Historical Posts
Peace – audio
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All of us want peace, but many of us do not have as much of it as we’d like.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7)
Paul makes three important points about peace:
Peace comes from God.
It’s the peace “of God,” not the peace “of us.” I think sometimes we miss that point. I find myself believing that if I could just get everything on the outside fixed (less stress, fewer problems, etc.), then I’d feel better on the inside. If I could do it.
But it actually works the other way around. When I accept God’s peace on the inside, his gift, it helps fix the stuff on the outside.
Peace is inexplicable.
It “surpasses all understanding,” which implies that sometimes we won’t understand why things happen the way they do. Because it’s from God, though, it can overcome inadequate explanations.
Peace protects our hearts.
“Guard” is a military term, suggesting that peace “stands on duty to keep out anything that brings care and anxiety” (R.R. Melick, p. 150).
And most of us need that. We live in an anxiety-ridden world that’s overwhelmed by the search for something to get rid of the uneasiness we’ve got in our hearts.
The answer is right in front of us.
Paul urges us to turn everything over to God, accept the peace of Christ, and let him stand guard at the door of our hearts to ward off all anxiety and worry.
Contentment – audio
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There’s a tendency to postpone contentment, or to explain away why we don’t have it right now.
The condition is so common that it’s got its own street name: the “Greener Grass Syndrome.”
Sometimes the good life is almost within grasp, just the other side of a 5% raise. Or it’s in that house across town, the pretty one with 500 more square feet, the fenced-in back yard, better school district, and less traffic. Yep, I’d be content there, I know I would.
Sometimes it’s got a chronological component.
I’ll be happy when I get these kids out of diapers. If not then, I’ll get it when they go to school. And so on.
At some point, or so I’m told, you live long enough to realize that you should have just enjoyed the good days you had instead of thinking they were just past the next milestone.
That’s why Paul always challenges me. He does not let me sit here and justify my restlessness with feeble excuses about the life I wish I had.
He says it plainly: “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11). Seriously? How?
The key is in what he writes two verses below, a verse that’s quoted so much it’s almost become a cliché. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
I suppose those words of Paul have been framed and hung on more walls than perhaps any other verse. Everybody can quote them, but do we know what they mean? Contrary to popular opinion, they don’t mean you can do anything you set your mind to, that God will always give you the strength to do whatever you choose. What they mean is right there in the paragraph.
Jesus Christ will give you the strength to be content regardless of what’s going on around you.
Understanding that is crucial. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. No matter how hard you try, you won’t have contentment aside from the power of Jesus.
It’s also true that he’s not going to force it on you . . . there’s an “I can do” part to the verse as well. So where do you stand today? Is your contentment just around the corner but always out of reach?
Paul tells us to stop making excuses, turn our lives completely over to Jesus, and embrace commitment in him.
There’s some pretty bad stuff going on in our world right now, but I suppose it’ll always be that way.
We must choose to submit everything we have, including our disposition, to the one who saved us.
Unspotted – audio
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We live in the world, and it’s hard to keep it from rubbing off on us.
Sometimes it’s tempting just to escape it, isn’t it? Moving to the proverbial deserted island or to a rural mountain in Tibet doesn’t sound bad at all.
Some believers in church history tried that route, retreating to caves, deserts, or monasteries, but it rarely worked well.
But tempting as it might be sometimes, God never called us to retreat from the world.
So here we are. We live and work and play in it, all the while seeing daily reminders that it’s a pretty messed-up place.
Immorality, violence, deceit, corruption . . . it’s everywhere.
And in the middle of all that we hear commands like this one from James:
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world (James 1:27)
Keep yourself unspotted from the world, he says.
In the world, but not of the world, as it’s sometimes put.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (John 15:18–19)
That’s fairly easy to say, but not so easy to practice. What do we do?
Part of the answer is we’ve got to recognize what’s going on. We’ve got to see the world for what it is.
We need to ask ourselves daily:
- Are there any significant differences between me and my non-Christian friends?
- How are my values different from the world’s?
- Am I becoming more like Jesus or more like the world?
The thing that makes it so tough is that the world stains us slowly, gradually, subtly.
Perhaps you have heard the anecdote about boiling a frog. Put it in boiling water, and it’ll jump out. Put it in cold water and gradually heat it up, and it’ll be cooked to death.
I’m not sure if that’s true of frogs, but I’m pretty sure it’s true of us.
The world is all around us, and it affects us without our knowledge. We make small compromises, then at some point we’ve changed without even really knowing.
Let’s pray about this today.
