Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Jesus Is Coming [27mb]
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This is a sermon given by guest minister, Rev. Russ Smith, regarding the second coming of Christ. This sermon ties Advent with the expectation of Jesus' second coming.
Prepare the Way of the Lord [27mb]
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A sermon based on the references in Scripture that compare John the Baptist to the O.T. prophecies regarding the "voice in the wilderness" that was to precede the Messiah.
Written Excerpts:
PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD
Mark 1:2-4 “As it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.” 3 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’” 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”
Introduction:
Mark quotes from the prophets Malachi (3:1) and Isaiah (40:3). Mark is clearly using these prophecies in direct reference to John the Baptist and is identifying him as the messenger sent by God to help prepare the way of the Lord, and the coming of the Messiah.
Notice these other Scriptures:
Matthew 3:1-3 “1In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea , 2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’”
Matt. 11:7-10 (Jesus speaking) 7 Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John… 10 “For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’
Luke 1:13-17 “13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John... 17He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
John 1:21-23 “21And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
Both Matthew and Jesus identified John the Baptist as the one who fulfilled the prophecies of Malachi and Isaiah.
Luke records the conversation that Zacharias had with the angel Gabriel. Gabriel states that the son of Zacharias (John the Baptist) will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah. Later on in the same chapter, verse 76, Zacharias bursts forth in prophesying about John’s ministry and he says, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways…
Then we notice in the Gospel of John that some people ask John the Baptist point blank, “Are you Elijah?” and he denies it. Yet, he does confirm that he is “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’”
Transition: We have looked at all these references that confirm the connection between these OT prophecies and the life and ministry of John the Baptist. But, the important thing we want to consider for a little while today is the mission and the message of this predicted messenger.
I. The Mission
“I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.”
The mission of the messenger was to prepare the way of the Lord.
What does it mean to prepare the way?
“Prepare” – (Hebrew Lexicon, Brown, Driver, & Briggs) “Turn away, put out of the way; hence make clear or free from obstacles.” (Keil &Delitsch) “The crier is like the outrider of a king, who takes care that the way by which the king is to go shall be put into good condition.” (Vine) “It is like a king’s courier appointed to see that his way is put in good condition.”
In other words, it was the messenger’s responsibility to make the way of the king more accessible and to make the people more acceptable. He was to persuade people to do something they would not normally be inclined to do – make preparations for a visit from the king.
When we view John the Baptist as the fulfillment of these prophecies, we understand that he was sent by God to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah, the King of kings.
John faithfully fulfilled his role in preparing the people for the coming of the Lord. He diminished his own role while exalting the role of Christ. He preferred Christ over himself. He uplifted the mission and ministry of Christ. He proclaimed the foundational message necessary to prepare for Jesus Christ.
There is a lesson here for all of us. We have all been commissioned as disciples of Jesus Christ to tell others about His salvation and about His return in glory. Our mission is not to exalt ourselves or promote our own agendas and programs. Our mission is to help as many people prepare for the coming of Jesus as we possibly can.
II. The Message of the Messenger.
The message of the messenger was very similar to his mission. Just as he was to prepare the way of the Lord himself, he was also commissioned to tell others to do the same.
A. “Prepare the way of the Lord.”
As we noted earlier, the word “prepare” means to put out of the way; make the path clear from obstacles.
B. “Make His paths straight.”
Make straight means to make smooth, straight or even. The phrase or concept is also used in Scripture in an ethical sense. For example, Prov. 9:15 [the foolish woman seeks to trap] “… those who go straight on their way.”
Preparing the way of the Lord and making His paths straight are two phrases that basically emphasize the same truth.
John the Baptist was a prophetic voice in the physical wilderness as well as a moral / spiritual wilderness. He stood out in stark contrast from the secular world and the religious world of his time. His message was a message of admonition for the people to do whatever was necessary to prepare for the One who was soon to come.
How does one prepare the way of the Lord and make His paths straight?
I believe the best clue we have for the answer to this question is to take a look at the ministry of John the Baptist. He preached a message of repentance. Luke 3:3b “…preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” When we look at John’s commission and compare that with his message, we conclude that repentance was apparently the way that the people were to prepare for the coming of the Lord.
Genuine, heart-felt, and sincere repentance is the only way to prepare one’s heart and life for God to come. It is the only way to clear things out that might obstruct the free flow of God’s Spirit in our hearts and lives. It is the only way to straighten out what is crooked and perverse in our lives. Genuine repentance means having a complete change of thinking about our behavior, our conduct and our attitudes.
True repentance comes as a result of genuine godly sorrow for our sins that have contributed to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in our behalf. (2 Cor. 7:10)
Repentance is not the same thing as asking for God’s forgiveness. Anyone who has repented will certainly want God’s forgiveness for the sins that have nailed Jesus to the cross. However, there are some that have ask for forgiveness but they have not truly repented. There are people who ask God to forgive their sins, but then keep right on committing the same sins over and over, having little or no intention of ever changing.
Repentance implies having a true understanding of how much our sin offends a holy God and how desperately we need His cleansing and His power to live pleasing in His sight. Genuine repentance inevitably leads to a genuine conversion – a life transformed by grace.
