Coming Once, Coming Twice, Gone!

This is a sermon that was given on the first Sunday of Advent 2014.

Written Excerpts:

Acts 1:9-11 (NKJV) ⁹  Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. ¹⁰  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, ¹¹  who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."

Introduction:

In the Scripture passage that we read a little earlier in the service, we read through a couple of familiar Isaiah texts that have been understood to be connected to the coming of the Messiah.

There are even more texts that relate to His first coming which we will be referring to shortly.

According to the Christian Calendar, today is the 1^st Sunday of Advent, and I wanted to draw our attention to the topic of the coming of the Messiah as it pertains to both His first and second comings.

The title I’ve chosen for the message today is a phrase that popped into my mind as I was thinking about Advent. As you probably have already realized, the wording parallels the words we often associate with auctions – “Going once; going twice; gone!”

Well, obviously the subject of Advent is not about going, but “coming.” However, there is an aspect about the Messiah’s second coming in which it is appropriate to use the word “gone” as I hope to convey in the message today.

So, let us listen for the voice of the Spirit as we consider some interesting truths about Messiah’s first coming, His second coming and the things that will be gone once He comes again.

I. Coming Once

Everyone who has read and studied the Bible understands at least to some degree that God planned and performed all that was necessary to redeem mankind from our own dungeon of sin and ruin.

That abundantly sufficient remedy included the coming of His own Son into our world to completely identify with our humanity in every way, except sin.

But God didn’t just dropped Him into our world unannounced like a paratrooper behind enemy lines, but He prophesied His coming and even prepared certain individuals to be involved in the whole “program.”

I don’t have time today to read all of the verses of Scripture, but the OT predicted the Messiah’s:

Birthplace; family heritage or ancestors; virgin birth; role as king and as priest; and some scholars have even argued that the exact year of His coming was predicted in the prophecy of Daniel.

Some prophecies, like these I’ve mentioned, predicted specific details. Dozens of other prophecies may not have originally predicted specific details about the Messiah, but many Jewish scholars viewed the events in the life of Jesus as the meaningful fulfillment of prophecies made hundreds of years earlier.

The intriguing part is the fact that in spite of all that God did to prepare and predict the coming of His Son, there were actually only a few people that were actively expecting Him and recognized Him when He arrived. (i.e. Simeon, Anna, Magi)

It was so easy for the world to be blinded by ignorance and sin that they missed Him!

II. Coming Twice

After arriving on earth and engaging in His ministry of teaching and works of mercy, Jesus often spoke about a time in the future when He would return with a completely different agenda than He came with the first time.

His words were expounded and expanded further by the teachings of the apostles in the NT letters that they authored.

Just as it was regarding His first coming, there are dozens of prophecies relating to His second coming. I don’t have to convince most of you that there are dozens of interpretations surrounding all of those prophecies as well!

Yet, one solid fact remains – Jesus is coming again!

God promised His first coming and it happened. We can rest assured that His second coming will happen as well!

We may not all agree on the timing or the exact circumstances surrounding that event, but we can all be expecting and watching for His return.

Let us not be like the various groups that Jesus described:

Like those in the “days of Noah, ” eating and drinking and totally consumed with hedonistic revelry; or those like the “foolish virgins” who ran out of oil for their lamps just before the bridegroom arrived; or any others that miss His return because of being preoccupied with purely earthly values and pursuits.

III. Gone!

Now that we have talked about various aspects of the Messiah’s second coming, it is appropriate to mention the things that the Bible says will be gone when He comes.

(Some of the things I will discuss are not necessarily portrayed as being gone exactly at the same time of His coming, but they all are certainly related to His coming.)

A. The saints are gone.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NKJV) ¹⁶  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
¹⁷  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

When Jesus the Messiah comes, the saints will be gone.

I know that there are hundreds of opinions about how it all happens and when it all happens. I don’t really care about any of that. All I know is the Bible says that the dead in Christ will rise first and all His faithful followers that are still alive will be caught up in the air together with the Lord.

The Bible also describes a time when the earth will be renewed (we’ll discuss that next) and the saints will once again dwell on the earth, but initially, they will be gone from the earth.

B. The old (current) heavens and earth are gone.

2 Peter 3:13 (NKJV) Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Revelation 21:1 (NKJV) Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

Walter C. Kaiser et al., Hard Sayings of the Bible,

While all scholars must agree that the central issue for John is moral purification, the removal of all of the taint of sin and rebellion, some scholars look at such terms as "the first heaven and first earth had passed away" and argue that what we are talking about in this passage is a totally new creation. This appears to fit the language of Peter, who writes, "The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. . . . " (2 Peter 3:10). In other words, according to this view, the heavens and earth are so polluted that what is needed is something like the Genesis flood, a destruction and re-creation, but this time the destruction is done by fire, not water….

Again, I have to admit that I’m not completely satisfied that I understand everything about this description. I really don’t need to understand how much is figurative language and how much is literal. I just believe that the new order of creation is going to be much greater and better than we can ever imagine.

The old is gone and the new has come!

C. The curse of sin is gone.

Revelation 22:3 (NKJV) And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.

The Bible describes a time when the earth will be restored to the same kind of peace, harmony and perfection that it was created with originally.

If you can imagine what the earth would have been like in the Garden of Eden before the curse of sin, then the newly renovated and restored earth will also be without the effects of the curse only now it is permanent and can never be lost again.

D. All sorrows and suffering are gone.

Revelation 21:4 (NKJV) And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

When Jesus the Messiah comes again and begins to rule as King of kings and Lord of Lords, then He will remove all our tears and sorrows and pain and everything that vividly reminds us of sin and its horrible effects in our lives.

