WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?
Peter came to Jesus with a question which might have been asked by anyone of us today;
Mat 19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
What's in it for me? This is the first thing which comes to our minds as we contemplate almost any undertaking. It has been said that man comes into the world with his hands clenching and grasping and usually leaves it the same way.
Materialism may not be the most admirable trait for human beings to have, but, let's face it, that's the way most human beings are. Jesus didn't rebuke Peter for posing the question. Instead he treated it as a legitimate inquiry. The answer as far as Peter and the other disciples were concerned was, "You shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
Capitalism has been successful in every nation which tries it,because it, satisfies the natural desire of man to seek a profit in all he does. While the ideal of christian service is to commit without thought of personal reward, the fact is, we have been promised great reward and that promise is precious to us. Even the Apostle Paul looked forward to payday!
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.
There are many kinds of riches.
Concerning temporal wealth, Solomon stated,
Prov 11:28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
Recognizing that there are things more valuable than silver and gold he said,
Prov 13:7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
As one searches for the rewards for serving Christ, we must look beyond the idea of immediate material gain to something far more important. What advantage is a huge bank account to a person if his life is miserable? Does it really matter if a person hasn't a penny to his name, if he has peace of mind and contentment? Who had the better and more enjoyable life, The millionaire who died alone in his bunker with his wealth piled around him, or, the hermit with nothing, as he contemplates the beauty of another sunset with a mind at ease? There is nothing wrong with money, but one must keep it in perspective.
Paul expressed a great truth in:
1 Tim 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1 Tim 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
1 Tim 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Tim 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1 Tim 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1 Tim 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1 Tim 6:10 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.
The first thing we gain from our service to Christ is Peace and Contentment. The beauty of it is, we don't have to wait until the resurrection or some far off time in the future to begin reaping the profit from our service. At the same time Jesus invited his disciples to serve him, he made the promise that they would find peace in doing it.
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
There is a song we sometimes sing, "It pays to serve Jesus.It pays every day. It pays every step of the way." If this were all we might expect from our service to Him, it would be sufficient to warrant our complete dedication. But this is only the beginning! We gain strength and joy as we fellowship with others who also walk in the light of His Word.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Fellowship means that we have brothers and sisters who can strengthen us and hold us up in prayer when we need extra strength. It means worshipping God and serving Him in a New Testament Church where we can be lifted up and be made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. All this is only scratching the surface of our present benefits of serving Him and we haven't even mentioned those rewards which await us at His coming!
Let us consider the blessing of prayer. We're not talking about the kind of prayer that's used like a fire extinguisher, 'for emergency only'. This is that daily communion with God that can add a dimension to our lives as nothing else can. It is a relationship and a communion which can occur ONLY as we serve Him in Spirit and in Truth.
Those who are saved but not serving Him, can surely bring their problems to Him but there can be no real answer to those problems until His will is met. Only then, can prayer be the full fellowship with God that He intended it to be.
As we think upon the profit to be had from service, we want to look ahead too. Our present peace, contentment and fellowship with one another and with God is great for this present time, but we will not always dwell in this present world. What then?
Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
How can we lay up treasures in heaven? Paul told us how he did it.
2 Tim 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
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.
Many ideas have floated around as to the rewards for those who have pleased Him. Whatever else they might be, if we can but hear the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." we shall be well paid.
No one should serve Christ only for what he might get out of it. The basis for our service should be love. We love Him because he first loved us. His words were, "If you love me, keep my commandments,"
Paul taught us that the most thorough committal without love was meaningless.
1 Cor 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1 Cor 13:2 And 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.
1 Cor 13:3 And 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.
It pays to serve Jesus, but in order that our service be accepted we need to be sure that all the requirements are met.
Mat 7:21 Not 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.
Mat 7:22 Many 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?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
The first requirement is that one must be born again. Until one has been made alive to God through salvation, there is absolutely nothing he can do which will find favor in God's sight.
After salvation, one must obey the scriptures and follow the Lord in Scriptural baptism at the hands of a New Testament Church. Then He must serve according to the instructions of the Word. Sincerity on the part of the individual is not enough.
2 Tim 2:5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. One's service as well as his salvation MUST be in accordance with the Word of God.
What's in it for you?
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 super-abundant life in Christ awaits you, but it can only be yours after you have the eternal life he now offers you.
Monday, April 10, 2006
TRUE WEALTH
The nations of the world are in a constant state of unrest because of the unsettled state of the currency of one nation or another. Fortunes are made or lost according to the whims of buyers and sellers in the stock markets. In order to try to lend a little stability to their riches, men have invested in precious metals, jewels, art and real estate. The value of gold or silver can decline. Jewels and art can be stolen. Changing economic conditions can cause real estate to plummet. In every thing he does, man can be frustrated. If none of the possible things happen to cause his investments to lose value and he gains great wealth, then death can take him unawares and until it does he worries constantly that something MIGHT go wrong.
This is the vanity of riches as described by Solomon.
Prov 23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
It would be easy to fill pages with scripture dealing with the vanity of worldly wealth, but more profitable to spend time thinking of the permanent riches available to God's people.
The fluctuations of wall street can have no effect upon these riches. No thief can ever break through and steal them. Every day that passes and every event of the world only make these riches more precious than they were the day before.
Since these are divine riches they are not measured in terms of dollars and cents.
Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
How can we possibly place a value upon the salvation of a soul? How can we enter into the balance sheet, the value of the price paid for it?
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
1 Pet 1:18 Forasmuch 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;
1 Pet 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
The value of an item is determined by the asking price and what the buyer is willing to pay.
Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mark 8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
The Psalmist expressed it another way;
Psa 49:6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
Psa 49:7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
Psa 49:8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
Even the legendary wealth of the world's richest king could never redeem one lost soul. In fact, all the pooled wealth of all ages added to the wealth of the universe could not pay the price.
BUT THE PRICE WAS PAID!
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
No one but God could pay the price. Though man was morally bankrupt and spiritually dead, God was willing to pay the awful price. So, he sent his Son to die for the redemption of man. Thus, salvation is the first of our great eternal treasures..
Call it the new birth, redemption, salvation or whatever you wish. It is not a bauble which can be stolen away nor a perishible that fades with the using. It is eternal life!
Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Col 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
These treasures of wisdom and knowledge belong to God's children but, sad to say, not all of them are benefitting from their family riches. It is as though they had built their house in a field of diamonds, yet live in poverty, because they are not aware of the treasure around them.
Mat 13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
The treasures are there but one needs to know what to look for and where to look.
Consider the priceless treasure of eternal hope and assurance.
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.
Hope has impelled man to build civilizations, make inventions and seek new things. It has even prompted him to look toward the stars, yet all of these will result only in a possible improvement in his tomorrows ,while hope for eternity which is found only in Christ, lies largely ignored.
Consider the value of such a treasure of hope. The merchant's hope of profit can be dashed in the marketplace. The hope of rulers for a larger kingdom often falls on the battlefield. The hope of earthly companionship can be ended by the cold hand of death, but the eternal hope which is ours as children of the living God, cannot be affected by any of these, nor by all the powers of a vengeful hell.
Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Earth's fleeting hope may change the course of a person for a little time, but the eternal riches of this hope can change our course for all eternity.
Then we examine the precious jewel of friendship. Friends are indeed a treasure, and we can be terribly lonely without them. They too are but temporary in this changing world. We move apart, lives change, death comes between, and sad to say, sometimes they turn against us. We have a great treasure in one great friend;
Prov 18:24 A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Others might be repelled by our shortcomings, but here is one who can understand our infirmities.
Heb 4:15 For 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.
While others are helpless to assist us, here is one who sits at the right hand of the throne of God! Talk about 'friends in high places'! here is one who can't be topped!
This friend has made us this promise;
Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
He has the power to keep this promise for;
Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Would you like Him to be your friend?
John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Salvation is free, without works of any kind, but here Jesus speaks of friendship and there is a price.
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
It is impossible for Him to alter his walk and so, if there is to be friendship, we must walk with him his way.
The choice is ours and it MUST be made.
AWAY VILE HAND!
Shall I turn again and take the hand
of the fiend who drove the nails,
and have the hand tthat plicked his beard
laid in friendship on my shoulder?
When the devil and his crowd assails
the cross, where will I stand?
Beside the saints who never feared?
Or with men whose hatred smoulders?
To turn my back on Him, my Lord,
and bow to sin's dread reign,
is but to join the ones who mocked,
and lift the sponge with bitter gall
that adds new sorrow to His pain.
He died for sin's vast, captive horde,
that heaven's gate might be unlocked.