Ask the Lord to make you vigilant.
Ask him to help you see the small changes the world is trying to make in your life.
Ask him to work in you through his Spirit to transform you into what he wants you to be, instead of allowing the world to conform you to its image.
Luke 23:20-25 Who Crucified Jesus? audio
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Text: Luke 23:20-25
Introduction
Who crucified Jesus? – Galatians 3:1
Body
I. WHO CRUCIFIED JESUS? THE JEWS!
A. Jesus said the Jews – Matthew 16:21
B. John says the Jews sought to – John 7:1
C. Peter accused the Jews – Acts 2: 36
D. But the Jews didn’t actually do it – Acts 13:26-29; Mark 14:64
E. The Jews accept the responsibility for it – Matthew 27:24-25
II. WHO CRUCIFIED JESUS? THE GENTILES!
A. Jesus said the Gentiles would – Matthew 20:18-19
B. Early Christians said the Gentiles did – Acts 4:23-28
C. Paul said the Gentiles – 1 Corinthians 2:8-9
III. WHO CRUCIFIED JESUS? GOD!
A. God foreordained it – Acts 4:27-28; 2:22-23
B. God showed His love for us – John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Hebrews 2:9
C. It was part of God’s eternal plan – 1 Peter 1:18-20; 1 Corinthians 2:7
D. Jesus GAVE His life for us – Matthew 20:28; John 10:17-18; Matthew 26:39
IV. WHO CRUCIFIED JESUS? YOU AND I!
A. Jesus died for OUR sins – 1 Peter 2:24-25
B. Jesus died to put away sin – Hebrews 9:26, 28.
C. Jesus offered one sacrifice – Hebrews 10:12; 2:9
Conclusion
A. The Jews – Admitted
B. The Gentiles – Committed
C. God – Permitted
D. Jesus – Submitted
E. You and I – Benefited
Draw Near to God
I cannot imagine what it will be like to be in God’s presence, but I am pretty sure it will be the best thing about heaven.
- What will it feel like?
- What will He look like?
- What will it be like?
I want that, but I’m not ready for it yet. People can’t be in the presence of God, not actually, not yet. We couldn’t survive it.
Whenever God revealed himself to people in the Bible, even in some kind of limited way, he spelled out the things they must do to be ready… and not die.
After the Israelites left Egypt, God met them at Sinai to give them his law, but he couldn’t just “come down” and talk to them. He told Moses to consecrate them for two days, let them wash their clothes, and be ready the third day. And then he put limits concerning how close they could come to the mountain where God would reveal himself. But, get too close and die. Break through the barrier to try to get a glimpse of God… and die. It was a serious matter.
That’s the way it’s always been. We can’t come close to God because of our sins. We’ve got to be cleansed to enter God’s presence.
That’s why verses like this one are fascinating: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8a).
Us? Close to God? How?
Through Jesus, of course. He cleanses us, makes us holy, and grants us access to God.
Remember the temple veil being torn in two pieces during the crucifixion? That veil had always symbolized a barrier between a sinful people and a holy God. When Jesus died, he tore the barrier down.
But what James puts right after he tells us to draw near to God is interesting: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:8–10)
1 John 01:05-02:02 – Fellowship with God – audio
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Text: 1 John 1:5-2:2 (Reading by Clark Perkins)
Introduction
1. We saw in 1 John 1:1-4 that John’s aim in this epistle is:
a. To declare the “Word of life”, the “eternal life” that was with the Father and has been manifested in Jesus Christ – 1 John 1:1-2
b. That we might have fellowship with the Father and Son, just as the apostles do – 1 John 1:3
c. That we might have fullness of joy – 1 John 1:4
2. So to have fullness of joy… We must experience the kind of life that comes from having fellowship with God!
3. What is the basis for fellowship with God, so that we may have the life that produces fullness of joy?
a. In our text (1 John 1:5-2:2), John discusses the basis for fellowship with God
b. He also describes the place of sin, and how it can affect that fellowship
Body
I. THE PREMISE FOR HAVING FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD (1 John 1:5)
A. “GOD IS LIGHT”
1. The figure of light is often used in the Scriptures to describe that which to good, righteous, and true – Ephesians 5:8-10
