Our New Year’s Resolution

Posted on January 4, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

A New Year's Resolution Sermon Notes: Every year people make New Year’s Resolutions. I never do myself, though in times past I did. When we enter a New Year we all want to do something different, be something better. It’s time for a fresh start. I used to make resolutions:

“I’ll do this, I’ll do that”

But as I’ve aged I realize that my best intentions are nothing if God is not in them. Of myself I can do nothing, but with Christ I can do all things. James the stepbrother of Christ wrote:

James 4:13-15 (NKJV) Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

Our lives are but vapor, spirit and smoke. We are of ourselves so very temporal, very fleeting, very fragile. James – who did not begin to believe in his Brother Christ until after Christ rose from the grave – said “Instead let’s make this resolution – I will do as the Lord wills. I will go as my Lord sends me.”

Jonathan Edwards the Puritan Evangelist and grandfather of Aaron Burr the 3^rd Vice President of these United States made a series of resolutions to God. His very first resolution was:

Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory …

I think that’s a good resolution we can all keep. A resolution contains I WILL in it’s body. Tonight we’re going to look at seven I WILL statements or resolutions that our Lord Jesus made, and consider how these resolutions our Savior and King made impact our lives as Christians. These I WILL statements are all taken from the Book of John, a Book that emphasizes the Godhood of Christ. The Book starts with:

John 1:1-3 (KJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The I WILLS of Christ are more than the I WILLS of David or of any person, no matter who. The I WILLS of Christ are the I WILLS of God in the flesh, Messiah, the Lord Who is with us.

1. Jesus Resolved To Conquer Death

Jesus went to the Temple and found there not people worshiping God our Father, but self righteous people making merchandise and money on religion. The Bible tells us that Jesus made a scourge of small cords – probably the cords that were used to bring the animals into the Temple – and “drove them out of the Temple, and poured out the changer’s money”. This angered the Pharisees for they were making profit on the exchange of money and sacrifices. So they asked Jesus:

“Show us a sign that you are authorized to do this!”

John 2:19 (KJV) Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I WILL raise it up.

They thought that He was speaking of the Temple of Israel, but the text tells us (verse 21) “He spoke of the Temple of His Body”. Jesus knew that the Pharisees were going to kill Him, that He would in just a short time die on Calvary. But Christ was not afraid. He was going to defeat death. “In three days I will raise it up”. Jesus’ words puzzled His disciples as well. We are told:

John 2:22 (KJV) When therefore {Jesus} was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

They HEARD Him say this, but in reality did not believe Him any more than did the Pharisees. But Jesus spoke truth. No one took His life, but He laid His life down for us. Notice what Jesus said.

“Destroy this TEMPLE”

Christ’s body – just like ours – is a TEMPLE, a TENT that holds something far greater. These bodies are temporary. Christ’s body at that time was temporary. That body was given to Him by the Spirit and Mary for a specific use. He is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). His Temple will be destroyed.

“And in THREE DAYS I will raise it up”

Jesus would die, but the grave would not hold Him. He would defeat death in three days. And in the end of the Tomb life would triumph. Jesus is the Destroyer of Death.

1 Corinthians 15:26 (NKJV) The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

The hand of death would wrap itself around Christ, its bony fingers grasping His Body and choking His soul. But He would come forth triumphant, and rise from the grave in a glorified body, one we His children will one day have. Dying, He died, but rose again holding the sword of life, death beheaded at His feet!

I could talk of this all day, but I must continue on or we will never finish. I want to finish with the words of Pastor Sam Allberry of the Gospel Coalition:

“The resurrection is the outworking and proof of our salvation because death is the outworking and proof of our sin. Jesus’s new life shows us the cycle of sin and death has finally been broken. There is new life to be had. Sin has been conquered. It is therefore the resurrection of Jesus—and can only be the resurrection of Jesus—that assures us of salvation. Only the resurrection proves that our sins have been fully dealt with, that death is no longer our destination but a gateway to perfect, endless life.”

2. Christ Resolved To Receive Whosoever Will Come

John 6:37 (KJV) All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

When Jesus said these words it was the day after He had fed the five thousand. He took five little biscuits and two fish, multiplied it, and fed a multitude of people. Jesus moved to another Capernaum after this, and the multitude followed Him – not because they loved Him, but because they wanted another great free meal. Who doesn’t like a free meal? Jesus told the people:

John 6:26-27 (KJV)26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Jesus wants to give everyone who will come to Him everlasting life. The people were not coming to Him but to a meal. They were not seeking the Messiah nor the Savior, but a restauranteur. When Jesus fed the five thousand He was showing that He could take care of all who came to Him by faith. These people did not want Jesus – they wanted the stuff that Jesus could provide.

The old sin nature enslaves us. It binds our hearts to darkness. God must open our eyes so that we can see the glory that is Christ. Unless God quicken our spirits and enable us, we are like the blind man who cannot see, the cripple who cannot walk, the deaf who cannot hear. To us Christ says:

“All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me”

The Father opens the eyes. The Spirit clears the ears. Those who come to Christ are given to Christ by the Father. Christ is the Gift of God to us, and we who believe are the gift of God to Christ. He cherishes us as His gift. He loves us. And Jesus does not re-gift. To re-gift is to get a gift that you do not want, one that you eventually wrap up and give to someone else. That is re-gifting. Perhaps you did so with something you received on Christmas past. But God the Son does not re-gift. He says:

“and the one that comes to Me I will not cast out”

What a blessing it is to know that no matter what my and your calling and election are sure. Jesus does not throw out the gift of the Father. He cherishes us, as we should cherish Him. Oh, how I love Jesus!

3. Christ Resolved To Raise Us Up

John 6:40, 44 (KJV) And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

This resolution rests on the first two resolutions. Twice in this text Christ says:

“I will raise him up on the last day”

If a mere man were to say this I would be very skeptical. All men (and women too) die. We all die. If you were to look at me and say “Don’t worry about death, because I’ll give you eternal life. I’ll make sure you are raised up on the last day.” My response would be “That’s nice, but WHO are YOU to make such a promise? You’re going to die, too. Who’s going to raise YOU up?” But Jesus died, and rose again on the third day just as He promised. He proved His mastery over death in His own dying and resurrection.

And what He does is in agreement with the Father. He said “This is the will of His that sent Me, that everyone who looks upon me and believes on Me shall have eternal life”. The Father opens the eyes of every person who comes to Christ. He lets us see ourselves as we are, so that we can see Christ as He is. Seeing Him, we repent and turn to Him. Believing on Him we are saved. And being saved Jesus promises “I will raise you up at the last day”. People try to get all theological with what Jesus said, but I’m going to keep it simple.

You are all all going to have a last day on this earth. The Bible says:

Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV) …. it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment ..

We all will have a “last day” on this earth. But Jesus has promised to raise us up on the last day. He promised this not once, but twice.

John 12:26 (NIV) Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Jesus will not leave His child apart from Himself. He will raise us up, dear believer, if we are indeed believers in Him.

4. Christ Resolved To Be A Full Time Savior

John 6:51 (KJV) I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

You cannot understand this resolution unless you go back to the Old Testament. Every Jew knew what Jesus was talking of when He spoke of bread from Heaven. The first generation of Israel had rejected the Promised Land that offered them. They were too afraid of the world, but not afraid enough of God to do as He said. So the Lord set them to wandering in the wilderness.

But God still loved His people.

There are many Churches today filled with belligerent Christians wandering in the wilderness. But God does not abandon His people. God did not abandon Israel. He gave Israel manna from Heaven. God gave them this blessing even though they complained, even though the murmured. God told Moses:

Exodus 16:4 (NKJV) … Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.

God’s Children are to obey their Father. God’s Children are to honor their Jesus. Israel was given manna from Heaven, the bread of angels feeding His beloved people. They were to gather just enough manna to feed themselves every day. They were not to hoard, but to consume all they had gathered.

What a beautiful picture of Christ.

The manna that Israel gathered gave them sustenance for that day. Christ is the Living Bread from Heaven. He gave Himself to us. We consume Him, bringing Him and His Words to our lives. We hear Him, obey Him. We gather and eat His Word daily.

Jeremiah 15:16 (NKJV) Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.

The lost chase after Jesus for what He can give them. The saved chase Jesus because He and He alone has the words of life. When He comes into our lives and commits Himself to us we are promised that we shall live forever. This life is but a trial run on the great life that is yet coming. Oh praise His Holy Name forever!

5. Christ Resolved That We Would Stay With Him

John 14:3 (KJV) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Before Jesus went to the Cross of Calvary He told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for us. Jesus has gone ahead of us to make a place for us. He even prayed:

John 17:24 (KJV) Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Listen dear Christian. Jesus will raise you up on the last day. Jesus will one day come and receive you to Himself. When your last day on this earth comes, Christ will be the one you see. I have heard preachers say that angels came and took Lazarus to Abraham’s bosom, and angels will take us. Hogwash. Abraham’s bosom was the place where saints went prior to Calvary. But following Calvary angels do not come and get us. You know who comes and gets us? Jesus.