AWAY VILE HAND! He loved me more than all.
fcc
The wonderful thing about giving up the world's friendship is, that like everything else He asks us to forsake, we are much better off without it anyway!
Another great treasure that is mine and also belongs to every other child of God, is the promise and asssurance of a glorified body.
David expressed it this way:
Psa 73:24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Paul echoed the victory cry in behalf of us all.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
All the drugs, medical cures and scientific advances have blessed the human race and are counted as great treasures. These cannot compare with the wonderful jewel which is ours through Jesus Christ. We are promised, not a few more years of wretched existence in a patched up body, but eternity in a body like our glorified savior's.
In all the scientific journals and medical publications, there are no words to be found to compare with the declaration of Paul .
1 Cor 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Cor 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1 Cor 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1 Cor 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1 Cor 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1 Cor 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our treasures in Christ are many times more than these ,but these are some that can give us rejoicing every day. They cannot be had outside of Christ
This is the vanity of riches as described by Solomon.
Prov 23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
It would be easy to fill pages with scripture dealing with the vanity of worldly wealth, but more profitable to spend time thinking of the permanent riches available to God's people.
The fluctuations of wall street can have no effect upon these riches. No thief can ever break through and steal them. Every day that passes and every event of the world only make these riches more precious than they were the day before.
Since these are divine riches they are not measured in terms of dollars and cents.
Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
How can we possibly place a value upon the salvation of a soul? How can we enter into the balance sheet, the value of the price paid for it?
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
1 Pet 1:18 Forasmuch 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;
1 Pet 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
The value of an item is determined by the asking price and what the buyer is willing to pay.
Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mark 8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
The Psalmist expressed it another way;
Psa 49:6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
Psa 49:7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
Psa 49:8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
Even the legendary wealth of the world's richest king could never redeem one lost soul. In fact, all the pooled wealth of all ages added to the wealth of the universe could not pay the price.
BUT THE PRICE WAS PAID!
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
No one but God could pay the price. Though man was morally bankrupt and spiritually dead, God was willing to pay the awful price. So, he sent his Son to die for the redemption of man. Thus, salvation is the first of our great eternal treasures..
Call it the new birth, redemption, salvation or whatever you wish. It is not a bauble which can be stolen away nor a perishible that fades with the using. It is eternal life!
Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Col 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
These treasures of wisdom and knowledge belong to God's children but, sad to say, not all of them are benefitting from their family riches. It is as though they had built their house in a field of diamonds, yet live in poverty, because they are not aware of the treasure around them.
Mat 13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
The treasures are there but one needs to know what to look for and where to look.
Consider the priceless treasure of eternal hope and assurance.
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.
Hope has impelled man to build civilizations, make inventions and seek new things. It has even prompted him to look toward the stars, yet all of these will result only in a possible improvement in his tomorrows ,while hope for eternity which is found only in Christ, lies largely ignored.
Consider the value of such a treasure of hope. The merchant's hope of profit can be dashed in the marketplace. The hope of rulers for a larger kingdom often falls on the battlefield. The hope of earthly companionship can be ended by the cold hand of death, but the eternal hope which is ours as children of the living God, cannot be affected by any of these, nor by all the powers of a vengeful hell.
Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Earth's fleeting hope may change the course of a person for a little time, but the eternal riches of this hope can change our course for all eternity.
Then we examine the precious jewel of friendship. Friends are indeed a treasure, and we can be terribly lonely without them. They too are but temporary in this changing world. We move apart, lives change, death comes between, and sad to say, sometimes they turn against us. We have a great treasure in one great friend;
Prov 18:24 A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Others might be repelled by our shortcomings, but here is one who can understand our infirmities.
Heb 4:15 For 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.
While others are helpless to assist us, here is one who sits at the right hand of the throne of God! Talk about 'friends in high places'! here is one who can't be topped!
This friend has made us this promise;
Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
He has the power to keep this promise for;
Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Would you like Him to be your friend?
John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Salvation is free, without works of any kind, but here Jesus speaks of friendship and there is a price.
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
It is impossible for Him to alter his walk and so, if there is to be friendship, we must walk with him his way.
The choice is ours and it MUST be made.
AWAY VILE HAND!
Shall I turn again and take the hand
of the fiend who drove the nails,
and have the hand tthat plicked his beard
laid in friendship on my shoulder?
When the devil and his crowd assails
the cross, where will I stand?
Beside the saints who never feared?
Or with men whose hatred smoulders?
To turn my back on Him, my Lord,
and bow to sin's dread reign,
is but to join the ones who mocked,
and lift the sponge with bitter gall
that adds new sorrow to His pain.
He died for sin's vast, captive horde,
that heaven's gate might be unlocked.
AWAY VILE HAND! He loved me more than all.
fcc
The wonderful thing about giving up the world's friendship is, that like everything else He asks us to forsake, we are much better off without it anyway!
Another great treasure that is mine and also belongs to every other child of God, is the promise and asssurance of a glorified body.
David expressed it this way:
Psa 73:24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Paul echoed the victory cry in behalf of us all.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
All the drugs, medical cures and scientific advances have blessed the human race and are counted as great treasures. These cannot compare with the wonderful jewel which is ours through Jesus Christ. We are promised, not a few more years of wretched existence in a patched up body, but eternity in a body like our glorified savior's.
In all the scientific journals and medical publications, there are no words to be found to compare with the declaration of Paul .
1 Cor 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Cor 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1 Cor 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1 Cor 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1 Cor 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1 Cor 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our treasures in Christ are many times more than these ,but these are some that can give us rejoicing every day. They cannot be had outside of Christ
THE MARVEL OF SILENCE
Text: Mat 27:11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
Mat 27:12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
Mat 27:13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
Mat 27:14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
Intro: As Christ stood before Pilate, his silence in the face of the accusations, caused the ruler to marvel. Here was one who stood in silence, while others would have been raving against the accusers or trying to justify themselves. Christ needed to do none of this, for his life and actions spoke for themselves. How different from the cringing, whining, blaspheming rabble which usually stood in this place.
I. This was the silence of dignity.
As a king, he refused to submit to the cries of a mob and be intimidated by them.
II. this was the silence of Obedience.
A. John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Will the Son of God now fight against his own eternal purpose?!
III. The world will still marvel many times at the silence of a child of God. Let's learn when to keep our peace.
Eccl 3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A. The silence of Obedience and Worship.
Hab 2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
B. The silence of Meditation.
Psa 63:6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
C. The silence of listening.
Eccl 9:17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
D. The silence of assurance.
2 Tim 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
E. Silence in the face of reviling.
1 Pet 4:14 If 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.
1 Pet 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
1 Cor 4:12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
F. The quiet of waiting on God.
Lam 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
G. The quietness of service.
2 Th 3:12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
1 Th 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
[Cartoon of piano tuners with sledge hammers, "Watch ME!"}
H. The quietness of satisfaction.
Eccl 4:6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
God's people have nothing to complain about.
Mat 27:12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
Mat 27:13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
Mat 27:14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
Intro: As Christ stood before Pilate, his silence in the face of the accusations, caused the ruler to marvel. Here was one who stood in silence, while others would have been raving against the accusers or trying to justify themselves. Christ needed to do none of this, for his life and actions spoke for themselves. How different from the cringing, whining, blaspheming rabble which usually stood in this place.
I. This was the silence of dignity.
As a king, he refused to submit to the cries of a mob and be intimidated by them.
II. this was the silence of Obedience.
A. John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Will the Son of God now fight against his own eternal purpose?!
III. The world will still marvel many times at the silence of a child of God. Let's learn when to keep our peace.
Eccl 3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A. The silence of Obedience and Worship.
Hab 2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
B. The silence of Meditation.
Psa 63:6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
C. The silence of listening.
Eccl 9:17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
D. The silence of assurance.
2 Tim 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
E. Silence in the face of reviling.
1 Pet 4:14 If 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.
1 Pet 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
1 Cor 4:12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
F. The quiet of waiting on God.
Lam 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
G. The quietness of service.
2 Th 3:12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
1 Th 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
[Cartoon of piano tuners with sledge hammers, "Watch ME!"}
H. The quietness of satisfaction.
Eccl 4:6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
God's people have nothing to complain about.
REPENT!
REPENT!
Text: Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
CRY OF AN EMPTY MOURNERS BENCH
The day they finished the church house,
They set me in my place.
What joy to see the sinners come
and repent with tear stained face!
These tears would oft' times fall on me
and sorta' stain my wood,
but I didn't mind the stain of tears,
they made me feel quite good.
GOD's people too, would use me
as they knelt to call on God.
