Appalachian View

The Priority of Prayer

2012-01-30T08:25:00.001-05:00

I preached this sermon January 29, 2012

Text: 1 Timothy 2:1-8

Introduction: In prayer for spiritual awakening, our prayer is for the salvation of souls, for the missionaries, evangelists, pastors, teachers and all Christians that we may make known the gospel boldly. There are people perishing everyday without Christ, and this is our mission, to make known that gospel. In this text today we see that the desire of God is that all people will be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. The starting point for us is not in strategies, or a new method of evangelism, or revival services, or getting some big name speaker or singer to come. The starting point is prayer and full dependence upon God as we labor with him in this great privilege.

The Privilege of Prayer

Vs 1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

-Prayer should be the first order of business – the first of the day, the priority in our worship, it is not merely a filler between hymns, a ritual, it is not meant to be just another thing we do – such prayers are nothing more than empty habits.

-Once I did a survey in another church for a class in seminary I asked participants what was the most meaningful part of the worship service. The highest percentage of respondants said the special music was the best part of the service. But prayer rated low, barely making the list.

Col 4:2 - Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

-Prayer is uniting with God and should be entered into with awe and with joy and with respect and a sense of responsibility.

-supplications – requests - petitions

-prayers – worshipful sacred conversation with the Lord

-intercessions – speaking on behalf of another – I need your prayers!

-giving of thanks – 1 Thess 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

-he uses all of these words to demonstrate the comprehensive nature of prayer!

-for all – friends, family, and even enemies

Vs 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

-we are to pray for our leaders

-some may object, “I don’t like our leaders, I didn’t vote for our president…” But this command written by Paul was during the reign of Emperor Nero, a most wicked ruler in Rome. He tortured and executed Christians, and yet Paul commands Christians to pray for him! So it doesn’t matter your political loyalty, each of us should be praying for elected and appointed leaders.

-Prayer is important because our nation gives us the freedom to live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty.

-Peaceful means tranquil – absence of outside disturbances. Quiet means composed and discreet. We all must pray for our nation to be peaceful and quiet.

-the purpose of such prayers is for godliness and holiness – our witness.

Vs 3 ³For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

- God is pleased by such prayer – It is intrinsically good, not just good in its results – beautiful is a synonym. Have you ever thought of prayer as something beautiful (like a sunset, a snow covered forest, a waterfall…)

– Is your attitude one of “I have to pray,” or one of “I get to pray?” Have you ever considered that you actually get to pray! But how often do we wake up of a morning and say “Oh, I have to pray,” or before we go to bed at night “I’d better get my prayer in and fufill my religious duty.” Or even before we sit down to a meal “I have to pray.”

Prayer is not some chore! Prayer is an awesome privilege you have as a child of God!

Heb 4:16 ¹⁶Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The Power of Prayer

Vs 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

-prayer tied into the power of gospel to change lives. That is why it is incumbent on us to pray. The gospel must be made known to all people – Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

-this does not mean that all people will be saved without exception, but it means without distinction. Jews, Gentiles, Rich, poor, men women….

-We must pray for lost souls Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

Vs 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

-Paul giving a very basic theological presentation of the gospel – there is only one God, not a plurality of Gods – one mediator – that means Christ is the only way to God – John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

-Does that mean people of other religions will not get to heaven? On the authority of God’s word we can say that no man can be saved apart from Christ. That is not a popular answer in today’s society whose chief virtue is tolerance and great hope is pluralism. Our culture today discards the truth for sincerity. Sincerely believe whatever you want and you will be OK. But that is not the truth. It not merely that faith matters, but you must place your faith in the right place, placing your faith in Christ alone.

-Jesus Christ is the mediator – fully God and fully man – the God-man. John 1:1, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Vs 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

-Christ gave himself as a sacrifice. John 10:17-18 ¹⁷Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

¹⁸No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

-the word ransom was used in the context of buying a slave’s freedom. Christ freed us from sin and the penalty of sin which is death.

-Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

-throughout the old testament a spotless lamb was offered as a sacrifice for the forgivness of sin – John 1:29 ²⁹The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Vs 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

-Christ appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus, and Paul surrendered to Christ and became the missionary to the gentiles (non-jews).

-God has ordained the preaching of the word and the prayers of the church as the means to making the gospel known. So that to not pray for the lost, to not pray for the mission is to ignore the cross.

Vs 8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

-The emphasis here is not posture, but holiness. In the ancient world people prayed standing with arms raised and palms reaching up.

-hands symbolized the condition of the person’s soul and heart – you approached God with clean hands ie clean heart.

-Psalm 24:3-4³Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

⁴He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

, Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

-but not only must our relationship with God be right when we come to him in prayer, our relationships with one another must be pure – without wrath or doubting (disputing).

-when we become entangled in divisions, factions, and chaos in the church it is not of God and it hinders our prayers. If you are a troublemaker rather than a peacemaker don’t expect answers from God.

Prepare Your Heart

2012-01-23T08:31:00.002-05:00

I preached this sermon January 22, 2012

Text: 2 Chronicles 19:1-3

Introduction: A young couple rented a vacation cottage for a week. One afternoon the husband looked out a window at the swimming pool and exclaimed, "Let's change our clothes and go get some exercise!" His wife, who was washing the dishes in the kitchen and looking out the window watching some people play tennis, quickly agreed. While she dressed for a tennis match, he put on his swimming trunks. The window a person chooses to look out at the world often determines that individual's perspective.

As we prepare our hearts to seek God, we must make sure we are looking out the right window. There are many windows in our culture today. Some look out windows where there is no God in the picture. Some look out window and only see the big world in front of them and want to get as much out of the world as they can while totally ignoring God. Some look into a mirror and think it is a window, only seeing themselves and living to please themselves. But if you want to walk with God, enjoy the blessing of salvation, the freedom from condemnation, shame and guilt, to know the peace of God that passes all understanding, the have the deep abiding joy of Christ. To experience the resurrection power of God in your life, to walk in deep fellowship with the Holy Spirit, then you must make sure you are looking out the right window. If we want to see revival take place, if we want to see our church grow, if we want to see our nation turn back to the Lord, then we must look out the right window. But I am afraid that many of us today are looking out the wrong window and we are getting the wrong perspective.

As an artist, one thing I realize that can destroy a well composed painting is poor perspective (the art class). When you look at a painting something out of perspective is more noticeable than when everything is in perspective. How is your perspective? Are you looking out the right window? If you are to prepare your heart to seek God then you must look out the right window and get the right perspective. This morning I want to help us do that.

Know who we are

To prepare our hearts to seek God, we must know who we are.

We remember who we were apart from Christ

-Eph 2:1-3 ¹And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

²Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

³Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

-we were dead in our sins, condemned, destined for eternity in hell.

We understand who we are in Christ (only because of Christ)

-some say we are sinners saved by grace, but the scripture has a better word – saints – you are a child of the king

Eph 2:4-10 ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

⁵Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

⁶And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

⁷That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast.

¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

2 Peter 2:⁹But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

¹⁰Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

-it is not anything good in us

We recognize we are not now what we shall be (we make mistakes) – Jehoshaphat was not perfect

- 1 John 3:2 ²Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

We make mistakes, we fail, we rebel, but we must not give up – we must persevere in the faith maybe like Paul Romans 7 ¹⁷Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

¹⁸For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

¹⁹For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

- Luke 18:9 ⁹And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

¹⁰Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

¹¹The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

¹²I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

¹³And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

¹⁴I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

– the proper attitude is that of publican – have mercy on me a sinner

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Know who God is

To prepare our hearts to seek God, we must know who we are and know who He is

We acknowledge that the Lord is God and there is none other – Jehoshaphat took the groves out of the land

Is 45 ¹⁸For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

¹⁹I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

²⁰Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

²¹Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.

²²Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

²³I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

We can do nothing of eternal value apart from the power of Christ at work in us

-John 15:5 ⁵I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

We must daily depend on Him We adore, praise and thank Him

Gal 2:20 ²⁰I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Almost Suppertime

2012-01-16T08:43:00.001-05:00

I preached this sermon January 15, 2012.

Text: Revelation 19:6-9

Introduction: Many of us have enjoyed the dinners and parties of the holidays. I prepared Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at our house for my family. Cooking all those wonderful foods filled the house with mouthwatering aromas. The closer the time came to having the meal prepared the hungrier we all became. I remember a couple of times that Ethan would run into the kitchen wanting to know if supper was ready yet, and I would tell him it almost suppertime. The aromas of the food, the table being set, these were indications that supper was almost ready. We finally put out the food and called to the family that supper was ready. And everybody rushed in the dining room to eat.

In our text today we are told about the marriage supper of the lamb. This marriage supper immediately precedes the second coming of Christ. The supper is not ready yet, but it is being prepared. And by all indications, the supper is getting close.

Matthew 24, Jesus gives us a glimpse of what will happen as the second coming of Christ approaches and he sums it up this way: ³²Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

³³So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

As we look around our world today we know that summer is nigh, we know that it is almost suppertime.

One day the father will proclaim that the supper is ready and call us to the table. This is not a supper you will want to miss because this is the marriage supper of the lamb. The marriage supper is the celebration of the marriage of the lamb of God, Jesus, to his bride, the church. The scripture teaches that the church is the bride of Christ. The church is composed of every believer from the time of Christ until the rapture that will take place prior to the 7 year tribulation time. The bride is not just the Baptists, or any one denomination. In fact, denomination will not matter at the marriage supper because the bride will not be divided. The church is born again believers in Christ. You and I are the bride of Christ and we will feast at the marriage supper of the lamb. My prayer is that everyone here is ready for that marriage supper because it is almost suppertime. Lets look at the marriage of the lamb of God.

The Betrothal

Now we must understand the difference in culture and time when we talk about weddings. Weddings and marriage in the first century Jerusalem were much different than a 21^st century wedding in America. When a bride and groom were betrothed, or engaged, a formal agreement was made between the families of the bride and groom, like a contract. The contract involved an oral commitment in the presence of witnesses, a written pledge and a pledge of money. Once engaged, the only way the engagement could be broken was by death or divorce.

When we were saved we were betrothed to Christ. Our bridegroom, the Lord Jesus, has paid the price for our purchase as the bride of Christ. 1 Peter 1:18-19 ¹⁸Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

¹⁹But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

As part of the betrothal the Father has given every believer a dowry – the Holy Spirit Eph 1:13-14 ¹³In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Having been betrothed to Christ, the price was paid, and the Holy Spirit given we are absolutely secure in our salvation in Christ. The bridegroom will never betray his betrothed.

John 10:²⁸And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

²⁹My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

-the church is in the betrothal stage. The next event is the wedding itself, we are waiting for the wedding.

The Marriage

The betrothal period usually lasted about one year. The groom would return to his father’s house and make preparations for his new home and for the wedding.

-John 14:¹Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

²In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

-When the betrothal period came to an end the Father would tell his son – “Go get your bride and bring her home.”

-That is why Jesus could say in Matthew 24:³⁶But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

-the time will come when the Father will say, as recorded in Luke 14: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

-The groom would go in a procession, often at night, would go to the home of his bride. He would announce that he has come to get his bride, he calls her away, in joy, or rapture, and takes her to his father and presents her to the father.

1 Thess 4: ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

-They would return to the house of the Father, and have a feast that usually lasted 7 days.

-this is the marriage supper of the lamb. Jesus raptures his church from the earth. On earth this is the 7 year tribulation period.

Matthew 25:¹Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

²And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

³They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

⁴But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

⁵While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

⁶And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

⁷Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

⁸And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

⁹But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

¹⁰And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

¹¹Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

¹²But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

¹³Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

-are you asleep? Are you slumbering? Are you ready for the midnight cry?

Follow Christ in 2012

2012-01-02T09:21:00.002-05:00

I preached this sermon January 1, 2012

Text: John 8:12

Introduction: With the Christmas time of year when we were decorating we had some large boxes and plastic tubs sitting in the hallway and living room. One particular night I walked out down the hallway in the complete darkness and stumbled over the boxes in the hallways, I had forgotten they were there.

That is not the first time and I doubt it will be the last that I have stumbled in the darkness. The funny thing is that all I had to do was flip on the light switch and the light would have filled the hallway and I could have seen my way clear to get where I was going and not stumble over anything. But I felt confident in the darkness that I knew my way well enough that I didn’t need the light. I thought I had it all under control and so I chose the darkness over the light and stumbled.

Jesus said in this scripture that He is the light of the world and that if we will follow him we will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life. But I am afraid that too many of us are choosing the darkness.

Jesus spoke these words during the Jewish festival of tabernacles. On each night of the festival worshipers would light golden lamps in the temple’s court of women. The lamps were intended to remind worshipers of God’s leading the people of Israel through the wilderness at night by a pillar of fire during the time of the Exodus. The lighting of the lamps also symbolized Israel’s recommitment to God. Jesus was actually claiming to be that luminary, that light, a role reserved for God the Father alone. Jesus was actually identifying himself as God. And used the theme of the wandering in the wilderness that if we follow him he will lead us through rather than to walk in darkness, stumbling along on our own.

Jesus’ call is one to follow Him, the light of the world, rather than stumble in darkness. Some of you today are stumbling around in the darkness, you neither follow Christ, nor have you trusted Him as your savior, yet you are here with us in church today and that tells me you are searching for that light, that you are tired of stumbling in the darkness. He is calling for you to follow him.

But even the Christian sometimes strays from the light in the shadows. I challenge you to follow Christ this year. Like Paul said in Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Ephesians 5:14-16 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

¹⁵See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

¹⁶Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Christian will you wake up and follow Christ in 2012? The alternative is to walk in darkness.

What does it mean then to follow Christ?

Following Christ means leaving the past in the past

Everybody has a past! A past that we are not proud of. Many people have skeleton’s in their closets that they fear will get out. But don’t let the past stop you from following Christ! The Bible is filled with people that had a past! David was an adulterer, Jacob was a deceiver, Rahab a prostitute, Moses was a murderer, Zaccheus was a thief, even some of Jesus’ own disciples had a past James and John were the sons of thunder (temper), Simon the Zealot was a rebel (revolutionary), Matthew a tax collector, usually regarded as thieves, Thomas a doubter, Peter a denier and coward, and even the apostle Paul was a persecutor and consented to the murder of Christians. I could go on and on, about the pasts of people that could potentially haunt them. But when we follow Christ, we find mercy, grace and forgiveness and our sin remembered no more (Jer 31:34b for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

You have a past, I have a past, we all have a past, but when you follow Christ you can leave the past behind.

Phil 3:13-14 ¹³Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Today is the first day of a new year, leave the past behind. When you trust Christ as your savior you were set free from your past and given a glorious future!

-Jer 29:11 ¹¹For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Following Christ means denial of self

Luke 9:23 – 25 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

²⁴For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

²⁵For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

Self denial is not merely self-discipline – it is not punishing yourself or beating yourself up, self denial means we forget about ourselves and live by the power of Christ. Don’t get me wrong self-discipline has value, but not eternal value, that is not what are talking about here.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Following Christ means we must trust Him because so much is unknown to us

-the biggest disappointment in my life was I discovered that I don’t know everything and can’t know everything.

We will go when he says to go – trusting his timing is always right Psalm 31:14-15a ¹⁴But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.

¹⁵My times are in thy hand:

We will go where he says to go – trusting him as a sheep does a shepherd Psalm 23:1-4 ¹The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

We will go as far as he says to go – trusting in his leadership

- Psalm 37:23-24 ²³The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

²⁴Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

We will go even if we must go alone – Josh 24:15 choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

– at what point is it too much, at what point would you say to the Lord “I will no longer follow?”

-there were some that turned away from following Christ, some followed Christ just to get what they could from him (feeding the five thousand),John 6:26 -27 ²⁶Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

²⁷Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

some followed until the road became difficult. When they left Jesus asked “will you leave too?” the answer where would we go?

-John 6:66 – 69 ⁶⁶From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

⁶⁷Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

⁶⁸Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

⁶⁹And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Lucky Ducky

2011-12-13T08:21:00.001-05:00

“Why don’t you try one more time?” the exasperated carnival worker said, offering the boy a final chance.
He was playing the lucky ducky carnival game. The game where a bunch of rubber ducks are floating in a tub and you pick up a duck, turn it over, and if it has a special mark then you win a prize.
It began when the boy and his mother stopped at the booth and she paid the money for him to play. He picked up the first duck and turned it over, it was blank.
The worker returned the duck to the pond and told him to try again. He chose the same duck the second time. The mother and the carnival worker both chuckled, after all it was kind of cute. The mother pointed out that he chose the same duck as before and that he should pick a different one next time.
The worker returned the duck to the pond and told him to try again. To everyone’s surprise he chose the same duck for the third time. It wasn’t cute anymore. The mother asked why he chose the same duck when he knew it wasn’t a prize winner. He had no answer.
The worker graciously offered the boy another chance. But this time she placed the duck on the table beside the tub. He would have to pick a different one. That is when she said “Why don’t you try one more time?”
Looking at the ducks floating in the water, he carefully reached out his hand and grabbed the duck from off the table, the one he had chosen the last three times. At this point the red faced mother dragged the little boy away.
We may say the child was too small to understand. Surely if he was older he wouldn’t keep turning over the same duck. But then again, how many grown ups do the same thing? We’ve outgrown the lucky ducky and now have more sophisticated ducks. Just as the boy, we continue to turn over the same ducks while expecting different results. He turned over the same duck out of innocence, but we turn over the same duck out of stubbornness.
Stubbornness will get you into trouble. The Lord detests it! 1 Samuel 15:23 calls it sin. Jeremiah 7:24 describes stubbornness “But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, the followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.” Did you catch that? Stubbornness leads you backward to the same old duck, not forward.
Are you stubbornly turning over the same duck expecting different results? That is stubbornness. It is time to choose a new duck!

The Unspeakable Gift

2011-12-05T08:45:00.001-05:00

I preached this sermon December 4, 2011

Text: 2 Corinthians 9:15

Introduction: This time of year we are reminded that God gave the greatest gift of all. God the Son became man, we call it the incarnation. Our text tells us that it is God’s unspeakable gift, the word meaning indescribable, in the sense that all that could be said about God’s gift has yet to be said. It is kind of like counting your blessings, you just can’t number them all. God’s good gifts are higher than the mind can conceive and higher than words can express. But today I’ll make an attempt. True, I can’t describe every gift that God has given us. James 1:17 states Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

In fact, this one verse is Paul breaking out in praise to God, overwhelmed by His goodness and His gifts. So I will not try to talk about every gift that God has given, such as spiritual gifts, I will look at some very important gifts that should cause us to express praise and gratitude such as Paul. If these gifts don’t lift your heart, if they don’t move you the way Paul was moved then I don’t know what will. What is God’s unspeakable Gift?

The Gift of God’s Son

Gal 4:4-6 ⁴But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

⁵To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

⁶And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Romans 5:6-11,-18 ⁶For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

⁷For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

⁸But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

¹⁰For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

¹¹And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world…

– There is a secular Christmas – it is about Santa and reindeer, about decorations and presents, about parties and snacks, about children and family. And there is nothing wrong with any of those things, I enjoy those things as much as anybody. But we must remember there is a real Christmas – a time that we remember the greatest gift ever given, the Son of God. You may choose to celebrate the secular Christmas, but don’t do so at the expense of acknowledging the greatest gift of all. This Christmas, take some time to reflect on the birth of Christ, read the Christmas story as recorded in Luke and Matthew, sing or listen to some of the beautiful Christmas hymns, and remind others in a warm sort of way what Christmas is about

The Gift of God’s Grace & Salvation

2 Cor 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Eph 2:4-9 ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

⁵Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

⁶And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

⁷That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Rom 10:9-10 ⁹That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

¹⁰For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

– Grace is truly amazing. It is so much ingrained within the human heart to earn God’s favor, to earn heaven. But we never can. We want others to earn our favor, and God’s favor.

