Battling Anxiety The Jesus Way

Posted on January 29, 2021 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Sometimes I will have bad nights where I toss and turn rather than rest. You probably never experience that (yeah, right), but I do. What keeps me up at night? Anxiety. I’ll get something on my mind that I can’t get off of it. What about this? What about that? I contacted my tax preparer H&R Block yesterday to set an appointment when I was told they do not do “walk ins” right now because of the Coronavirus Pandemic. The office manager sent a link to my email account that I was supposed to use to “upload” my files. I lay down last night, wondering how I was going to scan these documents into the computer. It’s not something I usually do. So anxiety and worrisome thoughts got in my head. I began to overthink what I had to do.

Worry. Anxiety. It Comes To Every Human

Even our Lord Jesus was afflicted with anxiety. As He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to His betrayal and crucifixion we read:

Matthew 26:37-39 … {Jesus} took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

What Jesus was preparing to do for us is certainly a greater matter than are my taxes. But I want you to notice that our Jesus was not at peace as He entered Gethsemane. Look at the way that Matthew describes our Master.

  • Jesus was sorrowful (λυπέω lypéō, [pronounced loo-peh’-o]), which is literally “was in distress, filled with sorrow”. Jesus was going through what one preacher called “a dark night of the soul”.
  • Jesus was “very heavy” (ἀδημονέω adēmonéō, [pronounced ad-ay-mon-eh’-o]), literally “to be troubled to the point of depression”.

Jesus knew what the Cross would entail. Jesus took Peter, James and John with Him, and shared His burden with them, saying “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death”. He was hurting emotionally so much that He felt like He was dying. Three times Jesus prayed:

Luke 22:42 Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

As Jesus prayed, you could see the struggle on His very person. The Bible says that:

Luke 22:43-44 there appeared an angel unto {Jesus} from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

What a battle Gethsemane was for our Jesus!

Our Jesus never sinned, and never could sin. Jesus was tempted in all points as we are tempted, yet He never sinned. As our High Priest, Jesus suffered as we suffer.

Hebrews 4:14-15 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus agonized and suffered anxiety. Yet He did so without sin. Anxiety and worry are conditions that come to all humans – it is a part of our human nature. Yet anxiety and worry should not keep us from doing what God calls us to do. I want to look at anxiety tonight, and examine how our Lord and His Word tells us to continue to move forward in spite of our fears.

Jesus Did Not Hide His Anxiety From The Father

Anxiety and worry can become sins if we do not handle them correctly. One thing that people often do about anxiety is they hide it, or try to deal with it by themselves.

Too often we hold anxiety in, hiding it in shame, or trying to overcome it by spiritual pride.

Jesus told us:

Matthew 6:31-34 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Do not let worry consume you. Look up. Look to the
Father. Submit to the Father’s Kingdom.

Jesus said, “when you are anxious, seek FIRST the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness”. That is exactly what Jesus did. He came into Gethsemane with the express purpose of telling the Father of His anxiety. But Jesus did not just demand that the Father take away the anxiety by taking away the trial. No, what Jesus repeated three times in His prayer to the Father was:

Matthew 26:39, 42 … {Jesus} fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. … 42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. … 44 … And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Jesus was focused on obedience to the Father’s will. In Mark we see Jesus praying:

Mark 14:36 … Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Jesus’ prayer was proper before God. He did not just demand that the Cross be removed from His life, but He prayed “if it were possible, that the hour might pass from Him”. Lord, is it possible? Lord, is there any other way I can secure the salvation of your Beloved?

Jesus Christ, Eternal God of Eternal God, the One Who “Was in the beginning with God, and was God. Of Whom all things were made” (John 1:1-3), this Jesus humbled Himself before the Father and the Spirit.

He did not demand, but requested. The Apostle Peter put it this way:

1 Peter 5:5-7 … God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Jesus “cast His care – His anxieties upon God – knowing that God cared for Him”. And God certainly cared for Jesus. Several times the Father said:

Matthew 3:17 … This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Matthew 17:5 … This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

The Father loved the Son, and expressed His love numerous times in front of witnesses. The Son knew and knows that He is loved of the Father. As He cries our from Gethsemane, He does not doubt the Father’s love. He asks. He seeks the face of the Father’s will. Jesus cast that anxiety on the Father, not once, but three times, resting in the love of Yahweh. Jesus humbled Himself under the will of the Father.

When God took His Israel, Whom He loved, to the Promised Land, He allowed them to send one man from each tribe of Israel into the land to do reconnaissance. God wanted His people to know how wonderful the land was that He was giving them. When the twelve spies returned, they all said:

Numbers 13:27 … We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

Had they stopped here they would have been fine. But then ten of the spies said:

Numbers 13:28-29 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

Joshua and Caleb encouraged the people. “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” (vs 30). But the majority “brought an evil report of the land” (vs 32), and convinced Israel to abandon the will of God. THIS IS SIN. Though Joshua and Caleb encouraged the people, the damage was done. Israel rejected the rule of God. And thus that generation wandered in the wilderness for forty years, until all died – and God’s will was done.

Beloved, we are to do as Jesus did. We are to “cast our anxieties on our Father”, but are never to rebel against His rule. As Jesus said,

Matthew 26:39 … nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou
{o Father} wilt.

Tell the Father your anxieties. Cast them upon Him – but do not doubt His love nor His plan for your life. The Apostle said:

Philippians 4:5-7 The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The “Peace of God that passes all understanding” only comes when we cast our anxieties of God. In Philippians we see the Apostle using three words:

“prayer and supplication with thanksgiving”

“Prayer” is our unburdening to our Father, communicating our hearts to Him. But “supplication” is a word that notes we must be surrendered to God, as Jesus was surrendered to God. “Nevertheless, not My will, but THINE be done”. Father, if You desire this of me, then strengthen my heart, and give me the courage to receive Your Word. And never forget thanksgiving. Praising God, because our Father is always near to us. If you are a Child of God, then even in the midst of trials you should be thankful. The Scripture says:

2 Peter 1:3-4 his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

We are “partakers of the divine nature”. We are “children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). God will not abandon His children in the valley, no more than He abandoned Jesus in Gethsemane.

Jesus Did Not Hide His Anxiety From His Companions

Matthew 26:38 Then saith {Jesus} unto {Peter, James, and John}, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

Jesus shared His anxiety with His followers. He did not hide it, but asked them to stand with Him as He went into this terrible valley. Sadly, the disciples kept going to sleep, and were no help at all for the Lord.

I had someone ask me once if “watching preaching on Facebook, or watching Charles Stanley, was a good replacement for Church attendance”. My answer is, absolutely not! When we go through trials, we need the touch of other believers, encouraging and helping us. The Scripture says:

1 Corinthians 12:24-26 … God hath tempered the body {the Church} together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked: 25 that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.

When we go through our valleys, we need our fellow brothers and sisters helping us, encouraging us. The Scripture commands:

Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

We are to “provoke or encourage one another to love and good works”. We are to “exhort or encourage one another”. What agony it must have been for Jesus to go through Gethsemane by Himself, with only an angel of God to minister to Him! As we go through trials and tribulations, it is our Church Family that can help us.

As the Apostle Paul ended his letter to the Philippians, he writes:

Philippians 4:23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. It was written to the Philippians from Rome by Epaphroditus.

Who was this disciple Epaphroditus? He was a brother in Christ who ministered to Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome. His name, Epaphroditus, means “lovely, agreeable”. As Paul was not able to come and go as an Apostle, he used Epaphroditus as his messenger and clerk. Epaphroditus wrote the letter to the Philippians as Paul dictated it, and then used him to carry the letter to the Church. We see him mentioned in:

Philippians 2:25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

Paul uses several words to describe Epaphroditus.

  • He says “he is my brother”. Epaphroditus was a Christian, saved by faith in Jesus.
  • Paul calls him “a companion in labor”. He was willing to do whatever Paul asked him to do – nothing was beneath him.
  • Epaphroditus was a “fellow soldier”, a term that means he was willing to die for the faith.
  • Epaphroditus was also “your messenger”. He was a conduit between Paul and the Church at Philippi, working as an intercessor to bless the Apostle, though he was imprisoned. Paul wrote in:

Philippians 4:18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.

He was comforted because of this dear Christian brother. May God encourage us to do the same one with another as we travel through this life. We cannot make it by ourselves. We need the love of Christ, and the love of our fellow believers.

When The Father Answered Christ’s Prayer,
Jesus Willingly Moved To Obey The Father

Matthew 26:44-46 And {Jesus} left {Peter, James, and John}, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

Jesus was willing to accept the will of the Father.

Casting all His anxiety on Him, our Lord now moved confidently forward into the plan of the Father. There are times when the trials must come, and we must go into the fiery furnace of affliction. When those times come, know that God is with you. The Father numbers the very hairs of our head (Luke 12:6-7). The Father knows what we need before we even ask (Matthew 6:8). The Bible tells us that:

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

God has a purpose and a plan for our lives. When the trials come, we are cast our anxiety on our Father. But we are also to rest in the calm assurance that He loves us, and has our best intentions in His heart.

The Apostle Paul recounted a time when he was afflicted by a “thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me” (2 Corinthians 12:7). What did Paul do when this happened? What he did is very similar to what Jesus did in Gethsemane. He writes:

2 Corinthians 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

Three times Paul asked for relief, sharing his heart with the Father. What did the Father say?

2 Corinthians 12:9 … My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. ..

Receiving this answer the Apostle did not pout or murmur against God. No, his response was “this, then, is the will of God”. He writes:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 … Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Paul accepted the purpose of God in his life, knowing that this was ultimately the best for him. Dr. Joe Pettigrew writes:

“God changed Jacob’s name, which means “deceiver”, to Israel, which means “a prince with God.” He did it through crisis. Realizing he had to go home and face the wrath of his brother Esau, whom he’d mistreated, Jacob became desperate. That night in his tent he wrestled with the angel of the Lord. And the change in his life didn’t come quickly or easily, because we’re told he wrestled until daybreak. But suddenly it dawned on Jacob that he was wrestling with God, and it was a fight he couldn’t win.

Likewise, God will let us wrestle with an issue we can’t resolve, to get our attention. He’ll bring us to the place where we must concede, “I can’t handle this situation. It’s too big for me. I need God!” If that’s where you are today, you’re on the cusp of a breakthrough. If you’re asking God to make you comfortable in the mess you’re in, forget it—it’s not going to happen.”

Sometimes God sends us through trials so that we can grow in faith. This is what He did with Paul. This is also what the Father did with the Son. We are told in:

Hebrews 5:5-9 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. 7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Jesus in Gethsemane “offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered”. Those are powerful words. Trials teach us all the faithfulness of God. Let us not let anxiety turn into sin. When tried, let us do as Jesus did. Let us cast our anxiety on our Father. Let us call on our brothers and sisters in Christ for strength. And let us accept the eternal purpose of the Father in what we are suffering. May God touch your hearts with His Word and His Spirit. Amen and Amen!

Posted in Matthew, Sermons Preached | Tagged | 1 Comment

Unprofitable Servants

Posted on January 25, 2021 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Alexis Antoine on Unsplash

Last week we saw Jesus’ illustration of Heaven and Hell in the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Lazarus relied upon God for life – the rich man relied on his riches. When Lazarus died the angels of God took him to Abraham’s Bosom, symbolic of paradise. But when the rich man died, in hell he lifted up his eyes. He lived a life without God on the earth, and now was confined – and in torment – in a place that he could not leave. The rich man’s heart was hardened by sin. Though in hell, the rich man still saw Lazarus as a thing to be used. Remember what he said?

Luke 16:24 … send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

This man has no love for anything or anyone but himself. Send Lazarus from the glory of Paradise, to this flame where I am, and have him wait on me.

No, rich man, this is not possible. There is a great gulf fixed (Luke 16:26) where no soul can cross. Then the rich man shows concern for his brothers.

