Our God Will Make a Way

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

If you'd like more information, visit our website morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. I don't see that in scripture. A guarantee that God's going to work out your job situation or whatever it is.

God’s Character Versus False Guarantees

I don't see those guarantees in scripture, but I do see God in his character that he will make a way for us. What that looks like, it might be different for everyone, but God is a deliverer that we can depend on.

Do you believe that? I believe that. All right, let's find out another way God does this. Let's turn to Jeremiah chapter 31, because when we think of God doing a new thing, there's several times in the Bible talks about the Lord.

I am the Lord. I will do a new thing. You realize God's going to do some new things in the future. So along this line of God doing a new thing, let's look at Jeremiah 31. This is a really interesting passage because it's that place in the Old Testament that talks about the New Testament.

The New Covenant and the Incarnation in Jeremiah 31

So what is this? What's the New Testament? Think about this for a moment. How many of you have written your will, your last will and testament? When somebody writes out a will, they go to a lawyer, however you do it.

I obviously haven't done it yet, so I don't know. But I do know that when you do write your will, it's legally binding, right? It's legally binding and sometimes it takes a while to be carried out. First of all, the person has to die and then even then it can take a while to work everything out.

Well, this is what the Lord has done. He has made a testament. OK, God has done this. It's binding. It's going to happen. And just like in your will, you leave things for your children. God in his will, his New Testament, so to speak, he has promised some things for us.

OK, so if you look at it that way, I think it helps to understand. Second Corinthians 120 says for all the promises of God in Christ are what? Yes, and in him, amen. That is this is a guarantee. There are some things we can depend on with God, some things that he will work out for us.

It's not just the new covenant in this passage, but it's well, let's read it. Let's look at Jeremiah 31, 21 and 22. God will do a new thing, new covenant, but also I believe this is a reference to the incarnation.

Verse 21, set up signposts, make landmarks, set your heart toward the highway, the way in which you went. Turn back, oh, virgin of Israel, turn back to these your cities. How long will you gad about go to and fro?

Oh, you backsliding daughter. Notice this statement for the Lord has created what? A new thing in the earth. A woman shall encompass a man. This is a mysterious statement, depending on what commentary you read.

People disagree on what this means. A woman shall encompass a man. This is God doing a new and mighty thing because it's somewhat cryptic. We can't say for certain what it's referring to. But many commentators see in this a reference to the virgin birth and the incarnation that God became a man.

Matthew, you'll see why that's important in a moment. Matthew Henry, one of the greatest commentators of the past 500 years. He says this. They are encouraged by the promise of a new and unheard of extraordinary thing.

A creation, a work of almighty power. He says this is a reference. A woman shall encompass a man. He said it's a reference to the human nature of Christ formed and prepared by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Based on the context, how he goes on to talk about the new covenant, I'm inclined to agree with this interpretation. That the new thing that God would do is he would send Christ into the world to be born of a virgin.

So all of that to say this. Tying the new thing here in Jeremiah to the new thing in Isaiah. What has God done? He has done a new thing in the earth by sending Christ. And we, therefore, can depend on the promises of God because he has sent Christ.

I can look back at what God did 2 ,000 years ago as a guarantee that he will do what he said he's going to do in our future. Whether it's Jesus returning, establishing the kingdom, the resurrection of the dead, new heaven and new earth.

I can depend on all those things because God has done mighty things in the past. So in Christ, God has done a new thing. In Christ and through Christ, we find our deliverance.

You knew that.

Whatever deliverance you go through, whatever good thing you experience, that's going to come from who? That's going to come from Christ. In Christ, God makes a road through the wilderness. And in Christ, he makes a way in the sea.

The only question we have to ask now is what is this deliverance for us? What can I depend on from God? Or why is this path necessary? In order to be delivered, there's one precondition. What is that?

It has to be some sort of bondage or something to be delivered from. We know what Israel was facing. Oppression, slavery in Egypt. They were going to be taken captive into Babylon. That's the crisis they were facing.

What's the crisis that you're facing? What's the crisis that I'm facing today? Who or what is the enemy that seeks to put us into bondage? Any ideas? The Antichrist.

Okay.

Sin.

Yeah, now you're talking. Now you're talking.

Sin and bondage is slavery that comes as the result of those things. So, here's the thing. Israel was a physical nation. They needed physical deliverance. The Church is what? A spiritual nation. The deliverance we need is spiritual.

