04-23-17 Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Scripture  Philippians 2:14-16

Genesis 1:14-19

And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. 16a God made two great lights — the greater light (SLIDE: Sun) to govern the day and the lesser light (SLIDE: Moon) to govern the night. 16b He also made the stars (SLIDE: Stars). God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning — the fourth day.

Genesis 1:16b – doesn’t even get its’ own full verse – it is almost like a footnote in the body of the sentence SLIDE: “HE ALSO MADE THE STARS” Are you kidding me? Our sun is a star but God made Many of them. Look into the night sky and every star you see is similar to our sun.

INTRO to Video: Louie Giglio Video about stars.

VIDEO

Phil 2:14-16

1^st what not to do Do everything without complaining or arguing,

                                                                    (complain and argue with self)

2^nd what to do so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God

3^rd where to do it) without fault in a crooked and depraved generation,

4^th the result for God’s kingdom in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life —

5^th building on those who ran before in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

NOTE: From the video --- Isaiah 40:25-26

            "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. There is not anyone or anything to compare to God – He is too big-beyond comprehension – Indescribable Listen to John trying to describe the risen Christ: (Revelation 1:12-18a I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.  The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.  His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.  In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.  I am the Living One.)

Continuing to describe the one who has no equal we go back to Isaiah 40:26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. (John 10:27-29 “My stars / My Sheep…no can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who gave me the sheep, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.”)

Back to Isaiah 40:27-31

Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God"? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

CONCLUSION

Philippians2:14ff   Do everything without complaining or arguing,

become blameless and pure in a crooked and depraved generation,

in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life —

“But I am not pure and Blameless and sometimes I argue and complain!” It is not your light but the light of Jesus that shines through you…ILLUSTRATION:

Samuel Colgate, the founder of the Colgate business empire, was a devout Christian, and he told of an incident that took place in the church he attended. During an evangelistic service, an invitation was given at the close of the sermon for all those who wished to turn their lives over to Christ and be forgiven. One of the first persons to walk down the aisle and kneel at the altar was a well-known prostitute. She knelt in very real repentance, she wept, she asked God to forgive her, and meanwhile the rest of the congregation looked on approvingly at what she was doing. Then she stood and testified that she believed God had forgiven her for her past life, and she now wanted to become a member of the church. For a few moments, the silence was deafening.
Finally, Samuel Colgate arose and said, "I guess we blundered when we prayed that the Lord would save sinners. We forgot to specify what kind of sinners. We'd better ask him to forgive us for this oversight. The Holy Spirit has touched this woman and made her truly repentant, but the Lord apparently doesn't understand that she's not the type we want him to rescue. We'd better spell it out for him just which sinners we had in mind." Immediately, a motion was made and unanimously approved that the woman be accepted into membership in the congregation.

Matt 5:14-16

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”