-show grace to someone this season. Do something nice for someone who in no way deserves it, give something to someone who didn’t earn it. That is grace, we can learn more about grace the more we show grace.

The Gift of Life

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 John 5:11-12 ¹¹And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

¹²He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

– The devil would steal your gift. God is offering, he can’t steal it, but he is doing everything to convince you that you don’t need it. But there is no other way to have life.

Good works won’t save you, science may extend your life a few years, but you are still going to die. You must be born again and have the abundant life of Christ.

The Gift of Christian Fellowship

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

We already saw in Galatians 4:4-6 and vs 7 says ⁴But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

⁵To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

⁶And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

⁷Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

joint heirs with Christ Romans 8:14-17 ¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

¹⁵For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

¹⁶The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

¹⁷And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

distinctions erased – Gal 3:26-28 ²⁶For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁷For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

– a part of the family of God – you will find no greater bond on this earth. You can meet another Christian for the first time and immediately you can have a tight bond of fellowship!

-Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Lifestyle of Thankfulness

2011-11-30T08:34:00.002-05:00

This is the concluding sermon in the Power of Gratitude series. I preached this sermon November 27, 2011.

Text: Colossians 3:12-17

Introduction: 2 Tim 3:1-5 tells us ingratitude is a characteristic of ungodliness ¹This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

²For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

³Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

⁴Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

⁵Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

-Did you notice one of the characteristics of the ungodly is unthankful? The lifestyle of unthankfulness.

-What is your lifestyle? Are you a grumbler, complainer, murmurer, gossiper, or are you thankful, joyful, encouraging? Lets look at the lifestyle of thankfulness.

-Paul says that we must put on these characteristics – like putting on clothing. What he describes here should be the wardrobe of the Christian. Thankfulness being key to the wardrobe, mentioned a couple of times. What will a lifestyle of thankfulness do for us?

Strengthens our Relationships

vs 12-13 ¹²Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

¹³Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Bowels of mercies – compassionate toward one another

Kindness – be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted forgiving one another

Humbleness of mind – God resists the proud, but gives Grace to the humble

Meekness – not weakness, means power under control – describes a soothing wind or a healing medicine – the wind could have the power to devastate or the medicine the power to poison, but it is power under control. Have you ever thought of yourself as one that soothes? Or one that acts like a healing medicine?

Longsuffering – lit. long temper

Forbearing one another – to hold back judgment

Forgiving one another from the root word used for grace, freely forgiving without making someone pay or earn forgiveness. Without holding a grudge which any one can do, but forgiving freely where a grudge is called for. (Peter 7 times)

– when in conflict with someone, when someone rubs you the wrong way

-Romans 12:17-21 ¹⁷Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

¹⁸If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

¹⁹Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

²⁰Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

²¹Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Relieves the burdens of our hearts

vs 14-15 ¹⁴And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

¹⁵And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Charity – agape – 1 Cor 13:1-3 ¹Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

²And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

³And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing

Peace of God – rule is an athletic term meaning to umpire – the Peace of God is to be the umpire of our hearts

-Phil 4:6-8 ⁶Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

⁷And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Called in one body – this same peace must rule in the church – the body of Christ – when this peace doesn’t exist in the fellowship it indicates that someone is not right fellowship with God and it usually the one stirring up dissension.

– Be careful that you don’t mistake the peace of God with being at peace about decisions you have made – Jonah was in such peace and slept in the boat while a storm raged – but it was not the peace of God because Jonah was surely in rebellion against God.

-Some say they have made a decision which is clearly out of line with what the scripture teaches and say they have peace about it, that is surely not the peace of God and they may land in the belly of a whale. I have heard time and again people who clearly are in sin, but have convinced themselves they have done nothing wrong and are actually at peace! That is not the peace of God!

Guides our actions

vs 16-17 ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

¹⁷And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Word of Christ dwell in you – it should feel at home!

Teaching…

Do in word or deed

-Col 3:23-25 ²³And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

²⁴Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

²⁵But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

1. Can I do it in Jesus name? 2. Can I do It with thanksgiving? Ie thank God for it? 3. Does it edify or does it tear down?

Attitude of Thankfulness

2011-11-23T08:51:00.002-05:00

This is the 3rd sermon in the Power of Gratitude series. I preached this sermon November 20, 2011.

Text: Luke 7:36-50

Introduction: In today’s text we see two very different people with two very different attitudes. One had an attitude of pride, and one an attitude of thankfulness, one who was grateful and one who was….

The woman came to Jesus with the right attitude of thankfulness with the intention of honoring him. How do we honor Christ? How can we show him our gratitude?

One that honors himself

Simon

He came to show off He was trying to show how great he was– He loved the praises of men more than the praises of God. This was a big deal, people would come just to watch the dinner and maybe get table scraps. he wanted to put on a spectacle, but the woman who came merely out of gratitude (no intention of putting on a spectacle) caused a spectacle that would be remembered more than his fancy banquet. He was repulsed and horrified

He gave enough to get by – simon showed little respect and courtesy while such acts weren’t necessary, they were customary and good courtesy.

-some of us are as guilty of just doing enough to get by – we go to church enough to erase any guilty feelings we may have, we go through the motions, but we do not give our heart, pride is usually the issue!

He remained in his sinful pride – it was easier for Simon to point the finger at the woman and say she is a sinner rather than admit his own guilt and sin and repent.

-Proverbs 16:5 says the proud in heart are an abomination to the Lord

-James 4 says God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble!

– the Pharisee and the Publican Luke 18:10-14 ¹⁰Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

¹¹The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

¹²I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

¹³And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

¹⁴I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

– Jesus told the parable about the two debtors – one forgiven two days wages, and the other two years wages. (love more conveys the meaning of being more grateful)

We must remember the filthiness of our sin that was forgiven, the amazing grace of God, the cost of our salvation. Christ paid our debt in full

-If we try to give ourselves credit we will end up self righteous just like Simon, if we think we can earn it, be good enough, then the sin of pride is in our heart, and pride comes before destruction!

One that honors God

-the woman

She came just as she was, she couldn’t show how great she was like Simon tried to do, she showed how great God is (like John the Baptist who said He must increase but I must decrease)– she had a bad reputation. And Jesus never disputed her sinfulness. But he accepted her just as she came! If you look at the harmony of the gospels – Jesus had just given the invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 ²⁸Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

-I am amazed that God tood me as I was, a sinner, but I am even more amazed that God still accepts me, that he keeps me, the sinner I still am (Paul said he is the chief of sinners); and I am further amazed that He will still love me the sinner I will be. Don’t get me wrong, sin is horrible, I hate it, but Like Paul the things I hate I do, and the things which I want to do, I don’t do. Some you may accept my past, but if I sin today you may be as repulsed as Simon (and I may be over your sin too), but God is not that way, he still loves me and lets me come to him just as I am. So that I if I confess my sins he is faithful and just to forgive me my sins.

She gave all she could – what can we give? Our whole hearts! Rom 12:1 – I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service!

She left with everything – peace (shalom)

– Your attitude must be daily one of thanksgiving, realizing everything you have, everything you are, you owe to God. Without him you would be lost, hopeless, helpless and condemned!

Expression of Thankfulness

2011-11-14T10:04:00.001-05:00

This is the 2nd sermon in the Power of Gratitude series. I preached this sermon November 13, 2011.

Text: Psalm 103

Introduction: The problem is that we are guilty of taking things for granted, complaining rather than giving thanks. How can we avoid the danger of taking things for granted which leads to complaints rather than thankfulness?

Remember

Remember to Count your blessings vs 1-5 – there are 6 blessings here: forgiveness, healing, redemption, love, satisfacation, renewal

Vs 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. -bless means to delight the heart of God by expressing my love and gratitude for all he does. And I do it with all that is in me – Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. – all that I am

Vs 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: - don’t forget – remember

-Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

-Psalm 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

Vs 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

-the work on the cross is done – complete – Jesus proclaimed it is finished. By his sacrifice we have complete forgiveness of sin. Your sin may be great, but God’s forgiveness is greater!

-Is 53:4-5 ⁴Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

⁵But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Vs 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

-redeem means to purchase from slavery

-crown victors crown, royal crown

Vs 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 81:10b – says open your mouth and I will fill it

Is 40:31 - But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Illustration of me walking at the gorge and a little boy came running, just because it was a joy to run, not for exercise. I can’t do it because it hurts my knees, getting too old)

Christ will lift your burdens so you may soar!

Remember the character of God vs 6-13

-God’s attributes – merciful, (last week we saw his mercy endures forever). Gracious, slow to anger, plenteous in mercy,

We see his greatness – the greatness of his mercy vs 11

-the greatness of his forgiveness vs 12

-the greatness of his compassion vs 13

– The danger of forgetting – Jer 2:32 - Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

-to forget brings trouble and decay. Judges 3:7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

Rev 2:4-5 – Church at Ephesus ⁴Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

⁵Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works;

-Have you forgotten God, have you taken your salvation for granted, have you taken your relationship with God for granted, have you forgot his benefits?

-It is easy to know if you forgotten by looking at your response…

Response

The response of a truly grateful heart…

Obey vs 14-18

-we are fragile, when the wind blows we are gone and forgotten.

-obedience not of compulsion or fear, but out of joy and love – Jesus said if a man love me he will keep my words. Obeying the Lord is not a burden or drudgery but a blessing If you want God’s best you must be obedient to Him.

1. obedience in moral commands – be holy because he is holy – 1 Peter 1:16; not only avoiding sin, but doing good

2. obedience in your worship of God – do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together Hebrews 10:25

3. obedience in your giving – bringing the tithe Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

4. obedience in the mission Matt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

5. obedience in the ordinances – baptism and the Lord’s supper

6. obedience in spiritual growth – 2 Peter 3:18 – grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord

7. obedience in prayer – 1 Thess 5:18 – pray without ceasing

8. obedience in loving others – The second great commandment is that we love one another

9. obedience in service (stewardship)– 1 Peter 4:10 ¹⁰As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Praise vs 19-22

– Are you responding to God by faith in your obedience or by the fruit of your mouth?

Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Key to Thankfulness

2011-11-08T15:38:00.003-05:00

This is the first sermon in The Power of Gratitude sermon series. I preached this sermon November 6, 2011.

Text: Psalm 118

Introduction:There is power in being grateful. Psalm 118 is a psalm of thanksgiving. The author is unknown, but it is obviously a time of trials, adversity in Israel. A time of crisis would for most people be the least likely time for expressions of thankfulness. But this psalm is just that, an expression of gratitude to God. Why give thanks in a time of crisis? How can we be thankful in adversity? Because there is power in gratitude. That power can actually help us not only survive the crisis, but emerge the victor. We can’t always change the circumstances, but gratitude can change our reaction to adversity and how we handle it.

We may ask, “What can I be thankful for?” This Psalm shows us that even in the worst crisis there is something to be thankful for, this is the key to thankfulness.

Life is Hard but God is Good

vs 1-5 ¹O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.

²Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

³Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

⁴Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

⁵I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.

At the very least we can say that God is good, and that never changes. God has always been good, is good and always be good and everything he does is good. When he created the world he proclaimed it good, his plan of salvation is good. His word is good. All things work together for good – Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.The goodness of God is expressed in his mercy – the word mercy in Hebrew is chesed – lovingkindness, steadfast love, mercy, grace

-Romans 8:38-39 ³⁸For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

³⁹Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

-Ephesians 3:17-19 ¹⁷That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

¹⁸May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

¹⁹And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

God answers in distress – a tight place, can’t escape, impossible circumstances.

– Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him., Psalm 119:68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

People will let you down, but God never will

The LorD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

⁷The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.

⁸It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

⁹It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

Don’t fear man – trembling fear, not awe or respect

Trust God – Prov 3:5-6 ⁵Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

People will bring you down, make you fall – vs 13 ¹³Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.

-sometimes even those who are close to you Psalm 41: Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

¹⁰But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

You may be weak but God is strong ¹⁴The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

¹⁵The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

¹⁶The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

The whole world may ignore you but God hears you vs 21-23 ²¹I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

²²The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

²³This is the LORD's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

The Day is uncertain, but be assured God made it

vs 24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 37:23-24 ²³The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

²⁴Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

Psalm 23:1-4 ¹The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

– we make our plans, we make our schedules, but I don’t know about you the day rarely goes according to plan. Interruptions come, the unexpected happens. But these interruptions, these unexpected may be divine appointments,

The chapter ends as it began – vs 29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

King of the Nations

2011-10-31T09:24:00.002-04:00

This is the final sermon in the Authority of Christ series. I preached this sermon October 30, 2011.

Text - Revelation 20:1-6

Introduction - I could not imagine running into a fierce wild animal like this. But then you read Isaiah 11:6-8 ⁶The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.⁷And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.⁸And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den Such a description is hard for us to imagine in a world filled with sin and violence. But the heart of most people long for just such a golden age. Some of looked for a utopia where the world exists in peace and harmony. Some have tried and continue to try to create such a world, but we are failing miserably. A century ago it was called the age of optimism, that science, technology, knowledge would create the world we have longed for, but then ww1 showed us what the heart of sinful man could do with the new science and technology. Back in the 60’s the cultural revolution promised an age of aquarius where we would give peace a chance, but we see the world in an even bigger mess ruled by greed and war. Many government leaders think we can legislate the perfect world, the Soviet Union tried that and we saw it collapse 20 years ago. Why can’t we make the world the place we want it to be? Because the prince of this world is the influence on the hearts of men and of leaders We will never experience the world we long for until the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords is sitting on his throne in Jerusalem. But be assured of this, that day will come! A utopia, a golden age is not just a pipe dream, it is a future reality, but we will never be able to make that a reality by human means. It will be the establishment of God’s Kingdom on this earth. Revelation 20 gives us a brief description of that coming day. In the timeline of future events the rapture of the church will come, at any time, then will come the 7 years of tribulation under the rule of the beast, then will be the 2^nd coming of Christ that ushers in the 1,000 year reign of Christ on the earth.

Lets visualize the day when Christ the King rules the nations from his throne in Jerusalem.

Change in Power

Satan is now the prince of the power of the air Eph 2:2, Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

The King will come back and take away his power Rev 19:11-21 ¹¹And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.¹²His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.¹³And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.¹⁴And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.¹⁵And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.¹⁶And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.¹⁷And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;¹⁸That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.¹⁹And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.²⁰And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.²¹And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

-Satan cast into the bottomless pit – a prison, temporary in nature, not eternal hell.

The nations will be judged Matthew 25:31-32³¹When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:³²And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

– Knowing that the change in power is coming, how do we prepare for that coming day? We must make sure that we are prepared for the return of Christ by salvationMatthew 24 Jesus disciples asked when this will be, how will the end take place. Jesus gave a sermon describing those times and ended with what we call the parable of the fig tree. He said this Matthew 24:32-33 ³²Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:³³So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

Millennial Reign

-who will reign with Christ for 1,000 years? The tribulation saints, Rev 2:26-27 ²⁶And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: ²⁷And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.-the church – Jude 14 ¹⁴And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, -10 characteristics of the millennial reign of Christ. Mark Hitchcock

1. Peace – Isaiah 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

2. Joy – Isaiah 12:3-6 ³Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

⁴And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

⁵Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

⁶Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee

-Joy to the world illustration. Isaac Watts wrote this not as a Christmas Carol, but as a hymn for the second coming

3. Holiness – Isaiah 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

4. Glory – Isaiah 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

5. Justice and Righteousness – Is 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

6. Full Knowledge – Is 11:1-2;9 ¹And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

²And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; ⁹They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea

7. Absence of Sickness – Isaiah 33:24 And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.

8. Universal Worship of God – Zech 14:16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

9. Economic Prosperity – Isaiah 65:21-23 ²¹And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

²²They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

²³They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.

10. The Presence of Christ – Ez 48:35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.

Christ has won the decisive victory on the cross, but the final victory will come at that time of the millennial reign.

Christ is the final victor! 1 Cor 15:24-26 ²⁴Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

²⁵For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

²⁶The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

The Head of the Church

2011-10-24T11:10:00.002-04:00

This is the 3rd sermon in the Authority of Christ series. I preached this sermon October 23, 2011.

Text: Ephesians 4:11-16

Introduction: As some of you know, I played the trombone when I was in the high school band as a kid. Sometimes we made beautiful music as a small high school band, but other times we were really terrible. I can remember sometimes the band director getting so mad at us that he would throw his baton across the room, and even once he stormed out of the room into his office. What would make him so mad, so frustrated? It wasn’t because we didn’t know how to play our instruments, it wasn’t because we couldn’t read the music. Most of the time the source of his frustration was the fact we would not follow his lead. He was the conductor, the head of the band so to speak. But there were times where the musicians would try to assert themselves in front of the conductor.

Sometimes the drums wanted to lead the conductor and you could see his frustration on his face when they would not follow his lead, because when they got ahead of the conductor, or behind the conductor the rest of the band would follow. I can recall sometimes I would follow what I hear coming from the instruments around me rather than the conductor and I would see him frowning at me because I was resisting his lead.

We must be careful as a church of getting ahead of Christ, or lagging behind his lead. The bible likens the church to a body. We are a living breathing organism, not an organization. The bible tells us that we are members of the body and that Christ is the head of the body. But we are often guilty of resisting the headship of Christ. It would be silly for your body to resist your head, your brain. In fact, if your body did things not directed by your brain you would go to a doctor and be labeled with some illness. You would be sick. When members of the body resist the headship of Christ it sickens the body.

We must acknowledge that Christ is the head of the church, but not only that, we must follow His lead as a body. We don’t operate merely as a democracy where everybody gets a vote, but we diligently seek the leadership of Christ as a body in fellowship. We don’t get ahead of him, we don’t get behind, we walk with him as he directs, and we do that, it produces a beautiful symphony!

How can we tell if we are yielding to the headship of Christ?

When Christ is the head there is gifting

Explanation of Gifts

-gift is different from natural born talents – you are born with talents, but you are given a spiritual gift (I was born with a talent for art, but God has gifted me to preach his word.)

-every Christian has a spiritual gift – but that gift must be discovered, developed and perfected. You may have more than one spiritual gift but you don’t have them all (you can’t do everything in the church that needs to be done – including me, your pastor), and everybody doesn’t have the same spiritual gift, everybody doesn’t use it perfectly, and there may be some people with the same gift that may use it in different ways than you do. And there are people farther along in their maturity that have better of mastery of their spiritual gift

Types of Gifts – spiritual gifts are listed in Romans 12:4-8 ⁴For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

⁵So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

⁶Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

⁷Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

⁸Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

, 1 Cor 12:4-11,27-31 ⁴Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

⁵And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

⁶And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

⁷But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

⁸For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

⁹To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

¹⁰To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

¹¹But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. ²⁷Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

²⁸And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

²⁹Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

³⁰Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

³¹But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

and here in Ephesians 4:11.

Apostles and prophets – no longer in existence Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Evangelists – build upon the foundation by winning the lost to Christ

Pastors and teachers – 1 office but 2 ministries – nourish the believers in the Word of God to equip them to do the work of the ministry.

How do you discover and use your gift?

You discover your spiritual gift in the context of fellowshipping with the church and serving in the church – that means more than merely showing up once in awhile for a service, but it means being an active member of the church. If you are not serving in your church it is not your church, but merely a place you go on Sunday.