They felt the path to the mourner's bench
was part of the path their fathers trod.
I've heard the shouts of new-born men;
I've heard the songs of praise;
but that was when God's people too,
used me. In other days.
But nowadays things are different,
Though I still sit in my place,
I never feel a teardrop
fall from a sinners face.
I wonder, could it be because,
that now the saints of God,
no longer feel the need to walk
the path their fathers trod?
It might be, I'm old fashioned,
but I long for days gone by
I'd like to hear the shouts of praise
and hear a sinner's cry!
But meanwhile, I'll just sit here.
My potted plant I'll hold.
But the water that they spill on me
is sometimes rather cold.
I'd rather feel the warmth of tears
but there's nothing I can do
but sit and hold my potted plant
and wait, my friend, on you.
fcc
Intro: Repentance means to change one's mind and purpose. Not to simply be sorry for and forsake sin, but to have a complete change of mind and heart regarding it.
The word comes from a Latin word, (resipisco), 'to recover one's senses.'
Two words are in the New Testament. One means to be sorry for or have pain of mind. The other means to have a complete change of mind. One looks only at the consequences of sin to one's self. (i e The noose around one's neck, fear of a broken home, shame of getting caught and exposed.) The other is concerned with God's thoughts of sin and us, and is in every way concerned with the very WRONGNESS of sin.
I. It is the result of God's working IN us.
A. It manifests His goodness toward us.
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
While the word goodness comes from a word meaning kindness or gentleness, His kindness is not always gentle. You do not gently remove a person from the path of a speeding train!
B. This repentance is caused by God making us sorry
(2 Cor 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.) when we realize that what we had hidden from men was open knowledge with God.
II. REAL repentance results in VISIBLE change.
Mat 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Show me what your change of mind has done!
A. In the lost, it will result in salvation.
Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
1. This was Paul's message throughout his ministry.
Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 26:20 But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
2. Without repentance there can be no salvation. This is not a proclamation based upon the psychological need for beating one's breast, but is a declaration of DIVINE necessity.
a. God demands it. [text]
b. He sent John to preach it.
Mat 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Mat 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice
c. Jesus began his ministry with this message.
Mark 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
d.He said it was necessary.
Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
e. He sent the twelve out to preach it.
Mark 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
f. The rich man knew that if his brothers didn't repent, they would join him in hell!.
Luke 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
3.Why such statements as,'Thy faith hath saved thee'. believe and be saved, etc. with no mention of repentance?
a. In every case, there is evidence that they were already made sorry to repentance. When one comes down the aisle weeping and says,'I want to be saved." you don't have to tell them to repent, they already have!
It is to those who hear the gospel and shrug it off, that the message is, Let the Holy Spirit work His work of repentance in you or perish!
III. In the saved, repentance results in a closer walk with the Lord.
A. This is the renewal of mind of which Paul spake.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
B. Often it is the result of bitter chastisement and conviction
Mat 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
C. The entire Church at Ephasus was commanded to repent. Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
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.
All her good points were not enough. However good a housekeeper the wife might be, the home without love is empty.
D. Pergamos needed to repent for allowing false teaching.
Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
Rev 2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
Rev 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
E. Sardis needed to repent for getting in a rut.
Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
Rev 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
F. Laodicians because they were luke warm and self-satisfied.
Text: Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
CRY OF AN EMPTY MOURNERS BENCH
The day they finished the church house,
They set me in my place.
What joy to see the sinners come
and repent with tear stained face!
These tears would oft' times fall on me
and sorta' stain my wood,
but I didn't mind the stain of tears,
they made me feel quite good.
GOD's people too, would use me
as they knelt to call on God.
They felt the path to the mourner's bench
was part of the path their fathers trod.
I've heard the shouts of new-born men;
I've heard the songs of praise;
but that was when God's people too,
used me. In other days.
But nowadays things are different,
Though I still sit in my place,
I never feel a teardrop
fall from a sinners face.
I wonder, could it be because,
that now the saints of God,
no longer feel the need to walk
the path their fathers trod?
It might be, I'm old fashioned,
but I long for days gone by
I'd like to hear the shouts of praise
and hear a sinner's cry!
But meanwhile, I'll just sit here.
My potted plant I'll hold.
But the water that they spill on me
is sometimes rather cold.
I'd rather feel the warmth of tears
but there's nothing I can do
but sit and hold my potted plant
and wait, my friend, on you.
fcc
Intro: Repentance means to change one's mind and purpose. Not to simply be sorry for and forsake sin, but to have a complete change of mind and heart regarding it.
The word comes from a Latin word, (resipisco), 'to recover one's senses.'
Two words are in the New Testament. One means to be sorry for or have pain of mind. The other means to have a complete change of mind. One looks only at the consequences of sin to one's self. (i e The noose around one's neck, fear of a broken home, shame of getting caught and exposed.) The other is concerned with God's thoughts of sin and us, and is in every way concerned with the very WRONGNESS of sin.
I. It is the result of God's working IN us.
A. It manifests His goodness toward us.
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
While the word goodness comes from a word meaning kindness or gentleness, His kindness is not always gentle. You do not gently remove a person from the path of a speeding train!
B. This repentance is caused by God making us sorry
(2 Cor 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.) when we realize that what we had hidden from men was open knowledge with God.
II. REAL repentance results in VISIBLE change.
Mat 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Show me what your change of mind has done!
A. In the lost, it will result in salvation.
Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
1. This was Paul's message throughout his ministry.
Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 26:20 But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
2. Without repentance there can be no salvation. This is not a proclamation based upon the psychological need for beating one's breast, but is a declaration of DIVINE necessity.
a. God demands it. [text]
b. He sent John to preach it.
Mat 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Mat 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice
c. Jesus began his ministry with this message.
Mark 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
d.He said it was necessary.
Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
e. He sent the twelve out to preach it.
Mark 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
f. The rich man knew that if his brothers didn't repent, they would join him in hell!.
Luke 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
3.Why such statements as,'Thy faith hath saved thee'. believe and be saved, etc. with no mention of repentance?
a. In every case, there is evidence that they were already made sorry to repentance. When one comes down the aisle weeping and says,'I want to be saved." you don't have to tell them to repent, they already have!
It is to those who hear the gospel and shrug it off, that the message is, Let the Holy Spirit work His work of repentance in you or perish!
III. In the saved, repentance results in a closer walk with the Lord.
A. This is the renewal of mind of which Paul spake.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
B. Often it is the result of bitter chastisement and conviction
Mat 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
C. The entire Church at Ephasus was commanded to repent. Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
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.
All her good points were not enough. However good a housekeeper the wife might be, the home without love is empty.
D. Pergamos needed to repent for allowing false teaching.
Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
Rev 2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
Rev 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
E. Sardis needed to repent for getting in a rut.
Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
Rev 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
F. Laodicians because they were luke warm and self-satisfied.
LIBERTY
Intro: At every turn, it seems that we see another group or individual demanding 'Liberation!' Without fail, they all seem to have as their symbol, a clenched fist or a weapon of some kind, held aloft. These are symbols that would be far more fitting for a group advocating oppression instead of liberty. The truth is, that when most of them explain their concept of the 'liberty' they demand, it is a personal liberty measured in terms of the power they might be able to exercise over others.
Real liberty is that which Jesus told us we might have.
Text: John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
This liberty is not defined by the absence of governmental control. If there were no restraints on the actions of men, only the strongest soon would have 'liberty' and the rest would have to please them.
Under the system where every man did that which was right in his own eyes, his right to work, play, walk and even the right of life itself, would soon be subject to the whims of every one stronger. There can be no real liberty for anyone in anarchy.
The very real liberty of which Jesus spoke was not political, social, economic or even physical. The liberty which is free INDEED is that of the spirit. It comes, not from the clenched fist demanding power, but from the outstretched pierced hands of a loving savior.
For a glimpse of what this liberty really means, we might examine some of the events in the book of Daniel, chapter six. His enemies had caused him to be thrown into the lions' den, in spite of even the efforts of the king to save him. Picture the two principals that night. According to the eighteenth verse, King Darius spent a sleepless night in the palace while Daniel rested peacefully among the lions, knowing that as long as God was in charge, everything was all right. The king, in spite of all his authority and power, was made miserable by the mistakes he had made. Daniel, on the other hand enjoyed liberty through faith in a God who could, when necessary suspend even the laws of nature!
It is in the same Book that we read the account of three other men who placed their trust in God. Because they refused to disobey God they were bound and cast into the fiery furnace. Instead of the destruction their enemies had planned, they found liberty, for the fire only freed them from their bonds to walk with the Lord in the midst of the flame.
