Servants and Saints

(To download an Mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen now online, click the play button on the audio player shown.)

This is the first message in a series of messages on the book of Romans. This message is based on verses 1-7 of Romans 1.

Written Excerpts...

Introduction:

Quite a few weeks ago I began to feel impressed by the Spirit of God to start a new sermon series. I have been feeling led to start a series that will follow through an entire book of the New Testament. The Bible book that I have chosen to study with you is the book of Romans. This is considered by most Bible scholars to be the most thorough presentation of the gospel in all of the NT books.

Let’s get started by talking a little bit about some background information regarding the author and the audience.

I. Background Information

A. Author

The author of this letter is the man who had formerly been known as Saul of Tarsus and later had his name changed to Paul. Some have stated that Saul was his Hebrew name, while Paul (lit. Paulus) was his Roman (Latin) name.

He is believed to have written this letter while in the city of Corinth during his 3^rd missionary journey. At the end of the letter (16:23) he sends greetings from Gaius and Erastus, both of whom lived in Corinth.

The time of the letter is generally considered to be approximately 55-57 A.D. So you can see that this letter is definitely written during the early development of the Christian church.

We’ll have more to say about Paul in a few minutes as we begin to look at the text.

B. Audience (Recipients)

The Christian believers in Rome. Mix between Jew and Gentile.

(Reasoner) The population of Rome has been estimated as between one and four million. There were probably twenty to thirty thousand Jews living in Rome during this time period. [Church historian] Philip Schaff supposes, “The first tidings of the gospel were brought to Rome soon after the birthday of the church by witnesses of the pentecostal miracle in Jerusalem.” According to Acts 2:10-11 there were visitors from Rome in Jerusalem at Pentecost.

This was a church that he did not initiate, but he intended to visit them in the future to “impart some spiritual gift” with the result that they “might be established.” (v. 11)

Some believe that the purpose of this letter was to provide a thorough presentation and explanation of the gospel in order to “lay the groundwork and establish a “beachhead” for the expansion of the Kingdom farther west into Spain.” (15:24)

Romans was not the first or earliest of Paul’s letters, but it is believed that it comes first in the NT because of it’s perceived importance in relation to all his letters.

Having considered a few brief facts concerning the background of this letter, let us begin to examine its content. We’ll begin by looking at Paul’s own introductory remarks to open his letter. Today, I want us to specifically notice verses 1-7.

II. Paul Introduces Himself (1:1)

A. A Servant (Slave)

(Reasoner) Paul humbly identifies himself as a servant or slave of Christ Jesus. Doulos is from the Greek verb “to bind” and indicates unconditional commitment to God.

(The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament) A slave of someone in high position had more status, authority and freedom than a free commoner; the emperor’s slaves were some of the highest-ranking people in the empire, as the Roman Christians would know…. 

B. Called An Apostle

General definition is “commissioned messenger.” Specific meaning refers to the vocation/ministry of planting the gospel and initiating the formation of groups of believers. Paul clearly includes himself in with all the other apostles (disciples) of the Lord who had personally been with Jesus and received His commission to go. He too had personally seen Jesus on the Damascus road and had been sent out by the Lord.

(Reasoner) John Stott observed that while the term slave is a title of great humility, apostle is a title of great authority.

(The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament) Paul, who had once been a… commissioned messenger (apostle) of the high priest (Acts 9:2), was now a representative for God.

C. Separated

Writers tell us that there may be some intentional play on words here by the Apostle.

He had been a “Pharisee;” a strict teacher of the law. The name “Pharisee” literally carried the meaning of “separatists.” Once he had belonged to the sect that considered themselves separated from the “Gentiles” to the select people of God. Now he declares that he is separated apart from the usual understanding of the Jewish law and unto the gospel of God.

Now, rather than being separated from the Gentiles, he is separated to the Gentiles. (Reasoner)

III. Paul Introduces His Message (1:2-6)

The message of the Apostle is “the gospel of God.”

A. It is a message founded on the Holy Scriptures. (v. 2)

B. It is a message about Jesus Christ our Lord. (v. 3-4)

“Made of the seed of David” (KJV) – referring to physical birth and genealogical connection to King David = Messiah.

“Declared to be the Son of God” –

(Reasoner) “…his divine nature was not fully manifested until after his resurrection. This comment, taken from John Wesley, should not be interpreted as meaning that Jesus became deity at his resurrection, as the early Adoptionist heresy had taught. Instead, the resurrection declared, delineated, and powerfully confirmed his divine nature. Richard Watson observed, “horizo – [declared] signifies to fix limits, and mark boundaries; and hence it is used for showing things to be what they really are.”

