Our Problem Has a Remedy

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

This sermon is a follow-up to last week's message, which presented evidence from Scripture concerning the problems all humans have with sin and the sinful nature. Because of our problem, we cannot have a relationship with God. But God provided a remedy through the death of Christ and the blessing of the Holy Spirit.

Written Excerpts:

Matthew 3:11 ^(NKJV) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Introduction:

One of the remarkable traits of humanity is the desire, the capability and the success in wiping out globally devastating diseases and other similar threats. This is only one of the many ways that humans differ from animals. We have a history of discovering the causes of devastating epidemics and then proceeding to eliminate them through the development of effective solutions.

One such example is the discovery of a vaccine that eventually led to the elimination of the “smallpox” disease. Edward Jenner made a discovery in 1796 that he continued to develop and experiment with until 1801 when he published a treatise “On the Origin of the Vaccine Inoculation,” in which he announced the vaccination and hopeful elimination of smallpox.

Some sources report that there were approximately 30 million deaths throughout the world that were caused by smallpox during the 20^th century, which was still a century later than when the vaccine was discovered. The Center for Disease Control reports that the last known case of death from smallpox was in September of 1978. In May of 1980 the World Health Assembly officially declared the world to be free of the disease. 

This is only one example of remarkable cures that have been discovered and implemented in the medical field, let alone the myriad of other problems that have been solved and permanently eliminated as a result of human inventions.

Last Sunday I preached a message about a problem far bigger than the smallpox epidemic. I tried to describe a problem that has plagued the entire human race ever since the Garden of Eden and continues to do so today. It is inherently a spiritual problem, but it affects every part of our lives and it not only destroys physical lives and health, but our eternal happiness as well.

It is the problem of sin that has corrupted our hearts and motivations, causing us to deliberately rebel against the authority of God and insist in having our own way. The Bible describes this condition as the fleshly mind, which is “not subject to the law of God, neither can be.” (Rom. 8:7) This inherited depravity has been the source of every kind of evil that has ever been manifested throughout all the areas of the world for all times.

I finished up last week’s message by briefly stating that God has provided a remedy, which is summed up perfectly in the words of 1 John 3:8 “… for this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

In a sermon I gave several years ago I pointed out that the meaning of this verse, when taken in context, includes the destruction of a spirit of lawlessness, which John says is the very definition of sin. The overall problem I described in the message last week was a rebellious or lawless heart. And, John says that Jesus came to destroy that work of the devil in us. 

The problem may be great, but Jesus was revealed to this world for the express purpose of destroying the work of the devil in the hearts of humanity. Jesus can and will destroy every seed of rebellion that Satan plants in the human heart. The remedy is Jesus. But what does the Bible say about how Jesus provides the remedy to our human problem?

Let us consider several other passages to find the answer to this question.

(Again, today I will be sharing bits and pieces from the notes I jotted down from Dr. John Oswalt’s messages at the Pastor’s conference I attended in 2014.)

I.          The remedy is predicted by the OT prophets

There are a number of passages throughout the OT prophets that make reference to the work of the Holy Spirit. Many of them speak about the Spirit’s work in specific individuals of the OT, and others speak about a day when the Spirit will be poured out on all of God’s people.

Isaiah 11:1-2 ^(NKJV) There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. ² The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.

The Messiah would have the fullness of the Spirit like no one has ever had prior to Him.

Isaiah 32:14-15 ^(NKJV) Because the palaces will be forsaken, The bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks-- ¹⁵ Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest. 

When the Holy Spirit is poured upon us, he changes the desolate places into flourishing places. Things cannot remain the same when God’s Spirit comes!

Joel 2:28-29 ^(NKJV) "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. ²⁹ And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 

These and many other passages in the OT prophets predict the day when the Holy Spirit of God would be available to cleanse, fill, and empower the people of God. There were many indications that the Old Covenant written on stone would be replaced by a New Covenant written on the “tables of the heart.” That would be accomplished by the personal presence of the Holy Spirit.

The prophet Jeremiah makes a specific prediction of this sort. God will write His law on the heart rather than on stone.