When Christ is the head there is maturity

Christlikeness – Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Stability – Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Truth Joined with Love – truth w/o love is brutality, love without truth is hypocrisy

– 1 Cor 3:13 ¹And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

²I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

³For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

-time to grow up – Hebrews 5:12-14 ¹²For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

¹³For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

¹⁴But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

-the word matures us 2 Tim 3:16-17 ¹⁶All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

When Christ is the head there is harmony

-a picture of harmony

Vs 4:1-6 ¹I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

²With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

³Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

⁴There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

⁵One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

⁶One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Harmony is built upon the gifted using their gifts to serve one another and grow in spiritual maturity.

-we need each other, we belong to each other, no contribution is insignificant.

-notice when the body is in harmony it increases itself and edifies the body.

– why is there lack of harmony in churches?

Causes: not using your gifts, misusing your gifts for your selfish purposes, neglect of Bible study or Bible teaching (Mary & Martha), neglect of prayer and fellowship.

We must repent and get in sync

when the conductor is the head and everybody plays there part under his direction the symphony is stunningly beautiful!

Center of Your Family

2011-10-19T17:58:00.003-04:00

The is the 2nd sermon in the Authority of Christ series. I preached this sermon October 9, 2011.

Text: Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Introduction: What makes a happy marriage? What makes a happy family?

I posed these questions on-line the other day and received some great replies. Want to know the secret to a happy marriage/family? Here are what others had to say:

1. Gratitude

2. Working together as a team

3. Love as a conscious decision, telling them and showing them

4. Dedication

5. Trust

6. Marrying your best friend

7. Communication

8. Commitment

9. Forgiveness

10. Laughter

11. Giving more than you take

12. Mutual respect

13. Putting Christ first, as the center of your marriage and family

What is interesting is that nobody said more money made for a happy marriage, yet we invest so much of ourselves for that goal, nobody said big houses, fine cars, big vacations and all the things associated with the good life are mentioned at making a happy family. It would appear that many families are trying to build happiness on a foundation that will not stand sure, investing in those things that will never make for a happy marriage.

I believe the principle ingredient for a happy marriage, for a happy family is keeping Christ at the center of the family. Making Christ not only Lord of our hearts but also Lord of our family. But for many families Christ takes a backseat. Oh, Jesus may be included in some things, but He is not the heart of the family. And without Him at the center happiness will not come and the family may be in danger of disintegrating.

How Do we keep Christ as the center of the family? It takes commitment.

Commitment

To keep Christ central in the family it takes commitment. Commitment is a scary word in our day and age. Your boss wants you to be committed to your job, your political party wants you to be committed to their ideals, your government wants you to be committed to the nation, your pastor wants you to be committed to your church, and you have so much demands on your commitment that you feel ready to be “committed.”

The reality is that we are all committed to at least one thing, most of us committed to several things. Some of you are overly committed and therefore really not committed to anything. Where do your commitments lie?

-We are asked to love God with all our hearts (wills and intellects), soul (spirit and personality) and might (zeal, passion). The very basis for commitment is love itself. When you love something or someone you commit yourself to that thing or that person. That means then that love and commitment are choices we make.

Commitment to Christ – God is one God, He is triune, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and yet one. (I can’t explain that), but that means our commitment is solely to him. We don’t have to spread ourselves thin, but commit ourselves whole heartedly to God. Our material, our mind, our actions, our time

-His word shall be in our heart – we will obey him, which means we must have…

Commitment to Spouse – the problem of a gushy feeling rather than true commitment (choice), so when the feeling is gone then so is our commitment!

-wedding vows (Wanda and I decided we have had the worse, the poorer and the sickness and are waiting on the better, richer and health…but I am committed to my wife, I made a choice to love her and that choice feeds my love for her, not my feelings! I must then control my feelings rather than letting them have control over me!

-Eph 5:22-29 ²²Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

²³For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

²⁴Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

²⁶That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

²⁷That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

²⁸So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

²⁹For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

Commitment to children vs 7a – this commitment borne out of love.

– I am asking you today to make a commitment to love as described in 1 Cor 13:4-7 ⁴Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

⁵Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

⁶Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

⁷Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

-Charity sufferth long – who have you been impatient with? Be patient this week

-Kind – who have you been unkind to? Be kind this week

-Envieth not – who are you envious of? Celebrate that person rather than envy

-Vaunteth not itself – How have you bragged on yourself? Brag on someone else!

-Not puffed up – how have you been prideful – put away your pride

-Doth not behave itself unseemly – how have you been unseemly toward someone? Dishonoring them? Honor someone this week!

-Seeketh not her own – have you put your selfish needs above someone else? Meet the needs of someone else before your own

-Is not easily provoked – have you blown up at someone out of provocation? – calm down (a soft answer turneth away wrath Prov 15:1)

-Thinketh no evil – what evil have you thought against someone? NIV says does not keep a record of wrongs! Have you been keeping score with someone? Jesus said to forgive 70 times 7. Think peace toward someone (if at all possible live peaceably with all men – Romans 12:18), forgive someone right now!

Rejoiceth not iniquity – have rejoiced over someone else’s failure or sin?

-restore the sinner Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Beareth all things – Have you added burdens to someone?, bear somoenes burdens Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Believeth all things – treated someone with suspicion, bless someone this week

Hopeth all things – have you given up hope on someone? hope the best for someone

Endureth all things – quit on those you love? Don’t give up!

Worship

To keep Christ central in the family it takes worship

instruction and learning as a part of worship

-responsibility to teach the Bible to children is the parent, not the church (I am not saying the church should not teach the Bible to children, on the contrary, but there is only so much a church can do – eg of Ronald Eller he is serving time right now!)

-diligently – intentional effort

- hands – symbolizing the Bible affects what we do

-frontlets – symbolizing the Bible affects what we say

-doorpost – a commitment of our very homes to the Lord and all of our resources.

walking with the Lord – not only should we formally teach it, but we should live it in such a way that children will catch on. So much of spiritual teaching is caught rather than taught.

Adoration (do not forsake worshiping in the church with your family! – Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

What occupies the most of our time, our thoughts, our energies, and passions? Could it be those things are idols we worship? Families are guilty of worshiping idols! Our “house gods.”

-The idols you worship, you study them, your obsess over them, you forsake other things for them, even forsaking your God and your church for your idols.

The Lord of Your Heart

2011-10-10T09:28:00.002-04:00

This is the first sermon in the Authority of Christ Series. I preached this sermon October 2, 2011.

Text: Colossians 2:6-7

Introduction: When I was about 9 or 10 years old I was standing on the front porch of our home feeding the dog when dad pulled our car in the driveway. It was a 1968 Cadillac and we were preparing to go out to dinner. Dad got out of the car but left the engine running and for some reason parked the car in neutral. He even left the driver side door open because he was only going around back to the lawnmower shed for a moment. My grandmother, who lived next door, was sitting on her front porch enjoying the evening air. Everything seemed fine, but that is always when the unexpected hits.

The car started driving off, with the door still hanging open, and nobody was at the wheel. I stood in shock as I watched the car drive toward my grandmother’s porch, and it seemed to be picking up speed. She was in shock too, because my grandmother, who could barely walk, jumped out of her chair and ran around the corner out of the path of the vehicle. The car caught the edge of her porch, which caused the door to slam shut and the car to veer left. It ran over her forsythia bush, taking it out, and then went down the hill. It crossed the road, running over my uncle’s mailbox and crushing it flat as a pancake, drove across a field and over, nose- first, in the creek. The back end of the car sticking up in the air and the wheels were still spinning. It all happened so fast! I wondered how a car could drive like that without a driver and do so much damage. I wondered if the car was suicidal, because it never made another trip. Of course the lesson of that event wasn’t lost on me, I learned you should never let a car drive itself because it is sure to crash! A car needs a driver, left to itself it will end in a wreck.

When it comes to life, my life needs someone behind the wheel. Left to myself my life is like a car without a driver, my life will end up a wreck. So who or what will I let drive my life? Who are you letting behind the wheel in your life? In recent years we have heard of the purpose driven life, but a purpose has no life in itself, it can only take you so far. A person must drive your life, but who? Some let other people behind the wheel, they let someone else live their lives for them. but if you let another human being live your life for you, then you will end up with a life of regret and resentment because that other person will likely drive you places you don’t want to go. So it is popular in today’s culture to say we must live our own lives, be my own man, live my life the way I want to live it. But that is like a car without a driver, I will wreck my life. So what is the solution?

You have seen the bumper sticker “God is my co-pilot,” That is wrong, God should by your pilot. In other words, let God behind the wheel and drive your life. When you make Jesus Lord of your life you are turning over the keys, moving out from behind the steering wheel and getting into the passenger’s seat. You are letting Christ take control and drive your life. A Christ driven life is better than a purpose driven life because a purpose is cold and impersonal, but Jesus is personal, a real person behind the wheel. Letting Christ live your life is better than letting a sin stained human being live your life for you, because even with the best intentions, no friend or family member can see the way clearly. Letting Christ drive, is better than leaving it to yourself to make your way through, you will only end up on a dead end road.

When Christ is Lord, and you are letting him lead your life as Lord, he will get you where you need to go, he will get you their right on time, and the trip will be the most amazing, joy filled, wonderful journey you will ever take! If that is what you want, an abundant life, for now and eternity, then Jesus must be Lord of your life.

That means Jesus has all authority over you. Authority over your thoughts, your actions, your goals, your dreams, your material goods and finances, your relationships, your decisions, your time, your emotions, your mind, authority over your body, authority over your career, I could go on and on. When you make Jesus Lord you are giving him authority over every aspect of your life. That means when he speaks “Yes Lord,” is the only answer you can give. If you say “No Lord,” If you say, “Later Lord,” If you hold back anything from God then you are denying his Lordship over you, you are trying to wrestle the steering wheel away from him.

Is Jesus really the Lord over your life? What are you holding back from him?

Colossians 2:6 begins “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord.” Christian you have received him as Lord, so Paul says, this is what it means to have Jesus as Lord. And he then spells it out for us. Lets look at what he says.

Walk in Him

– vs 6b As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

If Jesus is your Lord, you must walk in Him

-Col 3:5-10 – how I used to walk! ⁵Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

⁶For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

⁷In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

⁸But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

⁹Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

¹⁰And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

-Galatians 5:16 – Now I walk in the Spirit This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

-you must obey him

-walking step by step in submission to Christ – Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God

1 John 2:3-6 ³And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

⁴He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

⁵But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

⁶He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Rooted in Him

– vs 7a Rooted,

-rooted in him – past tense and means once and for all – Eph 3:17

-Lord means he is your protector, your provider, you master. You belong to Him.

-you must give him first place; Matthew 6:33 – Seek ye first…priority – the first part of your week, the first part of your day, the first part of income, the first priority in your decisions

-but we are guilty of giving the leftovers – and that is what Cain did and sin was crouching at his door

– Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Built Up and Strengthened in Him

– vs 7b built up in him, and stablished in the faith,

-you must have faith in him

-present tense being built up – a work in progress – Phil 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:; Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

-stablished means strengthened – you are growing stronger in your faith. – Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;; 1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

– Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Abounding with Thanksgiving

– vs 7c as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

-you must love him Matt 22:37 ³⁷Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

-overflow with thankfulness – 1 Thess 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

-you are complete in Him – vs 10 And ye are complete in him,

– unthankfulness indicates a departure from God

-the discontented, grumbling, complaining believer is not in submission to the Lordship of Christ. – taking the steering wheel back.

-When I complain I am asserting myself as Lord

-give thanks in all things: circumstances (good or bad), people (when was the last time you thanked God for your friends, your family, your church?), blessings of salvation, joy, peace, etc, give thanks to God for He is good!

On the Battlefield

2011-10-03T08:47:00.002-04:00

This is the final sermon in the Fight the Good Fight series. I preached this sermon September 25, 2011.

Text: 1 Timothy 6:11-12

Introduction: Christians, caught in the middle of the spiritual battle, often are in a dilemma, they don’t know what to do. We acknowledge that we must be strong in the Lord, we recognized the devil is our enemy, we have put on the whole armor of God and wield the sword of the Spirit, and we are on our knees in a posture of prayer. But what tactics must we use on the battlefield? Unfortunately, when in the midst of battle, no matter that we are prepared and equipped, we may still make poor decisions, use poor tactics for battle.

The apostle Paul gives us three tactics to fight this spiritual battle we face.

Flee

vs 11 flee these things? What things?

false teaching vs 3 not only teachers, but those who refuse to adhere to the Word of God and godly teaching. (example of someone I heard say “I know the Bible says, but I believe…”)

-If you reject the Bible in favor of your own preferences or beliefs there is a word for that and it is called heresy. You are in error and if you teach others your error you are a false teacher. False teaching will destroy you!

Vs 4 begins a list of things to flee He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

Pride vs 4 -prov 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. – you will fall

envy – dissatisfacation, wanting what someone else has – Prov 14:30b but envy the rottenness of the bones.

strife – selfish competition – James 3:14-16 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

¹⁵This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

¹⁶For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

railings – malicious talk – elevating oneself at the expense of others. – 1 Peter 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

evil surmisings – suspicion

Vs 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds – constant friction between men of corrupt minds

Vs 5 destitute of the truth

love of money – greedy – Vs 5, 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

-we must run away from these things with all haste!

– Joseph and Potipher’s wife

Gen 39:7-13 ⁷And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

⁸But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

⁹There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

¹⁰And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

¹¹And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.

¹²And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

¹³And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,

– there are times to flee in battle, times to retreat, otherwise you will surely fall! Some may say to flee is an act of cowardice, but in some cases it is an act of wisdom. Retreat does not mean surrender, retreat is not giving up. Retreat gives you a chance to regroup and to live to fight another day, you haven’t yet fallen.

vs 11b – there are some things to follow. What things?

righteousness – personal integrity – character – Romans 6:13-19 ¹³Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

¹⁴For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

¹⁵What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

¹⁶Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

¹⁷But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

¹⁸Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

¹⁹I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

godliness – practical living – conduct – Titus 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

faith – 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

love – agape – love is the greatest virtue 1 Cor 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

patience – often takes more courage to be patient than it takes to act – Is 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

meekness – power under control – not weakness Tit 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men., James 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

– what things are you following? The world will teach you to follow convenience rather than righteousness, worldliness rather than godliness, doubt rather than faith? Hatred rather than love, immediate gratification rather than patience, selfishness rather than meekness.

2 Peter 1⁵And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

⁶And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

⁷And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

⁸For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁹But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

¹⁰Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Fight

there are times to flee, times to follow, but then there are times you must stand and fight the good fight!

-the word for fight here is where we get the word “agonize.” It applies to athletes and soldiers. It describes a person straining to give his best to win the prize or win the battle.

lay hold on eternal life – not a future hope but a present reality. We take hold of eternal life when we live in the power of God’s Kingdom and according to His values.

your profession of faith is at stake – you can’t compromise, you can’t back down. Faith cannot be hidden, but is made public.

– What things do you fight?

-remember, we don’t fight one another, or people

-we fight temptation

-we fight the devil

-we fight for the truth

-we fight for morality

-we fight for love

Paul wrote “I fought the good fight.” 2 Tim 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

⁸Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Don’t you want to be able to say that when you come to the end

The Strategy

2011-09-26T08:19:00.001-04:00

This is the 4th sermon in the "Fight the Good Fight" series. I preached this sermon September 18, 2011.

Text: Ephesians 6:18-20

Introduction: Prayer is vital to victory in the spiritual battles we face and prayer is what is too often overlooked. Sure, you acknowledge spiritual warfare is taking place, you suit up for battle with the whole armor of God, you take the sword of the spirit in hand. But then you find yourself defeated and you wonder why. Could it be a neglect of prayer? God has given us a strategy, a method by which we must wage this spiritual warfare, and that method is to fight the good fight through prayer. We don’t have a step-by-step program that will ensure victory, we can’t win by self improvement. But we will only experience victory on the spiritual battlefield by a prayerful relationship with God. Payer is more than a piece of the whole armor of God, prayer is more like breathing. Something we must do everyday.

The Power for the Battle

Prayer gives you the strength to fight, we may be well equipped, but without prayer we are still going to fall

-types of prayer 1)private prayer Matt 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 2)corporate prayer Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. 3) breath prayers – 1 Thess 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

1. praying always –lit “on every occasion” – staying in close communion with God

supplication – petition – Phil 4:6 – 7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

⁷And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

– the way to calm fear and anxiety and stress!

in the Spirit – Romans 8:26-27²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

²⁷And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of Go, Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

-Here is a way to begin your prayer “Lord, direct my prayers today…” (show me how I should pray) – Since I often don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit does know and prays for me and leads me in prayer. The Holy Spirit is our prayer leader!

Are you struggling in battle? How are your prayers? Are you praying at all? If you are how are you praying? Are you listening to God in your prayer? Are you praying in the Spirit?

The Posture for the Battle

Prayer puts you in the right posture for Battle

watching thereunto Mark 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.,

Col 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

-be attentive – alert – the disciples going to sleep 14:37- 38, ³⁷And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

³⁸Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

And when temptation came Peter failed by denying Christ

1 Thess 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

be sober, be vigilant… 1 Peter 4:7But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 1 Peter 5:8-9⁸Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

⁹Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world, 1 Cor 16:13Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

The Perseverance in the Battle

Prayer keeps you going, even against all odds

perseverance Rom 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Luke 18:1And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

-doesn’t mean we try and twist God’s arm, but we don’t rest until we get God’s answer – we quit too soon.

Is 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

for all saints – The best thing you can do for someone is pray for them, the best expression for Christian love is to earnestly pray for your brethren

James 5:14-16Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

¹⁵And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

¹⁶Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

– intercessory prayer – Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before

The Armor

2011-09-19T08:15:00.002-04:00

This is the 3rd sermon in the Fight the Good Fight series. I preached this sermon September 11, 2011.

Text: Ephesians 6:13-17

Introduction: Today we remember the terrible tragedy of Sept 11, 2001. Ten years ago today one of the most heinous attacks against America occurred right here on American soil. Hundreds of civilians were murdered, families left without fathers, mothers and children. The hijacking of these jets and crashing them into the world trade center towers and the pentagon embodies the evil that exists in this world. We all remember where we were when we heard of the news, we all remember sitting transfixed in front of the tv watching clips of the planes crashing and the towers falling. I remember the fear I felt, the pain I felt for those victims waiting out their last few minutes on this earth, hoping they would make sure of their salvation before going out into eternity. I remember the heartbreak I felt for the families of the victims. I remember the anger I felt toward those who would do such a cowardly act. I remember the admiration and respect I felt for those heroes who put their own lives on the line to try and save others. And I remember just a few months ago the relief I felt and appreciation of justice when Bin Laden was finally captured. It was one of the worst events if not the worst event in this nation’s history. Our nation was shook to the core and even 10 years later we are still reeling from the shock. But we also learned much from that day. We realized we were unprepared for such an attack on our nation. Had it been a military strike, an army, a missile, we may have been prepared. But we were caught off guard when someone used what seemed to be a benign mode of transportation and transformed it into a weapon. We were ill equipped to prevent such an attack from happening. I hope that 10 years later we are not unprepared for another attack, measures have been taken to prevent that from happening again. And if it does happen again, it will not be with such ease as it was 10 years ago.

We are at great risk when we are caught unprepared and ill equipped for an attack by the enemy. This applies to the spiritual warfare we are engaged in. We too must be prepared and equipped for the spiritual battle we face. Ephesians 6 is one passage of scripture that equips for the spiritual battles we face. We must be prepared to stand. If you are unequipped and unprepared you will succumb to the enemy. Today, my prayer for you is that God will give you the equipment to be prepared that you may stand.