It is by His Blood we are saved.
It is by His Resurrection that death is defeated.
It is He that has prepared a place for us.
And one day He will take us to that place to be with Him forever.

6. Christ Resolved That He Would Stay With Us

John 14:16-18 (KJV) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

It was Jesus’ prayer and promise that the Holy Spirit would abide with every Christian, living within our Temple with us. The Spirit is with us to guide us into truth. Jesus said “I will come to you” to let us know that the Spirit Who indwells us is the Spirit of Christ. We are indwelt so that we can follow Him. We are indwelt so that we can hear His Word and grow by it.

Christ did not save us from sin and death so that we could wander aimlessly through this world. Christ saved us so that we could honor God and serve Him. The Spirit “comforts” us by His presence. He is in every believer as a guide, and a seal or future promise of Heaven.

7. Christ Resolved That We Would
Obediently Follow Him

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

We are not called of God to a part time Christianity. We follow a full time Lord. Thus Christ tied our obedience to our love. Jesus said “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments”. You will do as Jesus says BECAUSE He says it.

When you obey Christ He manifests Himself to you. Oh what a blessing it is to experience His presence. So often life confuses me, but Christ stabilizes me. God is not the Author of Confusion, but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33).

This year resolve with me that we will – together – hear and keep our Lord’s commandments. That we will love. That we will share His Gospel. That we will be His hands and feet. The Church that becomes ME oriented is the Church that eventually wanders in the wilderness like Israel did. The Church that follows Christ crosses the Jordan for His glory, and let’s Him defeat the enemy through us. Let’s resolve to be that kind of Church, a Kingdom people for His glory.

Posted in John, Living God, salvation, Sermons Preached, sin, sinners, Trusting God | Tagged Following Christ, New Years, Resolution | 2 Comments

The God Of All Comfort

Posted on January 1, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

2 Corinthians 1:1-4 (KJV) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: [2] Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. [3] Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; [4] Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Everyone suffers.

Some of you may think that life has been good to you, and that your suffering is little. But everyone suffers. Everyone I know or have known has suffered, is going through suffering, or will suffer. The writer of this Book, Paul the Apostle, suffered. Now you would think that someone as blessed as Paul would never suffer. The Bible tells us that ..

Acts 19:11-12 (NKJV) Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

The Apostle had an unusual gift of healing, as did the Apostle Peter. The Bible says that when Peter’s shadow passed over a sick person, that person was made well (Acts 5:15). These powers were the gift of God to these men. It did not come from their own abilities, but through God flowing through them. You would expect that the Apostle Paul would never be afflicted. You would expect that if anything came his way that Paul could just heal it.

“Physician, heal thyself (Luke 4:23)”

And yet the Apostle suffered. He said:

2 Corinthians 1:8 (KJV) For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

Trouble pressed down on Paul and those who were with him so much that they were pressed out of measure. It seemed the burden was too much to bear. They despaired even of life. There are times when trouble can press down on you to the point where you pray that God take you home, that this life is but a curse and the next the blessed hope. “Oh Lord, I am so ready to come home. Take me, dear Jesus. Take me.” This is nothing to be ashamed of. Even the Apostle was that way at one time or the other. Trouble can weigh us down to the point where we feel like the axle on the old truck is about to break.

Why would God allow such a burden to be placed upon us? Why does trouble at times seem to weigh us down so? Is there a purpose in suffering? Yes, there must be. The Apostle tells us in another place:

Romans 8:28-29 (KJV) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. [29] For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

If “all things” work together for our good, then “all things” literally means “ALL things”. That is a theologically profound statement but one we need to carefully examine. Either “ALL things” work together for our good, or “ALL things” do not. Either God is true and every man a liar, or God a liar and every man is true. I declare with the Apostle:

Let God be true but every man a liar! (Romans 3:4)

If all things work together for Good, for our Good, for the Church’s Good, for Christ’s Good, for the Father’s Good, then all things are good. If you love God:

The Dark is as GOOD as the Light
The Tears are as GOOD as the Smiles
The Illness is as good as the Health
The Disappointments and Losses are as GOOD as the Victory and the Win

There is a purpose behind each of the valleys of our lives. The purpose is never negative, but always positive. The Apostle said:

2 Corinthians 1:3 (KJV) Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

He blesses God. The God Who permits trials and tribulation is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the loving Father Who sent His Son to suffer and die for us. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. His suffering was not for nothing, but that we might be redeemed from sin and satan. This same God Who sent His Christ is also the Father of mercies. God did not have to send His Son. He could have allowed us to die in our sins. But our Heavenly Father is the Father of mercies. His love is limitless. His salvation is perfect and permanent. His love endures forever.

1 Peter 1:3 (KJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Romans 9:16 (KJV) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

The Father of Christ is the God of all mercies and the God of all comfort. It is He Who allows trials for purpose.

Trials Allow Us To Be Like Christ

2 Corinthians 1:4 (KJV) Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, THAT we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

It is the desire of God that every Christ follower be like Christ. God uses trials to form Christ in us. In His ministry Jesus was constantly reaching out to the suffering, encouraging the discouraged, and lifting up the crippled. God allows trials in us so that He can comfort us and see us through the trial, but also that we may comfort those around us going through the same thing.

Most all of us have experienced death and suffering from a distance. You may have a friend or a co-worker who has suffered the effects of sin and death. You may have been touched by this, but do not grow in the experience until you yourself have the experience.

As a pastor I have gone through suffering with many, but it was not until I had experienced suffering myself that I was able to minister as Christ to the suffering. I have lost a son name Stephen to death. I have experienced not only the suffering of his death, but the foolishness and crassness of people. People ask me “How did he die?” which is not Christlike nor particularly helpful. “How did he die?”

If he died in a traffic accident
or was shot down by a bullet
or was taken hostage and killed by terrorists
or fell out of a pine tree and was taken by gravity

… what difference would it make? “How did he die?” is not the response of Christ to the grieving. But having gone through his death with his mother and knowing he professed Christ as Savior and was voluntarily baptized prior to his death I know that we came through that valley knowing that God is good and God had a purpose. One year later I began to minister at a small but sweet little farm Church called Okapilco Baptist, and during that first year ministered to 9 families as they went through the Valley of the Shadow of death. Stephen’s death equipped me to minister to others as God ministered to me.

Some of you have lost parents, some children, and some spouses.
Each valley is different.
Some of you have experienced disease.
Each valley is different.

You were not brought into this valley to be tortured of God, but to be ministered to by God so that you, like Christ, can some day minister to others. Do not wallow if your grief, but through His Word and prayer grow by it. Let God’s promise minister to you. And then you reach out and minister to others.

I have experienced the loss of mother and father, and THE FATHER guided me in my grief through that valley. But I have never experienced the loss of my Beloved Sherry. I have never been through this valley. If you have, and have experienced the comfort of God as you have walked through this valley, reach out to others who are similarly afflicted. Be the hands and feet of Christ. Be the encourager. The Bible says that we are interconnected:

1 Corinthians 12:26-27 (KJV) And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. [27] Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

There is none who can speak the words of encouragement to us like someone who has been through the same valley. Those who have suffered understand. Our Jesus suffered. He understands. Be like Christ to those in need.

Trials Draw Us Into The Embrace Of Christ

2 Corinthians 1:5-7 (KJV) For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. [6] And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. [7] And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

We do not experience the maximum blessings of Christ while on the mountaintop. No, we must venture into the valleys. I remember one of the hardest Churches I ever pastored. It was a sweet community, but the power of God was not in it. Week after week I preached, but it seemed as if none would join. The well was dry. The pump was busted. Critics abounded.

Then I fell to my knees. Daily I would lay praying on the carpet before the pulpit, begging Christ to enter that place. The members harbored bitterness and anger, and though satan did not rule, he kept the rule of the Spirit out. So I prayed. I prayer walked. I walked through the community seeking Christ, and Christ found me. And He found that little Church, today a successful and vibrant Church. Because of me? No. Because of Christ.

Trials drive us into the arms of Christ.

Before trials come we need a flat screen TV.
We need another piece of property.
We need a shiny new truck.
We need another boyfriend or girlfriend.
We need more money in the bank.
We need a steak dinner.
We need. We need.

But when trials come we need above all else our Savior. As the child with the skinned knee needs his or her mommy’s embrace, we need the arms of the Master wrapped around us. As we partake of suffering, we partake of His consolation. When we suffer the things of this life do not matter, but the Creator of life does. We need the Lord! We need His Grace. And God is sufficient. If I have nothing else, God is enough. Knowing that He is there is all that matters.