2. Therefore, God must always be thought of in this way: He is good, He is righteous, He is true!
B. “IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL”
1. The figure of darkness would represent the opposite of light: evil, unrighteousness, falsehood
2. Therefore we can never think of God as countenancing sin, excusing it in any way
II. FALSE CLAIMS CONCERNING FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD (1 John 1:6-10)
A. “WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM”, YET WALK IN DARKNESS (1 John 1:6-7)
1. Why is this claim false?
a. Because fellowship means to have something in common
b. And we have seen that God is “light” (goodness, righteousness, truth)
c. “Walking in darkness”, therefore, would be going against everything God stands for – Ephesians 4:17-24
2. What is the result of such a claim?
a. We are false in our WORDS (“we lie”)
b. We are false in our DEEDS (“do not practice the truth”)
3. Instead, we should “walk in the light as He is in the light”
a. I.e., instead of living a life characterized by “evil, unrighteousness, and error” (all the while claiming to have fellowship with God)
b. …we should live a life in harmony with God’s “goodness, righteousness, and truth”!
4. Only then will we experience:
a. “Fellowship with one another”
1) That is, we will have fellowship with God
2) Whereby we can share in that life which is eternal, and provides fullness of joy!
b. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son [which] cleanses us from all sin”
1) This suggests that “walking in the light” does not imply sinlessness!
2) Any more than “walking in darkness” implies total absence of good
3) Rather, “walking in the light” suggests
a) A life making progress under the positive influence of God’s “light”
b) A life enjoying the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood as one meets the conditions of forgiveness
B. “WE HAVE NO SIN” (1 John 1:8-9)
1. John is reference to statements made by professing Christians who thought they had become sinless
2. The consequences of such a claim
a. Self-deceit (“we deceive ourselves”)
b. Living in error (“the truth is not in us”)
c. In other words, walking in darkness, not walking in light!
3. Instead, we should freely confess our sins – 1 John 1:9a; Proverbs 28:13
4. Then God, who is “faithful” (trustworthy) and “just” (one who does what is right) will:
a. “forgive us our sins”
b. “cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
c. through His mercy He makes it possible for to continue in fellowship with Him!
C. “WE HAVE NOT SINNED” (1 John 1:10)
1. This claim is made by some denying they had ever sinned
2. The consequences of this claim are grievous
a. We make God a liar! – Romans 3:23
b. His Word is not in us!
3. How can anyone who makes such claims as these hope to have true fellowship with God, and thereby enjoy the life such fellowship gives?
4. Fellowship with God does not occur by making claims that turn God into a liar!
5. Though affirming that we do sin, John is not seeking to encourage sin. Indeed, he is writing to discourage sin – 1 John 2:1
III. FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD REQUIRES AN ADVOCATE (1 John 2:1-2)
A. “WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS”
1. The word “advocate”
a. Literally means “to call to one’s side, to one’s aid”
b. It suggests the capability for giving aid
c. Used in a court of justice to denote a legal assistant, a counsel for the defense
d. Generally, it is one who pleads another’s case, an intercessor
2. Jesus is the perfect “advocate”, for He is RIGHTEOUS
a. As sinners, we are alienated from God – Isaiah 59:1-2
b. But since Jesus is without sin, He is a fit representative to come before God on our behalf!
c. The author of Hebrews also makes the point that though righteous, He understands our situation perfectly – Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-16
B. “HE HIMSELF IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS” (1 John 2:2)
1. The word “propitiation” means “an appeasing”
a. E.g., the pagans would offer sacrifices to appease their gods
b. In the New Testament, it is God, not man, who offers the appeasing sacrifice – 1 John 4:10
c. Through His death on the cross, Jesus is the means by which God can show mercy to the sinner
d. This explains how God can be “just” (cf. 1 John 1:9) and still forgive sin
e. This wonderful “propitiation” was given to the whole world, but is accessed only by those who believe in Jesus – 1 John 2:2; Romans 3:21-26
Conclusion
1. In this first chapter, and even into the second, John makes it clear upon what basis we can have fellowship with God, and enjoy the life that provides fullness of joy
2. To have fellowship with God, we who are Christians must
a. Not walk in darkness, but walk in the light of God’s goodness, righteous, and truth
b. Admit that we have sinned, and do sin
c. Utilize our “advocate” (Jesus Christ), whom God provides as the “propitiation” for our sins
3. In 1 John 1:9, John explained how those who are already children of God can appropriate the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus (through confession and prayer).
