June 4, 2000                4-D Religion          Psalm 116

By Ronald George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

            A four dimensional religion is a personal relationship with the only living God.  4-d religion goes beyond the 2-D or 3-D religions that many have experienced.  Four-dimensional religion begins when we make the discovery of God.  You can hear, see, and touch Him, but do you know Him?  This is the fourth dimension.  The Psalmist had discovered the fourth. 

 Scripture Text: Psalm 116:1 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice [and] my supplications. 2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon [him] as long as I live. 3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. 4 Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.  5 Gracious [is] the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God [is] merciful. 6 The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. 7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. 8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, [and] my feet from falling. 9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. 10 I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted: 11 I said in my haste, All men [are] liars. 12 What shall I render unto the LORD [for] all his benefits toward me? 13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. 14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. 15 Precious in the sight of the LORD [is] the death of his saints. 16 O LORD, truly I [am] thy servant; I [am] thy servant, [and] the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds. 17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. 18 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people, 19 In the courts of the LORD'S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

 1.    His Discovery.  What I have Discovered. 

a.      He is the real thing:  In psalm 115 we read the following concerning the gods of the world:    3  But our God [is] in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.  4  Their idols [are] silver and gold, the work of men's hands.  5  They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:  6  They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:  7  They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.  8  They that make them are like unto them; [so is] every one that trusteth in them.

b.     He is the only living God

c.      He hears me and pays attention to my prayers.  He inclines his ear to hear me.

d.     He is gracious, righteous, and merciful.

e.      He is full of compassion even in death.

f.        God is an Awesome God!   He preserves me and deals bountifully with me. 

g.     He helped me and is good to me. 

A real Christian is an odd number, anyway.  He feels supreme love for One who he has never seen; talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see; expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another; empties himself in order to be full; admits he is wrong so he can be declared right; goes down in order to get up; is strongest when he is weakest; richest when he is poorest and happiest when he feels the worst.  He dies so he can live; forsakes in order to have; gives away so he can keep; sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passeth knowledge. -- A.W. Tozer

 2.    His Decision.  What I have Decided.

a.      I will call on the name of the Lord.

b.      I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

c.      All men are liars but I can trust in God who will never let me down.

d.      I will take God into my life as God symbolized by the bread.

e.      I will drink the cup of Salvation symbolized by the communion cup.

 3.          His Dedication.   What I have Dedicated to God.

(How can I repay him?  What shall I render to him for all his benefits to me?)

a.      I will pay my vows to him in the presence of his people.  I will be unashamed of him.

b.      I will serve him because he has set me free.  What is the number one reason for serving the Lord?  "Because I can and because I want to.”

c.      I will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving.  I will give to him of my time, talents (abilities), and treasurers.  I will make myself available to the Lord who gave himself to us.

d.      I will praise him in the public place of worship.

 4.          His Declaration.   What I have Declared. 

a.      I have declared to all that " I love the Lord. "

b.      I will be what you want me to be.

c.      I will say what you want me to say.

d.      I will go where you want me to go.

4-dimensional religion takes ordinary Sunday morning Christianity to the next level.  This is the real to life level of living with God on a daily basis.  Have you discovered the reality of the only living God?  Is he real to you?  Have you tried to construct a God that is who you want him to be and not accepted him as he is?  Have you decided to call on his name and drink from his cup of salvation?  Have you dedicated yourself to him by giving to him all that you have and all that you are?  Have you praised him in the worship or is your worship hollow and meaningless?  Have you declared to all that you Love the Lord?!  Take your religion to the next level and become a 4-D.  Christian.  Discover God.  Decide to trust in Him.  Dedicate yourself to Him including your time, talent, and treasurers.  Declare today that you love the Lord. 

 Closing thought:  "I was almost your person today, Lord.

   Then I thought what it would have been like if Jesus had done the same thing. What if God had almost revealed himself in Jesus Christ? What if Christ were almost born and almost lived and almost died? What if he would have said, "Ask and it will almost be given you; seek and you will almost find; knock and it will almost be opened to you"? What if he would have said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavyladen, and I will almost give you rest"? And what if Jesus had told his disciples, "For whosoever would save his life will lose it, and whosoever loses his life for my sake will almost find it"?

   My Almost Christianity took on a much different light. I realized how many times I had played the game of being one of Jesus' "almost disciples." I recalled how many times I had prayed almost believing and walked through my days as if he were almost risen.

   It was not a question of theology. It was a question of lifestyle. Whether or not I had a lifestyle that could match what I said I believed, whether or not, as some have said, I could walk my talk. "   -- Tim Hansel, When I Relax I Feel Guilty, p. 51