Conclusion:

God announced the coming of His Son, Jesus the Messiah, long before He actually appeared, and He did come at the exact time and place it was as prophesied.

God has also prophesied the return of His Son in power and glory. It will occur at the exact time and in the exact manner that God has planned.

His second coming will be both fearsome and glorious.

For all those who repented and fully trusted in the saving blood of Jesus, His appearing will be a glorious occasion when all the former things that have been associated with the curse of sin upon the world will be wiped away forever and we will eternally enjoy the holy love of our Redeemer.

What in the World Is God Doing?

This is a sermon that explores ways that God reverses what Satan has meant for evil and turned it into something good. It also recounts some modern examples of God's power at work in the world today.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

The message I feel God wanted me to bring today is somewhat a repeat of the topic that I used for our Bible discussion on Wednesday night.

This message has also grown out of some of the information recently learned in the class on world missions that I’m currently taking at the college.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I can find myself in a pattern of thinking that is not really very positive nor optimistic. I find myself sometimes caught up in reading and listening to all of the negative things going on in the world and I allow my mind and my spirit to grow worried or even despondent.

If you are sometimes like that also, then if we’re not careful, we can allow ourselves to begin to doubt whether God is still in control and whether He is really at work for good in the midst of all of the chaos, violence and trouble in the world.

I hope that the message today will be an encouragement to you as well as a challenge to you.

Today, I want to just share some observations and insights that relate to the scripture reading earlier in the service, as well as the scripture that I mentioned at the beginning of the sermon (2 Cor. 5:18-21).

The passages that I chose for the Scripture reading today (1 Chronicles 29 & Isaiah 45), are just two of literally dozens of passages in the Bible that emphasize the sovereign power and purposes of God. They remind us that God is always in control and exercising His divine authority over the creation, and He will have the final word.

In 2 Cor. 5, the Apostle Paul reminds the Christians then and now that God has reconciled us to Himself through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

He emphatically states that God has not only reconciled us, but He has committed to us the message of reconciliation that we are supposed to be sharing and proclaiming to the rest of the world, because…

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.”

There are two basic thoughts that I give you today to challenge each of us to greater faith and hope in God for the accomplishment of His divine purposes.

1. God has always been in control and He always will be.

2. God’s purpose and intent is to reconcile the world (humanity) to Himself.

For the rest of the message today I want to share with you “bits and pieces” of historical pictures that illustrate these two biblical principles I have proposed.

As you and I were taught the history of the world from biblical times to modern times, we learned about many different epochs of history and we’ve no doubt forgotten many of the important details.

Even so, we (or at least, “I”) tend to look at different periods of history that were characterized by horrific violence and darkness and conclude that somehow God’s purposes and God’s work was defeated and delayed.

However, I want to mention some specific examples to illustrate that God has always been in control and still is… and

God is always working to bring about the salvation of the lost and “reconcile the world to himself.”

Biblical Examples:

·        Joseph sold as a slave into Egypt (& subsequent bondage of Israelites for 400 years.)

·        Israel departs from God’s purposes, becomes “apostate” and is overpowered by Babylonians… 70 yrs of captivity.

a      Three Hebrew Men and Daniel (Some have theorized that the “Magi” who came to visit Jesus after His birth were probably descendents of those who were influenced by Daniel and other Hebrew slaves.)

·        Persecution of Christians in NT (Acts) leads to dispersion and lays groundwork for evangelization of Roman empire.

Historical Examples:

·        Vikings: (A description from Perspectives textbook.)  “The Northmen cease not to slay and carry into captivity the Christian people, to destroy the churches and to burn the towns. Everywhere, there is nothing but dead bodies – clergy and laymen, nobles and common people, women and children. There is no road or place where the ground is not covered with corpses. We live in distress and anguish before this spectacle of the destruction of the Christian people.”

a      Monks were sold as slaves; Christian girls were sold to Vikings wives and mistresses.

a      They engaged in witnessing to their captors and the Christian faith spread among the Vikings.

·        Chinese Cultural Revolution (Communism) – Christians and Christian missionaries were murdered and persecuted. Feared that the Chinese church were be destroyed. But decades later when the “bamboo curtain” lifted, it was discovered that the Chinese church had grown exponentially while “underground” and officially opposed by the government.

·        Even today with the rise of radical Muslim Jihadists, we are hearing reports of Muslims coming to Christ through the witness of Christians and even through visions and dreams some have had of Jesus.

Conclusion:

There has always been periods of major departure from God’s will and subsequent violence and darkness that grips entire regions of the world.

But…(lyrics from “I Heard the Bells”) God is not dead, nor does he sleep! God is continually working to fulfill His mission in the world in spite of what the Devil and the workers of iniquity do.

(Ralph Winter) “What will happen in the next few years? Will the immeasurably strengthened non-Western world invade Europe and America just as the Goths invaded Rome and the Vikings overran Europe? Will the “Third World” turn on us in a new series of “Barbarian” invasions? Will the OPEC nations, or the Chinese gradually buy us out and take us over? Clearly we face the reaction of an awakened non-Western world that is suddenly beyond our control. What will be the role of the gospel? Can we gain any insight from these previous cycles?”

None of us knows what the future holds for us and our nation specifically. But, one thing we can know for sure is that God is still sovereign.

He still has unlimited power and the world is moving toward His ultimate purpose and goal for all humanity.

What in the world is God doing?

God is still reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus Christ. He is using every conceivable means to redeem lost humanity and bring people into His kingdom.

