God's Peace and Satan's
Confusion!
Sermon:
The book of Nahum
Thesis:
To heed the peaceful tidings of good news so that there are
no consequences to suffer.
Object:
To motivate the audience to choose God's "peace" and NOT
Satan's "confusion."
Song of Invitation:
# 123; Peace, Perfect Peace!
Introduction
I. Nahum, an Elkoshite, gives an object
lesson to modern nations today.
II. Nahum loved his country and his people,
he did not want to see it/them
destroyed.
III. Even the proud, mighty, nasty, and unrighteous
Assyrians can be routed
by God.
IV. God's jealousy is shown by "vengeance"
being listed 3 times in 1 verse.
[1: 2]
Trans: Vengeance is not what He wants
to give His creation. Rather, good thing!
Body
I. Nahum brings good tidings.
A. Good
news is here.
[1: 15; Mic 4: 2; Rom 10: 15
1. Messianic prophecy is good news!
2. It may not be NOW, but if we are patient,
we will enjoy its fruits for eternity.
3. BUT, we must "boldly" speak of God to the world.
[Isa 40: 9
4. Good news, peace, glad tidings, good things, and salvation!
[Isa 52: 7
i. Preach the gospel!
[Mt 28: 19-20; Mk 16: 15-16]
ii. Includes repentance and remission of sins.
[Lk 24: 47
Trans: If we are
obedient to repentance, God will bless us with peace.
II. Nahum proclaims peace.
A. "Peace
to every man that worketh good."
[Rom 2: 10]
1. Good tidings are for ALL who have sinned!
[Rom 3: 10, 23]
2. God is NOT a respector of persons.
[2 Chr 19: 7; Rom 2: 11; Eph 6: 9; Col 3: 25; Jam 2: 1; 1 Pet 1: 17]
3. "The way of peace they have not known."
[Rom 3: 10-18]
i. Must teach others of the "better" way - Jesus Christ.
ii. Through Jesus Christ ONLY will we have peace.
iii. Must pursue peace because of its blessing.
[Rom 14: 19]
4. If we pursue peace, we will be equipped to "edify" one another.
i. Edification will build God's kingdom here on earth.
ii. Have I put myself out to edify my spiritual brother/sister?
iii. Do my neighbors see God's edifying light?
[Mt 5: 14-16]
B. God's
"peace" is contrasted with "Satan, the god of evil."
[Rom 16: 20]
1. God is "peace", Satan is "confusion."
[1 Cor 14: 33]
2. Satan does not want us to be edifying with the truth of
God!
i. Satan's confusion = being lost!
ii. Loss of purpose in life, loss of peace, and loss of salvation
iii. Salvation is like an island in the middle of the wild
sea.
Trans: "Be saved",
otherwise suffer the consequences.
III. Nahum warns Judah.
A. Not
only will the Assyrians NEVER AGAIN enjoy victory,
[1: 15]
a physical salvation, but the spiritual parallel is that the victor -
Jesus Christ and His gospel - is here!
1. The spiritual salvation is what is most important for us.
2. Evil will continue to exist around us, but we have a route
of escape
that will
B. The
"excellence of Jacob" will be restored.
[2: 1-2]
1. The chosen of God must be obedient.
2. It is a small price to pay for so great a gift.
C. Judgement
is described.
[2: 3-10]
1. Bloody battles
2. "Hearts melt and the knees shake"
[2: 10]
i. Prepare NOW for this terrible time.
ii. How urgent am I encouraging others to seek it?
D. Judgement
is overdue and tough.
[2: 11-3: 7]
1. As Assyria was totally annihilated, so will the unrighteous.
2. The Assyrian dead are piling up, and so will the unrighteous
[3:3]
E. Judgement
is forewarned.
[3: 8-10]
1. Many other nations sat in their pride and perished.
2. We too will perish if we do not heed the good tidings of
peace.
F. Judgement
is inevitable.
[3: 11-19]
Conclusion
I. Heed God's good news and peace, otherwise
face severe judgement.
II. Judgement is inevitable, so plan for it
NOW.
III. Plan to obey His will, NOT your own!
Invitation
I. We invite you to come and comfort yourselves
with God's "peace" and truth.
A. His truth
requires a long-suffering obedience.
B. Obedience
to His plan of salvation is the start.
C. "Peace"
will be one of many gifts.
II. God wants us to be:
A. Hearing/studying
His Word
[Jn 6: 44-5; 8: 32]
B. Believing
in God and His Word.
[Jn 8: 24, Acts 16: 31]
C. Repenting
for past sins.
[Ac 17: 30]
D. Confessing
Jesus Christ as our Lord [Mt
10: 32, Rom 10: 8-13]
E. Being baptized
for our sins.
[Mk 16: 15-6, Acts 10: 47-8]
F. Being faithful
unto death
[Re 2: 10]
OUTLINE
I. The theme & author [1:
1]
II. The majesty of God [1: 2-14]
A. The
attributes of God [1: 2-8]
B. The
anger of God [1: 9-14]
III. The Judgement of God [1:
15-3: 19]
A. Judgement
proclaimed. [1: 15]
B. Judgement
predicted [2: 1-2]
C. Judgement
described [2: 3-10]
D. Judgement
vindicated [2: 11-3: 7]
E. Judgement
forewarned [3: 8-10]
F. Judgement
inevitable [3: 11-9]
Copyright 1999 by Neil
C. Prokop may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to
others.
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