"The Candle Of The Lord: Searching," Proverbs 20:27

THE CANDLE OF THE LORD: SEARCHING Proverbs 20: 27 spirit of man is the candle of the lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly." "The We are called to be missionaries allover the world. Our Jesus Christ charge as is to share the good news of Savior and Redeemer allover the world, nearby and far away. This proverbial text tells us some aspects of that charge we have received from God. First, we are on this mission with might. responding to the Spirit of God so that our spirit does His will. "The Spirit of the man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly." We are in a battle between the spirit of this world and the Spirit of God. Temptation would have us yield to the We are world but God wants us to stand firm. It is the Holy Spirit whom God hath granted unto us as we obey Him. We need not falter because we 1 Holy Spirit clearly, "Not working in us. by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord." (Zechariah 4: 6b) Furthermore, not only do we have might to have the might, the power of the One writer put it carry out this mission but we have a clear motive. There is no reason to be confused. We are followers of The Master and praise His name our motive is to please Him. Paul wrote to the Corinthian Congregation and said, "For the love of Christ constrains us." (II Corinth 5: 14) In other words, we do not have a choice. If we love God, we will obey His command. He has charged us to "Neither do men light a and candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." 15-16) Third, God has called method. Christ came us (Matthew to mission with "And he said unto 2 5: a them, 'Thus ut us written that the Christ should and rise from the dead the third day; suffer, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preacher in his name among all nations, beginning with Jerusalem. Ye are witness these things." (Luke 24: 46-48) As His ambassadors with His word, we are of to search all the inward parts of the belly. We must find and root out the sin that does so easily beset us. Finally, God has missionaries with a charged us to be marker. The ole folks used again, you ought ought to be some to say, "If your have been born to show some evidence, sign." some There marker to reveal the inward transformation and change that has The marker of the mission is that occurred. men women, boys, and girls allover the world hear the Gospel and make a decision to follow Jesus Christ. The marker of evangelistic missionary work is "that justice will run down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." The marker of our mission is that the 3 name of Jesus praised and we will worship Him in song and praise. The marker is that the Lord's Kingdom will be established and that He will reign as Lord of all and King of kings. will be 4 THE CANDLE OF THE LORD: SEARCHING Proverbs 20: 27 "The spirit of man is the candle of the lord, Weare called to be missionaries all of Jesus Christ text tells as us some Savior and Redeemer all aspects of that charge we searching all the inward parts of the belly." the world. Our charge is to share the good news the world, nearby and far away. This proverbial have received from God. over over responding to the Spirit of God so that our spirit does His will. "The Spirit of the man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly." We are in a battle between the spirit of this world and the Spirit of God. Temptation would have us yield to the world but God wants us to stand firm. It is the Holy Spirit whom God hath granted unto us as we obey Him. We need not falter because we have the might, the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. One writer put it clearly, ''Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord." (Zechariah 4: 6b) Furthermore, not only do we have might to carry out this mission but we have a clear First, we are on motive. There is this mission with no reason Weare might. to be confused. Weare followers of The Master and our motive is to said, "For the please Him. Paul wrote to the Corinthian Congregation love of Christ constrains us." (II Corinth 5: 14) In other words, we do not have a choice. Ifwe love God, we will obey His command. He has charged us to ''Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5: 