Time for an Evaluation

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

This is a sermon that was given on January 3, 2016 at Wayside Community Church. It is a New Year's sermon based on passages from Psalm 80:18-19.

Written Excerpts:

Psalm 80:18-19 (NKJV) Then we will not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name. ¹⁹ Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!

Introduction:

Well, here we are on the first Sunday of a new year. I suppose that most people are inclined to think soberly about the start of a new year as we anticipate what all the year may have in store for us.

I wanted to start off with some interesting quotes about life that have been made by various people in the past and present.

(Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World)

·     God has given to man a short time here upon earth, and yet upon this short time eternity depends. (Jeremy Taylor, 1613-1667)

·     Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. (Søren Kierkegaard, 1813-1855)

·     Life was a funny thing that happened to me on the way to the grave. (Quentin Crisp, 1908- )

·     Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen. (Mark Twain, 1835-1910)

·     Why wish for the privilege of living your past life again? You begin a new one every morning. (Robert Quillen, 1887-1948)

·     You can't do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth. (Evan Esar)

As we prepare to embark on another calendar year, I felt impressed to bring a message that hopefully will motivate each of us to evaluate our lives and make any adjustments that we believe God may be leading us to make.

Some of you here today may have had some experience working in retail stores at some time in your life. I had a brief stint while I was in high school, working in grocery store. One of the experiences that I remember is the time for taking inventory after the end of the year. I’m sure I have very little understanding of all that goes into the process of performing an inventory for a large store. I know Bill Giesler could shed some light on that subject. When it is time to take inventory, the current stock is counted, sales are evaluated and the bottom line of net profit is assessed as the owners and managers of the business try to make sure they are keeping their operation afloat.

As we embark on a new calendar year, I believe is it a good opportunity for each one of us to “take inventory” and do our own evaluation of our lives, especially from a spiritual or biblical perspective.

When a business fails to take inventory or engage in serious evaluation of goals, assets and operations, it may find itself faltering and possibly even dying because no one was alert to the prevailing trends and made the necessary adjustments to stay alive. The same can be said about our spiritual lives. If we just coast along in a “status quo” mode and fail to take seriously the need to evaluate our current condition, we may find that we have strayed far away from the practice of genuine biblical faith.

There are a number of subjects or areas in which a person should evaluate his / her life, but I want to focus on just a few of them today.

I.    The Brevity of Life

Psalm 39:4-6 (NKJV) ⁴ “LORD, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. ⁵ Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly very man at his best state is but vapor. Selah ⁶ Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them.

Psalm 103:15-16 (NKJV) As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. ¹⁶ For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more.

James 4:13-15 (NKJV) Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; ¹⁴ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."

These are just a few of the passages in the Bible that stress the fact that life at its longest is very brief and short. In comparison to eternity… well, there is no comparison. Whenever we pass from one year to the next it is a good time to remember that time is passing by and our life is one year closer to its end. It is a good time to evaluate how we are doing. Is our life making any difference in our world? Are we prepared to meet God and give an account of the life He has given us?

None of us knows how long we have to live. Each year I usually take a look back over the funeral records of the previous year and think about the fact that none of those who passed away were told at the beginning of the year, “This will be you last year on earth.”

What changes would you make if you knew this year was your last?

·     I will not just live my life. I will not just spend my life. I will invest my life. (Helen Keller)

II.  The Important Things in Life

For most people here today this probably will not be our last year. Does that mean there is no need for evaluation or inventory? No. Taking inventory also includes taking a hard look at the things that we place the most value on and give the highest priority to in our day-to-day lives.

There are several different areas in our lives that probably need to be reorganized into higher priorities, but the most important area is our spiritual priorities.

I want to read a passage that we studied a while ago in our series of messages on Romans.

Romans 13:11-14 (NKJV) And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. ¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

The Apostle Paul, who is the author of this passage, reminds his readers that any person who desires to follow Christ must always view time as quickly passing and to remember that there is a constant conflict between the desires of the flesh and our commitment to the Lord. He urges them and us to keep evaluating our priorities and make sure that we are putting spiritual pursuits ahead of material and fleshly desires.

A man by the name of C.T. Studd said, “Only one life ‘twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”

There are so many legitimate earthly pursuits that can rob us of time and energy, but we must evaluate the spiritual priorities of our lives and place the right focus on the things that will matter for eternity. When we come to the end of our lives, it won’t matter how big our bank account is, or any of the normal things we often use to measure success. All of that will be left behind and, as CT Studd said, “…only what’s done for Christ” is going to retain its value beyond this life.

Speaking of spiritual priorities, listen to this passage from Isaiah.

Isaiah 57:15 (NKJV) For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

The Lord is reminding us in this passage that He is higher and more transcendent than we can comprehend, but in His position of sovereignty and majesty, He specializes in renewing and reviving the spirits and hearts of His people.

Every believer, every follower of Christ, every person who professes to know God needs to be revived in our spirit every once in a while. It is the natural tendency for us to get weary in our spiritual life. If we don’t purposely take steps to keep fresh and vital in our relationship with God, we will become dull, lifeless and careless. Many people have said this over the years, “The only thing you need to do to become lifeless and spiritually dead is nothing!” It requires effort and purpose to stay connected to the Lord.

Someone once said, “Anytime the going seems easy, you better check to see if you're going downhill.”