Conclusion:
John the Baptist suddenly appears on the scene out in the wilderness area preaching a message of repentance for the remission of sins for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He testified that he was the voice in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Lord. He also testified that the same One who sent him to baptize was the One who identified the Son of God for him. (Jn. 1:23, 33-34)
John’s message was essentially this: the way you must get ready for the Lord’s coming is to repent. John was preaching his message 2,000 years ago for the first coming of Christ. Today we are revisiting his message as we once again celebrate the first coming of the Messiah, but at the same time making sure we are getting prepared for His second coming.
Just as certainly as He came the first time, so He will come the second time. Just as there were some who were completely unprepared and unaware of His first coming, so there will be those who are unprepared for His second coming. If repentance was necessary for people to be prepared for His first coming, then repentance is certainly an important step in order to be prepared for His second coming.
The way I see it, dear friends, it is not my job to make you feel good about yourself or feel comfortable. As a servant of God and a minister of the Gospel, it is my job to help people get prepared for the coming of the Lord. I am confident that one of the most important ways for anyone to get prepared to meet the Lord is to have a moment of genuine repentance that leads to true faith and trust in Jesus.
This Christmas season we are all thinking about the first appearance of the Son of God. There is no better time to turn our thoughts to His second coming and our need to be ready to meet Him.
Our closing hymn today is a Christmas hymn that emphasizes the attitude of one who has prepared his heart for the Lord: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Thank God for His Gift [25mb]
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This is a sermon based on 2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
Written Excerpts:
Introduction: In thinking about this service and seeking the Lord’s guidance for the message today, I was drawn to this passage of Scripture because it emphasizes both the theme of thanksgiving and the theme of gift-giving. I felt that this would be appropriate to use for this Sunday that immediately follows Thanksgiving and anticipates Advent.
If you look at this chapter, the words thanks and thanksgiving occur three times in these closing verses of the chapter. The expression of gratitude is definitely on the Apostle’s mind. We will be looking at the reasons for this in just a moment. Then, in the last verse, Paul erupts into his own expression of thanks to the Lord for His gift that is “unspeakable” (i.e. indescribable; “wonder beyond description” – A.T. Robertson)
I believe that the gift that Paul is speaking about here is the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, it certainly seems that what we have here is a direct connection between the practice of giving thanks unto God, and the Incarnation of Jesus Christ in which God is giving His gift unto us.
Transition: Let us look at the message of the Apostle in this chapter to discover the reasons that thanks is being offered to God.
I. Thanks is offered because of the generous gifts of believers.
v. 11 (NASB) – “you will be enriched in everything for all liberality [generosity], which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.
v. 12 – For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.
Paul proclaims that the generosity of the Christians in the region around Corinth Jerusalem
The writer, Matthew Henry, points out that there are three main principles for giving that are outlined by the Apostle here in chapter nine. When these principles are followed, then the result will be an abundance of thanks offered up to God.
A. Christians should give bountifully.
v. 5 – “Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.”
The believers in Corinth are reminded that their gift being prepared for the believers in Jerusalem
The image that comes to my mind when I read these verses is a contrast between two kinds of givers. One kind is the man who scoops down into his barrel of grain and gathers all that his arms can hold and then throws his arms wide open to unload the grain into the empty sack of the waiting neighbor. The other kind of giver is the man that grabs a handful of grain and opens it just enough to allow the grains to slip out in a small stream into the waiting hand of the needy neighbor. One is generously giving out of his abundant resources provided by God, while the other is barely letting go of what he must to satisfy his conscience.
B. Christians should give deliberately.
v. 7a – “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give;”
“purposeth” – compound word, “before” and “choose”, thus choose before; as in preferring one thing over another, or to purpose or resolve beforehand. (Complete Word Study Dict on NT)
Unless a person plans and purposes to be generous, it will not happen. Helping out those in need is not something that generally happens accidentally or coincidentally, but it is usually done purposefully and intentionally. This implies that we can and should learn to develop a habit and practice of generosity toward the needs of others.
C. Christians should give freely and cheerfully.
v. 7b – “…not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
(Adam Clarke) – The Jews had in the temple two chests for alms; the one was of what was necessary, i.e. what the law required, the other was of the free-will offerings. To escape perdition some would grudgingly give what necessity obliged them; others would give cheerfully, for the love of God, and through pity to the poor.
Paul is reminding the Corinthian believers that when they give for the needs of others they should do so with a cheerful spirit. There is plenty more that the Apostle says in this chapter about the practice of benevolence and generosity, but we have covered some of the main points.
Looking again at vv. 11-12, we see that Paul is declaring that when God’s people give to the needs of others in God’s way, then those who have watched it and those who have received it will naturally respond by giving thanks to God who motivated it all through His divine grace.
II. Thanks is offered because of the indescribable gift of God.
As I read through these verses and came down to the last verse of the chapter, it seems to me that while Paul is discussing all about generosity and deliberate, cheerful giving for the Christian believers in Jerusalem
In verse 13 he states that because of this experience of generous giving, the Christians are glorifying God because the Greeks have demonstrated their submission and obedience to Christ through their generosity. In verse 14 he declares that these same Christians are praying for an over abundance of God’s grace to be granted to the Greeks. As he speaks of these experiences, he suddenly connects these events and descriptions to the overwhelming and indescribable gift of God.
Most commentators say that this gift that Paul is referring to here is the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Adam Clarke, on the other hand, says that the specific meaning of “gift” refers back to the word “grace” in the previous verse. In other words, he is declaring the over abundance of grace is the gift that cannot be described in human words.