Luke 16:27-28 {send Lazarus} to my father’s house: 28 for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

This is the first evidence of any love at all in this man. Though it is a selective love, the rich man is concerned about his brothers. He does not want them to enter the same hell he is in. Since he can’t go to them, he wants Lazarus to go, and warn them of hell. Abraham replied:

Luke 16:29-31 They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

It is the Bible that the rich man’s brothers need to heed. Lazarus cannot go to them. But I want to focus on this again: the rich man did care for his brothers. But he can no longer do anything good for these brothers. He can no longer tell them about Heaven or Hell, as he is trapped in Hell. Beloved, the time to tell others about Jesus is while we are on this earth. Abraham was not insensitive to the brothers of the rich man. He just is not able to witness from Paradise, no more than the rich man can witness from Hell. As the Scripture says:

2 Corinthians 6:2 … behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation

God Is Driven By Love – And We Should Be, Too

Luke 17:1-2 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offenses will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! 2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

Do you notice how our text starts: “THEN said he unto the disciples”. Even though this starts a new chapter in our Bibles, this THEN ties what Jesus is now going to say back to the story of the rich man and Lazarus. This rich man – in hell – finally cared for his brothers. Though it was a case of too little, too late,

God expects those who are His Children to care about His family. We need to care about adding to it, and lifting up one another. The Light of Christ’s Kingdom must grow.

Jesus cautions His disciples – that’s us – against offending “one of these little ones”. Who is He talking about? Jesus is talking about younger, less mature Christians. In a parallel text Jesus calls these “little ones” …

Matthew 18:6 … these little ones which believe in me ….

If you are a Christian, you were saved by the unmerited mercy of God’s Love. No one deserves salvation – we are all fallen creatures, far, far from God. The Bible says:

Romans 3:10-12 … There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Vs 1 “It is impossible but that offenses will come”

We are all sinners, but God in His infinite love reaches out to us. He touches our hearts, and calls us to salvation in Christ. The Bible says that “we are children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26).

Standing before Jesus as He speaks are two groups of people:

  1. the Pharisees who were more concerned with religion and ritual than they were about their relationship with God. Jesus often called these people “hypocrites”.
  2. the disciples of Christ who believed in Him for salvation. Jesus cherishes the souls of those whom He has saved. He cherishes them, because He shed His blood for them, as He has for us. Jesus says, “do not offend the little ones – the young Christians – who believe in Me”.

Jesus wants us to be better than the lost rich man. We are to be concerned about our brothers and sisters NOW, not LATER when we leave this life.

The rich man wanted to be responsible for his brothers after he ended up in hell. The lost person only wants what they have for themselves. The lost person defines life by what they can get out of it. The Christian is called to LOVE – to LOVE God and LOVE those around him.

Illustrate An angel came to a rich man and asked, “What can I do for you?”. The rich man, caring only for his wealth, said: “Show me the Wall Street Journal one year from today. I can use it to invest my money, and become even richer!”. The angel handed the man the Wall Street Journal, just as he asked. The man flipped to the stock exchange report, and quickly noted the best stocks to buy. He then turned one more page, and tears began to roll down his face. In the obituary section there was his picture – he had died!

The Riches Of The Christian Is Our God And
Our Family In Christ

The “Apostle of Love” wrote:

1 John 3:10-12 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

The true Christian does the works of God, and loves his brother. He does not love as the rich man loves, only when he leaves this life. He does not love as Cain loved. The Christian is called to love as Jesus commanded. The faithful believer will love! Jesus said:

Matthew 22:37-40 …. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Love, as Jesus loved, is commanded to every believer in Christ. We are to care for our brothers and sisters. We are to care for the lost.

Luke 17:3-4 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Jesus tells His disciples – that’s us – “Take heed to yourselves”. We are to examine our lives. We are to …

Philippians 2:12-13 … work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Is God working in you? Then it will show in your life when your brother or sister offends you. It will show in how you resolve conflicts. Jesus said:

Luke 17:3 … If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him

Word Study The word REBUKE is the Greek ἐπιτιμάω epitimáō, {pronounced ep-ee-tee-mah’-o}, which means “to censure or admonish”. We are to tell our brothers and sisters when they have offended us. We are not to gossip about them, but to tell the offense to the offender alone. This is where you start. You do not bear a grudge, nor allow the offense to fester, but seek reconciliation NOW. Jesus said:

Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

Once you tell your brother what he did, THEN …

Luke 17:3 … If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

If the offending party changes their attitude – asks forgiveness – then you are to forgive that person. How often? Jesus said:

Luke 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

So often we are offended, then carry grudges. Sadly, many times people who profess Christ as Savior have arguments and breaches, then one will move to another Church without doing what Christ has commanded. Jesus said that forgiveness in non-negotiable. We are to love one another. And if one offends us, we are to seek to mend the rift. We are not to cherish a grudge. When Peter heard this teaching from Christ, he sought a loophole, saying:

Matthew 18:21-22 … Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Doesn’t God forgive us when we repent, confessing our sins? The Bible says:

1 John 1:9 … If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God does not place a limit on His forgiveness of our breeches against Him. He does not place a limit on the number of times we are to forgive. The Apostle said:

Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Colossians 3:12-13 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Don’t Make Excuses – Just DO It!

When the disciples hear what Jesus said, they reply in an almost comical way. They said:

Luke 17:5-6 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. 6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamore tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

The disciples felt that what Jesus was asking was so hard, so impossible, that they asked that He increase their faith. Jesus said, “All you need is faith the size of a grain of mustard seed”. It doesn’t take much faith to forgive your brother or sister.

When you do what Jesus says, you prevent a mountain of trouble in your life, and in the life of the Church.

Just do what Jesus said do. Unity is so important in the life of the Church. It is only when “two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20). A disharmonious Church cannot be empowered of God. When others fail you or hurt you, remember this.

We are all UNWORTHY servants.

Jesus uses this simple illustration to make His point. He says:

Luke 17:7-9 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? 8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I {think} not.

Do you get the picture? The SERVANT (that’s us) has been plowing all day. Now it’s supper time. When we come in from the field, do we tell the MASTER (that’s God), “I’m going to sit down and eat. YOU feed me, then YOU feed Yourself”. Absolutely not! When the servant comes in from the field, that servant FEEDS THE MASTER FIRST, and then sits down to eat. DOES THE MASTER THANK THE SERVANT? Absolutely not!

Illustrate Every month I pay my mortgage. My bank doesn’t thank me for paying my mortgage. I owe the mortgage. I owe what I borrowed back to the bank.

If you are saved by faith in Christ, you have received the greatest of all gifts. You are of the Family of God. You owe God everything. God has given you not only life, but has given His life for you. He has prepared a place for you in Heaven, a glorious place that we neither have earned nor will ever deserve. We fail God daily, and yet, He loves us as His children for Christ’s sake. Jesus said:

Luke 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things {forgiving your fellow believers. Loving the unlovable} which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

We who are Christians have a duty we owe toward our Master. As we have been loved of God, we are to love others. We are to forgive offenses, knowing this is the will of our Master. Jesus warned us:

Matthew 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

We are expected to love one another as Christ has loved us.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

The Church of Christ is called to be filled with love: love toward God, and love toward one another.

Romans 12:1-2 … present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Our love is to be like Christ’s. Not like the world’s love, but like Jesus’ love. Let us love and serve one another. Let us be the Light that Christ has called us to be. May God touch our hearts with His Word and by His Spirit. Amen and Amen.

Posted in Sermon Series "Red Letters", Sermons Preached | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

For By Grace

Posted on January 24, 2021 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Jonny McKenna on Unsplash

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Today we’re going to look at one of the most profound Scriptures in the Bible. I love this verse! If you can understand this verse then you can begin to appreciate the richness of God’s blessings in Christ.

Salvation Is By Grace Through Faith

“For by GRACE are you saved through faith”. It is GRACE that saves the sinner. The Apostle says in another place:

Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Word Study I have heard GRACE described as “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”. That’s a good definition, for GRACE comes to us because of what Jesus did for us – praise His holy Name! A more proper definition is found in the Greek text. GRACE is the Greek χάρις cháris, {pronounced khar’-ece}, which means “unmerited favor, unearned love”.

A beautiful picture of GRACE is found first in the Bible in Eden. Though the Law of God demanded Adam’s death “for the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). God had warned Adam:

Genesis 2:17 in the day that thou eatest {of that forbidden fruit} thou shalt surely die.

It was the LAW that rightly said to Adam,

Genesis 3:17-19 … cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

The Law of God must fulfill what it said. “By one man sin entered the earth, and DEATH by sin, for all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). Spiritual death came on Adam, and physical death became a part of life. “In Adam, all die” (1 Corinthians 15:22). It was the LAW that pronounced rightful death on Adam and his children.

Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

But it was BY GRACE that God allowed Adam another day of life. It was by GRACE that God clothed Adam and Eve by killing the innocent creature. Pastor John MacDuff said:

“No sinner would have sought God – but “by grace”. The thickets of Eden would have proved Adam’s grave had not grace called him out.”

Saul would have never become Paul
had it not been by GRACE.

Saul the Pharisee would have continued killing Christians had not God by GRACE reached out on Damascus Road and said, “Saul, Saul, you persecute Me! I am the Lord Jesus!”. Had it not been for GRACE, two thieves would have died next to Christ, and would have ended up in hell forever! It was GRACE that opened the eyes of one of those thieves, GRACE that caused him to say:

Luke 23:42 Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

It was GRACE that called Abram from Ur of the Chaldees, saying:

Genesis 12:1-3 …. Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

It was GRACE that tolerated the failures of mankind year after year, until God reached out to Jacob and bestowed GRACE on him to turn him into ISRAEL. The Lord told Israel:

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8 but because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

It is the Grace of God through the preaching of Christ’s Gospel that reaches out and brings the dead to life. “By Grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves”. God must reach out and open our eyes.

Before Christ We Were Spiritually Dead

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

The Christian is a person who has been “quickened” – made alive from the dead. Prior to salvation the reality of every person is “you are DEAD in trespasses and sins”. All Children of Adam are born physically alive into this world, but are spiritually dead. A person without Christ is spiritually dead. The Apostle Paul said of the lost that …

Ephesians 4:17-19 {they walk} in the VANITY or EMPTINESS of their mind, 18 having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.

The person without Christ is spiritually dead. They are separated from God. Isaiah 59:2 “your sins have made a separation between you and your God. Your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear your prayers” (my paraphrase). The lost person does not follow the God Who created them. Dead in trespasses and in sins, you follow not God. The Apostle said:

Ephesians 2:2 wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,

Before you were saved, dear Christian, “you walked according to the course of this world”. What the world said was true, you were in step with it. You had no use for the Bible, the Word of God. You went along with the crowd. You did not choose the narrow way of salvation. Jesus said:

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the {narrow} gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 because {narrow} is the gate, and {tight} is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

A person without Christ is spiritually dead. You must be quickened. You must be raised from the dead. A fellow by the name of Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, flattering the Master. Jesus told Nicodemus:

John 3:3 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:5-8 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

God must work in a person’s life to open their eyes to their need of Jesus. Prior to Jesus, we all follow the crowd. We all follow the devil himself.

Are You Following A Prince, Or The King?

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

Lost people cannot save themselves. They walk – live their lives – according to the Prince of the Power of the Air. The devil has power over Adam’s children because of Adam’s sin. “The whole world lies in the power of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). Satan, also known as Lucifer, leads the world into darkness. But note that he is ONLY A PRINCE. He is not KING. God is KING. Jesus Christ is …

1 Timothy 6:15 the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

Prior to meeting Jesus (blessed be His Name forever) we followed the crowd, the fallen crowd:

Ephesians 2:3 among whom {these lost people} also we all had our {conversation – WAY OF LIFE} in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

We were “by nature the children of wrath”. The Apostle puts it this way in another place:

1 Corinthians 2:9-14 as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The LOST or NATURAL MAN cannot receive the things of God. Their eyes are blinded to it. What people – dead in trespasses and sins – need is Jesus. Our Lord Jesus told His disciples while He walked this earth:

John 5:24-25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

It is by Grace that God calls us to salvation. He opens our eyes by His Spirit, calls us to repentance, and then raises us from spiritual death. The Scripture says:

Colossians 2:13-15 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

“By GRACE are you saved THROUGH FAITH
and that NOT OF YOURSELVES”

Jesus reached out to us. He reaches out to sinners today. When you repent, and by faith reach out and grab that nail scarred hand, we come into a new state, a new place of life.