God’s Word informs us that it is not only important for us to periodically be revived, but it is God’s will and desire to perform that reviving in our hearts. At the beginning of a new year, when we are taking inventory and evaluating our needs and condition, it is a good time to seek the Lord for a spiritual revival. There is not a single person here today who doesn’t need a fresh filling of God’s Spirit in reviving our hearts. What can be said about each one of us individually, can also be said about this church collectively.

There are different factors that we could list to indicate our need of spiritual revival, but I want to mention just one that has been on my heart for several weeks now.

I think there is a clear indication we need revival when we can easily get over 100 people to come out for a Christmas dinner and musical entertainment like we had a month ago, but we can only get about 25-30 people to come to a dinner back in October where a some missionaries are talking about reaching the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This has been weighing on my heart, and I realize that as the spiritual leader and pastor of this church it is my responsibility to point us in the right direction.

This is just one example. The same can be said about prayer meetings, personal devotional time with the Lord, sharing the love of Jesus with the lost around us. I know I need the Holy Spirit to revive me and energize me to be a better follower of Christ this year. I trust that you feel the same way.

I hope that all of us will not just think about it and wish for better days, but that we will purposely take the steps necessary for God to work in our lives. The very first step we need to take in order for that to happen is to humble ourselves and acknowledge our need.

Looking back at the verse in Isaiah again we read that God not only dwells in the “high and holy place” but He also dwells with “him who has a contrite and humble spirit.”

Let’s close the service by singing the song that is listed in our bulletin:

In Times Like These, # 577

Let us use this as a reminder that we need more of God than ever before in order to be what He wants us to be in 2016.

Veiled in Flesh

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

This is a sermon that was given on Dec. 27, 2015 at Wayside Community Church. It is based on John 1:1, 14.

Written Exerpts:

1 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

Introduction:

For the message today I wanted to share a message on the theme of Christmas. Even though we have been emphasizing the Christmas message for a few weeks, I felt it was too soon to move on to another subject.

Perhaps you would enjoy some Christmas humor before we go on…

·     If biblical headlines were written by today’s biased and politically correct media…  On the birth of Christ: HOTELS FULL, ANIMALS LEFT HOMELESS Animal Rights Activists Enraged by Insensitive Couple

·     For Christmas this year, in lieu of gifts, I decided to give everyone my opinion.

·     You do know what would have happened if there had been three wise WOMEN instead of men, don't you? They would have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought disposable diapers as gifts!

There is a phrase in one of the Christmas carols that caught my attention, and I want to use it to introduce my subject today. The phrase comes from the carol, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” and it goes like this: “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see…”

For a little while this morning, I want to explore the biblical truth that God was manifested in the flesh.

I.    Reminder of Progressive Revelation

To begin this message, I want to remind us of a concept called “progressive revelation.” This is a term used to express the view that truths found in the Bible are progressively revealed in greater detail over an extensive period of time as more and more biblical authors speak on the subject.

For example, if someone only read part, or even all of the OT, they might not gain much of an understanding about eternal life or life after death. Much more is revealed in the NT and it all needs to be considered as a whole in order to end up with a truly biblical understanding.

The same can be said about the coming of the Messiah. There are many texts that we look at today, especially in the OT, and we recognize that they “clearly” teach that God has come in the flesh. However, probably most Bible scholars would agree that when the individual biblical authors penned the words they wrote, they didn’t have a full or complete understanding of the meaning.

OT prophets gave us the initial predictions of the incarnation, but NT authors gave further interpretations and explanations of those OT texts. Even after the NT was written, there were intense discussions for centuries over the exact meaning of the incarnation.

I just want us to understand that some of the texts of the Bible that we may think are so straight-forward and relatively easy to interpret, seem that way because we have the whole Bible, as well as the valuable insights of knowledgeable and godly people who’ve come before us.

Having said that, I do want to look at a few texts of Scripture today to support the important truth that God was revealed in the flesh so we could be redeemed.

II.  He was God.

First of all we’re going to look at some of the Scripture references that show the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, was actually divine (God nature). To use the words of the ancient church fathers who developed the creeds, He was “very God of very God.”

As I mentioned earlier, I’m not completely convinced that the prophets or authors of these passages fully understood the implications of what they were saying/writing, but God inspired their words so people could study them and find out the truth even up till now these many years later.

Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV) Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV) For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

These prophecies emphasize that a human child will be “God with us” and “Mighty God, Eternal Father.”

John 1:1, 14 (NKJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Colossians 1:15-17 (NKJV) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

Both of these texts (John 1 and Col. 1) emphasize the deity of Christ (Jesus, Word) by virtue of the fact that He is credited with the work of creation, and Gen. 1 clearly tells us that God is the creator.

Philippians 2:5-6 (NKJV) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

What does it mean “in the form of God?”

(The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.) “Form" is a term which expresses the sum of those characterizing qualities which make a thing the precise thing that it is.  Thus, the "form" of a sword (in this case mostly matters of external configuration) is all that makes a given piece of metal specifically a sword, rather than, say, a spade.  And "the form of God" is the sum of the characteristics which make the being we call "God," specifically God, rather than some other being—an angel, say, or a man.

(Miley's Systematic Theology, Vol. 2) Only the possession of divine perfection could be the ground of a rightful claim to such an equality with God. Thus these two facts come into harmony, and each interprets the other.

