Unto the Measure of the Stature of the Fullness of Christ
We must be firm in our commitment to God's will and trust in His power and provision to reach His standard.
Greek Word Studies for a sermon on stumbling spiritually, focusing on the literal and figurative meanings of 'proskopto' (to stumble against an obstacle). The preacher delves into various Bible verses where 'proskopto' is used, illustrating how individuals stumble spiritually when they fail to recognize God's provision for righteousness, ultimately leading to their downfall. The sermon emphasizes the importance of faith in Christ as the foundation for eternal life, contrasting those who stumble over Him with those who believe in Him and will not be disappointed.
Text
God loves us so well that He will not permit us to take less than His highest will. Some day we shall thank our faithful Teacher who kept the standard inflexible and then gave us the strength and grace to reach it. We shall thank Him who would not excuse us until we had accomplished all His glorious will. Let us be inexorable with ourselves. Let us mean exactly what God means, and have no discounts upon His promises or commandments. Let us keep the standard up, and never rest until we reach it. Let God be true, but every man a liar (Romans 3:4).
Even if we fail a hundred times, let us not accommodate God's ideal to our thinking, let us rather be like the brave ensign who stood in front of his company waving the regimental banner.
When the soldiers tried to call him back, he only waved the banner higher and cried, "Don't bring the colors back to the regiment; bring the regiment up to the colors." Forward, forward, leave the past behind thee, Reaching forth unto the things before; All the Land of Promise lies before thee, God has greater blessings yet in store.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Standard of God's Will
- A. God's will is not to be taken lightly
- B. We must strive to reach His highest will
- II. The Importance of Inflexibility
- A. We must be firm in our commitment to God's will
- B. We must not excuse ourselves from reaching His standard
- III. The Power of God's Strength and Grace
- A. God will give us the strength to reach His will
- B. We must trust in His power and provision
Key Quotes
“Let us be inexorable with ourselves. Let us mean exactly what God means, and have no discounts upon His promises or commandments.” — A.B. Simpson
“Forward, forward, leave the past behind thee, Reaching forth unto the things before;” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- We must be willing to leave our past failures behind and focus on the future, trusting that God has greater blessings in store for us.
- We must be firm in our commitment to God's will and not excuse ourselves from reaching His standard.
- We must trust in God's strength and grace, and have faith that He will give us the power to reach His standard.