Stand Ready

remember, stand because the enemy is cunning, ready to strike when you let your guard down vs 11 -now I will not preach last weeks message again, but remember the enemy will use temptation, lies, doubt, guilt, fear, confusion, sickness, envy, pride, slander to hinder the Christian’s witness and usefulness. He wants to put you in bondage to sin and keep you there. Those are his tactics!

withstand in the evil day vs 13 – oppose

-evil day – day of battle, when the enemy attacks! The day you face temptation, the day you face fear, the day you struggle with doubt, the day you are slandered, the day of sickness, the day your loaded with guilt.

-And he attacks without warning. You don’t get a note in the mail that says “get ready for the devil to attack.” You can’t schedule it on your day planner. Some days he will take a pot shot at you and other days he will come at you full force. So you must be ready to stand in the evil day!

-Eph 5:14-17 ¹⁴Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

¹⁵See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

¹⁶Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

¹⁷Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

stand prepared that you may be able stand face to face with the enemy. Don’t back down, don’t retreat, don’t flee!

-having done all, meaning that at the end of the battle you are still standing! You have routed the enemy!

-Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

-Psalm 91:5-7 ⁵Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

⁶Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

⁷A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

2 Tim 2³Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

⁴No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Stand Equipped

Belt of truth – leather belt worn by soldiers held weapons and kept the other pieces of armor together. While it may not seem like the most effective piece of armor, it in fact hold it all together!

-the truth – God’s truth – the Bible, we must know it and we must follow that truth. Remember, Satan is a liar and the truth defeats lies. If we let a lie become part of our life then the belt of truth is compromised and we are in danger of the armor coming apart.

Buy the truth! Proverbs 23:23 ²³Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

-don’t sell it! Don’t sell out! You can’t put a high enough price on the truth

Breastplate of righteousness – metal chest plate – protects the vital organs

-do not harbor or nurture sin

-Be like Christ

Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace

-shoes like cleats, had nails in them that kept the soldiers footing sure in battle – if the soldier loses is footing and falls he is vulnerable!

-faith in God’s promises! We can stand sure in God, but all else is sand.

Gospel of peace – that is the good new! Peace can be had, peace between God and man, a biblical peace (shalom) is found only in the gospel!

Shield of faith – deflects blows from the sword, arrows and spears. Reject temptation to doubt, to sin, or to quit. Shields were interlocking and allowed you to connect with other soldiers

-sometimes my faith is weak, I need someone with to come beside me and exercise faith!

Helmet of salvation – putting our hope on the eternal reward of heaven and live for that future, The helmet covers the head, the mind, we must have the mind of Christ! – Phil 2:5 – let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus

Sword of the spirit – offensive and defensive weapon. We must use scripture as Jesus did in Matthew 4. Each time the devil tempted him he replied “It is written…” and he would quoute scripture!

The Enemy

2011-09-12T08:25:00.002-04:00

This is the 2nd sermon in the Fight the Good Fight series. I preached this sermon September 4, 2011.

Text: Ephesians 6:11-12

Introduction:When we made eye contact I shuddered. She licked her lips and smiled. It may seem impossible, but I know she smiled. Only a few feet and two fences separated me from this huge, hungry, carnivorous , smiling tiger. While at the zoo looking at the big cats, I kept my eye on this tiger. She stalked along the perimeter of the fence carefully looked over the crowd of people as if she were at an all you can eat buffet. I felt sure she had me in mind for her next tasty treat. A crowd of people gathered as the tiger’s trainer was in the cage with her. He told us that she was, in fact, looking through the crowd to identify prey. But what he said next took me by surprise, the tiger was not looking for a plump juicy specimen, but was actually looking for the smallest and weakest in the crowd. In the wild, he told us, the tiger would find the smallest and weakest animal in the herd and separate that animal from the rest of the herd for the kill. Of course, it made perfect sense! The smallest and weakest is easy prey! Here was the one time in my life I was glad to be big and fat! I walked away relieved that if the cat escaped then I would not be cat chow.

In the Bible, Peter likens the devil unto a big cat. 1 Peter 5:8 warns “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” As the tiger at the zoo walked along the fence looking for prey, the devil also walks about searching for prey. A big cat looking for cat chow.

No person is immune from the wiles of the devil, but those who are new in the faith or who are weak in faith are especially easy targets. So Peter says to keep your eyes open! Be alert because the roaring lion is watching. He will single you out and try to separate you from other Christians. He will then attack and devour you like a hungry, carnivorous lion. We must realize this spiritual warfare is very real and that being the case we have a very real enemy!

The enemy’s identification

-angel of light 2 Cor 11:13-15 ¹³For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.¹⁴And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.¹⁵Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Names of the devil

-satan – means advesary

-devil – means slanderer or accuser – Rev 12:10-11 ¹⁰And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

¹¹And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

He is like a lion, he has appeared as a serpent – Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?, Rev 12:9 ⁹And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

He is referred to as the god of this age 2 Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

His origin – Lucifer – Is 14:12-15 ¹²How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

¹³For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

¹⁴I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

¹⁵Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit., 1/3 of the angels of heaven fell with him – Rev 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: these are demons.-2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;, Jude 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

We do not make the mistake that the devil is merely a symbol, he is a person. But he is not God’s equal opposite – he is not all knowing, all powerful, omnipresent.

-he can only work in the parameters that God allows – he is limited.

-He cannot posses the believer 1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.– but he can attack, oppress and influence!

-do not give him opportunity – Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

The enemy’s mission

-his mission is to destroy you by getting you to turn away from God

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. – He is a thief – steal, kill and destroy-steals – will steal your joy, peace, health, blessings

-look what he did to Job – body, home, wealth and friends

murderer – John 8:44a Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning

Dan 10:13-20 – attempt to control nations

-we wrestle – personal

Greater is he that is in you! 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

The enemy’s tactics

tempter Matt 4:3 – called the tempter And when the tempter came to him,

Lies – John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Deception – Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him

Blinds the lost to the gospel – 2 Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Keeps people in bondage – Gal 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

-one writer said he will use temptation, doubt, guilt, fear, confusion, sickness, envy, pride, slander to hinder the Christian’s witness and usefulness

– Resist the devil – use the word to help you resist!

-James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Be Strong

2011-09-08T08:16:00.001-04:00

This is the first sermon in the Fight the Good Fight series. I preached this sermon August 28, 2011.

Text: Ephesians 6:10

Introduction: Last week while visiting some friends, Ethan found, in their home, an original old, GI Joe toy m-16 toy machine gun. I had one just like it when I was a kid and hadn’t seen one in years. It looked just like an m-16, only smaller, and you pulled the trigger it made a rattling sound to mimic machine gun fire. They just don’t make toys like that anymore, too dangerous because of its realistic appearance and probably too politically incorrect for children to play with replica guns.

I watched Ethan play with the gun, dodging fire from imaginary enemies, planning battle strategies and taking out the bad guys. He was so absorbed in his fantasy that he paid little attention to anything else going on around him.

I fondly recalled doing much the same when I was a child. I had a gun like it and wore it out, broke off the barrel and the stock. I remember sometimes getting with the other boys and we would play war games. Complete with forts and buildings to defend, attack strategies and so on. It was all in fun that many boys have when they are small. But it was all fantasy. About the worst that could happen is someone could fall and get hurt but more often boys would get mad at one another and quit only to play again the next day.

Of course there are men and women in our world today are real soldiers fighting in real wars and real battles and they put themselves in harms way every day. There is the real war and there are the wargames.

Christians must realized that we too are engaged in a spiritual warfare. It is very real, not a fantasy. It is not a game to be played like children with plastic toy guns. Yet so many of us here are playing church games, many here are flirting with sin, many are ignoring the fact that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare and fail to see much of the trouble and turmoil we endure comes from the undercurrent of the spiritual battle. In other words, we busy ourselves seeking physical answers to a spiritual problem. Spiritual warfare must be fought by spiritual means.

So if we are take seriously the fact we are in the midst of a spiritual battle then what are we to do? Ephesians 6:10 and the following verses prepare us for battle. Some of you today are in the trenches of trials and adversity, it is a spiritual battle you face. Some of you are the front lines, trying to serve God and being troubled on every side, it is a spiritual battle you face. Some of you are being broadsided by the artillery of temptation and sin, it is a spiritual battle you face. You need to know what these verse say. So lets begin this series with the first admonition to be strong in the Lord.

Source of our Strength

Be strong in the Lord

The encouragement to be strong assumes that we are expected to face spiritual battles and that we may be tempted to lose heart

-Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

-2 Cor 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

-Psalm 31:24 24Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

-how is it that Paul would have strength so as not to faint?

-He had an amazing source of strength!

The Battle Belongs to the Lord – he will fight for you

-Exodus 14:14 14The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

-when you are trapped between an army and the red sea, there is little you can do in your own strength. But you have a greater source of strength – you have the Lord who will fight your battle for you!

-Psalm 18:2 2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

– Jehoshaphat – 2 Chronicles 20 – war with Moab and Ammon

20:3-4 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

4And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

-they prayed

-God’s answer vs 15-17 15And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

16To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

17Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

-so what did they do? Vs 21-22 21And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.

22And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

-and while you fight the battle you must realize you are not alone!

We never stand alone

-Heb 10:24-25, 24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

3:13 13But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

– Moses and the amalekites Exodus 17:11-12 11And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

-Moses didn’t stand alone!

-I need your help to hold up my arms, we need to help one another. We need to stand by one another in the midst of spiritual battle. We pray for one another, we encourage one another forgive one another, help one another. I can’t fight your battle, only the Lord can, but I can stand with you!

– Josh 1:9 9Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

The Nature of our Strength

and in the power of his might

We are weak within ourselves but the power of God’s might overcomes our own weakness

2 Cor 12:9-10 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

The power that works in us is the power that raised Christ from the dead

-kept by the power 1 Peter 1:5 5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

-power overcomes fear 2 Tim 1:7 7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

-strengthened by his power – Col 1:11 11Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

-amazed by his power – Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

We are assured of victory! – 1 Cor 15:57 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

-Warren Wiersbe said we are not fighting for victory, but from victory. We are assured of victory because Christ won the victory by his death and resurrection

– 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

The Disciple's Reward

2011-08-08T07:30:00.004-04:00

This is the final sermon in The Making of a Disciple series. I preached this sermon August 7, 2011.

Text: Revelation 22:12

Introduction: A few years ago we took a group of children from the church I was serving at the time to Dollywood for the day. I was hanging out with three boys each about 12 years old. We arrived that morning ready for a fun filled day of rides, thrills, food and fun. When we were in the park the boys immediately made their way to the county fair where there are all kinds of midway games like you would see at the fair. You pay your money and try to win some kind of trinket or prize. The boys made a bee line to a basketball throwing contest ready to demonstrate their skills. I suggested to the boys that they wait and do that later in the day because if they win a prize they would have to carry it around all day, and I sure wasn’t going to carry things around for them. But the boys wouldn’t hear of it, too eager to win a prize. They each shelled out their money, and each took three shots at the ball goal and each won their very own basketball with their favorite college team colors and logo imprinted on the ball. Now you know a basket ball is not the easiest thing to carry around so when they finished I said “Ok, lets go ride some rides.” But they objected, oh no, they had to do it again. Apparently since they each won a ball then they needed to prove who was the better shot. So once again they each shelled out the cash, took their shots and they each won one more ball! Now they had two basketballs to carry around the entire day at Dollywood.

About half way through the day of trying to keep up with 2 basketballs a piece was starting to wear these boys down. They begged me to carry the balls but I wouldn’t, I couldn’t, there was no way I could carry 6 balls! Their rewards for their good throwing skills were now too burdensome, it just wasn’t worth it. But they wouldn’t part with them. As the day neared the end and they whined and begged I was able to meet them halfway and agreed to carry 3 balls, one for each, to ease their burdens. But those balls made for a miserable day at the theme park. Their reward wasn’t worth it.

In the course of our sermon series we have seen that there is a cost to discipleship. Discipleship, while joyous, is never easy. We face trials, we face temptations, we face persecutions and we face many hardships along the way. While we don’t walk alone, Christ is with us each step of the way and he is working through us, we realize that there is a price to pay for being a disciple, that we really must take up our cross and follow him. There will come a time that we may question is the reward we are promised worth the cost of being a disciple? Some will conclude that the reward isn’t worth it and will faint in the way, they will throw in the towel and give up. Others will rightly conclude that the disciple’s reward is worth the cost that must be paid. What about you today? Maybe you are the crossroads asking that question, maybe you have fainted and given up already. But Jesus promised he is coming soon and he is bringing rewards with him, rewards for the disciple. My prayer for you is that you will see the reward of discipleship is far greater than the price you pay to be a disciple of Jesus.

A Reward is in Store for the Disciple

Jesus is coming quickly

-When Jesus ascended to heaven an angel appeared to his disciples and said: Acts 1 ⁹And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

¹⁰And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

¹¹Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

-1 Thess 4:¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

His reward is with him

-I want to pause right here for a moment – Jesus is coming back with a reward for every man he says in this verse – This reward is a two edged sword – for the Christian there are glorious heavenly rewards – but for unbeliever there is a reward but this reward is a punishment

-Romans 6:23 calls it a wage “For the wages of sin is death…”

-John 5:²⁷And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

²⁸Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

²⁹And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

-Revelations 20:11-15 tells us of this judgment for the lost ¹¹And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

¹²And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

¹³And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

¹⁴And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

¹⁵And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

-and let me tell you, there is nothing this world may offer worth and eternal hell as a reward. What shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world but lose his own soul.

But the Christian shall appear at Judgment seat of Christ 2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

-it is not a place of eternal condemnation 1 Cor 3:¹³Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

¹⁴If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

¹⁵If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

-Rom 14:10-12 ¹⁰But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

¹¹For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

¹²So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

– The fact that there is a reward should motivate you to serve the Lord, at the very least we want to please the Lord as his disciple!

Your labor is not in vain

2 Cor 4:16-18 ¹⁶For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

¹⁷For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

¹⁸While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

What is your reward?

-citizenship in new heaven and new earth Rev 21:3-4; 7 ³And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

⁴And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

-crown of life or righteousness

-2 Tim 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

-James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

-1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

-Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

-God himself! Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. – God is a greater reward than even Abraham’s dream of an heir!

– Thomas Akempis quoute Do not be worn out by the labors which you have undertaken for My sake, and do not let tribulations ever cast you down. Instead, let My promise strengthen and comfort you under every circumstance. I am well able to reward you above all measure and degree. You shall not toil here long nor always be oppressed with griefs. A time will come when all labor and trouble will cease. Labor faithfully in My vineyard; I will be thy recompense. Life everlasting is worth all these conflict, and greater than these. Are not all plentiful labors to be endured for the sake of life eternal? Lift your face therefore to heaven; behold I and all My saints with me--who in this world had great conflicts--are now comforted, now rejoicing, now secure, now at rest, and shall remain with Me everlastingly in the kingdom of My father.

– Don’t give up, don’t quit, don’t faint. In all the adversity, trials and temptations you face. 1 Cor 15:58

Run for the prize

Phil 3:10-14 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;¹¹If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.¹²Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.¹³Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Heb 12:1-2 ¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

– CS Lewis quote If we consider...the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures...like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased

– settling for second best. Don’t settle for second best. Many may say, well as long as I make it to heaven. That is such a selfish statement. A disciple seeks rewards, not for our own glory, but for his. A crown we may lay at his feet.

The Disciple's Fruit

2011-08-01T08:31:00.003-04:00

This is the fourth sermon in The Making of a Disciple series. I preached this sermon July 31, 2011.

Text: John 15:1-8

Introduction: Each of us is bearing spiritual fruit. Jesus said in Matthew 7 ¹⁶Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

¹⁷Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

¹⁸A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

¹⁹Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

²⁰Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Just as you know a banana tree because it bears bananas and an apple tree because it bears apples you can easily recognize a Christian by the spiritual fruit he or she bears. You can talk a big talk, but the fruit you bear speaks louder than your words.

Some here today bear good fruit, some here today bear rotten fruit, and some here today bear no fruit. But each one of us bears fruit. What is your fruit like? It may be that it is time to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the nature of the fruit you bear. Oh, you may be morally a good person, you may be a religious person, you may do a lot of church work, but that is not the fruit of the disciple. How can I say that? Because there are lost people who are moral people, there are lost people that are sincere in their religious devotion, there are lost people that work hard and do a lot of beneficial things. So if a lost person can do that then the spiritual fruit of the disciple is of a very different nature.

In the Lord’s vineyard a harvest of fruit is of the utmost importance. So lets look in the Lord’s vineyard.

The Fruit

-remember the fruit of the disciple is something that could never be evident in a lost person – oh it could be imitated, but the imitation will be exposed (wax fruit)

-just as fruit has seeds, spiritual fruit has seeds for more fruit – spiritual fruit is actually planted into the lives of others to produce more fruit.

-John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

The fruit is seen – you should see it, and others will absolutely see the kind of fruit you are producing.

-Rom 1:13 – the fruit of winning others to Christ

-Rom 6:22 – growing in holiness and obedience

-Rom 15:28 – your giving

-Gal 5:22-23 – fruit of the Spirit

-Col 1:10 – service

-Heb 13:15 – praise of our hearts and lips

2. How is the fruit produced? – the branch cannot produce fruit on its own (in the storms this summer many branches have fallen from trees and they do not produce fruit, not even leaves – they are dead)

-abiding in the vine (Christ)

-Jesus is the true vine (genuine, authentic) there is no substitute (many well meaning Christian authors, pastors, who offer programs and plans, but there is no substitute for an authentic relationship with Christ).

-abide means to continue and remain it means keeping fellowship with Christ so that Christ works through us to produce fruit – it involves our communing with him through the Word, through prayer, through worship, through obedience to Him.

-John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

3. Fruit in its season – it doesn’t happen overnight

-Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

– the parable of the fig tree Luke 13:6 ⁶He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

⁷Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

⁸And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

⁹And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

– Are you abiding in Christ?

Gal 5:24-26 ²⁴And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

²⁵If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

²⁶Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

The Farmer

God is identified as the farmer

1. The farmer plants the seed

-the parable of the soils Matthew 13 ³And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

⁴And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

⁵Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

⁶And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

⁷And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

⁸But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

¹⁸Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

¹⁹When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

²⁰But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

²¹Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

²²He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

²³But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

2. The farmer prunes – vs 2 – the nature of pruning – it not always a pleasant experience. The farmer cuts away dead wood that breeds disease and insects, but also living tissue so that the crop will be of higher quality and quantity (I didn’t understand thinning out when I first planted a garden – why do that? I would get more turnips, but instead I got scraggly little roots and the turnip crop was useless).

-so that sometimes means not only cutting away what is bad, but cutting away the good to make room for the best.

– seasons of pruning

– the word prunes – 2 Tim 3:16-17 ¹⁶All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

-Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

-God chastens us – Heb 12 ⁵And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

⁶For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

⁷If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

⁸But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

⁹Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

¹⁰For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

¹¹Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

3. The farmer is honored

The danger of no fruit – branches burned in the fire – judgment

Vs 6 – those that profess themselves to be Christians like Judas Iscariot, yet they are not genuine – no fruit – and judgment looms.

The Disciple's Heart

2011-07-26T15:57:00.002-04:00

This is the third sermon in The Making of a Disciple series. I preached this sermon July 24, 2011.

