A Long Journey of Faith

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This sermon focuses on the theme of New Years and discusses the deliverance of the Israelites from bondage in Egypt then it makes applications to living our lives in faith each day as we face an uncertain future.

Written Excerpts:

Hebrews 11:29 ^(NKJV) By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. 

Introduction:

Today I want to continue speaking to you on the general theme of facing a brand new year and the journey of life that will continue. It seems as though the start of a new year always inspires more serious thought about the future and what it may hold. Or, we may be thinking about the goals and aspirations we have for the future and how we are going to accomplish them.

Depending on your individual personality style, you may be anticipating the future with fear or with great hope and excitement. In either case, we must all realize that the journey of life is a journey of faith. I think we can all agree also on the fact that this journey of life / faith is not a “sprint,” but it is a “marathon.” For most people the journey is very long – extending for decades before they come to the “finish line” and cross over into eternity.

For the message today I felt led to look at the journey the Israelites took from Egypt to Canaan and see if we can make some applications to our spiritual journey of faith through time to eternity.

I.     Journey is precipitated by misery.

Exodus 1:8-11a, 14 ^(NKJV) Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. ⁹And he said to his people, "Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; ¹⁰come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land." ¹¹Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens…. ¹⁴And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage--in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.

It is implied that the Israelites were not forced into slave labor until this “Pharaoh who did not know Joseph.” Life must have gotten pretty comfortable for them.

Exodus 5:4-9 ^(NKJV) Then the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor." ⁵And Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!" ⁶So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, ⁷"You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' ⁹Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words."

There is a large amount of detail related to this story that we don’t have the time to cover, but simply summarize by saying, The Hebrew people had been languishing under bondage for at least 40+ years (while Moses was hiding out in the wilderness). Then the bondage got even worse right when they began to hear about the possibility of deliverance, liberty and freedom.

There are undoubtedly a number of reasons why God hadn’t decided to deliver them from bondage much earlier. I believe that one possible reason is that the people needed to get “really sick of Egypt.”

When we start our journey of faith, most of us have to reach the point when we are “really sick of ourselves, sick of sin, and sick of all the world has to offer.” (Even if life is going well, we feel that emptiness “is this all there is? What is the meaning of it all anyway?”)

It’s not enough to just simply decide one day, “I’m going to be a better person. I’m going to start going to church. I’m going to quit all the bad habits I have. Etc. etc.” You can certainly do all those things, but you won’t accomplish anything except what Jesus said about the Pharisees – they were “white-washed tombs.” (Cleaned up on the outside, but still spiritually dead and lifeless on the inside.)

Before we begin the journey of faith, we need to get dissatisfied with the way things have been, and sometimes God does that through circumstances, and other times He does it by causing heavy conviction to settle on our hearts. Conviction settles in when we begin to fully realize how lost we really are without Christ. We realize that we’re headed for hell. We realize that our conduct, our conversations and even our thoughts and attitudes have directly violated God’s law.

You’ve heard me say many times, “You have to know the bad news before the good news really seems like good news to you.” I repeat, we need to get so sick of ourselves and sick of the world that we are anxious to turn our lives over to God and let Him lead us on the journey of faith and righteousness that He desires to do.

II.    Journey begins with miraculous deliverance.

Exodus 12:51 ^(NKJV) And it came to pass, on that very same day, that the LORD brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their armies.

Exodus 14:30-31 ^(NKJV) So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. ³¹Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.

Spiritual journey begins with the “new birth” which can be compared to the miracle of deliverance through the Red Sea.

·     Burden of sin lifted; guilt and condemnation gone;

·     Joy and happiness over new-found forgiveness;

·     Excitement over giving life to Christ.

Look what God did! It’s a miracle! God really took care of us!

Exodus 15:1 ^(NKJV) Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: "I will sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! 

 (Song by Moses and the Israelites ills. joy and exhilaration.)

III.  Journey continues with human-divine cooperation.

After that great deliverance at the beginning, it might be tempting to think God is going to just remove every obstacle, and provide every need/want, and life’s going to be grand! Then we begin to realize that it isn’t all just as easy as waiting for God to show up and answer all my prayers just as I wish. Sometimes God says, “No” to our prayers.