Quickened Together With Christ

Ephesians 2:4-6 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Because we called upon the name of Jesus to be saved we are “quickened” or “made alive together with Christ”. The Apostle goes on to say that God the Spirit “made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. What does this mean? It does not mean that we are now LITERALLY sitting with Christ, but that we are LEGALLY seated with Christ (Pastor Jeremy Treat). We are united to Christ, not to this world. We are bound to Jesus, not to the darkness. We are “in Christ”, united to Him both now and forever. Jesus’ perspective is our perspective.

Beloved, we no longer belong to the devil. We no longer are as we were. We are now Children of the King. We have a place in Heaven. God has called us from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:18).

Ephesians 2:7 that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

We are trophies of God’s Grace. “By GRACE are you saved THROUGH FAITH, and that NOT OF YOURSELVES: it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast”. It is not through the “deeds of the Law” that we are saved. The Law of God gives us knowledge that we are sinners (Romans 3:20), but it is the Grace of God that saves the sinner. The Bible declares:

2 Timothy 1:9 {God} hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Titus 3:3-5 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Praise God for His glorious Grace!

God Works In His Children

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

If you have been saved by faith in Christ, you are God’s workmanship. God is working in us and through us. We have been brought near to God. God the Holy Spirit indwells us, and guides us, and uses us for the glory of God.

Because of Christ our spiritual position has changed. The Apostle said:

Ephesians 2:11-12 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

When we were without Christ, we were cut off from the blessings that God offered Israel. We were without promise from God. We were in a helpless and a hopeless place, “without God in the world”. But now?

Ephesians 2:13 but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

We as Christians are brought near to God, so that we can walk with God daily.

  • We are brought near to God literally, for God the Holy Spirit indwells our bodies.

Romans 8:9-11 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

  • We are brought near to God, being adopted as His sons and daughters. We are no longer sons of Adam, but are children of God.

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit {Himself} beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

  • We are brought near to God in our behavior.

1 John 4:11-13 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

1 John 4:20-21 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

If you belong to God in Christ, your behavior toward God and others is now more like Christ’s. The stepbrother of Christ Jesus, James, wrote:

James 2:17-20 faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Faith is a verb, but it is also a noun

When you “have faith” in Christ (the verb), then the “faith you profess” (a noun) will be evidenced by your works. The whole point of salvation is to bring us to God:

1 Peter 3:18 … Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God

God the Son died for our sins so that He might “bring many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10). Because of Jesus, our Father is now God, not Adam. Because of Jesus we are now sons and daughters of God. The Apostle said:

2 Corinthians 5:17 … Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

You are called to be like Jesus. You are called to live close to God. Let us end with these wonderful words:

Ephesians 2:14-18 For {Jesus} is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain 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. 18 for through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

You are the people of God, if you are saved by faith in Christ. You are to be imitators of God, children of light, a city set on a hill that cannot be hid. You are the “children of Abraham” that the Lord foresaw in Genesis 12:1-3. Let us live for Jesus! Let us live in His Kingdom. May God touch your hearts with His Word and His Spirit this very day. Amen and Amen!

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Giving God What God Is Owed

Posted on January 23, 2021 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by George Potter on Unsplash

Today our country swore in our 46th President, Joe Biden. This is following one of the most divisive and vicious campaigns for president that I have ever seen. I’m not going to talk about the campaign, or give my opinions. Tonight I want to talk about what Jesus expects of His children.

We’ll start reading in:

Matthew 22:15-21 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21 They say unto him, Cæsar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s. 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left him, and went their way.

Jesus, Not Caesar, Is Our King

In order to understand the Bible texts, you have to start with the CONTEXT, the background to what you read. You can follow the background with me. The day before Jesus’ questioning by the Pharisees and the Herodians our Lord rode into Jerusalem. Just before entering Jerusalem Jesus told His disciples:

Matthew 21:2-5 Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet {Zechariah 9:9-10} saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, He rode as a King, seated on a white donkey. The crowd that went before Jesus treated Him as a King. They cried out:

Matthew 20:9 … Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

“Hosanna” means “all glory to God our Savior”. The crowd calls Jesus the “Son of David”. In the Old Testament God told King David that:

2 Samuel 7:12-13 when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

The rightful Ruler of Israel is not Caesar nor Rome, but Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus is the One “born King of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2). Jesus Christ is the “Son of David” that God sent to Israel. Jesus is the Overcoming Lamb of God:

Revelation 17:14 … for He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings …

When Jesus rides into Jerusalem the crowd cries out, “Hosanna to the Son of David”. They give Jesus the accolade that the King of Israel should have. As King Jesus rides to the Temple, and casts out the money changers,

Matthew 21:12-13 {saying unto them} It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves.

Jesus Christ is not only the Son of David, He is also the Son of God. Jesus is the King of Israel, and the King of Heaven. His “House” the Temple Will Not Be Defiled.

As Jesus healed the blind and the lame in the Temple (Matthew 21:14), the children cry out:

Matthew 21:15 … Hosanna to the Son of David …

Jesus leaves Jerusalem to rest overnight in Bethany, but returns the next day to find His enemies waiting for Him. Jesus tells the Pharisees:

Matthew 21:43 … The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

The King of Israel will move His seat of government from Israel to another nation Jesus called “My Church”. The Church would be built …

Ephesians 2:20-23 … upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

The “House of Christ”, the Church, Christ’s new nation, would be focused on worshiping and serving the Lord God. We are of His House if we hold fast – to the end – our confidence and rejoicing in Christ (Hebrews 3:6). Those who are “born again” of the Spirit (John 3:3, 7),

1 Peter 1:23 … born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever

are “members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones” (Ephesians 5:30). We are built by Christ. The Church is Christ’s holy nation, and we cherish Him as our King, our Savior, and our Guide (Matthew 16:18).

The King, our Jesus, is teaching in the Temple when the Pharisees and Herodians came to “entangle Him in His talk” (Matthew 22:15).

Enter The Herodians

The “Herodians” are those Jews who support King Herod as the monarch of Israel. Most of the Jews did not Herod. Herod himself was an Idumean or a descendant of the Edomites, the children of Esau, not of Jacob. Herod was not only NOT from the line of David (the ruling line of Israel), he was NOT a Jew. He was a cousin to the Jews.

The Pharisees generally did not care for the Herodians, for they did not care for Herod. Yet their hatred of Jesus led them to band together with the Herodians. Luke tells us that these men were …

Luke 20:20 … spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

The Herodians and Pharisees hoped to entrap Jesus, to get Him openly to say or do something that would upset Herod and Pilate. Neither Herod nor Pilate wanted another “King” in Jerusalem. If they could get Jesus Jesus to stumble, then they could have the state soldiers take Him and imprison Him.

They start with flattery.

The Bible says in Proverbs 29:5, “A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet.” They want to trip up our Jesus.

Matthew 22:16-17 … Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not?

These men are lying. They don’t believe what they are saying about Jesus. But their words – which others are hearing – make it sound like they are on Jesus’ side. Their question is a hidden bomb. “Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar or not?” When they ask “is it LAWFUL”, they are not talking about Roman, but Biblical Law. What does the Torah say?

The Jews themselves despised paying “tribute” or taxes to Rome. In 6 A.D. the Romans imposed a “census tax” on Israel. If you were with me on Christmas you know that this was why Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth (see Luke 2:1-5). The Jews saw the Romans as invaders. A man by the name of Judas the Galilean led Israel in a tax revolt, with Rome retaliating by killing many Israelis. Pilate himself was the Chief Tax Collector and head of the Roman Judicial system. No, the Jews despised paying taxes to Rome.

So the Pharisees and the Herodians think they have trapped Jesus. If He answers, “Of course, we should pay taxes”, then the people who the day before welcomed Jesus as King would turn on Him. If Jesus replies, “No, we shouldn’t pay taxes to Rome”, the Herodians will carry this back to Herod and Pilate, and Jesus would be tried for insurrection.

Matthew 22:18-19 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.

Jesus knows what they are doing, and calls them “hypocrites” or “people of two faces” right to their face. Jesus turns the tables on them. He says,

Shew me the tribute money

A Graven Image In The Temple

They brought to Jesus a penny. All of this is very interesting. Let’s see if we can break it down. The “tribute money” is a Roman coin called a denarius. The denarius was a silver coin that was roughly one day’s wages of the common laborer. The front of the denarius had an image of the Roman Emperor Tiberius, and around this image the Latin words “TI CAESAR DIVI AUG F AUGUSTUS”, which means “Tiberius Caesar, Worshipful Son of God, Augustus”. The coin makes Caesar out to be a god, and a son of God.

What is interesting about this is that Jesus and His detractors are in the Temple, and Jesus Himself DOES NOT have one of these coins on Himself. They brought unto Jesus the denarius. It was a violation of God’s Law to Israel for anyone to even bring such a coin into the Temple. In the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses, the Lord said:

Exodus 20:2-6 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Caesar had his image placed on the coins to teach each person who used that coin that HE HIMSELF WAS A SON OF GOD. The Jews were supposed to acknowledge but one God, the God of Scripture. The Shema, a Jewish prayer based on Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21; and Numbers 15:37-41, starts out with these words:

“Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad”
Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord alone

By producing this coin in the Temple the Pharisees and Herodians were showing that they had no concept of respect toward God. This is holy ground. Jesus simply asks:

Matthew 22:20-21 … Whose is this image and superscription? 21 They say unto him, Cæsar’s.

It was Caesar who ordered this coin made, not God. It was Caesar who declared himself God, not God. So Jesus replies:

Matthew 22:21 Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

Does God want us to worship Caesar? Absolutely not! As Jesus told Lucifer, that old devil,

Matthew 4:10 … Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Only God is to be worshiped. The Bible says that our first duty to God is:

Matthew 22:37 … Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

God Our Father Deserves Our All

Our Father God deserves ALL of our adoration, ALL of our obedience. God is to be first in our affections, first in our hearts. What Jesus is saying is the same thing that Joshua said before he retired:

Joshua 24:15 … choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Jesus was saying the same thing that Elijah said on Mount Carmel:

1 Kings 18:21 How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.

We as God’s Children are to give to God what He is owed. God deserves all of us, not just part of us. King Solomon said:

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

We are to give to the government what is due to the government. We are to obey governmental laws insofar as they do not circumvent our allegiance to God. In the formation of the early Church Peter and the other Apostles were imprisoned by the order of the High Priest of Israel. The Scripture says:

Acts 5:17-21 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18 and laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. 21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught.

The next day the Apostles were once more brought before the High Priest and the Sadducees, who demanded of them:

Acts 5:28 Did not we straightly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Peter replied:

Acts 5:29 We ought to obey God rather than men …

If God Is First, The Work Will Continue

As the Jewish Council debated on whether to kill the Apostles or not, the Rabbi Gamaliel told them:

Acts 5:38-40 Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught: 39 but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. 40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

The Apostles went forward, sharing the Gospel, and obeying Jesus Christ our King and His Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). We are to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.

Our God is due all our obedience. We who are saved by faith in Christ are first and foremost citizens of Heaven. But we are also citizens of this earth. Insofar as the government requires our allegiance, we should give our allegiance as long as our allegiance does not violate the Word and Will of God. When the government steps into the place of God, then that government has gone too far.

