THE YEA AND THE AMEN

2 CORINTHIANS 1:2

A. "FOR ALL THE PROMISES OF GOD FIND THEIR YES IN HIM. THAT IS WHY WE UTTER THE AMEN THROUGH HIM, TO THE GLORY OF GOD"
  1. The words of our text:
    1. Reveal Paul's reasoning with the Corinthians about God's promises to His people and their effect in the lives of the believers
    2. He points out to them that all God's promises center in Jesus Christ; He is both the channel and also the Divine object of God's promises
  2. "And" so reasons Paul, "When we accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour":
    1. These Divine promises become the Amen in our lives
    2. Jesus Christ voices God's promises, and we the recipients echo the Amen of God's wonderful promises B. TWO GREAT AND CENTRAL TRUTHS APPEAR IN OUR TEXT, AND WE SHALL TITLE THEM "THE YEA AND THE AMEN":
  3. Christ's Yea:
    1. There are two ways in which we think of Christ as Yea; He is certain in what He is, what He thinks, says and does; Examples: He is always the same yesterday, today and forever - Heb. 13:8; Mal. 3:6. His words are the same - "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away" - Matt. 24:35. His whole life is a revelation of what we read in James 1:17 about the Father of lights, "with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning"
    2. This gives the Christian believers a solid foundation of their faith in God's promises
    3. Paul states the Christian confidence in these words "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day" - 2 Tim. 1:12
    4. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised" - Heb. 10:23
  4. Note very carefully how dependable God's promises are in the Son of God:
    1. God promised to us that He would be with us that He would never leave us or forsake us - Is. 41:10
    2. Jesus reassures us that He will be with us even to the very end - Matt. 28:20
    3. He is with us in the person of the Holy Spirit - John 14:26; 15:26
    4. God promised to all that accept Jesus Christ forgiveness of sin and the gift of eternal life - Jesus is yea in that He died for our sins - I Cor. 15:3 and that He is our hope of eternal life - John 11:25 C. OUR AMEN TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER
  5. The word "amen" means be it so:
    1. God in Christ promised the forgiveness of sin; the believers say, "Amen" we experienced the joy of the forgiveness of sin
    2. God promised that He would set us free from the bondage of sin; the Christian believers say, "Amen" we experienced the joy of complete freedom from the bondage of sin
    3. God promised to give us the gift of the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus; the Christian believers say, "Amen" we are enjoying the fellowship of the Holy Sprit - 2 Cor. 13:14; I Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20
    4. God promised us, "as thy days so shall thy strength be - Deut. 33:25; the Christian believers say "Amen" - "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" - Phil. 4:13
  6. How marvelous are all God's promises in Jesus Christ our Lord:
    1. Do you, dear reader, know most of them?
    2. Have you found the yea and amen in your relationship with Jesus Christ?
  7. God's promises are:
    1. An expression of His will - Num. 23:19-20
    2. And of His character - Ex. 34:6-8
    3. Of His faithfulness - Heb. 6:14-20
    4. Of His eternal love - John 13:1-3
  8. Let us say with all our life - Amen, Amen, glory to God our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ our Lord!


Design © John Bryant 2011