To some extent I think it is “normal” for us to have a certain amount of concern or anxiety about the future because of the unknown. But, on the other hand I sense a level of excitement because I believe God is going to use the coming events to bring more people into the Kingdom and He is going to use His children to have an impact for good that we never dreamed we would.

 

Happy and Holy

(To download an MP3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player.)

This is a message that was given based on 1 Corinthians 5:8, and it was used for a worship service that included communion service.

Written Excerpts:

Today we are going to be sharing the sacrament of communion at the end of the service.

Several months ago I had made a note to myself to check out this passage of scripture in 1 Corinthians 5 as a possible text to explore for a communion service.

I have chosen the title, “Happy and Holy” because I think this passage expresses the ideas of both happiness and holiness in the life of a Christian, and more specifically in the lives of those who are partaking of the sacrament of communion.

There is one main verb in verse 8. It is the verb that is translated with the words, “let us keep the feast.”

One source that provides a strictly literal translation offers this reading, “So that we may be festivalizing.”

Or, more appropriately in proper English, “we may continually keep the festival.”

My message today is primarily based on this verb and the qualifying clauses that follow it. When we read the verse, it seems to be giving us the exhortation to keep observing the festival (i.e. celebrate and enjoy the full meaning), but to observe it with a lifestyle that is consistent with God’s call to holiness.

Therefore, with the help of the Holy Spirit today, I would like to speak to you for a little while on the topic of “Happy and Holy.”

I. Happiness is implied in the exhortation.

v. 8 – “Let us keep the feast” (KJV, NKJV) or “Let us celebrate the festival” (NLT)

What festival is the Apostle speaking of?

The opening word in verse 8 refers us back to the previous verse, where we see that Paul has made a reference to Christ as our “Passover” or in some translations, “Passover Lamb.”

(The AMG Concise Bible Dictionary)  In the middle of the [first] month [of the Jewish year] the people kept the Passover, followed by the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:5-8; Mark 14:1). The Feast of Passover was God's appointed way for the people of Israel to celebrate their miraculous escape from Egypt (Exod 12:14,24). The name of the feast recalled God's act of 'passing over' the houses of the Israelites while killing the firstborn of the Egyptians (Exod 12:27). However, God withheld judgment from the Israelite households only when he saw the blood of the sacrificial animal around the front door. The blood was a sign that an innocent life had been taken in place of the one under judgment. The accompanying Feast of Unleavened Bread recalled the people's hasty departure from Egypt when they had to make their bread without leaven (yeast), cooking as they travelled in order to save time (Exod 12:8,34,39).

What does happiness have to do with all of this?

Well, it is implied in the term “festival.” It was a time of celebration. There was the initial Passover meal with the roasted lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs. But it was followed by seven more days of celebration (i.e. feasting, remembering and rejoicing). (Feast of Unleavened Bread)

There certainly were some somber and sober elements to this festival because of what it commemorated – their miraculous deliverance from slavery as well as the judgment of the death angel that passed over Egypt and over them.

From my studies, I learned that Bible scholars are not in agreement about whether Paul is making this exhortation literally or figuratively.

Figuratively – He could be simply exhorting them to live out their lives in a celebratory manner that glorifies the sacrifice Jesus has made.

Literally – He probably is not urging the continued observance of the OT Passover ritual, because he specifically mentions that Jesus is our “Passover Lamb.” So, he could be specifically referring to the NT celebration of the Last Supper or Communion.

In any case, he does seem to be emphasizing the element of joy, celebration and happiness that is to be evident in the life of a Christian.

Certainly Christians have much to celebrate and to be joyful about – we know that Christ, our “Passover Lamb” was put to death to save us from sin and from God’s judgment for sin.

(Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture)  … Did you ever think of how great was the self-assertion of Jesus Christ when He laid His hand on that [most sacred] of Jewish rites, which had been established… to be 'a perpetual memorial through all generations,' brushed it on one side, and in effect, said: 'You do not need to remember the Passover any more. I am the true Paschal Lamb, whose blood sprinkled on the doorposts averts the sword of the destroying Angel, whose flesh, partaken of, gives immortal life. Remember Me, and this do in remembrance of Me.' The Lord's Supper witnesses that Jesus thought Himself to be what Paul tells the Corinthians that He is, even our Passover, sacrificed for us. But the point to be observed is this, that just as in that ancient ritual, the lamb slain became the food of the Israelites, so with us the Christ who has died is to be the sustenance of our souls, and of our Christian life. 'Therefore let us keep the feast.

II. Holiness must accompany the celebration.

When the Apostle Paul gives the exhortation to “keep the feast” he adds some qualifying guidelines that the Corinthians were supposed to keep in mind.

The qualifying guidelines were simply that they celebrate with “unleavened bread of sincerity and truth;” not with the “old leaven” or the “leaven of malice and wickedness.”

Leaven (or yeast) was a fermenting agent in the dough that causes it to raise. In the original context of the Exodus, they couldn’t use it because they didn’t have time to wait for the bread to raise, and they couldn’t have bread for the journey that would have a “fermenting” action going on to cause it to spoil while they were traveling.

In that sense, “leaven” became a symbol for sin that spoils our relationship with God and “ferments” in our lives to destroy what is good.

In the biblical requirements for observance of Passover, writers have described the concern over leaven like this:

(Paul E. Kretzmann – New Testament Volume 2), The removal of the leaven, Exodus 12:18-19, was done on the 13^th or at the very latest on the morning of the 14^th Nisan, and carried out with the most minute care. All the places in the house where bread was kept or where crumbs might have fallen were searched with lighted tapers, and all the dark corners scraped out carefully, lest any leaven remain to spoil the festival for the family. In just the same way the Corinthians must put from their midst the incestuous person and remove all open offenses. And even so the Christians of all times clean out the old leaven of sin by daily contrition and repentance in themselves….

