The Good News!

The good news (gospel) is that Jesus Christ came into the world to seek and save the lost(Luke 19:10)

Jesus said, “Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt. 10:28) All of us have a soul because when God made man, He breathed into him the breath of life and he became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). But then each of us became spiritually dead because of our sins. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But God does not want any to perish (2 Peter 3:9).  So “God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). 

Although God and Christ, by grace, have provided us with a great gift — the salvation of our souls —it is a conditional gift. 

God in His word (the Bible) says there are some conditions to receiving this gift. God asks men to believe: “without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6) and follow His will, for Christ is “the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him” (Heb. 5:9).

What is the will of God for us in coming to Him for salvation? What does the New Testament teach?

Hearing And Believing The Gospel Of Christ (Romans 10:17; Acts 8:12)

Confessing Your Belief In Jesus (Acts 8:37; Matthew 10:32)

Repenting Of Your Sins (Acts 17:30 and 2:38)

Being Baptized For Remission of Your Sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16)

Difficulties & Obstacles: Unwanted Gifts

Like most people, I like gifts. Gifts are generally good, generous and pleasant, and some are even useful. God is the great giver of gifts and there are many of them them I greatly appreciate and I probably should appreciate some of them a great deal more. But there are also from him gifts that I don’t appreciate, such as obstacles and difficulties He sends my way.  

Consider what God’s dealing with Hosea’s unfaithful wife:

Hos. 2:6,7 “Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her way with thorns, And I will build a wall against her so that she cannot find her paths.And she will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them; And she will seek them, but will not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my first husband, For it was better for me then than now!’”

Often we think of obstacles and difficulties as bad things that are the work of our enemy, Satan. But Gomer, and by extension all Israel of who she was a type,was hedged in by difficulties from God. 

These difficulties were for her good, to retain her from evil and to bring her back to her husband and to her God. So God might will give us difficulties and obstacles as a form or discipline and restraint. When He puts up barriers to our sinful plans it is a gift to us. Let us be thankful and glad to He cares enough to keep us from evil. “FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” (Heb. 12:6)

Short Thoughts On Submission

Wives’ submission to husbands is the most recognizable submitting relationship in the scriptures (1 Pet. 3:1,5, Eph. 5:21, Col. 3:18; Tit. 2:5), but it is not the only one. We are to be subject to our spiritual leaders (Heb. 13:17; 1 Cor. 16:16; 1 Pet. 5:5) and to governmental authorities (1 Pet. 2:13; Rom. 13:1-5; Tit. 3:1). Servants are to be subject to masters (Titus 2:9; 1 Pet. 2:18) we all to be subject to God (Jas. 4:7) and we are even to “be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” (Eph. 5:21)

In all these relationships, harmony and respect for the leadership (authority) is the primary meaning of submission. Submission is not based on complete agreement—for how can two thinking people ever agree on everything if both are still thinking—and when has God ever wanted, expected or encouraged mindless service?  

Furthers, submission does not mean that one is not trying to influence leaders towards good and godly decisions. Nor is submission going along with ungodliness and error, for then one is no longer in submission to God, which is also clearly instructed, and it the primary relationship that each of us should honor.  

So if it is not these things—which is often how worldly minded people mischaracterize it in order to argue against it and which petty authoritarians who get a little bit of power wish it be!—what is it?  

Submission is honoring, in action and attitude, the leadership roles by which God has chosen to order human relationships; obeying when possible, and using the indirect means of influence such as moral persuasion and considerate appeals instead of rebelliousness, complaint and stubbornness when necessary to bring changes.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness if one of the greatest promises of the New Testament, and one of the hardest things for us to do.   

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matt. 6:12)

Forgiveness is not forgetting. Paul said that he “forgot what was behind” (Phil. 3:13,14), but that was of things that some might want to cling to.  He remembered years after he served as apostle what he life was before, how he was the “foremost of sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15,16) and thus he always remembered how great grace was. Forgiveness lets us let it go, not act like it didn’t happen. 

Forgiveness is not excusing. It was wrong, that’s why it needed to be forgiven. It’s still wrong after your/they were forgiven, and it so forgiveness doesn’t mean you can/should do it again. 

Forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean reconciliation, although the first is necessary for the second. We should, for our own sake, forgive others, even if they remain umreconciliable. We are told to be at peace with all men “as much as it depends on us” (Rom. 12:18). This is what Jesus did for those on the cross, no matter how irreconcilable they were.  It is no coincidence that in the Beatitudes Jesus blesses the “peacemakers” and then the “persecuted” (Matt. 5:9,10) one after the other — they are often the same folks. Seeking peace is on us, not the other, first.

Forgiveness is because we have been forgiven.  

“…forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” (Col. 3:13)

The Apostles’ Desire To See Others Face To Face

With (nearly) everyone carrying, or having with in easy reach, a digital communications device, we have so many ways that we can communicate, if we want. We can communicate privately, with groups or the whole world nearly anytime we wish. We like to think all this is really new and world changing, but we seen it all before. When the telegraph came, nearly every benefit and criticism that is said about the internet was said it.  (ref. Victorian Internet by Tom Standage)

Going back further to classical antiquity, letters communicated, privately or to groups, with those far away vast amounts of information. But even those who wrote inspired words, the most effective words possible, preferred to be with brethren face to face. 

1 Thess. 2:17“But we, brethren, having been bereft of you for a short while—in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face.”

2 Jn. 12“Having many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that your joy may be made full.”

3 Jn 13,14“I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.”

Our words sent from can be good, helpful, edifying and should be sent by call, text or note. But they only supplement face to face interactions, they can’t replace them.

Extraordinary Effects Of Ordinary Christianity

After a while, the basics of Christianity can seem to many to be so mundane. Such things as “love your neighbor” (Matt. 22:34-40), and your spouse, and your children, and do acts of mercy, and be hospitable (Heb. 13:2), and deal with others with with an open heart and kindness can seem to the immature to be just so ordinary.  

With two millennia of Christian knowledge as a background, our society largely pays lip-service the ideals of putting interest of other ahead of our own (Phil. 2:3,4) because this is the way that Jesus lived and showed us (Phil. 2:5-11).  

But when it was introduced to the world is was a radical change from the life that was known to the pagan world. Little noticed in its first years, within a few decades this manner of life led the abandonment of ancient religions and millennia of social norms.  

Acts 17:5-7 “But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar…shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also…””

When it was introduced to a world of harshness, physical and sexual excesses and cruelty, it was a radical change that led the abandonment of ancient religions and millennia of social norms. Now Christian virtues may not seem radical or worthy of much notice, But if you live in this way the effects on yourself, your family and those around you can be earth-changing.

How To Live

Often the world tells us that to “Live Well” is the purpose of our existence here. Some perverted versions of the gospel copy this and tell us to “live our best life now.” Others, like the popular campaign by a now disgraced popular athlete told us to “Live Strong.” 

Although there might certainly be worse ways to live that “well” or “strong,” these are not the lives to which we have been called by Christ through the gospel.

Matt. 4:4  “on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”

Jn. 6:59 “live forever more” by eating the bread of heaven. (Christ)

Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38 “live by faith”

Rom. 14:8  “live for the Lord.”

2 Cor. 5:15  “live…for Him who died and rose again on [our] behalf.”

2 Cor. 13:11  “live in peace”

Gal. 2:19 “live to God”

Gal. 2:20 “live by faith in the Son of God”

Gal. 5:25“live by the Spirit”

Phil. 4:2 “live in harmony in the Lord”

1 Thess. 5:13  “live in peace with one another”

2 Tim. 3:12  “live godly in Christ Jesus”

1 Pet. 2:24 “live to righteousness”

1 Pet. 3:7  “live with your wives in an understanding way”

1 Pet. 4:6 “live in the spirit according to the will of God”

1 Jn. 4:9  “live through Him”

Ring Out The Old, Ring In Christ

Ring Out The Old, Ring In Christ

165 years ago, Alfred Tennyson wrote “to ring out” the old strifes, hatred, griefs, errors and troubles of the old and to “ring in” the new, happy, true, pure, good and lovely.  