The Apostle tells us:

Romans 13:1-3 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

The powers that be are ordained of God. As long as the “powers that be” do not exceed their authority, then as good citizens we who are Christians should be obedient to them. God establishes nations, and sets up and destroys rulers. God even controls the hearts of those ruling:

Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

When our Lord Jesus would later stand in front of Pontius Pilate to be judged, Jesus would not defends Himself. Pilate told Jesus:

John 19:10 … Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

Jesus’ reply was simple, and to the point. He said:

John 19:11 … Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above

Our God reigns! Our God is to have our first allegiance in everything. Yet we are to obey our governmental leaders insofar as they do not violate the will and the Word of our God. As we are coming into a new chapter in America, let us follow our Lord Jesus. Let us remember to pray daily for those in authority over us. The Lord commands:

1 Timothy 2:1-4 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Pray that God will restore peace to our land. Pray that God will use us as His Children to share His Gospel and His Word, and that this seed planted will bring a Christlike revival to our nation and His Churches. May God the Holy Spirit and His Word draw your hearts close to Him this very day. Amen and Amen!

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The Identity Of The Church

Posted on January 18, 2021 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Turn with me in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 1. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians. As you turn, let’s review from last week.

Review And Introduction

Last week we studied in the Gospel of Matthew the words of Jesus:

Matthew 21:42-43 Jesus saith unto {the Scribes and Pharisees}, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

The “Builders” of Israel were the Scribes and Pharisees. They adhered to and taught the Law of Moses to the people. But these “Builders” disparaged Jesus Christ, God’s Sent Messiah. The Scribes and Pharisees forgot that they were supposed to stand up for God and His Word. When “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14), the Scribes & Pharisees did not support the Messiah, but fought against Him.

Israel lost their stewardship of the Gospel. God moved the stewardship of His Kingdom to “a nation bringing forth the fruits of His kingdom”.
This nation is the Church.

The Church is a new nation – created by God – in which believers in Christ are granted citizenship and purpose greater than any human purpose. The Church – God’s nation – is

Ephesians 2:20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone

The God given Constitution of every Church is the Bible. The Bible is the foundation of our identity in Christ. The Prophets wrote of the coming Jesus. The Apostles wrote and witnessed the Jesus Who had come. And Jesus Christ is our chief Corner Stone.

Let Us Avoid The Errors And Know Our Purpose

When God raised up the Church, He did not bring another brand of Judaism in. In order to develop this new Nation whose allegiance is to God Almighty, God took a Pharisee who was well known to the ruling board of Pharisees. God knocked this man down on the Damascus Road, this Chief Pharisee named Saul, saying:

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Saul replied, “Who are You, Lord?”

And Jesus, the One Who was founding a new Nation of people called the Church, said “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Get up, go into the city, and I will tell you what to do” (Acts 9:4-6). From that point, the resurrected Jesus sent a believer named Ananias to Saul. The Lord told Ananias:

Acts 9:15-16 Go thy way: for {Saul} is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

God the Son gave Saul a higher purpose, and a new name. Saul – also known as Paul – began to go about telling others of Jesus. He did not just reach out to Israel as did Peter and the other Apostles, but Paul understood that God was bringing forth a new nation, a people united and focused on Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. In this nation of light, racism and misogyny has no hold. In this nation – governed by Christ – “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond or free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Paul writes to the Church – God’s nation – saying:

Ephesians 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul is an Apostle of Jesus Christ because God willed it. He is careful not to use his old, Jewish name as he writes the Church. Saul died on the Damascus Road, and was reborn as Paul, which is a Gentile name.

Word Study Paul uses two words to describe the citizens of God’s Kingdom, the Church. He calls them “saints” and “faithful”. The word “saints” is a spiritual word, whereas “faithful” is a practical word. The word “saints” is the Greek ἅγιος hágios, {pronounced hag’-ee-os}, which means “to be set apart or chosen out for God’s use”. If God has touched you and called you into His Church, then that which He has done on the inside will reflect on what you do outwardly. If you are a saint, saved by faith in Christ, then your fruit will reflect that salvation. If you are saved then you are no longer a bad tree. You are to bear good fruit for the One Who saved you.

Matthew 7:17-20 … Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Good Fruit Is Holy Fruit, Jesus Honoring Fruit:
We Are Planted In God’s Garden

Ephesians 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

The Apostle is careful not to say that the Christian will be blessed, but rather we have been blessed. Before you were saved by faith in Christ you were a Child of Adam. You walked according to what you wanted to do. You lived your life according to darkness. The Lord called you out of darkness:

Acts 26:18 … to turn {you} from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that {you} may receive forgiveness of sins

The Christian is no longer a son of Adam, but is now a son of God. The Christian no longer lives for self, but for the smile of the Savior!

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

We are a chosen people, set apart by God through Christ to be

Ephesians 1:4-5 holy and without blame before him in love: 5 having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will

The Christian is a saint – “holy”, set apart for God’s Kingdom. We as Christians are “without blame” before Almighty God. Why? Because Jesus Christ took our blame. Jesus Christ took our blame when He died on Calvary for our sins. We are told in another place:

Philippians 2:13-16 it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 holding forth the word of life

Because the Son of God died on Calvary for us,

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

We are predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. On the day that you heard the Gospel of Salvation, and repented, turning to the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, God sent His Holy Spirit into the framework of your lives. We no longer are children of Adam because of the work of God in our lives. The Scripture says:

Romans 8:15-17 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit {Himself} beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

The Blood of Christ has paid for our sins. The Spirit of Christ has indwelt us, and marked us as Children of God. And one day we shall stand in glory with our Savior Jesus, and receive the fullness of our Adoption. It was “the good pleasure of God’s will” to do this.

I Am “Accepted” In The Beloved

Ephesians 1:6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

As believers, we are “accepted in the Beloved”. What does this mean? When our Jesus walked this earth, numerous times God the Father spoke, saying of Jesus:

Matthew 3:17 This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Luke 9:35 This is my beloved Son: hear him.

In our world today, as in the ancient Roman world, it is popular to say “God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam”. But this is not what the Bible teaches. God told Israel in the Ten Commandments:

Exodus 20:2 You shall have no other gods before Me …

God declared that the worship of other gods was the same as worshiping demons. God told the Israelite who worshiped false gods that “they provoke Me to jealousy with abominations: they sacrifice the devils, not to God (Deuteronomy 32:16-17; Leviticus 17:7). When Jesus was tempted to worship Satan by Satan, our Lord responded:

Matthew 4:10 … Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

We are only made acceptable before God the Father “in the Beloved”. Because Jesus died for our sins, and His sacrifice was accepted by the Father, when we receive Him as Lord and Savior God looks at us and says, “I accept them for My Beloved’s sake”. Jesus Christ is “the Way, the truth, and the life – no one comes to the Father but by Him” (John 14:6). The early Church preached:

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Ephesians 1:7 in {Jesus} we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Those who are saved “in the Beloved” are redeemed from condemnation from God and are purchased possessions not of Satan, but of God Himself. We are no longer slaves to this fallen world. We are members of Christ’s Kingdom, and prized possessions of God. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Corinthians 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

God “bought” you with the Blood of Jesus Christ. You are His purchased possession. You do not belong to the devil any more! It’s like that old song we sing:

Redeemed—how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am.
Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child, and forever, I am.
Redeemed and so happy in Jesus,
No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence
With me doth continually dwell.

Ephesians 1:8-10 wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Think of Christ this way: He is God’s Vessel, God’s Bucket. God is gathering together in ONE vessel, in Christ, all that believe. The Old Testament Saint and the New Testament Saint are gathered into that vessel called Christ. This is God’s purchased and precious possession! God is continually drawing people into this Kingdom, His Kingdom. The Prophet wrote:

Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

It is God the Father’s will that as many as will come into Christ’s Kingdom. The Kingdom of Christ will stand forever.

The Triune Godhead Brings The Christian
Into The Family

Ephesians 1:11-14 in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

In verse 3 we read how the Father and the Son worked together to bring the Christian into the Kingdom of God. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”. The Son accomplished our Salvation, but the Father planned it. In these next verses we see that God the Holy Spirit SEALS us. The Christian is indwelt, marked by God, and preserved by the power of God.

It is the will of the Father that all be saved.
It is the sacrifice of the Son that insures our salvation.
It is the work of the Holy Spirit that secures our salvation.

The Bible says: John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

If you believe on the Son of God, the SPIRIT of God abides on you. But if you believe not on the Son of God, the WRATH of God abides on you. A person without Christ looks at God as an enigma, perhaps as a consuming fire. But the person who has received Christ as lord and Savior sees God not as a consuming fire, but as a Pillar of Fire, a Guide, a Protector, the Father. C.H. Spurgeon said:

“Another man with unforgiven sin about him stands afar off and if he thinks of God at all it is as a consuming fire. But the forgiven Christian looking up to God, when he sees the mountains and the hills, and rolling streams and the roaring flood, he says “My Father made them all;” and he clasps hands with the Almighty across the infinite expanse that sunders man from his Maker. His heart flies up to God. He dwells near to Him, and he feels that he can talk to God as a man talketh with his Friend.”

We are saved from sin, and given destinies as Children of God. We are now free to lovingly serve within the Kingdom of God. As Paul finishes the introduction to this letter, He writes:

Ephesians 1:15-18 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

God wants us to know our purpose in Him. We are not as we were before, but are Children of God, adopted of the Spirit, blood purchased possessions.

Though the Apostle was not with the believers in Ephesus, their loving nature toward one another had been spread abroad. The Apostle prayed that they would not lose their purpose, but would continue to love God and love one another as the Scripture commands.

You have an inheritance, and are an inheritance, if you belong to Jesus Christ by faith.

The reason that Jesus Christ became incarnate, entering this world through a virgin and a manger, was so He could bring…

Hebrews 2:10 .. many sons unto glory …

He gave Himself for you, so that you could not only one day be brought into Heaven, but that through you God can bring Heaven to earth. The local Church fulfills the Law of God when it loves God with all its heart, and loves others as we wish to be loved. May God touch your hearts and “that you might know the hope of His calling”. God expects His people to be:

Matthew 5:14-16 the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

We who are saved by faith in Christ are saved to serve God, shining for Jesus in this dark and lost world. We are to look unto and to live for Jesus.

Ephesians 1:19-23 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

Jesus Christ now sits at the right hand of God the Father. He is above all things, all powers. He is the Head of His Church, and we are His Body – if we are indeed saved. We need to know and claim our identity – especially in these dark days of America. May God the Holy Spirit and His Word lead each one of us to “make our calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). Amen and amen!

Posted in Ephesians, Sermons Preached | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Final Destination

Posted on January 17, 2021 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Arūnas Naujokas on Unsplash

Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke 16.

We All Have A Final Destination

Several years ago there was a series of scary movies called “Final Destination”. In that movie, death stalked – and usually got – the characters. What made the movie interesting is that it made death out to be an entity, and evil being that chased and tried to destroy people. Death is not an entity. Death is a reality of life. It is human to be born, to live your life, then to die physically. When you die physically, your soul goes to another place, another state, another home. Death is not the cessation of life, but a door by which you enter another place. The Bible says:

Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many

Everyone has an appointment that we must make. That appointment is the time of our physical death. Yet this physical death is not the end of life itself, but the transfer of our souls from this container we call a “body”, to another place. Jesus Christ died, bearing our sins on His body on the tree of Calvary, so that after our physical death we can go and be with God our Father. No one ever actually ceases to be. You cease to be HERE, but if you are a Christ follower, as Jesus said,

John 12:26 … where I am, there shall also my servant be …

When you leave this life, your soul will have a final destination, a final judgment. If you are in Christ your works shall be judged by Jesus. If you are NOT in Christ, your works shall be judged by God. Out west there is a tombstone, and on it the words:

Pause, stranger, when you pass me by,
For as you are, so once was I.
As I am now, so you will be,
Prepare to die, and follow me.

Next to this tombstone someone erected another sign that said:

To follow you I’m not content,
Until I know which way you went!

Luke 16:19-21 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Does Jesus Know Your Name?