The Prophet Job – suffering as no man ever suffered – losing all that he had – said:

Job 1:21 (NKJV) … “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Trials bring us into the awareness that Christ is enough in our lives. There was a time in His ministry when people chased after Jesus for the temporary things that He could provide. They wanted the dinner on the grounds, the free meal they didn’t have to pay for. Professional moochers, many plague the Churches today seeking sustenance without spirit, mammon and not the Magnificent God we serve. When Jesus told them they weren’t getting any more free meals they “went away, and never came back” (John 6:66). When they left – these snowflake sons of satan – Jesus asked His remaining disciples, “Will you leave Me also?”. The Apostle Peter said it best:

John 6:68 (NKJV) … “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

To have God’s presence in the valley is what matters most. One of my favorite passages in Isaiah is:

Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Why are we not to fear? Because Christ is with us. Why should we not be discouraged? Because my God is with me. He stands by my side. His hand is over me, under me, all around me. I am embraced by Him Who cannot fail. He will stoop to help ME. He will bend over to hold my hand. His nail scarred hand is in my hand. I need to know this. I need to feel this. Trials prove this.

In the midst of the trial we can look downward and moan, or we can look upwards and praise Him, inviting Him into our midst. What did Jesus say?

Come unto Me all you who are on vacation and at unburdened, and I will give you rest!

No! No! No! He said:

Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV) Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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.

Who were Christ’s followers when He walked this earth?
The rich white collar people?
The Herod in the palace?
The self righteous Pharisees and the Scribes who thought they had it all together?

No.

Christ’s followers were fishermen, struggling to make a living.
Christ followers were lepers who were outcast.
Christ followers where stumbling blind people.
Christ followers were hated tax collectors.
Christ’s followers were questionable women, and crippled men.
Christ’s followers were the broken. The lonely. The lost.

It is in the trials that we experience His Presence, if we would hear Him. He waits that you might come to Him. Praise Him in the trial. Billy Bray, the Cornish evangelist, used to say:

“If they were to put me in a barrel I would shout
glory to God through the bung-hole!”.

Pastor Martin Rinkart buried 4480 people in his life, many dead by war (the Thirty Years War) and epidemic. Rather than be discouraged he sought the embrace of Christ, and finding it, wrote a song in our hymnal (Page 638) Now Thank We All Our God:

Now thank we all our God

with heart and hands and voices,

who wondrous things has done,

in whom his world rejoices;

who from our mothers’ arms

has blessed us on our way

with countless gifts of love,

and still is ours today.

Trials Teach Us That We Are Not God

2 Corinthians 1:9-10 (KJV) But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: [10] Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

Trials draw us into a place where we cease being God, and begin to trust God as God. We are to trust in Him, the God which raises us from the dead. It is God Who gives us life, God Who grants us eternal life, and God that we should glorify forever.

In verse 10 we see three tenses that remind us of God’s great provision.

God DELIVERED us from so great a death.

We have been delivered from death, sin, and hellfire because of God’s great salvation in Christ. As we are told in 2 Timothy 1:9:

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time–to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

God saved us – past tense. But also ..

God DOES DELIVER.

He is currently saving us, protecting us, loving us.

Psalm 46:1-5 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. 4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

God has been with me every day since the day He saved my soul. God will always be with me … even to the end.

God will yet deliver us.

What God has begun, He will not leave unfinished.

2 Timothy 1:12 (NASB) For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

God is with His people. God loves to save His people. May God lift up your hearts to Him this very day.

Posted in Isaiah, Sermons Preached, trials | Tagged God Is Faithful, pain, Suffering, trials | 4 Comments

God Is Waiting

Posted on December 31, 2017 by bibleteacherorg

Sermon Notes: Isaiah 30:15-18 (KJV) For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. [16] But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. [17] One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill. [18] And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

Audio of Sermon:

Israel had fallen away from God. Her economy was teetering. Enemies surrounded her. Civilization had become uncivilized. There was a movement to “Make Israel Great Again” (also called MIGA), and politicians suggested numerous ways to bring Israel back from the brink of disaster. What hope did they have? Their hope is in God. The Psalmist David – a man after God’s own heart – wrote:

Psalm 33:12 (KJV) Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Israel can be great again, but only when the majority of that nation turns to God. American can be great again, but only when a majority of this nation returns to God. God says to His nation:

In returning and rest shall ye be saved;
in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:
and ye would not.

God has not made us for destruction. He wants us to be blessed, to be saved. He has said:

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 (NKJV) For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

God took extraordinary measures to bless us all. Yet God gives us freedom of choice. We see that in the four words at the end of verse 15:

and ye would not

There are four words here, and the Fourth Commandment is to take a day to rest and worship God. God calls us to His side. He wants to bless us. Will we do as He asks, or will we refuse Him?

God Is Waiting For The Sinner

In our world today it is inappropriate and politically incorrect to call anyone a “Sinner”. There are no Sinners anymore. The phrase we must use now is “Seeker”, and as a Church we must be “Seeker Sensitive”. We have changed the hymns to make God appear more appealing to the Seeker. We no longer “Repent” from sin, but “make a decision” for God.

But God calls to all sinners. He calls to the lost. Jesus seeks out the lost. God says to the lost world:

In returning and rest shall ye be saved

God has an R&R Program that will bless you.
He calls on everyone who will to return and rest.

What are we to RETURN to? We are to walk away from sin, from life as we want it, and to RETURN to the God Who made us. God made each and every one of us, and He did not make us to be entertained in sin’s playground. God created you with purpose. The Psalmist said:

Psalm 139:13-18 (NKJV) For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. … 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.

God made us to walk with Him and to be cherished of Him. The Bible says of our creation that the Triune God said:

Genesis 1:26 (NKJV) Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness”

We are all made in the image and likeness of our Creator.
We were not made to be gods, but were made to be God’s Possession and Companion.
We belong to Him. He made us to walk with Him.
We were made to rest in Him.

God says in RETURNING and REST you shall be saved. To RETURN means to walk away from where you are and to come back to Him Who loves you.

In Luke 15 our Lord Jesus tells an interesting story of the Prodigal or Wandering Son.

Luke 15:11-13 (NKJV) … A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

The younger son took everything that the Father gave him, his entire inheritance, and then left the quiet blessing of home. We all have been prodigals at one time or the other. Everything we have, we have from God. If we have beauty, we have this from God. If we have brains, we have this from God. If we have successful businesses and large bank accounts we have this from God. God formed you in your mother’s womb. God gave you the talents and abilities that you have. Life itself is a gift from God:

Ecclesiastes 5:19 (ESV) Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power TO ENJOY THEM, AND TO ACCEPT HIS LOT AND REJOICE IN HIS TOIL—this is the gift of God.

The young son, the wandering son, went to a far country, far away from where he should be. There he took his inheritance and let the world make merchandise of him. His life began to fall apart. Things began to look bleak. His inheritance began to dry up. Jesus went on to say:

Luke 15:14-16 (NKJV) But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

So it is with the world. While you have much, the world will supply you many friends … until the money dries up. The young man’s life began to get worst and worst, eventually to the point where he was eating slop from the hog-pen. I cannot imagine that! But then in the midst of his suffering:

Luke 15:17-20 (NKJV) But when HE CAME TO HIMSELF, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ 20 AND HE AROSE AND CAME TO HIS FATHER.

The young man first CAME TO HIS SENSES then he CAME TO HIS FATHER. Oh sinner, this is what God requires of you. He said:

In RETURNING and REST shall ye be saved

Return to the God Who made you.
Run into the arms of Jesus.
Christ came to this earth to save sinners.

He could not save Pharisees, nor could He save the self righteous, but He came to

Matthew 18:11 (NKJV) For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

Luke 5:32 (NKJV) I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.

God says return and rest. Return to Him Who loves you, and Rest in His provision of salvation. Trust Him Who gave His life for you. The Prodigal Son said “I will ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER”. What will the young man say? “I have SINNED against Heaven and against YOU. I am NOT WORTHY to be called your Son. Just make me a servant, that will be fine.” So the Prodigal Wandering Son heads home, his speech memorized, willing to humble himself. As he came home we read:

Luke 15:20-21 (NKJV) And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

The Father was waiting for His Child to come home. When He saw him, He met him half way. He fell on the Child’s neck, kissed him, and heard His son’s repentance. “Father, I have SINNED against Heaven and in Your sight. I am not worthy.” How did the Father respond?