Now, Paul is clearly setting forth a doctrinal mystery that Jesus is both human and divine; fully man and fully God (as later described in the creeds of the church). The core of the message is Jesus. The central truth of the gospel is Jesus. But, it is not just any Jesus, fashioned after our own imagination. It is a specific person with specific human and divine natures.

Theology may be boring to some, and it may be difficult for us all to understand, but the simple fact of the matter is this: a Jesus that is not human cannot save us; neither can a Jesus that is only human.

C. It is a message He is commissioned to spread. (v.5-6)

“…we have received grace and apostleship…”

Paul, like all of us, certainly deserved judgment and condemnation, but he received GRACE: underserved favor and blessings from God.

The grace & apostleship comes (originates) from Christ, resulting in obedience, to the faith, for all people (all nations), which includes his audience (Romans).

They too are called by Jesus Christ. It is a calling from disobedience to obedience, from darkness to light, from self-centeredness to surrender and submission, from ungodliness to holiness.

IV. Paul Extends Formal Salutation (1:7)

“To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

They are the recipients of this treatise.

They are loved by God.

They are called to be holy.

They are extended blessings of grace and peace.

Conclusion:

We are just getting started into a wonderful letter that helps us understand the whole scheme of salvation that God designed and provided. We have learned some important truths about the author and the recipients.

There are many ways that we too can identify with both of these. Everyone one of us here today fall into one of two groups: a) those who need salvation; and b) those who have already experienced salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. We have received the abundant grace of God when we deserved judgment and condemnation. We have the privilege of telling others about this wonderful gospel and grace that we have so graciously received. We, like Paul, are called to be servants of the most high God. We, like the Romans are called to be saints. Let us live up to these high callings.

Let us close our service today by singing an old hymn:

“Take Time to Be Holy”

Who's Holding Who?

(To download an Mp3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen now online, click the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon used for "Grandparents Day" to emphasize the promises of God to hold His people unto old age.

Written Excerpts...

Isaiah 46:4 (NKJV) ⁴  Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.

Introduction:

I’ve already mentioned that today is celebrated as “Grandparents Day” in the U.S. One thing that grandchildren have always associated with grandparents is “old age,” even though we grandparents know that isn’t really true!

When is old age anyway? Being “old” is relative. I am sure that all of us can remember those days when we thought, “Wow, 40 years old sure seems old.” I specifically remember a time when I thought that any person who could remember things that happened 30 years ago must be pretty old. Now, I’m already in the category of people who can remember stuff that happened 50 years ago! And I’M NOT OLD YET!

I look at some of you younger people here today and chuckle to myself, because when I was your age, I used to think that someone my age was pretty old. But my word to you is this, “Don’t laugh, cause your day is coming! You’re older now than you were last year, and that is just how it happens to all of us!”

I have chosen the text in Isaiah for today’s sermon because of the reference to “old age” and I felt that it would be a relevant topic on Grandparents Day.

There are a couple of observations I want to point out as we introduce the context of our Scripture.

1. I want to acknowledge first of all that this text in verse 4 is not primarily speaking about old people, even though that is the analogy that is presented by the prophet.

If you will notice, the Lord is speaking to the entire “house of Jacob/Israel,” or, more specifically, the nation of Judah. Nations don’t get gray hair, or acquire “old age” per se. God is using figurative language here and making an analogy regarding His treatment of them as if they were individual people living long lives.

However, it is appropriate for us to take what God is saying to a nation and make spiritual applications to individuals who trust in God and believe in His Word.

2. The message of this chapter is a message of impending doom for Babylon from Cyrus, the “bird of prey” from the east. It appears that God is sending a message of comfort and hope to the remnant of the faithful in Judah in the midst of a prediction of coming destruction for their enemies.

The interesting point is that Babylon’s destruction will be coming after Judah’s destruction because of their own unfaithfulness to God.

Transition:

Let us now turn our attention to the message that God is providing to His own people and notice a few prominent facts.

I. God is the one that had “carried them” from the past into the present. (v. 3b, 4b)

“… Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from the womb: ⁴… I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.”

The Lord is reminding them that He is the one who was responsible for bringing them into existence and for carrying them and caring for them up to the present.

Their very existence is owed to Him.

You know, the nation of Judah undoubtedly had the feeling from time to time that they had been the masters of their own destiny. We know from biblical history that there were times when the nation became arrogant and proud. But God is reminding them that their very existence is due to His faithfulness.

It is good for us to remember the same thing. Our very life depends on the faithfulness of God and the grace of God. The only reason we have made it to the point we are today is because of the goodness and the grace of God.