Even if Clarke is correct, we must recognize that this grace granted to the Corinthian believers is only because of Jesus Christ who is the original gift from God.
Conclusion:
We give thanks to God, says Paul, for His wonderful, marvelous gift that cannot be adequately described in human language. There is an unbroken connection between God’s gift of His Son to humanity and our resulting gratitude that leads us to be generous toward others just as God has been toward us.
That generosity expressed through us toward others produces more thanksgiving and gratitude to God for all that He is doing, which reminds us again of how much He has already done for us, and on and on…
In our closing song, “Tell Me the Story of Jesus” we emphasize the gift of God in giving His Son to provide our redemption.
Let us sing with gratitude and then live it out in generosity.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
A Thankful Heart [21mb]
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This is a sermon based on Psalm 136. It was preached on the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving Day 2011 in a worship service that also included the Eucharist.
Written Excerpts:
Psalm 136:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Introduction: Some have stated that ingratitude is the most prevalent sin of America
Someone has illustrated the problem like this: Suppose a man comes up to my door one day and just hands me a $100 bill and says, “This is a gift for you. Have a good day.”
I might be shocked, suspicious, intrigued or experience any number of other emotions, but I would be very grateful. Suppose he does it every week for about 2 or 3 months. Then at the beginning of the next month on the same day that he has customarily stopped at my door, suppose he walks on by my door and stops at the next house and gives my neighbor a $100 bill. If I reacted like most people in our world, I would get angry and resentful because he passed me up and went to my neighbor. I might even open the door and yell to him, “Hey, where’s MY $100?
Most of us are far too quick to focus on the benefits we don’t have rather than to focus on the benefits and blessings we have been given in great abundance.
We certainly need to express our gratitude to God all year round, but especially at this time of the year when we in America
Transition: In our Scripture lesson for today in Psalm 136 the author starts out with the exhortation to give thanks to the Lord.
This Hebrew poem seems to be written for liturgical use or public worship in the temple. The first line of each verse could have been sung as a solo or by a chorus, with the response possibly sung by the whole congregation of worshipers.
In this unusual song of thanksgiving, we are given numerous subjects for which to thank God. These subjects directly relate to the history of the people of Israel
Let us briefly explore the various reasons for which we are to give thanks to the Lord.
I. We give thanks to the Lord because of His character. (v 1)
A. He is good.
The psalmist declares the goodness of God as an established fact. We have discussed this attribute in earlier sermons, but this is a reminder that God is inherently good and He is the standard for goodness.
We often declare the goodness of God when we have received some special blessing that pleases us very much. However, the way we often express it gives the impression that God wouldn’t have been so good if that blessing had not been given. We must remember and declare that God is good all the time.
B. He is faithful.
In addition to this first description of God’s character (goodness), the response line that is used repeatedly throughout the psalm proclaims, “His mercy endureth for ever.”
Hebrew scholars tell us that the word “mercy” in these verses does not have a one-word equivalent in English or any other language. It conveys the compound idea of covenant faithfulness or steadfast, committed love or kindness. (Leupold)
The author of this psalm is emphasizing that the underlying nature of God that impacts all of His divine activity is His kindness and love that is rooted in His covenant-keeping faithfulness. The God of the Bible obligates Himself by covenants with Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob and He steadfastly demonstrates kindness because of His unfailing love and commitment to His people. What a stark contrast from the gods of other religions.
His covenant faithfulness is eternal, never-ending.
II. We give thanks to the Lord because of His supremacy. (vv 2-3, 26)
A. He is God of gods and Lord of lords.
The psalmist is not teaching us that there actually are many other gods in the world over which Jehovah is supreme. But the point is that God is supreme and sovereign over everything, even those deities supposed to exist by heathens.
Some believe that the emphasis here stresses God’s sovereignty over all the priests and spiritual rulers of the pagans, as well as kings and magistrates of the world. (A. Clarke)
B. He is the God of heaven.
The heavens represent the wide expanse of God’s created universe and even there God is supreme and sovereign.
I thank God for His sovereignty and supremacy over every part of this world and this universe.
III. We give thanks to the Lord because of His creative activity. (vv 4-9)
God’s creative activity is described generally (v.4) – “great wonders,” and specifically (5-9) – “the heavens,” “earth,” “waters,” and “great lights” (sun, moon & stars).
Time and again we have talked about the wonderful display of God’s power and His amazing design and creativity that is observable in our world of nature. All of these creative works of God are cause for thanksgiving.
It is an interesting thought that God’s creation is not only a reason to give Him praise and adoration (as indicated in Psalm 8 for example), but it is also a reason to offer thanks. I’m sure I do not fully comprehend the psalmist’s point here, but in some respect we need to thank God that His creation is so marvelous and awesome. Perhaps he is just emphasizing that the One to whom we give thanks is not only the Supreme Sovereign, but He is the Supreme Creator.
IV. We give thanks to the Lord because of His deliverance. (vv 10-15, 24)
There are two kinds of deliverance referred to in this thanksgiving poem.
One is more specific in its detail and refers to the deliverance from the bondage in Egypt Israel
The enemies referred to here were actual physical enemies of the people of God. But we can also apply this spiritually to every kind of enemy that would hinder or destroy our faith and love for God.
I thank God for every time He has delivered me from some enemy that was intent on my destruction.