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,

For those that here we see no more,

Ring out the feud of rich and poor,

Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,

The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right,

Ring in the common love of good.

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart the kindlier hand;

Ring out the darkness of the land,

Ring in the Christ that is to be.

In the final stanza of his poem (of which there are eight in all), he pointed the way to way to have this renewal that all men desire:  Christ who is to be.

One day, in Christ, all the works of the devil will be destroyed (1 Jn. 3:8) and a “new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells” (2 Pet. 3:13) and “at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow.” (Phil. 2:10). 

As the New Year Begins, let us renew again in our own lives the commitment to bring Christ into our hearts, letting his peace, love, joy and priorities lead us in every private moment and ever public participation’ ringing out every “raised up against the knowledge of God, and…taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5) until He is rung fully in!

Devoted To Prayer

We have been studying prayer in several sermons with several more planned. In the New American Standard translation we find the instruction to be “devoted to prayer” (Rom. 12:12)

The greek word most often used translated “devoted” (proskartere Strong’s #4342) which is also translated as “continue in”, “persist” and “preserve,” is used regarding prayer 5 of the 10 times that it appears in the New Testament. 

Acts 2:42“And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Acts 6:4“But we will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”

1 Cor. 7:5“Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time that you may devote yourselves to prayer…”

Col. 4:2“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving"

There are to other good things to be devoted to that are descriptor int his way in the scriptures such as unity (Acts 1:14; 2:26) and doing God’s will (Rom. 13:6) but not taught so often as prayer. 

The Heavenly Calling

The Hebrew writer tells us that in our Christian endeavor we are partakers of a heavenly calling. 

Heb. 3:1“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus…”

It is a call both from heaven, and to heaven, but it is given on earth that God has told us to repeat over and over and over making sure that anyone who wants to come will have a chance to hear the calling. 

Rev. 22:17“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.”  And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.”

This is exactly what Jesus did with the apostles. He was sent, and He sends others to spread the His message. 

Jn. 20:21“Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

So with the heavenly calling.  The origin is heaven, but the call is spread by those who have already accept it. The supernatural portion was the origin; the effectiveness is based in God’s will; providential care and blessings protect and promote the call and we repeat God’s call to all who will hear.

Who Is This?

The apostles saw a great miracle. And even they, who had seen so many miracles and even had their own family members healed, could not yet conceive of who was with them.  

Mark 4:40“And He Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” And being aroused, He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, “Why are you so timid? How is it that you have no faith?” And they became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?””

It was Jesus, the Son of God, God with Us, God in the flesh. The answer was in scripture, once they put it together. 

Ps. 65:7“Who stills the roaring of the seas, The roaring of their waves, And the tumult of the peoples?” 

Ps. 89:9“You rule the swelling of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.”

Ps. 107:29“He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed.”

Yes, the answer to the question of amazement was thrice before given in scripture. They just hadn’t put their question and the information God already provided together — just like so many times today.

Everything Must Go!!

How many times have we heard these words booming in anadvertisement to get out attention that this “Going out of business” sale is really, this time we really actually do mean it, because we are closing this shop up and want to sell everything first. So the they’ll sell at a loss because they are closing up shop and moving on to something else. 

Consider how the apostle felt about all the worldly things that he had outside of Christ. He was fully willing to let them go: go at a loss, go immediately, go completely, go permanently…just get that stuff gone to have Christ instead. 

Phil. 3:7-11“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him…that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Jesus addressed this same thing from the other side of the question when“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36)  In very of this, “Everything must go!” is the reasonable choice if compared to what is offered in Christ.

The Greatest Bible Study Ever

Luke 24:27“And beginning with Moses and with all the pro-phets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”

On the day of the resurrection, two discipline (one name Cleopas, the other unnamed) were making the seven mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They were talking about Jesus and the recent events when Jesus, whose identity was in some way hidden from them, joined them as they travelled.  

After Jesus asked them to explain further, they spoke of thegreat expectations that they had for him, and the early reports of His resurrection and that His body was gone..

Jesus then spent the rest of the journey explaining to them the things about Himself that were in “all the scriptures.” This phrase can be taken as either He spoke to them about “all the scriptures” that spoke of Him, or He outlined what “all the scriptures” taught.  