4. But how about the alien sinner? – Acts 2:38; 22:16 (faith, repentance, and baptism)
1 John 01:01-04 – Introduction to First John – audio
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Text: 1 John 1:1-4
Introduction
1. When Jesus to earth, He came not only to LIVE a life, but to GIVE life: I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. – John 10:10
2. The GOSPEL of John was designed to produce faith so that we might have life – John 20:30-31
3. However, it is the FIRST EPISTLE of John which discusses the nature of that life in greater detail – 1 John 3:14
4. That we might be sure to live the sort of life God offers through His Son Jesus Christ, a careful study of First John is in order
Body
I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A. THE AUTHOR
1. John is the author, the beloved disciple of Jesus
2. Similarities between this epistle and the Gospel of John certainly give us INTERNAL evidence for this conclusion
3. There is also EXTERNAL evidence that this John is the author:
a. Polycarp, a close associate of John, makes reference to this epistle at the beginning of the second century, in a letter to the Philippians
b. Irenaeus, a student of Polycarp, quoted from it and attributed it to John
B. THE RECIPIENTS
1. No one is specifically mentioned
2. John was in Ephesus at the time, and this was a general epistle to the Christians throughout Asia Minor
3. However, John’s comments in 1 John 2:20 and 1 John 2:27 suggest that John may have been addressing a particular group of Christians possessing certain spiritual gifts
C. DATE
1. Estimations range from 60 A.D. to 100 A.D.
2. Most modern scholarship places it around 95 A.D
D. PURPOSE
1. As declared by John throughout his epistle, he wrote it:
a. that your joy may be full – 1 John 1:4
b. that you may not sin – 1 John 2:1
c. that you may know that you have eternal life – 1 John 5:13a
2. While these reasons may state the positive side of John’s purpose, it appears he was also responding to errors that were prevalent at the time – 1 John 2:26
a. If not fully developed in John’s day, there was at least a precursor to Gnosticism
b. Those who came to be called Gnostics
1) Claimed to have a superior knowledge (Greek word for knowledge is gnosis)
2) Believed all matter was evil
a) Therefore God did not create or have anything to do with the material universe
b) Therefore Christ could not have come in the flesh – 1 John 4:1-3
c. Their application to everyday living took two different directions; since all matter was thought to be evil:
1) Some thought one should abstain altogether from anything that would satisfy the flesh
2) Others claimed it did not matter what one did in the flesh (it was evil anyway), and to have full knowledge it was proper to explore everything
II. JOHN’S PROLOG (1 John 1:1-4)
A. CONCERNS THE WORD OF LIFE
1. Which was from the beginning has reference to the creation of the world – John 1:1
2. This Word of life was:
a. heard
b. seen with our eyes
c. looked upon
d. handled
e. all emphasizing that this Word was in the flesh; an reference to Jesus – John 1:1, 14
B. TO DECLARE THE ETERNAL LIFE
1. Which was:
a. With the Father
b. And then manifested to the apostles, who had seen and were bearing witness
2. Again, this is an obvious reference to Jesus Christ
3. But notice the use of the NEUTER gender throughout this passage
a. The emphasis appears to be on the life which Jesus had, especially that which is eternal
b. It is this same life which we can possess if we truly believe in the name of the Son of God – 1 John 5:11-13
4. Thus John is focusing on the eternal life which Jesus offers and made possible by His coming in the flesh
C. THAT YOU MAY HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH US
1. Here is the reason for declaring the Word of life, the eternal life
2. By declaring this life (revealed by Jesus and through Jesus), fellowship is possible
a. Fellowship involves the idea of sharing, communion
b. The sharing, communion that the apostles have is with the Father and His Son
3. John wanted his readers to participate in this same sharing
a. that you also may have fellowship with us
b. In other words, that you can experience what we are experiencing!
4. Why does John desire this? Read on
D. THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL
1. It is fellowship with the Father and Son that makes the life of a Christian so full of joy!
2. And just as Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10), so John now writes
a. That we may be sure to have fellowship with the Father and His Son
b. So that our joy may be full!
Conclusion
1. From 1 John 1:1-4, then, we learn that fullness of joy comes only when we are in fellowship with the Father and the Son
2. Only then do we have that eternal life, which was first manifested in the flesh by Jesus Himself, and now given only through Jesus – 1 John 5:11-13
3. In our next lesson, we shall see what John says is essential if we are to truly have fellowship with God – 1John 1:5-2:2
4. But if you are not a Christian, let me explain how such fellowship with God can begin Galatians 3:26-27
Love Your Neighbor
Love your neighbor. It just sort of rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?
It’s such a nice thought, and pretty much everybody agrees that we ought to do it. But, do we? Of course we do, or at least we think we do. We know Jesus commanded it. We know we are supposed to love everyone.
James apparently thought it was a big deal. He wrote, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well” (James 2:8).