V. We give thanks to the Lord because of His providential care. (vv 16-25)
These verses describe God’s protection through the wilderness journeys of the Israelites as well as providing the land of Canaan
In addition to the protection and provision of land, God has also provided food for all flesh, man and beast. Although the reference here does seem to be quite general – “for all flesh,” yet with the contextual reference to wilderness wanderings, it may have specific reference to the manna and quail provided for them in the travels from Egypt to Canaan .
Conclusion: Today we are observing communion which is always a celebration of thanksgiving for the salvation provided through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Let us now turn our attention to this blessed opportunity to remember our Lord’s sacrifice and suffering for us.
Rev. Kevin Green - New Castle City Rescue Mission [37 mb]
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This is a message given at our church by Rev. Kevin Green who is the Executive Director of the City Rescue Mission in New Castle, PA.
Christian Parenting [26 mb]
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This is a sermon that was preached regarding the task of Christian parenting and passing the faith on to the next generation. This sermon coincided with the dedication of three children to the Lord during our worship service.
Written Excerpts:
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Introduction:
Today we have had the happy occasion of dedicating three beautiful girls to the Lord at the request and choice of their parents who have promised to nurture them in the knowledge of the Lord.
I wanted to speak a message from God’s Word today that is appropriate for the occasion, but the message on my heart is not a sermon merely directed at these who have presented their children for dedication to the Lord, but it is a message for all of us to take to heart. I pray that the Lord will help all of us to recognize the fact that we all play an important role in helping our children know Jesus as their personal Savior and to see something in us that makes them desire to have what we have.
I could reminisce a little this morning if we had time and talk about some of the people in our church when I was growing up. I could name you several different names of individuals in our church that I knew had a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. I listened to their testimonies and saw them praise God even when times were tough and I would frequently tell myself, “That’s the kind of Christian I want to be.”
Dear friends, that is the kind of influence we can have on our kids. Yes, the parents have the bulk of the responsibility for their training, but you and I have the privilege and responsibility as well to demonstrate a life before them that makes them hungry to know the Lord as we do. Let’s live up to it.
Today I want to talk to you a little while about “Christian Parenting.” I suppose that you already know without me saying so that this topic is so large there is no way we can cover it today. Let me briefly touch on a few critical aspects of being a Christian parent.
I. To be a Christian parent one must first of all have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
In other words, in order to be a Christian parent, one has to be a Christian! But, we are not simply talking about claiming a specific religion or a basic knowledge of the Bible. I am talking about being born again by the Spirit of God. (John 3:3) It is impossible to pass something on to our children that we do not possess ourselves.
Acts 1:8 “…ye shall be witnesses unto me…”
One cannot be a witness about something that he / she has no direct knowledge or experience of. A witness cannot testify on the hearsay of another person. All of us here need to recognize the vital importance for each of us to be certain of our relationship with Christ and let our lives testify to a vibrant, winsome and holy life. Our kids are watching each of us and they know how to spot a phony.
II. To be a Christian parent means we make every effort to successfully pass the knowledge of God on to our children.
Turn with me to Judges 2:7, 10, 16-17.
I want you to notice the pattern that is described in these verses.
When the generation that grew up during the leadership of Joshua died off, their children are described as “not knowing the Lord, nor the work which He had done for Israel
John Wesley – knew not; “[they had] no experimental, nor serious and affectionate knowledge of God, or of His works.”
The people that followed the Lord and did know what God had done failed to successfully pass the faith and knowledge on to their children, and therefore that next generation abandoned the ways of the Lord.
What all is involved in this effort to pass the knowledge of God to our children? According to Deuteronomy 6:6-7 it is a lifestyle that is permeated with the knowledge and the presence of God.
Key words: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
In other words, you are to teach them at all times, in every manner possible or imaginable and in circumstance. In other words, “Don’t let one opportunity slip by without somehow turning it into a lesson about God’s provision and His wonderful grace.
This passage seems to be speaking primarily about a consistent life that matches up with what we say. Sure, we talk of God’s truths in all times of the day and in all kinds of circumstances, but that talking must be backed up with consistent living.
Now, do we always succeed at this? Not me. If I take a serious look back over my life and the years my kids were growing up, I know I missed some opportunities. But, we can’t let the moments of failure discourage us from continuing to do the best we can. We can’t afford to give up and give in.
III. To be a Christian parent means we never give up intercessory prayer for our children to personally know God and make heaven their home.
Pray, pray, pray!!
Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4 3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
The Devil is fighting hard for the souls of our kids and grandkids. We must not give up praying and striving against the forces of evil that would destroy them and tear them down.
Conclusion:
Friends, our children are the most valuable “possessions” we have. I was talking to a young mother not long ago and I was trying to help her understand that bringing a child into this world is an awesome responsibility.
That son or daughter is a living soul that will never cease to exist, and will live forever in either heaven or hell. May God help all of us to take seriously our responsibilities – not only as parents, but as Christian adults who have an influence over the minds and hearts of our children.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Missions Message by Rev Tim Bell [37mb]
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This is a message given by Rev Tim Bell to kick off our "Missions Month" campaign to focus on the work of worldwide ministries. This is the first of four Sundays in which our church will be emphasizing missionary messages to remind us of our responsibility and privilege to spread the gospel and promote the Kingdom of God.