We begin to realize that there is a journey to take; there are mountains to climb; there are deserts to cross; battles to fight; etc. etc. God doesn’t just automatically whisk us over the desert just like He did through the Red Sea. As soon as some people begin to see that this spiritual journey is going to require some commitment and effort and intentional obedience to God’s will, then they begin to lose courage, and lose faith.

(Ills. – parable of the sower: seed that fell on stony ground; or among thorns.)

Now, thankfully, we don’t have to do it all. We need to cooperate with God’s working in our lives.

Look at all the things God did do for the Israelites:

·     Provided manna

·     Provided meat (quail)

·     Provided water

·     Provided miraculous military victories.

IV.  Journey ends as it began – in faith.

Hebrews 3:12-19 ^(NKJV) Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; ¹³but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, ¹⁵while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." ¹⁶For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? ¹⁷Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? ¹⁹So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. 

The title of the message today is “A Long Journey of Faith.” Our spiritual journey begins with faith, it continues by faith and it ends by faith. In the Scripture I just read, the writer of Hebrews is using the story of the Exodus to illustrate the importance of faith in the Christian life. He explains that the lack of faith kept the initial group of Israelites from entering the Promised Land. He then uses that as an illustration to explain how a lack of faith will keep Christians from experiencing what God has for them.

“Entering that rest” – Some argue that the analogy is referring to heaven, while others argue that it is referring to the grace of sanctification. In either view, the offer is denied or missed out on because of a lack of faith. (According to the illustration used, it is not just a lack of “believing something” but it is a lack of faith demonstrated by obedience.) 

We can trust God and follow Him all through our lives, but it is also important to trust and obey at the end. When I come to the end of my life, I hope someone will keep reminding me that: “Nothing can wash away my sin but the blood of Jesus.” “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

If so, my faith in the blood of Jesus illustrated by obedience to His will, will carry me right through the river of death into the presence of Jesus.

Conclusion:

The journey of faith is a lifetime journey. It has a definite beginning when we surrender our will to God’s and let Him forgive us and take control of our lives. It continues throughout all of life as we face each new situation and obstacle with trust in Him and obedience to His will. Then, it will lead us to the “finish line” when we leave this world and enter into eternity. 

I want us to stand and sing the hymn:

Trust and Obey     # 571

What about your life today? Have you gotten started on the journey of faith by being Born Again and letting Christ come into your heart? 

Have you continued cooperating with the Holy Spirit as God leads you through the various ups and downs of life? Or, have you just given up and said it’s no use; I can’t live up to expectations…

Are you committed to trusting and obeying God right down to the very last step of the journey? Or do you fear you’ll be one of those who “did not enter because of their unbelief?”

As you take inventory of your life right now, do you need to pray about it?

The Cleansing Fountain

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This message was given for a worship service that included the sacrament of communion. It is based on the prophecy of Zech. 13:1 and it relates the wording of the prophet to the sacrifice of redemption provided by Jesus Christ.

Written Excerpts:
Zechariah 13:1 ^(NKJV) In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. 

Introduction:

The hymn writer, Robert Lowry, asks, 

What can wash away my sin? 

Nothing but the blood of Jesus; 

What can make me whole again? 

Nothing but the blood of Jesus. 

For my pardon this I see, 

Nothing but the blood of Jesus; 

for my cleansing, this my plea, 

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, men have sought for adequate covering or cleansing for the sins that separate them from God. Long ago God defined a system of sacrifices that He communicated to Moses for the people of Israel so they could begin to comprehend the cost for covering of their sins. The animals that were required for all the various sacrifices were precious. They were valuable portions of their herds; their family’s livelihood. In addition to the sacrificial death of lambs, goats, and heifers, God also required the priests to wash in the laver that stood outside of the tabernacle or temple. The required washing with water from the laver was a symbol for the necessary cleansing we all need from God. 

