https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Expecting-the-Impossible.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: Matthew 19:16-26<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I. With God, all things are possible – Matthew 19:26<\/p>\n
A. Even the saving of a wealthy man, if he desired to be saved.<\/p>\n
B. Yet, we must understand that some things are impossible for even God<\/p>\n
1. It is impossible for God to lie – Hebrews 6:17-18<\/p>\n
2. He cannot deny himself – II Timothy 2:11-13<\/p>\n 3. These things are impossible because they conflict with the very nature of\nGod – I John 1:5\n
C. In the same way, all things are possible to the believer – Mark 9:20-24<\/p>\n
1. It is possible because of the God in whom we believe<\/p>\n
2. Yet, at times we act as if we are expecting the impossible from God<\/p>\n
II. Maturity Without Knowledge<\/p>\n A. Hosea 4:6 – People are destroyed because of a lack of knowledge. Not because\nthere was not an opportunity to gain knowledge, but because they rejected the\nknowledge offered to them.\n
B. Freedom from the bondage of sin comes from knowing the truth – John 8:31-36<\/p>\n
C. Without that knowledge of truth we cannot grow – I Peter 2:1-3<\/p>\n D. Too many want to be seen as mature Christians, but they are unwilling to put in\nthe effort to study the words of God\n
1. Age as little to do with maturity<\/p>\n
2. How long you have been a Christian does not reflect your maturity<\/p>\n 3. Maturity is shown in your ability to correctly handle the word of God – II\nTimothy 2:14-15\n
E. There is no shortcut to spiritual maturity<\/p>\n
III. Satisfaction Without Sacrifice<\/p>\n A. The ultimate sacrifice was the death of the Son of God for a lost and dying world –\nJohn 3:16\n
B. To follow after Jesus then requires sacrifices on our behalf<\/p>\n
1. We must take up our cross to follow – Luke 9:23<\/p>\n
2. Present ourselves as living sacrifices – Romans 12:1<\/p>\n
3. Christians are a priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices – I peter 2:4-5<\/p>\n
C. Have you heard people complain that they don’t get much from the worship?<\/p>\n
1. Yet it is these same people who don’t put much into worship<\/p>\n 2. They do not understand that worship is our praise to God and not an\nopportunity for God to make us feel good.\n
D. Consider how often the early disciples found joy in being persecuted – Acts 5:40-42<\/p>\n
1. Jesus told us to rejoice when we are able to suffer for God – Matthew 5:10-12<\/p>\n
2. Consider trials as joy – James 1:2-4<\/p>\n E. David did not want to give to God what cost him nothing, and neither should we –\nII Samuel 24:24\n
IV. Happiness Without Holiness<\/p>\n
A. Psalm 1:1-3 – God is our maker. He understands the path for our happiness<\/p>\n
B. The real key to happiness is to allow God to direct our way – Proverbs 16:7-9<\/p>\n C. Riches do not guarantee happiness. Sometimes we must forego earthly wealth to\ngain true joy – a lesson Moses learned – Hebrews 11:24-26\n
V. Salvation Without Faith<\/p>\n
A. Hebrews 11:6 – We must believe to please God<\/p>\n
B. Jesus told us the same – John 8:24<\/p>\n
C. Salvation is a free gift from God – Romans 6:23<\/p>\n
1. Yet, it is not given to all. God requires us to believe. – Acts 16:30-33<\/p>\n
2. Mark 16:15-16 – Baptism without believe does not save<\/p>\n
D. Justification comes by faith – Romans 5:1-2<\/p>\n
1. Yet it is also impossible to justified by faith alone – James 2:24<\/p>\n
VI. Righteous Without Repentance<\/p>\n
A. God can save, but it is our own sins which prevent our salvation – Isaiah 59:1-2<\/p>\n
B. Unless we repent, we will perish – Luke 13:3<\/p>\n C. Righteousness is not just something to be received, but it is also a life to live – Acts\n26:20\n
1. God accepts those who work righteousness – Acts 10:34-35<\/p>\n
2. Compared to God, our righteous deeds are filthy rags – Isaiah 64:5-6<\/p>\n
3. Yet no one can be righteous without doing right – I Peter 2:21-25<\/p>\n
VII. Fellowship Without Obedience<\/p>\n
A. God will not accept a person who will not accept the laws of God – Proverbs 28:9<\/p>\n
1. Many become believers in the fox holes.<\/p>\n
a. They ignore the laws of God. They live as they choose<\/p>\n b. Yet somehow they expect God to answer their prayers when\ntroubles overtake them.\n
2. Yet such will not happen – Proverbs 1:24-33<\/p>\n
3. You cannot commune with God on your own terms<\/p>\n
B. Salvation comes to those who obey – Hebrews 5:8-9<\/p>\n
C. By obedience we are purified – I Peter 1:22-23<\/p>\n
D. The idea of being “in Christ” is the idea of being in fellowship with Christ<\/p>\n
1. Romans 6:3-4 – Through baptism we enter into fellowship with Christ<\/p>\n
2. Galatians 3:26-29 – We then belong to Christ<\/p>\n
E. To expect fellowship with God without obeying God is impossible.<\/p>\n F. To expect fellowship with God’s people without fellowship with God is also\nimpossible – I John 1:6-7\n
VIII. All things are possible with God<\/p>\n
A. Yet many limit his blessings by refusing to accept his terms<\/p>\n B. Instead of expecting the impossible to happen, will you not submit yourself to the\nwill of God?\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Matthew 19:16-26 I. With God, all things are possible – Matthew 19:26 A. Even the saving of a wealthy man, if he desired to be saved. B. Yet, we must understand that some things are impossible for even God 1. It is impossible for God to lie – Hebrews 6:17-18 2. He cannot deny…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[385,49,253,90,383,374,295,1093,513,54,50,238,272,47],"class_list":["post-42496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-contentment","tag-faith","tag-fellowship","tag-god","tag-growth","tag-happiness","tag-holiness","tag-knowledge","tag-maturity","tag-obedience","tag-repentance","tag-righteousness","tag-sacrifices","tag-salvation"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":16651,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/did-you-ever-study-the-life-of-christ-then-you-would-not-that-its-impossible-for-god-to-kill\/","url_meta":{"origin":42496,"position":0},"title":"Did you ever study the life of Christ? Then you would not that it’s impossible for God to kill","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 17, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Why is it you claim to be Christian? You, no doubt, don\u2019t even come close to knowing the truth about God. Did you ever study the life of Christ? Did He ever kill anyone? Yet Jesus said, \u201cyou have seen me you have seen the Father\u201d. If you knew\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":30247,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-know-i-should-do-more-but-i-dont-have-the-money-what-do-you-think\/","url_meta":{"origin":42496,"position":1},"title":"I know I should do more, but I don’t have the money. What do you think?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 15, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I thank you for your articles. 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Psalms\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":51512,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/jesus-said-we-can-pray-for-anything-so-why-cant-we-pray-for-salvation\/","url_meta":{"origin":42496,"position":4},"title":"Jesus said we can pray for anything, so why can’t we pray for salvation?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 24, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Can we accept as a general statement the following: \"You are saved through the blood of Jesus, and through His blood only. Because your salvation is not based on your performance, it is based on what Jesus did 2000 years ago on the cross\"? 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