Text: John 13:34-35

Introduction: The love of the disciple is unlike the love of the world. The love of a disciple is unique. In the world there are all types of love, there is fondness for things and experiences that we often call love (I love chocolate chip cookies, or I love sunny days.). There is romantic love that you have for your spouse or significant other. There is puppy love which is nothing more than infatuation. There is brotherly love ie a love for friends. And all of these types of love are great and wonderful expressions of love. But Christ calls his disciples to a new kind of love, a higher love. A kind of love that is otherworldly, that you just don’t find everyday.

Unfortunately many Christians do not rise to this level of love. And in so doing we are selling ourselves short, our church short and our God short. Oh we love those that love us, we love our friends and family for the most part and that is a good thing. But Jesus said in Matthew 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

⁴⁴But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

⁴⁵That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

⁴⁶For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

⁴⁷And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

The love that Christ calls us to express is the heart of the disciple. In fact, this is how the world will know that we are His disciples as he says in vs 35. What convinces a lost world that we are disciples? It is not the buildings where we worship, it is not the songs we sing, it is not the way we look, it is not in our religious piety, it is not even in the words we say, it is in the love we have for others. And sad to say it would appear that the world is not very convinced when they see Christians fighting one another (we are not enemies here, I am not your enemy, you are not mine and you are not enemies with one another). They are not very convinced when they see us standing in criticism and judgment of the lost world or even one another! (The lost are going to do what lost people do and the Christian is not perfect yet so we must exercise patience, grace and forgiveness in how we deal with one another). G. Campbell Morgan says it this way “The measure in which Christian people fail in love to each other is the measure in which the world does not believe in them or their Christianity. It is the final test of discipleship, according to Jesus. This new love is the heart of the disciple! So lets look at a disciple’s heart

A New Kind of Love

1. Love itself was nothing new and even the command to love was nothing new. The OT commandment to love – Lev 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. – but people saw this commandment as nothing more than a mere law to keep like a traffic law to drive 55.

2. The problem with legislating love – it only takes you so far. When love is legislated you will only love enough to get by, but when it requires sacrifice you will draw the line. Tax laws – I’ll pay as little as I can get away with.This is a new commandment – not new in time, but new in nature. – best described in 1 Cor 13:4 ⁴Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

⁵Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

⁶Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

⁷Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

⁸Charity never faileth:

– This love is to be best expressed in the context of the church. The church is made up of Christ’s disciples. this love is what holds a church together. Love for God and love for others is what brings us together, it is greater than purpose, vision or even the mission of leading a lost world to Christ.

-When a church is in a divisive situation it is evidence that love does not reign supreme in the church.

-1 John 2:9-11 ⁹He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

¹⁰He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

; 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

A New Reason to Love

-Why should I love? To talk about loving is nice and sounds good

-as Jesus loves us

-John 15:12-13 ¹²This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

¹³Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

-Jesus love was most expressed in his sacrificial death on the cross. He took my stripes, He took the nails that should have been driven in my hand, He hung on a cross for my crimes, he shed the blood that I should have shed, he gave himself for me. Not just the world (impersonal), but for me (personal)

-part of Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17:26 ²⁶And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

-love is the very nature of God himself – 1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love.

1 John 4:7-12;19-21 ⁷Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

⁸He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

⁹In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

¹⁰Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

¹²No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

¹⁹We love him, because he first loved us.

²⁰If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

²¹And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

A New Way to Love

-how do we do it? By laying down our own lives as Jesus did

-1 John 3:16 – 18 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

¹⁷But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

¹⁸My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

-we lay down our own lives by sacrificial service to others (doesn’t necessarily mean death.)

-so we don’t love exclusively – love the people that love us, or people that are like us.

How should we react when friends let us down? How did Jeus react? Imagine what he could have said to Judas and Peter. Imagine what he could have done to them with his miracle working power. But, to both of them he showed an attitude of patience, honor, dignity, forgiveness and love. That is how we should react when friends let us down, because that is the only way we can be like Jesus.”

The Disciple's Nature

2011-07-22T15:41:00.001-04:00

This is the second sermon in the "Making of a Disciple" series. I preached this sermon July 17, 2011.

Text: Matthew 16:24

Introduction: The disciple is not only willing to sacrifice for his king but sacrifice for the king with joy! The sacrifice of the disciple may be money or other material resources that could be spent on self, the sacrifice of the disciple may be time that could be spent for self, the sacrifice of the disciple may be pride, willing to endure mockery and ridicule, the sacrifice of the disciple may be personal dreams, plans or goals to serve in the kingdom, the sacrifice of the disciple may be agendas and attitudes to have the humble mind of Christ. Whatever the sacrifice the Lord asks the disciple is pleased to do so for His King. The scripture tells us the Lord loves a cheerful giver. That is the nature of the disciple, giving and sacrificing with faith and joy. So being a disciple of Christ does come with a cost. IE – while salvation is free to whosoever will we must understand that we can’t be Christians and go on living for the devil, living like we were. And while the Holy Spirit is at work in us, to be followers of Jesus there is a cost involved if we are to please God and to grow in our faith and to answer his the calling to go on mission with Him.

Martin Luther said A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.

So what is the nature of the disciple? As Jesus defines the nature of the disciple he says “Let him”, but the original language was a little stronger literally “he must.” In other words, to be his disciple you must deny self, take up the cross and follow him. It involves….

The Disciple’s Sacrifice

Deny self – deny means utterly deny. You can’t live with any self-centered thoughts or attitudes. You can’t hold anything back and you must be willing to let go of anything that God asks you to give up.

-does not mean to abuse self or down your self means to give yourself wholly to Christ, putting him first

-vs 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

– if we focus all our energy on the life of the here and now then we lose everything, we must invest in life to come – lay up our treasures in heaven.

-phil 3:7-10 ⁷But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

⁸Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

⁹And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

¹⁰That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

– Romans 12:1 ¹I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

The Disciple’s Cross

When a criminal took up his cross and was marched through the street to the place of execution.

Take up your cross –the cross is a symbol of suffering and shame, rejection and death. The cross bearer was mocked and ridiculed as he carried his own cross to the place of execution.

-the disciples cross is not the cross that Christ bore.

-take up means so that all can see

-what your cross is not – it is not the common everyday problems and pains you have. It is those things that you endure for the Kingdom of God. It may be the ridicule of others, it may be the harsh environment you serve the Lord in, it may be thorns in the flesh from Satan, it may even be a martyr’s death like most of the disciples endured.

I am crucified with Christ Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

The Disciple’s Path

Follow Christ

-submission to God’s will

The problem is that many want to follow Jesus but want to do so on their own terms.

-But that is not what it means to follow Jesus. You can’t negotiate with him

-the negotiators

-Luke 9:57ff ⁵⁷And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

⁵⁸And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

⁵⁹And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

⁶⁰Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

⁶¹And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

⁶²And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Luke 18:22 ²²Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

²³And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

Even Peter tried to negotiate John 21 ¹⁸Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

¹⁹This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

²⁰Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

²¹Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

²²Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

Notice those that simply followed Jesus without negotiation:

Matthew 4:18 ¹⁸And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

¹⁹And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

²⁰And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

²¹And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

²²And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Matthew 9:9 ⁹And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

John 1:43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

Ephesians 5:1 ¹Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

²And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

The disciple holds nothing back from the Lord, but some of you are holding back. What are you holding back? The more you hold on the more it slips away.

Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

The Arithmetic of a Disciple

2011-07-07T08:32:00.003-04:00

This is the first sermon of a series "The Making of a Disciple." I preached this sermon July 3, 2011.

Text: 2 Peter 1:3-11

Introduction:
When I was in the first grade we learned how to add. I was pretty good at it. Give me any number 0-9 and I could add them up. I had this built in calculator (my fingers), and I could add them up. I made good grades on math tests. I had math mastered!
But one day I was absent due to being sick and apparently the teacher took that opportunity to sneak in something new, something called subtraction! I think I missed a few days because when I came back we had another math test. I warmed up the old calculator, flexed my fingers, ready to ace another math test.
I did notice the little symbol was not a plus sign, just a little dash. Poor teacher made a mistake. I went through and added all those numbers on this little subtraction test and confidently handed in the paper certain I would get another 100. Imagine my shock when I got the test back and it was all marked up in red and had a big fat red zero on it!
I went home that evening with the test and tried to sneak it in the house. But mom found it and chewed me out, Dad saw it and wore me out. And I sat in my bedroom all evening not understanding where I went wrong! I added every number correctly. Mom kept trying to tell me I had to subtract but I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. That is when I discovered there was more to math than addition. And my math went down hill from there for many years.
When we become Christians and we get armed with a little Bible knowledge, you know John 3:16, we can find our way around most books of the bible, we are familiar with a few of the great Bible stories. We think at that point we are good to go. Unaware there is so much more to know! There is so much more growing we must do.
– lack of Christian growth – just wanting to hold on till Jesus comes – but we are called to do more than that, we are called to be disciples. We think of disciples as of the 12 but Jesus has called us all to be his disciple.
-caution – this is not earning your salvation or adding to salvation – in fact we can’t do that, we can’t even be a disciple apart from the power of His Holy Spirit.
Today lest see the arithmetic for discipleship.

Equation for Discipleship
vs 3-4
1 born again believer + 1 person of the Holy Spirit + the Word of God = disciple
Vs 3 – The Christian life begins with saving faith (that is not the end, but the beginning).
-the power of God is at work in you (the resurrection power). This power keeps us (1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.); This power strengthens us (Col 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;); This power works wonders through us (Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,); This power will one day raise this body from the grave (1 Cor 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:)
Vs 4a – these precious promises are from His word
-the word of God is exceeding great – because it comes from a great God and precious because its value surpasses even the most precious metals or gems
-Psalm 119:127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
Vs 4b – partaker of the divine nature
-Wiersbe “nature determines appetite the pig wants slop and the dog will eat its own vomit, but the sheep desires green pastures. Nature also determines behavior. An eagle flies because it has an eagle’s nature and a dolphin swims because that is the nature of the dolphin. Nature determines environment: squirrels climb trees, moles burrow underground, and trout swim in the water. Nature also determines association: lions travel in prides, sheep in flocks, and fish in school. If nature determines appetite, and we have God’s nature within, then we ought to have an appetite for that which is pure and holy. Our behavior ought to be like that of the Father, and we ought to live in the kind of spiritual environment that is suited to our nature. We ought to associate with that which is true to our nature. The only normal, Fruit bearing life for the child of God is a godly life.”
-“if we feed the new nature the nourishment of the word, then we will have little interest in the garbage of the world.”
-Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
– work out your salvation – Phil 2:12-13 12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Abide in Christ

Model of Discipleship
-these verse describe what participating in the divine nature should look like
definition of a model – an equation representing real world phenomena. A good model should capture the essential character of whatever is being modeled. The disciple is the model of Christ.

vs 5-8
Vs 5 – give all diligence (make every effort) – we have a role to play, we are not passive in discipleship (can’t let go and let God in discipleship). You must resolve to grow to Christian maturity.
-virtue – moral excellence
-knowledge – knowing the word of God; knowing how to live out the Christian life (Wed study in Proverbs – not many attend that tells me one of three things 1)there are some that absolutely cannot attend – I’m sorry you can’t 2)some that don’t attend because they must know it well enough – I wish you would come to help us who are still learning 3)some that don’t care to know – that is heartbreaking!

Vs 6 –temperance – self-control – control inner desires and cravings (Prov 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.)
Patience – perseverance – lit “to walk under the load.” The courage to deal with difficult times – to keep on keeping on. Wiersbe “we must, by faith, let our trials work for us and not against us, because we know that God is at work in our trials.”
Godliness – reverence and obedience to God
Vs 7 – brotherly kindness – (philadelphia) brotherly love – means bear one another’s burdens – keeping unity with the brethren and guarding against gossip, prejudice, or refusal to accept the weakness of a brother in Christ.
-1 Pet 1:22 (sincere) Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
-charity – love – agape – seeking the highest good for the person loved – a sacrificial love. The type of love demonstrated by God.
Vs 8 – this model is a constant work. Abound – means in increasing measure. Are these characteristics increasing and evident in your own life? Is there fruit?
-by their fruit you shall know them!

– we should reveal Christ to the world in our character and conduct

Proof of Discipleship
vs 9-11
Vs 9 – cannot see afar off – shortsighted – squinting
-church of Laodicea – Rev 3:17-18 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Vs 10 – Psalm 139 23Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Vs 11 – an abundant entrance – a phrase used for Olympic winners returning home from the games.
-the word “ministered” is the same word translated “add” in vs 5. It was a picture of making a lavish provision. If we make lavish provision to grow spiritually (vs 5), then God will make lavish provision for us when we enter heaven.
– be sure of your salvation – danger of false assurance – if you are a believer you should also be a disciple. If you prayed a prayer sometime along the way and that is the sum of your Christian life then I would recommend you ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart this morning.
-salvation begins with faith but must lead to spiritual growth otherwise it is a dead faith and dead faith is not saving faith.

Remember who you will be

2011-06-20T08:49:00.002-04:00

This is the 3rd sermon in a series I have been preaching this month. I preached this sermon June 19, 2011.

Text: 1 John 3:1-2

Introduction: On the first day of school the teacher of an elementary school class asked the students to tell about their summer vacations. One young boy excitedly told the teacher about his trip to Disney Land. He told how that he arrived and the parking lot was full of cars as far as the eye could see. He told how he boarded a tram that rode to different stops around the huge parking lot. He told how different types of people boarded and departed the tram. Many children with smiling faces and balloons, and mouse ear hats and food to eat. He rode the tram all day until closing and then went home. The teacher looked at him a moment a bit confused “All you did was ride around the tram all day” The boy didn’t know what she was talking about and asked “you mean there was more?” She replied “Didn’t you get off the tram and go through the gate into the Magic Kingdom? Didn’t you walk down mainstreet USA, didn’t you see Cinderella’s castle?” He said with sadness “No, I didn’t know I was supposed to.” The boy thought the tram ride was it! He didn’t realize that the fun of the tram ride was to prepare you for the best yet to come! I think of my own children going to Dollywood, they like the tram ride, but once we enter the park with all the fun and joy to be had there, the tram ride is soon forgotten. Christian, you and I are on a tram ride right now, the best is yet to come. One day we will get off the tram and enter the gate, and the tram ride will be soon a distant memory compared to the joy that awaits! But many of us ride around the parking lot thinking this is a good as it getPopular American Pastor Joel Osteen wrote a book a few years ago “Your best life now.” But I must disagree with the title your best life is yet to come! Paul said if in 1 Cor 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. In other words, if the best God has to offer and the best we can experience is in this life alone we are of all men most miserable. But Paul knew that God’s plan is the best is yet to come. He said in 1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. Right now our vision of what is to come is blurry. But there is more to be revealed. Christian the best is yet to come! And what God has started in you he will complete! Phil 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Christian don’t be content with the tram ride around the parking lot, we are approaching the gate and the best is yet to come. Remember who you will be.

A better home

1. We are strangers to the world, this world is not our home – the world doesn’t know us! We are quite literally aliens to the world. And the world hates us! 1 John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. John 15:18-19 ¹⁸If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.¹⁹If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

2. Why are we strangers? we have been loved by an otherworldly love and are called the children of God -Romans 5:8 ⁸But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

3. We are on our way home – what is this home like? Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. ¹⁵And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. ¹⁶But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

don’t get too comfortable in the world 1 John 2:15 – 16 ¹⁵Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 1 John 3:3 ³And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

A better body

1. We will be like him 1 Cor 15:42 ⁴²So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:⁴³It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:⁴⁴It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

– 1 Tim 4:7b-8 and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

⁸For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

A better existence

1. So what does all this mean – a better home and a better body means a better existence

2. We will see his face! – the fellowship you are longing for will be perfect reality

3. God will dwell with man! – the type of world you long for will be reality too! Peace, joy, no suffering, pain, death, -Rev 21 ³And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. ⁴And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

There are times I find my relationship with God difficult, I have trouble hearing his voice, I have trouble praying, I have trouble sensing his presence, and it is the sin factor. That sin will be permanently removed. My relationship with God is not perfect, but one day it will be. So I don’t give up, I don’t lose heart. I keep praying, even when it seems my prayers are unheard, I keep reading my Bible even when it is difficult to hear, I keep worshiping even if he doesn’t seem near.-2 Cor 4 ¹⁶For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.¹⁷For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;¹⁸While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Remember who you are

2011-06-13T09:14:00.003-04:00

I preached this sermon June 12, 2011

Text: Romans 8:14-17

Introduction:
Several years ago when I suffered a skull fracture and brain injury I discovered in the weeks following my surgery and recovery time that I also suffered a mild case of amnesia. Amnesia is a strange experience. Not only did I not remember certain things, I didn’t know that I didn’t remember these things. It was only in the weeks that followed when I encountered people or events that I should have had a memory for and realized I was clueless did I piece together amnesia. The doctor confirmed that I was suffering amnesia and said my memory would probably return. As far as I know it finally did return. But who can be sure? I couldn’t remember people that I supposedly met in the months prior to my accident. I couldn’t remember many events that happened. I couldn’t remember gifts I had received at Christmas. There is so much that I forgot during that time. But there is one thing I never forgot, I never forgot who I was. There are times when I was so sick that I wished I was somebody else, but I never forgot who I was. The amnesia was not that severe.
Christian, are you suffering from amnesia? Have you forgotten who you are? Last week we learned that the Christian is a citizen of the Kingdom of God. You are a part of a royal family. God is your father, and you are joint-heir with Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You are not what you once were. But it would appear that many Christians have forgotten who they are! Rather than living as royalty you live as paupers, rather than live as victorious you live defeated, rather than living in freedom you live in bondage. If that is you then you are suffering from some type of spiritual amnesia, you have forgotten who you are. Today’s text reminds you who you are, that you are part of God’s royal family. We should sing “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God, I have been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood, joint-heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, for I’m part of the family, the family of God.” Remember who you are!
A scientist can tell you what you are (collection of atoms and molecules), A philosopher wonders why you are, your calendar will tell you when you are, a gps can tell you where you are, your dr. will tell you how you are, but only God can tell you who you are.