You may remember that James is writing this in the context of how Christians should not treat the rich better than the poor, but he is quoting something that had been a part of God’s will for a long time (cf. Leviticus 19:18).
We also know that Jesus placed this commandment at the essence of a relationship to God (Matthew 22:39-40).
But what is it? What does being loving look like? More importantly, how can we know that we are doing it?
As you probably know, it is something more substantial than having warm feelings toward people we already like. It actually does not have much to do with how we feel about people, especially the ones who are already kind to us.
Here are a few questions that’ll help us explore it.
- How do we treat the grumpy, stay-on-your-own-lawn-and-keep-to-yourself neighbor?
- How do we respond to the grocery store check-out trainee who took twenty minutes to scan the three things we wanted to buy?
- How do we treat the spouse who often does not really deserve to be treated well (or so we think)?
- Are we good to the people who are different from us?
– The ones who are different ethnically?
– The guy who is incredibly socially awkward?
– The girl whose past is immoral?
– The ones who are below (or above) us on the lower-middle-upper class spectrum?
Our faith is not really tested much by asking how we treat the people who are kind to us. Like Jesus said, everybody does that, even people who don’t believe in God. We learn about our love for neighbor by looking at how we treat everyone else.
Here’s what we know: We need to work hard at loving people, because there is amazing consistency on this point from the beginning of the Bible to the end.
Walking with Christ means loving the people around us – all of them, regardless of what they look like, how they act, or what they have done.
Prayer
Maybe you have occasionally wondered if there is any point to prayer. Does it work? Is God listening? We doubters ought to go back and reread James. Here’s James 5:16 in a few different translations:
- The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (ESV).
- The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (NKJV).
- The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (NASB).
- The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective (NRSV).
James apparently thought prayer worked, and you and I ought to believe him. He gives this example:
“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” (James 5:17–18, NKJV)
Perhaps we think that of course God answered prayer back then, but we live in a different time: a more hands-off age. But that thinking does not work. There is nothing in the Bible that suggests God ever stopped hearing and answering prayers. Do you believe that?
A “non-answer” from God might be a couple of things:
It could actually be that He is not answering because I am walking outside of his will (and therefore not a “righteous” pray-er). For example, Peter wrote that a man who is not treating his wife well will have an impotent prayer life. (1 Peter 3:7)
It could also be that what we are asking is not according to his will; if so, we might not like His answer anyway. I have begged Him for things He later showed me that I didn’t need.
And it could be that He is already in the process of answering our prayers, but He is doing it according to his own timetable. Remembering that He exists outside of time helps us work through apparent delays. He knows the end from the beginning, and some things just don’t need to happen right now.
But does he answer? Absolutely. The prayer of a child of God who pours out his / her heart to Him is powerful and effective. Believe that, and then pray accordingly.
I Have A Part – audio
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God has done his part. Now we have to do ours – James 1:21-25
The High Cost of Loving Money – 1 Timothy 6:10
Text: 1 Timothy 6:10
Introduction
1. Today’s society
2. God’s warning
3. God’s answer
Body
1. Achan’s great loss – Joshua 7:1, 5, 25
2. Gehazi’s great loss – 2 Kings 5:5-27
3. Judas lost it all – Matthew 26:14-15
4. Ananias and Sapphira both lost – Acts 5:1-11
Conclusion
1 Timothy 6:17-19
Favoritism
Sometimes we put sins into categories without even thinking:
- Really Bad Sins
- Bad Sins
- Not-So-Bad sins
Sure, I’m a sinner, but none of mine are the really bad ones. I would never commit those, like murder or adultery.
My sins are smaller stuff like sometimes thinking bad thoughts, losing my temper, spreading a little gossip, or being impatient and irritable. Everybody does that stuff, so it’s ok, right?
Sound familiar?
The Christians James were writing to apparently made the same argument, “Sure, we may show favoritism, but at least we’re not murderers or adulterers.”
James didn’t like their reasoning.
“but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:9–13
Do you see his point?
A sin, by its very nature, is a transgression against God’s will.
For us to try to make some sins not as bad as others betrays a misunderstanding of sin. That was part of Jesus’ point in Matthew 5. Essentially, here’s what he said:
“You know the Law says it’s wrong to murder, but I’m telling you to deal with the anger that leads to murder.”
“You know adultery is wrong, but I’m telling you to clean up your dirty minds.”
In James’ context, favoritism / discrimination / prejudice, or not loving your neighbor, violates the very essence of what God wants in our relationships with one another. In one sense, if we treat one another poorly, we have committed the same sin that leads to murder: disregarding our mutual status as human beings created in God’s image.
