He Seeks Us So We Seek Him - Sermon Starter

Sermon Outline

He Seeks Us So We Seek Him

Scripture:  Deuteronomy 4:29

Introduced May 2011

Outline of the Sermon

Introduction:

“But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”  Deuteronomy 4:29

This Jewish promise comes at the tail end of another promise by God:  Deut 4:24-28, God promises the covenant nation that if they go astray from Him – they will perish from His hand, lose the land and the inheritance, and be left in a miserable state:  serving the dead gods they believe in.  After all of this, God makes a promise that if they/we seek Him, though they are stuck in the muck of sin, though they are in addiction, and unhealthy relationship, a dead religion, a back fallen state – they/we will find Him!

1.          We Must First Realize Where We are.  V. 29, “But if from thence …”

a.      We are in the midst of terrible evils we brought upon ourselves.

b.      We must realize we are having the wrong relationship – i.e., David/Bathsheba

c.      We must understand that we have the wrong ideas about God – like Peter, etc.

d.      We must realize we serve the wrong master, like money – like the rich young ruler.

e.      We must realize we left our first love, like Ephesus in Revelation 2.

f.        We must realize that we have a Laodicean heart like Revelation 3.

2.          From the midst of error, you must strive to find the right way.  “Thou shalt seek the LORD thy God.”  It is true that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.

a.      Luke 19:9-10 – In Luke 19, Jesus came to Zaccheus.  Zaccheus accepted Christ as Savior and we learn Jesus sought after Him!  So too, God sought the Israelites and saved them from Egypt.  But, there is also a seeking we must do. 

b.      Matthew 5:33 – Seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness.  Look after, imagine for, think about, and strive to attain the righteousness which God has already given to us.  Seek God in your affection and thoughts.

c.      “Thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”  The soul is the imagination of the heart; the heart is the throne-room of who or what we love.  If we love Him, He will sit there and we will imagine Him.  If we love sin, our sin will be on that throne.  That is why we must, with our heart, OBEY and with our mind, RENEW.

Conclusion / Decision / Invitation:

            Even in our sin, if we seek after God – He will rescue us, heal us, revive us, refresh us, and take His place as our God and king in our lives.

Decision / Invitation

Sermon Creation Date:  Can’t remember; it was written, however, during a personal men’s retreat I attended.