The same wonderful liberty was seen working in the lives of the Apostles. When cast into prison because of their faith, they sang praises to God and caused even their jailers and persecutors to know of the freedom that was theirs through Christ.
As Paul stood, in chains, before Felix, though he was the accused prisoner, he spoke with complete confidence and it was the governor on his throne who trembled.
The martyrs, from Stephen through those of the dark ages and even down to our own day, have all had a liberty their tormentors could not enjoy. Neither could this freedom be taken away by lions, torture, prison, hunger or the most stringent laws of any ruler. They were made free by the Son and they were free INDEED!
What kind of Liberty is this to be so great that no power on earth can take it away? It is the freedom from the fear of judgment for sin.
'We know that Christ bore our sins in his own body on the tree.'
We know that He 'was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him'.
I know that I have freedom from that awful dread that was once mine for 'I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day'.
I know the assurance of :
Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Through Christ, we can not only have liberty from the fear of judgment for sin, but we can actually be free from the power of SIN itself. Because of the sinful nature we all inherited from father Adam, sin has had dominion over us. Man is a sinner by his very nature. He is a prisoner or a slave to sin.
John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Lest someone might say,"I had no choice in whether or not I was born a sinner, therefore God has no right to expect me to be anything else", let's do a little reasoning. Why did not our forefathers remain in the place of their birth? Did they not migrate to this continent because they were dissatisfied with the conditions of their birth?
Most of us strive today to reach a higher standard than that in which we were born. Why then should we be satisfied with the state of bondage to sin into which we were all begotten? It is far easier to escape a lower standard of living by dint of much hard labor, than to escape from sin; but Christ has made it possible!
Through Jesus, we can be translated from the kingdom of darkness into which we were born, into the kingdom of God's own Son!
This great liberty is not simply freedom FROM everything. It is freedom to serve God.
No man can be happy for long with nothing to do. Men long for retirement from a dreary job, and dream of the liberty they will have when free. However if he retires with nothing to fill his hours, he might soon start thinking that maybe the old rat race wasn't so bad after all! On the other hand, if his retirement gives him liberty to do something he finds useful and joyful, he will never long for the old paths.
In the liberty of Christ is Freedom indeed. There is a wonderful picture of it in the Old Testament. On the year of Jubilee all bond servants were to be set free. Many times these bond servants had nowhere to go and they dearly loved their masters. They were at liberty to go, but it was to their advantage to stay. They could freely choose whether to go, or to stay and serve their masters. So can we who have been set free by Christ. We have been redeemed with His precious blood and we are free. But where shall we go and whom shall we serve?
We COULD spend our lives serving the world, but to what advantage? The world will pass away so there can be no eternal profit in that. We might serve self but Jesus said,
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Where then, can the child of God, use the liberty so freely given him to the best advantage? In the service of the Master who set him free!
John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
The liberty one can have through Christ is not determined by one's bank account, nor social standing. The poorest of men and the lowest on the social ladder have often been the most free and the happiest in the service of the King of kings.
Real liberty is that which Jesus told us we might have.
Text: John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
This liberty is not defined by the absence of governmental control. If there were no restraints on the actions of men, only the strongest soon would have 'liberty' and the rest would have to please them.
Under the system where every man did that which was right in his own eyes, his right to work, play, walk and even the right of life itself, would soon be subject to the whims of every one stronger. There can be no real liberty for anyone in anarchy.
The very real liberty of which Jesus spoke was not political, social, economic or even physical. The liberty which is free INDEED is that of the spirit. It comes, not from the clenched fist demanding power, but from the outstretched pierced hands of a loving savior.
For a glimpse of what this liberty really means, we might examine some of the events in the book of Daniel, chapter six. His enemies had caused him to be thrown into the lions' den, in spite of even the efforts of the king to save him. Picture the two principals that night. According to the eighteenth verse, King Darius spent a sleepless night in the palace while Daniel rested peacefully among the lions, knowing that as long as God was in charge, everything was all right. The king, in spite of all his authority and power, was made miserable by the mistakes he had made. Daniel, on the other hand enjoyed liberty through faith in a God who could, when necessary suspend even the laws of nature!
It is in the same Book that we read the account of three other men who placed their trust in God. Because they refused to disobey God they were bound and cast into the fiery furnace. Instead of the destruction their enemies had planned, they found liberty, for the fire only freed them from their bonds to walk with the Lord in the midst of the flame.
The same wonderful liberty was seen working in the lives of the Apostles. When cast into prison because of their faith, they sang praises to God and caused even their jailers and persecutors to know of the freedom that was theirs through Christ.
As Paul stood, in chains, before Felix, though he was the accused prisoner, he spoke with complete confidence and it was the governor on his throne who trembled.
The martyrs, from Stephen through those of the dark ages and even down to our own day, have all had a liberty their tormentors could not enjoy. Neither could this freedom be taken away by lions, torture, prison, hunger or the most stringent laws of any ruler. They were made free by the Son and they were free INDEED!
What kind of Liberty is this to be so great that no power on earth can take it away? It is the freedom from the fear of judgment for sin.
'We know that Christ bore our sins in his own body on the tree.'
We know that He 'was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him'.
I know that I have freedom from that awful dread that was once mine for 'I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day'.
I know the assurance of :
Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Through Christ, we can not only have liberty from the fear of judgment for sin, but we can actually be free from the power of SIN itself. Because of the sinful nature we all inherited from father Adam, sin has had dominion over us. Man is a sinner by his very nature. He is a prisoner or a slave to sin.
John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Lest someone might say,"I had no choice in whether or not I was born a sinner, therefore God has no right to expect me to be anything else", let's do a little reasoning. Why did not our forefathers remain in the place of their birth? Did they not migrate to this continent because they were dissatisfied with the conditions of their birth?
Most of us strive today to reach a higher standard than that in which we were born. Why then should we be satisfied with the state of bondage to sin into which we were all begotten? It is far easier to escape a lower standard of living by dint of much hard labor, than to escape from sin; but Christ has made it possible!
Through Jesus, we can be translated from the kingdom of darkness into which we were born, into the kingdom of God's own Son!
This great liberty is not simply freedom FROM everything. It is freedom to serve God.
No man can be happy for long with nothing to do. Men long for retirement from a dreary job, and dream of the liberty they will have when free. However if he retires with nothing to fill his hours, he might soon start thinking that maybe the old rat race wasn't so bad after all! On the other hand, if his retirement gives him liberty to do something he finds useful and joyful, he will never long for the old paths.
In the liberty of Christ is Freedom indeed. There is a wonderful picture of it in the Old Testament. On the year of Jubilee all bond servants were to be set free. Many times these bond servants had nowhere to go and they dearly loved their masters. They were at liberty to go, but it was to their advantage to stay. They could freely choose whether to go, or to stay and serve their masters. So can we who have been set free by Christ. We have been redeemed with His precious blood and we are free. But where shall we go and whom shall we serve?
We COULD spend our lives serving the world, but to what advantage? The world will pass away so there can be no eternal profit in that. We might serve self but Jesus said,
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Where then, can the child of God, use the liberty so freely given him to the best advantage? In the service of the Master who set him free!
John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
The liberty one can have through Christ is not determined by one's bank account, nor social standing. The poorest of men and the lowest on the social ladder have often been the most free and the happiest in the service of the King of kings.
THE KINSMAN REDEEMER
BOAZ AS A TYPE OF CHRIST
Deu 25:5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.
Deu 25:6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.
Deu 25:7 And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.
Deu 25:8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;
Deu 25:9 Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house.
Deu 25:10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.
A. The loosing of the shoe. Like our handshake or tipping of the hat or military salute, all had a reason in their beginning.
1.Indicates a slovenly character. One who doesn't take care of business or accept responsibility.
2. Pictured the inability of one to tread over the real estate. It was no longer his.
B. This custom had been incorporated into the Law by God. He expressed his feelings toward Edom through this.
Psa 60:8 Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.
Ruth's faithfulness is rewarded, but had it not been for the provisions provided by the Grace of God in the Law of Moses, Boaz would have been powerless to help.
1.Only a near kinsman of her dead husband had a right to the property.
2. Our birthright as God's creatures was sold out from under us by sin.
3. Angels could not restore it to us. They are not kin.
C. Beasts could not reinstate it. They are not of our family.
Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
D. Our nearest of kin are not capable, they are also debtors.
Psa 49:7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
Psa 49:8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
Because of sin, man's shoe is loosed.
E.Christ had to be our kinsman. He could not do the job and remain the glorious God.