What did Jesus believe about Heaven and Hell? We’ll see that today in this message, direct from our Master’s lips. Jesus begins by telling us about two individuals. The first is “a certain rich man”, and the second a “certain beggar named Lazarus”. These two people were in two very different situations in life.

Luke 16:19 … There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day

The rich man was clothed in purple and fine linen. This was not the day of Walmart, nor of mass production. There were no Ritz Die companies. Back in these days purple was a color that could only be obtained by crushing a tiny sea snail known as Bolinus brandaris. The snail was harvested at only one place, the Phoenician city of Tyre – and it was so rare that it was worth it’s weight in gold.

Purple clothing was worn only by great dignitaries, politicians, lawyers, and kings. Fine linen was, again, exceedingly rare.

In the Old Testament Pharaoh raised up Joseph to be his right hand man, and “arrayed Joseph in vestures of fine linen” (Genesis 41:42). When God had Israel build the Tabernacle, it had “ten curtains of fine, twined linen” (Exodus 26:1). The High Priest wore a breastplate of judgment of fine, twined linen (Exodus 28:15). Fine linen is even used to describe the future Marriage Supper of the Lamb. We who are saved will be …

Revelation 19:8 … arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Only the best and most influential people were clothed in Purple and fine linen. This rich man had everything. He “fared sumptuously every day”, eating only the best foods. This man had EVERYTHING,

EVERYTHING but a name. Jesus didn’t give him a name.

There are many people in our world today who are well known on television, through the news, through politics. If I mention the name “Steve Jobs” people immediately say, “Oh, the Founder of Apple”. If I say “Bill Gates”, you know he founded Microsoft. If I say “Bill Lee”, you know I’m speaking of the Governor of Tennessee. Oh, there are so many famous people, well known through television and media.

But does Jesus know them? Those famous people, perhaps famous and rich people, does Jesus know them? Jesus Christ is the Door of the Sheep. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God that gave His life for us. He told us:

John 10:7-11 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

So many people today are like this rich man. Jesus once asked a true and faithful question:

Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

So many have sold their souls, like Esau, for a little lentil stew. So many have refused the narrow gate, choosing instead the wide and broad gate that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). Don’t get me wrong. It is not a sin to be rich. It is a sin to be rich, and yet never be known of God. This rich man had the whole world as his oyster, and yet he was unknown of God. How do we know this? Read your context:

Luke 16:20-21 there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Jesus now introduces a man named Lazarus. “Lazarus” is an interesting name. It means “assistance of God”. This man leaned on God every day, trusting the Lord for what he had. In our world today, if you had a choice to be POOR or RICH, most people would choose RICH. We all think that RICHES are better than poverty. Yet this is not true. Jesus preached:

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

When Jesus was asked, “Are You the Messiah, or should we look for another”, our Lord replied:

Matthew 11:5-6 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Poverty and want are often the best places to be if you want to be in the family of God. Want drives us into the arms of the Savior, whereas plenty often fogs our minds and teaches us to foolishly ignore God. Lazarus has no food, no fine clothes. In fact, our text tells us that:

Luke 16:21 … {Lazarus} desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table

Lazarus apparently stayed down with the dogs, at the foot of the rich man’s table. This man who had EVERYTHING refused to give more than the VERY LEAST to this poor, starving man. The rich man only loved himself. He devalued other humans. He treated other people as if they were objects to be used. He didn’t object to Lazarus being at the foot of his table … but he didn’t go out of his way to feed Lazarus, either. As Lazarus laid with the dogs, dogs that licked his wounds, the “certain rich man” ignored the groans from his lips and the sounds from his empty belly.

Jesus told His disciples one day:

Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The rich man was a worker of iniquity, a doer of evil. How was he thus? Because he saw Lazarus suffering and starving, and did nothing to help. He could have given Lazarus a seat at the table. He could have given Lazarus a job, a place to stay, a place to get himself cleaned up. Our Lord Jesus told us that the entirety of the Law of God is this:

Matthew 22:37-40 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Love is the fulfillment of the Law. Not just lip service, but actual love that lifts up, and encourages, and ministers. God often puts those in need in our path so that we can be the hands and feet of Christ. As we would be treated, we are to treat others.

The Rich Man And Lazarus Both Died

Luke 16:22-23 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Both men died. The rich man had everything. When he died, he went unaccompanied to hell. He had no one around him, not even the so called “Grim Reaper”. He just died. But Lazarus, oh, how things changed for Lazarus. Lazarus was not welcomed at the table of the rich man. But Lazarus dies, and is carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom. Why did Jesus use this as an illustration?

The Bible teaches us that Abraham is not just the father of faith, but he is the pattern of the Christ follower. Jesus told the Scribes and Pharisees:

John 8:39, 42 If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. … 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

When God spoke to Abraham,

Romans 4:3 … Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

James 2:23 … Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Jesus told them “Father Abraham saw Me, and was glad” (John 8:58). When God called Abraham, Abraham, though a rich man himself, immediately followed God. He went where God said, when God said. The Bible tells us:

Galatians 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

If you have heard the call of God, and have answered Him by faith.
If you have let God’s Spirit put the love of God in your hearts.
If you love others, as you would be loved.
If you love God with your all.

Then you are Abraham’s seed. Like Lazarus, you have a final destination, where you will rest with Father Abraham and others like him. Lazarus was “assisted by God alone” in this life. When he died, he lifted up his eyes in the embrace of faith. But the rich man, he died, and lifted up his eyes in hell.

Proverbs 22:2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD [is] the maker of them all

If you have riches, this is a gift from God. It was not given you so that you can spend it lavishly on yourself. It was given so that you can share with others. If you have poverty, this is a gift from God. Do not despair – seek God.

Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your {way of life} be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

The Lost Never Learn

Luke 16:22-23 the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

People believe that when they die, the automatically “rest in peace”. The Bible does not teach this. The rich man died, and in hell, he was in torments. He did not cease living – he ceased living in luxury. He was IN TORMENTS. Our Lord Jesus did not see the afterlife of the lost as a great place to be. In fact, Jesus said:

Matthew 5:29-30 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Our Lord Jesus saw hell as a horrible, torturous place. The final destination of the lost, the lake of fire (Revelation 20:13-14), is called “the second death”. Oh, how horrible that place! “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:10-11). It is a place that Jesus said “it is outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

People say, “How can a loving God do such a thing to anyone?” Beloved, it has to do with your divine design. You are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). If you reject Christ, then you bring upon yourself the judgment of God. It is not necessary, but foolish, to reject Jesus. Doesn’t the Scripture say:

John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Note what the rich man’s first words from hell were:

Luke 16:24 the rich man … cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

Did you notice the two things the rich man did? He called on Abraham, but not on God. He still doesn’t want anything to do with God. The rich man lived a life rejecting the Lord Jesus, and in eternity he continues on the same lost path. Note also he asked Abraham to command Lazarus to wait on him. Lazarus was but an object, a thing, while the rich man lived his earthly life. Nothing has changed. Lazarus is still just a piece of furniture to be used for his own comfort.

Luke 16:25-26 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

There is a separation between hell and the place where Abraham is. You may not like it, but Jesus was very clear that Hell is a place of torment from which there is no reprieve. There is a great gulf fixed between Heaven and Hell, and no one can cross this gulf to relieve the sufferers of Hell. These people are in a fixed and eternal place, for they fixed their hearts and refused the Lord Who loved them. Hell is a place of everlasting fire.

Matthew 25:41-46 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels …

It was not a place that was designed for man, but for the devil and his fallen angels. The Lord doesn’t want you in Hell, but He will not force you into Heaven. Heaven wouldn’t be Heaven if you were forced there anyway! You have a choice, just as God has a choice. You choose your final destination now, while on this earth, by either receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior or rejecting God altogether. God wants all to be saved.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The rich man continues pleading:

Luke 16:27-29 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28 for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

The rich man would have Lazarus leave the glory of paradise, and return to his brothers homes, warning them of hell. Yet Abraham says, no, you had the witness of Scripture. The Bible testifies as to what is on the other side of glory. The Apostles witnessed the resurrected Jesus, and died for His testimony. The Apostle testifies:

1 Corinthians 15:3-6 …. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; (4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures: (5) And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: (6) After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once;…

Abraham said “If they will not hear Moses and the Prophets (the testimony of the Scripture) they will not be persuaded, though one rose from the dead”. God has left us a witness to salvation in His Scripture. He has told us all about Heaven and Hell in this Word of God. You will either believe what God has said, or reject His Word. But there will be no second chance once you are in Hell. Hell is forever. Hell is your choice. Heaven is forever. Heaven is forever. Choose Heaven. Choose the Lord Jesus! Do not gain the whole world, but lose your own souls. Turn to Jesus. Receive Him as lord and Savior, while you yet may.

May God the Holy Spirit touch your hearts with His Word and His Spirit. Amen and Amen!

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The Fear Of The Lord

Posted on January 15, 2021 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Bradley Dunn on Unsplash

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

What is “The Fear of the Lord?”

To hear many popular preachers and televangelists today, there is no such thing as “The Fear of the Lord”. Many have preached that we should have no fear of God, for “God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Salvation is promoted as a free gift of God (which it is). After salvation, many say that God has absolutely no standards to follow, nor any expectations of His people. To say that this is false is an understatement. It is in outright lie from the pit of hell.

Salvation is a free gift from God, but it is only received when you give God ALL of you. It is much like a surgery. You go to the surgeon to be cured by cutting. You agree that this surgeon has your trust. You lay down, surrendering to the anesthesia, trusting that he will do what is best for your life. You will only be saved if you fully cast yourself into his hands. Period.

So it is with salvation.

  • Jesus offered the “gift of God” to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:10), but commanded that she “go get her husband first” (John 4:16).
  • It is “by grace we are saved through faith, and not that of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). However, once saved “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to DO GOOD WORKS”. The gift is freely given, but those who receive the gift are commanded to work for the Giver.
  • Peter directs “as every person hath received the gift of God, minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). The gift is freely given, but once received is considered a stewardship from God.

The “cheap grace” preached in many Churches today is not the Grace that God shows in His Scripture. Thirty times in the Scripture we see the phrase “fear of the Lord”. The Prophet Job said:

Job 28:12, 23, 28 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? … 23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. …28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

And the Psalmist wrote:

Psalm 19:9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

And Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, declared:

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

To “fear the Lord” is to love Him, and to do as He says. To have respect for Him. God told Israel:

Leviticus 22:31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the Lord.

In the New Testament, Our Lord Jesus said:

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

To “fear the Lord” is to cherish His directives, to place Him above any other in your worship. Our Lord Jesus commanded that we fear the Lord. He said:

Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Once more, our focal text states:

Psalms 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of WISDOM:

The “Fear of the Lord” is the beginning – not of KNOWLEDGE – but of WISDOM. Knowledge is raw data. Wisdom is the ability to put knowledge into action. Many people have the head knowledge as to the immensity of God. The Scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ day had a great deal of knowledge. However, they had no fear of God.

A person who fears God will treat God right, and treat those around them right.

A person who fears God will follow His commandments:

Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The Apostle John put it this way:

1 John 4:20-21 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

We Fear God When We Treat Him As God

Psalm 111:1-2 Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. 2 The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.

To many people God is but “the Big Man upstairs” that is acknowledged only when we have to. God is a spare tire, only pulled out when needed to get us going. Greg Morse, a pastor at Desiring God Ministries, notes:

“We blaspheme God by depicting Him as a small planet orbiting us.”

God is not our Super-Servant. He is the Creator Who is worthy of all praise. He is the Bestower of Life, both eternal as well as temporal. When we fear God, we “praise Him with our whole heart”. We hold nothing back from Him, magnifying Him. We become like King David in 2 Samuel 6 when the Ark of God was returned to Jerusalem:

2 Samuel 6:14-16 David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

David loved our God more than He loved anyone else. He loved God so much that He cared little for what others thought of Him. This is the fear of the Lord. Jesus tells us:

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

God expects our all in praise. He wants all of our hearts. God does not want our left overs, our minimum, our least. He gave all of Himself for our Salvation, and expects us to give all of ourselves to Him. We are called to be like the unnamed woman at the home of Simon the Leper:

Mark 14:3 {Jesus} being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as {our Lord} sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

Some in the group saw this intruding woman as a sinner. Others saw her as a person who wasted resources for no good reason. They murmured against her”. Yet her focus was not on the others in the room. Her focus was on her Jesus. She loved Him, and knew Him as both Savior and Lord. Jesus rebuked those who murmured against her, saying “Let her alone; why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work on Me” (Mark 14:6).

