, other cities and states.
* All times – not just Sunday but 7 days a week, day and night, alone and in public.
* All your life – child, teenage, adult, senior saint.
III. IS YOUR STRENGTH REAL?
Proverbs 25:19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
Judges 16:20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
A. Your strength must have a supernatural foundation
* The only REAL strength that counts comes from God – Eph. 6:10; Neh. 8:10.
B. Your strength must have supernatural fruit
* If it’s real, your strength will enable you to do the works of God, not just things you could perform with natural ability.
* God intends for people to get strong through the word (Acts 20:32) in order to DO something!
IV. IS YOUR SERVICE REAL?
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Luke 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
From Rom. 12:1 we see that REAL service, called “reasonable service” is
A. Purposeful
* “by the mercies of God.”
* It is performed out of gratitude.
* It is done for His glory.
B. Presented
* “that ye present.”
* It is voluntary.
* It is one of the reasons we have an invitation at the conclusion of each message, so you can promptly respond to God’s call to service, even while lost people respond to God’s call to salvation.
C. Practical
* “your bodies a living sacrifice.”
* Real service involves your body, sacrificing its own pleasures in order to do the will of God.
D. Pure – “holy”
E. Proper – “acceptable unto God”
F. Perpetual
* Continuous, faithful.
* This is the requirement for a steward – 1 Cor. 4:2.