Luke 15:22-24 (NKJV) But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

The Heavenly Father waits for you. In RETURNING and REST YOU SHALL BE SAVED. While you are wandering far from God in a far country God cannot bless you. God has His arms open for you. GOD IS SEEKING YOU. The Great Preacher C.H. Spurgeon wrote:

“What you need, in returning to God, is to rest in Him. Here is the answer to the question which we asked just now concerning your sin. “Listen,” says God, “do not let your past sin keep you back from Me, for I laid My sin upon the shoulders of My Son. I allowed Him to be scourged as though He had been the guilty one. I gave Him up to the executioners as though He had been a malefactor. I even drew My own sword from its scabbard, and smote My well-beloved Son with it. While He was bearing your sin, I left Him alone till He cried, in His anguish, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ I gave Him up to endure the bitter pangs of death that He might bear the wrath that was due to you. Now, then, as He has borne the punishment for all your sin, come unto Me, and rest in Me!

Jesus came for you. Jesus seeks you. I love the Parable of the Prodigal, but I also love the story told of a tax collector name Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a horrible person, a sinner of the first order. But one day he heard that Jesus was coming into his town. So when Zacchaeus heard the crowd following Jesus he climbed up a tree. The Bible tells us:

Luke 19:5-6 (NKJV) {Jesus} looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and RECEIVED HIM JOYFULLY. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”

Perhaps you are afraid to walk with Jesus and make this known to the world today. “What will they think of me if I receive Christ as my Lord and Savior”. If they are genuine Christians they will rejoice with you, not judge you. If they are self righteous hypocrites – well, who cares what they think! The self righteous hypocrite is going to hell anyway (see Matthew 23:13-15). Jesus said of the self righteous hypocrites:

Matthew 23:27 (ESV) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.

Don’t let a self righteous hell bound hypocrite keep you from God’s invitation. “In RETURNING and REST you shall be SAVED”. When Zacchaeus let Jesus into his life he said “I will return everything I have taken unlawfully, and I will give half my goods to the poor”. Salvation is always accompanied by sanctification. The saved return and rest in their God. Jesus told that crowd that day:

Luke 19:9-10 (NKJV) Today salvation has come to this house … for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

This is what “Seeker Sensitive” is. God seeks you. Christ reaches out for you. If life has got you up a tree, listen to Him. Come down from the tree. Get out of the hog slop. In RETURNING and REST you shall be SAVED. Come to Jesus in faith, trusting His promise. He is there for you. He has said:

Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV) Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

In RETURNING and REST shall ye be saved

God Is Waiting For The Saved

Isaiah 30:15 (KJV) For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel;
In returning and rest shall ye be saved;
in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:

In the first part of the text God spoke to the lost sinner, but in the second half of the invitation God speaks to the Saved Who have drifted off course. He says:

in QUIETNESS and in CONFIDENCE shall be your strength:

There are many who profess to know Christ as Savior but have wandered away from the Lord. God tells His people to do two things. To be QUIET or to SHUT UP and rest in God’s faithfulness. We see this frequently throughout the Scripture:

Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Life is filled with trouble, but the saved life is filled with God. When trials and tribulations come we are not to frantically run about seeking a solution. In QUIETNESS and In CONFIDENCE shall be your strength. Do not go down to Egypt for help, but look up to Christ. Hold loosely to all earthly things, but cling to the Lord Who saved you. Jesus said:

Matthew 6:22-23 (NKJV) The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Where are your spiritual eyes focused when troubles come? Let your focus be on your Savior. God is faithful. God always faithful. Everything that comes your way comes under the watchful care of the Lord Who gave His life for you. Be still – be quiet. Take hold of your soul. King David, a man after God’s own heart, often took control of his soul when it wandered from God. David said – TWICE –

Psalm 42:11 (NKJV) Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

Psalm 43:5 (NKJV) Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

How horrible to have a Cadillac salvation but to ride through life on a Schwinn bike!
To fight your way up every hill and mount when you could ride in luxury trusting Him.

When we are quiet in Him we do not panic in the midst of the trial, but look to the Lover of our souls. He will fight our battles. When God is with us:

Isaiah 30:17 (KJV) One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.

Then we are always in the majority. The great winners of Scripture were those individuals that trusted in God, that looked for Him in the midst of adversity.

The Great WINNERS of Scripture Were Not Great WHINERS But Great TRUSTERS

I remember the story of that great prophet Elisha who was surrounded by his enemies. His servant cried out in fear.

“Alas my master! What shall we do?”

What was Elisha’s reply?

“Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

The servant looked – I am sure – at Elisha as if he were crazy. But then Elisha prayed:

2 Kings 6:17 (NKJV) … “Lord, I pray, open {my servant’s} eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, THE MOUNTAIN WAS FULL OF HORSES AND CHARIOTS OF FIRE ALL AROUND ELISHA.

God is with His people. I am not Elisha but my prayer is that God will open your eyes to see this. God has promised:

Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV) … “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

John 10:28 (NKJV) … And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

Worrying about what is presently in your life does no good at all. “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength”.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

The devil cannot defeat the believer focused on his Savior. The world cannot confuse the follower of Christ. Be still. Be quiet. Be confident in your Savior and Lord.

God Is Waiting For YOU

Isaiah 30:18 (KJV) And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

God loves you, and is waiting on you. Will you, dear Sinner, return to the God Who loves you so? Will you, dear child of God, cast your life upon Him Who gave Himself for you? God is waiting for you that He might bless you. Come to Him through Christ today.

Posted in gospel, Isaiah, Living God, Sermons Preached, sin | Tagged repent, rest, return | Leave a comment

After Christmas

Posted on December 29, 2017 by bibleteacherorg

Christ Is Christmas Series

Sermon Audio:

Sermon Notes: Matthew 2:1-2 (KJV) Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, [2] Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Every year we have the excitement that leads up to Christmas Day. The crowds. The shopping. Black Friday after Thanksgiving, and the numerous merchant sales promoting the “savings” to be had if we but buy from them. I heard one product advertised:

One of the best buys by far, so buy now!

Then after Christmas the numerous 50% off sales at the stores. The “guests” we had for Christmas go home, and we go back to our lives. If we ignored Jesus before, we ignore Him now. Too many put Jesus away until the next Holiday we call Easter. I think you do yourself a disservice if you live your life this way. Jesus is more than just Christmas. Jesus is for every day. Jesus is the greatest Friend you will ever have. Christmas celebrates His entrance into the world. But once He entered the world we need to understand He did so for us. Jesus came for us.

Tonight I want to talk about After Christmas, after Christ came into the world. The last few weeks we have been seeing the Christmas story, the birth of Christ of a virgin, born in Bethlehem. Tonight we’re going to see Jesus after Christmas, and those visitors who came after the night of His birth. We’re going to talk about the Wise Men from the East, and the idiot in the Palace.

The Wise Men Came AFTER The Birth Of Christ

Many people don’t understand this. They take the account of His birth from Luke and try to merge it with the account of Matthew. As a result the story – and an important story it is – has been hidden from most people. Let’s compare some things between these two stories.

Both the Shepherds of Luke and the Wise Men of Matthew saw Christ in Bethlehem. That’s true. But they did not see each other. Look at the accounts:

Matthew 2:11 (KJV) {the Wise Men} saw the YOUNG CHILD WITH MARY his mother …

Luke 2:16 (KJV) And {the Shepherds} came with haste, and found MARY, AND JOSEPH, AND THE BABE…

When the Wise Men came they found Jesus with Mary, but did not see Joseph. When the Shepherds came they saw Mary, Joseph, and Jesus lying in a manger. They didn’t see one another. Nor should they.

Though both Shepherds and Wise Men saw Jesus in Bethlehem, they saw Him in a different place. The Bible says:

Luke 2:16 (KJV) And {the Shepherds} came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe LYING IN A MANGER.

Matthew 2:11 (KJV) And when {the Wise Men} WERE COME INTO THE HOUSE, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, …

The Shepherds found Jesus laying in a manger, an animal’s feeding trough in a place where animals were kept. Why? There was no room in the house proper for Christ because of the crowd in Bethlehem during the census. But the Wise Man found Jesus in a house, not in a barn. No manger is mentioned because He is no longer in the manger.

Though both Shepherds and Wise Men followed a sign sent by God to the Christ, they followed different signs. Again looking at the Scripture:

Matthew 2:2 (KJV) {The Wise Men asked} Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for WE HAVE SEEN HIS STAR in the east, and are come to worship him.

Matthew 2:9-10 (KJV) When {the Wise Men} had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

The Wise Men followed a star from the East to where Christ was. This was a supernatural sign from God as the star moved, then “stood over where the young child was”. What of the Shepherds? The Angel told them:

Luke 2:12 (KJV) And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES, LYING IN A MANGER.

“Swaddling clothes” are bands of cloth wrapped tightly around a child, used to keep the child snug and safe. The swaddling helps the child transition from the womb, and keeps the baby from scratching himself with his fingernails.

The child was swaddled because the child was loved.
But the enigma is that this loved Baby was “lying in a manger”.

If you love your child, you want the best for your child. You want a crib, a warm room, a clean place. But Christ was laid in a manger, a place where animals ate. He was laid here not because His mother did not love Him, but because this was all they had. The Wise Men followed a star, but the Shepherds followed an enigma. They followed different signs.