(Matthew Poole, Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible), As the passover prefigured Christ, who is our paschal Lamb, whose flesh we eat and whose blood we drink by believing, and sacramentally in the Lord's supper; so the Jewish subsequent feast of unleavened bread prefigured all the days of a Christian's life, which are to be spent, not with the old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth…

In the whole context of this chapter from the beginning, Paul is equating “leaven” or “yeast” to the presence of sin in their church and in their individual lives. They needed to remove the person that was committing such blatant immorality in order to witness to the holiness of God.

v. 7 “Purge out the old leaven” – symbolically comparing the sin in the congregation with the “old leaven” that might be in the house and needed to be purged or cleansed out before Passover.

v. 8 “Let us keep the feast…nor with leaven of malice and wickedness” – Paul expands his application of “leaven” to not only include the gross immorality being practiced by one of their members, but to also include any unrighteous attitudes and deeds.

This “leaven” of unrighteousness will contaminate our lives individually and our church corporately.

So we must all make it a point to let God’s Holy Spirit sweep out every corner and closet of our hearts and lives just like the Jews would with the leaven in their homes prior to Passover.

 Conclusion:

Let me conclude and move into our hymn and communion ceremony by making these few statements.

So often, our society and culture has come to view “happiness” and “holiness” as mutually exclusive qualities.

It seems like many people think “You can’t be holy if you’re going to live happy.” Or, “You can’t live happy if your going to be holy.”

I’d like to remind us today that this is not the teaching of our text.

Let us “celebrate” the sacrifice of our Lord, remembering that He took the sentence of the “death angel” and His blood covered the “doors” of our lives as He truly became our Passover Lamb.

Let us also celebrate with holy lives. Let us purposely allow, even plead with, the Holy Spirit to purge out all the “leaven” of sin that will ferment and destroy what is good and pure if we allow it to remain.

We’re going to sing a couple verses of a hymn:

Nothing but the Blood                        # 337 

The Gift of Choice

(To download an MP3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown.)

This is a message based on Josh. 24:15 and it discusses the matter of choosing to serve the Lord as a personal decision each one must make.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction

In the passage of Scripture that was read earlier (Josh. 24:1-15), Joshua briefly reviewed the highlights of Israel’s history from the call of Abraham to the present time.

He recalls many of the things that God had done to bring the nation of Israel to their present position and status.

He is basically reminding them of all these blessings and privileges because he has reached the end of his life and he is giving final admonitions and challenges to the people in whom he has invested so much of his personal strength and devotion.

Joshua wants to impress upon them the absolute importance for them to follow the Lord and obey His commands in order to continue receiving God’s blessings.

Verse 15 contains a well-known phrase that probably most of us have heard many times before – “…choose you this day whom you will serve… But for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

This charge by Joshua highlights a truth that has been repeatedly implied throughout the entire Bible. That truth is this: God has blessed all human creatures with the gift of willful choice.

God has not made us like mechanical robots or even like animals, but He has blessed us with the ability to reason, calculate, compare, and choose by an action of our will.

With the help of God’s Spirit, I want to speak to you today about the gift of choice, particularly as it relates to spiritual and eternal life.

I. Choice is rooted in the concept of free-will.

Before we look at some of the specific implications in this passage of Scripture, I want to discuss some concepts that are related to the matter of choice.

A. Word Meanings

Hebrew scholars (Harris, Archer, Waltke, in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament) tell us that the word used by Joshua here in 24:15 is a word that…

·        Has a root meaning of "to take a keen look at" (KB), thus accounting for the connotation of "testing or examining" found in Isaiah 48:10 (Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.) and … in Proverbs (e.g. Proverbs 10:20 "choice silver")….

·        “…the word is used to express that choosing which has ultimate and eternal significance. On the one hand God chooses a people (Psalm 135:4), certain tribes (Psalm 78:68), specific individuals (1 Kings 8:16; 1 Chron. 28:5; 1 Samuel 10:24; 2 Samuel 6:21), and a place for his name (Deut. 12:5; etc.).

·        In all of these cases serviceability rather than simple arbitrariness is at the heart of the choosing. Thus Yahweh chose Israel to be holy and thereby to serve as his witness among the nations (Deut. 14:6). But her election is not based on her own greatness but on the greatness of the Lord's love (Deut. 7:7f.).

·        The scriptural doctrine of divine capacity for choice demonstrates that purpose and personality, not blind mechanism, are at the heart of the universe. Since God carefully chooses certain ones for a specific task, he can also reject them if they deviate from that purpose (1 Samuel 2:27ff.).

 Most of these comments have to do with passages that speak of God’s choices and the exercise of divine free-will. Yet, it relates to our subject of human free-will because most scholars agree that when we speak of men being created in the image of God, it includes the capacity for free moral choices.

B. Humans do make choices with eternal consequences.

There has been theological debates for centuries regarding the issue of free-will.

There are extremes in understanding all the way from a “severe fatalism and predestination position” on one end of the spectrum to almost a “human sovereignty position” at the other end of the spectrum.

I believe the Bible denies either of these extremes, but we do admit that there exists a dynamic tension between scriptures that imply man’s inability to make moral choices and other scriptures that imply free-will.

For many people the idea of being held accountable for one’s choice implies that the choice must be free and personal.