You may have a bad situation at work. That's not really your greatest problem, is it? You might have problems in your marriage or with your health, and they may seem like big problems, and they are, but that's not the real issue.

The core issue is something else. So, how can we receive deliverance? Of course, this is where the gospel comes in. And I think the enemy gets us so distracted on other things that are out there that we lose sight of what's really important.

Our relationship with God. I mean, what does it matter if a man should gain the whole world and yet lose his own soul? All the things happening with the prayer requests, and I feel it just like you, with the nation and the world today and the economic troubles.

This stuff is real, and it matters, and people do need deliverance in certain areas.

I get it.

But that's not the real problem, is it? Some of those things might be symptoms of the real problem. The real problem is the world, the flesh, and the devil. That's what we really need deliverance from.

And then once we get that deliverance, then we start to see the deliverance sometimes in these other areas. So, here's the thing. Sometimes we are tempted to think, if we can just improve our situation, pay off our bills, get a nicer car, improve our relationship with someone else, that if I can do this and do that, then that will make me happy.

Like, I will be happy if I can get this taken care of and this taken care of. Have you thought that way? Of course you have. We all think that way at times. In reality, it's not those things as much that need the improvement.

We need the improvement. God needs to improve us. We need, number one, we need to be saved, and number two, we need to walk with God and walk in the spirit. Those other things matter, but what matters most is what's going on in here.

That matters the most because what's in here will depend on how we respond to what's out there. So, with the remaining time we have left, what is this deliverance that God offers? What are these spiritual promises where God did a new thing in Christ and now we have deliverance in Christ?

What are these things? Number one, first off, faith in Jesus offers us deliverance with the forgiveness of all our sin. That's your biggest problem, whether you know it or not, is sin. That's the world's problem, sin.

Forgiveness, Adoption, and Unconditional Love in Christ

1 John 1, 7 says, but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, does what? Cleanses us from all sin. So, we need to walk in the light, number one.

Second thing, God makes a way for us. He did this by dying on the cross. So, the second thing this does for us, by faith, it gives us the right to be called children of God. This is where our inheritance comes in.

1 John 1, verse 2, or actually this is Gospel of John 1, 12, but as many as have received Christ, to them he gave what? The right to become children of God to those who believe in his name. This is the greatest privilege of all, to be adopted into God's family.

The next promise, once we are God's children, then we experience his unconditional love. That's what people are missing in this world. There's a lot of people who are brought up, they don't have unconditional love.

People need unconditional love and if they don't have that at home, they're going to search for it elsewhere. They're never going to get it, but they can have it with God. Romans 8, 38 and 39, for I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.

So salvation, forgiveness of sin, being a child of God, having God's unconditional love. Once you get that, once you have that, then all these other promises are given. The fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Then we can have not just peace with God, we can experience the peace of God. The peace that surpasses all understanding. Without God's favor, without his love, you can't experience those things. So this is what God has done for us.

This is how he has provided a way. With all the problems in the world and the things we face, this is the deliverance. This is what every person needs. And perhaps the greatest truth of the gospel is the promise of God that we shall have victory even over death.

Jesus said in John 5, 24, most assuredly I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death unto life. So if there's somebody listening today and you know you need deliverance, maybe you need deliverance from physical things and bad habits and financial problems and that's all true and it matters and I get it.

But the real deliverance you need is deliverance from the final enemy, which is death. So I make an urgent appeal to anyone who has never done it. Come into God's family. Believe what God has done in the past.

Believe he has done a new thing in the earth in sending Christ. And once you have that and God's unconditional love, then you have a bright future. No matter what's going on in the world today, you have a bright future filled with hope and joy.

Amen. Amen.

Prayer, Appeal, and Closing Remarks

Let's pray. Lord, if there's anyone listening, we just ask that whatever's holding them back from following Christ, that you would remove that obstacle and that they would confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in their heart that you, Lord, have raised him from the dead and the promise in your word is that they will be delivered.

You make a path through the sea. You've made a path through the mighty waters. I believe you're going to do it again spiritually in the hearts of men, women, and even children. So, Lord, bring many souls unto you and to your kingdom.

We ask it in Jesus' name. Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Moores Cornick Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, moorescornickchurch .com.

And we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett. Until next time, with the grace of God, be with you.