Many centuries after Moses, God was communicating again through His prophets and providing special messages of warning as well as encouragement for His people. Zechariah was one such prophet and in his prophecy we find the words we’re using for our text today.

Zechariah 13:1 ^(NKJV) In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. 

Let us take a look at this passage to see what God wants to communicate to us today.

I.    The Prophet and His time.

The people of Judah had been in captivity for many years in Babylon, which was conquered during that time by the Medes and Persians. Following a decree by Cyrus, king of Persia, some of the exiles had been returning to the homeland in relatively small numbers compared to the number who were taken captive.

You might remember references in Ezra and Nehemiah about rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem and getting started on the rebuilding of the temple. The people had been discouraged and the work on rebuilding the temple had stalled. God raised up two different prophets about that time, some twenty years after the temple was started, to stimulate the people into finishing the temple and to kindle a revival of righteous living among the people of God. One of those prophets was Haggai, and the other one was Zechariah.

Zechariah – (Keil and Delitzsch Commentary) – “He whom God remembers.” …was of priestly descent, — a son of Berechiah, and grandson of Iddo (Zechariah 1:1, 7), the chief of one of the priestly families, that returned from exile along with Zerubbabel and Joshua (Nehemiah 12:4). He followed his grandfather in that office under the high priest Jehoiakim (Nehemiah 12:16), from which it has been justly concluded that he returned from Babylon while still a youth, and that his father died young. …He commenced his prophetic labours in the second year of Darius Hystaspes, only two months later than his contemporary Haggai, in common with whom he sought to stimulate the building of the temple… 

(Andrew Hill, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries) – Haggai and Zechariah were also complementary prophets, in that Haggai exhorted the people to rebuild the Jerusalem temple and… Zechariah’s … message extends beyond the material reconstruction of the Jerusalem temple to the moral and spiritual rebuilding of the Hebrew people, so that they might be holy unto the Lord and offer appropriate worship in the Second Temple (7:8-10; 8:14-17, 19; cf. 8:3). 

This same author writes that Zechariah is often referred to as “little Isaiah” because this prophecy has more to say about the messianic shepherd-king than any other book except Isaiah. In the chapter immediately before our text (chap. 12) there are statements provided that were applied to Jesus by the NT writers.

II.  The Promised Fountain

A.  It is living and flowing.

(Tyndale OT Commentaries) – The word fountain refers to a spring or flowing water source that is tapped or unleashed. The metaphor signifies an ‘artesian well’ that gushes forth pure water to provide cleansing and purification.

The use of the word “fountain” provides a different image altogether than the word “pond” or “lake” etc. It would be similar to the image of a river or stream in the sense that it is moving, living, fresh, and vibrant.

Jesus claimed to be the source of a “fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (Jn. 4:14)

B.  It is accessible.

(Tyndale OT Commentaries) – The verb “be opened” suggests that the “fountain” or spring is readily available; it only needs to be tapped. The participial form of the verb ‘implies that the fountain is to be opened continuously’…

This prophecy was originally given specifically to the house of David (Jews) because of God’s word of encouragement He offered to a people beaten down by bondage and the judgment of God for the sins of their fathers. But we may apply it to any of us today by the fact that this fountain is “opened” and it has been “tapped into” so “whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17)

C.  It provides cleansing.

The specific purpose of this fountain, the prophet said, is “for sin and uncleanness.”

It is a cleansing fountain. The imagery is of a fountain of water, but Jesus and the NT writers applied the message to the fountain of His blood. Going back to the question I began the message with that was posed by the hymn-writer – “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!”

You may have heard me tell the story of another hymn-writer (William Cowper) who struggled for years with bouts of depression and along with that, he struggled of the assurance of salvation and knowing he was forgiven. In faith and trust in the Word of God, he penned these words:

There is a fountain filled with blood

Drawn from Immanuel’s veins

And sinners plunged beneath that flood 

Lose all their guilty stains.

I’m eternally grateful this morning for the fountain that has been opened for sin and uncleanness! By faith I can truly say with another hymn-writer (Rev. F. L. Snyder):

Hallelujah! ‘tis His blood that cleanseth me,

‘Tis His grace that makes me free,

And, my brother, ‘tis for thee.