Therefore, we affirm that all men (generic) have the ability to reason, calculate short-term and long-term consequences, compare options and ultimately make choices that may or may not have moral and eternal consequences.

II. Choosing whom we will serve.

In the Joshua text today, we read an example of people being challenged to make one of the most fundamental choices all humans must make – “Whom will you serve?” “Who is going to be your Master?” “Who’s going to be the sovereign authority in your life?”

Historically, God had called His people out of Egypt where during the 400 years of captivity, they had become surrounded and totally familiar with the pagan gods of the Egyptians. God was calling them out of that environment to re-affirm and re-establish His exclusive right to their worship and their service.

Joshua has reminded the people of Israel of God’s deliverance from Egypt and Egypt’s “gods.” He has also spelled out how the nations they passed through on the way to the promised land, and the nations within the promised land were also filled with pagan worship of many false gods.

Now Joshua presents them with a choice: “You can choose to serve the gods that our ancestors served prior to Abraham, or you can choose to serve the gods of the people in the land into which you have come, or you can choose to serve the Lord, Who has called you out to be His own special, chosen people.”

Then Joshua boldly proclaims his choice for himself and his family: “For me and my house we will serve the Lord.”

This is only one of many Scriptures that call people to choose whom they will worship and dedicate themselves to in service.

A. It is a personal choice.

“You choose this day”

“As for me and my house, we”

The Bible is very clear about the fact that God loves every person in the world and He has made every necessary provision so that everyone can be saved from sin and darkness and they can walk in a relationship with Him that ultimately brings them to eternal life in His presence forever.

Yet, in spite of the fact that God has done all that He has done, He still leaves the choice up to each of us individually. We must choose whom we will serve.

If you haven’t already made the choice whom you will serve, you must make it someday.

And, by the way, procrastinating your decision is in itself a choice.

Felix responded to Paul’s exhortation by saying, “Go your way this time, when I have a convenient season I will call for you.” That was his choice that day, and we don’t have any record that he ever revised his choice.

B. It is a radical choice.

By this point, we simply mean that it is simple, clear cut, and has infinite consequences.

The options offered by Joshua were “either serve the gods of this world, or serve the God of heaven.” There weren’t any other options or any middle ground.

v.14 – “put away the gods which your fathers served…”

There was no suggestion of a half-hearted, “wishy-washy” indecision that might be adequate.

v.14 – “Serve Him in sincerity and in truth”

Today, the devil “packages” the options in such appealing ways, that it often seems that we have more than just two choices, but the reality is still true today – we must either serve Jesus Christ, or we are serving a false god.

I need to ask you today, Have you chosen the Lord? Have you counted the cost and calculated the consequences and made up your mind to follow Christ in complete trust and obedience?

That is the choice He offers each of us.

III. Choosing a deeper calling.

The Bible is not only very clear about the need to choose whom we will worship and serve as portrayed in this passage in Joshua, but there are various Scripture passages that also emphasize the need for a deeper, more thorough consecration to Christ until He is the only One who rules on the throne of our hearts.

Romans 12:1 “…present your bodies a living sacrifice…”

1 Thess. 5:23 “the very God of peace sanctify you entirely…”

There is a point when we must decide if we are going to continue trying to live the Christian life as a “double-minded” person or as a “single-minded,” sold-out, committed disciple.

A “double-minded” person is “unstable in all his ways” the Apostle James says. (We talked about that last week.) It is a person that is divided in allegiance and in affection (betw. God and self).

A double-minded person is one who wants to be a Christian and has made a decision to accept Christ, but hasn’t let go of his/her right to be the final authority.

God offers a remedy for that condition – it is a sanctified heart; a pure heart of love; a heart that only wants God and God’s way.

This experience, that is sometimes referred to as “being filled with the Spirit,” or “holiness,” is offered to every believer but it must be received and experienced by choice.

You and I have the choice to either receive the cleansing fire of the Holy Spirit, or we can reject it.

For the life of me I can’t understand how or why a truly born-again believer wouldn’t want to receive all the grace available from God.

IV. Learning to choose wisely.

The 3^rd way in which choices impact our lives is through the multitude of daily choices we make in all kind of circumstances. We make hundreds and thousands of choices concerning all manner of life issues.

Some of our choices have little or no moral or spiritual consequence, while others have huge consequences for time and eternity.

Some choices are not evil or wrong in and of themselves, but they lead a certain direction and if repeated enough, they can develop habits.

Once a habit is formed, the choices continue on almost automatically until the end of the path could be disastrous even though it started with an innocent choice.

So, my point is this: even though many of our choices seem innocent enough, we must stop and seriously consider where that choice would lead me if I kept repeating it. I need to calculate not only whether the choice itself is right or wrong; good or evil, but I must try to evaluate what values and priorities that choice will promote because those values and priorities will ultimately shape my character and determine my destiny.

I want to avoid some of the extreme positions that some churches and Christians have taken when they observe how some activities or actions can lead to undesirable ends, then they condemn all those activities or actions as evil because of “where they lead.”

However, I do acknowledge and caution each of us today that choices do have consequences, and a pattern of choices certainly can form habits that have consequences.

So, I say all that to emphasize that we need the wisdom and fullness of the Holy Spirit to help us make choices wisely that will promote spiritual growth rather than destroy it.

We need His Spirit to make choices that will promote godliness rather than worldliness.

We need God’s help to make intentional choices that will take us off a harmful path once we realize it is leading us to an undesirable destination.

Conclusion:

As we sing the closing song I have selected I want to urge each of us to evaluate our own lives and the choices we have made.