1.Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
2. Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
3. Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Heb 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Heb 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
F. Redemption was provided for the loss of both the seed of Chilion and Mahlon.
Ruth 4:9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
Only Ruth and her children profited and the source of their profiting can be traced back to the decision she made as she accompanied Naomi from Moab.
Deu 25:5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.
Deu 25:6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.
Deu 25:7 And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.
Deu 25:8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;
Deu 25:9 Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house.
Deu 25:10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.
A. The loosing of the shoe. Like our handshake or tipping of the hat or military salute, all had a reason in their beginning.
1.Indicates a slovenly character. One who doesn't take care of business or accept responsibility.
2. Pictured the inability of one to tread over the real estate. It was no longer his.
B. This custom had been incorporated into the Law by God. He expressed his feelings toward Edom through this.
Psa 60:8 Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.
Ruth's faithfulness is rewarded, but had it not been for the provisions provided by the Grace of God in the Law of Moses, Boaz would have been powerless to help.
1.Only a near kinsman of her dead husband had a right to the property.
2. Our birthright as God's creatures was sold out from under us by sin.
3. Angels could not restore it to us. They are not kin.
C. Beasts could not reinstate it. They are not of our family.
Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
D. Our nearest of kin are not capable, they are also debtors.
Psa 49:7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
Psa 49:8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
Because of sin, man's shoe is loosed.
E.Christ had to be our kinsman. He could not do the job and remain the glorious God.
1.Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
2. Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
3. Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Heb 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Heb 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
F. Redemption was provided for the loss of both the seed of Chilion and Mahlon.
Ruth 4:9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.
Only Ruth and her children profited and the source of their profiting can be traced back to the decision she made as she accompanied Naomi from Moab.
HOW TO BE FREE
Lesson and text: John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Intro: The purpose of this message is to emphasize that freedom through Divine Truth comes from DOING and not simply accepting.
Salvation and the freedom from the PENALTY of sin comes by believing. But without the freedom which comes from obedience, God's people are left in bondage to worldly desires, etc.
I. Truth must be known to be effective.
II. It must be DONE to be truly known
How would you describe a sunset to one who has been blind from birth?
Music to one who never knew sound? These must be experienced as does Divine Truth.
III. Many are bound to false systems of worship. The Truth would free them.
IV. The Truth will free those in bondage to worldliness.
A. The truth of the necessity for surrender.
B. The truth of the Lordship of Christ.
C. The truth of the relative values of temporal versus spiritual things.
V. Some are in bondage to SELF. Here is hypocrisy full blown. Do you sometimes forget that you are HIS?
VI. Those to whom Christ spoke were in bondage to sin. This bondage was compounded by their false conception of the Truth.
John 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
If they had truly DONE the truth of the Old Covenant, they would have known the Christ of the New!
Don't let your false conceptions of these truths rob you
A. A false idea of the Bride of Christ can rob you of your place there.
B. False ideas of security in Christ can rob you of service to him.
C. A false idea of freedom from the Law can lead you into bondage to carnal pleasure.
John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Intro: The purpose of this message is to emphasize that freedom through Divine Truth comes from DOING and not simply accepting.
Salvation and the freedom from the PENALTY of sin comes by believing. But without the freedom which comes from obedience, God's people are left in bondage to worldly desires, etc.
I. Truth must be known to be effective.
II. It must be DONE to be truly known
How would you describe a sunset to one who has been blind from birth?
Music to one who never knew sound? These must be experienced as does Divine Truth.
III. Many are bound to false systems of worship. The Truth would free them.
IV. The Truth will free those in bondage to worldliness.
A. The truth of the necessity for surrender.
B. The truth of the Lordship of Christ.
C. The truth of the relative values of temporal versus spiritual things.
V. Some are in bondage to SELF. Here is hypocrisy full blown. Do you sometimes forget that you are HIS?
VI. Those to whom Christ spoke were in bondage to sin. This bondage was compounded by their false conception of the Truth.
John 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
If they had truly DONE the truth of the Old Covenant, they would have known the Christ of the New!
Don't let your false conceptions of these truths rob you
A. A false idea of the Bride of Christ can rob you of your place there.
B. False ideas of security in Christ can rob you of service to him.
C. A false idea of freedom from the Law can lead you into bondage to carnal pleasure.
BEHOLD HIS GLORY
Text: Isa 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.
Thus Isaiah prophecied and John recorded the fulfillment;
John 1:14 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.
To behold the glory of God has always been a great longing of man. His glory has always been declared in full view of man in his handiwork.
Psa 19:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork.
Because of this, man has searched diligently into the things God has made, hoping to find him in them. Skeptics have used this hope to ridicule God's people. After one of the first Russian trips into space, one of their astronauts said, "I have swept the heavens and didn't find God there," An American astronaut replied, "If that is what he was searching for, he might as well have swept the kitchen floor!"
The expression of His glory can never be equated with HIM. It is like the bride in all her finery. She looks lovely, but the groom would rather have the girl than to have a dozen wedding gowns.
From the earliest of times, man has been impressed and fascinated by the precision and dependability of the stars. He has charted their movements, and examined them through telescopes and scientific instruments. He has sent probes out to examine them, and even begun his first steps toward going there himself. Yet with all this, he has never found God sitting on a golden throne in some far corner of the universe. All he has succeeded in doing is to enlarge his own conception of the glory of God!
It is good that man learns more of the vastness and perfection of God's universe, but he must keep in mind the declaration of Solomon upon the dedication of the Temple, "1 Ki 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?"
How can man ever define God or fully understand Him when he cannot even understand His creation?
We turn our eyes from the stars and look around. Behold! His glory is shown in all we see. The flowers of the field reflect glory.
Mat 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Mat 6:30 Wherefore, 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?
Consider the tiny seed. It has in itself the spark of life which was placed there by the creator. We often see it even break through the pavement as it reaches upward toward the life-giving light. Behold the glory of God!
It is not, however in nature that the greatest glory of God is seen. There is a greater display than the sun, moon, stars, the northern lights or the giant redwood trees. Even greater than the mountain's grandeur or the desert's burst of blooms after a spring rain ,or the ocean at it's most magnificent raging, is the sight of a poor lost sinner who even with all his wasted life, has been made new by the Grace of God.
Look around you at those who were once ruled by drink, enslaved by their passions and degraded by their lusts, but are now dedicated to the worship and service of their God. Look upon their new natures and BEHOLD THE GLORY OF GOD.
Read the stories of the martyrs who were enabled, not by the strength of their own character, but by the grace of God, to pray for their murderers and to die with prayers and praise on their lips. Behold the Glory of God.
However, God never intended that man should see only the reflection of his glory in nature and redeemed men.
He sent his own Son to let the world know of his own great glory. Thus the words of our text and of Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Thus Isaiah prophecied and John recorded the fulfillment;
John 1:14 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.
To behold the glory of God has always been a great longing of man. His glory has always been declared in full view of man in his handiwork.
Psa 19:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork.
Because of this, man has searched diligently into the things God has made, hoping to find him in them. Skeptics have used this hope to ridicule God's people. After one of the first Russian trips into space, one of their astronauts said, "I have swept the heavens and didn't find God there," An American astronaut replied, "If that is what he was searching for, he might as well have swept the kitchen floor!"
The expression of His glory can never be equated with HIM. It is like the bride in all her finery. She looks lovely, but the groom would rather have the girl than to have a dozen wedding gowns.
From the earliest of times, man has been impressed and fascinated by the precision and dependability of the stars. He has charted their movements, and examined them through telescopes and scientific instruments. He has sent probes out to examine them, and even begun his first steps toward going there himself. Yet with all this, he has never found God sitting on a golden throne in some far corner of the universe. All he has succeeded in doing is to enlarge his own conception of the glory of God!
It is good that man learns more of the vastness and perfection of God's universe, but he must keep in mind the declaration of Solomon upon the dedication of the Temple, "1 Ki 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?"
How can man ever define God or fully understand Him when he cannot even understand His creation?
We turn our eyes from the stars and look around. Behold! His glory is shown in all we see. The flowers of the field reflect glory.
Mat 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Mat 6:30 Wherefore, 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?
Consider the tiny seed. It has in itself the spark of life which was placed there by the creator. We often see it even break through the pavement as it reaches upward toward the life-giving light. Behold the glory of God!
It is not, however in nature that the greatest glory of God is seen. There is a greater display than the sun, moon, stars, the northern lights or the giant redwood trees. Even greater than the mountain's grandeur or the desert's burst of blooms after a spring rain ,or the ocean at it's most magnificent raging, is the sight of a poor lost sinner who even with all his wasted life, has been made new by the Grace of God.