Oh, hallelujah! ‘tis salvation full and free; 

And it cleanseth, yes, it cleanseth me.

Let’s sing together the hymn listed in your bulletin:

There Is a Fountain (vv. 1-3)       # 336

A New Year, a New Thing

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This sermon was given on the last day of the year 2017, and it focuses on trusting God to demonstrate His divine power to do something new in our lives that will bring us closer to Him.

Written Excerpts:

Isaiah 43:19 ^(NKJV) Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. 

Introduction: Have you ever felt like your life was in a rut? You’re going through the same old routine every day – eat, work and sleep. Nothing new or exciting happens, at least not very often. Maybe you’re in a situation or circumstance where you feel trapped and you are not able to change anything, so you have resigned yourself to enduring the status quo. If these descriptions fit your life and your situation, then probably the greatest news you could ever hope to hear is that something new is going to happen this year. 

You’d love to hear someone assure you that God is up to something new and He is going to include you in on it. Well, I can’t predict what God is going to do in your life this coming year, but I can tell you that doing something new and interrupting the status quo is something that God has often done in the past and is very capable of doing any day.

(The message today is based on an outline that was originally provided by Stephen Olford, a well-known British preacher.)

In our Scripture for today, God makes a promise through His prophet Isaiah that He is going to do a new thing for His people. Let us look at the passage for a few minutes to learn the promises of God’s new thing He will do and to learn the purposes of the new thing He will do.

I.    The Promises of God’s New Thing

A.  To transcend the past. (v. 18)

Isaiah 43:18 ^(NKJV) Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. 

Go back to the beginning of the chapter in order to find out what specific events of the past God is going to transcend. Deliverance from Egypt had always been the “go to” illustration of God’s mighty power. Now, God is assuring His people that He will do something new for them that will overshadow all the past displays of His supernatural power.

How easy it is for us to yearn for things to be like they were in the “good old days.” We think of special blessings or special times of revival or moving of the Holy Spirit and we often wish we could go back to those times. But, God wants us to believe Him and trust Him to do something new.

B.  To transform the present/future. (vv. 14-17)

Isaiah 43:14-17 ^(NKJV) Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I will send to Babylon, And bring them all down as fugitives-- The Chaldeans, who rejoice in their ships. ¹⁵I am the LORD, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King." ¹⁶Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea And a path through the mighty waters, ¹⁷Who brings forth the chariot and horse, The army and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick): 

These verses speak about God’s intention to deliver and rescue His people from Babylon and to demonstrate His mighty power among the Chaldeans. (Interesting point: at the time Isaiah is prophesying, Judah hadn’t been deported as captives to Babylon yet. God is reporting through His prophet a time of deliverance that is going to happen.)

Think of this coming year. Think of anytime in the future. Imagine any scenario of what might be taking place or happening. Remember, God is already there. God is eternal. God already has it under control and He has a plan to bring you through whatever circumstances you may face.

II.  The Purposes of God’s New Thing

A.  To satisfy His people. (vv. 19b-20)

If we review not only what God has stated He will do for His people in verses 14-17, but also verses 19-20, we understand His purposes for that which He intends to do.

Isaiah 43:19b-20 ^(NKJV) … I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. ²⁰The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen. 

God seems to be revealing His desire to provide everything His people need – roads (guidance, direction) through the wilderness; (life-giving) rivers in the desert; and refreshing drinking water. The imagery that He uses here indicates things that would have been “unheard of.” Whoever thought or heard of roads in the wilderness?! Or, rivers in the desert?!

He calls them “My people” and “My chosen.” God delights in doing things and working things for His people. However, we must remember, that He provides what we need, not necessarily what we want! And, it’s not because we are such nice people it is only fair and right that God treat us this way. No, it is only because He is full of love and compassion!

B.  To receive the praise of His people. (v. 21)

Isaiah 43:21 ^(NKJV) This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise. 