II. God is the one that will carry them and deliver them in the future. (v. 4)

“Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.”

The Lord seems to be saying to the people of Judah, because of my faithfulness in the past, you can count on Me for the future. “I will continue to carry you right up to old age and gray hairs. I will bear you, I will carry you and I will deliver you.”

“I am He” – a very similar reference to the name God gave to Moses back in Exodus. “I am who I am.”

Cf. v. 9 – I am God… I am God… (El, and Elohim)

(Keil and Delitzsch) An earnest and thoughtful study of history would show them that Jehovah alone was El, the absolutely Mighty One, and ʾElōhīm, the Being who united in Himself all divine majesty by which reverence was evoked. (Commentary on the Old Testament – Volume 7: Isaiah.)

Dear friends, God is not only the One who got us to this point, but He is the One that is going to get us to our destination. He will bear us through the trials and carry us when we have no strength of our own. He will deliver us from every enemy.

III. God stands alone as unique in comparison to the false gods of the heathen. (v. 5)

"To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal And compare Me, that we should be alike?”

A. False gods are made by man and carried by man.

v. 6 describes the process of giving gold and silver to the silversmith in order to mold or fashion an idol – A truly man-made god.

v.1 describes the gods of the Babylonians being carried by man and beast and weighing them down.

v. 7 describes the man-made gods being carried and carefully placed in position from which it never moves; can’t hear when people cry out to it and can’t save or deliver.

In modern American culture, people are not molding gold and silver idols so much, but they certainly are creating a host of other gods for their own pleasure and their own temporary comfort. There are plenty of other material or man-made things that people are relying on and trusting in for security and safety and deliverance.

“Some trust in chariots; we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalms) Made into a praise chorus by Steve Green (I believe.)

B. The true God made man and carries him.

See verses 3 & 4 again.

C. Other attributes of the true God.

v. 9 – He stands alone in all His attributes. There is no other god among the heathen nations than can even compare to Him.

v. 10 – He knows the end from the beginning and does what pleases Himself (matches His own nature).

v. 11 – He superintends the affairs of nations

v. 12-13 – Even when He must bring righteous judgment against His own people because of their rebellion and sin, He plans and carries out redemption and salvation for those who will trust in Him.

Conclusion:

It doesn’t matter if you’re a grandparent, a senior saint, or a “young whipper-snapper,” God will be all you need in every stage of life.

Follow closely in faith and obedience and you will discover that “The Way of the Cross Leads Home” – p. 697

Bringing Children to Jesus

(To download an mp3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon that was used in a service for conducting a baby dedication.

Written Excerpts...

Bringing Children to Jesus

Luke 18:15 (NKJV) Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

Introduction:

Today we have had the privilege of dedicating two small children to the Lord; asking for God’s blessing and direction upon their lives and upon their parents. These two babies are so little and innocent today, but time will pass rapidly and it won’t be long before these parents may very well be feeling the same way as some other parents I read about.

On the first day of school, a first grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, "The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents." http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/humor/031703.shtml

I also read a cute list describing the kinds of things children learn. I think you will agree after hearing this list and recognizing its accuracy, that children are quick to learn from life’s experiences.

Truths Children Learn

1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.

2) When your mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair.

3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.

4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.

5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.

6) Reading what people write on desks can teach you a lot.

7) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.

8) Puppies still have bad breath even after eating a tic tac.

9) Never hold a Dustbuster and a cat at the same time.

10) School lunches stick to the wall.

11) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.

12) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.

13) The best place to be when you are sad is in Grandma's lap.

http://jokes.christiansunite.com/Kids/Truths_Children_Learn.shtml

Well, the reason we promote and celebrate the dedication of children is because we believe in the importance of making commitments to God in various areas of life. We believe it is essential for moms and dads to realize the sober responsibility they have in bringing their children up in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

Not too long ago I had the opportunity to counsel a couple with a small child. I figured that I may never again get the opportunity to tell the father like it is, so I “laid it on the line.” I informed him how important it was for him to bring his child up to know God. I mentioned the solemn fact that most children have a concept of God that mirrors their earthly father. I also urged him to remember that he had a large influence regarding the eternal destiny of his child. I fear that my counsel fell on deaf ears.

So, for just a short time this morning, I would like to take a look at a Scripture passage to further examine this matter of bringing our children to Jesus, as a follow-up to the sacred ceremony that we conducted just a few minutes ago.

The passage of Scripture we are looking at briefly this morning is found in Luke 18:15. There are similar accounts recorded in Matthew 19 and Mark 10. In all of these references it tells us that the people “brought their little children to Jesus so that he might lay his hands on them.”

