Sermon Outline: From God, With Love

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SERMON OUTLINE

From God, With Love

Introduction

A. Sermon texts: 1 John 4:8, NRSV; James 1:17.

B. These texts state two things about God: He is love, and He gives gifts.

Body

I. God is love.

A. Satan has misrepresented God.
B. Verse by F. M. Lehman.
C. Illustration about Isaac Watts.

II. Because God is love, He loves to give.

A. He gives to those who ask. Matt. 7:11.
B. He gives even to those who do not ask. Matt. 5:45.
C. Everything that we have comes from God. 1 Tim. 6:7; Ps. 24:1

1. Illustration of slippers.
2. “Selected” verse.

D. An enumeration of some of God’s gifts. Counsels on Stewardship, p. 17; The Adventist Home, pp. 497, 100; The Acts of the Apostles, p. 71; Sermons and Talks, vol. 1, p. 233.

III. God’s best Gift—His Son, Jesus. John 3:16.

A. The measure of God’s love. Rom. 8:32; Counsels on Stewardship, p. 14.
B. Christ on the cross. The Desire of Ages, p. 760.
C. What this gift provides for sinners. Ibid., p. 762
D. God loves us as much as He does His own Son. John 17:23.

IV. Special gifts—spiritual gifts.

A. Church members should be knowledgeable about these gifts that are bestowed by the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 12:1, 11.

1. Some of these gifts listed. Eph. 4:11.
2. The purpose of the gifts. Eph. 4:12.
3. The church is the body of Christ, with Christ the head. Eph. 4:15. The Spirit distributes varied gifts to meet the needs of the body.

V. The gift of prophecy. 1 Cor. 12:10, 28; Eph. 4:11.

A. Prophets are eyes for the church, or seers. 1 Sam. 9:9; Amos 3:7.

1. Elisha’s experience. 2 Kings 6:8-12.
2. Importance in the final crisis. Rev. 12:17; Matt. 24:24; The Great Controversy, pp. 593, 594.

a. The Bible as the “testimony of Jesus.” Rev. 19:10.
b. Comparison of end-time prophet to pilot as ship enters dangerous harbor.

B. God’s gift of a prophet to the remnant church—Ellen G. White.

1. The scope and benefits of her ministry.
2. The major theme of her writings.
3. Her testimony about her experience. The 1888 Materials, pp. 578, 579.
4. The Exodus movement and the Advent movement compared. Hosea 12:13.

Conclusion

A. The remnant church, as the church in Corinth, has been richly blessed with spiritual gifts, including the gift of prophecy.

B. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gifts!”