III.   He was in the flesh (human).

Philippians 2:7 (NKJV) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

(The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.) The term "form" here, of course, bears the same full meaning as in the preceding instance of its occurrence in the phrase "the form of God." It imparts the specific quality, the whole body of characteristics, by which a servant is made what we know as a servant, our Lord … became an actual "servant" in the world.…  What is meant is that our Lord took up into His personality a human nature; and therefore it is immediately explained that He took the form of a servant by "being made in the likeness of men."  

He didn’t come into our world in the likeness of some animal. He didn’t come in the likeness of an angel. He came in the likeness of a man; a human being; assuming all the qualities and attributes of humanity.

1 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

IV. He Came on a Mission

Why did the Son of God become a man? Well, the answer can be quite lengthy and detailed, but the short answer is: “to provide redemption for the human race.” He came to reinstate the relationship between God and humanity that had been broken due to disobedience and sin.

God’s Son became a man because He was on a mission in the sense that He knew why He was coming before He took upon Himself human flesh.

I want to read a quote to you that I shared several years ago, but it’s worth sharing again. The quote comes from one of the Early Church Fathers, Athanasius.

God has made man and willed that he abide in incorruption; but man despised, rejected the contemplation of God and received the condemnation of death which had been threatened. Transgression of the commandment had turned them back to abide in death and corruption. Since death gained upon man the race was perishing and God’s handiwork was in a process of dissolution, because death had gained a legal hold over us. It was now impossible to evade the law since it was laid down by God and the result was both monstrous and unseemly.

It was monstrous that God should prove false and man should not die after God said he would. It was unseemly that the creatures once made in the image and likeness of God should waste away and be left to neglect and ruin.

Here’s another insight given by Athanasius regarding the need for the God-man to die for humanity and reverse the sentence of death and the process of corruption.

The Word, perceiving that not otherwise could the corruption of men be undone but by death as a necessary condition, while it was impossible for the Word to suffer death, being immortal, and Son of the Father; to this end he takes to himself a body capable of death, that it, by partaking of the Word who is above all, might be worthy to die in the stead of all, might, because the Word which was come to dwell in it, remain incorruptible, and that thenceforth corruption might be stayed from all by the grace of the resurrection.

In other words, Athanasius is saying that the Son couldn’t die because he is eternally divine and therefore immortal. Neither could a mortal human be worthy to die because of being under the curse of the corruption that was eating away at humanity.

Therefore, the fusion of human and divine was necessary in order to make the redemption plan effective.

Oh the love that drew salvation’s plan

Oh the grace that brought it down to man
Oh the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary!

Conclusion:

Coming back to our title, some may ask, “Why does the Christmas carol, ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,’ include the words, ‘Veiled in flesh the Godhead see?’”

Well, I can’t speak for the author with certainty, but it seems to me that he is merely emphasizing the point that the eternal Word of God willingly restrained certain privileges or prerogatives of deity in order to fully identify with our humanity. Now, notice that I didn’t say He surrendered aspects of His deity. I specifically said He restrained certain privileges that He could have employed as God. For example, Jesus laid aside the prerogatives that accompany omnipotence (unlimited power) in order to experience human weariness. He is still God in His divine nature and He can exercise omnipotence any time He chooses, but as a man He willingly chooses to experience weariness and weakness. In that sense the full realization of His deity is hidden or veiled from our view as we see Him experience human weaknesses just like us.

In the OT account of the people of Israel at Sinai, God warns them to stay back from the mountain lest they die from getting “too close” / “too familiar” to the divine majesty. He tells Moses that He will only reveal His “back” because Moses would not be able to live through the experience of seeing God’s “face” or His full glory / majesty.

In the NT gospel record, we read about a mountain experience that Peter, James and John had with Jesus when He was “transfigured” in their sight and they caught a glimpse of His glory. It apparently was quite a glorious experience for them. It was something quite different than the normal view of Jesus. Somehow I think that this partially explains what it means to say, “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate deity.”

Through the revelation of Scripture we have been given a vivid description and picture of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ the Messiah.

We haven’t had a full revelation of His glory, but one day we will see Him face-to-face, and we will behold His majesty and glory as we worship Him and praise Him for the redemption He provided for fallen humanity!

The Believer's Sacrifice

Note: Audio recording of this sermon is not available.

The Believer’s Sacrifice

Hebrews 13:15-16 (NKJV) Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Introduction:

Every year I have tried to use this Sunday before Thanksgiving as a time to focus on giving thanks to God, and to include the communion celebration of thanks for the salvation provided by our Lord and Savior.

Today we again offer our thanks to God for His wonderful plan of redemption. I trust that the Lord will speak to us as we look into His Word for a little while and then share the emblems of His suffering in our communion service.

There’s a little story about a young boy that attended a birthday party for his friend, Johnny Smith. When he returned home, his mother did what all moms do, she asked him if he remembered to thank Mrs. Smith for the fun and the food. Her son replied, “Well, I was going to thank her, but when the girl ahead of me thanked her, Mrs. Smith said, “Don’t mention it.” So I didn’t.

Far too many of us easily forget to express our thanks for little blessings; especially for those we receive from God.

The Scripture lesson we want to consider for a little while this morning is about the importance of expressing our thanks to God, so let us turn our attention now to the passage that was read earlier in the service – Heb. 13.