15-16) Third, God has called us to mission with a method. Christ came "And he said unto them, 'Thus ut us written that the Christ should suffer, and rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preacher in his name among all nations, beginning with Jerusalem. Ye are witness of these things." (Luke 24: 46-48) As His ambassadors with His word, we are to search all the inward parts of the belly. We must find and root out the sin that does so easily beset us. Finally, God has charged us to be missionaries with a marker. The ole folks used to say, "If your have been born again, you ought to show some sign." There ought to be some evidence, some marker to reveal the inward transformation and change that has occurred. The marker of the mission is that men women, boys, and girls all over the world hear the Gospel and make a decision to follow Jesus Christ. The marker of evangelistic missionary work is "that justice will run down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." The marker of our mission is that the name of Jesus will be praised and we will worship Him in song and praise. The marker is that the Lord's Kingdom will be established and that He will reign as Lord of all and King of kings. Matthew said as "King of the Jews" (2:2, 27: 37) Mark said and "Servant of servants" (9; 35, 10: 43-44) Luke called him the "perfect Man" (2: 40; 52; 9: 22, 56, 58; 22: 48) John said "Eternal God, Word made flesh" (1: 1-5., 14; 20: 28, 31) Acts show Him "Ascending as Lord" (1: 9). Romans calls our attention to "the Lord of Righteousness" (10: 4) praise His name and and 1 First Corinthians says He is "Our Resurrection" (15) Second Corinthians reminds us of "God of all Comfort" (1: 3) Galatians shows us Him as "Redeemer from the law" (4: 4-5) Church, Giver of Gifts" (1: 22,2: 20, 3: 23-4:7-8) need; Obedient Servant" (1: 19; 4: 19; 2: 5-8)) "supplier Philippians Colossians calls our attention to "the fullness of the Godhead" (1: 19; 2: 9) In I Thessalonians he is "the Coming Christ" (4: 13-18; 5: 2) In II Thessalonians, He is the "Consuming Christ" (2: 8) In I Timothy, He is the "Savior of sinners) (2: 15; 3: 16) In II Timothy, Jesus is the Righteous Judge, Author of Scripture" (4: 8; 3: 16-17) In Titus, Jesus is "Our Great God and Savior" (1: 3,2: 10,13; 3: 4) Philemon reveals Him as "Payer of Our Debt" Hebrews gives us the "appointed Heir of all things" (1: 2) James says He is our "Ever-present God, Great Physician" (4: 6-8; 5: 15) I Peter calls Him "Unblemished Lamb, Great Example, Chief Shepherd" (1: 19; 2: 21-24, 5: 4) II Peter, He is the "Beloved Son" (1: 17) In I John, He is the Word of Life, Advocate, Propitiation" (1: 1; 2: 1; 3: 8; 4: 15) In II John, Jesus is "Son of the Father" (1: 3) In III John, He is "The Truth" (1: 4, 8) In Jude, Jesus is "Preserver and Only wise God" And Revelations calls Him "Alpha and Omega, Lion of Judah, King of Kings" (1" 8; 5: 5, 19: Ephesians speaks offers of the "Head of the us the of every 16) 2 THE CANDLE OF THE LORD Proverbs 20: 27 "The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly." Today is our missionary emphasis day. Weare a congregation engaged in home missions and foreign missions. Our goal is to make the gospel of Jesus Christ available to every soul with the intent that they will accept it and become responsible members of His church. F or we take serious the last command of Jesus to "Go ye therefore into all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, 10, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. AMEN." This morning's Old Testament text says, "The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly." In order for us to be His missionaries, we must therefore be "The Candle of The Lord." lay a little foundation. First of all missions is the method used by God through human agents to extend His Kingdom among men until all have a chance to know Him. In other words, we are not saved to just be saved and sit around doing nothing, but we are God's agents, His ambassadors of salvation. We are saved and sent by the Give Savior to me a save Now, minute if you don't mind to others. our textbook, our manual, our guide for being a missionary people is the story of The Bible is bringing Kingdom light into our pathway like the sun shining above every other flickering light. It is the Christians