The Wise Men and the Shepherds looked for a different Christ. Yes, this was the same Jesus, but He was represented differently to both groups of men. The Shepherds were told:

Luke 2:11 (KJV) For unto you is born this day in the city of David A SAVIOR, which is CHRIST THE LORD.

The Shepherds looked for a Savior when they went looking for Christ. Yet the Wise Men did not look for a Savior, but a King. They asked:

Matthew 2:2 (KJV) Saying, WHERE IS HE THAT IS BORN KING OF THE JEWS? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

They looked for a King to worship, the “King of the Jews”. When Jesus was first born, He was born to be King of the Jews. But He was not yet King of the Jews. Why is this? Because Jesus had not yet been circumcised when the Shepherds saw Him, and no person, no matter who, could be “King of the Jews” until they were first circumcised. Matthew goes on to talk of this in …

Luke 2:20-24 (KJV) And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. [21] And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. [22] And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; [23] (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) [24] And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

The Bible tells us that our Lord Jesus:

Galatians 4:4-5 (NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, BORN UNDER THE LAW, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Christ the Messiah was born under the Law so He could redeem us from the Law. Being born “under the Law” his mother and stepfather had to follow the Law. What did the Law say about children and their mothers? We read in:

Leviticus 12:1-4;6-7 (NKJV) Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean. 3 And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled. … 6 ‘When the days of her purification are fulfilled … she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 7 Then he shall offer it before the Lord, and make atonement for her. And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who has borne a male or a female.

Mary was unclean according to the Law for 7 days after the birth of Christ.
On the eighth day Christ was to be circumcised
as all Hebrew Males were circumcised.
Then for 33 more days Mary was considered unclean
and excluded from the Temple,
at the end of which time a sacrifice was made
“to make atonement for her uncleanness”.

Mary was not exempt from the Law of Moses and neither was Christ. The Baby was circumcised on the eighth day just as all Hebrew Males were circumcised. If Christ were not circumcised then what God told Moses was:

Genesis 17:14 (NKJV) And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, THAT PERSON SHALL BE CUT OFF FROM HIS PEOPLE; he has broken My covenant.”

When you understand what is going on you understand two very important truths in the Christmas Story.

First, Mary and Joseph remained in Bethlehem after the birth of Christ because Mary was considered unclean and had to be purified, and Christ had to be circumcised.

Mary was unclean because of her delivery of the Child according to the Law. The Child had to be circumcised and Mary’s uncleanness had to be atoned in the Temple. Nazareth was about 92 miles away from the Temple of Jerusalem, but Bethlehem was only about 5 miles away. The Law required that Mary and Joseph do certain things in the Temple. As a person walks about 3 miles an hour, both Mary and Joseph could walk to Jerusalem in about 2 easy hours while they were in Bethlehem. That would not be true if they came from Nazareth, the place they both lived.

Mary and Joseph had to stay in Bethlehem about 40 days
So they could fulfill the Law as God required.
The Wise Men could not bring gifts to the King of the Jews
Until He was circumcised.
He could not be King of the Jews until He was circumcised.
No matter Whose Son He was.

Second, God was not done with Bethlehem. We must see the evil Herod killing babies to understand how bad people can be without Christ.

People without Christ will eventually sink into doing some of the most awful things. There is hardly a day goes by that I don’t hear some liberal confused individual talk about the inherent goodness of people. We are not inherently good. We are all sinners who need a Savior. We are all in desperate need on the King of Kings in our lives.

When God Came Into The World He Placed Himself UNDER Time And Law

When the Wise Men came seeking “The King of the Jews” they knew He would be in Bethlehem, the City of David. They knew this because they had studied the Hebrew Scriptures, the same Scriptures that Herod – the false king of the Jews – would not read.

In the Old Testament a young man by the name of Daniel was taken into captivity in Babylon. Though Daniel was a stranger in a strange land he continued to love and serve our Father.

God spoke to Daniel and told him of the coming Messiah, and Daniel – a Chief Wise Man in the Palace of Babylon – shared his knowledge of Christ with the other Wise Men. I am sure Daniel also shared the other Scriptures relating to the Messiah, such as His birthplace:

Micah 5:2 (NKJV) But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.

And the fact that a Star would lead them to Christ:

Numbers 24:17 (NKJV) I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A STAR shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.

The Wise Men came to see Jesus in Bethlehem because Daniel had been faithful in sharing the Gospel. Though over 400 years had passed since Daniel’s time in Babylon, the seed of the Gospel he planted continued to grow. The Wise Men (and Beloved, we do not know how many Wise Men went to see Jesus) headed to Bethlehem at least 8 days after Christ’s birth carrying gifts for our Lord and His Family.

When God entered the world through Mary He placed Himself inside His creation.
The God Who created gravity subjected Himself to gravity.
The God Who formed the Laws of Physics placed Himself under those Laws.

As I preach I see behind you a clock, the second hand sweeping, the minute and hour hands moving.

God is outside of eternity, outside of time. Until He created the Sun and the Moon and gave this planet a 24 hour cycle there was no time. There is no time in Heaven, for there is no sun nor moon in Heaven. The light of Heaven comes from the Eternal Throne of God. We are creatures on time, but God is not. God is outside of time. But with His entrance in Christ He made Himself a part of time.

God is outside suffering. Yet God lowered Himself into the pool of suffering that is humanity. I am sure He cried when He was circumcised. I am sure He bled. I know He bled on the Cross as He suffered for our sins. Oh how God loves us.

God is outside the Law. The Law was made for sinful man, to convince us that we are sinners. The Apostle Paul said:

Romans 7:7-25 (NLT) … it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” 8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. 9 At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, 10 and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. 11 Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. 12 But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good. 13 But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes. 14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.

The Law was given to show us as sinners. Mary had a Baby, and though this Baby was Christ, a Child without sin, she herself still had to make sacrifice for her sin. By the killing of an innocent animal Mary cleansed herself. God did not make the Law for Himself, but coming into humanity Christ lowered Himself to the Law. He kept the Law perfectly, and never sinned. He did this so that He could save His people from their sins. He stands outside the quicksand of sin, and holding out His hand, draws whosoever will to the Island of His Love. Oh Beloved, how God lowered Himself.

So at least 8 days after Christmas – the birth of Christ – Mary looks up to see the Wise Men.

Joseph is not with her perhaps because she is yet unclean. Or maybe he’s out working. I don’t know. I do know that Christ has been circumcised, and Mary stays with Him her precious Child. They are in Bethlehem. How do I know? The Wise Men came seeking Christ, and Herod sent them to Bethlehem. They are still in Bethlehem because God is not finished there.

Matthew 2:8 (KJV) And {Herod} sent {the Wise Men} to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

Herod had no desire to worship Jesus, or he would have went with the Wise Men. Herod was a fool. He was a narcissist. He occupied a throne that was clearly not his. Like most usurpers he wanted to keep what he had connived and stolen and cheated to get. “You go find Jesus, then come get me, and we’ll have a worship party! Trust me” the liar lied. So the Wise Men went to Bethlehem, and there – following His Star – they found Jesus.

Matthew 2:10-11 (KJV) When {The Wise Men} saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. [11] And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Listen to this little poem I wrote:

The Wise Men came to Bethlehem
After Christmas Day;
Looking for a King they found
The One Who was the Way.
Upon seeing Jesus they fell down
And worshipped Him as God.
Though miles they came it was worth
Every step that they had trod.
Weary but refreshed they loved Him,
And gave this King their all;
The Greatest Treasure given that day,
Was this Child Who would save us from the Fall.

I have heard and preached myself that the gifts were symbolic, gifts worthy of a King. This is so true.

Frankincense was used in the Temple to symbolize the prayers of the saints going upward to God, a gift most useful to priests. Jesus Christ came to be our High Priest:

Hebrews 4:14 (NLT) So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.

This young Christ would grow up to be our High Priest, the One Who represents us before the Father. Frankincense is a worthy gift for our High Priest.

Myrrh was used to embalm the dead. Jesus would not only be our High Priest, but would die for our sins as the Lamb of God. Jesus said:

John 10:11 (NLT) I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.

John 10:18 (NLT) No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

On the day that Jesus died they offered Him wine drugged with myrrh (Mark 15:23) but He refused it. He took the full penalty for my sin and yours on the Cross of Calvary. When they came to embalm Jesus they took about 75 pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh (John 19:39). Myrrh was a wonderful gift to bring this King Who died for me.

Gold was a wonderful gift for a King. The Temple was laced with gold, and thrones were clad with gold.

The Wise Men brought King Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh after Christmas. Herod, on the other hand, sent to Christ lies, ridicule, and death. After Christmas Herod sent soldiers to Bethlehem to kill Jesus, but God sent Joseph and Mary out of that place and into Egypt. In Egypt the Father protected His Son until Herod was dead.