The works of God are great. This earth, and all that is in it, is created of God. Our God created the universe in which our little planet floats.

Psalm 147:4 {God} telleth the number of the stars: He calleth them all by their names

As the Apostle Paul preached, “in God we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). God is never far from any of us. He sees what we do daily. The Prophet Job said:

Job 34:21-22 {God’s} eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. {22} There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

We Fear God By Respecting Him As He Is

Psalm 111:3-5 His work is honorable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. 4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. 5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.

When you fear God, you acknowledge that His Word is ever truthful. “His righteousness endureth forever”. What God has said is true, remains true to all generations. What God has said is false, is still false, though all the world declare it good. Jesus prayed for His Church:

John 17:17 Sanctify them, {dear Father}, through thy truth: Thy Word is truth

What God has established as true and normal has never ceased to be true and normal. The Psalmist said:

Psalms 19:7-9 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

Psalms 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

It is through God’s precepts that we gain understanding (Psalm 119:104). We fear God when we “lay aside all filthiness and overflowing evil, receiving with humility the Word of God, which is able to save our souls” (James 1:21). It is the Gospel of God that saves us, and the Word of God that directs us. “We are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:17).

We respect God’s Word because we know God is always faithful to His Word. We do not twist the Word of God to suit ourselves. We both HEAR and DO what God tells us.

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Jesus demanded that we both HEAR and DO what He said. The person who HEARS the Word of God and then does not DO what is said is called by Jesus “foolish” (Matthew 7:26).Jesus did not teach us options, nor opinions, but commandments. He said:

Matthew 7:24-25 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

We who believe in God – if we fear Him – will DO what He says. God promises to bless those who do what He says, and God keeps His promises. Do you wish to have a long and blessed life? Solomon tells us:

Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

Sin in the life of the believer hardens the heart and shortens the life span. Sin robs us of our heritage, the abundant life that God wants us to have. The Psalmist declared:

Psalm 34:8-10 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. {9} O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. {10} The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

If you are a “saint” of God, saved by faith in Jesus Christ, then know that God will care for you as you Biblically fear Him. “Whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, and DO THE THINGS THAT ARE PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT (1 John 3:22-23). We know that God is faithful, and will protect and guide us. But we must fear the Lord!

All Things Work Together For Good
For Those Who Fear God

Psalm 111:6-9 He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen. 7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. 8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. 9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.

God saved Israel for a specific reason, and gave standards by which Israel was to operate. God saves us today in the same way. We are saved to walk with God, not against God. God is immense. God has a purpose for your life. If you’re saved by faith in Christ then everything – good and bad – is working together for your good. We don’talways understand what’s going on around us, but God does. We think that the world is out of control, but God is in control. God is either causing or allowing everything that happens to you and around you to make you – if you are a believer – into the image of His dear Son. Dear believer, you are predestinated – being made by God –

Romans 8:29 … to be conformed to the image of His Son …

Let us live to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31), trusting Him, fearing Him as children would fear a father. He will never leave nor forsake us. Let us not do so unto Him. Now, more than ever, God is calling on His Church to stand up and stand in Him. May God touch your hearts with His Word and His Spirit. Amen and Amen.

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The Stone The Builders Rejected

Posted on January 10, 2021 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Mike Petrucci on Unsplash

Matthew 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?

What is our purpose? What is our goal?

Our text today comes at the end of a parable that Jesus spoke to the Chief Priests and Pharisees of His day. The Chief Priests and Pharisees were considered “the builders” of Israel. They weren’t actually the builders – God is the Builder.

Psalm 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

God is the Builder of His Kingdom. God the Son now stands in front of the Chief Priests and the Pharisees, and as He stands there these people reject Him and plot against Him. Jesus speaks a parable to them, to show them that their focus is wrong. The Kingdom of God belongs to God, not to man. The fruit of the Kingdom of God belongs to God, not to us.

The Fruit Of The Kingdom Belongs To The Owner

Let’s talk about the parable before we discuss this text.

Matthew 21:33 Hear another parable …

Why does Jesus keep dealing with the Chief Priests and Pharisees? Why doesn’t He just tell these people to take a hike? Is Jesus just argumentative? Does Jesus just want to humiliate these people? No, I don’t believe that. I believe it is because

Jesus loves these people, and does not want
to give up on them.

Though He will not justify their errors – He is always quick to point out their errors – Jesus keeps a dialogue going because He wants to reach their lost souls.

It is never a waste of time to share the Word of God. It is never an error to tell others the Words of Christ. “Hear another parable”, God the Son says. Jesus has time even for the most hardened. The writer of Hebrews said:

Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

God speaks to us through His Son. He is speaking to the Pharisees and Priests because God wants them to repent, to return to where they belong. They believe that they are in charge of the Kingdom of God. Let me say that again, because it bears repeating.

The Chief Priests and Pharisees believe THEY own the
Kingdom of God! They don’t. God does.

They are wrong. There are people today in Churches all across America that believe “they own the Kingdom of God”. They are wrong. God owns the Kingdom of God. God owns it – not you or I. God owns our very bodies. He owns the air we breath. But Jesus speaks this parable, planting the seed, hoping they will repent (though they will not).

Before we read the parable, let’s describe the people the parable represents.

The HOUSEHOLDER Is Our Creator God
The VINEYARD Is The Kingdom of God
The HUSBANDMEN or GARDENERS Are Kingdom Workers
The SERVANTS Are The Kingdom Prophets & Preachers
The SON Is Jesus Christ

Understanding who the characters are, let’s read the parable.

Matthew 21:33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder {this is Creator God}, which planted a vineyard {this is the Kingdom of God}, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen {these are the Gardeners or Kingdom Workers}, and went into a far country {that’s Heaven}:

It is God Who creates all things. It is God Who planted the vineyard. God started the vineyard in the Old Testament when He came to Abraham, telling that wonderful follower of God:

Genesis 12:1-3 … Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

God said “I will make you … I will bless you … In YOU shall all the families of the earth be blessed because I will do this”. God called Abraham out, and saved Abraham by faith. Abraham, flawed as he was, kept looking to the Lord Jesus. Jesus said in another place to the Pharisees:

John 8:56, 58 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Abraham recognized God as the planter of the Vineyard. Abraham followed the Lord. What did God do with His Kingdom in Israel? He not only planted the Kingdom, but God

Matthew 21:33 … hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen

God hedged it. He removed the weeds from it, so that it could grow. God dug a winepress in it. It was a centerpiece of God’s Kingdom that the Messiah would come through it. The winepress was the place where the fruit of the vine was taken to be crushed.

Jesus Christ was placed in the winepress, Calvary itself, crushed by the wrath of God for our sins.

At the first Lord’s Table Jesus gave His disciples the Cup, saying:

Matthew 26:28 for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Jesus went to the winepress for us, so that we do not have to face the wrath of God. He went to Calvary so that our sins could be forgiven, that His Kingdom could be established. The Lord also “built a tower”, or put a hedge of protection around His Kingdom. Then He “let it out to gardeners or workers” who were suppose to work for His Kingdom.

Matthew 21:34-35 … and when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants {the prophets and preachers} to the husbandmen {the workers in the Kingdom}, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the {workers} took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

As the Kingdom of God grew, the Owner of the Kingdom, our Creator God, expected fruit from the vineyard.

God expects Kingdom Praise, and Honor, and Glory.

God expects Thanksgiving from His people.

God expects obedience, and fidelity to the truth.

He sent the Prophets and Preachers to His Old Testament Kingdom we call Israel. When God sent Elijah, how was he received? Elijah said:

1 Kings 19:10 the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

God’s Kingdom under Israel did not prosper, because the Pharisees and Priests believed it was THEIR Kingdom and not GOD’S Kingdom. The religious crowd took over the Kingdom. Jesus goes on to say:

Matthew 21:36-40 Again, he {God the Father} sent other servants {prophets and preachers} more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37 But last of all he sent unto them his son {this is Jesus Christ}, saying, They will reverence my son. 38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

God waits. He tolerates the evil, because He wants as many as possible to come forth and be saved by faith in His Beloved Son Jesus Christ. The Apostle declared:

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God wants no one to be lost, so He tarries in judgment. But He will not wait forever. Jesus Christ came unto His own people, but His own people would not receive Him (John 1:11). When He first began ministering, Jesus told the people:

Matthew 15:24 … I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

The Father sent the Son to Israel. Jesus was born a Jew, from a virgin named Mary, in order to fulfill the prophesies of the Messiah. Jesus Christ came and clearly presented Himself as “the Way, the Truth, and the Life: No man comes to God the Father but by Him” (John 14:6). But they caught Him, and cast the Son of the Owner of the Vineyard out, and executed Him. Jesus asked them,

Matthew 21:40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

When the Messiah is rejected, then there is no hope but the wrath of God being poured out. If we do not receive Christ as Lord and Savior, accepting Him in the Winepress of Calvary, then we ourselves will one day be in the winepress of God’s righteous judgment.

Isaiah 63:3-4 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

The Bible tells us that:

John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The Pharisees and Priests refuse to believe in Christ. They refuse to believe because they have taken over the vineyard. It is no longer the Kingdom of God, but the Kingdom of man, of the Pharisees and Priests.

Jesus Is The Stone The Builders Rejected
And Rejected Even Today

Matthew 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?

Jesus quotes:

Psalms 118:22-23 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

The “Builders” of Israel rejected the Son of God. Jesus is the God chosen Cornerstone of His Kingdom. Jesus Christ was sent of the Father to be the main pillar of His Kingdom. Gods prophesied of Jesus in …

Isaiah 28:16 therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not {be disturbed}.

Jesus Christ is the Cornerstone of the Kingdom of God. It was the Blood of Jesus that was being illustrated by the animal sacrifices and the offerings. Jesus Christ is in the Passover Lamb, for if He is received as Lord and Savior, then:

1 Corinthians 5:7 Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: 8 therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

When Peter and the Apostles would, following the resurrection of Christ, preach the Gospel before these same people, he would say:

Acts 4:8-12 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10 be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Jesus Christ is the Cornerstone of God’s Kingdom. He died for it’s citizens. He rose again to lead and defend us. If you reject Jesus, then you have rejected the Kingdom of God. Jesus told the Pharisees and Priests:

Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

The Kingdom of God divorced from Jesus Christ is no longer the Kingdom of God. Jesus is the main Focus of His Kingdom. When Christ is taken out of the program, it is no longer the Kingdom of God – it is something else. So God the Son tells these “Builders”,

“You tried building the Kingdom without Christ the Cornerstone, So God will raise up other builders who will cherish the Son!”

Any nation, any people, any Church that has rejected Jesus Christ as the Cornerstone, it will be rejected of God. Jesus said:

Matthew 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

What can you do with a cornerstone? You can trip over it, and hurt yourself. You can let it fall on you, and hurt yourself. Or you can recognize it as the Cornerstone, and hide yourself in it’s structure.

Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone of God’s Kingdom. You cannot enter God’s Kingdom without Jesus. Your name cannot be written in the Book of Life if you do not acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior. Israel thought that it was their own goodness that brought them into the Kingdom of God. It wasn’t. It was Jesus. God blessed Israel because of Jesus, because Jesus would come from Israel. The Apostle Paul said:

Romans 9:30-33 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone; 33 as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of ofoffense: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

The Chief Priests and Pharisees thought that entrance into the Kingdom of God was through the door of the Law. It wasn’t. Entrance into the Kingdom of God is through the door that is Christ (John 10:7). Jesus said:

John 10:9 I am the door: by Me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Jesus was a Rock of Offense to the religious leaders in Jerusalem – but to those who believed in Him, He is the foundation of a blessed and beautiful life.

