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Title: "Jesus Christ: The Safest Place in the World" Thesis: God takes care of His beloved. Intro: Like the Nation of Israel in the days of Moses, we live in a day of great danger. Young people, YOU live in a time of great danger. Danger is all about us, and danger is deep inside of us. The danger comes from man's depraved sin-nature. Both ours and others. Our hearts are evil, our wills are wayward, our emotions are unstable, our bodies are covetous, and our minds, and therefore our purposes, are self-centered. Everything about us bespeaks of the sin-nature and the resultant fruits of sin. And this, despite the marvelous work of grace known as salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Though we are saved, and secure in Him, we are still not safe from sin. We get a new heart, but the old one remains. We get a new willingness, but the old will remains. We get more control over our emotions, but the old emotions still hold sway. We are less concerned with our bodies, but our bodies still demand more than we can possibly give. We get a new outlook, but our minds are still subject to the vivid impressions of the sin-nature. Is it no wonder that Paul wrote, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Rom. 7:24) Do you feel that way? Are you under the burden of your sin, though saved? If you are not, you have no idea of the present danger that you are in! In this world of danger, we need a place of safety. In the midst of all this depravity, we need a impregnable dwelling place. And in the whirlwind of sin, we need a place of security. That there is such a place is a reflection of the mercy of our God. I would like to share with you this morning, "Jesus Christ: The Safest Place in the World." Text: Deut. 33:12prayer. I. THE PLACE OF SAFETY IS IN SONSHIP TO CHRIST A. "And of Benjamin he said" (What is in a name?) 1. You are known by your name (all you are) Prov 22:1 "A [good] name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches..." Note: Your name represents the totality of the past and the impression of the present. Your name identifies you with many things. 2. God Knows Your Name (all you are) Rev 3:5 "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." 3. You are to become as your name (all you are) Gen. 35:18 "And it came to pass, as her (Rachel) soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father (Jacob) called him Benjamin." B. Who Benjamin was 1. Ben-oni = "son of my sorrow or misfortune" a. Son of worldly sorrow Note: Birth killed his mother. Born while leaving Beth-el (house of God), and in Bethlehem (house of bread). 2. Benjamin = "son of my right hand" a. Son of spiritual joy Note: You will be a "son of" something, either sorrow or joy!! 3. Son of right hand a. Son = "same as" b. Right hand is 1) Place of blessing and power 2) Are you a child of your parent's right hand? c. But "My Right Hand" is more 1) Designation of Jesus Christ Psa 17:7 "Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy Right Hand them which put their trust [in thee] from those that rise up [against them]." 2) Are you the "Same as" Christ? Rom 8:29 "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." II. THE PLACE OF SAFETY IS IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST A. "Beloved of the Lord" Gen 44:20 "And we said unto my lord, We have a father (Jacob), an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother (Joseph) is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him." 1. Beloved = "One greatly loved." a. Lost are loved because of their need John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." b. Saved are loved because of their Saviour Rom 1:7 "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called [to be] saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ." Note: Benjamin, the last born (are you "last born"); In the smallest town (Bethlehem) Micah 5:2) "little among The thousands of Judah;" Of the littlest tribe (little in man's sight?); In the smallest territory (is your influence slight?); Yet the temple was in his tribe. But when his mother died (his worldly sustainer), he had to depend on his father (his heavenly sustainer). (Are you depending on your Father?) c. Sanctified are loved because of their obedience 1 Cor 1:2 "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called [to be] saints..." 1 John 2:5 "But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." III. THE PLACE OF SAFETY IS CLOSE TO CHRIST A. "Dwell in safety by Him" (3 meanings of "by") 1. Your safety is in being "with Him" (K&D) Heb 13:5-6 "[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." Note: Is your life patterned after His footsteps or are you expecting Him to follow after you? 2. Your safety is in being "founded upon Him" (K&D) Mat 7:25 "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a Rock." Note: You may be tossed about on the Rock, but never from the Rock. 3. Your safety is in "resting on Him" (PH) John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." IV. THE PLACE OF SAFETY IS UNDER THE PROTECTION OF CHRIST A. Cover him = "overlaying" one object with another, the idea of hiding the less attractive underneath the more attractive (TWBOT) Note: Thus the Ark was made of wood (earthly materials) and within was placed the 10 Commandments (representing God's standard of holiness which was broken by man). On top of the Ark was placed the Mercy Seat, made of pure gold (representing Christ as the covering for sin, breaking of commandments). When God looked down, He saw the gold, not the sin. Therefore, Christ is our covering. Rom 5:11 "And not only [so], but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement [covering]." B. Cover him = "shelter him" (K&D) "The participle expresses the permanence of the relation: 'is his shelter" (K&D) Isa 4:6 "And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain." Note: I understand the difficulty in applying this, but it is none the less available. The reality of this promise comes in your complete and total dependence upon Jesus Christ in every situation of life. This does not mean no testings, for testings are for the purpose of revealing what is in your heart to you! The Bible says, to count them all joy! Then to count yourself dead to sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. C. All the day long = "continually" (K&D) Rom 8:38-39 "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 creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." V. THE PLACE OF SAFETY IS IN TOTAL DEPENDENCE UPON CHRIST A. Between His shoulders = "upon the back" (K&D) "The expression is founded upon the figure of a father carrying his son" Deut. 1:31 "And in the wilderness [of sin], where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place [promised land]." 1. The Lord's care 1Pet 5:7 "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." 2. The Lord's strength Luke 1:51 "He hath shewed strength with His Arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts." 3. The Lord's wisdom John 21:18 "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young (immature), thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old (mature), thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry [thee] whither thou wouldest not." Concl: We live in a dangerous world and a dangerous time. You are in danger of losing your testimony, your morality, your health, and your spiritual well-being. But there is a place of safety in Jesus Christ. Are you saved? Are you beloved because of your obedience? Are you in a right relationship with Christ? Are you staying under the protection of Christ? And are you living in total dependence on Christ? If you are not, you are in grave danger! Will you get right with Christ today? |