The King of Kings could not leave this earth until He accomplished all the Father would have Him do.

After Christmas.

I love you.

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Whatever Happened To “Service”?

Posted on December 27, 2017 by bibleteacherorg

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, (Colossians 3:23)

It was a great day today until I went to eat my lunch. I’ve been praying and seeking the Lord on our Sunday morning sermon from Isaiah 30, “The Lord Is Waiting”. I really enjoyed my time in His presence today. My God is so awesomely good!

So I thought I’d take a late lunch.

I called and ordered a meal from one of my local fast food restaurants called “The Jumbo House” (1410 Nashville Highway, Columbia, TN). Normally I can get a pretty good meal here if I order it in advance. So I called. The phone rang about 20 times before anyone picked up, but that’s fine. They’re busy.

“Hello”.
Yes, is this the Jumbo House?
“Yeah. Whatddaya want?”
I’d like to order a fried chicken platter.
“Is that all?”
Yes, that’s all I want.
“Name?”
My name is “Buffaloe”.
It’ll be ready in 15 minutes.

Great! So I finish my study, and head toward Jumbo House after about 20 minutes. When I walk in the cashier asks what I want. “I ordered a fried chicken dinner. The name’s Buffaloe.” So she starts looking. No meal. Can’t find it. Then she goes through the paid tickets. Ah, here’s one for Buffaloe. “That’s not my fault. Someone gave your meal away. But the good news is I won’t charge you for it.” I know you won’t charge me for it. I didn’t get it. Someone else is eating it. If you look in the phone book there is only one Buffaloe in this mean city, and you gave my meal to a fake Buffaloe. Ok. That’s fine. I turn to leave. “It’s not my fault, but we can make you another meal if you’ll wait another 15 minutes.” Dear heart, I have somewhere to be. Sorry. I’ll go elsewhere.

So I head toward Hardees (113 Bear Creek Pike, Columbia TN). I drive to the drive through, lower my window, and enjoy the 27 degree breeze blowing through while I wait 5 minutes for service. I’ll not bore you with the details, but I ordered the “All Star Double Cheeseburger with Onion Rings”. It looked good on the menu. The waitress/ cashier gave me my drink, then passed out an “All Star” box. I take it and head back to my office. On opening it I find 4 onion rings and a handful of french fries – all dripping with grease. The free “Cookie” is sitting in the bottom of the box in a pool of grease. The burger – small and underdone – is disgusting. I eat about 3 bites and throw the rest in the garbage.

What has happened to service in America?

Someone posted a picture on Facebook of another local Restaurant called “Farmer’s” (800 James M. Campbell Blvd, Columbia, TN). They ordered their meal and it came complete with a roach, believe it or not.

Everywhere you go service is at an all time low. It is as if people don’t care. They want the paycheck, but have no pride in what they are doing. Sadly many of these people profess to be Christians. I cannot speak to the unbeliever. They are dead in their sins, and enslaved to the flesh. But if you are a Christian you are to do EVERYTHING as if you were doing it for the Lord. God deserves better representatives than we often are.

And I deserved better treatment as a paying guest at these places.

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God lives in the NICU

Posted on December 27, 2017 by bibleteacherorg

great post. God is there, always, watching over His children

New Roots, Old wings

Show your ID, even though you’ve been there 100 times. Don’t forget to sign in.
Wash your hands for 3 minutes, all the way up to your elbows… don’t forget to clean under your nails
Put on your hospital gown.
Head to his bed.
You greet the nurse with a smile, you don’t have the strength to give. You strike up a conversation that, quite frankly, you don’t feel like having.
Get his daily report. You know all the things he should have done, but couldn’t. All the things they want to see happen, but aren’t.
You watch her mouth moving, not hearing every word. You nod. The conversation finally ends. You sit down.
That God awful rocking chair.
It’s cold in the NICU, always cold.
You watch his monitor, see how he’s breathing.
You hear loud dinging. You know the sound.
It’s a ‘low sat’ alert.
You look back…

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Recipe for A Happy New Year!

Posted on December 25, 2017 by bibleteacherorg

beautiful!

CHRISTian poetry ~ by deborah ann

Take a cup of Forgiveness,
stir in some of God’s grace
then fold it into your heart
and this recipe you’ll embrace.

For, you’ll need to keep adding,
more ingredients as you go
if you plan on having a year
where Love can rise and grow.

You’re going to need Patience,
at least a cup or two
if your want to have Meekness
bubbling up inside of you.

At times you’ll need to blend in,
a heaping spoonful of Goodness
then beat it into the mixture
so you can whip up Gentleness.

Don’t forget to add a pinch of Joy,
as you whisk it into Peace
a smidgen of Faith and Trust
will cause Hope to be released.

If you live in the Spirit,
you’ll need to walk in it too . . .
if this year you follow this recipe
it’ll produce His fruit in you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Galatians 5:22-23

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Happy Birthday Jesus ~

Posted on December 25, 2017 by bibleteacherorg

What a wonderful heartfelt poem. Loved it!

CHRISTian poetry ~ by deborah ann

Happy Birthday Jesus,
today, I’ll make You a cake
so my family and I . . .
Your life, we can celebrate.

The candles will be Your light,
the frosting will spread Your love
and the filling, will be a mixture
of every good gift, from above.

I’m going to give You a present,
to show my heartfelt, gratitude
by having everyday for You . . .
a thankful, pleasing attitude.

I’ll wrap it in Your grace,
tie it with ribbons of Your peace
with the promise everyday . . .
my praise for You, will not cease

We will sing songs to You,
to show our heartfelt adoration
with verses to include the reason
You’re, the joy unto salvation!

Happy Birthday Jesus,
I’m so glad that You are here
today we will celebrate . . .
with a hallelujah cheer!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Isaiah 9:6

“For unto us a child is…

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Glory To God In The Highest

Posted on December 24, 2017 by bibleteacherorg

Christ Is Christmas Series

Sermon Notes: Luke 2:8-14 (KJV) And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. [9] And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. [10] And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. [11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. [12] And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. [13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, [14] Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

8:30 AM Audio:

Every year most people send Christmas cards. I am told that 1.8 BILLION cards are delivered every year. Many of those cards have the words …

Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

None of the cards express the main reason why God should be glorified, or why there should be peace on earth and good will toward men. The Angel concluded his message with these words because the One in the Manger is the Only One Who can bring

Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

The Angel when he brought these good tidings of great Joy. Mankind was wallowing in sin and in death, and God tossed man a life rope. Jesus Christ came into this world not as an Angel, but He was made lower than the angels.

Hebrews 2:7 (NKJV) You {O God} have made {Jesus} a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands.

Jesus Christ was made lower than the Angels. Why?

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death

Hebrews 2:16-17 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. {17} Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

The angels praised God, saying “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”, even though “God spared not the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell” (2 Peter 2:4). These “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14) focused on a tiny Baby that lay in a manger and praised the Lord. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”.

God did a new thing, a prophetic thing, a wondrous thing.
God “did a new thing.
God made a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19).
Where death ruled, life came to conquer in Christ.
Christ came to give Himself for you.
He left the splendor of Heaven to come to earth.
He was born to die.
He Who made all things was “made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
Whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
Jesus Christ is the Reason for this season, the center of the mark.

Glorify God For His Great Love

Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

As the angels praised God – “Glory to God in the highest” – they praised with wonder in their voices. They were amazed at that which God was doing. Man is a fallen race. God allowed man free will from his creation, from the very Garden of God. Man had absolute freedom to serve the Lord in a place where there was absolute and perfect peace. And yet man abused that free will – and we abuse it yet today. The most often question that I am asked is

How can a holy and loving God allow so much suffering in this evil old world?

It was by our free will that suffering came into the world. The Scripture declares “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin” (Romans 5:12). Adam, given the capacity for free will, chose to do the evil. He chose to follow Satan in disobedience, and chose to neglect the Will of His Creator. Adam, created to rule and reign with God, chose to be enslaved by Satan rather than the Lord Who loved him. Adam took upon himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of death. The gift of God given him was abused, and God had every right to destroy Adam, this earth, and all. Yet God did not. The Scripture declares …

Ephesians 1:4 According as He {God the Father} hath chosen us in Him {God the Son} before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love …

How can man go from out of control sinner to Saint, to child of Adam to Child of God. It is by that Baby in the Manger, that Child of Nazareth, that beautiful Jesus Who is the …

Revelation 13:8 … Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Before the first star was made, God knew. Before the Lord uttered the words “Let there be light” and there was light (Genesis 1:3), God knew. God the Father knew that He would have to send His only Begotten Son. God the Son knew that He would have to come to this earth – leaving the splendor of Heaven – and take upon Himself the likeness of sinful man.