It was a 7 mile walk, so maybe a journey of 2 hours or so, so He had some time to explain things to them, but still, since there are over 300 prophecies of Jesus in the Old Testament, He probably didn’t cover every one of them. But He open their eyes to what “all the scriptures” said — that He can just as prophesied bringing forgiveness to the people and their hope in him was well justified. What a study of scriptures was, as Jesus Himself explained the mysteries hidden God from the beginning in detail that had never been done.

Daily, Not Weekly, Monthly, Annual Or Lifetime Provision

Ex. 16:18,19 “When they measured it with an omer, he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack; every man gathered as much as he should eat. And Moses said to them, “Let no man leave any of it until morning.’”

Matt. 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread.”

The provision of God to all mankind, especially to His people, is a fact that is proven by history, taught in the scriptures, and accepted by faith by all His people. 

The provision is often what businessmen today would call “just in time” inventory management.  His provision is given in such a way that we get what we need, but in such a way that we don’t become unappreciative of it, thoughtless as to it’s origins. One of the worst things that can happen to a disciple is to be thoughtless, thankless and presumptuous in regard to the shower of blessings God gives. 

In hindsight, we can see that God took care of us last week, last month, over prior years, and even through out entire lives. But He does it one day at a time.  

So we have the need of daily requests and daily thanks. And when we think further on spiritual things, daily study (Acts 17:11). daily teaching (Acts 5:42), daily exhortation (Heb. 3:13), and daily self-denial and cross-bearing (Luke 9:23).

“Do You Believe This?” Jn. 11:25,26

In Jn. 11:25,26 Jesus made an amazing statement, then He followed it by asking a very simply question.  

Jesus’ friend Lazarus had died just a few days before. Four days after His friends’ burial, Jesus went to the cemetery and was met by Lazarus’ sister, Martha. Jesus told her: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (vss. 25,26)

What an incredible statement. Here was a man standing before Martha telling her that He was the resurrection of life, and that if anyone would believe in Him they would live forever. Would this cause Martha to doubt? Wasn’t Lazarus a believer, a disciple, of Jesus?  And just where was it that Martha was having this conversation about life and death?  Wasn’t it in a cemetery near the fresh grave of her beloved brother?  Many lose their faith in just such a scene as this.  

In vs. 26 Jesus asked Martha “Do you believe this?” Martha didn’t just say that she believed in a Christ, but the Jesus, the one standing before her, was the one.   

Martha made her great confession in Jesus just before He raised her brother from his early grave. She believed and her faith was quickly vindicated. If we believe in the same way that she did we don’t expect to so quickly leave the cemetery in triumph. But the power that Jesus demonstrated in Bethany assures us that one day (that last great day) we can leave the cemetery just as surely as Lazarus did when Jesus says, “Come forth” to all the faithful.

As We Teach The Boys: “Do Your Best”

“Do your best” is the motto of the Cub Scouts and we often have to remind to boys of it as they get frustrated with difficult activities and skills. Doing your best is Biblical principle as well. “Whatever you do, do with all your heart, as for the Lord.” (Col. 3:2)

Doing our best is both all we can do and, at the same time, quite limited. If we could always do right, always do things perfectly, we would do that and not have to worry about doing a our best effort, because we’d just do it right and be done with it. But we often don’t do things right. It’s very frustrating knowing it’s not right, when that’s what we want to do. As the scriptures say say, “We all stumble in many ways.” (James 3:2). Another translation has it this way, “We all make many mistakes.”

So we are limited to “doing our best” because that’s all that we can do. We can’t do any better than that no matter how much we want to. We can’t do better than our best, whether it is right or not. We can only hope to grow and do better in the future.

So we do as best we can by our families, neighbors and brethren. We love and help as we can and those of goodwill love in return as they try to do the same as well. We don’t love because others are perfect, and that’s not why God loves us, either. 

We should all be so glad to love isn’t based on perfection, but based on relationships, and each of us trying to be good to one another.