Look around you at those who were once ruled by drink, enslaved by their passions and degraded by their lusts, but are now dedicated to the worship and service of their God. Look upon their new natures and BEHOLD THE GLORY OF GOD.
Read the stories of the martyrs who were enabled, not by the strength of their own character, but by the grace of God, to pray for their murderers and to die with prayers and praise on their lips. Behold the Glory of God.
However, God never intended that man should see only the reflection of his glory in nature and redeemed men.
He sent his own Son to let the world know of his own great glory. Thus the words of our text and of Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
GOD WILL BE GLORIFIED
GOD WILL BE GLORIFIED
Text: John 12:28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
Intro: Jesus closed a short prayer with this request and the prayer is answered immediately. The reaction of those who were present was typical. Some said, "It thundered". Others said an angel spoke to him. How little, man understands of the Glory of God! All too often, we expect God to be glorified only in ways which will elevate man to a lofty position. God said on this occasion, that he had both glorified his name and would glorify it again. The question might well be asked, 'How had He glorified His name in the past?' It is as natural for God to be glorified as it is for natural man to be prone to sin. The fact is, God WILL BE GLORIFIED whether man likes it or not. Note that the request of Christ on this occasion was NOT that man might glorify His name, but that the Father, himself, would glorify it.The answer was, "I have and I will."
As we think back to the record of man's earliest days, we see man walking in the Garden, and we see God Glorified as He fellowships and communes with the creature He created in His own image. At this time man walked in uprightness and communed with his creator of his own free will. Then a dark cloud comes over the scene, as man uses that divine gift of a free will to disobey his God. In doing so, he broke that communion. The question now is; 'Will man, who was created for the glory of God, now rob God of that glory by willful disobedience?'
The sad truth is that man, in his sinful condition, has it neither in his mind or will, to glorify his maker. Yet God has said, "I have glorified my name." As long as Adam walked uprightly, he walked in fellowship with God and shared in his glory.
Sin brought about a sad change. Man not only does not walk with God and share his glory, but rather, is separated from God by that very glory! Why? Because now He is glorified by the judgment and condemnation of sin. Instead of being glorified by the creatures walking by His side, He is glorified by the cherubim with the flaming swords, which keep sinful man out of his presence.
A quick trip through Bible history reveals how, over and over, God is glorified in the goodness and merciful provisions He made for His people, and the sure and quick way His complete holiness causes man to reap the consequences of disobedience to Him.
As He delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage, He was glorified in the mercy he showed to those who applied the blood of the Passover Lamb. For these, the Angel of Death passed over and left them safe. His glory was also manifested in the homes of the Egyptians and any others who refused to apply the blood. Into these homes the death angel came. Not one escaped. From the homes of the lowliest slave, to the palace of Pharoah ,the first-born is slain.
As He led the Israelites to the Red Sea, His glory is seen equally in their delivery through the deep, and in the destruction of Pharoah and his armies in it.
He showed his glory to Israel in the quail he gave them to eat and in the serpents he sent to bite them when they murmured against Him.
As he led them to the plain at the foot of Mt.Sinai, they realized again that they were being led by a God of great power and glory. They saw the thick darkness settle over the mountain. They saw the lightning flash, and the ground tremble under their feet. They knew they were in the presence of a glorious God. Their reaction was,"Moses, you go up and find out what He wants and we will do it". It was a rash promise, which they would break over and over to their great sorrow.
When God had written His Laws upon the Tables of Stone and sent them to His chosen nation, they had a glorious Law which, as one historian has said, 'Between the Law of Moses and the laws of other nations, there is a gulf which cannot be spanned.' The reason is simple; no other nation was ever ruled by Laws which were written by the Hand of God! When she obeyed those Laws, she glorified God and was blessed by Him. When she turned away from obedience to follow other gods, He glorified Himself as he brought swift and terrible punishment upon her. That Law still stands as testimony of God's perfect righteousness, and as witness to man's inability to measure up to His demands. It stands as a reminder of our sinfulness and our need to throw ourselves upon the mercy of our glorious God!
The New Testament opens with the account of the birth of Christ. The angels announced it with the words, 'Glory to God in the highest'.
From the earliest of times, when a son was born, the father caused a great celebration to be made. Never before and never since, has the birth of a son been celebrated as it was on this occasion. He did not gather a chorus of beggars from the back street of Jerusalem, nor even hire the Temple choir for the occasion. He sent forth the angels and for the first time in all eternity, the praise which has been heard around the throne in heaven, reached the ears of men. The message was "Glory to God in the highest."
It reminds us of the request made by Moses many years before. As he came into the presence of God on the mount, he made a request,"Show me thy glory?" The answer was, "I'll show you my goodness." No man can look into the face of the glorious God, and yet we can see that glory manifested in His goodness toward us in Christ Jesus. This is why John said concerning Him, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14)
No prince was ever born, even to the world's most powerful king, who received such a grand proclamation of his birth as did the Son of God. There may have been no twenty-one gun salutes and no national holidays declared, but the Father sent His angels to announce his arrival among men.
God Glorified His Name in the life which Jesus lived as he walked among men. It was by the power of God that Jesus performed his miracles. Every time blind eyes were made to see, or deaf ears were opened or withered limbs made whole, God was glorifying His Name.
As Christ and his disciples were in the little ship in the storm, the disciples feared for their lives. God's glory is shown in an unmistakable way as Jesus arises from the place where he was asleep in the back part of the ship. He made no great production of what he was about to do. There were no announcements to get the attention of the maximum number of people, and no rituals involved. He simply rebuked the wind and the waves and issued the command, "Peace, be still". Immediately, there was a great calm.
In every move Jesus made and in every word he uttered while upon the earth, the Father was being glorified.
Parents are proud when their children achieve great things. As Christ came up out of the water at his baptism, the Father spoke of him,"This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased ." Jesus was entering into the earthly ministry for which the world had awaited since the days of Adam.
Later, those who came to question him, went away saying,"no man ever spake like this man!" God was glorified in the wisdom of His Son. Those who witnessed the healing of the palsied man who had been let down through the roof into the presence of Jesus, went away saying,"We never saw it in this manner before!" God was glorified in the power of His Son. As Jesus stood before Pilate at the time of arrest. Pilate said,"I find no fault with this man." and God was glorified in the righteousness of His Son.
"I will glorify it again." was the promise. As the events immediately following this promise unfold, we might be made to wonder if God had forgotten or changed His mind. Christ was lead as a sheep to the slaughter. He stood after being beaten and abused, with a crown of thorns pushed down on His brow. He heard the vulgar jeers of the soldiers as they knelt in mockery before the King of the tiny nation they so despised. We might be made to ask,"How is God to receive any glory from all this?"
They nailed him to the cross between two thieves and taunted Him,"He saved others but he can't save himself!" His disciples went away. The cry fell from the parched lips,"I thirst," and the final, most agonized cry of all,"My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The natural assumption for man to make is,"Surely God is not being glorified in all this!" But when one realizes what is really taking place, one understands that this is not the sad and gloomy scene of defeat it first appears. Rather, it is the manifestation of the glorious triumph of the Love of God!
Ever since sin had entered the world through Adam, it had held man in its iron grip.There had been no sacrifice man might make, ritual he could perform nor penance he could do, which could break the power of sin's hold upon him. It was At the cross that the Love of God triumphed over sin, death and hell in our behalf.
God had, in the glory of His complete righteousness, pronounced condemnation upon sin.and now, in the person of His perfect Son, has again glorified Himself by providing a remedy for sin!. As Christ bare our sins in His own body he did something all the blood of bulls and goats could never do. He provided a way in which sinful man could stand, in complete righteousness before God.. The promise of God had been kept. He had glorified his name again.
Our thoughts progress next to the empty tomb. The devil and all his crowd have tried in every conceivable way to diminish its effect, but it stands as a silent testimony to the world that the one who had been laid there, was not a mere mortal. He had said, on the day he had died,
John 10:18 No 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.
Because of that commandment of the Father, all the power of of the Roman government, her army, the Sanhedrin court and even the devil and his angels, could not keep Christ in the tomb. In a way never before even imagined by any other, God had glorified his name, as Christ broke the power of Death, Hell and the grave from the inside!
How is a king or ruler more glorified? Is it by a great palace bulging with riches obtained at the expense of his downtrodden subjects? Or is it by his people dwelling in safety, peace and prosperity, as they enjoy the Royal Bounty of the King? God is glorifying Himself today, not by the demands he makes upon us, as much as by the provisions he has made FOR us. While there are things he demands and desires from us, they are not to provide Him more glory, but rather, to elevate us so that we might share His glory.