The people in Isaiah’s time were just like people today. Whenever God provides so many blessings and privileges for us, we tend to take them for granted. We tend to imagine that we somehow deserve them. We often develop an attitude of entitlement, as if God is only giving us what we rightfully deserve or should have.

But, the reality is this, God grants deliverance and blessings for the purpose of receiving glory and praise from us. It’s not because God is some twisted “egomaniac” in the heavens who demands everything be about Him, and everyone honor Him. No, God is absolutely perfect in every way we can ever imagine. He does deserve all glory and praise because He is perfect. It is not because of His twisted demands that we worship and glorify Him, but it is because He is perfect in every attribute. He is worthy!

Conclusion:

Today we stand at the threshold of a new year. Some of us may be overwhelmed with the problems of the past and stressed over the prospects that those issues will still be confronting us in the future.

Can we look at this verse in Isaiah and trust that is can apply to our own lives? Can we grab ahold of a promise God made thousands of years ago to a specific nation on the other side of the world, and claim it as a fresh message from God for us? Don’t look to the past and wish for former supernatural blessings. Look to the God who has said, “I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth..."

For our closing song today I want to use a song that I don’t think we have used before, but it’s a pretty simple tune and I think it has good advice for all of us based on a quote from Scripture:

Be Still and Know

Seeing God's Salvation

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

This sermon was given during Advent and it discusses the words of Simeon that were spoken when he saw the baby Jesus in the temple as he was being presented by Joseph and Mary. The message emphasizes the necessity for every one of us to see Jesus as our only salvation.

Written Excerpts:

Luke 2:30 ^(NKJV) For my eyes have seen Your salvation

Introduction:

What is the one thing in your life that you passionately hope you get to do or get to see before you die?

We’ve heard of people who create their “bucket list.”

Some people really hope to:

·     Do something dangerous like skydiving or bungee jumping;

·     Do something extravagant like traveling to every country in the world;

·     Experience some new ability like learning another language; publishing a book;

I haven’t really created a list myself, but if I were to make a list I think a couple of things I might put on it would be:

·     Take a trip to Israel

·     Go big game hunting out west

Is anyone here today willing to reveal 1 item you have on your bucket list?

I think the person we heard about in our Scripture reading today might have had a “bucket list.” The main item on his list was an experience that God had already revealed would actually happen to him before his death. Why do I think that? Because his words recorded in the Bible are: “Now, you are letting your servant depart in peace…”

Bible scholars tell us that his words describe a slave being released by his master. It might mean that Simeon is ready to die now since he has experienced this great privilege. Or, it simply could mean that he is released from the “search” because he has seen the Messiah. We usually understand the meaning to be, “now I’m ready to die” because a previous verse states that God had revealed to him that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

As Simeon holds this child in his arms, he immediately becomes aware that this is the person he’d been searching for. He makes an interesting statement in his response. “My eyes have seen your salvation.”

During the next several minutes I want to explore with you the meaning of this statement as well as some of its implications.

The meaning of the statement

Salvation is a major theme throughout the Bible. All through the prophets God had repeatedly promised salvation for His people. Salvation or deliverance is depicted both in a political / military sense and in a spiritual / moral / eternal sense. One major example of God’s salvation in a literal political sense is the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. That historical event was used repeatedly to illustrate God’s redemptive power. It was also used to illustrate the spiritual deliverance God gives from bondage to sin.

If we compare v. 30 with v. 26 “…before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” then we can conclude that he expected salvation to come through a person, and that person is the child lying in his arms. Simeon is testifying to the fact that he has now witnessed the One through whom God would bring salvation to the Jews and to the whole world. In this holy child, he sees the redemption of his own soul and the redemption of the entire human race.

Important Implications of the statement

1. Salvation was His primary purpose/mission.

Not only did Simeon understand that Jesus was to be a savior, but many others understood that as His primary role as well.

Mary:

Luke 1:46-47 (NKJV) And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, ⁴⁷  And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 

Zacharias: 

Luke 1:69-75 (NKJV) ⁶⁹  And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, ⁷⁰  As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, ⁷¹  That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, ⁷²  To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, ⁷³  The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: ⁷⁴  To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, ⁷⁵  In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. 