For the next few moments I want to consider two questions that I think naturally arise from this account. 1. Why do we bring our children to Jesus? 2. How do we bring our children to Jesus?

The first question we are going to consider is:

1. Why do we bring our children to Jesus?

Several authors I consulted on these passages of Scripture seem to agree that it was a common practice among the Jews for parents, and especially mothers, to bring their small children to the popular Rabbis and seek to have them pronounce blessings on their children.

It was a common custom among the Jews to lay their hands on the heads of those whom they blessed, or for whom they prayed. This seems to have been done by way of dedication or consecration to God—the person being considered as the sacred property of God ever after. (Adam Clarke's Commentary)

In Matt. 19, it says that they asked Jesus to touch them and pray.

Here in Mark’s gospel, it states that Jesus took them up in his arms and blessed them.

This seems to carry on the tradition mentioned in the OT. For example, Genesis 48:14-15 (NKJV) ¹⁴  Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, and said….

Isaiah 44:3 (NKJV) ³  For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring…

We also bring our children to Jesus because we desire the Lord’s blessing upon the lives of our children.

For us today, there is an additional reason why we bring our children to Jesus.

Since we have the benefit of having God’s written revelation, we understand from Scripture that children are naturally prone to grow away from God as they get older. In order to prevent this we must “bring them to Jesus” as often as we can. Everyone one of us, the Bible teaches, are born with a sin nature that causes us to be naturally inclined to selfish desires and even resistance toward God. Therefore we all need to be “brought to Jesus” and the sooner, the better.

Some people do not like to think about this and may not even believe it, but we all need to be brought to Jesus. The implications in the Scriptures are: If we are just left to ourselves, we naturally choose to go against God’s will and design and we always seek our own selfish agenda. So parents, we all need to bring our children to Jesus.

2. How do we bring our children to Jesus?

In this Bible story, when Jesus walked this earth in a physical body, it was pretty simple. They just took their babies and their children and went to a place where they could meet Jesus.

Today, we must understand this concept in spiritual terms.

A. We bring our children to the Lord by deliberate, meaningful ceremonies such as this one we have done today.

B. We bring our children to the Lord by means of fervent, intercessory prayer.

C. We bring our children to the Lord by getting them into all kinds of spiritual influences such as: Worship; Christian Ed (Sunday School); daily teaching “line upon line; precept upon precept.”

D. We bring our children to the Lord by living a consistent testimony before them.

I’ve read various articles and comments by authors who have tried to define the reasons why children tend to turn away from the Lord as they get older. I’m sure that there are a number of factors, but I’m fairly confident that one of the main factors involves parents who “preach” one thing to their kids, but they live exactly opposite to what they say.

I hope that each of us will have a renewed commitment to bring our children to Jesus.

Can I Really Count on Jesus?

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

This is a message that is based on several different passages of Scripture that include statements by the Apostle Paul describing how the Lord stood by him and provided what he needed in times of crisis and difficulty.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

As I was thinking and praying about what message to bring today, I began thinking about all the students going back to school and to college. I thought about all the pressures of reading & research, taking exams, writing papers, extra curricular activities, etc., etc. In conjunction with these thoughts, I thought about all the times that we can feel totally overwhelmed with life and all the responsibilities we all have even after we’re out of school. As these things were going through my mind, this question came to my mind, “Can I really count on Jesus?” As you can see, that is the question I have used for the title of the message.

The verses that we read earlier in the service (Acts 18:9-10; 23:10-11; 27:20-25; and 2 Tim. 4:6-8, 16-18) were passages that all pertained to the life of the Apostle Paul in various kinds of circumstances that he was facing in his life.

I am very much aware that the kinds of trials described in these verses in Acts and 2 Timothy, are certainly much more serious and life threatening than the pressures of school life or the pressures that we often face in day-to-day activities. However, I believe that we can use these references from Paul’s life to take comfort and make application to the situations that we may be facing in our lives today or will face in the future.

I want to take some of these statements of Paul’s and simply apply them to our lives to seek some encouragement from the word of God.

I. Paul found Jesus to be reliable in the course of his daily work.

Acts 18 – Engaged in missionary efforts to spread the gospel. This context describes his physical labors to provide daily needs (tent-making). He has met up with opposition from the Jews. He may be wondering what lies ahead and whether there is going to be any profit from his labors in this area. The Lord assures him, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” (9b-10)

Paul learns that he can count on Jesus during the uncertainties of work and ministry.