constitution, the magna charter of the our spiritual enterprise. It carries the plan of God for God's work in a lost world unto His as recorded in The Bible. redemption and can be read from Genesis to Malachi and from Matthew to fact, the first missionary promise can be found in Genesis 3: 15, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Moses continued the missionary purpose of God as the children ofIsrael wandered in the wilderness. Ultimately after 42 generation of rejection of the servants, world-wide Revelation. In Jesus Himself came to seek and to save that which was lost. He went about as the founder of the afflicted, driving demons, feeding missionary healing hungry, cleansing the lepers, giving sight to the blind, forgiving sin, and teaching the way through precept and prayer with parables. He said, "I am the light of the world" and because we are His followers, we are church the the out "The Candle of the Lord." origins of missions is in the love of God as expressed in John 3: 16, "For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Paul put it in his advice to his son Timothy, "God our Saviour, who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth." (I timothy 2: 3-4) WE read further in 2 Corinthians 5: 18-19, "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himselfby Jesus Christ, and hath give to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." What a blessing to be entrusted with the Word of The God and to be "The Candle of the Lord!" Now the MESSAGE our mission is Jesus Christ. We are reminded to "And it shall to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord and ye shall be saved." 1 come (Acts 2:21) For "neither is there salvation in any other: For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4: 12) I am so glad that I know Him and am the Candle of the Lord." Genesis called Him "The Seed of the woman, Shiloh" Exodus called Him the "Passover Lamb" Leviticus said He was Numbers reveals Him the "Anointed as (3: 15,49: 10). (12:3). high priest" (8: 7-9). serpent" (21: 8; 24: 17). (18: 15; 32: 4). (5: 14). the "Star of Jacob," the "Brazen of Moses," "the Great Rock" "Prophet Deuteronomy said He was Joshua gives Him as "Captain ofthe Lord's Hosts" In Judges, He is the "Messenger of the Lord" (2: 1). In Ruth, He is the "Kinsman-redeemer (2:1). In I Samuel, He is the "Great Judge" (2: 10). In 2 Samuel, He is the "Seed of David" (7: 13). I Kings reveals Him as the "Lord God ofIsrael" (8: 15,26). II Kings shows Him as the "God of the Cherubim" (19: 15). I Chronicles has the "God of our Salvation" (16: 35). II Chronicles has the "God of our Fathers" (20: 6). Ezra prophesied of the "Lord of heaven and Earth" (1: 2). Nehemiah builds on the "Covenant-Keeping God" (1: 5). Ether talks about Him as "the god of Providence" In Job, he is the "Risen and Returning Redeemer" (19: 25). Psalms calls our attention to "The Anointed Son; the Holy One, the Good Shepherd, the King of Glory (2: 7; 12; 16: 10; 23: 1; 24: 7-10). In Proverbs, He is the "Wisdom of God" (8). In the Songs of Solomon, He is the "Chief Among Ten thousand," "Altogether Lovely" (5: 1016). Isaiah calls Him the "Virgin-Born, Immanuel, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, The Man of Sorrows" (7: 14; 9: 6; 52: 13; 53: 3). Jeremiah shows Him as the "Lord of Righteousness" (23: 6; 33: 16). Lamentations gives us "the Faithful and Compassionate God" (3: 22-23, 31-33). the In Ezekiel, There, Life for Dry Bones" (2: 34; 3: 25; 7: 13) "King of the Resurrection" (13: 9, 14). He is the "Lord is He is Daniel's "Stone hewed out" He is Hosea's 9-17). (7: 9) For Obadiah, He is the "Destroyer of the Proud" (8: 15). Jonah knows his "God of another Chance, the long suffering One" (3: 1; 4: 9-11). To Micah, He is the "Bethleham-Bom, Pardoning God" (5: 2; 7: 18-19). In Nahum, He is the "Bringer of Good Tidings" (1: 15). For Habakkuk, He is the "Everlasting, Pure, Glorious, Anointed One" (1: 12-13,2: 14; 3: 13). Zephaniah says He is the "King of Israel" (3: 15) Haggai calls Him the "Desire of all nation" (2: 7). Zechariah sees Him as the "Branch, Builder oftemple, King of the Earth" (3: 8; 6: 12-13; 14: 9). Joel calls Him "God of the Battle and Giver of Spirit" He is Amos' "Plumbline" 2 (2: 11; 28-32; 3: 2; Malachi sees Him as "The Sun of Righteousness" 3 (4:2).