Dr. Allen Mabra. Sunday April 9th, 2017.
Sorry I Missed Your Visit
My Story
Is God Sovereign?
Do we have a free will?
Did God have a plan or will in my life?
Did He force me to do any of it?
Are there things that are Predestined by God?
Eph 1:13
And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.
:14
The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
Rom 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
:29
For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstbornamong many brothers and sisters.
Rom 8:30
And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
8:31
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Luke 19:28-44
Luk 19:28 After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples.
:29 As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead.
:30 “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
Luk 19:31 If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
:32 So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said.
:33 And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”
:34 And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.”
Luk 19:35 So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on.
:36 As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him.
:37 When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.
Luk 19:38 “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD!
Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!:39 But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”
:40 He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”
Luk 19:41
But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.
:42
“How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.
Luk 19:43
Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side.
:44
They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation.”
Luk 19:41
But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.
“If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace…” If you had only known. What sad words. Words filled with regret and remorse.
Luk 19:42
“How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.
. But they missed the point
“The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another…”
“because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
This is an interesting phrase.
The KJV says, “Thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.”
The NLT says, “You have rejected the opportunity God offered you.”
The Phillips translation says, “You did not know when God Himself was visiting you.
” The NEB says, “You did not recognize God’s moment when it came.”
And I like The Message paraphrase: “You didn’t recognize and welcome God’s personal visit.”
The Greek word is “episkopos”. It means to oversee. But more than just watching, it’s about care-taking. Jesus was saying that people did not notice God’s arrival on earth, His intention being to look after them and take care of them.
So what causes a person to miss God’s visit? What leads a person to overlook God’s plans? How does a person miss when God’s voice is speaking to them?
Spiritual Fortresses
2Co 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
:5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Fears
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, …
2Ti 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear,…
1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
Eph 1:14
The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.