Tag Archives: gospel

The Golden Petition

… As Jesus came into Jerusalem this last time, crowds formed around Him. They believed that Jesus was the Miracle Worker Who would help overthrow Rome and Roman rule, and return Israel to its rightful place in the world. As these people cheered Jesus, our Lord knew their hearts, and knew that before the week was out they would be demanding His crucifixion before Pilate (Mark 15:12-13). They wanted a Jesus, a Messiah Who would conquer the enemy, which they believed was Rome.

Jesus did come to conquer the enemy called SIN.
Not just for Israel, but the whole WORLD.

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, He rode in on a donkey, not on a stallion horse. This was a fulfillment of the Prophecy of.. Continue reading

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Anointing Jesus

John 12:1-3 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of … Continue reading

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Martha Faith, Mary Faith, and Religious Faith

John 11:21-27 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

There’s three kinds of faith that has always been in the world. There is Martha Faith, Mary Faith, and Religious Faith. Everybody in this room has one of these types of faith.

Martha Faith Saves, But Is Weak

Those who have Martha Faith are saved by grace.

The Pharisees that followed and persecuted Jesus were not saved by Grace. They believed that they could be saved by their works, by keeping sacraments, performing blood sacrifices, and by serving the Law faithfully. They dressed in a certain way, and faithfully attended synagogue, keeping the sabbaths that the Law established. God said through the Prophet:… Continue reading

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Arm Yourselves

Please turn with me in your Bibles to

1 Peter 4:1-2 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Opening: Last week Andy Stanley’s Church, North Point Community, held what they called an “Unconditional” conference. Two of the speakers were men “married” to other men. During the conference, LGBTQ was recognized as legitimate categories of human identity. When criticized, Stanley replied:

“We’re dealing with real people and real relationships. … It is not political for me. … It is relational, because we are in ministry, and because we’ve learned to distinguish between theology and ministry, we can figure this out.”

What Stanley is saying is that we should unhitch ministry from theology, that is, from what the Bible says. Yet Jesus never did this. When Jesus addressed His critics, it was always with “It is written”. … Continue reading

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Suffering Well

As humans, we often ask “Why is there suffering in this world we are in?” Sometimes we see suffering in children, such as those at St Jude’s Hospital. Open your newspaper and you don’t have far to look for suffering. I subscribe to “Main Street Maury”, our local newspaper. I like it because it seems to have balanced reporting. In the opinion section there is a liberal column right next to a Libertarian column. I don’t agree with all I read, but I do like balanced reporting. I look at my paper. On the front page, “SAFE Clinic helps victims of violence”. A wonderful ministry operated locally by the Center of Hope. It exists because of suffering. Turn the page. “Domestic incident leads to Columbia woman’s death; suspect hospitalized”. This is horrible. It’s suffering. Next page. “Free legal assistance to low income residents”. Suffering. The obituaries. Death and suffering. You see where I’m going.

If “God is good”, if there is a God Who created all things, why is there such suffering?

The Bible tells us that suffering entered our world because mankind chose to walk away from the God Who created all things “VERY GOOD” (Genesis 1:31). When God made us, He made us – both male and female – “in Our image, after Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). God gave humans authority over the earth, telling us to “have dominion” and to “multiply and fill the earth”. God gave us authority over the animals and nature, but gave us a free will to make choices. We could choose to follow our Creator, or we could follow another created being.

Many of us, like Adam, choose to follow
the created rather than the Creator…. Continue reading

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The Fruit Of Your Faith

One of our Evangelists this week reminded us that the fruit that your life produces shows everyone what type of tree you are. False prophets abound in this world, trying to deceive people into following the flesh and satan. The Christian, saved by submitting to the Lordship of Christ, is born into the Kingdom of God through the operation of the Spirit. Once saved by faith and through the operation of the Holy Spirit, we as believers follow a pathway of submission:

1 Peter 3:7 The husband, the leader in the marriage, submits honor and love to the wife.

1 Peter 3:1 The wife, of equal value to her husband, submits to his godly leadership.

1 Peter 2:25 Every Christian submits to the Leadership of the Word of God and the Spirit of God. We follow Christ, and help others follow Christ.

1 Peter 2:24 Our Lord Jesus submitted to the Will of the Father by going to the Cross, becoming the Lamb of God to take away our sins.