The angel to Joseph:

Matthew 1:21 (KJV) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 

Notice that the primary emphasis here is salvation from sins, not salvation for oppressive political enemies.

Jesus:

Matthew 18:11 (KJV) For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 

Luke 6:9 (KJV) Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? 

John 12:47 (KJV) And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 

Paul:

1 Timothy 1:15 (KJV) This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 

Hebrews 7:25 (KJV) Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 

2. To understand the significance of salvation, we must understand our own need of it.

You’ve heard me say before: In order for the gospel to truly seem like “good news” (which is what the word “gospel” means), then we have to understand what the “bad news” is first. In order to see that salvation is great and wonderful, we must see that we are helplessly lost and doomed for hell. We must see our selfishness and self-will as it truly is – rebellion against God’s will, design and purpose. We must understand our failure to obey His Word is sin; a violation of His purpose and will.

So many offenses are sugar-coated these days and are not understood for what they really are. We don’t need to “turn over a new leaf,” we need to turn our hearts and lives over to the control of Jesus. We do not often hear people use the term “saved” these days. Instead, they use phrases such as: “accept Christ;” “put faith in Christ;” etc. These are fine and accurate descriptions to a degree, but when we say, “I have been saved,” it implies the fact that I came to the realization that I was lost, condemned, and bound for judgment, but Jesus saved me from that awful condition.

3. To understand the significance of salvation is to realize that it is for the whole world.

Luke 2:32 (KJV) A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

“Gentiles” – a word that could be translated “nations.”

Simeon knew that God not only wanted to save/redeem Israel, but God intended to save the Gentiles as well.

4. It takes certain kind of people to recognize God’s salvation when they see it.

Faith – being able to “see” the invisible. (Heb. 11)

Luke 2:25 (NKJV) And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

Have you recognized the Son of God who was born in Bethlehem as the only Savior of the world? Do you truly believe that apart from Him there is no salvation, and we are all condemned?

If you have confessed your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ to be saved from judgment, are you now looking forward to His return? We need that expectation for His second coming just like Simeon and Anna had for His first coming.

Let us close the service by standing together and singing:

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day 

Personal Testimony by Rev. Chester Rowan

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This is the audio recording of a message by Rev. Chester Rowan in which he shared his personal life story of recovery from alcoholism and finding Jesus as his personal Savior.

I've Been to Calvary

(To download an mp3 file of this message, 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 during a communion service discussing the different people who are reported as being at the cross when Jesus was crucified and making applications for our own responses to His sacrifice on the cross.

Written Excerpts:

Luke 23:33 ^(NKJV) And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.

Introduction:

Many of you have probably heard the song titled, “I’ve Been to Calvary.”

VERSE 1
I've never traveled far around the world
I've never seen the many thrills and sites unfurled
But I have taken the journey of journeys for me
Up Calvary's mountain there my Savior to see

VERSE 2
I walked the Calvary road where Jesus trod
I saw Him hanging there, the Son of God
With tear-stained eyes I knelt and prayed, Jesus hear my plea
Oh praise the Lord, I'm glad I've been to Calvary

CHORUS
I've been to Calvary
I can say I've seen the Lord
I've been to Calvary
Through the witness of His word
Each day at Calvary
What a thrill of love divine
Just to know that the Savior in mine

The verse I read from Luke’s Gospel uses the word “Calvary” for the place where Jesus was crucified. The other Gospel writers used the word “Golgotha” rather than “Calvary.” In any case, the place was just outside the city of Jerusalem and was the place of the crucifixion.

For just a little while this morning I want to talk about some of the people who were there at Calvary when Jesus was crucified and draw some analogies for our spiritual benefit today.

The Multitude 

Luke 23:27a ^(NKJV) And a great multitude of the people followed Him, 

Not much is stated about the great multitude that followed. Based on what we know about human nature, it is probable that these people were curious. We read of many occasions when the multitudes followed Jesus. Sometimes we are clearly informed that they did so because of the “loaves and fishes.”