So what about us?
It applies to how we treat people. If I disregard someone because for some reason I think he’s less of a man than I am, I have missed the Bible’s whole point about loving people and I have become guilty of breaking all of it.
We would never murder anyone, but would we murder someone;s reputation through gossip?
We would never attack others physically, but would we ignore them, snub them, or mock them?
The gospel calls us to recognize everyone’s equal value before God.
As sinners we are all in the same boat – we deserve the death sentence.
By God’s grace he stepped in and rescued us. Recognizing that ought to remind us to extend mercy and grace to everyone around us.
God did it for us. Shouldn’t we do the same for others?
Sin – audio
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Perhaps this is not great devotional material, but I can’t help but say a few words about the tragic situation in Pennsylvania with Dr. Gosnell, the abortion doctor who was convicted this week of first-degree murder in the deaths of three babies.
Perhaps God brought this grisly story to light so that he could change the way that abortion is talked about in our country. Maybe he intends to wake some of us up so that we can see that lives—not cells, not fetuses, not mere choices—are at stake in this conversation. I’ve already read stories of people who have changed their minds about abortion, so we can praise God for that.
Maybe God wanted us to remember again that we live in a broken world, on a cursed earth, amidst fallen people, so that he might stir up in us again a longing to be where he created us to be. Maybe some of us who live tidy lives need to see the face of evil and look wistfully toward a world without violence and death.
Maybe he wanted us to think about abortion in a way that we haven’t before, or at least in a way that many of us haven’t. Instead of just wringing our hands and preaching against it, maybe we should remember again that everyone needs Jesus. That includes abortionists, the people who work in their clinics, and, of course, the expectant mothers who—maybe because they’re confused or they made a mistake or they just don’t understand what they’re doing—choose to have an abortion. Maybe God wanted us to ask, “What are we doing to help confused and broken people? What are we doing to change the cultural climate to help the people around us see that all life is precious?”
I’ve got a lot of questions. I’d like to know how somebody could do what Dr. Gosnell and some of his assistants did. I’d like to know how a country in which the majority of people call themselves Christians could think it’s acceptable to abort hundreds of thousands of its babies every year.
I suppose we don’t have those answers, and maybe we never will, but whenever we see sin in some kind of graphic form like this, it ought to remind us that sin isn’t just the big, headline-making, jaw-dropping things. It’s pervasive, and it hurts us all. Those of us gawking at Dr. Gosnell from a distance also struggle with sin, though maybe it’s of a more private, not-as-serious (so we say) variety.
Here are a few relevant verses to meditate on and pray over today:
- “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).
- “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
- “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away …And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1,4).
Save A Soul – audio
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It’s an ugly picture.
In one of his letters Peter uses the graphic image of a dog’s returning to his vomit or a recently washed sow’s returning to her mud.
What he was writing about, of course, was a believer who wanders away from God. If we’re honest, we must admit that it isn’t a particularly difficult thing to do, because this world is often so alluring. Sometimes we’re mesmerized by its glitz and glamor, finally waking up only to realize we’re miles away from God.
Have you ever wandered?
In adolescence, perhaps? Or maybe in college or at another particularly difficult point in your life?
I hope you’re back. If you are, I’m glad you came home.
But not everyone has come home. Not yet.
So James closes his letter with a short encouragement for us to do whatever we can for these folks.
Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. James 5:19–20
You’re probably not a preacher, and you may not serve God in any “official” sense, but I’d like for you to do three simple things today.
- One, make a list of ten believers you know who have wandered away from God. Perhaps it’s a family member, former co-worker, a neighbor, somebody who used to attend your church. You could probably come up with a hundred, but just do ten.
- Two, pray for every name on that list. Pray that God’s Spirit would work in their hearts and move them to repentance. Ask him to orchestrate the events of their lives so they see that the path they’re on will end in destruction. Ask him to open a door for you to be able to speak an encouraging word.
- Three, take one step—just one—to let God use you to work in their lives. It might be something as simple as a “How’s it going?” text or email. It could be a phone call or an encouraging note or a Facebook post. But do something.
We undersell ourselves, I think.
We assume all the serious spiritual work will be done by the guys who stand in our pulpits or serve as our shepherds.
If I understand James correctly, though, he’s saying that just an “average” every-day believer can have an enormous effect on someone’s soul. It’s incredible to think that you and I can “save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins,” isn’t it?
So today –
Make a list
Say a prayer
Initiate contact
– and see what God does.
The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Want!
IT… may very well be the most powerful life changing force you can harness… knowing what you want and where you are going.