II. Paul found Jesus to be reliable when defending himself against enemies.

Acts 23 – Paul had recently returned to Jerusalem from his third missionary trip to evangelize and teach the new converts. After arriving back in Jerusalem, some of the Jews stirred up a riot and accused Paul of teaching against the law of Moses. Paul had spoken to the crowd in his own defense until they began another uproar.

The civil / military rulers took him into custody and then brought him before the Jewish leaders the next day to defend his beliefs and his actions. In this meeting, Paul took advantage of the differences that existed among his listeners with regard to the resurrection (Pharisees / Sadducees). So he boldly proclaims that he is merely preaching and teaching about the resurrection of one named Jesus.

Again, there arose another uproar among those two factions to the point that the Scripture says the commander feared Paul would be pulled to pieces, so he is taken back into custody. It was during this confinement that we find the words, “…the following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.’”

The Lord assures him that He isn’t finished with Paul yet, and he will not only survive this ordeal, but he will get the opportunity to spread the message to even more important audiences.

Sometimes we may find ourselves in situations where we seemed to be overwhelmed with opposition from our enemies or enemies of Christ. But just as the Lord “stood by Paul” in those trying situations, He will also stand by us and give us the reassurance that He will not only bring us through but will give us even greater opportunities than we ever dreamed was possible.

III. Paul found Jesus to be reliable when faced with life-threatening dangers.

Acts 27 – Paul is a prisoner now and is on a ship bound for Rome to appear before Ceasar.

Severe storm at sea has threatened their very lives. (Read verses 20-25).

I can’t imagine how comforting and reassuring it must have been to experience the angel of the Lord standing by me in a time when it seems like there is no hope of survival. It appears that all possible hope for living through this storm has vanished, but in the midst of this fearful circumstance, the angel of the Lord appears and “stands by Paul.” What a comfort and what a feeling of peace must of overtaken his fears.

Most of us here today know what it is like to be swamped with storms of life. Some of the storms may have even been life-threatening. Jesus did not abandon Paul in these dire conditions, and He will not abandon you.

IV. Paul found Jesus to be reliable when reminiscing about his life and facing the end of his life.

2 Tim. 4 – Paul is nearing the end of his life. He testifies regarding his own work and faithfulness to the Lord, as well as his faith in God’s blessing and rewards awaiting him. He seems to be reminiscing about earlier trials (“my first defense”) and recalling the fact that everyone abandoned him. (v.16)

It is not real clear which “defense” he is speaking about. Perhaps when he first arrived in Rome. Or, some scholars think that there may have been another trial and imprisonment that occurred even between the first one and the present one from which he is writing to Timothy. In any case, he recalls that the “Lord stood with me and strengthened me.”

Then, in verse 18, he continues, “…the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!”

He is remembering that Jesus had delivered him from every evil in the past and had stood by him through it all. So, he confidently believes that Jesus will deliver him now and get him safely to the heavenly kingdom.

Paul doesn’t expect to be delivered from prison or execution, but he does expect to be delivered from the evil world and safely arrive in the heavenly world.

Conclusion:

We have heard the testimony of a great Apostle and servant of Jesus speaking in all kinds of situations and circumstances. He has repeatedly affirmed that the Lord Jesus Christ has stood by him and faithfully delivered him.

He has affirmed that he could truly count on Jesus every day and in every circumstance.

My friends, I want to assure you today that you can count on Jesus too.

You may need Him in the pressures of school or work, or you may need Him in the suffering and pain of disease or illness, or you may need Him in any number of other situations. He will be with you every moment of every day, whether you can feel it or not.

Let us close the service by singing the song, “Moment by Moment” song on page 545.

Exam Time

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

This is a sermon that was used for a communion service and is based on the text found in 1 Cor. 11:28.

Introduction:

Some of you are still in school and know what it is like to hear the words, “Take out a piece of paper and put your name at the top; we’re going to have a quiz.” Or, you know the anxiety associated with mid-term exams or semester exams or even final exams at the end of a course. To many others here, these descriptions are just memories from years gone by.

Exam time is not usually a favorite time for most people.

I found this humorous “parable” written somewhat like King James English about taking a semester exam.