What about your “trip” to Calvary. Have you truly worshiped the Lord or have you just been curious about Him, and interested to see what He does or what happens to Him?

I remember reading a quote from an old publication from 1886 that was put out by the Methodist movement in England. “Beware of just being friendly with Christ.”

The Women Who Mourned

Luke 23:27b ^(NKJV) and women who also mourned and lamented Him.  

The description given of these women would indicate that they were sympathizers and empathizers. 

Matthew 27:55-56 ^(NKJV) And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, ⁵⁶among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Luke 8:1-3 ^(NKJV) Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, ²and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities--Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, ³and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance. 

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – This is valuable as giving us one of the few glimpses we have of the way Jesus’ needs during his ministry were met… Here we learn that these women responded in love and gratitude for what Jesus had done for them (cf. Mark 15:40f.). It seems to have been not uncommon for godly women to help religious teachers….

At least some of these women there by the cross were those who had been following Him and providing support for Him and the disciples. We know for sure that one of them (Mary Magdalene) had been delivered from demons. It might be very safe to assume that each of them had some significant prior experience with Jesus. For them, I’m sure there was genuine sorrow and grief over what was transpiring.

We too, can join them in grieving over the suffering Jesus went through, but our response needs to be greater than just grief.

The Mocking Thief

Luke 23:39 ^(NKJV) Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."

Some people consider the crucifixion and sneer at the very idea that the Son of God would willing die. There are plenty of people who mock the very idea that God would send His own Son into our world just to die for humanity. I read a statement recently (I’m not sure where I saw it) that some atheist was claiming that, if there was a God, He was the ultimate “child abuser” for sending His Son to die.

I would assume that most all of us here today would respond by saying, “I would never mock and make fun of Him!” I am sure that is true, but if we are not taking full advantage of the sacrifice Jesus made there that day, I think there is a sense in which we are disrespecting what He did. If we fail to surrender to the Lord and allow His precious blood to cleanse our hearts, then we are despising the price He paid for us to be redeemed.

The Repentant Thief

Luke 23:40-42 ^(NKJV) But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? ⁴¹And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." ⁴²Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."

Of all the people we know who were there at Calvary, the response of this man is the most logical response anyone can make.

Recognize my own guilt and deserving judgment.

Throw myself on the mercy of the Lord.

Conclusion:

We have observed a sampling of the people who were at Calvary, and tried to draw some applications from their examples for our lives today. After talking about the people who were there at Calvary, I want to bring the message to a close by talking about one more person that wasn’t there (at least we don’t have any record that he was). His name is: Barabbas.

I suppose it is possible that Barabbas could have been in the crowd. If we go by the description of him that is written in the Bible, it is not hard to imagine that he would also be there mocking and jeering. 

When I emphasize the possibility that he wasn’t there it is mainly in regards to the fact that he was supposed to be there, but his place was filled by the sinless and perfect Son of God. Barabbas was scheduled for execution, but the people were incited by the Jewish leaders to beg for his release and for Jesus to take his place.

Barabbas is not the only one who deserved execution. This Thanksgiving season, I am thankful that Jesus Christ took my place so I could receive forgiveness and pardon.

Before we share the emblems of Communion, let us sing together the song, “Calvary Covers It All”

An End-Time Perspective

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

This is the final message in a series of sermons on the book of 2 Peter. The message emphasizes Peter's admonition for holy living in light of the coming "Day of the Lord."

Written Excerpts:

2 Peter 3:11 ^(NKJV) Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness

Introduction:

I’ve been preaching a series of messages through the book of 2 Peter for the past several weeks. The sermon today is the 9^th and last message, which will address the second half of chapter 3. Last Sunday we spoke on the first half of the chapter and talked about the judgment and the mercy of God. Peter assures his readers that a day of judgment is coming regardless of what the scoffers may say. He also assured them that the primary reason it hadn’t come yet was because God is longsuffering and does not want anyone to perish (to be lost).