Remember who your Father is
You have been adopted into the family – abba father – , Gal 4:5-75To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
-John 1:12-13But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Adoption was costly – 1 Cor 7:23Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men;
1 Pet 1:18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Gal 3:13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:,
Eph 1:7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
– you have a new DNA – DNA is a code, it is what makes up your genes, it determines much of who you are, your appearance, much of your personality, your mental prowess, your talents. But even sin has corrupted our very DNA, but your DNA is being overwritten by the power of the Holy Spirit. Your genes do not determine your destiny, you have been given a renewed mind, spiritual gifts that are greater than your talents. You are a new creation!
2 Cor 5:17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
What is this new creation like? Jesus Romans 8:29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.;
-As a new creation, an adopted member of the family of God it should be evident to all. Phil 2:15That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world:
Do you bear any resemblance to Christ? Would somebody recognize you are part of the family?
-Allow the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to work in you Rom 12:2

Remember you bear the family name

Christian – origin of the term Acts 11:26And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Led by the spirit – seal of adoption, sealed by the Spirit, Eph 1:13-14In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
– you are not a slave to fear 2 Tim 1:7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
The spirit bears witness with our witness

Application we live in a world of fear, fear that could paralyze you. Fear of loss (things or a loved one), poverty, suffering, judgment, failure, the unknown, death, hell, judgment, That is the fear of the lost. – although little fear of God.
But even Christians may have unnecessary fears: some of those mentioned above such as suffering, failure, or loss, but also persecution, reproach
Psalm 27:1 1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:14 14Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Remember you have the privileges of the family

Access to the throne of Grace Heb 4:16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
The privilege of suffering for Christ Rom 8:18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.,
Phil 3:10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;,
1 Peter 4:12-14 12Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.,
2 Cor 4:10 & 16Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Application -the thing about suffering is this, I will suffer with or without Christ, but what a blessing it is to have Christ in times of suffering. The rock I can stand on
-Psalm 61:2 – 4 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
4I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

Heirs of God – Matt 7:9-11, 9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Heirs to a home - 1 Peter 1:3-53Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Titus 3:7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.,

heirs to Blessings - Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Remember who you were

2011-06-06T08:19:00.005-04:00

I preached this sermon June 5, 2011

Text: Ephesians 2:1-10

Introduction:
A small town prosecuting attorney called his first witness to the stand in a trial--a grandmotherly, elderly woman. He approached her and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know me?"
She responded, "Why, yes, I do know you Mr. Williams. I've known you since you were a young boy. And frankly, you've been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you're a rising big shot when you haven't the brains to realize you never will amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you."
The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do he pointed across the room and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know the defense attorney?"
She again replied, "Why, yes I do. I've known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too. I used to baby-sit him for his parents. And he,too, has been a real disappointment to me. He's lazy, bigoted, he has a drinking problem. The man can't build a normal relationship with anyone and his law practice is one of the shoddiest in the entire state. Yes, I know him."
At this point the judge rapped the courtroom to silence and called both counselors to the bench. In a very quiet voice, he said with menace, "If either of you asks her if she knows me, you'll be in jail for contempt within 5 minutes!"
If you really knew me, the way God knows me, you would be as stunned as the people in this story. If I really knew you, the way God knows you, I would be as stunned. Sometimes it is easy to forget and difficult to admit that we Christians are nothing more than sinners saved by grace. Some of you were saved at a very young age and delivered from much of the deep depravity caused by sin that those who wait until adulthood to be saved experience. But the fact is all lost sinners are just that, lost sinners. While some may be worse sinners than others, none is more lost than another. Christian, before Jesus came into your heart you may have been a moral person, you may have been an immoral person, you may have been a decently good person, or you may have been wicked but the fact remains you were lost in your sin. You need to remember exactly who you were without Christ.
Paul reminds the Ephesians who they were and we were the same kind of person.

You were spiritually dead
The Biblical concept of death is not cessation, but separation. Before you became a Christian you were separated from God. Revelation talks of the second death – this is hell which is a place of torment and punishment, but also a place of eternal separation.

You had no relationship with God – ie he didn’t know you
-Matthew 7:21-23 21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
You had no rights or privileges with God – I couldn’t call God my Father, I couldn’t set at his table
You had no inheritance from God
-Romans 8:15-17 15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

vs 5 & 10 – God’s answer for the spiritually dead is life, no longer alienated from God. Grace is the work of salvation and it is all God, we are his workmanship, not our own workmanship. But do we try to appear that we somehow earned it? What is on display? We must not manufacture good works, manufactured good works are a result of God at work in us
2 Cor 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work;
Phil 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
-works prepared - God has a plan for our lives and we should walk in his will and fulfill his plan. 1 Cor 2:11-12 11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

You were a citizen of Satan’s Kingdom

Walked the well worn path of the world – Jesus called this the wide gate and the broad way that leads to destruction – the world’s value system. What does the world value? Looking out for number 1, power exercised for selfish purposes, greed, materialism, revenge, dishonesty, pleasure
-1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
-James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Followed the devil’s lead – he may not make you do anything, and you may deny that you are following the devil, but the reality is that you are living according to his rules.
-John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Fulfilling the lust and desires of the flesh – leaving you incapable of pleasing God
-Gal 5: 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

vs 6 -7 – God’s answer is new citizenship – a seat at the heavenly table – a place of honor and privilege – Grace on display
-Heb 11 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

-Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

You were subject to God’s wrath
Cause and effect – Galatians 6:7Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Divine judgment Rom 1:18 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;,
Acts 5: 1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
Eternal judgment – Heb 9:27 27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
-Rev 20: And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Rev 21:8 8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

vs 4 & 8-9 – God’s answer to wrath? Mercy – a gift of grace – undeserved; mercy restrains the wrath of God. God was under no requirement or compulsion to offer salvation. He would have been justified in condemning us all to hell.
John 3:36 36He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

In Memory

2011-05-29T16:59:00.002-04:00

I preached this sermon May 29, 2011

Text: Matthew 26:6-13

Introduction:

In South Dakota, near Mt. Rushmore is another huge monument in the process of being carved from the mountain called Crazy Horse, that will be about 563 feet high. Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski and Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear officially started Crazy Horse Memorial June 3, 1948. And here we are 63 years later and the monument is not complete. The original sculptor passed away about 30 years ago leaving the project unfinished. Most of his life spent creating this memorial.
Whether we are aware of it or acknowledge it, you and I are right now creating our memorial. Each day we are chipping away at it a little more, some are deliberately creating their memorial and others are carelessly chipping away at this life, creating a memorial to leave behind.
– what kind of memorial are we leaving behind? What will you be remembered for? Will it be your job or career? Will you be remembered for your bank account or possessions? Will you be remembered for faith and devotion to the Lord. How do you want to be remembered?
This woman was remembered in association with the preaching of the gospel. What an amazing memorial! And her memorial is to inspire us to imitate her life. To build a similar memorial. What does her memorial tell us?

Act of Faith
– definition of faith – Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
–she gave in faith – valued at about a year’s wages – she gave a year of her life to the Lord in one instant!
-faith without works is dead being alone! James 217Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
– the accusation is that what was given to Jesus was wasted, the oil and the money it could have brought was wasted. But nothing given to the Lord is ever wasted. The money you give to the Lord’s work is not wasted. The time you give in service to the Lord is never wasted. A life given to the Lord is never wasted.
1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

– She acted on her faith – you are always acting on your level of faith. She wasn’t out seeking fame or fortune, she simply acted on faith. But a year of her life was given and she was blessed with an eternal memorial for her acting on faith.
-faith is rewarded
-faith is the only way to please god – Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Act of Devotion (love)

- she gave the best she had to the Lord
– preparing his body for burial
-contrast between her devotion and Judas’ betrayal.
-there would be plenty of opportunities to feed the poor, but this the opportunities to minister to Jesus were few because he would die on the cross in less than a week.

-If you want the best from God then give the best to God – this is the harvest principle.
-some withhold their tithe – do you really think God is pleased with that? He calls it robbery! Mal 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
-Objection “I don’t like the way it spent…” that is not faith!
-Some withhold their time – worship and service – Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
-Objection “I don’t have the time…” That is a leftover mentality – You have the time but what you are saying is I don’t have the spare time. God wants the first and best.
-Some withhold their heart – Is 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

Act of Gratitude

– John 12 identifies the woman as Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. And according to John she also wiped his feet with her hair.
in the 1st century Jewish culture, the woman’s hair was her glory. By wiping his feet with her hair she was surrendering her own glory to Jesus out of gratitude.
Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

-Thankfulness is hard to find nowadays. It is a sign of the times 2 Tim 3: 1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Not Ashamed

2011-05-24T08:15:00.001-04:00

I preached this sermon May 22, 2011

Text: 2 Timothy 2:15

Introduction:
Today is May 22, 2011. Many of you are well aware that according to a prophet in California by the name of Harold Camping that the rapture was supposed to have occurred yesterday with a great earthquake that should have opened the graves of Christians around the world. Of course the fact that we are here today and the rapture or earthquake did not occur Mr. Camping is a false prophet. In fact, he originally predicted the rapture to occur in 1994 and when it did not happen he revised his date and attributed it to a mathematical error. So he has been a false prophet all along. His claim was that the rapture should have occurred yesterday and that the world itself will end October 21. Sadly, there were a number of people duped by this false prophet. Many who not only believed what he told them but also taught the same lie thereby being caught up in the same sin of false prophesy and false teaching. I haven’t heard anything today about Mr. Camping, his followers or other proponents of this false teaching, but I would hope at best they are ashamed and repent of their sin. How could people have been caught up in such a lie? It is because they did not heed the teaching of this one verse today. They didn’t study and rightly divide the word of truth. But these people are like the ones described in vs 14, 16-18.
This is serious business. I can’t emphasize enough the need for Christians to be students of the word of God. If we do not study and we do not rightly divide the word then we will be ashamed. Such false teaching brings shame on the church and on the name of Christ. I would never want to purposely disgrace the name of my Lord, or His church. And I don’t believe any of you would want to do that. Paul said to Timothy to study to show himself approved the word approved is a picture of a metal tried in the refiner’s fire. The choice before us today is to be ashamed or approved.

Ashamed

what would cause us to be ashamed?
1. Ignorance – the implication of this verse is ignorance of the scripture will cause us to be ashamed. ignert
-1 Cor 14:38 - But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
-stubborn ignorance and it is a dangerous place to be
-unteachable Prov 13:18 - 18Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.
-1 Pet 2:2 – 2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
- 2 Pet 3:18 18But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
2. Disobedience 2 Thess 3:14 – 15 14And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
15Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
3. Worldliness – Phil 3:19 18(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) -they glory in it, glory in their shame (
Titus 2:12 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
4. Pride – Prov 11:2 2When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

Approved

1. The word of God Psalm 119:80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed, 116 Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. 2. Study – this verse – give diligence – more than reading but prayerful understanding
3. Believing on Him Rom 10:11 11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed – ashamed at his coming Luke 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.
4. Hope – Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. –some that may be ashamed of their hope because the world ridicules such hope as blind faith.
5. Abiding – 1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
6. Serving – Psalm 25:3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Matthew 24:45-51 45Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Meeting Point

2011-05-16T08:23:00.002-04:00

I preached this sermon May 15, 2011

Text: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Introduction:
A couple of years ago we took the kids to Disney World and Wanda’s parents went too. On a particular ride, Daniel and Clara went to ride while the rest of said we would wait for them at the exit, that would be our meeting point. While waiting it started raining so the rest of us found shelter nearby in a covered deck at a restaurant. We felt sure that Daniel and Clara would see us when they came from the ride and we could go on. But we waited, and waited, and waited, nervously wondering if they may have missed us after all. I had all I could take and feared the worst, that we were separated in this huge amusement park. After all we were at the wrong meeting point. I left to see if I could find them and discovered them not too far away. They had come to the meeting point and we weren’t there and they went to a different place to wait for us. We were at the wrong place, we wasted so much time at the wrong meeting point.
Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? You were supposed to meet someone at a particular meeting point only to find out that you, they or both of you were at the wrong meeting point. The world is filled with lost people and they are searching for something to fill the emptiness inside. Whether they know it or not, they are searching for a relationship with Christ. The church, you and I, are to meet them with the gospel, as Christ commanded in Acts 1:8. The problem is that we are not at the same meeting point. We want the world to meet us here, at this location, rather than go meet them where they are as Jesus commanded. We want them to meet us in our church culture (dress a certain way, talk a certain way, do things our way…) rather than engage their culture. We want them to meet us after they have straightened out their lives rather than just as they are. We are at the wrong meeting place and it is evident because churches are declining and Christian influence in our nation is all but gone. We are at the wrong meeting place. Jesus met people where they were. He didn’t sit on a high mountain and ask people to come meet with him. He went to them, he ate with tax collectors, he met with sinners, he touched the unclean, he spoke with gentiles. Jesus was always at the right meeting point, and he expects no less from us.
Paul spoke in this text that he became all things to all men that he might save some. He found the right meeting point. Now Paul didn’t mean that he trusted in his own works as the Jews did, but that he observed their customs when with the Jews to gain an audience. He didn’t mean he practiced immorality as the pagan gentiles, but that he engaged their culture and met them where they are (as a jew he should have little association with them). He met them where they were.
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of attending a conference in Pigeon Forge sponsored by Sherwood Baptist church in Georgia. They gave each Pastor a copy of a book “Pray for Rain” written by the Pastor about his struggles and victories as he has ministered. At one point in the book he talked about the church existing to meet people at 4 points, and I want to use these 4 points as my sermon outline today.

Meet People at their Point of Need

-This should be fairly obvious that we must meet people at their point of need to share the gospel. Jesus did this when he fed the 5,000 – they were hungry and needed food. He did this in his ministry of healing, casting out demons, raising people from the dead. He met them at their point of need and opened their eyes to the truth that they need Christ.

I think we are doing a good job at this. In the last few years with the Hope Center we have been meeting a large number of needs.
-toothbrush story
-the kid coming to get shoes – riding his bike
-the mother so thankful for the shoes last fall

1 John 3:17
17But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

Matthew 2531When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
But what about people that have stable lives, physical and emotional needs are met, but they still need Christ!

Meet People at their Point of Calling

Workplace ministry – one of the most important avenues of ministry is with those you work with on a daily basis. We think of going to work, putting our time and earning our paycheck. But those in here that work are around people daily, many of the same people daily and you have wonderful opportunities to share the gospel with your coworkers, or to pray with them, or to pray for them, or to encourage them.

-Junior prayer meeting at work prior to their shift
- ideas for those that don’t work: us reaching out to teachers by sending the card and encouragement, Luther reaching out to town employees, taking donuts to the PD…
Paul did this
Acts 18:1-3 1After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
2And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
3And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

Later they left with him vs 18 18And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.

Vs 26 then they ministered 26And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

Meet people at their point of interest

This is an area of great opportunity! There are so many different things that interest people and you can reach people through shared common interests
-we did a diet/weightloss group here once as a way to reach people through a point of interest.
-the outdoor fishing show.
-what are your interests? Sports, hunting, fishing, cars… crafts, scrapbooking, outdoors….. Have you ever considered using those interests as a platform for ministering to people?

Once again, we see that Paul did this at Athens
Acts 17:16 – 23 vs 32 - 34
16Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
17Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
18Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
19And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
20For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
21(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
22Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
23For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
32And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
33So Paul departed from among them.
34Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Meet people at their point of inspiration

I while back I polled some people to find out what inspires them, some Christian, some not Christian and here are some answers:
-the beauty of nature – the sun, trees, flowers
-music
-sermons
-The bible and other good books
-a testimony of how God worked in someone’s life
-qualities in others, acts of kindness, good manners, love, perserverance, honesty, dependability, respect, loyalty, humility, faith, smiles and laughter, someone encouraging someone else, goodness in people, those that make sacrifices for others, talents of others
-children
-parents
-spouse
-sometimes I actually received names of people that others found inspirational
-Jesus
-those who serve our country in the military

-the most common answer for the source of inspiration has to do with people. While it is true that a beautiful sunset, a powerful sermon or a moving song can definitely inspire. The reality is that biggest source of inspiration is people

How do you inspire others? Did you know you should inspire others?

Jesus said in Matthew 5:13-16 13Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
You are the inspiration for someone else! Are you the kind of person that people like to see coming? Or the kind of person that dread to see you coming?
Inspire someone this week and make sure they understand that the source of the inspiration is Christ, not you alone. Yes you are the salt and the light, but it is Christ!

Dream Girl

2011-05-10T09:37:00.002-04:00

I preached this sermon May 8, 2011

Text: Genesis 2:18-25

Introduction:
There are so many Adam and Eve jokes and stories that I could have chosen from this morning, but one of my favorites was about the little boy who was learning about Adam and Eve and he asked his mom. “Mom, did God really make Eve from one of Adam’s ribs?” “Yes,” replied the mom, “That is what the Bible says.” “Did it hurt?” the little boy wondered. The mom didn’t know. A short time later the boy was having tremendous sharp pains in his side and he was in misery. In tears he ran to his mom, clutching his side and cried “Mom, I think I’m having a wife!”
When we look at the scripture from Genesis 2 today we must do so realizing that Adam was in a desperate situation. In Genesis 1 we find God creating the universe, the earth and everything in it including all living creatures and it was all very good. We find in chapter 2 that God took the utmost care in the creation of Adam, where he mixed the dust of creation with the divine breath and Adam became a living soul. He created a garden in a place called Eden and placed Adam in the garden with the purpose of managing God’s creation to the glory of God. Adam, an innocent, sinless man, in an environment of paradise, so why was his situation so desperate? God makes it clear that Adam was alone, there was no suitable helper found for him. And as Adam named the animals and discovered no suitable companion he must have recognized his own need as well. God, being the loving and compassionate God that He is then created Eve, the perfect solution to Adam’s dilemma. Adam is never to take Eve for granted, he is to care for her as he would his own flesh, because she is flesh of his flesh. Ephesians 5:28-29 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Today, in the creation of Eve we are reminded just how wonderful and how important your wife, or your mother is.

A complement
God created Eve to complement Adam (not compliment) - balance
Vs 18 – not good to be alone – whether Adam realized it or not, this is from God’s perspective. God created Adam to not only be in relationship with Him, but also to be in relationship with others, to love others.
-A rabbi once said this in comment on this verse “Whoever has not wife exists without goodness, without a helpmate, without joy, without joy, without blessing, without atonement, without well being, without a full life…indeed, such a one reduces the representation of the divine image on earth.”
-the word meet or suitable is lit “like what is front of him” it focuses on the equality of the two in their nature. The woman is as much of a person as a man, no less, the woman is as valuable as the man, no less. The woman has as much of God’s image of the man, no less.
-but their roles are different – she it the complement of the man
Vs 19 – Adam has authority over the animals, the woman is unlike animals
Vs 20 – out of all creation, no suitable helper was found – nothing to complement Adam
-Adam searched the world over but never found true love!

– complementary colors in art – primary and secondary color across the color wheel. Eg red – green, blue – orange, yellow – violet. These colors when mixed produce browns, ie mud. But when standing side by side they balance and enhance each other. The green brings out the redness, or the very best of the red and red brings out the greenness, or the very best of the green. Red looks good alone, but put green beside it and red looks even better.
-that is the way it is with a marriage. Your spouse is to complement you, to bring out the very best in you. When your spouse stands beside you she makes you look better.

– the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31:10-31

A Completion
God made Eve from Adam’s side leaving Adam incomplete of himself, without Eve he was incomplete. But Eve made Adam complete so they were one flesh
Vs 23 – He was beside himself :o) Adam was a poet – poetic speech said with excitement
-“this is now” – At last!

– Prov 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

A Companion

Thomas Aquinas “for since the woman should not have authority over the man it would not have been fitting for her to have been formed from his head, nor since she is not to be despised by the man, as if she were but his servile subject, would it have been fitting for her to b4e formed from his feet” – God made her from his side as his equal, as his companion to walk alongside him.
Vs 24 – the child’s companion – father, mother, brother and sister - but the time comes to leave the parents and be with that God given companion
-fulfills 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
-leaves and clings – indicates monogamy and fidelity. Former familial commitment are now superseded. Obligations to your spouse supplant parent’s authority.
-they are not independent 1 Cor 11:11-12 11Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
12For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
Vs 25 – nothing to hide, no barriers, not guilt and no shame.
– 1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

The Greatest Miracle

2011-04-19T07:51:00.002-04:00

This is the 6th sermon in the On the Verge of a Miracle series. I preached this sermon April 17, 2011.