Tim did an excellent job describing how each and every one of us can be involved in reaching our world for Jesus. This was the emphasis requested by Pastor Les Rowan in order to start off in the right attitude for our Missions Month emphasis.
Walking with God - Part I [25mb]
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This is a sermon based on some selected verses of Scripture that utilize the word "walk" to describe how we are to live out the Christian life.
Genesis 5:22-24 “After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”
Introduction:
There are various words used in the Bible to represent the relationship that we humans can have with God. One of the words that appears often in the Bible to illustrate this relationship is the word, “walk.” The word “walk” is an excellent word that depicts the relationship through the analogy of walking down a definite path in a defined direction to a final destination. In the use of this analogy, there are a number of similarities and comparisons that can be made between physically walking and spiritually walking.
The references in the Bible regarding the concept of walking as it relates to spiritual life are too numerous for us to examine entirely in just one sermon. Therefore, we may have to revisit this topic again in the future and expand on it further. But for today I want to look at a few passages to see what God’s Word has to say about our spiritual walk with God.
In addition to the passage in Genesis regarding Enoch, I would like us to consider the passage in 1 John 2:6 as well. “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” In Genesis we have the record of one of the Patriarchs who is distinguished from all the others who are mentioned in the same passage by the description, “He walked with God.” In 1 John, we are admonished to walk just like Jesus walked.” In both of these passages as well as in most of the other references in the Bible, the word walk carries the idea of going about, living one’s life.
The word comes from a compound word meaning to tread all around, that is, walk at large (especially as proof of ability); figuratively to live, deport oneself, follow (as a companion or votary):—go, be occupied with, walk (about). This word carries the idea of living one’s life by following a certain direction or pathway that involves many choices and experiences that we call life.
Far too many people talk about being a Christian or being a believer in Jesus Christ as a once-in-a-lifetime event; or they may refer to a moment in the past that a decision was made; but they do not seem to give any indication that this decision is still on ongoing, active, or making an impact on their life.
However, the whole idea of walking with God as portrayed in the Bible is an on-going, vital relationship that includes many encounters with the Lord resulting in deliberate decisions that allow the believer to continue walking in the right path and in obedience to the will of God.
Let us examine some of the passages in the Bible that help us describe the Christian’s walk with God.
I. The Christian walk is a walk of love.
Ephesians 5:2 – “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” (NKJV)
Nothing else describes the Christian life as an ongoing relationship more than the word love. If you remove love from the equation, then being a Christian is nothing more than a religion of do’s and don’ts; a religion of rules and duties, but nothing more.
As soon as you start talking about love, then there is a relationship involved. Then you are talking about the inward affection toward another being which leads to certain kinds of behaviors that are intended to please the one you love. Love implies feeling, emotion, passion, along with other qualities such as sacrifice and commitment. It’s not just a mechanical performance of certain assignments, but its interaction; give and take; joy and pain.
The passage here in Ephesians 5:2 is specifically talking about Christians loving one another.
Love for God is taught in many other Scriptures, but here the Apostle Paul is admonishing the Ephesian Christians to love each other and to demonstrate it by their behavior towards each other. That behavior is modeled after and based upon the kind of love demonstrated by Jesus Christ (5:2b).
Notice that verse 1 in Eph. 5 starts with the word “therefore,” which links it to the closing verses of chapter 4. If you look back at 4:30 and ff. you will notice the kinds of behavior that Paul describes as the behavior of love. All of these essentially fit into what we have called the “Golden Rule” – Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
The Christian walk with God is on ongoing life of love.
II. The Christian walk is a walk of faith.
This walk with God is not only a walk of love, but it is a walk of faith.
2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
We have already spent a good bit of time talking about faith in previous sermons, but this verse is a reminder that the Christian walk with God is a life that is conducted by trust and conviction in the reality of the unseen.
In this context the Apostle Paul is specifically speaking about the contrast between living in this life and this world vs. living in the next life. To be in this life is to live (walk) by faith. When we leave this world and arrive in the presence of Jesus Christ, then we will be living (walking) by sight. The spiritual faith will become a physical reality.
The reference to Enoch in our Scripture from Genesis is referred to again in the 11th chapter of Hebrews, where the faith of Enoch is highlighted. The implication of the passage is that Enoch’s walk with God was a walk of faith. Another reference in Romans 4:12 also relates to the walk of faith.
If you look at the context of this passage, the Apostle Paul is talking about the fact that Abraham was credited with righteousness on account of his faith before he received the sign of circumcision. Then, after he believed God’s promise, he received the sign (circumcision) to confirm his faith. His obedience in the requirement of circumcision was a confirmation that his faith was genuine and real.
Paul goes on to explain then that since Abraham was declared righteous by faith before the actual sign was completed, then he is legitimately the father of all who believe (walk in faith) whether they are Gentile (uncircumcised) or Jew (circumcised). In verse 12 he is saying Abraham is the father of the Jews (circumcision) because they walk in the steps of faith of Abraham (live by the same kind of faith he had).
Dear friends, we must constantly remind ourselves that this life is a continuous walk of faith. Faith is not just a one-time event to start off the Christian walk. It is also a daily choice to keep believing God’s Word and demonstrating our faith by outward behaviors and decisions.
There are some branches in the Christian church that teach the doctrine of eternal security, which means that salvation and heaven are guaranteed for every person that experiences a one-time event of putting faith in Christ for salvation. They say it doesn’t matter what happens after that, salvation cannot be lost or forfeited.