Paul made the statement. Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. We may all glory in the Cross of our Lord because it is the preaching of the Cross which is the power of God unto salvation.
In our preaching of the Gospel, God glorifies himself even more than he did by the Law, which He gave at Mt.Siniai.
The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to pen these words;
2 Cor 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
2 Cor 3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 2 Cor 3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
2 Cor 3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
2 Cor 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
Every time the Word of God is preached, God glorifies himself by sending the Holy Spirit to use that Word to convict men of their sins.
Great orators have been able to sometimes move men to action or emotions by the use of words, but here is something far different. It takes no silvertongued orator to effectively present the Gospel. Any child of God can be used by God to change the destiny of others from hell to Heaven, by the use of the simple testimony of Jesus Christ. Praise God for the glory to Himself as he uses the preaching of the Gospel to save them that believe.
In the early part of his life, Jesus was raised in an obscure village in Galillee. When he began his ministry and started calling out his disciples, he did it without fanfare. If man set out to establish an institution which was to endure throughout the ensuing ages, he would, no doubt, want to use every means at his disposal to advertise it. He would want the best press agents, and get all the advance publicity possible. Yet as Jesus set out to build a Church charged with the responsibility of preaching the Gospel to every creature, while facing persecution from every quarter and yet endure, unchanged for all time, he did it without any fanfare.
Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
The first men he called to the work were not the well-known public figures of their day. They were two lowly Galilean fishermen. It is doubtful that the Church of our Lord could have had a more unlikely beginning. Yet, He gave them the promise, "Follow me and I will make you to become fishers of men" They were still, but a small band of disciples when he further promised, "Upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" They still had not grown to be very large, when He promised again, "In this world ye shall have trubulation, but fear not, I have overcome the world." God is still glorifying His Name, for that Church with the unlikely beginning, is still here and is still preaching the Gospel of Christ in all its purity.
During the Dark Ages, he gave her grace to preach and to grow, even when doing so made her face the sentence of death from her persecutors. Every precious teaching given her by her Lord, has come under attack, and Satan has tried in every way to cause her to compromise. But God has glorified His Name by preserving her and her teaching pure, exactly as He promised. The gates of hell have not and never shall, prevail against His Church, the Body and Bride of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Every time a lost sinner answers the Gospel call and comes to Christ, there is rejoicing in heaven and God glorifies himself once again. Every time a New Testament Church takes one who has been saved, into the waters of Baptism, in obedience to His command, God glorifies Himself again. When we are able to look into the face of one who has been ruined by the shame and degradation of sin, and see there, the radiance of joy in Jesus Christ, we realize this did not happen by the wisdom or the power of men. It is by the power of an almighty God and we can say,"Praise God, He has glorified Himself again!"
Christ now sits at the right hand of the throne of the Father making intercession for his saints. Some day soon, he will arise from that throne and come in clouds of great glory to call his people home. At that time, the dead in Christ will be raised in their incorruptible bodies and those still living, will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye to be fashioned like unto his glorious body. Then we shall all go to meet the Lord in the air, and God will have again glorified His Name in a marvelous way. Not only will he have proven his ability to redeem lost, sinful men, but to keep them and eventually give them their glorified, eternal bodies.
The Bible tells us of a time when Jesus will sit upon David's throne as King of kings and Lord of lords, and rule over this earth with a rod of iron. When this takes place and even the rulers of this earth bow down before him, God will have again kept his promise, "I will glorify it again."
At that time, the words of the prophet will be fulfilled,
Hab 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Again, when the wicked dead are raised to stand before Him at the Great White Throne judgment, his promise as found in several scriptures will be fulfilled.;
Isa 45:23 I 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.
Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Phil 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Phil 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
There is no question as to, WILL God be glorified by you? The only question is WHEN AND UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS YOU WILL GLORIFY HIM. Will it be now as you receive him as your saviour and as you serve him? Or will it be at the Great White Throne as you bow and say, "Amen, and Amen!" to you own condemnation?
In What Shall I Glory?
I gloried in youth.
It passed on.
I gloried in strenght,
then it, too was gone.
I gloried in wealth
I thought I might gain.
I gloried in health
and freedom from pain.
But gone is the hope
of silver and gold.
and health drifts away
as the body grows old.
In what can I glory
and not suffer loss?
I'll glory in Christ
and his death on the cross.
I'll glory in love
he showed for me there,
and in the home up above
He's gone to prepare.
I'll glory in this,
He's coming again!
I'll glory in bliss
I shall know when he reigns.
I'll glory in Grace
each day that I live,
then I'll see His face
and to God All glory give!
fcc
Text: John 12:28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
Intro: Jesus closed a short prayer with this request and the prayer is answered immediately. The reaction of those who were present was typical. Some said, "It thundered". Others said an angel spoke to him. How little, man understands of the Glory of God! All too often, we expect God to be glorified only in ways which will elevate man to a lofty position. God said on this occasion, that he had both glorified his name and would glorify it again. The question might well be asked, 'How had He glorified His name in the past?' It is as natural for God to be glorified as it is for natural man to be prone to sin. The fact is, God WILL BE GLORIFIED whether man likes it or not. Note that the request of Christ on this occasion was NOT that man might glorify His name, but that the Father, himself, would glorify it.The answer was, "I have and I will."
As we think back to the record of man's earliest days, we see man walking in the Garden, and we see God Glorified as He fellowships and communes with the creature He created in His own image. At this time man walked in uprightness and communed with his creator of his own free will. Then a dark cloud comes over the scene, as man uses that divine gift of a free will to disobey his God. In doing so, he broke that communion. The question now is; 'Will man, who was created for the glory of God, now rob God of that glory by willful disobedience?'
The sad truth is that man, in his sinful condition, has it neither in his mind or will, to glorify his maker. Yet God has said, "I have glorified my name." As long as Adam walked uprightly, he walked in fellowship with God and shared in his glory.
Sin brought about a sad change. Man not only does not walk with God and share his glory, but rather, is separated from God by that very glory! Why? Because now He is glorified by the judgment and condemnation of sin. Instead of being glorified by the creatures walking by His side, He is glorified by the cherubim with the flaming swords, which keep sinful man out of his presence.
A quick trip through Bible history reveals how, over and over, God is glorified in the goodness and merciful provisions He made for His people, and the sure and quick way His complete holiness causes man to reap the consequences of disobedience to Him.
As He delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage, He was glorified in the mercy he showed to those who applied the blood of the Passover Lamb. For these, the Angel of Death passed over and left them safe. His glory was also manifested in the homes of the Egyptians and any others who refused to apply the blood. Into these homes the death angel came. Not one escaped. From the homes of the lowliest slave, to the palace of Pharoah ,the first-born is slain.
As He led the Israelites to the Red Sea, His glory is seen equally in their delivery through the deep, and in the destruction of Pharoah and his armies in it.
He showed his glory to Israel in the quail he gave them to eat and in the serpents he sent to bite them when they murmured against Him.
As he led them to the plain at the foot of Mt.Sinai, they realized again that they were being led by a God of great power and glory. They saw the thick darkness settle over the mountain. They saw the lightning flash, and the ground tremble under their feet. They knew they were in the presence of a glorious God. Their reaction was,"Moses, you go up and find out what He wants and we will do it". It was a rash promise, which they would break over and over to their great sorrow.
When God had written His Laws upon the Tables of Stone and sent them to His chosen nation, they had a glorious Law which, as one historian has said, 'Between the Law of Moses and the laws of other nations, there is a gulf which cannot be spanned.' The reason is simple; no other nation was ever ruled by Laws which were written by the Hand of God! When she obeyed those Laws, she glorified God and was blessed by Him. When she turned away from obedience to follow other gods, He glorified Himself as he brought swift and terrible punishment upon her. That Law still stands as testimony of God's perfect righteousness, and as witness to man's inability to measure up to His demands. It stands as a reminder of our sinfulness and our need to throw ourselves upon the mercy of our glorious God!
The New Testament opens with the account of the birth of Christ. The angels announced it with the words, 'Glory to God in the highest'.
From the earliest of times, when a son was born, the father caused a great celebration to be made. Never before and never since, has the birth of a son been celebrated as it was on this occasion. He did not gather a chorus of beggars from the back street of Jerusalem, nor even hire the Temple choir for the occasion. He sent forth the angels and for the first time in all eternity, the praise which has been heard around the throne in heaven, reached the ears of men. The message was "Glory to God in the highest."