Text: John 9:1-7;35-38

Introduction
A couple of years ago Wanda and I took the boys to Disneyworld in Orlando Florida. I think I was just as excited as they were but for different reasons. I couldn’t wait for the boys to experience the “magic” of Disneyworld. I was excited for the experience they would have. You have to admit that the scale, the service, the details and so on make Disneyworld stand out from other amusement parks. I remember walking through the gate of the magic kingdom and approaching mainstreet USA. I pointed out Cindrella’s Castle to the boys excited by they sheer grandeur of it all and expected the boys to be as overwhelmed as I. Daniel said “that’s it? I thought it would be bigger.” Talk about a splash of cold water! We were standing in the middle of the greatest amusement park on this earth and all Daniel could say was “That’s it?” It makes me wonder what he was expecting.
We have heard some wonderful testimonies of miracles that God has done in the lives of individuals over the past few weeks. Miracles of healing, miracles of deliverance, miracles of providence. We ooh and aah over those miracles, sometimes we wish we could be eyewitness to such miracles. But unfortunately we fail to recognize that each Christian is a miracle. We fail to recognize that salvation is a genuine miracle. If you know Christ as your Savior, you are a walking miracle! It doesn’t matter what your life was like before Christ, ie the depth of your sin. What matters is that you were lost and now found, what matters is you were dead and now you are alive. Christ has saved you and there is no greater miracle! When someone comes to faith in Christ we need to recognize and appreciate that a miracle has just taken place!
As we see the miracle of a man born blind receiving his sight by his faith in Christ, we need to recognize that was not the greatest miracle to happen here. We need to see that the greatest miracle occurred at the end of the chapter. When this man trusted Christ as his savior, not only his healer. This man’s restoration of sight is actually a wonderful picture of salvation. Lets look at these miracles and how the miracle of sight parallels the miracle of salvation.

Fate
The fate of the blind man is the fate of the lost man
1. The source of the problem
-the man was blind from birth and the disciples asked the question we all wonder “whose fault was it?” His sin, or maybe his parents sin that he was born blind.
-the question of fault helps us cope with the difficult questions, Why am I sick, why do I have problems, as if we could possibly answer that question satisfactorily and draw comfort of find someone to blame. Imagine if Jesus said “His parents” then we would say “poor man, a victim of his awful parents.” If Jesus said “His sin” we would say he is getting what he deserves.
But it is the wrong question – we must realize all sickness, pain and suffering does in fact find its source in the reality we live in a sinful and fallen world. Not any sin this man did or specific sin of his parents.
The source of our problem is sin!
-All have sinned – none righteous – romans 3:10-11;23 10As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
-I was born in sin
-the question shouldn’t be why is this man born blind – why does he deserve that, but the question should be why do I see, why do I deserve any good thing
2. Understand the man’s condition – there is nothing this man can do to make himself see. He can’t have therapy, he can’t do good works(he could be a good moral person, but still blind), he can’t find a magic formula
-there is nothing I can do about my lost condition – no therapy will erase my sin, no amount of good works, no amount
-Titus 3:5-7 5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
3. A dark future – blindness begging
-lost man future is hell

-Christ won the victory and you must share in his victory.
1 Cor 15:57-58 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Faith
1. The man’s condition requires miraculous intervention – along comes Jesus
-I am the light of the world vs4-5
-Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
2. A simple yet crazy kind of faith – to allow Jesus to anoint his eyes and to go wash in the pool
-simple faith – I believe rather than rely on works
-Eph 2:8-9 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
3. Expression of faith found in obedience

– faith without works is dead
James 2 17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
-dead faith, had this blind man sat on the ground with the clay in his eyes he would have remained blind, because his faith was dead.

Freedom
1. Freedom from blindness/sin – Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
-Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
2. Free from the law – he was kicked out of the temple – kicked out of fellowship
-Romans 7:4-6 4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

– stand fast in the freedom Gal 5:1 1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Fruit
1. Evidence of the miracle/evidence of salvation
-A miracle is always evident. Some will ignore it, some will dispute it at the Pharisees did, but it is evident. it is obvious when a blind man receives sight, it should be just as obvious when a lost man gets saved
-vs 25
– the fruit of the spirit – Gal 5:22 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
-the fruit of the spirit is more than good discipline – no one has the self-discipline to accomplish what takes the power of the Holy Spirit filled life to accomplish. I can go so far, but the Spirit can take me farther. I can love so much on my own, but the Holy spirit can cause the love of God to be shed abroad in my heart. I can have a certain amount of joy on my own, but the power of the Spirit in me gives me a joy unspeakable and full of glory, I can have a certain amount of peace on my own, but only the Spirit can give me a peace that passes all understanding, I can be longsuffering to an extent, but the Holy Spirit empowers me to go the extra mile, I can be somewhat gentle (moral excellence) on my own, But the power of the Spirit working in me can help me to be better than moral, but holy because He is holy. I can put on a good show on my own, but inner goodness can only come by the power of the Spirit, I can have faith on my own on the mountaintop, but only the power of the Holy spirit working in me can give me the faith to move mountains, I can be meek (humble) when it suits my purpose on me own, but only the power of the Holy Spirit working in me can bring genuine humility that is pleasing to God. I can be somewhat temperate (self-control), but only the Holy Spirit has the power to control me.

Future
1. Fresh start – this man can leave his past as a beggar and move on to a greater future. His new vision gives him a fresh start and the past is past, the past has no control over who he is now.
2. When you get saved you have a fresh start – you can leave the past behind, it has no hold on you!

– Phil 3:13-14 13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

With Jesus in the Boat

2011-03-28T08:56:00.003-04:00

This is the 5th sermon in the series "On the Verge of a Miracle", I preached this sermon March 27, 2011.

Text: John 6:16-21

Introduction: Daniel and Ethan have started little league baseball practices. It reminds me of when I was a kid. I didn’t play baseball in little league. The only time I ever played was with a bunch of kids in an empty lot or in a field. Now I know some of you are not going to like what I am about to tell you, but please love me anyway. But I really don’t like baseball. I didn’t like it when I was a kid, I don’t like it now. I don’t like to play it, I don’t like to watch it. I will go watch my kids play though, and cheer for them. So anyway, when I was a kid and it came to playing baseball, I didn’t like it and I wasn’t good at it. I couldn’t hit, run, throw or catch. So when it came to choosing teams you can pretty well guess I was the last to be chosen, I was merely dead weight to the team. And nobody wanted me on their team. Not that I could blame them. I wouldn’t have chose me either. The best baseball players always got chosen first. Those athletic kids that could hit, catch and throw. Every now and then a kind hearted soul would chose me early on, but it was out of pity. Now I always wanted to be on the team with the best player, because I knew that the best player could often carry the team to victory, even with lousy players like me. Lets face it, when you choose up teams, you pick the best player first. I never saw the best player chosen last, that would be crazy! In the sports world, the best players don’t play second string, the best players don’t warm the bench. The best player needs to be in the game! Isn’t it interesting that in our day to day struggles in life how often we leave the best player on the bench? You need to bring Jesus into the game as your first pick. Before you friends, family, before methods and programs. We need to invite Jesus to get into the boat with us. He will carry us to victory, even a lousy Christian like me! Is Jesus in the boat with you?

Sometimes darkness comes and Jesus doesn’t seem to be near
1. Jesus went to be alone on a mountain vs 15
2. Was Jesus unaware of what was going on? Vs 16-17
3. What was Jesus doing? Watching and praying -Mark 6:46, 48 46And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. 47And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. 48And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. – When the darkness falls, you must remember while you may feel alone, you are not alone. Jesus is a prayer away! Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Heb 4:14-16 14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Sometimes the storms rage even while you are obedient to the Lord
1. Sometimes the storms come and it is because we have sinned – Jonah 1:3-4, 10 3But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. 4But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. 10Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. But what about the times the storms come and you search your heart and it is not a matter of sin? The disciples obeyed the Lord Mark 6:45 And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.
2. You have been obedient to the Lord? Then what do you do?
3. The disciples were rowing with all their might to try to make it to the other side, but they were only half way across the sea and here comes Jesus out for a stroll. The same storm that caused the disciples to be frightened, the waves that threatened to drown them, was the very ground that Jesus walked upon! – it is underfoot! – The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. Romans 16:20 20And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

When darkness falls, when the storms rage, invite Jesus into the boat
1. We often love to talk about Peter getting out of the boat, and we admire Peter for being the only disciple brave enough and with enough faith to get out of the boat to walk to Jesus. And there are times and circumstances that we need to get out of the boat. But there are times we just can’t get out of the boat, in fact even Peter sank after a few steps. More important than us getting out of the boat is to invite Jesus to get into the boat. -I don’t know about you, but storms have come into my life and I can’t even begin to think about getting out of the boat to walk on the water. The storms intimidate me, my faith is weak. But when the storm is raging and the boat is sinking and I am struggling I can still invite Jesus into the boat!
2. Seeing and acknowledging Jesus is not enough, we must invite him into the boat.
3. The boat made it immediately to shore – talk about a speed boat! The disciples rowed and struggled almost all night to get across and only made it half way, but when Jesus gets in the boat, he took them to shore immediately! – Is Jesus in the boat with you? Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

The Miracle of the Green Paint

2011-03-21T15:46:00.001-04:00

I call it the miracle of the green paint!
A week before heading out with a group of youth for a mission trip to Charles City, near Richmond, I was told by a church member to check out a local hardware store. The store, I was told, would donate mis-mixed paint to the church, which we could use on the mission.
We were planning to do some minor home repair and construction. But I had no idea of precisely what kind of work we would be doing. We wouldn’t know until we actually arrived.
I went to the hardware store unsure if we even needed paint, but it was difficult to pass up a free offer. An employee directed me to a shopping cart filled with gallon paint cans and told me to take whatever I needed for the mission project.
I found two gallons of green paint. It seemed unlikely that we would actually need these, but I took them with the thought that the mission could use them for future projects.
Upon arriving in Charles City, I was placed on a team whose job was to paint a house belonging to an elderly lady. All of the materials we needed, including the paint, were supplied by the mission.
After a couple of days we finished and stood admiring a freshly painted white house. The house had green shutters and I asked the project leader about painting the shutters. He told me there wasn’t enough funding to buy paint for the shutters so they would not be painted.
I looked at the faded, dirty and cracked shutters and said “It just so happens I have two gallons of green paint that I brought with me, donated from back home, let’s see if it matches.”
Wouldn’t you know it! The mis-mixed paint I brought from the other end of the state was a perfect match for the green shutters!
The last day we had our picture made with the homeowner standing in front of the house. She beamed as bright as the gleaming white house, with beautiful green shutters. We all marveled at the way God worked this miracle of the green paint.
It wasn’t a mere coincidence. Back home, a hardware store employee thought he mis-matched some paint and tossed it into the donation bin. I didn’t think we would really need it. But God had plans to for me to bring that paint across the state. Some may have seen it as a minor detail, but to this woman, it was a blessing from the Lord. Only God could have worked this miracle of the green paint and He can work a miracle in your life!

Heaven's Kitchen

2011-03-14T08:58:00.003-04:00

This is the 4th sermon in the On the Verge of a Miracle series. I preached this sermon March 13, 2011.

Text: John 6:1-14

Introduction:
In 2007, Katrina Mann and I went to RAM and operated out of Lonesome Pine Office on youth’s booth to give out stuffed animals to children waiting in line. Working through the lines of people on that hot summer day it was heartbreaking to see so many people who would ask for food. They would ask for something to eat or if we knew where they could get something to eat. Thousands of people standing for hours who had nothing to eat. We prayed and felt like Jesus was saying to us, much like to Philip Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
And I felt like Philip in my answer Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. But we knew that God was leading us to do something for the RAM in 2008. Starting empty handed but with a little compassion and a willingness to serve the Lord God worked in such a way that in 2008 we witnessed God feed 4,000 lunches to RAM patients over the course of a weekend. He did with the help of some of you and the help of other churches from Georgia and North Carolina that partnered with us. Now some would be quick to say we did by good planning and organization of resources. But I would argue because I saw what God did, how that he took about a $1000.00 and multiplied that into 4,000 lunches containing hotdogs, chips, snack cakes, drinks, thousands of donuts and coffee for breakfast and thousands of snacks. It wasn’t anything we did other than obey, it was the Lord that did it. I have read many times about Jesus feeding the multitudes but that day I witnessed it for the first time and every RAM since. And I believe we will see it again this year. I hope that you may consider volunteering to help.
There is a show on the food network called Hell’s Kitchen. A competition based reality show. But today, we get a glimpse of heaven’s kitchen. Hell’s kitchen is the way the world operates. It is competitive, survival of the fittest. Hell’s kitchen is about looking out for number one. Hell’s kitchen is about scarcity and lack.
But in heaven’s kitchen there is plenty and abundance. Heaven’s kitchen is about compassion and caring, about bringing anyone who will to the table for a banquet that will fill you with blessing. Hell’s kitchen excludes, but there is room for more at Heaven’s kitchen, as this miracle demonstrates.
The problem is that many of us are still working with a Hell’s Kitchen mind set. We are operating on the basis of scarcity rather than abundance, we are operating by selfishness rather than compassion, we operating by exclusion rather than reaching out to the lost with the gospel. It is time to change our mindset, it is time to get into Heaven’s Kitchen where we may see miracles take place.

God is able to meet your need
1. As we see the situation 5-7 The bottom line in this situation – it can’t be done – for many reasons – economics, large number of people and the lack of resources,
2. The best solution offered – send them away empty handed.
-Mark 6:335-36 35And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
36Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
the bottom line is that it can’t be done. But Jesus changed the bottom line
3. But God never sends anyone away empty who earnestly seek Him.
-Matthew 15:32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
4. Jesus met their need in a miraculous way vs 8-11

– what needs do you have? Have you trusted Jesus with that need? Some would say that it is foolish or impractical, but it is really about faith.
Phil 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Matthew 6:8 8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Matt 6 25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

God operates out of Compassion
1. The crowd moved Jesus to Compassion
Mark 6:33 33And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.
34And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
2. The father that gives good things – Luke 11: 9And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Illustration ofthe father in the prodigal son – some would expect the father to be harsh or to even disown his son, but he had compassion.

– Do you really know that God is compassionate?
Psalm 86:15 15But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

Give to the Lord

1. The little boy gave vs 8-9 – imagine if he hoarded it
The widow’s mite Luke 21:1-4 1And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
2And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
3And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
4For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
2. Jesus gave thanks vs 11
3. The leftovers vs 12-13

– Give thanks for what we have, God can make it go farther…
-like the woman who fed Elijah – the meal and oil never ran out.
Phil 4:11-13 11Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

A Walking Miracle

2011-03-07T08:01:00.002-05:00

This is the 3rd sermon in the On the Verge of a Miracle series, I preached this sermon March 6, 2011.

Text: John 5:1-9

Introduction:
Have you ever played with a beach ball in a lake or swimming pool? At summer camp somebody would bring a beach ball to play in the water. It never failed that someone would fail to catch the ball and it would bounce away floating on the water. And do you know what happens? You swim to the ball and reach to grab it and the waves and ripples you make in the water push it farther away. So you end up stretching and you just get your fingers on it and it floats farther away. It is so frustrating because it seems the ball is always out of reach. Sometimes you get close, sometimes you get your fingers on it, but in continues to elude you.
In church we often hear of miracles. But many people have never experienced anything that they may see as a genuine miracle. The miracle is always just beyond reach, not matter how hard you try. Some may eventually think, a miracle is for those other people, but it is out of reach for me. I will never see the miracle that I need.
Maybe that is what that man thought, that miracle I need is just out of reach! But then a man who had spent a lifetime lying on a mat, left that day walking. He was literally a walking miracle.
Look around you. Today in our presence are many walking miracles. We have heard testimonies in the previous weeks, deliverance from a lifetime of alcoholism, protection from what should have been a fatal accident, healing from a deadly disease… and on and on. I want these testimonies to encourage you that the Lord is still in the miracle working business. But I know there is danger that some of you may think, that is well and fine that God worked a miracle for them, but it doesn’t seem to be that way for me. Don’t be discouraged! Today’s sermon points out that God is no respecter of persons, God can and may work a miracle in you too. God works miracles by his grace, not by your merit.

Mastered by the Situation

Here was a man whose situation had mastery over him
Vs 1-4-Jesus goes to a place in Jerusalem where the invalid would gather in hope for healing miracles to take place
-the situation with the angel that would trouble the pool we are not told how often this happened, if it happened on a regular basis. –first come first serve basis.

1. We are introduced to a man which had this infirmity for 38 years – almost like a lifetime. (I just turned 40, for me that is a lifetime). So imagine with me just a moment. Its very likely this man had been coming to Bethesda, maybe even for daily, for 38 years in the hopes for healing. And to no avail, nothing has happened to help this man. This man was in a dire situation.
2. Abandoned by friends and family – vs 7 – he has no one to help him to the pool.
3. Seemed to be abandoned by God – Jesus asked the man if wanted to be healed, but he doesn’t really answer Jesus’ question. Rather we see that he has a rather gloomy perception of how God works.
-we see this today with the adage “God helps those who help themselves.” But this tells us that in fact God helps those who cannot help themselves.
4. By all appearances this man was forsaken, circumstances were beyond his control. He was absolutely helpless. He obviously wanted to be healed, but his desire was simply out of reach. He may have thought that miracles are for someone else.

– Does your life situation have mastery over you?
Psalm 77:1-14 1I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.
2In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.
3I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.
4Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.
6I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
7Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?
8Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?
9Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
10And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
11I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
12I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
13Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
14Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.

The only hope for this man is a miracle

Master of the Situation

1. This man’s situation had mastery over him, all seemed hopeless, he had a negative attitude. But then Jesus shows up, we see who is in charge of this man’s situation
2. We see a beautiful picture of God’s grace. In God’s way of doing things, it is not first come first serve, it is whosoever will!
-vs8-9
-your miracle is not out of reach, it is as near as the Master.
- Psalm 27:13 13I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
3. Our hope goes beyond the situation of our life
-1 Peter 1:3-9 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

– Aren’t you ready to turn your situation over to the Master?
Psalm 61:2 2From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

A Little Bit of Faith

2011-02-28T19:01:00.002-05:00

This is the second sermon in the On the Verge of a Miracle series. I preached this sermon on February 27, 2011

Text: John 4:46-54

Introduction:
Faith is easier to talk about than it is to put into practice. I believe we all think we would like to have faith when we are hit with a crisis. There are times when faith requires we let go of everything we have held on to and to trust the Lord. It is in those times that the substance of our faith is proven, and it is never easy.
While miracles may happen where there is no exercise of faith (God can do as He pleases), we must recognize that in most cases miracles do not occur without an exercise of faith, miracles and faith go hand in hand.
But I say that with caution – it is not a matter of how much faith you have – Jesus said it takes a little faith – the grain of a mustard seed. Matthew 17:20 for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
But it is more often a matter of genuine faith in the Lord and trust in His plan.
When someone claims another wasn’t healed because he didn’t have enough faith. Maybe that is wrong, maybe it takes faith to trust God even when he chooses not to heal such as Paul and his thorn in the flesh – It wasn’t a matter of if Paul had enough faith, but it was a matter of God’s will that Paul carry this thorn in the flesh and exercise faith while carrying it….In fact it likely takes a greater amount of faith, if faith could be measured, to carry the thorn in the flesh and still trust the Lord.
Think of the people in Hebrews 11:35-39 that are called heroes of the faith….and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith,
Today we see a miracle take place that requires faith in action. What can we learn about faith and miracles?