Remember that the book of Hebrews was written for:

(Wuest's Word Studies) … professing Jews … who outwardly had left the temple sacrifices, and had identified themselves with those … people who were gathering around an unseen Messiah, the High Priest of the New Testament system who had at the Cross fulfilled the [Old] Testament system of typical sacrifices. These … Jews were under the stress of persecution, and in danger of renouncing their profession and returning to the [obsolete] sacrifices of the Levitical system (10:32-34).

The author of Hebrews, which many scholars think was the Apostle Paul, gives a number of arguments throughout the letter as to why the new High Priest is so much better than the former ones. He gives numerous examples how the New Testament (covenant) is far superior to the Old Covenant. In the immediate context of these verses the author has re-emphasized some of the distinctions between the old covenant and the new one. He has reminded them that they have spiritual and invisible benefits that the worshipers in the old covenant did not enjoy.

After making a brief comparison between the former sacrifice of atonement and Jesus experience of suffering outside the gate, he urges his readers to go “outside the camp” in order to identify with Christ, and follow Him, even to the point of sharing in His suffering. Some scholars believe that his use of the phrase, “going outside the camp” is a direct challenge for them to leave the camp of Judaism and put their faith in Christ alone.

Now, let’s take a look at verses 15-16, which is the focus of our discussion today.

After explaining all the reasons and benefits for leaving the old ways, the writer reminds them that there are still sacrifices they need to continue offering, but they are very different from the sacrifices they previously offered. We want to discuss the reason for their sacrifices, the duration of their sacrifices, and the substance of their sacrifices as described in vv. 15-16.

I.    The Reason for Their Sacrifices

“therefore” – makes a connection to the thoughts he just expressed.

Since Jesus has made the sacrifice of Himself once and for all;

Since they have been admonished to leave the “camp” of the old system and the old covenant;

And since we are seeking a “city” or spiritual community that is yet coming;

Let us offer the sacrifice of praise.

In light of all that Christ has done and all that awaits each of us, the only logical response is a sincere sacrifice of praise from our hearts.

II.  The Duration of Their Sacrifices

“continually” – This word is actually part of the verb to offer and it can be literally translated: “let us keep on offering up.”

Christ’s sacrifice of His own blood was a once-for-all, one-time event but its effectiveness is forever, and He continually makes intercession for us. Therefore, we should respond by continually offering up our praises.

There can be no end of our sacrifices that He is so worthy to receive.

When God ceases to be God, then we can end our praises.

When redemption is no longer effective, then we can end our praises.

As long as God lives and as long as He demonstrates His grace to us, then He deserves our praise, honor and glory.

III. The Substance of Their Sacrifices

(Tyndale Commentaries) Having expounded in great detail the priestly office of Christ, the writer here employs the same imagery to describe the function of believers.

A. Praise

The main content of their sacrifice was to be their praise to God.

“fruit of our lips” – There is a sense in which we can live our everyday lives as a sacrifice of praise to God. But, the author specifically mentions that the kind of praise he is talking about is the kind that requires our voices, i.e. singing and speaking.

There have been a number of times that I have emphasized the need to offer our praises to God. At the risk of being repetitious, let me admonish each of us again to give God the glory.

(Wuest's Word Studies)  The Rabbis had a saying, "in the future time all sacrifices shall cease; but praises shall not cease."

There is a song in our hymnal:

“To God be the glory” Great things he has done
So loved he the world that He gave us his son
Who yielded his life an atonement for sin
And opened the life gate that all may go in
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord!
Let the earth hear his voice.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice.
Oh come, to the Father through Jesus the Son
And give him the glory, great things he has done!

B. Benevolence

The sacrifice of praise with our lips is necessary and important, but that isn’t our only obligation. Believers are also admonished to “sacrifice to God” by “doing good” and sharing with others.

(Wuest's Word Studies)  … the recipients are cautioned that their obligations as priests are not exhausted with praise. Good deeds must also be included. The Greek word translated "communicate,"(KJV) koinoneo, in this context means "to make one's self a sharer or partner" with someone else in his poverty or need. That is, the saints are exhorted to share what they have of earthly goods with their fellow-saints who, undergoing persecution, have been brought to a state of poverty…

This is the same Greek word translated “fellowship,” “communion,” etc.

James 1:27 (NKJV) Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Romans 12:13 (NKJV) distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Philippians 4:16-18 (NKJV) ¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. ¹⁷ Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. ¹⁸ Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.

The genuine expression of gratitude is generosity.

When we give generously for the needs of those who suffer, we give pleasing sacrifices to God.

Conclusion:

Today and throughout this Thanksgiving season, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God as well as demonstrations of generosity to those in need.

As we prepare to share the communion of our Lord, let’s sing the hymn that is in your bulletin: Wounded for Me

The Privileges of Adoption

The Privileges of Adoption

Romans 8:14-17 (NKJV) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Introduction:

Over a year ago I was doing a series of messages on the book of Romans and I preached a couple of sermons on the eighth chapter of Romans. In one of those sermons I spoke about our spiritual adoption into the family of God as a result of our salvation by the grace of God. Today I would like to revisit the subject from a slightly different perspective.

The concept of adoption is a tremendous subject to consider. A theologian by the name of J.I. Packer made a comment about adoption that I can’t exactly recall the way he wrote it, but he emphasized the point that if we truly could grasp the full meaning of being adopted by God, it would produce in us unspeakable joy and undying devotion.