Today we are picking up at verse 10 and are reminded that the coming “day of the Lord” will be overwhelming in many ways. The phrase “Day of the Lord” was understood by the early Christians as well as ancient Jews as a term that referred to the coming of God when He would eliminate all evil and establish righteousness.

Let us take a few minutes to consider the description he provides of that notable day, then we will follow-up with three specific admonitions given in light of what’s coming.

I.     The Day of the Lord Described (Verses 10 and 12)

A.  The Day will arrive suddenly and unexpectedly.

“as a thief in the night” – This is a description that was used repeatedly by Jesus and other Apostles to represent the unexpected arrival of the Lord.

B.  Everything will change.

“heavens pass away”

“elements melt”

“fervent heat” “burned up” 

“being on fire” 

There is some debate among scholars whether all these descriptions are to be understood literally or if Peter is simply employing apocalyptic language to emphasize the fact that everything that was thought to be permanent is gone.

(Tyndale) But the most important point is the moral implications in this coming of the Lord and that is what Peter turns his attention to next.

II.    The Admonitions for Preparation

A.    Live holy (11, 14)

“Holy conversation” – clean, pure, separated and devoted to one person –the Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t keep making excuses for why we don’t live holy, but we keep striving for more of Christ and His grace to make us what we ought to be. As soon as we say, “I can’t …” We limit the power and the grace of God.

“Godliness” – Back in chapter 1 we learned that godliness was… a compound word literally meaning to “worship well”; thus, worship rightly directed. (Robertson’s Word Pictures/Vincent Word Studies)

The word emphasizes the inward attitude of worship and reverence and piety toward God along with conduct and other outward actions that confirm the heart attitude.

Live holy because of what’s coming.

v. 11 “seeing that…” – Peter definitely links the kind of life his readers should live with the “day of the Lord.”

Live holy because that’s all that really matters.

When this day arrives, and everything of material value is destroyed as verses 10 & 12 describe, then the only thing that will survive or matter is the spiritual/moral life. You and I won’t be able to depend on material possessions, bank accounts, positions and popularity then. The only thing that will be important then is our relationship with Christ and whether we let Him transform our lives.

B.    Live carefully (12-14, 17)

The next admonition Peter gives is what I describe as “living carefully.” Living holy has to do with our spiritual and moral life and character, but living carefully speaks more of our attitudes as we go about living holy.

Living carefully means living with expectation. (12-14a)

“looking for & hasting;” “we…look for;” “seeing that ye look for” – These words give the idea that these believers are not ones who will be caught by surprise. 

Jesus gave several parables in his earthly ministry that described a master showing up unexpectedly when the servants least thought he would come. In those parables He often would admonish the hearers, “So watch therefore…” We all need to live with the expectation that Jesus is coming soon. If we do, we will not allow ourselves to get careless about the important principles for righteous conduct.

Living carefully includes diligence and caution. (14b, 17)

v. 14 – “be diligent” – This literally means “make haste” and gives the idea of giving a zealous effort.

v. 17 – “beware” – so that you don’t fall from your own steadfastness. Don’t become self-confident and smug.

It’s amazing sometimes how so many people exercise such intense effort and awareness or caution about many things in life EXCEPT their spiritual condition.

C.    Live healthy (18)

Healthy living is implied in the imagery of growth. (18)

“grow in grace and in knowledge” – We talked about this at the very beginning of this series in the beginning of chapter 1. The Christian life is never presented in the Bible as a life that is stale and stagnant. If we are in relationship with Jesus Christ, that is a vital and vibrant relationship that is intended to mature and grow and develop.

If God is infinite – and He is! Then there is always new truths and new heights and depths for us to reach in our knowledge of Him and His will for us.

Healthy living refers to moral and spiritual health.

When Peter urges his readers to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” he is essentially summarizing what he was urging them to do in 1:5-7 in the list of virtues or qualities that they were to add to their faith.

Conclusion:

Peter ends his letter with a short doxology (praise).

…To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

All of human history is leading up to one final climax – the complete and total triumph of Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. He will be glorified by every creature in heaven and earth. Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Let us close our worship service by standing together and singing the hymn: Jesus Is Coming Again