You Are Not Alone

I Kings 19:9-18

 

INTRO: Do you feel as though you are the only one standing up for the truth, the only one truly serving God/ Well dear friend, you are not alone.  God has a people, a remnant!

The doctrine of the remnant speaks of a little band of faithful followers, a people belonging to God.  In the Greek Septuagint, remnant is “sperma,” meaning sperm or seed.  The Lord has left a seed, a remnant, an elect people (Rm 11:2-5). 

Yes, God has a people of every kindred, tongue, and nation.

 

I.        THE DOCTRINE OF THE REMNANT AS FOUND IN ISAIAH AND THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE

A.       The doctrine of the remnant as found in Isaiah’s prophecy.

1. Things are bad, but God has a people (Isa 1:5-9).

2. At the end of the tribulation, there will be a remnant (Isa 11:11, 16; 37:31-32).

3. Isa 46:3-4 tells us that God will take care of His own.

B.       The doctrine of the remnant in the New Testament.

1. Rom 9:26-29 points out the importance of the remnant.

2. Rev 12:17 tells us that even in the tribulation there will be a remnant.

C.      The doctrine of the remnant says that a little holy band is left in a dark, dreary, and hell bound world.

D.      In Isaiah 1:2-9, we see the iniquity of the people.  If God had not called out a small remnant, all would have been destroyed.

1. We are the salt of the earth.  Mt 5:13: “Ye are the salt of the earth....,” Christian.

2. It doesn’t take a lot of salt to season food.  If it were not for a few salty Christians, we would be destroyed.

 

II.       GOD THROUGH THE AGES HAS USED A REMNANT TO DO HIS WORK

A.       In the days of the flood, it was Noah who found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Gn 6:8-11).  Noah built the ark, preached, and saved his family.  Psalm 127:1: “Except the Lord build the house....”

B.       When the Midianites oppressed the children of Israel, God chose Gideon and three hundred men to bring victory over the great hoards of Midians (Judges 7:2-7).

C.      Abraham, the friend of God, the father of the faithful lived in idolatrous days.  Who else was righteous in Abram’s day?

D.      In the time of great apostasy, Elijah, the champion of Jehovah, stood (I Kings 18:17-39).

E.       While in captivity, Daniel and his three friends refused to compromise and stood for God.  They would not bow to a false God.  Shadrech, Michach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace.

F.       Jesus chose twelve to begin the first church.  Luke 6:12-13; I Cor 12:28.  “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles...”

G.      After Jesus had been crucified, about 120 disciples gathered in the upper room.  There were not 120,000 but 120.

H.      Through the age of grace, there has always been a remnant of believers holding to the Apostolic faith: “The faith once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3).  According to God’s Word, He will have a remnant of faithful churches.  Mt 16:18: “Upon this rock I will build....”

1. Many names have been given the ana-Baptists, rebaptizers, through the years.  Baptists rebaptize those who were not saved when first baptized or who were baptized without proper authority.  Baptists have been called Donatists, Novatians, Montanists, Paterines, Paulicians, Waldenses, Albigenes, and Baptists.

2. Baptists did not come out of but came through the reformation.  They were the little seed, the remnant that held to and still hold to New Testament truth.  Our founder is Christ, the head of the church.

 

III.          WHILE THE REMNANT IS ON EARTH, GOD WILL NOT DESTROY IT

A.       As long as Lot was in Sodom, it could not be destroyed.  Gen 19:22, “haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou come thither.”

B.       Mt 24:22: “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect sake those days shall be shortened.”

 

IV.      THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT ONLY A REMNANT WILL BE SAVED RM 9:27