Jeremy Utley - Psalm 139:17-18, Isaiah 49:13-16, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Romans 3:21-28

Jeremy UtleyDecember 15, 201415mWatch on YouTube

Speaker: Jeremy Utley Title: Psalm 139:17-18, Isaiah 49:13-16, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Romans 3:21-28 Date: 12-14-2014 Our Goal as Christians is this: To be an exact reflection of Jesus, the son of God (Romans 8:29) We do this individually by growing in purity in our personal lives (1 John 3:2-3) We do this corporately by becoming fully functioning member of a local Church (Ephesians 4:11-16)

Summary

The sermon emphasizes responding to God's undeserved love by becoming a suitable Bride for Christ, which requires both purity and active love. The speaker uses the analogy of a rubber band to illustrate that true devotion means anchoring oneself in God's goodness, rather than fluctuating between worldly concerns and spiritual disciplines. Ultimately, the message calls for a consistent, heartfelt focus on God's love and faithfulness.

Outline

The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.

Opening Scripture PassagesThe speaker introduces four foundational passages from Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Romans to meditate on.

How do we respond to God's undeserved love?Realizing our unworthiness and receiving such incomprehensible love raises the question of how we should respond in our relationship with God.

Becoming a suitable bride for ChristJust as a father desires a pure bride for his son, God desires a bride who is completely in love with Jesus rather than being half-hearted.

Is the feeling mutual?Psalm 139 describes God thinking of us constantly, leading to the question of whether our thoughts turn to Him with that same frequency in our free time.

The rubber band of our affectionsOur affections snap back to wherever they are anchored—either anchored in the world or anchored in God.

The Israelites: Seeking God only in times of needIn Nehemiah, the Israelites sought God when they needed deliverance from enemies, but as soon as they had rest, they returned to evil.Nehemiah 9:28

King David: Seeking God when there are no battlesUnlike the Israelites, when David was given rest from his enemies, he turned his attention to God and asked what he could do for Him.2 Samuel 7:1

What do we do when released from our daily needs?When daily work or battles end, we must consider whether we pursue our own desires or remain available and eager to simply be with the Lord.Psalm 119:147

David's eagerness for God's wordDavid looked forward to the night watches and rose before dawn just to meditate on God's word, treating God as his greatest need.Psalm 119:147

A ravished desire to give God our timeTrue love for Jesus means willingly giving Him all our free time and letting Him become our primary desire, echoing Jacob's refusal to let God go without a blessing.

Responding as Christ's true brideAs we live in the reality of God's undeserved love, our true response as His bride is to say that the feelings are mutual and that we always want to be with Him.

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Jeremy Utley - Psalm 139:17-18, Isaiah 49:13-16, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Romans 3:21-28

Jeremy Utley · December 15, 2014 · 15m

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