And it came to pass,
Early in the morning toward the last day of the semester
There arose a great multitude smiting the books and wailing,
And there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth
For the day of judgment was at hand.
And they were sore afraid for they had left undone
Those things which they ought to have done.
And they had done those things which they ought not to have done
And there was no help for it.
And there were many abiding in the dorm
Who had kept watch over their books by night,
But it availed them naught.
But there were some who rose peacefully,
For they had prepared themselves the way
And made straight paths of knowledge.
And these were known as wise burners of the midnight oil.
And to others they were known as "curve-raisers."
And the multitude arose and ate a hearty breakfast.
And they came unto the appointed place
And their hearts were heavy within them.
And they had come to pass, but some to pass out.
And some of them repented of their riotous living
And bemoaned their fate.
But they had not a prayer.
And at the last hour there came among them
One known as the instructor;
And they feared exceedingly.
He passed papers among them and went his way.
And many and varied were the answers that were given,
For some of his teachings had fallen among fertile minds,
While other had fallen flat.
And some they were who wrote for one hour,
Others for two;
But some turned away sorrowfully, and many of these
Offered up a little [baloney] in hope of pacifying the instructor.

(Source Unknown.) 

Our Scripture text, found in 1 Corinthians 11, is talking about a specific kind of exam – a self-exam. The Apostle Paul urges his readers to examine themselves to see whether they are misusing the Lord’s Supper by eating and drinking in an unworthy manner.

I want to take just a few moments to look at these words of the Apostle and see what lessons there are for us to learn.

“Examine” – (Thayer) 1. “to test, examine, prove, scrutinize” (to see whether a thing be genuine or not), as metals: other things: and men…. 2. “to recognize as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy…

So, the Apostle is telling these Christians that they need to test themselves, scrutinize themselves, or prove themselves to make sure that they are not eating and drinking the emblems of the Lord’s Supper unworthily.

“Unworthily” – this word does not pertain to the idea of making sure that we are worthy enough to eat and drink or deserve to partake. It is not talking about making sure that we are good enough or perfect enough to join in the communion ceremony.

What does it mean?

Many of the recent translations of the Bible use this reading, “…in an unworthy manner.” So, what does that mean? I referenced several different scholars to get opinions and thoughts about this question. There were two or three basic answers offered to this question.

To eat and drink unworthily means:

1. To behave in such a way during the actual ritual so as to bring disgrace to the Lord, and shame to the body of Christ.

This is based on the context leading up to this verse where the Apostle has just condemned their behavior when they gather to eat the Lord’s Supper. (Which in those days usually included an actual common or shared meal. One writer stated that this practice was discontinued around 150 AD.) This behavior would demonstrate a lack of properly “discerning” the Lord’s body (either his physical suffering; or His body-the church, where there was supposed to be unity.)

2. To participate in the ritual and partake of the emblems while knowingly engaging in disunity with fellow Christian believers.

This point seems to be based on the larger context of the parts in the letter where the Apostle was reprimanding them for their factions and conflicts. See chapter 10:17.

3. The writer, Matthew Henry, adds the component of “keeping up one’s covenant with sin and death at the same time that they are professedly renewing their covenant with God.”

He is not talking about living a perfect life that is good enough to deserve the ritual. He’s talking about not coming to the Lord’s table to renew our covenant of faith while having no intention of separating myself from the sinful conduct that implies a covenant with the devil. You cannot be living this double life without dishonoring the sacrifice of Christ.

Conclusion:

The purpose of self-examination is not to pile on the feelings of guilt or to cause you to give up in despair and discouragement. The purpose is to help each of us to be diligent Christians. If you discover deficiencies in your behavior and motives, give thanks to the Lord for the faithfulness of His Spirit and go to prayer. Jesus is always waiting to forgive and to provide His grace and strength to live pleasing to Him.

Before we share the elements of the Lord’s Supper, let us sing two verses of the hymn named in your bulletin, What a Wonderful Savior (vv. 1 & 2)  p. 345

Our Salvation Is Nearer

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

This is a message based on the text of Scripture found in Romans 13:11, "...for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

It might actually be appropriate to introduce this message with another passage of Scripture found in 2 Peter. 2 Peter 3:3-4 (NKJV) ³  knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, ⁴  and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."

Peter reminds his readers that there will always be people who are skeptical about the coming of the Lord because they have heard about it so many times and nothing has happened yet, so it must not be true or real. I’m sure that I am talking to people here today that have grown so accustomed to hearing about the coming of the Lord that it really doesn’t register in your mind any more like it used to.

I read the verses in Romans 13 for my daily devotional reading one day this week, and I felt impressed by the Spirit at the reading of these familiar words, “our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.” I couldn’t seem to get the words out of my mind, and finally concluded that the Lord was leading me to speak on the passage today.

I confess to you today that there are a number of questions about the coming of Christ that I cannot answer. However, there is one answer that I do have and I am absolutely certain it is correct… Our final salvation is definitely nearer than when we first believed.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING (Illustrations Unlimited.)The pastor was speaking about heaven, about eternal bliss and the joys that are awaiting each person on "the other side." He paused for effect and asked, "How many of you here want to go to heaven?" All hands were raised except for an eight-year-old boy sitting in the front pew. The minister asked, "Don't you want to go to heaven, too, Son?"