Being focused on a goal or objective is extremely powerful. It can help you overcome weaknesses and make dramatic improvements… in health, in your mind, and most importantly… in your spirit.
The key to really powerful goals, of course, is making them both meaningful and specific. But tonight I do not want to discuss forming positive goals. Right now, it’s about setting negative goals.
What do I mean by setting negative goals?
It is just as important to set negative goals, it is to set positive ones. In other words, you need to define what you DON’T want in your life… just as much as you need to define what you do want.
Perhaps it would be a helpful exercise to actually make a list of all the things you absolutely, positively, unflinchingly want to eliminate from your life.
Is this a biblical concept?
Absolutely.
Jesus taught… in graphic, figurative language… that amputation is better than destruction – Matt. 18:8-9
Paul wrote to the Christians at Philippi: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ” – Phil. 3:13-14.
And then this interesting passage: “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ” – Heb. 12:1
You see, we need to amputate, forget about, and lay aside the negative things in our life that prevent us from attaining the prize set before us. But you can’t take remedial, surgical action if you don’t know what needs to be eliminated.
What needs lopping off?
So what in your life needs a hatchet? I’m sure if we spent enough time really meditating on this, each of us could come up with a long list… if we are honest. May I suggest three areas you might want to start with?
Here they are:
- Habits
- Attitudes
- Distractions.
Habits are the routines you’ve gotten into that help you get through the day or respond to events… without thinking. Some habits are good and healthy. Others, not so much. Identify habits that need to go.
Attitudes are feelings about people, places, things, and events. Again, some attitudes are healthy, others are harmful. Make a list of the feelings you have for people and things in your life that need to be eliminated. But please, keep this private. This list is for your own personal development, not for posting on Facebook.
Not every negative feeling needs to be eliminated. Some negative feelings are justifiable. But even when a negative attitude is justifiable, it is still possible that it is unworthy of your time and energy.
Other attitudes and feelings are simply self-indulgent, emotional wrecking balls. If you cannot control your attitudes, then eliminate your exposure to the source. Take control of how you are affected by others. Controlling your emotions is BIG.
Finally, think about distractions that are preventing you from working toward your goals. I think this is one of the most effective tools Satan uses to create crippled Christians.
We are hamstrung and strung out on so many meaningless distractions. Sometimes it seems that if we have any measurable progress at all, it is at a snail’s pace.
Learn to eliminate distraction and its source in your life, “redeeming the time, because the days are evil” – Eph. 5:16. You will likely see dramatic improvements in your life.
Yes, accentuate the positive, but also remember to eliminate the negative.
Teaching the Kingdom of God
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Let this encourage you to Speak of Things Pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