Have you decided to serve the Lord and give Him control of your life?

Have you decided to let Him be Lord and Master to the extent that He sits on the throne of your heart?

Are you willing to be led by the Holy Spirit in making choices that will promote spiritual health and growth?

If God’s Spirit is revealing to you that you lack in any of these areas, I would urge you to come forward today and spend time praying.

A Biblical Prescription

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This is a sermon based on James 4:7-8 and speaks about steps the Apostle gives for his readers to succeed against temptations.

Written Excerpts:

James 4:7-8 (NKJV) ⁷  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Introduction:

I suppose that most of us here today have had experiences with being sick and visiting a doctor for a diagnosis and treatment of the problem that troubles us.

The doctor usually checks us over, asks a lot of questions and once he has made his diagnosis and proposes treatment, he sends us home with a bill that usually ruins the weekly budget! He also usually sends us away with a small piece of paper to be taken to a pharmacy, which also ruins the budget even more!

This paper for the pharmacy is called a prescription and with it we can obtain the proper medication along with specific instructions on how it is to be used or applied. Many times, when the medicine and the instructions are followed, they produce positive results.

In our Scripture lesson today, I believe that we find a biblical prescription that, if followed, will produce spiritual health and victory.

Let’s look at the words of the Apostle James to learn a four-step prescription for spiritual health.

I. Submit yourself to God (v. 7a)

The word submit implies voluntary subordination or placing one’s self under the authority of another.

Becoming a Christian and living as a Christian is often characterized as a “surrender” to God. We willingly stop insisting on having our own way or being our own authority and we voluntarily submit ourselves to God’s authority and His ways.

There are at least two reasons we need to submit to God.

A. We need to submit because God’s grace is more than adequate.

v. 6a – “He giveth more grace.”

The word “therefore” at the beginning of verse 7 refers back to the previous verse for its meaning. When James says, “therefore submit to God” it is based on what came before in verse 6.

So, we need to submit because it the logical thing to do based on the amount of grace God has available – “MORE!”

Obviously, verse 6 should be understood in its context as well. So, what is God giving more grace for? So believers can overcome the attractions of the world (vv. 1-4).

That’s why we’re calling this a prescription for spiritual health and victory (victory over the love of the world).

B. We need to submit because God resists the proud.

Prov. 3:34 (NKJV) Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.

Can you imagine what it’s like to have God fight against you?

The word “resist” in v. 6 is a little different word than the one that is translated “resist” in verse v. 7 (re: the devil).

Here the word means to “order, arrange, draw up against.” It is a word that gives the idea “to range in battle against.”

James is reminding us that God draws up in battle against the person that is “arrogant,” “haughty,” or defiantly says, “I can handle it myself.”

But, if we submit (admit our need and surrender to God’s will and ways) then He will give us all the grace we need to win and more.

Isaiah 57:15 (KJV) 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…

Not only does God resist the proud, but God says that He will dwell with the one that is contrite and humble. If we stay humble, God will stay with us.

II. Resist the Devil.

Submitting to God is only the first step. It is an important step of surrendering our will and our authority to the will and authority of God.

But, we can’t stop there. We must resist the devil.

Here, the word “resist” carries the idea of “standing against.” (i.e. we resolve and purpose that we are going to take a stand against him no matter what.)

A. How do we stand against the devil?

We must do it in the name and in the strength of the Lord. We’re no match for the devil.

Jude 1:9 (NKJV) Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

Without taking time to digress and analyze this passage, it is enough to point out that the Apostle declares that an archangel did not attempt to bring a charge of blasphemy against the devil, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

We must choose to stand against the temptations and suggestions of the Devil, but we must do so in the name of Jesus and let the Lord rebuke him.

I would also make this observation: our resistance or standing against the Devil must be quick and immediate. The longer we wait and ponder his ideas and schemes, the easier it is to yield.

B. If we resist he will flee.

The promised result is that the Devil will flee if we steadfastly resist or stand against him.

III. Draw near to God.

Not only should we submit to God and resist the Devil, but we must also make a willful choice to draw close to the Lord.

I am amazed sometimes at how many people I meet who are discouraged by the way the Devil has been attacking them and defeating them. They often talk about how much effort they have expended trying to resist the Devil and withstand his attacks.

But, in all the efforts to fight off the devil and do what was right, they failed to take this next step of taking specific action to draw near to God.

A. To draw near means to worship Him.

“draw near” – word translated for OT word that means to draw near for the purpose of worship.

Lev. 19:22 – “Let the priests who come near the Lord consecrate themselves…”

To worship means focusing on who He is and not who I am.

To worship means focusing on what He has done, not what I want.

To worship means focusing on giving adoration and praise.

To give adoration and praise doesn’t mean that we add anything to His glory, we merely reflect it.

The tendency we often have is to shrink back and withdraw from personal worship or corporate worship when we’ve been feeling defeated or feeling discouraged, because we feel ashamed. But we need to do the very opposite.

We need to worship and praise Him on principle. We need to join with His people and praise Him together.

I can’t tell you how many times I have felt discouraged and defeated until I went to the house of God with His people and began to sing and pray and hear the Word. I tell you I always felt many times better than when I first came.

B. When we draw near, He draws near as well.

Just like the previous verse, which promises that the devil will flee if we resist him, so this verse promises that God will draw near to us if we will draw near to Him.

Psalm 22:3 (KJV) But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. (sit, remain, dwell)

When we worship God (corporately or individually), then He responds with His divine presence and revives and refreshes our hearts.

IV. Deal with the problem of sin in us.

The fourth step involves taking care of the sin problem in our hearts and lives.