It reminds us of the request made by Moses many years before. As he came into the presence of God on the mount, he made a request,"Show me thy glory?" The answer was, "I'll show you my goodness." No man can look into the face of the glorious God, and yet we can see that glory manifested in His goodness toward us in Christ Jesus. This is why John said concerning Him, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14)
No prince was ever born, even to the world's most powerful king, who received such a grand proclamation of his birth as did the Son of God. There may have been no twenty-one gun salutes and no national holidays declared, but the Father sent His angels to announce his arrival among men.
God Glorified His Name in the life which Jesus lived as he walked among men. It was by the power of God that Jesus performed his miracles. Every time blind eyes were made to see, or deaf ears were opened or withered limbs made whole, God was glorifying His Name.
As Christ and his disciples were in the little ship in the storm, the disciples feared for their lives. God's glory is shown in an unmistakable way as Jesus arises from the place where he was asleep in the back part of the ship. He made no great production of what he was about to do. There were no announcements to get the attention of the maximum number of people, and no rituals involved. He simply rebuked the wind and the waves and issued the command, "Peace, be still". Immediately, there was a great calm.
In every move Jesus made and in every word he uttered while upon the earth, the Father was being glorified.
Parents are proud when their children achieve great things. As Christ came up out of the water at his baptism, the Father spoke of him,"This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased ." Jesus was entering into the earthly ministry for which the world had awaited since the days of Adam.
Later, those who came to question him, went away saying,"no man ever spake like this man!" God was glorified in the wisdom of His Son. Those who witnessed the healing of the palsied man who had been let down through the roof into the presence of Jesus, went away saying,"We never saw it in this manner before!" God was glorified in the power of His Son. As Jesus stood before Pilate at the time of arrest. Pilate said,"I find no fault with this man." and God was glorified in the righteousness of His Son.
"I will glorify it again." was the promise. As the events immediately following this promise unfold, we might be made to wonder if God had forgotten or changed His mind. Christ was lead as a sheep to the slaughter. He stood after being beaten and abused, with a crown of thorns pushed down on His brow. He heard the vulgar jeers of the soldiers as they knelt in mockery before the King of the tiny nation they so despised. We might be made to ask,"How is God to receive any glory from all this?"
They nailed him to the cross between two thieves and taunted Him,"He saved others but he can't save himself!" His disciples went away. The cry fell from the parched lips,"I thirst," and the final, most agonized cry of all,"My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The natural assumption for man to make is,"Surely God is not being glorified in all this!" But when one realizes what is really taking place, one understands that this is not the sad and gloomy scene of defeat it first appears. Rather, it is the manifestation of the glorious triumph of the Love of God!
Ever since sin had entered the world through Adam, it had held man in its iron grip.There had been no sacrifice man might make, ritual he could perform nor penance he could do, which could break the power of sin's hold upon him. It was At the cross that the Love of God triumphed over sin, death and hell in our behalf.
God had, in the glory of His complete righteousness, pronounced condemnation upon sin.and now, in the person of His perfect Son, has again glorified Himself by providing a remedy for sin!. As Christ bare our sins in His own body he did something all the blood of bulls and goats could never do. He provided a way in which sinful man could stand, in complete righteousness before God.. The promise of God had been kept. He had glorified his name again.
Our thoughts progress next to the empty tomb. The devil and all his crowd have tried in every conceivable way to diminish its effect, but it stands as a silent testimony to the world that the one who had been laid there, was not a mere mortal. He had said, on the day he had died,
John 10:18 No 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.
Because of that commandment of the Father, all the power of of the Roman government, her army, the Sanhedrin court and even the devil and his angels, could not keep Christ in the tomb. In a way never before even imagined by any other, God had glorified his name, as Christ broke the power of Death, Hell and the grave from the inside!
How is a king or ruler more glorified? Is it by a great palace bulging with riches obtained at the expense of his downtrodden subjects? Or is it by his people dwelling in safety, peace and prosperity, as they enjoy the Royal Bounty of the King? God is glorifying Himself today, not by the demands he makes upon us, as much as by the provisions he has made FOR us. While there are things he demands and desires from us, they are not to provide Him more glory, but rather, to elevate us so that we might share His glory.
Paul made the statement. Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. We may all glory in the Cross of our Lord because it is the preaching of the Cross which is the power of God unto salvation.
In our preaching of the Gospel, God glorifies himself even more than he did by the Law, which He gave at Mt.Siniai.
The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to pen these words;
2 Cor 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
2 Cor 3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 2 Cor 3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
2 Cor 3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
2 Cor 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
Every time the Word of God is preached, God glorifies himself by sending the Holy Spirit to use that Word to convict men of their sins.
Great orators have been able to sometimes move men to action or emotions by the use of words, but here is something far different. It takes no silvertongued orator to effectively present the Gospel. Any child of God can be used by God to change the destiny of others from hell to Heaven, by the use of the simple testimony of Jesus Christ. Praise God for the glory to Himself as he uses the preaching of the Gospel to save them that believe.
In the early part of his life, Jesus was raised in an obscure village in Galillee. When he began his ministry and started calling out his disciples, he did it without fanfare. If man set out to establish an institution which was to endure throughout the ensuing ages, he would, no doubt, want to use every means at his disposal to advertise it. He would want the best press agents, and get all the advance publicity possible. Yet as Jesus set out to build a Church charged with the responsibility of preaching the Gospel to every creature, while facing persecution from every quarter and yet endure, unchanged for all time, he did it without any fanfare.
Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
The first men he called to the work were not the well-known public figures of their day. They were two lowly Galilean fishermen. It is doubtful that the Church of our Lord could have had a more unlikely beginning. Yet, He gave them the promise, "Follow me and I will make you to become fishers of men" They were still, but a small band of disciples when he further promised, "Upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" They still had not grown to be very large, when He promised again, "In this world ye shall have trubulation, but fear not, I have overcome the world." God is still glorifying His Name, for that Church with the unlikely beginning, is still here and is still preaching the Gospel of Christ in all its purity.
During the Dark Ages, he gave her grace to preach and to grow, even when doing so made her face the sentence of death from her persecutors. Every precious teaching given her by her Lord, has come under attack, and Satan has tried in every way to cause her to compromise. But God has glorified His Name by preserving her and her teaching pure, exactly as He promised. The gates of hell have not and never shall, prevail against His Church, the Body and Bride of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Every time a lost sinner answers the Gospel call and comes to Christ, there is rejoicing in heaven and God glorifies himself once again. Every time a New Testament Church takes one who has been saved, into the waters of Baptism, in obedience to His command, God glorifies Himself again. When we are able to look into the face of one who has been ruined by the shame and degradation of sin, and see there, the radiance of joy in Jesus Christ, we realize this did not happen by the wisdom or the power of men. It is by the power of an almighty God and we can say,"Praise God, He has glorified Himself again!"
Christ now sits at the right hand of the throne of the Father making intercession for his saints. Some day soon, he will arise from that throne and come in clouds of great glory to call his people home. At that time, the dead in Christ will be raised in their incorruptible bodies and those still living, will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye to be fashioned like unto his glorious body. Then we shall all go to meet the Lord in the air, and God will have again glorified His Name in a marvelous way. Not only will he have proven his ability to redeem lost, sinful men, but to keep them and eventually give them their glorified, eternal bodies.
The Bible tells us of a time when Jesus will sit upon David's throne as King of kings and Lord of lords, and rule over this earth with a rod of iron. When this takes place and even the rulers of this earth bow down before him, God will have again kept his promise, "I will glorify it again."
At that time, the words of the prophet will be fulfilled,
Hab 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Again, when the wicked dead are raised to stand before Him at the Great White Throne judgment, his promise as found in several scriptures will be fulfilled.;
Isa 45:23 I 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.
Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Phil 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Phil 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
There is no question as to, WILL God be glorified by you? The only question is WHEN AND UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS YOU WILL GLORIFY HIM. Will it be now as you receive him as your saviour and as you serve him? Or will it be at the Great White Throne as you bow and say, "Amen, and Amen!" to you own condemnation?
In What Shall I Glory?
I gloried in youth.
It passed on.
I gloried in strenght,
then it, too was gone.
I gloried in wealth
I thought I might gain.
I gloried in health
and freedom from pain.
But gone is the hope
of silver and gold.
and health drifts away
as the body grows old.
In what can I glory
and not suffer loss?
I'll glory in Christ
and his death on the cross.
I'll glory in love
he showed for me there,
and in the home up above
He's gone to prepare.
I'll glory in this,
He's coming again!
I'll glory in bliss
I shall know when he reigns.
I'll glory in Grace
each day that I live,
then I'll see His face
and to God All glory give!
fcc
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