The boy replied, "Yes, but I thought you were making up a load to go right now."

Well, none of knows which load we will be on. Life is uncertain, death may come for us at any time, or Jesus may return. The most important matter of all is for every one of us to be ready at all times.

The passage of Scripture that we are concerned with today is included in a section of this letter by the Apostle Paul in which he urges the readers to live out the salvation that he has been explaining in the previous chapters. Earlier in this same chapter he speaks about the Christian’s duty to respect and respond appropriately to the civil authorities. Now, it appears that he is giving some general admonitions to believers regarding their conduct.

It seems to me that there are two main thoughts expressed in verses 11-14. Paul is urging the Christians in Rome to…I. Recognize what time it is. And to…II. Live appropriately.

With God’s help this morning I want to take a look at this passage of Scripture in Romans 13, to see what truth God would have for us to take to heart this morning.

I. We must recognize what time it is.

A. The time in respect to conditions of the world.

“It is time to awaken.” (11b)

“The night is spent, and the day is at hand.” (12)

Cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10 (NKJV) ¹  But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. ²  For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. ³  For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. ⁴  But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. ⁵  You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. ⁶  Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ⁷  For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. ⁸  But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹  For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰  who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

Night and darkness represent evil and the wickedness that is present in the world. The day represents the reign of righteousness.

B. The time in respect to the coming of Christ.

“Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”

In using the word “salvation” here, the Apostle is not talking about confessing our sins and receiving forgiveness and redemption by faith. He is not referring to present salvation from sin and over the power of sin. He is using the word in the sense of complete and final salvation; the time when our redemption not only removes the moral corruption of sin and its power in our lives, but that aspect of redemption that finally and completely overcomes the curse of sin in our bodies and in our world.

 (Cf. The passage that was read for our Scripture Reading earlier in the service.)

Romans 8:18-23 (NRSV) ¹⁸  I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. ¹⁹  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; ²⁰  for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ²²  We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; ²³  and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

So, the Apostle is saying that the urgency of his message is due to the fact that the Day of our final Redemption is nearer than it was when we first believed. I don’t know when Jesus is coming back, but I do know this for certain – it is nearer than it was when I first got saved. His coming is definitely nearer than it was when Paul wrote this.

(Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World) The primitive church thought more about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ than about death or about heaven. The early Christians were looking not for a cleft in the ground called a grave but for a cleavage in the sky called Glory. They were not watching for the undertaker but for the upper-taker. Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910)

His coming is nearer than it was yesterday!

II. We must live appropriately because of the shortness of time.

The admonitions that the Apostle Paul gives regarding our manner of living is both positive and negative.

A. Positive admonition

1. Love your neighbor. (8)

If there ever was a time when we need to practice love toward one another it is today. Love is not just some warm, fuzzy, emotional feeling. It has specific qualities, e.g. Commandments 6-10 (see vv. 8-10). This is no time to be embroiled in strife, bitterness, grudges, anger and hatred. Jesus is coming! We need to get rid of such attitudes.

2. Put on Christ (v. 14)

Lit. “clothe yourself”

Live our lives like Jesus in all His love and compassion and purity.

B. Negative admonition

1. Don’t live like the world; the deeds of darkness (v. 13)

Romans 13:13 (NLT) ¹³  Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy.

One of the things that troubles me, dear friends, is the fact that it is getting harder and harder these days to distinguish between “saints” and “sinners” because of the way so-called Christians are living. God is clearly telling us Christians, here in verse 13, that our conduct must be clearly different from the conduct of the darkness around us.

2. Don’t make provision (plans, thinking and scheming) to satisfy the desires of the flesh. (v. 14)

This is the way I understand Paul’s emphasis here: How much different would our churches, homes and society be today if every person that names the name of Christ would spend as much energy planning and “scheming” to model the life of Christ as we do planning and thinking about satisfying our fleshly desires?

Conclusion:

Our final salvation, our completed redemption is getting nearer and nearer. I don’t know when Jesus is coming back, but His coming is closer than it was yesterday! I don’t know how much more time I have to live in this world, but I’m one day closer to my death than I was yesterday. I want to be ready.

(Corrie ten Boom, 1892-1983) “We are not a post-war generation; but a pre-peace generation. Jesus is coming.” (Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World)

I have chosen a song about going to heaven as our closing song today, because this message is all about getting ready for another world. It is all about being ready when Jesus comes, or when He calls us home. (My Savior First of All, p. 768)

Faith Cometh By Hearing

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

This is a sermon based on the text found in Romans 10:14-17. It emphasizes the importance of hearing the Word of God in order to increase our faith. Specific examples are shared with the speaker's recent experiences relating to the death of his father.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Faith is a major theme throughout the entire Bible.