However, that is not the kind of faith that is described in the Bible. In God’s Word, salvation is never possessed without faith. And, as we have been describing, faith is more than a static event in our past; it is an everyday walk or activity. Paul says, “The just shall live by faith.” That is the same thing as saying, “The justified (saved) shall walk by faith.”
The implication in all of these references is that when a person quits believing, and stops demonstrating their faith through obedience to Christ, then salvation is no longer possessed. That is why there are so many warnings in the Bible and especially the New Testament for Christian believers to be on guard against the kinds of influences that rob a person of their faith.
Are you still walking in faith? Do you still truly believe the claims of Jesus Christ? Do you demonstrate your faith by obedience to His commands?
We're out of time for today, so we will have to continue this study in the future.
Conclusion:
I trust that we have been reminded about some vital truths regarding the Christian life. Living as a Christian and being a Christian is not just being able to say that there was a time when I asked God to forgive my sins and I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart; as important and necessary as that is.
Being a Christian is not just being able to say that I accept certain propositions about who Jesus is and what the Bible is; as important and necessary as that is. I hope that I have shown you in the word of God that the use of the term “walk” in relation to living the Christian life and “walking with God” means more that these static, historic moments in our past.
Repenting, asking forgiveness, believing the truth and accepting Christ are all vitally important and no one can become a Christian without doing all that. But, walking with God is a vital, on-going, everyday relationship that involves the kinds of choices we spoke about today.
It involves the choice to walk in love, which means loving God and our fellow man and demonstrating that love by our actions.
It involves the choice to walk in faith by daily accepting the truths from God’s word and believing that I can trust His principles and I can trust His promises.
What is your walk like?
Did you start walking with the Lord, then sit down (spiritually speaking) to wait for the Lord to take you home to be with Him? If you did, then I want to warn you that it doesn’t work that way. The only way you’ll be able to go home to be with the Lord is if you have been actively walking with Him in love, and faith and obedience. Heaven awaits those who have been daily walking with God in the pathway of faith that winds through all the mountains and valleys of life, and then ends up at the gates of glory.
The only way to walk it successfully is to walk close to Him.
Let us sing the closing hymn that is listed in our bulletins:
Close to Thee Hymn #343
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Why I'm Not a Pacifist
This article is adapted from a sermon I preached on Memorial Day Sunday 2011.
Introduction:
Tomorrow is a day that has been designated in our nation as Memorial Day for the purpose of honoring all those who have sacrificed their lives in the cause of freedom and liberty in the service of the U.S. Armed Forces. As I thought about Memorial Day I was reminded that we owe a great debt of thanks not only to God, but also to our dedicated members of the armed forces for the freedom we enjoy today to meet here and worship publicly.
I truly hope that I won’t offend anyone with my thoughts. It is never my intent to purposely offend anyone. However, I do realize that I am treading in territory that is controversial. Therefore, I give you permission to disagree with me and my interpretations of Scripture. As my Bible College
I recognize that there are good Christian people and capable Bible scholars who disagree with me and sincerely believe that pacifism better illustrates the heart and mind of Christ than the opposing view of “just war.” I happen to believe that there are biblical grounds for the use of war and the use of lethal force to protect the citizens of a nation. I felt that this Memorial Day Sunday would be an appropriate time to address this question.
There are a few points that I would like to address as we examine this topic today.
I. Biblical role of government and its armed forces.
II. Contrast between role of government and the individual.
III. The ultimate goal of a peaceful and free society.
I. The biblical role of government and its armed forces.
Without taking the time to go into a lot of detail and background information about the Old Testament and the nation of Israel
In the O.T. government structure God was overseeing a nation that would be the recipients and caretakers of His revelation to mankind and especially the people to produce the Messiah (personal revelation of God in bodily form – Jesus the Christ.) While we can glean a few basic principles from the O.T. therefore, we would not claim that God wants us to establish a new theocracy for modern times. There is no passage in the New Testament, for example, that teaches Christians to form a theocracy like the Israelites of the Old Testament.
There are passages in the O.T. that generally promote the concept of justice and protection of the innocent within a society. For example: Ps. 82 1 God stands in the congregation of the mighty; he judges among the gods. 2 How long will you judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah 3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. It’s as though God is condemning (judging) the nation(s) because they are not properly defending the poor, the needy and the helpless.
One of the main passages that is quoted in the N.T. is found in Romans chapter thirteen. In this passage, the Apostle Paul stresses that one of the roles of government or civil authorities is the punishment of evil. 134For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
Again, in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul emphasizes that we are to pray for those in authority so that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life. The implication seems to be that the proper and appropriate use of government authority will bring about peace and tranquility in civic life. There are so many more passages that could be referenced, but the point seems to be that God intended for government authorities to provide for the safety and security of its citizens by protecting them from all who would do them harm, either domestically or by foreign invasions. It may be argued that there are other obligations of government as well, but this seems to be the most basic.