By placing this verse in this context the Apostle seems to be telling us that we cannot have spiritual health or have victory over the attractions of the world until we adequately deal with the sin problem in our lives.

This means both the deeds of sin and the nature of sin.

A. We need clean hands.

“clean hands” – refers to purity of conduct or actions, as “hands” relate to what we do.

We absolutely cannot hang onto the “favorite sins” or “pleasant sins” in our lives and then expect God to deliver us from the “bad ones.”

Sin is sin, and God abhors it all. So we need to let Him deal with all of it.

B. We need pure hearts.

In this specific verse, the idea of a pure heart means one that is not divided.

It is a heart that is wholly and completely united in love for God with no competing allegiances to the world or self.

There is a whole lot more that can be said on this point, but when we allow God to cleanse our hearts and solve the problem of a divided affection, then it certainly helps us remain victorious in our spiritual walk.

1 Peter 1:22 (NKJV) Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

Conclusion:

I don’t believe I know of any sincere Christian who does not desire a life of constant victory over temptation and a life of spiritual growth and spiritual health.

I’m glad I can confidently say to you today that it is possible to experience consistent victory and maintain a vibrant relationship with Christ.

These steps we’ve talked about today provide important counsel for that victory to be a reality in all our lives.

Let’s close our worship by singing a song about victory.

# 353 – Victory in Jesus

Partners in Suffering

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This is a message that was given on the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

Written Excerpts:

Romans 12:15 (NKJV) ¹⁵  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Romans 15:30 (NKJV) ³⁰  Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me,

1 Corinthians 12:26 (KJV) ²⁶  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.

2 Timothy 1:8 (NKJV) ⁸  Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,

2 Timothy 3:10-12 (NKJV) ¹⁰  But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹  persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra--what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹²  Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Philippians 1:29 (NKJV) ²⁹  For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

1 Thessalonians 3:3 (NKJV) ³  that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.

Introduction:

I felt compelled to speak to you today regarding the issue of persecution. Jesus never promised His followers and disciples that they would have an easy life without opposition. In fact, He usually indicated that His disciples were to expect persecution and opposition.

The last couple of weeks we have had services that emphasized missionary outreach and the overall work of God in the world to bring more and more people into the Kingdom of God.

Today, we are giving special recognition to the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. This theme also coincides with the messages we’ve heard the last two weeks.

I believe that God wants us to be aware of what our fellow Christians face in other parts of the world and that He wants us to support them in our prayers as well as other ways.

There are two primary facts about persecution that I feel compelled to share today.

1. Persecution is assumed to be a normal part of Christian life.

See passages above in green highlight.

In these few verses, it seems clear that the Apostle Paul viewed persecution as a normal part of the Christian life experience.

Jesus also made statements to prepare his disciples for the likelihood of persecution they would experience when they chose to follow Him.

Matthew 24:9 (NKJV) ⁹  Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.

Several weeks ago, I spoke about suffering in general (not necessarily due to persecution) and I was speaking about the fact that Christians in developing nations think of suffering as a normal part of life, while Christians in the West (particularly America) tend to think that God should keep His children from pain and suffering.

The same principle also seems to be true regarding persecution. From what I’ve been reading, it seems that Christians around the world (particularly in many developing nations) accept persecution as a normal experience for all Christians.

Why? Partly because the claims of Christ and the core message of the gospel goes completely cross-grain with the rest of the religions of the world, and partly because that is all some of them have ever known.

Many people don’t have a problem if Christians simply promote Jesus as one of many great religious leaders and one of many ways to heaven (God). But when we proclaim that Jesus is the only way to God and that He is the only way, truth and life, then all other religions have a major problem with that.

There’s simply no other way to say it than, “Persecution is one of the ways God uses to spread the gospel to people and places that may otherwise never hear about Jesus.”

2. Christians are expected to share and support those being persecuted.

See passages above in yellow highlight.

These verses directly imply that Christians have a duty and an obligation to remember those who are being persecuted and to do what we can to share their burden.

There are various ways that Christians can share the load of pain that others are facing such as: assisting with material and physical needs; petitioning their country’s government for relief of persecution; and through prayer.

From what I have heard and read, it seems that most Christians that are being persecuted most often request the prayers from other Christians around the world.

Most often, rather than praying for God to deliver them from persecution, they want us to pray that God will grant them the strength to endure it. They want us to pray that they will be faithful witnesses for Jesus and their suffering will produce eternal fruit for the Kingdom of God.

Based on the teaching of Scripture, I believe we all have a Christian responsibility and a Christian privilege to partner with those who are suffering for Jesus by first of all, praying for them, and then doing any other things we can to help them endure their circumstances.

Conclusion:

Today, I want to share with you a slide presentation that I put together from stories and pictures in some of the magazines published by Voice of the Martyrs.

Following the slide presentation, we will spend time praying.

What Does God Get?

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This is the final message in a series of sermons on Romans. This message is based on Romans 16:21-27 and it emphasizes Paul's theme that God should receive all the glory for everything accomplished.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Several years ago there was a craze among Christians for a popular acronym “WWJD” – What Would Jesus Do?

A few weeks ago in the class I am taking at the college, I learned a new acronym that ought to be one that we all learn and keep in the forefront of our minds… “WDGG” – What Does God Get?

I already shared with you a portion of the lecture when I mentioned the difference between “cat theology” and “dog theology.” (Comes from a book written by Bob Sjogren and Gerald Robison)

Dog says to his master: “You feed me, you pet me, you shelter me, you love me. You must be God.”

