Favor -- When someone likes you. He approves of you. He's not mad at you. You are OK by him. You are on his good list. In OT they always saying, "Oh King, if I have found favor in your sight, do this or that." What if God has favorites, people he likes? Not just saved people (yahoo), but people he really likes. People with whom he wants to hang out. You know that you can't be his favorite, but what if he had favorites. Who would they be? 1. He does have favorites. Here are some. 1Sam. 2:26 And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with men. Luke 2:52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (what do we have here? It is particular to individuals. It grows.) Any more favorites? Luke 1:24-25 After this his [Zechariah's] wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people." Luke 1:28-31 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. (Any other favorites?) Prov. 18:22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD. Ps. 5:12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Ps. 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. 2. Not us though. Maybe there's a way we can earn God's favor. No my friends, it's a lie from hell. You already have God's favor, and here's scripture and testimony to prove it. Luke 2:13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 4:16-21 He [Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." 2Cor. 5:20-6:2 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. (What verse is Paul quoting? It's again from Isaiah, 49:8 And this is talking about now.) Later on in the same part of Isaiah, This whole chapter is talking about the coming of the Messiah, God says this: Isa. 49:813 Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. 14 But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me." 15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! 16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. 4. We have his favor, we are convinced that his favor is for us corporately. Now how do we individually receive God's favor. -- Ask him to show it to us. 2Chr. 33:9-13 But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites. The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God. Ps. 30:0 A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David. 1 I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. 2 O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. 3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit. 4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. 6 When I felt secure, I said, "I will never be shaken." 7 O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. 8 To you, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: 9 "What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? 10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help." 11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever. I said all that to say this. Share about intercession page in journal. Convicting of righteousness. (It's difficult to ask someone to tell us what they like about us. But we can do this with God, and instead of waiting around for him to show us if he wants. We need to ask, and he will, in abundance.) Share about, "You are my favorite, and I am very proud of you." Share quotes from journal. Pray that God will show his favor on his people. Ask them to pray and listen. |