II. The contrast between role of government and individual.
One source of confusion for many people is the blurring of distinctions between the biblical mandates for the conduct of individual Christians and the biblical mandates for government authority structures. Over the years I have read many “letters to the editor,” articles, etc. that refer to biblical principles that were directed to and for individuals but they have applied them to governments as well. For example, Matt. 5:9 – Jesus says “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matt. 5:39 – Jesus says “Do not resist one who is evil. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matt. 5:44 – Jesus says “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matt. 26:52 – Jesus says that whoever takes the sword will perish by the sword. Rom. 12:17,21 – Paul says “repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. Do not be overcome with by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
I personally believe that all of these references are commands directed to individual Christians as instructions on how we are to respond to our personal enemies. Each one of us has the option of non-violence and non-resistance when someone personally treats us with aggression. We can choose to “turn the other cheek,” and “return good for evil” in trying to follow the commands of Christ. I would even concur that a Christian working in a government capacity could and should exercise these principles as he or she tries to live out his Christian faith in the environment of politics or government.
However, if we find ourselves in a God-given place of authority and have the specific responsibility to defend and protect others under our jurisdiction, then I believe we not only have the right but we have the obligation to vigorously fight in order to protect those whom God has placed under our care and authority. Now, I am specifically speaking about safety forces (law enforcement) and military forces. It’s one thing for me to “turn the other cheek” when someone strikes me, but it is an entirely different matter when someone strikes my child, my wife or someone that I have authority to defend and protect. At that point, I personally don’t believe I have any other option, but to defend and protect.
Having said this, I want to stress the fact that I do not believe the Bible endorses the personal use of retribution, revenge or vigilante types of actions. We should strive to settle issues and resolve conflicts through legal and legitimate use of authority structures available to us. From some of the articles and comments that I have read, it appears that some would allow for the just use of war by civil governments, but not for Christians. In other words, some who promote a theology of pacifism tend to imply that it might be legitimate for a government or nation to wage war against an aggressor, but it is not right for a Christian to join that effort.
I do not agree with this argument based on my belief that God desires for all men to know Him and serve Him. I believe that it would be God’s will for everyone in any given society to know Him and serve Him. Even if every person in the society were Christians, I think it would still be God’s design and purpose for the civil government of that society to defend it against evil aggressors.
Therefore, if God has ordained for some people (government authorities) to use aggressive force against an evil, murderous aggressor, then He would also sanction the participation of Christians in this just cause. (Not acting independently on their own, but as a member of the legitimate armed forces of the government authority that has been charged by God with the responsibility of safety and security of its citizens.) I think this is even more important, because the Christians, especially if they were in positions of leadership, would have the moral and spiritual fiber necessary to resist the temptation to abuse the use of force by going beyond the “just cause” of the conflict.
III. The ultimate goal of a peaceful and free society.
Now that we have talked about the God-ordained use of force to overcome evil. Let me raise the question, “What is the overall purpose anyway?” Is there any predominant goal behind the desire for safety and freedom? Or, is it just simply for our own ease and comfort; just so we can coast through life and enjoy a life of ease? I believe that the Scripture gives us a hint that there is an ultimate purpose and goal behind it all. That is found in the context of the passage we read earlier in 1 Timothy 2. 3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
It seems that Paul is saying to Timothy that the main reason why we are to pray for kings and people in authority is so that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and reverence. But then he goes on to say just a few words later that God “desires for all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.” In other words, there is a direct connection between a quiet and peaceful society and the ability for people to be saved and know the truth.
Now, maybe you have heard it said before that the gospel spreads the fastest or the kingdom of God Jerusalem
On the other hand, we have also believed that the general conditions existing at the time of Jesus’ birth under the Roman Empire (a time of peace, legal to travel among provinces of the empire, common language and government stibility) made it “just the right time” for the new covenant to be ushered in. “In the fullness of times, God sent forth His Son…”
There are many who have suggested that all the years of peace and freedom that have existed in this country has allowed for this nation to be engaged in the greatest missionary efforts that this world has ever known. It is true that many people get so comfortable with their lifestyle of leisure that they forget to promote the gospel like they should. They become “drunk” with the life of leisure. But, it is also true that if we were a nation that had been constantly plagued with tyranny and overrun by evil aggressors, then we wouldn’t have had the wealth and freedom to support missions and send out missionaries around the world like we have done for a couple of centuries.
Conclusion:
There is certainly much more that can be said in addressing this controversy between legitimate use of war and the idea of pacifism. Many theologians and church leaders have outlined very specific guidelines for engagement in war in order to avoid the immoral use of force. I realize that we do not have the time or ability to get into all of those guidelines and issues right now.
I believe that God has ordained for government authorities to protect and defend its citizens. And, I believe that for those of us who are believers, the ultimate goal of our freedom and safety and security is so that we can cooperate even more than ever for the advancement of God’s kingdom and the spread of the gospel. Let us not just settle down in our life of safety and ease to simply satisfy our own pleasures, but let us leave here today with gratitude to God and with a firmer purpose to promote His kingdom here in this land and around the world.
Without the Shedding of Blood [26mb]
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This is a sermon based on the Scripture text found in Hebrews 9:22. It was given during a worship service that included the Sacrament of Communion.
Written Excerpts:
WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD
Hebrews 9:22 “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”
Introduction
As I was thinking and planning for this service, I thought of the phrase that is found in the text of Hebrews 9:22 “… without shedding of blood is no remission.” I immediately felt impressed that this was the subject that God would have me touch on for the message today as we prepare to celebrate the sacrament of Communion.