No Idols in Beth-el

As Jacob was headed to Laban’s house to seek a wife (and flee his brother Esau’s wrath), he met God at a place he would call “Beth-el” (“Beth” meaning house and “el” meaning God). “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven”…And he called the name of that place Bethel” (Gen. 28:17,19)

Twenty five or so years later, when Jacob and his family needed to leave Shechem because of the actions of his sons, he was called by God to go back to that place. “Then God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’” (Gen. 35:1)

Before going to the place of God, Jacob knew that his family had some things to correct. Over the years they had become too much like the world in their religion and their actions. “So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments; and let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and has been with me wherever I have gone.” (Gen. 35:2,3)

They had many things that they needed to leave behind in Shechem and not take to the house of God. They needed to leave the idols Rachel took from her father’s house and the duplicity they had practiced their neighbors. They need to “change their clothes” and go worship God. 

It is fitting that later Joshua chose Shechem to give his rousing “Choose you this day” speech against idolatry.  (Josh. 24) In every generation, we need to leave some things in Shechem and go to Bethel.

More Blessed To Give Than Receive

Acts 20:33-35“I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes.

34“You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me.

35“In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Worldly minded people seldom understand the spiritual words of the Savior, and none are more misunderstood or maligned than the word’s that Paul reminds us of here. 

We don’t know when Jesus spoke these words since they are not recorded or referenced in the gospels. We only know that His inspired apostle attests to these words, and used them to teach the church the proper view of material things: Sharing, not coveting and hoarding.

It is more blessed to give than to receive because Christians view life and possessions are as things to do good with, not to seek for the accumulation or use of them for our own pleasures.

It is more blessed to give than receive because the spiritual is more important than the material. 

It is more blessed to give than to receive because the ability to give means that we have been first blessed to have enough of something to share.

It is more blessed to give than to receive because we follow the example and pattern of the Father. 

Let us seek every opportunity to give important things, both physical and spiritual It is the blessed way.

Love Your Neighbor — You Know, What’s His Face

A recent sociological study entitled “Less in Common” reveals how Americans interactions with their neighbors is becoming less and less. 

Americans spend significantly less time with their neighbors.  In the 1970s, nearly 30 percent of Americans frequently spent time with neighbors, and only 20 percent had no interactions with them. Today, those proportions are reversed. (available at: http://cityobservatory.org/less-in-common/)

This trend has always been pushed by technology. Things as basic as air-conditions keep people walled off from each other inside their own homes. With telephones we can speak to those far away (whom we already know)  as easily as those nearby (whom we often don’t). The internet and its devices has only made this easier, cheaper and more common.  

It also has to do with us spending our pleasure time (and sometimes our work time) increasing alone. The study notes that, “The biggest portion of our leisure time is spent watching television…”  Some people are sitting so long watching Netflix and other services that offer full seasons of televisions shows that health authorities have issued warnings about pulmonaryembolisms — blood clots that start in the extremities then travel to and lodge in the lungs — caused by sitting for extended periods with limited movement (a danger usually associated with cramped conditions on very long flights) — for people binge-watching shows.

While inside, on our phone, computer or tv, when is their time for the love of neighbor that we are so often reminded to show? (Matt. 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:14; Jas. 2:8)

Loving Those We Did Not Choose

We have some latitude in this life about the people we spend out time with. We get to choose our spouses and and our friends, and sometimes we have a choice of congregations, so that we might have some limited choices in the brethren we associate with. But the vast majority of people that God told us to love are not people who get to choose — yet God chose for us to love them. 

Love your neighbor — not many of these did we choose. Love your enemies — unless you set out to start a conflict with them, you didn’t choose these. Love your family — we didn’t choose them any more than they chose us. 

Think of Jesus’ most famous teaching about loving your neighbor: the story of the good Samaritan.  The man on the road to Jericho didn’t choose to be injured. The Levite and the priest then didn’t choose to help. The Samaritan didn’t get to choose who to show love to, he only got to decide to be loving or not.   

Luke 10:36,37 “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” And Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.””

This is really the only choice for us. Do we love: even at the inconvenient, time-consuming, work delaying, planned relaxation time disrupting, expensive in time, effort and money, that opportunity often presents itself in as Jesus instructs? Or do we just continue on like the world?