The difference between the world and the Kingdom of God is that the world submits to the flesh and feelings, but those in God’s Kingdom submit to the Word and Spirit of God…. Continue reading

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Likewise …

When you depart from God you move into madness. I find it interesting that today, Sunday September 10, 2023 is “World Suicide Prevention Day”. Suicide, often called “Deaths Of Despair” have been rising. In 2000 there were around 23 deaths of despair per 100,000 people. In 2022 there was a record high 49,369 suicide deaths, and since 2011 nearly 540,000 people have been lost to suicide. In 2021 there were 43,340 residents in Columbia, TN, and 104,760 residents in Maury County. Nationwide there are more suicides than there are residents in Columbia, five times more than in our Maury County.

What in the world is happening? CONFUSION.

We need to get back to God. We need to get back to the Bible! If the foundation of our truth is rotted, our lives will be confusion and rot. We need to get back to Jesus.

A Good Foundation Begins With A Good Marriage

God instituted marriage in the Garden of Eden. It is through marriage that God designed our species to replicate. Man was FIRST created, made from the dust of the ground:

Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God {Yᵊhōvâ ‘ĕlōhîm} formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul…. Continue reading

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A Double Amen Door

John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

The Double Amen Emphasizes Truth

Jesus loved to ask His hearers questions, questions to make them think. But Jesus also loved to use illustrations. He looked at the world around Him, and used truths from that world to explain Heavenly things.

Word Study: Today Jesus starts out with “Verily, verily”, which is literally “amēn amēn”. When the Preacher is speaking in the Church, sometimes the people (if they’re not asleep) say “amēn”. When a prayer is said, we generally end it with “amēn”.

Have you ever thought about what “amēn” means?

In the Old Testament, God used the word “amēn” (also the Hebrew ‘āman) to refers to “something that is faithful, established, or unshakable”. Through Isaiah, God prophecies that Israel is going to be punished for rejecting His leadership. Though God will set up a King named Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and promises that …

Isaiah 22:23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure {‘āman} place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house.

Nonetheless Israel will fall, because they continue…. Continue reading

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Jesus Healing The Blind

Last week we started looking at “the man born blind that Jesus healed” in John chapter 9. This was not the only blind man Jesus healed. When John the Baptist had a crisis of faith, and sent messengers to ask if Jesus was indeed the Messiah, our Lord said:

Matthew 11:5 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.

Jesus listed “The blind receive their sight” first, making it more important than “the dead are raised up”. Jesus came to give spiritual sight to whosoever would listen to Him. He illustrated this by “being Light” (“I am the Light of the world” – John 8:12), but also by healing the blind. Jesus healed two blind men in Matthew 9:27-31, one of whom was called Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52). Jesus also healed a blind man in Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26).

This Passage in John 9 Is The Longest And Most
Detailed Account Of Christ Healing The Blind

The other passages dealing with the blind are covered in about 17 verses of Scripture – but here we have an entire chapter devoted to blindness. The man born blind from birth starts the chapter, and triggers other events. But he is not the only blind person in this chapter. … Continue reading

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Wherefore, Part 2

Sadly, we have yet another scandal in the Southern Baptist Convention. In our paper The Baptist and Reflector I saw the headlines,

MCLAURIN RESIGNS AS INTERIM PRESIDENT OF SBC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

I thought it might be good news, that Willie was being called as President of the SBC Executive Committee. Willie took over as Interim President when it was alleged that Ronnie Floyd was guilty of sexual abuse. To quote another article, “McLaurin … brought calm to a battered organization in the wake of former president Ronnie Floyd’s resignation and to the EC’s handling of sexual abuse claims related to SBC churches. ”

Sadly, that was not the case. Brother McLaurin submitted a resume that – Willie admits – “included schools I did not attend or complete the course of study”. McLaurin wrote, “To the Southern Baptists who have placed their confidence in me and have encouraged me to pursue the role of President & CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, including pastors, state partners, entity servants, colleagues, and SBC African American friends, I offer my deepest apologies. Please forgive me for the harm or hurt that this has caused”.

Though I do not endorse what Brother McLaurin did – it is a violation of God’s Word to lie and misrepresent – I personally am praying for our entire Convention. We are not recognizing elders who are Spirit Filled and God Led, but are approaching God’s Word in the power of the flesh. It does not matter how many degrees you have. The reported Prince of Preachers, C.H. Spurgeon had no seminary training whatsoever. He was God led.

Beloved, are we GOD led, or are we FLESH led?
What is our goal every Sunday at this Church?… Continue reading

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