Suffering is terrible – but can you imagine how terrible upcoming suffering must be?

Jesus knew before the foundation of the world that He would have to die a terrible death for our sins. And yet He came to Bethlehem anyway. He came to die for you and for me.

Glory to God in the Highest! Glory to His Name!

1 Peter 1:18-19 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; {19} But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot ….

but do you know the following context, which reads:

1 Peter 1:20 Who verily was foreordained BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, but was manifest in these last times for you,

That Baby in the Manger was no accidental birth, no travesty. He was born to die. He came to save.

Hebrews 9:26 … now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Knowing what was coming, God so loved He nonetheless – with His free will – chose to form us in His image. Knowing what was coming He chose the nails for us.

Jesus Christ chose the nails. He chose the beating, He chose the mocking, He chose the bruising, He chose the humiliation. Jesus Christ chose to hang on a Cross between two felons. He chose to pour out His soul unto death. He chose the sponge filled with bitter gall. He chose to bear your sin and mine, and to “make intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). He chose to give Himself for you before creation itself. As the old African spiritual said,

“What wondrous love is this,
O my soul, Oh my soul!”

Jesus chose the nails. He chose them long before He walked and talked among mankind. He chose them long before He was a baby in a manger. He chose the nails from eternity past. Will you not choose Him?

Glorify God For His Great Salvation

Luke 2:8-9 (KJV) And there were in the same country SHEPHERDS abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. [9] And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

The Shepherds watching their flocks were – I am told – raising sheep to be sacrificed at the Temple in Jerusalem. I forget which commentary I read this in, but it makes sense to me. Bethlehem is only about 5 miles from Jerusalem, and the pastures around Bethlehem (also called “The House of Bread”) were beautiful and fertile, great places for feeding sheep. The Shepherds were used to breeding and delivering sheep, and looking for lambs without spot or blemish, for no other could be used for the sacrifice of sin. God had said:

Exodus 12:5 (ESV) Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep …

These Shepherds are keeping watch over their flocks by night. Imagine being in the dark with your companions. You can see movement. Maybe there was enough moon to see a little, or maybe not. Then suddenly the glory of the Lord shines round about them. A bright star appears in front of them. Pure energy! Pure light! God’s glory breaks forth, and night becomes day. And they were SORE AFRAID.

But the Angel said …

Luke 2:10-11 … FEAR NOT: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. [11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

That which God promised has come to pass. This is not a time for FEAR but for REJOICING. God has fulfilled His Word. He has kept His promise.

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

That which the Angel told Mary …

Luke 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

… has come true. God touched woman, and perfect Man was born.

Luke 1:35 … The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

The Lord has come to us, Oh Emmanuel! The Shepherds were used to taking their little lambs to the Temple to be slaughtered … was not this the Way of Salvation?

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

We have no peace in our world today because people are pursuing peace on their own terms. They seek peace through their efforts, through their governments, through their agencies. The angels sang of “peace on earth” because the Prince of Peace had arrived. The angels did not sing of peace in the Garden of Eden. There was peace there, it is sure, but that peace was soon voided. The Babe in the manger showed the angels to what lengths God would go to save His creation. There was no true possibility of peace on earth in any capacity prior to the Coming of God in Christ. Man was at war with God, and proved that warfare at every turn.

Peace is not to be found in ourselves, but in the imputed righteousness of Christ. There can never be peace on earth, good will toward men if Christ is not in the center of that peace.

unto YOU is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord

You Shepherds used to carry the Lambs to the Temple so people could be saved. You yourselves sacrificed Lambs to save yourselves. But this was only temporary. Now that which is perfect is come, so that which in part can pass away. That Baby in the manger was wrapped in the white flag of peace. On the mountain of Sinai God challenged the conscience of man and showed us that we can never have peace with Him through the keeping of Law. Christ came to us in a lowly manger, and through the Body of His flesh abolished the warfare between ourself and our conscience, and between ourself and God. He has, in Himself, made ..

Ephesians 2:15-17 … ONE NEW MAN, SO MAKING PEACE; {16} And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: {17} And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

If you have been saved, you are at peace with God. You are receivers of the New Covenant, a Covenant made with the precious Blood of Christ. We who are born again by faith in Christ are not like those under the old Levitical laws. God has written His Law in your hearts, O Christian, if you have believed in Him.

Hebrews 10:16-20 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; {17} And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. {18} Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. {19} Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, {20} By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

We are consecrated because of that Babe in the manger. We are forgiven because that Child became perfect Man, and bore our sins on Calvary’s tree.

Adrian Rogers once said “I can’t get too mad when someone says something bad about me. I’m just thankful he doesn’t know anything else”!

Go on, legalist, and work your way to Heaven through your toil and through the Law. I myself am quite content to stand with the angels and sing Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace and good will toward men.

We who know that we are firmly in the family of God can always, and with all confidence:

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Glory be to God, salvation is all of God! I rest in that!

To Enjoy Salvation Run To The Savior

Luke 2:15-16 (KJV) And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. [16] And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

When the Shepherds heard the Gospel message of the Christ they did not wait. They said “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see the thing that has came to pass”. They went. The Bible says “they went with haste”. They did not hesitate, but went with haste. What does this mean?

If you are a Shepherd you know that sheep cannot be driven. You do not “go with haste” with a flock of sheep. You go at THEIR pace. If the Shepherds went with haste, they dropped everything and walked away from their sheep. To see the Christ became the most important thing in the world for them. They went with haste.

The legendary Evangelist Dwight L. Moody wrote one time of staying with an orange producer. He had been preaching to a crowd in a nearby city, and a well to do orange producer invited him to stay at his mansion. He agreed. He went to the man’s home, knocked on the door, and was ushered into great luxury. The orange producer said “Whatever I have is yours – just help yourself”. Moody loved oranges, and got up every morning, walked outside of his palatial room, and picked fresh oranges from the trees in the groves all around the house. Moody spoke about this in a later sermon, saying:

“When I wanted an orange I did not go to an orange tree and pray the oranges to fall in my pocket; but I walked up to a tree, reached out my hand, and took the oranges. He said “take” and I took. God says “there is My Son; take Him as your Savior. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.”

The Shepherds left their sheep, a means by which a person in Israel’s day could use to approach God. These were sacrificial sheep raised for the Temple, an old covenant work. The Lamb of God has been born. Him Who came in the Father’s Name to save us is born in Bethlehem. The Shepherds rightly left everything behind:

The old works salvation
The Law
Their possessions

… and ran to see the Bread from Heaven laying in a manger in Bethlehem, the House of Bread. These Shepherds did not stop and clean themselves up. They have been in the field looking after sheep. They did not take the time to put on a new suit or a tie. No – one thought possessed them.

Let us go to Christ.
Let us see the Savior born for us!

Dr. R.G. Lee remarked … “… in such faith – a reckless faith – Jesus takes the keenest delight. There is nothing that so pleases Him as the most daring and reckless and romantic faith. He is never so joyed as when we trust Him with a mad abandon.”

and going to see the Christ, what did they do afterward?

Luke 2:17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

They told others. They shared what they saw – they experienced – with others. They made known abroad what they had seen. Have you seen Him? Have you experienced Christ? Will you not run with haste to Him today, giving Him all of your life? May God touch your hearts with His Word.

Posted in Christmas, Christmas Sermons, Sermons Preached | Tagged Christ Is Christmas, Christmas, Series | Leave a comment

God Loves The Godly Man

Posted on December 22, 2017 by bibleteacherorg

Christ Is Christmas Series

Sermon Notes Matthew 1:18-25 (KJV) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Audio of Sermon:

Last week we talked about the parents of John the Baptist, the Herald of Christ. We spoke of faith filled Elisabeth, and praised God for Godly women. Godly and faithful women are so important to the preaching of the Gospel. It is the efforts of the mother and particularly my grandmother that planted the seed of the Gospel in my heart, a seed that would one day bloom forth into eternal life.

But we also need to recognize the importance of the Godly man.

In the Christmas story and the children’s plays Joseph of Nazareth is often pushed back into the shadows, relegated to a third wheel sort of position. But Joseph was very important to the birth of our Lord Jesus.

Joseph was a carpenter who lived in Nazareth (Matthew 13:55, Luke 2:4).
His name means “Yahweh Will Increase”.

He carried the same name as the Old Testament Joseph who, sold into slavery by his brothers, became the savior of the nation of Israel.