Romans 14:17-18 … the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

The Church that is Christ’s Church cannot be defeated. Why? Because it is:

Ephesians 2:20 … built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

Jesus is the Chief Corner Stone. Jesus is our Master and Lord. Everything we do is for the glory of God the Father in Christ our Lord. We who are His Church celebrate Him. I close with the words of the Apostle:

1 Peter 2:4-8 To {Jesus} coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

We who are saved are “lively stones” because Jesus Christ bore the winepress of God’s wrath. Dying for our sins, He rose from the grave. He is the Chief Cornerstone of our faith. He is the Leader we look to, the Savior we follow.

So the choice, dear One, is yours. Jesus Christ is the King of the Kingdom of God. You yourselves need to decide whether you will receive Him as both Lord and Savior, or reject Him. He offers us no other alternative. Receive Him, and believe He gave Himself for your salvation. Receive Him, and follow Him daily as Savior and Lord. Or reject Him, and bear the consequences. I pray that you will come to Him fully this very day. May God the Holy Spirit and the Word of the Lord draw you this very day. Amen and Amen!

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Faith Tried But True

Posted on January 8, 2021 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

Psalm 73:26-28 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.

I have heard from many as to how discouraging 2020 has been. One of the things that has been most discouraging is not the virus itself, but the hypocrisy and hatred of the worldly. When it suited the talking heads on the network news channels and in Hollywood, it was perfectly fine to gather in large crowds, to sing and shout protests on bullhorns, to chant and even riot. But when it came to the gathering of the local Churches, many were shuttered by their governments, or if allowed to meet it was only with greater diminished capacity and an injunction against singing.

It is quite discouraging.
But God understands our discouragement.

Tonight we’re going to look at “A Psalm of Asaph”. Asaph was one of the Levites who directed the Choir in Israel under King David’s reign.

1 Chronicles 25:1 Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals …

When Churches are told that they cannot sing or worship God in song, this directly hinders the power of God’s Holy Spirit within the service. The Sons of Asaph “prophesied {preached} with harps, psalteries, and cymbals”. There were both stringed {harps and psalteries or zithers} as well as percussion {cymbals} instruments. When the Apostle encourages the Church to “be filled with the Spirit {of God}”, he goes on to say:

Ephesians 5:19-21 speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21 submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Music is an integral part of a Church worship service. It is by music that God softens the heart, and fires up the adoration of His people. The “Cantor” or worship leader was and is still considered just as important as the preacher of God’s Word.

Asaph, the worship leader, wrote this Psalm. The Psalm is broken into three parts.

  • In Part 1, {verses 1-12} Asaph unburdens his heart, expressing his discouragement over the ease by which the wicked live their lives.
  • In Part 2, {verses 13-20}Asaph begins to see the light, and to redirect his faith.
  • In Part 3, {verses 21-28} Asaph returns to full faith in God our Savior.

Let’s break this down, and apply it to our lives.

The Crisis Of Faith

Asaph begins with a simple truth:

Psalm 73:1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

Truly, God HAS been good to America. We are {even with the excesses that many of the governors subjected their people to} the freest and most protected peoples on the planet. Regardless as to how bad the year has been for you, we must say:

Psalm 145:9 The Lord is good to ALL: and His tender mercies are over ALL His works .

God cannot help but be good, for “Good” is in the very nature of God. The Bible says:

Psalm 100:5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

God has been good to our nation. God has been good to our communities, to our churches. Asaph said,

even to such as are of a clean heart

This is not a reference to those who are “self righteous”, but to those who have given their hearts to the Lord Jesus. King David prayed:

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

The Bible says “the just or righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38). When we realize our brokenness and come to Jesus Christ in faith, receiving Him as both Savior and Lord, God cleanses us, and brings us into His family. What a joy it is to be a Christian! Yes, God has been good to us. But Asaph continues:

Psalm 73:2-3 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. 3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Asaph acknowledges that he nearly lost his faith. “My feet were ALMOST gone”. His walk with God was threatened because he focused on the apparent ease with which the wicked lived their lives. “I was envious at the foolish”. I watched a news anchor the other day called Don Lemon as he spoke about how unfair life was to the people of color. This from a man who is a millionaire! The foolish have everything: good health, full bank accounts, great health care. And yet so often the righteous seem to have nothing. I was talking to a dear lady the other day who said she could not pay the high price of insulin because of the idiotic “doughnut hole” provision in Medicare. Yet people like this newscaster and other talking heads complain bitterly, though they have all.

It is discouraging! Asaph continues:

Psalm 73:4-5 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. 5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

The world is so very unfair! Hugh Hefner made millions off of abusing and using women as sex objects, and yet he is celebrated when he dies. The wicked do not seem to suffer as do the rest of humanity.

Psalm 73:6-7 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. 7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

They have all that they desire, and more so. They are prideful. They stand above the rest of us, mocking us, patronizing us.

Psalm 73:8-12 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. 9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. 11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

They are not afraid of God, and freely mock Him. Like the comedian Kathy Griffin who, upon winning an Emmy Award, said:

“A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. … This award is my god now.”

When you focus on the ungodly, and watch the evil around you that is seemingly unrestrained, it strains your faith. Asaph said “my feet were almost gone”. A man made religion will not stand the test of time. A man made faith – reliant totally upon my own efforts – will in time fall apart. Yet a God made faith, a faith founded in Jesus Christ, will stand even the assault of the wicked.

Psalm 94:16-18 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? 17 Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. 18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.

It is natural, even normal, to have your faith challenged. But if it is challenged, it will stand the hardest knocks if God Himself is in it.

Genuine Faith, Though Tested, Will Return To God

Psalm 73:13-17 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. 14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. 15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. 16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

The Jewish Study Bible notes: “There was no atheism in ancient times, only the notion that God lacked knowledge and power”. What is meant is that there are genuinely no true atheists. It is just that people, if they believe in God, believe Him to be as flawed and limited in ability and knowledge as we are. The lost think of God – if they think of Him at all – as an emergency brake that is only called upon when absolutely necessary. As Asaph focused on the lost, the evil who seemed to prosper while the righteous suffered, he began to question his faith. That is, he questioned his faith until he went into the sanctuary of God – then he understood their end.

When a Christian turns off the technology and opens the Bible, God opens His heart to us. When we take the time to meet with other believers in a house of worship, then we begin to see the truth. The truth is, God allows the wicked a certain amount of freedom, because He wants all to be saved. Just as Asaph questioned God over the freedom of the wicked, so did the Apostle Peter. He wrote:

2 Peter 3:3-10 knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

God is not ignorant of what the wicked are doing. God knows – but tarries in judgment, waiting in graciousness that others might come to Christ. When God told Noah that he was going to flood the world, the Lord gave Noah 120 years to build an Ark. God tarried His hand of judgment – but then one day the end came. God does the same thing today. He waits, giving every person an opportunity to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. The Lord loves the Don Lemons. The Lord loves the Kathy Griffins. The Lord loves the lost, and came to this earth to seek out the lost for salvation. Jesus said:

Luke 19:10 the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

We often forget that these mockers of God, these rich Hollywood fools, that they are just as loved by God as you and I are. The lost may have their riches – but their souls are bound to the service of darkness. We who are saved were once blinded by evil. But God tarried, and in time our eyes opened, and we saw Jesus. The Apostle Paul wrote:

Ephesians 5:5-11 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

The unbeliever may mock and make fun of God now, but there is a judgment day coming. They think that they are on sure footing. They think that they can get away with the wickedness that they do. Asaph continues:

Psalm 73:18-20 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. 19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

They are in “slippery places”. They believe that the fat life that they are enjoying shall continue on into eternity. As Murderer James W. Rodgers stood in front of a Utah firing squad, he was asked “Do you have a final request?” He quipped, “Bring me a bullet proof vest”. The unbeliever thinks that they are in a good place, but those without Christ will one day have to suffer the Great White Throne Judgment of God. They will one day enter a lake of fire, from which there is no reprieve, no respite. It is a place of which Jesus said:

Mark 9:43-48 … if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44 where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 46 where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48 where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

When We See Life Through God’s Eyes
We Are Not Petty In Our Faith

When we look at the evil around us and believe it to be winning, even becoming discouraged by it, we are looking with the wrong eyes. We need to look at all things through the eyes of God, from His perspective. Asaph said:

Psalm 73:21-22 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. 22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

Asaph says, “I was acting like an animal”. Animals have no moral sense, though we often attribute morality to our pets. Only humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) with a sense of morality. Asaph repents of questioning God, and return to full faith in Him. Asaph begins to do what we all should do when challenged by the culture of godlessness around us:

Psalm 73:23-24 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. 24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

God is continually with His children. The Psalmist said:

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

“We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture” (Psalm 100:3). Our God is ever present, ever vigilant as He watches over us. He holds us by our right hand. The picture here is of a little child who is holding the Parent’s hand as they navigate a treacherous and crowded area. God is with His people. Jesus said:

Matthew 28:20 … lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world ..

The Apostle said:

Hebrews 13:5 Let your {way of life} be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

God is with His Children. He guides us by His Counsel. We who are Christ’s by faith are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God. We have His Promise:

John 14:16-19 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.

We as believers in Christ have the greatest Possession possible: we are possessed and are possessors of God Himself. God indwells each and every one of us. The Bible says, “if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” (Romans 8:9). The day you received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is the day that God’s Spirit came upon you. God is in you, and will stay with you, dear believer. Once Asaph realized that he had received the greatest Gift possible, he no longer looks with envy at the lost. No, his heart soars heavenward!

Psalm 73:25-26 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

What a wonderful thing it is to have God as your portion FOREVER! There will be times in this life that we are all afflicted. But if God is with us, then who can be against us? The Apostle Paul, being afflicted, sought God that the affliction be lifted. But then God told Paul:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 … My Grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness …

As long as God is with us, holding our right hand, guiding us, then all will be well at the end. Of the lost who reject the Lord Jesus we say:

Psalm 73:27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

In the end, the wicked who will not come to God by Christ shall perish. Their way is the way of destruction. God is the inheritance of His people. Asaph ends with:

Psalm 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.

The best place to be is near God. Let us draw near to Him in prayer daily. Let us draw near to Him through the reading and study of His Word, the Holy Bible. Let us draw near to God by doing that which He tells us. Jesus said:

John 8:51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:23 If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Has your faith drifted? It is understandable. But rather than live in the drift, heed God’s Word. Do the things He tells you to do. Cling to Him as He clings to you. Tell others about Him. And, if you do not know Him as Lord and Savior, run into His arms today! May God through His Spirit touch your hearts and minds. Amen and Amen.

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Guess Who Came To Dinner?

Posted on January 3, 2021 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Nadia Valko on Unsplash

Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke 14.

Dr. Luke Tells Us About Dr. Jesus

Luke is an interesting Gospel. Luke himself was a physician who followed Jesus, our Great Physician.

Though there is some dispute, most commentaries recognize Luke as a Gentile, and not a Jew. Paul called Luke “the Beloved Physician” (Colossians 4:14), and was a “fellow laborer” (Philemon 24). Luke joined Paul in Troas, Asia Minor, during the Apostle’s second missionary journey (Acts 16:6-11). Luke was with the Apostle Paul as he neared execution in Rome. The Apostle wrote:

2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me….

Luke wrote about ¼ of the New Testament (Luke and Acts). Luke recorded events that the other Apostles shared with him.