Acts 01:01-11 Jesus Ascension – audio
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Text: Acts 1:1-11
Introduction
1. Jesus lived
2. Jesus died
3. Jesus rose
4. Jesus left for Heaven
5. Many sermons will be preached today on the first three, but not on the last one
6. Jesus knew it was time for Him to go to the Father – John 13:1
Body
I. We can go home
A. Jesus went to prepare a place for us – John 14:1-4
B. For us to die is gain – Philippians 1:21-23
II. Jesus mediates for us to God
A. What a blessing it is to have a mediator who knows us – I Tim 2:3-6
B. A mediator of a better covenant established on better promises – Hebrews 8:6
III. My King is where He belongs
A. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father – Hebrews 1:1-4
B. Because He was obedient God exalted Him to the glory of the Father – Phil 2:8-11
Conclusion
1. Jesus lived, died, arose and now reigns forever!
a. If we want to go home to be with Him
b. If we want Him to mediate for us to God
c. If we recognize Him as king
2. If we love Him we must obey Him – John 14:15
3. His commandments are not burdensome – I John 5:3
Hebrews 06:17-18 The Unchangeableness of God – audio
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Text: Hebrews 6:17-18
Introduction
A. Hebrews 6 could be called “Encouragement to Go On.”
B. Let us look at these.
1. ENCOURAGEMENT TO GO ON TO PERFECTION – Hebrews 6:1-3
A. Must leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ (Hebrews 6:1)
B. Not laying again (Hebrews 6:2)
1. Foundation of repentance.
2. Faith.
3. Doctrine of baptisms.
4. Laying on of hands.
5. Resurrection of the dead.
6. Eternal judgment.
C. This we will do (Hebrews 6:3)
2. ENCOURAGEMENT BASED ON THE PROMISES OF GOD – Hebrews 6:13-20
A. God’s promises confirmed by an oath – Hebrews 6:13-18
B. Hope is anchor of the soul – Hebrews 6:19-20
3. THE IMMUTABILITY OF GOD.
A. Unchanging – Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Ezekiel 24:14; James 1:17
B. God Is Immutable – Hebrews 6:17
1. HARMONIZE? God Intent Has Changed – Genesis 6:6; 18:16-33; Exodus 32:7-14
2. Unchangeableness – is not – “frozen immobility.”
3. God’s feelings/intent changes as man changes.
4. Nature, plan or purpose – never changed!
Body
I. HOW GOD IS IMMUTABLE
A. His Essence. I AM – Exodus 3:14. When became flesh – no change – John 8:24
B. His Attributes.
1. Good – Psalm 34:8
2. Holy – Psalm 99:9
3. Love – 1 John 4:8
4. Just – Job 4:17
5. Merciful – Psalm 3:5
6. Severe – Romans 11:22
7. God Is: Eternal – Psalm 90:2
8. Omniscient – Hebrews 4:13
9. Omnipresent – Psalm 139:7-10
10. Omnipotent – Matthew 19:26
C. His Plans – Eternal Purpose – Ephesians 1:4; 3:9-11
D. His Promises – Hebrews 6:13
E. His Warnings – Acts 13:40
F. Objects of His Love – John 3:16
II. EVIDENCE OF IMMUTABILITY.
A. His Existence – Any argument for existence is for immutability – Romans 1:20
B. His Perfection.
C. His Infinity
III. WHAT IMMUTABILITY MEANS TO US.
A. Keeps His Promises – 2 Peter 3:13
B. Assurance / Hope – Hebrews 6:13-18
C. No Disappointment – Romans 9:33
Conclusion
A. The Immutability of God
I. How God Is immutable.
II. Evidence Of Immutability.
III. What Immutability Means To us.
B. Obey today!
Hebrews 06:17-20 Hope: The Anchor of the Soul – audio
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Text: Hebrews 6:17-20
Introduction
A. Hope is a much misunderstood topic today
B. Heavenly hope is lost in today’s mindset of materialism and sensualism – 1 Timothy 6:9-11
C. Even religious people have given it up for a hope of living on this earth with only 144,000 living in heaven – Revelation 7:4
D. The one hope is lost in unjustifiable confusion – Ephesians 4:4
E. Both the Old and the New Testaments give us the message of a heavenly hope for all who will obey
1. David had hope Psalm 119:81, 114, 116; 146:5
2. We are to rejoice in hope – Romans 5:2
Body
I. LET US NOTICE HOW HOPE IS USED IN THE BIBLE
A. People use it improperly:
1. People talk about hope as if it is something that is past: “I hope I got all the answers right on the test”
2. Or as if it is current: “I hope I am making the right decision”
B. How does the Bible use the word?
1. The Bible uses the word hope looking forward to the future, expectation – Romans 8:24
2. The Bible uses the word hope in the sense of trust – Philippians 2:23
C. We need to use Hope as it is used in the Bible
II. LET US NOTICE WHERE HOPE IS NOT FOUND
A Our hope is not found in Islam
1. The Quran does not have Jesus as God’s Son “The Jews say, ‘Ezar is the son of Allah, and the Christians say.” The Messiah is the Son of Allah. That is their saying from their mouth; they but imitate the saying of those who disbelieve (Before them): May Allah destroy them: how they are deluded?” Sura ix,30)
2. The Ethiopian Eunuch could not be baptized until he believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God – Acts 8:37
B. Our hope is not found in Premillenialism
1. In Premillenialism the only hope that any of us have (Other than the 144,000) is to live on a rejuvenated earth – 2 Peter 3:10-11
2. Both Peter and Paul wrote of an incorruptible crown of righteousness in the life after this one – 2 Timothy 4:8
C. Any doctrine that goes in opposition to the Bible does not give hope and we cannot trust it – 2 John 1:9-11
III. LET US NOTICE WHERE HOPE IS CENTERED
A. Christ is both Priest and King – Zechariah 6:12-13
1. God speaks to us by his Son, so he is also a prophet – Hebrews 1:1-2
2. He is a Priest after the order of Melchisedec – Hebrews 5:10
3. He is a King – Revelation 19:16
B. Hope is emphasized in Hebrews for the following reasons:
1. For the same reason that Christ was emphasized, to stop their rapid exit from Christianity back into Judaism – Galatians 5:4
2. To let the Jews know that Christ was the center of hope, not Mosaic law – Hebrews 10:1-4