A few years ago I preached a short series of messages on Hebrews 11 which highlights many individuals from the OT because of their faith and what it did for them.

Jude 3 uses the phrase, “the faith” to refer to the content of Christian belief.

Acts 16:31 “Believe (put faith in) on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house.” This refers to what we often call “saving faith.”

Romans 4 & 5 speak about “justifying faith” which is another way of describing “saving faith.”

Gal. 2:20 includes this phrase, “the life I now live I live by faith in the Son of God…” This refers to the constant walk of faith that is required to maintain a vibrant and up-to-date relationship with God.

The same point seems to be emphasized in the phrase, “the just shall live by faith,” which appears in three different places in the NT (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11 & Heb. 10:38).

Proposition:

If faith is necessary in order to please God (Heb 11:6), to obtain salvation (Acts 16:31), and to live our everyday lives, and if faith comes by hearing the Word of God; then it is imperative for every Christian to hear the Word of God regularly and faithfully.

Transition:

Today I want to take a little while to speak about the importance of hearing the Word and make some applications to our individual lives.

I. Hearing is believing

No doubt we all have heard the phrase, “Seeing is believing.” Well, there is also some truth to the fact that “hearing is believing.”

Stanford Univ. – Hearing something 7 times forms an opinion, and need to hear it 7 more times to internalize it. You need to hear something at least 11 times to completely change a prior false conception.

Unknown source – The average American spends 65% of their time listening. (Someone once said that the reason God gave us two ears and one tongue is so we would do more listening than speaking!)

Rom. 10:14 …how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?...

Hearing the Word of God and planting that Word in our minds is absolutely essential for faith to grow in the heart of an individual. In the message of this verse there is an unstated, but implied process of reasoning that must take place for someone to hear the proclamation of truth and then embrace that truth and accept it. But, in order for truth to be embraced and accepted, it must be heard first.

Which brings me to my next point…

II. Hearing implies purpose and planning

I am sure that there are numerous times when I have accidentally heard something that I wasn’t purposely planning to hear. I am also sure that some of those times resulted in me learning and embracing some new truth or belief that I hadn’t held before. However, I am convinced that most of the time there must be deliberate planning in order to hear the Word of God and receive the truths that it teaches.

The Scriptures make repeated references to the idea of “hearing the Word of the Lord.” There are at least 67 times in which the sense of hearing is connected or tied with the Word of God in the same verse. For example, “Hear the Word of the Lord;” “hear the word;” “hear the word of God.”

The OT prophets especially repeated this phrase to emphasize the importance of the people and leaders of Israel listening to what God had to say to them. They were not speaking their own ideas or words, but they were speaking for God. As believers, we need to remember the importance of hearing God’s word in order to increase our faith and nurture our faith.

It alarms me to realize the number of people who claim to be people of faith and people who believe in Jesus Christ, but they do not take seriously the importance of regularly hearing the word of God proclaimed and explained. Many of those same people will lament their lack of faith in comparison to others they might know.

Many, many years ago a Gallup Poll revealed that 60% of Americans attend church at least once a month. Only 12% read their Bibles.

It is as simple as this: If you want your faith to grow and increase, you must regularly and purposely get yourself in a place where you can hear the word of God, because “faith comes by hearing.”

III. Hearing produces results
 
2 Chron. 34 – we read about the reforms in the nation of Israel under the leadership of King Josiah. He had the scrolls (God’s word) that had been found in the temple read aloud to the people, which resulted in a number of public changes to conform to God’s Word.

In one of our text verses, Rom 10:14, we read, “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It goes on to connect the ability to call on God with having heard the Word of God. So, one of the results of hearing the Word is salvation.

In another one of our text verses it reads, “Faith cometh by hearing…” So, increased ability to believe God’s Word and God’s promises comes by hearing the Word.

The more we hear the word, the more we will have the ability to believe.

Conclusion

I want to conclude today by sharing some recent experiences relating to the death of my father.

Share details of spiritual attacks I felt prior to his death. Share details of Dad’s spiritual attacks.

Verses that the Lord gave to me for my own confidence and to share with dad.

2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-8 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ⁶ Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: ⁷ (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) ⁸ We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

If I hadn’t had heard and hidden the word of God in my own heart I would not have had the “ammunition” needed to fight off the devil when he attacked.

Song I heard played on the radio as I started the drive home after my dad passed away. This Is How It Feels to Be Free!