As we come to Luke 14, we see Jesus at a meal that is mentioned nowhere else in the Scripture. What is interesting about the meal in that Jesus has been invited to the home of a chief Pharisee. The Pharisees hated Jesus. Why was Jesus at this meal? He wasn’t here because He crashed it, but because the Pharisees invited Him in order to find fault. Let’s read:

Luke 14:1-4 And it came to pass, as {Jesus} went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. 2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. 3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? 4 And they held their peace. …

As Jesus prepared to eat, the Bible says “they watched him”. Jesus has walked into a trap. The Pharisees invited Jesus to eat, but they also invited a man with dropsy to the same meal. In the earlier part of His ministry, Jesus entered the synagogue,

Mark 3:1-2 …. and thee was a man which had a withered hand. 2 And “they watched him”, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath day …

They watched Jesus. In the earlier healing on the Sabbath in the synagogue, Jesus asked the man with the withered hand to “Rise up, and stand forth in the midst {of the Pharisees}” (Luke 6:8). Jesus challenged the Pharisees, saying:

Luke 6:9 … I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?

The Pharisees, though they watched Jesus, refused to answer. This is because they missed the point.

The Entirety Of The Law Is LOVE

The problem with being a Pharisee or a Lawyer (forgive me, Jerry), is that you begin to think God is impressed with how well you follow rules. How well you follow rules does not impress God. Your heart impresses God. The Lord God told the Prophet Samuel one day:

1 Samuel 16:7 … the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

God looks on the heart. Do we love God? Do we love others around us. If as the Scripture says,

1 John 4:8, 16 … God is love …

then God expects to find love in our hearts when He looks at them. Why do we do the things we do? Why did the Pharisees invite Jesus to dinner? So they could hurt Him. So they could find fault. So they could trap Him. Not because they loved Him. Our Lord Jesus said:

Matthew 22:37-40 {the Great Commandment in the Law – the Main Point – is} Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Of the 783,137 words in the King James text of Scripture, all of these verses, commands, statutes, rules, orders, and observations can be distilled down into this: “Love God with all you have, and love whoever is near you the way you want to be loved”. That’s it! The Bible calls this “the Royal Law” (see James 2:8). Why? Because it is the Law by which God lives, and the Law that He expects His people to live by. The Apostle Paul put it this way:

Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

When Jesus came to the synagogue that day, no one paid the slightest bit of attention to the man with the withered hand. Everyone was checking their dress code, and checking whether they looked good enough for service. But Jesus walks in and sees someone in distress. A man with a withered hand.

The broken man has a choice.
He can heed Jesus, or heed the crowd.

Jesus then commanded the man with the withered hand to “Stretch forth thy hand.” (Luke 6:10). The man that was disabled had to respond to Jesus, to do as Jesus commanded, if he was going to be healed. He could have refused to comply. He could have went along with the crowd. But instead the man with the withered hand listened to Jesus. He reached out to the Master – and was healed.

Now fast forward to this “special” meal that Jesus has been invited to. Here is a man with dropsy, invited to dine with Jesus and the Pharisees and Lawyers. Dr. Bob Utley notes in his Bible Commentary:

“Dropsy was a retention of fluid that resulted in swelling (the term is from the root for “water”). It usually was the result of other physical problems. It is only mentioned here in the New Testament, which is appropriate for a physician (see Colossians 4:14), although it is used by non-physicians in Greek literature. The rabbis said this disease was caused by serious sin, which may add to the drama of the moment.”

This man was miserable. Jesus asks, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?”. If all the Law is fulfilled by “Love God with your all, and love the one near you the way you want to be loved”, then the answer is simple. YES! YES, it is fine to do good to others on the Sabbath.

But the Pharisees cannot answer. They refuse to answer. The them, God is all about rules and sacrifices and rituals. They do not remember when God chastised Israel, saying:

Matthew 15:8 … this people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me (see also Isaiah 29:13)

The Bible tells us that Jesus “took the man with dropsy, and healed him, and let him go”. This man’s heart, his broken heart, reached out to Jesus – and the Lord healed him. The Messiah has the right, the obligation to do good on the Sabbath day.

Matthew 12:8 the Son of man {the Messiah} is Lord even of the sabbath day. (see also Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5)

The Man that these Pharisees have invited to eat with them is not just a Rabbi, He is God the Son. God is love. God hurts when we hurt. People are more important than animals. Jesus asked them:

Luke 14:5 … Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

The human master of an animal would not leave that creature suffering all night long in a cold, miserable pit just because it was the Sabbath. How much less would God, Who is love, leave a person with a withered hand or the dropsy in the pit of suffering, just because it was the Sabbath? Of course, the Pharisees refuse to answer. They just sat watching Jesus, gathering anger and evidence that they would later use to demand Jesus be executed. But as they sat watching Jesus, Jesus sat watching them.

Jesus Is Watching The Watchers

Imagine this. Jesus is a Guest in a Chief Pharisees home. He was invited to trap Him, to betray Him. Yet Jesus does not do the politically correct. He loves, as God must love. Yet Jesus doesn’t turn a blind eye to what they are doing. We read:

Luke 14:7 … And {Jesus} put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms …

Word Study The phrase “the chief rooms” is the Greek πρωτοκλισία prōtoklisía, {pronounced pro-tok-lis-ee’-ah}, which means “the best reclining places”. When the Jews held dinner parties, they arranged their guests according to rank and prestige. The most important people had the best “rooms” or places to recline at while eating. The least important people had the least important “rooms” or places to recline at. Jesus had been invited to this Chief Pharisee’s home, but I can guarantee you that Jesus did not have the best seat in the house. No, He was placed in the lowest seat. Jesus marked how they chose out the chief rooms, the best seats. Jesus told His hosts:

Luke 14:8-11 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

I can imagine these Pharisees and Lawyers squirming in their seats right now. Jesus loved people, all types of people. There is no one that Jesus does not love. But He loves us enough to tell us the truth. Though Jesus Himself is …

Revelation 19:13, 15 …King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Jesus Christ is the Child the Prophet Isaiah foresaw, the …

Isaiah 9:6-7 … Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace

Oh, how Jesus should have been placed in the chief seat. It is Jesus Who is …

Ephesians 1:20-21 … {seated at God the Father’s own} right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

Jesus is not there at the Head, as He should be. He is disallowed. The Pharisees and Scribes were the builders of Israel. When they saw Jesus, they saw Him as unfit to be a part of that people. Jesus is the stone which the builders disallowed and rejected, He has become the Head of the Corner (Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17). The Pharisees were more concerned about their own prestige than they were the work of God. Jesus warned them about this prideful attitude. Pride destroys the work of God. Over and over the Scripture declares:

Proverbs 29:23 A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Isaiah 2:11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 2:17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

It is pride that locks people out of Heaven.
God will not dwell with the prideful!

Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

God dwells with the humble but broken person. He cannot work with the prideful. God cannot lift up someone who thinks they are better than others. Our actions show the intents of our hearts. We are nothing, but Christ is everything. We are but dust, but Jesus the Creator Who can bless us, if we but surrender ourselves unto Him.

Having chastised the Pharisees for their pride at this meal, He now chastises them for their choice of guests. Those who were at this dinner party were the rich and famous, the movers and the shakers. They were well off. There were two at that party – Jesus and the man now healed of Dropsy – who did not fit the mold of the rest. Those others who had received their invitations, received them because they WERE important, and WOULD reciprocate to those who invited them. The Pharisees and Lawyers thought that their knowledge of the Law and their earth prestige would impress Heaven. This is not true.

Jesus told the Pharisees and Lawyers, “If you want to impress Heaven, your guest list is all wrong!”

Luke 14:12-14 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. 13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14 and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

Do good to others, regardless as to whether they do good to you or not. If you want to impress God, love like God loves. God does good to those who cannot pay Him back. Salvation is a free gift from God because it is impossible for us to repay it. Salvation comes about because God the Father sent His Son into this world to give his life for us.

There is no way to Heaven but by Jesus. The Bible declares:

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

It is only Jesus Who saves His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). It is “only Jesus” that we must believe on if we will have everlasting life (John 3:36). It is “only Jesus” that is the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no one comes unto the Father but by Him (John 14:6). The Bible is without debate on this point:

1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

1 John 5:11-12 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Only Jesus. Only Jesus can save a soul. God offers Jesus to whosoever will. At this point, one of the Pharisees speaks up.

Won’t It Be Wonderful When We Get To Heaven!

Luke 14:15 And when one of them that sat at meat with {Jesus} heard these things, he said unto {Jesus}, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

When the Pharisee said this, I suspect that all who were there thought they would be so blessed because they “kept the Law of God from my youth up” (Luke 18:21). They think to themselves, “I can pass the test with flying colors!” But Jesus knows their hearts – so He speaks another parable to explain HOW you get into the Kingdom of Heaven so that you can break bread there.

Luke 14:16-17 … A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

In this parable the certain man is God the Father. The servant is God the Son. When it was supper time, the meal was ready, the certain man (the Father) sent His servant (the Son) out to those who should have been ready – the Pharisees and Lawyers. These people have studied the Law. They knew what the prophetic signs were for the Coming Messiah. They had seen the miracles that Jesus as Messiah did. They had heard John the Baptist, the Messiah’s Herald, declare that Jesus is indeed the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29, 36). Our Lord Jesus came to Israel first, because He promised Israel first (Romans 1:16; 2:9; 2:10). Israel had the promise of God,

John 1:11-13 {Jesus} came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53:1-9 is Jesus Christ. This Servant of God – God the Son – is sitting at the Chief Priest’s home. He invites all who will to come to the Kingdom of God.

“Come; for all things are now ready”. But do they come? No. Jesus said:

Luke 14:18 … And they all with one consent began to make excuse.

They began to find reasons why they could not come to the feast.

Luke 14:18 The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

What a weak excuse this is. Who buys land without first inspecting it? What this person is saying is, “My life is more important than YOU are, God. I hear your invitation, but I just can’t make it. My land is more important.”

Luke 14:19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

Again, this is a very poor excuse. As the Pastor of Riverview, I often see people come up into our parking lot, test driving a new or a new/used car. I see them out there with the hood up. When I go out they tell me, “Preacher, we’re just checking out our truck before we buy it”. That’s fine, that’s fine. People always check out a vehicle before they buy it. Do you really think this person didn’t test drive these five yoke of oxen before he purchased them? No, not at all. What a lame excuse. This person just had no love for the host.

Luke 14:20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

Why can’t you bring your wife with you? So many people say, “Well, I can’t come and love the Lord because of my wife, or my children, or …” Just fill in the blanks. The feast is ready. The One Who has the Key to Heaven bids you come. But you have other things much more important to do!

Luke 14:21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

The Pharisees and the Lawyers would not come, but then Jesus reached out to the broken. He reached out to the poor, those ravaged by this world. He reached out to the maimed, the crippled, the spiritually blind. It is as the Apostle said:

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: 29 that no flesh should glory in his presence.

The Son of God reached out – not to the best and the brightest – but to the broken. The broken came to the feast. They secured Jesus Christ as Lord and savior in their hearts.

Luke 14:22-23 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

What is necessary to come to the Kingdom of God? What will cause the blessings of God to fall on you, both now and into eternity? It is your willingness to answer the call of Christ Jesus. Will you surrender your lives to Him? Will you put Him first, and Heaven first – or will you cling to the temporary pleasures of this earth.

Jesus leaves the Chief Pharisees home, and GREAT MULTITUDES FOLLOW HIM. We read:

Luke 14:25-33 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Beloved, Christ bids us all to Heaven, to the Kingdom Banquet. He has paid the price. He has secured the invitation for us. Will you come to Him? To be saved is to turn toward Jesus and lay your life down at His feet. As Dr. Bob Utley said:

“The gospel is absolutely free, but it costs everything that we are and have (cf. Matthew 13:44-46).”

Dr. Thomas Constable states in his commentary:

“Salvation guarantees heaven, but it also calls for complete commitment to Jesus, not to secure heaven but to express gratitude for heaven.”

God gives Himself for us when we give ourselves to Him. This is what salvation is. And this is what God calls whosoever will to. Oh Beloved, if you do not know the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior, today would be a wonderful; day to give your lives to Him. There is no life better than the life hid by God in Christ. I pray that God the Holy Spirit would lead you to Him this very day. Amen and Amen!

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