Sermon Theme
It is one of those questions often asked… even today The answer having NOW and FOREVER implications → What do you believe about God? In Acts 17 we read of Paul in Athens at the Areopagus where there were many idols to all manner of gods. Observing this, when Paul began to preach to the Athenians he said this… “For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.” (Acts 17:23, NIV84)
As the Heidelberg Catechism begins to unfold the teaching of Scripture summarized in the Apostle’s Creed it begins with that ALL IMPORTANT question “What do you believe when you say, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”?
So here’s the question… what do WE believe about God? An important question not just for self… but also for those we seek to bring to God through Christ If we don’t know for ourselves what believe about God, we can’t clearly introduce others to Him.
Sermon outline
- A IMPORTANT QUESTION
- MORE PRECIOUS TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER THAN WILDFLOWERS
- THE FATHER WE CAN ABSOLUTELY TRUST
Readings reproduced on this page:
The Holy Bible: New International Version. 1996, 1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Sermon Outline
Readings
Heidelberg Catechism: Lord’s Day 9, QA 26
26 Q. What do you believe when you say, "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth"?
A. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth and everything in them, who still upholds and rules them by His eternal counsel and providence is my God and Father because of Christ His Son.
I trust Him so much that I do not doubt He will provide whatever I need for body and soul, and He will turn to my good whatever adversity He sends me in this sad world.
He is able to do this because He is almighty God, He desires to do this because He is a faithful Father.
Galatians 4:1–7 (NIV84)
1What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.
2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.
3So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.
4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law,
5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir
Text
Matthew 6:24–34 (NIV84)
24“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
