SPIRITS MADE PERFECT

Sunday Morning:  June 23, 2002

Text: Hebrews 12:22-24  "But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

23. To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24. And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."

MOUNT SION

Hebrews 12:22  "But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

HEAVENLY CITY

Revelation 14:1  "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads."

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Hebrews 12:23  "To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all,"

CALLED TO THE MARRIAGE

Revelation 19:9  "And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."

GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND CHURCH

Hebrews 12:23  "To the general assembly and church [ek + kalew, called out] of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all,"

CHRIST BRIDE

Ephesians 5:25-27  "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

OUT FROM THE BODY

Ephesians 5:30  "For we are members of [or from] his body, of [or out from] his flesh, and of [or out from] his bones."

MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB

Revelation 19:7-8  "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness [acts or deeds] of saints."

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Revelation 19:9  "And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."

CALLED TO THE MARRIAGE

Matthew 22:9-14  "Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment (no righteous acts)? And he was speechless. 13. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14. For many are called, but few are chosen."

TO GOD THE JUDGE

Hebrews 12:23  ". . . and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

THE LIVING GOD WILL JUDGE

Hebrews 10:30-31  "For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

JUST MEN

Hebrews 12:23  ". . . and to the spirits of just men made perfect [complete],"

THE JUST ARE OBEDIENT

Luke 1:6  "And they (Zacharias and Elizabeth) were both righteous [just] before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless."

TROUBLE AND FEAR

Luke 1:11-12  "And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him."

JUST LOT

2 Peter 2:7-9  "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8. (For that righteous [just] man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous [just] soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:"

SPIRIT OF LOT

Genesis 13:10-11  "And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other."

ANGELS AT SODOM

Genesis 19:1  "And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;"

NOT SO, MY LORD

Genesis 19:17-19  "And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 18. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: 19. Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:"

ANOTHER CITY

Genesis 19:23  "The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar."

DWELT IN THE MOUNTAIN

Genesis 19:30  "And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar,"

SPIRIT OF FEAR

2 Timothy 1:7  "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

SPIRIT OF BECOMING A SON

Romans 8:15  "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption [sonship], whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

NOT MY WILL

Mark 14:36  "And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt."

LIVE BY FAITH

Hebrews 10:38  "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."

THE FEARFUL

Mark 4:40  "And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?"

WALK BY FAITH

2 Corinthians 5:7  "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)"