When we think about adoption, we can understand that there are wonderful privileges offered to a son or daughter that were not available to them prior to the adoption.

When my parents were still living, there were various privileges that I had when I went home that were greater and better than what any other person experienced.

• Walk in anytime, lie down on couch, kick off shoes, etc.
• Go to the frig to get something to eat
• Kiss the cook!

It is the same way now with our own children when they come to visit us.

The same concept holds true when we are born again and are adopted by God as His child. There are many privileges available to the Christian that non-believers cannot enjoy or take advantage of. The Apostle Paul describes a few of those privileges here in Romans 8.

Before we talk specifically about the privileges Paul has mentioned, let’s remember that adoption is the experience of those who are living a life that is under control of the Spirit, rather than under the control of the flesh.

v. 14. “for” – conjunction, tying this statement in with the preceding information.

Let us study this well-known passage of Scripture together to discover three privileges offered to the sons and daughters of God. They are: A Constant Freedom; A Constant Witness; & A Constant Inheritance.

I.    A Constant Freedom (v. 15)

A. Negatively – not this… did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear

“spirit” – lit. breath, wind; mental disposition, attitude, vital principle

“bondage” – slavery, compulsory service

“fear” – alarm, fear, terror; same word from which we get the word “phobia.”

Paul has just been talking about living according to the flesh vs. living according to the Spirit. The bondage referred to here is the bondage and slavery to the impulses, desires and control of the fleshly appetites and drives, i.e. being controlled by them rather than having them under the control of the Spirit.

B. Positively – but this… but you received the Spirit of adoption

“Spirit” – same Greek word as previous use, but probably a reference to the Holy Spirit here.

“Adoption” – a compound word that includes the Greek word for “son” so it literally carries the idea of “sonship” or becoming a child of the one who is adopting.

1 Corinthians 2:12 (NKJV) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

Galatians 3:26 (NKJV) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:4-6 (NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"

The adopted child had all the rights and privileges of any natural born child. The result is that we cry “Abba Father!” (lit. father, father; or dear father. Not a distant, merely transcendent being, but a dear, loving, father in heaven. Compare the Lord’s Prayer.

One of the blessed privileges of being a child of God is the victory He gives over the bondage to the flesh and the joy of knowing the sovereign God as “Dear Father.”

There is a clear analogy being implied here contrasting the life of a slave with the life of the master’s son.

II.  A Constant Witness (v. 16)

Romans 8:16 (NKJV) The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

(Wuest's Word Studies) “Beareth witness with" is summartureō, …"to bear joint-testimony with" some other person. "Our spirit" refers to the … human spirit energized by the Holy Spirit.

Denney says; … “Our own spirit tells us we are God's children, but the voice with which it speaks is, … prompted and inspired by the divine Spirit itself."

Alford's note is helpful: "What is this witness of the Spirit itself? All have agreed, and indeed this verse is decisive for it, that it is something separate from and higher than all subjective inferences and conclusions. But on the other hand, it does not consist in mere indefinite feeling, but in a certitude of the Spirit's presence and work continually within us. It is manifested, as Olshausen beautifully says, 'in His comforting us, His stirring us up to prayer, His reproof of our sins, His drawing us to works of love, to bear testimony before the world, etc.'

Our spirit confirms what we recognize as the activity of the Holy Spirit within our hearts and lives in ways that had not been true before we came to faith.

III. A Constant Inheritance (v. 17)

Romans 8:17 (NKJV) and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Gal. 4:7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

As we stated earlier, the rights of the adopted child were equal to the full rights and status of a natural born child. Therefore, the adopted son is not shut out of the inheritance, but has legal right to all the possessions of the father.

“if indeed we suffer” – many believe that Paul is indicating that suffering is a pre-requisite for inheriting what God has reserved for His children. It seems that it could also be emphasizing this thought – even if we go through suffering for the sake of Christ and in the name of Christ, we will eventually inherit all the blessings of glory because we are adopted children of God. For, it is in times of suffering and adversity that the enemy of our soul comes in like a flood and tries to convince us that God is angry with us and has disowned us and is preparing judgment for us, but we must not give in and give up. It is in those moments of the enemy’s attacks that we must reaffirm our faith in Christ as the only hope of salvation; we must reaffirm our commitment to follow Him and love him; and we must reaffirm our faith in His words, “I will never leave you nor forsake you!”

The next paragraph in chapter 8 develops the idea of suffering now and glory then.

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard what God has prepared for those that love Him.”

Conclusion:

Are you a true child of God?

Have you really been adopted into His family by faith in Jesus Christ, and now enjoying the privileges available only to His children?

Are you experiencing freedom from the bondage of the fleshly nature and its desires?

Are you enjoying the witness of the Spirit that you are a child of God?

Are you anticipating the glory that awaits all of God’s children in eternity?

All of these things are offered to anyone who will be totally committed to Jesus.

Living Joyfully

Living Joyfully

Psalm 98:4 (NKJV) Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.

Introduction:

A couple of weeks ago I preached a message from the text in Psalm 16, which reads as follows, “…in your presence is fullness of joy, at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” We tried to convey the point that God desires to be the source of joy for every believer. He is fully capable of satisfying our souls and giving us a deep source of joy that cannot be duplicated or provided by any other source. Today, I would like to complement that previous message with another message on the topic of joy. My focus today will be concerning the responsibility we have as believers to intentionally rejoice in God and about all His wonderful attributes and His works.

