7,000                                                                                        Romans 11:1-10

• I am sure some if not most of you guys have heard about the movie 300
  
• Today we are going to talk about a slightly bigger number- 7,000
  
• This evening, my goal is to make sure that we examine ourselves and know if for sure in our hearts that we can be counted among the 7,000  
  
  • It’s a great time especially for our men, myself included as we plan on heading on to the Man’s advance
    
  • It’s a time to self-check, search me oh Lord – that I may be found …and if not show me how
    
  • What an opportunity to seek Gods face and cry out to Him to see that which lacks or blocks us
    
  
  
• In our reading today:
  
• Paul is speaking to the Israelites who know the word of God – Pastor Crystals Message
  
• They know that they are a chosen generation, but they (Israelites) have taken this most precious gift as common
  
• Its easy to point fingers and condemn these guys but if we do an honest heart check, we will find that we too have at times taken the word of God as common- (Pastor Matts preaching – Christian!)
  
  • The idea is that men are sitting feasting comfortably at their banquet; and their very sense of safety has become their ruin. They are so secure in the fancied safety that the enemy can come upon them unaware” (Barclay).
    
  •  The Jews of Paul’s day were so secure in their idea of being the chosen people that the very idea became the thing that ruined them.
    
  
  
• Paul in Romans 11:1 – Has God rejected and disowned His People?
  
  • He is almost trying to wake them up – tone?
    
  
  
• It’s bad that instead of looking inward, they start blaming God for rejecting them
  
• The same God who in I Samuel 12 is showing undeniable love to the Israelites
  
• After the Israelites demanded a King – instead of keeping with God wish to be their everything
  
•  I Samuel 12:22 (Nkjv) For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people
  
• How many times in our lives, when things are not going our way do, we take this position?
  
• After we try on our own- we come to a place and feel like God has left us
  
• Only if we could sooner than later adopt Paul’s response – Certainly Not!
  
  • Deutronomy 3:16 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
    
  • Joshua 1:5 – No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you
    
  
  
• The problem is not God. He is faithful and just. He is true to His word. The issue is you and I
  
• Isaiah 59:2(Nkjv) – But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear
  
• Hebrews 10:26(Nkjv) – For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins
  
• This is our only link- And if we do away with this sacrifice, we are dead in our sins
  
• Paul continues to support his response (to the question he asked himself)
  
• For I too I am a Jew – I too have seen what God has done in my life
  
• I too a chief sinner has seen a God who has not forsaken me and will not
  
• 1 Timothy 1:15 (Nkjv) – This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 
  
• Paul is speaking from experience that He has seen God work in his life
  
• He continues by reminding them of the story of Elijah in 1 Kings
  
  • Elijah challenges the Prophets of baal – all 450 of them
    
  • They build an altar and prepare a bull and they agree that whoever call for fire from heaven and consumes the sacrifice, is the true God
    
  • In 1 King 18 – that they called baal from Morning till way past noon, cutting themselves and no response (Challenge for us …to what length do we go to seek our God)
    
  • Elijah turn, he set the sacrifice and pours 12 buckets of water so there is no doubt
    
  • He prays and fire comes from heaven and consumes the sacrifice
    
  • The Bible says that it licked water from the ground
    
  • Elijah calls for all the baal prophet to be put to death and there after Jezebel threatens Elijah with death and he runs
    
  • It’s at this point that Elijah is speaking to God
    
  • 1 King 19:15-18 – Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria.  Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.  It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.  Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
    
  
  
• How do I get counted among this 7,000?
  
• To be counted among the 7,000 we must be close to God
  
  • I HAVE KEPT FOR MYSELF  
    
  • 1 Peter 1:13-16 (Nkjv) Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;  as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;  but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
    
  
  
• To be counted among the 7,000 we must be willing to be alone and different
  
  • Our Society is screaming with a big voice – conform or die, be an outcast
    
  • These 7,000 did not compromise, they kept themselves pure
    
  • They have not bowed to baal or kissed him
    
  • Romans 12:2 (Nkjv)And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
    
  
  
• To be counted among the 7,000 – We must remember where God has delivered us from
  
  • I am sure if Paul lived in Elijah time, he would have been considered part of the 7,000
    
  • Paul’s zeal was from a heart knowledge of what God had done in his life in the past
    
  • The Israelite forgot about the redemption, the sacrifice and much more that the Lord had done for them
    
  • Most of the times, when we are asking where God is, it’s because we have forgotten where God found us
    
  • Deuteronomy 6:12 (Nkjv)then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
    
  
  
• The Sad part of that if we are not alert and aware, we will end up like the Israelites
  
• Romans 11:8-10( NLT) –  As the Scriptures say, “God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.”[a]  Likewise, David said,“Let their bountiful table become a snare,  a trap that makes them think all is well.
  Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve. Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever.”
  
• God reserve the right to reveal Himself to those that He wishes and to withhold wisdom to others.
  
• But those that chooses Him – They get the right to become children of God
  
  • 1 John 3:1 – See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.
    
  
  
• To be counted as one of the 7,000 you must be born again
  
• John 3 records a story of a man who was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus
  
• The guy was in the higher ups – Jews council
  
• Came to Jesus at night – He had seen the miracles and could not deny what He has seen
  
• Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God
  
• John 3:3 (Nkjv) –  Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
  
• Tonight, I would like to invite you to be part of the 7,000 – to be Born again
  

Play song at the end please – GIVE ME FAITH

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