Text:  James 1:17

INTRODUCTION:

A.      EVERY GOOD THING IS FROM GOD DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.

B.      BOTH TEMPORAL AND SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS:

          1.       Temporal dispensed universally ( Matt. 5:45 ).

          2.       Spiritual blessings reserved for those in Christ ( Eph. 1:3 ).

C.      IN THIS LESSON, THREE OF THOSE DIVINE GIFTS.

I.      CHRIST - THE DIVINE CHARACTER.( John 3:16 ).

        His Divinity is attested by three indispensable facts:

A.      HIS DIVINE LIFE.

          1.       Sinless( John 8:46;  18:38;  Heb. 4:15 ).

          2.       Totally unselfish ( Matt. 20:26-2-8 ).

          3.       Worthy of Imitation (1 Pet. 2:21-22).

B.      HIS DIVINE WORDS.

          1.       A notable difference( Matt. 7:28-29; Jno. 7:46 ).

          2.       The difference was real ( Heb. 1:1-2; John. 12:49 ).

C.      HIS DIVINE WORKS.

          1.       Men recognized his works to be divine ( John. 3:1-2 ).

          2.       Purpose - God's approval ( John 20:30-31; Acts 2:22 ).

II.     THE CHURCH - A DIVINE INSTITUTION.

A.      IT'S AUTHOR AND FOUNDATION ARE DIVINE( Matt. 16:18;  Psa. 127:1 ).

          1.       That which man builds inferior, inferior wisdom ( Isa. 55:8-9 ).

          2.       Built on an eternal, irrefutable principle( Matt. 16:18 ).

                   a.       Proven by resurrection( Rom. 1:4 ).

                   b.       Implication( Eph. 1:20-23 ).

                   c.       Conclusion( 1 Cor. 3:11 ).

B.      IT IS DIVINE IN ITS NATURE, IT IS A SPIRITUAL HOUSE ( 1 Pet. 2:5 ).

C.      IT IS DIVINE IN ITS MISSION AND PURPOSE.

          1.       God purposed the church for what( Eph. 3:11-12, 21 ).

          2.       This is done by the spreading of the gospel ( 1 Tim. 3:15 ).

          3.       The church wasn‘t established as a social or recreational organization( 2 John 9 ).

D.      THE DIVINE COST.( Acts 20:28;  1 Pet. 1:18-20 ).

III.    THE BIBLE - A DIVINE BOOK.

A.      IT IS HISTORICALLY AND SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE.

B.      IT IS A REVELATION OF THE MIND OF GOD( Eph. 3:3-5;  1 Cor. 2:12-13, 16 ).

C.      SALVATION IS IN IT( Titus 2:11-12 ).

          1.       It is sufficient (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

          2.       For all time (Jude 3;  Heb. 7:26-27;  10:10-12),

CONCLUSION:  ( Luke 17:10 ).

A.      GOD'S GIFTS ARE UNDESERVED.

B.      WHAT A SHAME TO WASTE THEM( 2 Cor. 6:2 ).