At various times in my life I have heard and read comments that were critical of the Jewish faith as presented in the OT because of the animal sacrifices and the amount of bloodshed that is recorded. Some critics also make these same accusations against the Christian faith because of its connection to the OT as portrayed in various statements in the NT.
I don’t know about you, but from time to time I have stopped and pondered what it must have been like to be involved in the OT worship and the sacrifices that were required by the law as explained in Leviticus. I’ve wondered what it must have been like to regularly take an animal that I have raised to the tabernacle or the temple and surrender it to be slaughtered as an offering to the Lord. I’ve wondered what it must have smelled like on any given day as the fire is burning on the altar, consuming the carcass of a young heifer or a yearling lamb. I suppose that the smell of cooking meat would be pleasant, while at the same time catching the smell of blood would be a stark contrast. I’ve wondered how it must have sounded. Were the animals afraid and bellowing or bleating as they waited their turns?
I thought especially of the account in 1 Kings that describes the sacrifices that Solomon made when the Temple Israel Israel
I remember reading those words some time ago and thinking to myself, “I certainly can understand why some people would be ‘turned off’ by the graphic bloodshed this kind of event would have represented.” I can’t even comprehend that many animals being slaughtered for sacrifices. I can’t comprehend how that would have smelled and what kinds of sounds would have permeated the air. And so, you may have heard, like I have, that some people refer to Judaism and to Christianity as the “bloody religion.”
Well, dear friends, while we may acknowledge that it is not pleasant to think about all of sacrificial animals, we who trust in Christ must never forget that these words in Hebrews have always been true and they are true to this day. “Without shedding of blood, is no remission.”
And, by the way, since I mentioned that it is not very pleasant to think about the killing of all those sacrificial animals, I think that brings out an important observation about our salvation. It occurs to me that the "unpleasantness" of the sacrificial system may be an intentional reminder for us that God never intended the provision of our salvation to be pleasant. God may have required such gruesome examples in the symbolic atonement to alert us to the fact that the death of His Son for the real atonement was not a pleasant event either. It was very costly and very gruesome as well.
For just a few moments today, before we celebrate the sacrament of communion, I want us to ponder the significance of this statement in relation to our salvation.
I. The context of the claim sets the background for its truth.
In the preceding verses, the Apostle is describing the benefits of the new covenant, which we talked about in the last communion service. The old covenant was established or ratified through the sacrifice of blood (v. 7; 18-21) and the new covenant was also established through the sacrifice of blood (v.12).
Now, in verse 22, the author declares, “according to the law almost all things are purified with blood…” He says, “almost all things” because some things were purified by water and others were purified by fire. Keep in mind that all of these purifications were ceremonial and symbolic.
(Adam Clarke) … it was always understood that every thing was at first consecrated [dedicated, sanctified] by the blood of the victim.
Clarke seems to be implying that the death and the shedding of the blood of the animal was in itself a sobering and sacred thing that put a special sacredness on the things that were ceremonially purified by its blood.
II. The content of the claim declares the love of Christ.
“… and without shedding of blood, is no remission.”
A. Shedding of Blood
(Jamieson,
In the OT, the Lord forbids the eating of blood for the Israelites because, “The life is in the blood.” The blood represents life and the shedding of blood represents the taking of life; the surrender of a life; or the end of a life.
(Clarke) “The apostle shows fully here what is one of his great objects in the whole of this epistle, viz. that there is no salvation but through the sacrificial death of Christ, and to prefigure this the law itself would not grant any remission of sin without the blood of a victim.”
Shedding the blood of the sacrificial lamb was proof that a life had been given in place of the life that had been spared.
Cf. Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.”
All of these examples provided for us in the Old Testament depict the real sacrifice that Jesus made for all of mankind. Instead of a bull, a goat or a lamb, it was the holy, sinless, Son of God. His blood was shed, which proves that His life was given so that every other person believing in Him need not die, but may have life.
B. Remission of Sins
The word “remission” occurs nine other times in the New Testament (KJV) and in all but one of those places it has the qualifier “of sins” tied to it. The other occurrence has the word sin in the same sentence and in the preceding verse. So, all other uses of the word remission in the NT includes the idea of removal of sins.
The word carries the basic idea of forgiveness of a debt. It seems then, that we can understand the author to be saying that apart from the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness or canceling of the debt that was owed. As I mentioned in the previous communion message about the new covenant, Jesus Christ stated himself, “This is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
Conclusion:
All of this was very necessary. Why? God had declared at the very beginning of time in the Garden of Eden that death would be the consequence for sin. Death is the sentence upon every soul that has sinned. God had planned before the foundation of the world that there would be a remedy provided to redeem the sinner that is condemned to die. That plan included the death of His own Son as a substitute for every person.
However, as we explained in previous messages and Bible Studies, the OT system of sacrifices was important to lay the foundation for our understanding. It is an illustration in physical life to define the work of Christ in spiritual life. Notice verse 23 in our Scripture text. “Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”
The author is saying that everything connected to the sacrifices here on earth is only a copy of the real thing in heaven. Therefore it is fitting that the copies be purified with the blood of animals, but the heavenly must be purified with the blood of the perfect, sinless, Son of God. In this context of explaining some of the distinctions between the physical and the spiritual, the Apostle states, “Without the shedding of blood, is no remission.”
Today, as we partake of the sacrament of communion we are acknowledging the shedding of Christ’s blood for the remission or forgiveness of our sins.
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