The Old Testament Joseph would not take vengeance on his deceitful and envious brothers, but said:

Genesis 50:20 (NLT) You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

A Godly Man puts his faith in the Word of God, and puts God before his own base desires. Had the Old Testament Joseph taken vengeance then Israel would have never been a great nation. The New Testament Joseph has much in common with his namesake. The Reverend Francis J Peffley wrote a paper called “The Two Josephs” in which we see some very interesting parallels between the “Joseph of the Coat of many Colors” and “Joseph the husband of Mary”:

Both Josephs had a father named Jacob
Both Josephs were of the Household of David
Both Josephs suffered without complaint for God’s glory
Both Josephs left home and ended up in Egypt
Both Josephs were chosen by God to bring Bread into the world
Both Josephs were Godly men who loved the Lord

Let’s honor our Lord by studying what He wrote of His Stepfather Joseph.

The Just Or Righteous Man Has A Changed BEING

Matthew 1:18-19 (KJV) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away …

In the ancient world marriage and engagement we both looked at with equal seriousness. The commentator William Barclay noted:

“The Jews were usually betrothed ten or twelve months before marriage. So sacred was this relationship that unfaithfulness to it was considered adultery, and was punishable by death.” (Deuteronomy 22:23-28)

Mary and Joseph had not yet consummated their marriage when “she was found with child”. The Child she carried was the Christ, the Messiah promised to be our Savior. But Joseph had no way of knowing this. She was discovered to be pregnant by Joseph – I suspect she began to show as the Child within her grew. This caused Joseph a problem.

Joseph her husband, BEING a JUST man

Joseph was BEING what he was supposed to be – He was BEING a JUST or RIGHTEOUS Man.

The JUST Man is a person who first of all has been saved by faith in God, the God of Scripture. The Bible repeatedly says:

Hebrews 10:38 (KJV) Now the JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Habakkuk 2:4 (KJV) Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the JUST SHALL LIVE BY HIS FAITH.

The “Just”, “Justified”, or “Righteous” person puts their faith in the God of the Heavens. The faith that they have shows in the life that they live. There are a lot of people who say “I am saved” but live just like the darkness around them. The salvation that does not touch your heart or change your lifestyle is but a fake salvation.

The JUST Man Is Not Like He WAS. Salvation comes to us the day we receive Christ as our Savior, but with SALVATION comes SANCTIFICATION.

Romans 1:16-17 (KJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. [17] For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

A “Just” person has first realized that they are sinners, then realized that they needed God as their Savior. The “Just” person is saved by faith. Once that person is saved they begin a non-rebellious relationship with God. They become a son of the Father, and begin to walk in His paths.

There is no such thing as a just or righteous person who does not obey the Father.

Enoch walked with God (Genesis 5:24).
Noah “a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time,
WALKED FAITHFULLY with God (Genesis 6:9).

Those who are “Just” obey their Savior.

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU? TO ACT JUSTLY and to love mercy and TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD.

If you are JUST you will ACT JUST.

The JUST Man honors his God FIRST, not last. Discovering that Mary was pregnant meant that he – according to the Word of God’s Law – should “put her away”.

The Politically Correct crowd are, I am sure, experiencing their heads spinning around like the little girl in the horror movie The Exorcist. “What!” they declare. “How dare Joseph not look the other way?”. The Just Man does not debate what God has clearly stated. God tells us in His Word that sexual activity is only to be between two married people – one man and one woman (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 18; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:5).

Those who are saved by faith in Christ – justified – are not to make light of sin, but are to honor the Lord Who saved them. So Joseph moved to ACT JUSTLY.

The Just Man Is Not Self Righteous But COMPASSIONATE

Matthew 1:19 (KJV) Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and NOT WILLING TO MAKE HER A PUBLIC EXAMPLE, was minded to put her away privily.

COMPASSION is the mark of the Christian because it is the mark of Christ.

Matthew 9:36 (ESV) When {Jesus} saw the crowds, HE HAD COMPASSION FOR THEM, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Matthew 14:14 (NKJV) And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was MOVED WITH COMPASSION for them, and healed their sick.

Matthew 20:34 (NKJV) So JESUS HAD COMPASSION and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

The word COMPASSION is a compound derived from COM which means WITH and PASSION. The word means “To have passion with, or to empathize or put yourself in their place as you have sympathetic pity for the sufferings of others”.

Joseph knew that Mary was carrying a child who was not his, and he wanted to obey the Law of God because he put God first. Joseph could have said:

“How dare she do this to me?
I’m going to the priests and have this little girl taken care of.”

That’s the way of the flesh, the world, and the devil. But this is not the way of Christ. Joseph had compassion. He empathized with Mary. His thought processes ran this way.

“Mary is with child, but it’s not my child.
I need to honor my God and His Word.
But we are all sinners, and I have often stumbled.
I love Mary still, so I will divorce her privately.”

So often I hear Christians who, being offended, get on their High Horse so they can ride over a fallen brother or sister. They puff up their chests and look up to the Heavens, saying:

“Lord, I thank Thee that I am not like this Publican over here.
What an honor You bestowed on Yourself the day that You saved Me!
(Blessed be My Name forever)”

Jesus spoke against this type of person in Luke 18:10-14 when He taught of the Pharisee and the Publican in the Temple. Being righteous means to do things in a Godly, loving, and right way. Those who are saved by faith are indwelt by God the Holy Spirit – we are His Temple (1 Corinthians 3:17; 6:19).

Joseph was saved by Grace, and lived by Grace. He emulated the teachings of the Apostle who declared:

1 John 4:7-8, 11-13 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. … 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

The saved person is first of all loving as God is loving, and merciful as God is merciful. Those who are “just” are righteous, not self-righteous. Joseph was not self righteous, but he loved Mary … even if she had made a mistake (which she had not). Joseph was not out for vengeance, but realized that his actions reflected on his God. So he chose to be compassionate. He chose to be loving. The Godly man is much like God, for God is inside him.

The Just or Righteous Man CONVERSES With God

Matthew 1:20 (KJV) But while HE THOUGHT ON THESE THINGS, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying…

The word translated “thought” is the Greek ἐνθυμέομαι enthymeomai which means “To MEDITATE on”. Joseph was in deep meditative PRAYER. He approached God in prayer with the problem. Oh, that we would PRAY and SEEK HIS FACE rather than worry!

1 Chronicles 16:11 Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.

James 5:13 Is any one among you in trouble? Let them PRAY ….

Proverbs 15:8 The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the PRAYER of the UPRIGHT pleases Him…

Psalm 145:18 The LORD is near to all who CALL ON HIM, to all who CALL ON HIM in truth.

Joseph was not approaching the problem himself, but seeking God’s face while meditating on God’s Word. I want you to notice that as he meditated – not MEDICATED but MEDITATED – it is THEN that God sends the Angel Gabriel to answer his prayer.

The Angel came to Mary out of the blue.
The Angel came to Joseph when he was blue,
But in obedient prayer!

Matthew 1:20-21 (KJV) … JOSEPH, thou son of David, FEAR NOT to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And SHE SHALL bring forth a son, and THOU SHALT call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

When Joseph prayed I want you to notice:

The Angel called him by NAME. If God saved you, God knows you.

Isaiah 43:1 (ESV) … “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.

John 10:3 (ESV) …. the sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out …

God did not die for no body on that Cross. God gave His life for YOU. He knows you by name. Joseph! Hear Me, Joseph! I have numbered the hairs of your head. I know you, and love you.

God told Joseph “Don’t be afraid”.

Isaiah 41:10 So DO NOT FEAR, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

“Joseph, that Baby is not a mark of Mary’s unfaithfulness.
That Baby is a mark of MY Faithfulness.
I promised the Messiah, and have chosen you and Mary
To be a part of this great plan!”

“Mary SHALL bring forth a Son … the unique Son of God … and You Joseph have a part in this. YOU get to name the Savior of the world. YOU shall call His name JESUS.”

Righteous men often fall. King David fell. Noah fell. We all fall. But righteous men PRAY. They are people of prayer. They love the Lord, and converse with Him frequently.

The Just or Righteous Man COMPLIES
With God’s Direction

Matthew 1:22-25 (KJV) Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Isaiah – a Just man – prophesied what the Lord told him to prophesy. Joseph – a Just man – did what God said so that the prophecy would come to pass. Joseph raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord told him to do. He obediently received Mary to be his wife. But he did not have intimate relations with her until she brought forth Jesus.

Jesus had many step brothers and step sisters that were born after He came into the world. Mark 6:3 and Matthew 13:55-56 tells us that the half brothers of Jesus were James, Joseph, Jude and Simon. The Catholic Church tries to make these out to be cousins, but the Bible calls them “brothers” and “sisters”. And our text specifically says:

and Joseph KNEW HER NOT TILL she brought forth her firstborn son

Joseph KNEW HER INTIMATELY after Jesus was born, and other children came into the family. But Joseph obeyed God. He obeyed God in loving his wife. He obeyed God and became a beautiful example of fatherhood to Jesus.

God bless the Godly man. We are in desperate need of Godly men in the world today, men who will not mistreat women, but who will be as Joseph was. May God touch your hearts with His Word!