Several years ago in Bible College, I was shown this outline in the Scriptures. Brother Jim Jarvis shared this with us during our lunch break. It so blessed my heart that I quickly wrote the points down and later developed it into what you see below. As I have preached it in many places, God has never ceased to bless it. May it help you today…
Title: “Things That Are Precious!”
Topical Message
Introduction:
• The word precious means – of great value or price, costly; held in high esteem; something that is greatly loved or dear to us.
• There are many things which should be precious to you – memories, friends, family, church, etc.
Proposition: There are four things I want to share tonight from the Bible that should be precious to you and I as it was to Peter!
I. Precious Trial Of Our Faith! Verse 7
(1 Peter 1:3-9) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (KJV)
A. God refines us like gold!
(Job 23:8-10) “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (KJV)
B. The Holy Spirit conforms us to the image of Christ!
(Romans 8:28-29) “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 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.” (KJV)
C. God molds us like clay! Jeremiah chapters 18 & 19
Someone said, “faith that cannot be tried cannot be trusted!”
II. Precious Blood Of Jesus!
(1 Peter 1:18-19) “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” (KJV)
A. The blood purchased us! – Illustration – proof of purchase
(Acts 20:28) “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” (KJV)
B. The blood draws us!
(Ephesians 2:13) “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (KJV)
C. The blood justifies us!
(Romans 5:9) “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (KJV)
III. Precious Jesus!
(1 Peter 2:6-8) “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” (KJV)
A. Jesus loves us like a father!
(1 John 3:1-2) “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (KJV)
B. Jesus loosed us like a Saviour!
(Hebrews 7:25) “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (KJV)
C. Jesus lifts us up like a High Priest!
(Hebrews 7:25) “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (KJV)
D. Jesus leads us like a shepherd!
IV. Precious Promises!
(2 Peter 1:4) “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (KJV)
A. Promise of eternal life!
(Romans 10:13) “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (KJV)
B. Promise of home in Heaven!
(John 14:1-2) “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (KJV)
C. Promise of an abiding friend!
(Proverbs 18:24) “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” (KJV)
D. Promise of second coming!
(John 14:3) “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (KJV)
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (KJV)
Conclusion:
To The Sinner:
• Repent and believe the gospel!
To The Christian:
• Are these things precious to you?