Cat says to master: “You feed me, you pet me, you shelter me, you love me. I must be God.”

Someone practicing “dog theology” focuses primarily on God and His glory.

“Cat theology” focuses primarily on self and what God can do for me.

There are a lot of contrasts that have been made between the two viewpoints, but let me share just a few.

Quiet Times: Both Cats and Dogs have quiet times. Dogs focus on God’s glory (they think, “How is God’s reputation being affected by my life?”) and Cats focus on themselves (how can [God make] their life [better]…?)

Prayer: Dogs pray to establish God’s kingdom. Cats pray to establish their own kingdom.

Worship: Dogs worship God primarily for who He is. Cats worship God primarily for what He’s done for them.

Obedience: Both Cats and Dogs want obedience in their lives. Dogs want to obey God. Cats want God to obey them. You usually see this reflected in their prayer lives.

While trying to get us to understand the two different perspectives and to realize the importance of truly worshiping God, the author challenges us to raise this question, “What does God get?”

What does God get out of my life and the experiences I face each day?

As we now come to the end of Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome, we notice that he concludes everything he has written by writing a very long sentence that can be condensed down to this, “Now to Him… be glory through Christ Jesus forever. Amen.” (vv. 25-27)

It’s as if Paul is reminding us that all he has written comes down to the one final point – that God should receive the glory due to Him for the great plan of redemption He has completed through Jesus Christ.

This reminds me of a scene portrayed in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 5:1-14 (KJV)
¹  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. ²  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? ³  And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. ⁴  And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. ⁵  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. ⁶  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. ⁷  And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. ⁸  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. ⁹  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; ¹⁰  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. ¹¹  And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; ¹²  Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. ¹³  And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. ¹⁴  And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

Paul has masterfully expounded the message of redemption through Jesus Christ and now, after sharing greetings from those who are outside of Rome (21-24), he urges us to close with a doxology of praise to God for His wonderful grace. (vv. 25-27)

In this one very long closing sentence Paul provides a sequence of thoughts that provide the reasons for glorifying God.

Here are the thoughts expressed in this one long sentence:

1. God is able to establish His children.

2. He stabilizes them through the proclamation of the gospel.

3. The gospel was hidden, but has been revealed.

4. It has been revealed to all nations to lead them to obedience.

5. He alone deserves praise.

So, let’s quickly take them one by one and explore them a little more.

1. God is able to establish His children.

The word “able” is the Greek word “dunamis.” Emphasis is on dynamic ability or power.

“establish” – to fix, establish or strengthen against presupposed threats.

Is there any doubt in our minds that the same God who through His dynamic and infinite power created the worlds is powerful enough to fix you and me steadfastly in the faith so that we can stand firm against all threats?

2. He stabilizes them through the proclamation of the gospel.

The Apostle declares that God is able to establish them according to his gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ.

The word “gospel” means good news and it includes the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ and available to every one who believes in Him.

He affirms that the gospel consists of the preaching of Christ and that is what we need to get established in the faith. Jesus is the center core of our faith and the more we learn about Him, the stronger we will be as disciples and followers.

3. The gospel was hidden, but has been revealed.

This message being proclaimed was hidden for a while from the beginning of time.

It was a mystery. It was unknown. It was hidden by the darkness of sin which blinds the spiritual eye against the truth until the light of truth is shed upon our minds.

4. It has been revealed to all nations to lead them to obedience.

Paul has shown in earlier chapters how that God’s salvation through Jesus Christ is a fulfillment of what was revealed through the prophets.

As God progressively unfolded the messages through His servants and prophets, He clearly revealed that He intended for the message to be told to all the nations of the world.

God’s plan from the beginning was for all the nations to hear the truth and be led to faith and obedience as a result of hearing and receiving the truth.

Salvation was never intended to be only for one nation or one people, but for the entire world.

One of the reasons we believe so strongly in world missions and we make the effort to conduct missions conferences like we are next weekend is because of our conviction that God intends to save the world.

5. He alone deserves praise.

The final point of the sequence of thoughts goes back to the giving of glory and praise; not only because He is able to establish His people in the gospel, but because of His wisdom in devising such a grand scope and plan for redemption.

Conclusion:

All in all, Paul brings us to the realization that the salvation of Jews and Gentiles, even all the world, is for the glory of God.

Eph. 2:6-7 “and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Worship Is A Part Of Life!

When Cats are so focused on themselves, they worship God during their quiet times, during Sunday morning services, and possibly while listening to worship music. Everything outside of those times is “everyday life.”

But “everyday life” was designed to be one big worship service. This can happen when we start to ask the simple question, “What Does God Get?”

·        What does God get when you hug a child?

·        What does God get when you see a sunset?

·        What does God get when you listen to music?

·        What does God get when you look at a flower?

·        What does God get when you see a butterfly?

·        What does God get when you taste a chocolate covered strawberry?

To relate this thought to our closing verses in Romans, let me ask, “What does God get when you think about being justified by faith?”

“What does God get when you meditate about sanctification?”

“What does God get for redeeming the heathen?”

 “Hallelujah, Praise the Lamb! Hallelujah, Praise the Lamb! My heart sings this song again. Hallelujah, Praise the Lamb!”

A Prayer To The Lord:

·        Lord, we do not live for ourselves, we live for Your greatest glory.

·        Bless us with all things or give us nothing.

·        Honor us before others or bring us low.

·        Put us to doing or appoint us to suffer.

·        Give us work or keep us unemployed.

·        Send us overseas or keep us home.

·        Shatter any dream that is not yours.

·        We freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal.

·        All we ask is that we delight in Your glory!