We are going to be using Psalm 98 as the primary guide for our thoughts (Psalm 96 and other passages closely mirror the same message). As I was reading this Psalm and meditating on it, I detected three ideas the author expresses about rejoicing. Let us examine the verses in this Psalm to discover the command to rejoice, the means to rejoice and the reasons to rejoice.

I.    The Command to Rejoice

A number of years ago a couple of respected Christian authors wrote a book with the title, “Happiness Is a Choice.” (Minirth & Meier)

One of the authors wrote this comment in the book’s introduction, “In this book we will do the best we can to summarize ... and offer guidelines... for obtaining lasting inner happiness---if you choose it.”

Although I haven’t read the book, the general premise seems to be that there are factors which tend to lead to unhappiness and even depression, and there are other factors that tend to lead to happiness and peace. It is up to each individual to choose which factors they will allow to fill the largest role in their lives. In this same vein, joy, which we talked about two weeks ago, is a condition that has its roots and its foundation in a relationship with our Creator. When that relationship is strong and healthy, then joy can be experienced even in adverse circumstances.

In addition to this status or condition of joy, the Bible gives us various commands or instructions to purposely rejoice (express joy). Several times throughout Psalm 98 we find that the author uses verb forms that indicate imperatives (commands) to express joy.

See: v.1 – sing unto the Lord; v. 4 – make a joyful noise (shout joyfully); make a loud noise (break forth in song)

With these direct commands, the Psalmist is teaching us the importance of giving vent to joy and expressing our praises to the Lord.

I have often said that one of the best ways for a person to begin to feel happier and more joyful is to intentionally express thanks, praise and joy over who God is and what He has done. There definitely are times when a person doesn’t feel joyful or feel like praising the Lord. But if we do it anyway because it is the right thing to do then it isn’t long before our feelings begin to change. I believe that there is a direct connection between practicing praise or practicing joy and the feeling of joy. The more one practices rejoicing, the more one will feel happy and joyful.

There are plenty of reasons for us to rejoice, which we’ll talk about a little later. But we also need to rejoice because God has instructed us to do it.

1 Thess. 5:16 Rejoice evermore.

II.  The Means to Rejoice

There are three general means that are mentioned here for rejoicing and praising God.

A. With the voices (singing/shouting)

Ps. 98:1a (NKJV) Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!

Ps. 98:4 (NKJV) Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.

Ps. 98:5a (NKJV) Sing to the LORD with the harp,

If anyone asks, I would admit that it is possible to just live a life of rejoicing by the general attitudes we display as we go about our daily responsibilities, which doesn’t necessarily require saying anything with words. However, these verses indicate that the Lord wants us to use our voices, either in making music unto the Lord, or in making a “shout” or “noise” unto the Lord. Some commentators indicated that these references to singing correspond to the assignments that King David gave to the Levites to sing to the Lord in their service at the temple.

See 1 Chron. 16:7-10

Also compare 2 Chronicles 5:11-14 (KJV)
 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:  Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)  It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;  So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

The classic NT example of people using their voices to sing praises to God is probably…

Acts 16:25 (KJV) And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.  

These men of God are following the commands given in Ps. 98. They are rejoicing and shouting praises to the Lord in spite of their circumstances and their suffering.

B. With instruments

Ps. 98:5b With the harp and the sound of a Psalm,

Ps 98:6  With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.

Just like the appointed singers, David also appointed people to praise the Lord with various instruments.

1 Chr.16:4-6 (KJV) ⁴ And [David] appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel: ⁵ Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries [probably lyres] and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals; ⁶ Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

Also verses 37-43

It appears from these Scriptures that the Lord delights in hearing all kinds of instruments making melody and beautiful music for the glory of God.

C. Through Nature

Ps. 98:7-8 (KJV) Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. ⁸ Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together

In poetic terms, the Psalmist portrays the world of nature joining in the chorus to praise and rejoice over all that God is doing. The Psalmist appears to be overwhelmed with the joy of the Lord and he is urging everyone and everything to get involved in praising God and rejoicing in His blessings.

III. The Reasons to Rejoice

Ps. 98:1-3 (KJV) O sing unto the LORD a new song; *for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, *hath gotten him the victory. ² The LORD *hath made known his salvation: his *righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. ³ He *hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: *all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Ps. 98:9 (KJV) Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

v.1 – marvelous things = victory; salvation; righteousness; mercy & truth; and justice

victory = salvation

righteousness = demonstration of mercy & truth (v.3); and judging with equity (v. 9)

If we meditate and think about each of these qualities of God, we can begin to understand why we are to rejoice. God is constantly at work carrying out His divine purposes and accomplishing His sovereign will. That may be in the form of securing victory over the enemies of His people, or it may be in executing justice and equity against the wicked and in favor of the righteous.

Sometimes people find fault with God’s actions as they interpret circumstances from our human point of view. But there is coming a day when every person will fully comprehend the righteous character of God and will agree that God’s justice is true and holy; without error or fault.

Salvation in the ultimate sense has already been accomplished and will be carried out to its final scene. For that He deserves the highest praise.

The words of this Psalm are very similar to some of the words uttered by the Prophet Isaiah.

Is. 44:23 (NKJV) ²³ Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, And glorified Himself in Israel.

