Hebrews 6:13-20

Many people are skeptical of their ability to live righteously enough to be saved.

Our salvation does not depend on living sinlessly!

The greatest command is to love God. What is the greatest sin? Not loving God.

Our salvation does not depend on being 100% doctrinally correct.

• We are constantly striving to improve our understanding and knowledge.

Romans 7:24-25

• Our assurance is based on what Jesus has provided for us.

  • II Corinthians 13:4

  • Philippians 3:4-11

  • Romans 5:17

• Our assurance is based on what the Holy Spirit has done for us.

  • Romans 8:5-16

• Our assurance is based on what God has done.

  • Romans 8:28-39

  • Romans 8:31 – If God is on our side, no one can stand against us!

I John 5:10-14 – Here is our confidence!

Ephesians 6:10-12

II Corinthians 10:3-5

Ephesians 1:3

Satan is trying to capture …

• The world

  • Since sin entered the world, there has always been strife, wars, and disasters.

• The church

  • Satan wants to attack the people of God. He does this in part by doctrinal error.

  • Satan turns Christians against each other by sowing dissension and bitterness. It only takes one with a sour disposition to tear up a church!

• The home

  • We live lives of busyness. Satan can overwhelm us with busyness and crowd out the things of God.

  • Immorality or infidelity can ruin our relationship with God. I Corinthians 5:9-10

• Us

  • Satan may use our own fears and doubts against us.

How can we win?

• Ephesians 3:14-19

• Be strengthened, mighty in the inner man.

• Know the immeasurable love of God.

• Be filled with God’s fullness.

• Allow God to use us to do exceedingly abundantly above all we think or ask.

Luke 2:8-12

Joy came into the world

• Man has a problem
  • Sin entered the world.
• God has a solution
  • God told Mary she would have a son that would bring forgiveness to the world.
• Joy to the world the Lord is come
  • Jesus took away the sting of death.
• Because Jesus is come, we can have joy
  • We have a Messiah, a king above every king, a high priest above every high priest. Jesus brought peace between man and God.
    • What God separated in the garden of Eden, Jesus has brought back together.

God has kept His promises. We can have confidence in Him.

God has supplied our greatest need, so it is trivial for Him to supply our other needs.

Man can now have fellowship with God.

It all began so well, and it ends just as well.

Psalm 23

In this psalm, David reflects on how God has been his shepherd.

Sheep

• Sheep are completely defenseless and rely on the shepherd for protection.

• Sheep will not do well if they are hungry.

• Sheep will not do well if they are distressed.

• Sheep will not do well if they are fighting.

• Sheep will not do well if they are afraid.

  • Sheep are not at peace with the predator is absent. They are at peace when the shepherd is present.

Psalm 23:2 – Shepherds provide still, pure water for their sheep.

Psalm 23:3 – Shepherds will discipline lambs that continually go astray by breaking a leg, setting it, and then carrying the lamb for six weeks until it is healed. Then the lamb will never leave again.

• Ezekiel 34:1-10

Psalm 23:4 – The shepherd’s staff represents protection and comfort to the sheep.

Psalm 23:5 – God provides for us even in the presence of our enemies.

• Fear is one of these enemies. One of the most oft-repeated commands in the Bible is, “fear not.”

• Loneliness is another one of these enemies. The shepherd’s job is to make sure every sheep has a secure place to be.

Application

• The shepherd has a 24/7 job. Not everyone can do this job!

• We need fathers who will be shepherds and provide for their flocks.