Crisis Faith
1. We are reminded a miracle happened here before
-we are not told who this nobleman is, but was very likely in service to Herod Antipas.
2. But we do know The man was desperate – he traveled about 25 miles to Cana from Capernaum. He pleaded with Jesus with persistence.
3. Jesus’ rebuke to the people – he wants to clarify that he is not some wonderworking magician. A faith built on the spectacular is not a Biblical faith.
-the demand of a sign – Jesus said an evil and adulterous….
Danger of faith in crisis – may turn to the wrong place or unbelief
-Lord help my unbelief – Mark 9: 23Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

-while many times we come to the Lord in crisis, and God does not turn away a crisis faith, he wants us to have a deeper faith, and abiding faith…

Confident Faith

1. The miracle – Jesus did not make the trip to Capernaum
2. Go – imperative – Jesus demanded the man’s faith be based on His word, not his visible works. – wonders produce awe, but words produce faith
-hearing comes by the word of God
-in our time we believe what we see, what can be tested by science, what can be deduced logically, or what is personally experienced. But these things often reject faith
-Heb 11:1 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
3. He took Jesus at His word without immediately seeing the result. His desperate faith became a confident faith, personal faith in Christ.
1 John 5:14-15 14And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

faith put to the test – when your faith is tried, will you take God at His word
1 Pet 1:7 7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Psalm 27:13 – 14 13I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Confirmed Faith

1. On the way back home with a confidence but no confirmation –there was a period of time between his exercise of faith and the confirmation of that faith.
2. Servant brought the message
3. Contrast his statement began to get better with total healing

There is Hope

2011-02-21T09:04:00.003-05:00

This is the first sermon in the On the Verge of a Miracle series. I preached this sermon February 20, 2011.

Text: John 2:1-11

Introduction:
A man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, "Eighteen to nothing--we're behind."
"Boy," said the spectator, "I'll bet you're discouraged."
"Why should I be discouraged?" replied the little boy. "We haven't even gotten up to bat yet!"
For many of us today, by all appearances, we are so far behind that all seems hopeless. You may be discouraged, you may be depressed, you may be at the end of your rope and ready to throw in the towel. It could be turmoil at home, your marriage seems to be falling apart, or your family in distress. It could be in your professional life at work, you work hard and yet it seems for every step forward you take two back, It could be your finances, you are so behind on bills that you feel you will never catch up. It could be any number of situations you face. You feel you are in over your head and there is no hope. You are behind 18 to nothing.
But I want to encourage you today! It could be that God hasn’t even got up to bat yet! Hang in there, because when God is at back, he’ll hit a home run every time!
I was reading a book a couple of months ago and the Christian author made a statement that shocked and disappointed me. He said “Don’t expect a miracle.” I must disagree with that. As a Christian I always expect a miracle! God is still in the business of working miracles, Jesus worked a miracle at Cana, we heard today about how he worked a miracle in the life of one of our church members. You may be on the verge of a miracle today, God is getting up to bat! There is Hope!
Today we see what many see as a mundane situation. And sure, it was not like anybody was sick, demon possesses or dead, but even in the mundane the only hope left was a miracle and we see the awesome miracle when Jesus got up to bat. Even in our most minor situations, day to day situations, God works miracles! There is hope in your situation, there is hope in your family, there is hope in this church. I am expecting miracles!
What can we learn from this miracle at a wedding in Cana?

Daily Hope
First of all, this miracle teaches us there is hope every day!

1. vs 1-2 – weddings in the first century – the celebration lasted several days, usually a week or longer. The host of the wedding was expected to provide enough food and refreshment for the wedding guests.
-Mary, the mother of Jesus, apparently had a role in this wedding helping serve the guests.
2. vs 3-4 – the unthinkable happened, they ran out of wine! This would cause a great dishonor and disgrace and humiliation to the married couple as well as to the ruler of the feast.
-Mary came to Jesus seeking help. –Mary knew who to turn to, even for things that may seem insignificant, but we know that God cares about the details of your life!
-it would be easy to say “Well they get what they deserve, they should have planned better.” We often make messes out of our lives and we reap the consequences of those actions. We make poor choices, poor planning and We should get what we deserve. But we can still come to Jesus with these things and He does care and He is merciful and gracious. He just may rescue you!
-Jesus’ response – may sound harsh, but here is what we need to realize – Jesus is simply pointing out that he is no longer under the authority of his mother, but of His father – his heavenly father. His purpose is to make the Father known, fulfilling the Father’s purpose. To act on the Father’s authoring and do His will was the work of Jesus. His hour or timetable is the father’s timetable.
3. She demonstrates faith – simply do what Jesus tells them demonstrates that she is no longer in charge but that Jesus is now in charge!
-If we have run out of spiritual wine then we need to obey and trust in Jesus.
-Prov 3:5-6 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

– whatever your circumstances may be, now matter how bad your situation is, there is hope! Jesus can miraculously change your circumstances!
Ps 42:3-5 3My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
4When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
5Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
God has abundant resources
would be over 2,000 servings of wine – more than enough to satisfy the needs of the celebration.

Inner Hope
This miracle teaches us there is hope for the inner man

1.-describe the waterpots – these jars were used for Jewish water purification rites. Each jar contained about 20 or so gallons.
2. – they were empty
3. – wine is a symbol of joy – Ps 104:15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

– God will turn your mourning into joy
Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Psalm 30:11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

Eternal Hope
This miracle teaches us that we can have eternal hope

1. this was more than just a miracle, it was a sign there is a theological significance to this miracle, a miracle with a message.
– the water in the water pots symbolized the ritual of the Old testament law and the jars were empty – changing the emptiness of the ritual into the richness of the relationship with God
2. – the best wine for last – the disciples put their faith in Jesus.
3. –Matthew 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
The first sign that Moses performed was changing the water into blood – symbolizing judgment, but Jesus changed water into wine – symbolizing grace!

– God is doing a new thing! Is 43:19 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

-Matt 26:27-28 27And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

-Christ turned temple cleansing water into eternal saving wine. What was needed was internal washing, not external washing. He cleansed us from our sin with his shed blood!

-we have this treasure in earthen vessels! 2 Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We have a lively hope! – 1 Peter 1:3

The Invitation

2011-02-07T10:01:00.001-05:00

I preached this sermon February 6, 2011.

Text: Luke 14:15-24

Introduction:
Have you ever received an invitation to a dinner, or a party or some other event and noticed the letters RSVP? Do you know what these letters stand for? When I was a teenager I used to think these letters stood for “Refreshments served are very plentiful.” RSVP. I was disappointed to learn that RSVP was a French term that meant please respond to the invitation. An invitation RSVP requires a response of either yes or no. To neglect a response by simply ignoring the invitation is an insult to the host.
In our text today we see a parable about a man that prepared a great banquet and sent an invitation to his friends. In the first century, it was custom to send two invitations. The first invitation would be to let people know the date of the banquet and people would respond either in the affirmative or would politely decline. When the banquet was prepared then the second invitation would be sent to those who had already said they intended to come and tell them the banquet is now ready. They would be expected to immediately come to the banquet. To say no at this point was an insult.
Christ is offering you an invitation today. For some it is the invitation to salvation. For Christians here today it may be an invitation to follow him in some ministry or mission or other commitment. For some who have strayed from your commitment to Christ it is an invitation to return to the joyful fellowship you once had. Christ is offering an invitation to each person here today.
Many of you have good intentions. “One day I’ll get saved, but not right now.” “One day I’ll follow Christ wholeheartedly but right now I need to take care of other things.” “One day I’ll get back into fellowship with Christ, but I must get a few things straightened out first.”
But the invitation is not for someday, it is for today! We see people in this parable had good intentions, but when the time came they rejected the invitation and then it was too late. They missed out! You can’t simply keep putting Christ off, one day it will be too late. Then what will you do? We see in other places where Jesus describes people that waited too late and they were left in outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Today Christ is making the invitation! You must respond today! You can’t put it off. If you neglect this invitation you have treated Christ with contempt today. If you say no to God, then He is under no obligation to ever offer it again. Why not say “Yes Lord!” and see if the blessings don’t follow. Say “Yes” and experience abundant life in Christ. Wholeheartedly respond to Christ’s invitation and enter into joyful fellowship with Him.
Let’s take a look at Christ’s invitation.

The Invitation Extended

1. The invitation to know Him – John 1:39 when Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter saw Jesus he asked where he lived and Jesus said “Come and see.”
2. The invitation to follow Him – Mark 1:17 follow me and I will make you fishers of men.
3. The invitation to rest in Him – Matthew 11:28-30 28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 9Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

– And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17).

The Invitation Rejected
1. They thought they had better things to do (the excuses were lame). There is nothing more important than this invitation, there is nothing better than what Christ offers.
2. Excuses show a contempt for the host vs 21a – he was angry because the rejection to the invitation showed they didn’t think too highly of the host.
-when we reject Christ’s invitation we show contempt for Christ! Imagine, Christ was beaten, was mocked, was whipped and was crucified and we say “No thanks God, I’ve got better things to do, or I’ll find my own way. Rejecting the cross of Christ is saying that Christ died needlessly because somehow I can be good enough or smart enough to find my own way! That is why the apostle Paul said the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. – 1 Cor 1:18
3. Want to come on their own terms we may say that I’ll do it when I’m ready, when I get my life cleaned up, when I get the things I want, or I’ll get saved as long as I don’t have to give up anything. – they thought that surely they would have another opportunity in the future but we see the answer to that in verse 24. You can’t come to Christ on your own terms, but on his!
- 2 Cor 6:2 now is the time of salvation
Heb 3 12Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
15While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
-what excuses are you making? What excuse is worth losing your soul over?

The Invitation Accepted

1. Christ’s invitation is for all – just as you are – gracious on His part – you don’t need to get your life straightned out first, come as you are!
2. Shows those the world sees as unworthy or unlikely are more apt to respond because they recognize their own need.
3. We must compel them to come before it is too late

Jude 1:22-23 22And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Church, what the world needs right now is our compassion, not our judgment, not our criticism, not a holier than thou attitude. We must understand that the world is already perishing, the lost are doomed without a savior, sinners are already condemned so they don’t need our condemnation. They need to see Christians as gracious, merciful and loving, because that is how God is. That is how God was with me. In my sin He could have been just in condemning to eternity in hell. But instead he showed my patience, mercy, love and grace and He saved me.
But how often we love to pass judgment, how often we like to condemn, we like to point the finger and turn up our nose. God forgive us!

The Glory Departed

2011-01-24T08:36:00.001-05:00

This is the third sermon in the series Call to Solemn Assembly, I preached this sermon January 23, 2011.

Text: Psalm 78:56-64

Introduction
We learn in 1 Samuel of a time when the Philistines attacked Israel and defeated the Israelites killing about 4,000 men. The remainder of the army fled back to camp and wondered how such a tragedy could have occurred. Why did the Lord allow the pagan Philistines a victory over God’s people. It didn’t make sense. Then they came up with a great idea, they decided to bring the ark of the covenant from its sanctuary in Shiloh to the battlefield. The ark is where the shekinah glory of God dwelled. Shekinah was the visible manifestation of God’s presence, seen in the pillar of cloud and fire the led the Israelites through the desert. The ark was God’s throne. Surely by bring the Lord of Hosts (God almighty) into the battle the Israelites would prevail.
When the ark was brought into the camp the Israelites shouted with victory. The Philistines were frightened because they heard that God had come into the camp of the Israelites. The Philistines sensed defeat. That is when the most unexpected thing happened.
When the Israelites engaged the Philistines in battle with the ark of the covenant present assuring victory, the Israelites were soundly defeated with about 30,000 Israelites soldiers killed. But even more shocking than the defeat of Israel in the presence of the ark was that the Philistines captured the ark and took it back with them to Ashdod. The shekinah glory of God departed.
News came back to Shiloh to Eli the priest, when he heard the ark was taken he fell out of his chair from the shocking news and broke his neck and died. And there was a woman there who gave birth to a child, her husband a priest named Phinehas died in the battle and she was told that the ark was taken by the Philistines. The shock was so horrific that she died in childbirth, but not before naming her child. She named her child Ichabod – meaning the glory is gone. She said The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
Do you see the tragedy here, one of the lowest points in the history of Israel, not that the ark was taken, but that the glory of God had departed Israel. HL Ellison pointed out that the glory of God did not depart because the ark had been captured but that the ark had been captured because the glory had already departed.
In recent years there have been tragedies in the US. We have seen some of the most devastating natural disasters in the last decade with hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes. We have seen the devastation of disease. We have seen the horrors of humanity apart from God with terrorist attacks, school shootings and other senseless acts of violence. We have seen sin not only tolerated but glorified, from homosexuality being called an alternative lifestyle to abortion being called a mere choice to sexual promiscuity being called entertainment. We have seen churches delve into sensuality and forsake spirituality to the point that many can’t tell the difference. The question remains “Are we giving birth to an Ichabod?” Are we making an exit for the glory of God to depart our land? Or is it too late? Has the glory already departed? I hope not, I hope that we as God’s people may humble ourselves and pray and seek the face of God and turn from our own wickedness and see the shekinah glory revealed.
In today’s text we see a time when the situation in Israel deteriorated to a point that the glory of God departed. This was the time of the judges, before there was a king. We can read the last part of the book of judges, Ruth, and 1 Samuel to get a feel for what the spiritual condition of Israel was when the glory of God departed. What caused the glory to depart? What were the times like and do we see any parallel to our world today?

No Moral Standard
Vs 56
1. Judges text Judges 21:25 25In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
2. Tempted God – they presumed upon God by bringing the ark into the battle
-When the devil tempted Jesus by trying to get Jesus to prove He is the messiah by jumping from the pinnacle of the temple, he quouted scripture saying that if Jesus even as much as dashed his foot against a stone the angels would bear him up. And Jesus quoted Deut 6:16 “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
-are we that presumptuous with God? God will always bless the US b/c we were founded on Christian principles, or even as an individual treating sin lightly with the idea that “God will forgive me, all I have to do is ask forgiveness.”
3. Ignored God’s commands 10They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
11And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them

Is there a moral absolute? Yes, absolutely!
We see a situation in Romans 1 that describes the loss of moral standards Romans 1:25 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Famine of God’s Word
Vs 57
1. 1 Sam 3:1 And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
2. Turned back – they rejected God’s word Gal 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
3. Unfaithful – turned aside like a deceitful bow – a bow that send an arrow in the wrong direction (shoot a bow and the arrow simply falls at your feet.)

Gal 1:6-9

Wicked Leadership
1. Idolatrous –they broke the first two commandments and were led to do so by the priests!
2. Greedy 1 Samuel 2:12-17 12Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
13And the priest's custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
14And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
15Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
16And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
17Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
3. Adulterous 1 Sam 2:22 22Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

– Jer 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

What happens when the glory departs?
Vs 59-64

Ice Age

2011-01-17T09:47:00.002-05:00

This is the second sermon in the Call to Solemn Assembly series. I preached this sermon January 16, 2011

Text: Matthew 24:12

Introduction:
I don’t know about you, but I feel like we have been living in the arctic over the last month or so with the snow and cold. They say we are experiencing global warming but lately it seems we are heading into an ice age. While I may complain about the snow and cold and I don’t like it save for moving south for the winter there isn’t much I can do.
While I am no scientist and could not predict if we are entering a time of global warming or another ice age, it would seem to me as a Pastor that a Spiritual Ice Age is upon us. That the love of many has grown cold.
This verse, in context, Jesus is speaking of the end times. Chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew contain Jesus teaching of the coming destruction of Jerusalem which we now know happened in AD 70. The Roman Empire desecrated and destroyed the temple. But He also teaches of his own second coming of the last days. Paul tells Timothy in his epistle that in the last days perilous times will come. Look around our world today and you see we are living in very perilous times. Jesus describes these last days in this one verse by saying the love of many shall wax cold. This term “wax cold” is interesting because it literally a picture of someone blowing cool air on a flame for the purpose of extinguishing the flame. You might think of it as blowing out a candle. So Jesus is saying that the love of many will be extinguished just as blowing out a candle. What is it that extinguishes love? What would make love wax cold? What would make a warm heart grow cold?
Jesus gives us the answer, he says it is because of iniquity. The word iniquity is synonomous for sin, but in this particular instance it means lawlessness. Now you may be thinking we live in a country with plenty of laws so this must not pertain to us, it is actually a reference to God’s moral law. So as we disregard God’s moral law in favor of sin, simply living by fleshly lusts, our love will grow colder and colder until the flame is snuffed out. Sin puts love in the freezer. Yes global warming may be going on, but we are living in a spiritual ice age because people are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.
What would Jesus say of us, First Baptist Coeburn, or us as the SBC, or the Christians of America? Would He say that we have entered into a spiritual ice age? Has sin abounded to the point that we are cold on God?
We joke about the frozen chosen, but love growing cold is no joke. Lets see what sin does to make the cold Christian.

A Cold Heart Toward God
-sin leaves us with a cold heart toward God.
1. Jesus said that God’s law can be summed up as this as found back in Matthew 22:37-38 “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” Who do you love? The Christian’s love, the apple of your eye should be the Lord himself. If you love someone you want to spend time with that person, you want to communicate with that person, you want to make that person happy. When you love someone you find yourself thinking of that person, wanting to know more about that person, and you long to be with that person when you are apart. Shouldn’t we love God that way? Spend time with Him, long to be with Him, think about Him, want to know him better, talk to Him and listen to Him and glorify Him.
2. Jesus said in John 14:21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. and 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
3. But when we regard sin in our hearts here is what happens, the love you had for God grows cold. And it can happen. It happened to the church of Ephesus. Revelation 2:4 Jesus says this…Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
-Can you imagine a church that is cold hearted toward God? The church is the bride of Christ, and yet here is a bride at Ephesus that was cold hearted toward her groom. (Imagine the heartbreak of a groom to find out his bride doesn’t love him anymore.)
-Have we a cold heart toward God? When we have a cold heart toward God it leads to loss of conscience, loss of moral absolutes
Is 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Jer 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

How did that happen to Ephesus? How could it happen to us? Sin, iniquity.
-for the heart that has grown cold, you need a heart warmer, the heart warmer is confession and repentance
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

A Cold Shoulder Toward Others
Sin will give us a cold heart toward God and then will cause us to turn a cold shoulder toward others.
1. Jesus said the first and great commandment was to love God, but then he said the second is like unto it. In Matthew 22:39 “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
2. John wrote in 1 John 3:11-17 11For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
12Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
13Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
14We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
3. A cold shoulder toward others leads to devaluing human life (today is sanctity of life Sunday), focus on our own selves and our own pleasures and lack of sensitivity to the needs of others.

we need a shoulder warmer – and it is righteousness. If sin causes love to grow cold, then righteousness should cause love to get hot! Right? A moral rightousness leads to recognition of moral responsibility, to love others!
1 John 5:1-3 1Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Cold Feet Toward Serving God
-when we regard sin in our lives, our hearts grow cold on God, we turn a cold shoulder toward others, and we get cold feet for service to the Lord.
– cold feet meaning the fear of the commitment – there are many sitting here today with a fear of commitment to serving the Lord. You have a fear of commitment toward joining the church and being involved. Maybe you are afraid you can’t do it, or you can’t stick with it, or you will fail. Well guess what, you are right. You’ll never serve God perfectly, only Jesus could do that. You will make mistakes, you will come up short, you will disappoint yourself and others. But more disappointing and the worse failure is to not serve at all, because Christ has called us to serve.
1. The great commission – Acts 1:8 8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
2. The body of the church Eph 4:11-13 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

– got cold feet? Need a foot warmer? It takes faith, faith will get you moving in service,
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.; 12:1-2 1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

So exercise your faith and warm your feet.

In the material world science has discovered Absolute zero – negative 459 degrees F – it is impossible to get any colder. As the spiritual ice age descends upon us it will fall to a spiritual absolute zero. When the candle is extinguished.
2 Thess 2 – tells us in the last days there will be a great falling away,
2 Tim 3:1-5 1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
describe a time of absolute zero, when love has grown cold, when the candle is extinguished.