Is. 52:9-10 (NKJV) ⁹ Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.
¹⁰ The LORD has made bare His holy arm In the eyes of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God.

It doesn’t matter whether we are talking about God’s miraculous deliverances in Israel’s history or God’s miraculous deliverances in the future, God is all-powerful, without limitations in His strength, His knowledge, or His abilities.

Conclusion:

Dear friends, we may not completely understand all of the circumstances of life, but we can have a faith and confidence in God and in His righteous government over this creation. We may not understand what all is happening or why, but by faith we can still rejoice in our God and give Him the praise for who He is and all He is doing. And, I believe if we continue to honor Him by singing, shouting and playing instruments in continuous praise, then our hearts will fill with joy regardless of what our outward circumstances may be.

Let us conclude this service by singing a hymn of rejoicing: Rejoice the Lord Is King   

Messiah is Coming

(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 sermon is based on Isaiah 7:10-17 and Malachi 3:1-3.

Messiah Is Coming!

Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV) Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV) For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Introduction:

The well-known pastor and radio preacher, Chuck Swindoll, shares the following perspective:

Take the year 1809. The international scene was tumultuous. Napoleon was sweeping through Austria; blood was flowing freely. Nobody then cared about babies. But the world was overlooking some terribly significant births.

For example, William Gladstone was born that year. He was destined to become one of England's finest statesman. That same year, Alfred Tennyson was born to an obscure minister and his wife. The child would one day greatly affect the literary world in a marked manner. On the American continent, Oliver Wendell Holmes was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. And not far away in Boston, Edgar Allan Poe began his eventful, albeit tragic, life. It was also in that same year that a physician named Darwin and his wife named their child Charles Robert. And that same year produced the cries of a newborn infant in a rugged log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. The baby's name? Abraham Lincoln.

If there had been [international] news broadcasts at that time, I'm certain these words would have been heard: "The destiny of the world is being shaped on an Austrian battlefield today." But history was actually being shaped in the cradles of England and America. Similarly, everyone thought taxation was the big news--when Jesus was born. But a young Jewish woman cradled the biggest news of all: the birth of the Savior.

Certainly the birth of Christ was the greatest event at that time, even though not many people were aware of it, and not many understood the significance of His coming until years and even centuries later. The birth of the Messiah has changed the history of the world and more importantly, the destiny of mankind.

The season of Advent is the time when we anticipate the celebration of Christmas. During this time we try to imagine some of the details of events leading up to His birth. What does it mean to say, “Messiah is coming?”

To help us in our understanding I will endeavor to share some details about messianic theology in the OT, then I want take the remainder of our time to speak about some of the mistaken notions about the coming of Messiah and apply them to our contemporary Christian culture.

I. Messiah in the OT

Most of us have heard so many messages about Christmas and about the Messiah that we can usually quote at least portions of many OT prophecies and their fulfillment described in the NT.

It is sometimes hard for us to remember that the truths about the Messiah were revealed through the prophets over a period of many years. But even more than that, the full realization of their meanings was not understood until the NT authors rendered more complete explanations in light of who Jesus was and what He accomplished.

Let’s notice some of the information the OT reveals about the Messiah.

(International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) The term most closely associated with the word Messiah is used in the Old Testament of kings and priests, who were consecrated to office by the ceremony of anointing. It is applied to the priests … and kings; …. Similarly in the Psalms the king is designated "mine," "thine," "his anointed." Thus also even Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1), as being chosen and commissioned by Yahweh to carry out His purpose with Israel.

It is to be noted that [the actual word] "Messiah" as a special title is never applied in the Old Testament to the unique king of the future, unless perhaps in Daniel 9:25f (māshīaḥ nāghīdh, "Messiah-Prince")….

Daniel 9:25 (NKJV) "Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.

The Messiah is the instrument by whom God's kingdom is to be established in Israel and in the world. … The Jews were a nation who lived in the future…. No nation ever cherished such strong expectations of a good time coming, or clung more tenaciously amid defeat and disaster to the certainty of final triumph over all enemies and of entrance upon a state of perfect peace and happiness….

1. The Messianic King:

The chief element in the conception of the Messiah in the Old Testament is that of the king.  Through him as head of the nation Yahweh could most readily work out His saving purposes…. The passage on which the idea of the Messianic king who would rule in righteousness and attain universal dominion was founded is Nathan's oracle to David in 2 Samuel 7:11ff.  

2 Samuel 7:11-16 (NKJV) ¹¹ ... Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house. ¹² "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom….¹⁶ And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." ' "

The immediate focus of Nathan’s prophecy centered on Solomon, but verse 16 indicates the permanent nature of this promise.

In contrast to Saul, from whom the kingdom had passed away, David would never want for a descendant to sit on the throne of Israel.  

(1) Isaiah.

Isaiah is the first of the prophets to refer to an extraordinary king of the future….  

Isaiah 7:10-17 The kings of Syria and Israel having entered into a league to dethrone Ahaz … Isaiah announces to the king of Judah that while, by the help of Assyria, he would survive the attack of the confederate kings, but for his disobedience, Yahweh would bring devastation upon his own land the same nation who helped him survive the attack from Syria and Israel.

Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV) ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

But the prophet's lofty vision, though limited … to his own time, reaches beyond Judah's distress to Judah's deliverance. To the spiritual mind of Isaiah the revelation is made of a true king, Immanuel, "God-with-us," who would arise out of the house of David…. [When taken with] Isaiah 9, would seem to point to the identity of Immanuel with the Prince of the four names, "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6-7 (NKJV) ⁶ For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

A similar description of the Messianic king is given by Micah, Isaiah's younger contemporary, who emphasizes the humble origin of the extraordinary ruler of the future, who shall spring from the Davidic house…. (i.e. a ruler who comes forth from Bethlehem.)

(2) Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

….By Jeremiah the Messiah is called the "righteous Branch" who is to be raised unto David and to be called "Yahweh (is) our righteousness”…. In Ezekiel he is alluded to as the coming one "whose right it is" (Ezekiel 21:27), and as Yahweh's "servant David" who shall be "prince" or "king" forever over a reunited people (Ezek. 34:23f; Ezek. 37:24).  

(3) Later Prophets.

After Ezekiel's time, during the remaining years of the exile, the hope of a preeminent king of David's house naturally disappears.  But it is resuscitated …. In prophecies such as Zech. 9:9, who pictures the Messiah as coming not on a splendid charger like a warrior king, but upon the foal of a donkey, righteous and victorious, yet lowly and peaceful, strong by the power of God to help and save.  

There are many other aspects of the messianic hope that is expressed in the OT such as: “prophet” and “priest,” but we will move on to talk about a couple of spiritual lessons or applications that stood out to me as I recently read in the prophets.

II. Spiritual Lessons

A. Judgment rather than blessing and rescue.

See Is. 7:14-17

In the same context with the promise of a miracle birth, a reference to a coming King, the prophet announces judgment for the sins of Judah.

Malachi 3:5 (NKJV) And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers, Against adulterers, Against perjurers, Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, And against those who turn away an alien-- Because they do not fear Me," Says the LORD of hosts.  

Somewhat similar truth is given by the prophet Amos to the nation of Israel (the northern kingdom).

Amos 5:18 (NKJV) Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! For what good is the day of the LORD to you? It will be darkness, and not light.

The “day of the Lord” is a different emphasis than the promises about Messiah, but the point is this…

The people of Israel and Judah longed for the rescue from their enemies and the sought God’s intervention, but they apparently weren’t willing to abandon their wickedness and idolatry. There was gross immorality and a multitude of ways that they had abandoned God’s will and His ways, yet they expected God to continue to pour out His blessings.

(See Amos 2:4-12)

We see the same kind of conditions in the church world today. People long and cry for the coming of Jesus. But far too many professing Christians have abandoned the principles of righteousness and biblical faith. They want God to intervene in this messy world, but they give the impression that they don’t want God to require them to change the way their living.

It astounds me at times how many people talk spiritual, and about how much they love God, but their life styles are full of cheating, lying, fornication, adultery, self-centeredness, etc., etc. God will answer our prayers, but it may not be in the way we expect.

B. God expects His people to act

Many of the prophets who gave glimpses of hope for the coming King, the Messiah, not only denounced the evil that was prevalent among them, but they admonished the people of God to start practicing the laws of God in a positive way.

Some weeks ago I remember pointing out that the law of God provided as a covenant with the people of God, demonstrated that God cared very much for the weak, the poor and the disadvantaged.

Listen to some of these verses:

Isaiah 56:1 (NKJV) Thus says the LORD: "Keep justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed.

Jeremiah 21:12 (NKJV) O house of David! Thus says the LORD: "Execute judgment in the morning; And deliver him who is plundered Out of the hand of the oppressor….

Ezekiel 45:9-10 (NKJV) 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Enough, O princes of Israel! Remove violence and plundering, execute justice and righteousness, and stop dispossessing My people," says the Lord GOD. ¹⁰ "You shall have honest scales, an honest ephah, and an honest bath. [not a tub for washing!]

Zechariah 7:9-10 (NKJV) "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. ¹⁰ Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.'

The point that I get from these messages is this:

Even though these prophets I’ve mentioned all had something to say about the coming Messiah, yet they all proclaimed the word of the Lord concerning the responsibility of the people to carry out the deeds of kindness, compassion and justice that God cares about. They were not expected to “wait until the Messiah comes to set everything straight.” They were expected to be actively involved in correcting the terrible abuses that had become common in the society.

I believe we can apply this same thought to our culture and our context today. There are plenty of people who claim the name of Christ that are longing and pining for Jesus to return to straighten out the mess we are in. Well, I certainly agree that our world and our society will never be perfect until the Prince of Peace does return and establishes His kingdom of righteousness. However, I also believe that God wants His people to be actively involved in changing the culture and having a positive influence everywhere we can until He does return!

Conclusion:

As we move closer and closer to the day we celebrate the birth of the Messiah, I trust that we will remember these spiritual truths we have talked about today.

Remember that the prophets not only held out the prospect of hope for the future when God’s Anointed One would come, but they also admonished the people of God to rid themselves of all the actions and behaviors that were clearly in violation of God’s standards of righteousness.

Remember that the prophets urged the people of God to be proactive in the reforms and renewals that the nation needed so much.

We too must live with these attitudes as we anticipate the return of the Messiah as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

The song I’ve chosen to close with this morning is,

In His Time    

Jesus came the first time in God’s perfect timing, and He will come the 2^nd time at His time. While we wait, let us live righteous lives and follow His will.