II.        The remedy is predicted by the NT prophet (John the Baptist)

Matthew 3:11 ^(NKJV) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

John Oswalt – John the Baptist did not say, “I will baptize you with water, but He will die for your sins.” John certainly believed in the sacrifice of Jesus as the atonement for our sins, but John was describing the ultimate plan for disciples and followers of Jesus – to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus would provide the possibility for His followers to be cleansed by the Spirit (analogy of fire) and to be filled up with the Spirit. John is alerting his listeners to the fact that the “Lamb of God” will provide for them something that no other person has ever provided. He will provide a baptism with the Spirit – a life lived through the power of the Spirit of God Himself.

III.       The remedy is promised by Jesus Himself

Luke 24:49 ^(NKJV) Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." 

Dr. Oswalt – There were a lot of cases in the gospels where Jesus said things to His disciples, and they would question Him about it later because they didn’t understand what He was trying to say / teach them. But when Jesus makes this promise, they do not question. It is as though Jesus has finally said something that they have expected to come from the Messiah. They expected Him to make the Spirit available to them so that they could keep the covenant or live by the covenant with God.

Acts 1:4-5 ^(NKJV) And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; ⁵ for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

Dr. Oswalt – When Jesus first told the disciples these words (I read from Lk. 24:49), they did not realize that the only way He could give this gift of the Spirit was through His death on our behalf. 

Now, in Acts, Luke provides evidence to show that even after His death and resurrection, the disciples are still looking for something other than what Jesus meant. In their minds the promise of the Father – the empowerment of the Spirit – meant power to overthrow the Romans and establish a kingdom on earth. But, Jesus has to explain that this Spirit and this power would not be for political purposes. It would be a power for witnessing. They would be filled with the power to be transformed and to be a testimony to the world about what Jesus has done for us and can do in us.

IV.       The remedy is presented by the Apostles

Acts 19:1-6 ^{(NKJV) 1} And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples ² he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." ³ And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." ⁴ Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." ⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 

Writers in NT Commentaries indicate that these people at Ephesus had only been taught about John baptizing and exhorting people to repent of their sins. By the time that message had gotten to them, it had somehow gotten separated from John’s presentation of Christ. They apparently hadn’t heard about John’s words we quoted earlier, “He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” They knew about John and repentance, but they didn’t know about Christ and forgiveness and empowerment by the Spirit. So, as soon as they were baptized in the name of Jesus, the Spirit came upon them!

Paul not only presents the message to the people of Ephesus as recorded here in Acts, but through his epistles to the various churches he also repeatedly presents the message of what the Spirit of God can do and is expected to do for the believer.

Dr. Oswalt - Paul’s most organized presentation of the message is in the book of Romans. This is how he summarizes the first 8 chapters of the book:

Rom. 1-3 – All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (nobody comes to God on their “own hook”)

Rom. 4-5 – We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Rom. 6-8 – By the Spirit, Christians do not sin. 

6 – [The expectation is] Do not sin.

7 – If you walk in the flesh, you cannot help but sin.

8 – There is no condemnation for those who do not WALK by the flesh, but by the Spirit. [Those who are filled with the Spirit and are controlled by the Spirit find the power to overcome the flesh and live pleasing to God.]

Conclusion:

The remedy to the problem we have is a baptism of the Spirit. That baptism begins when Jesus saves us. His Spirit begins working God’s grace into our lives and actually imparts righteousness to us so that we can live victoriously over sin.

But the need of our hearts is for a complete filling by the Spirit and a perpetual refilling and refreshing provided by the Spirit. There are verses in the NT that imply some of the Spirit’s work is instantaneous. There are other verses in the NT that imply the Spirit’s work is continuous and progressive. Both are true.

So the question is, do you have the Spirit dwelling in you today? Do you have His cleansing, His filling and His abiding presence? Have you been simply contented to seek His forgiveness and failed to seek His Holy presence in your life to make you a holy person?

The closing song I’ve chosen for this morning is a hymn that asks a series of questions, then provides the answer to those questions in the chorus.

His Way with Thee     

He can have His way with you if you will ask Him and completely surrender to Him – not only today, but every day.

Humans, We Have a Problem

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

This is a sermon based on various passages of Scripture that relates to the fact that all people are separated from God due to the inherited problem of sin we share. God desires for every one of us to be in fellowship and communion with Him, but our sinfulness prevents it.

Written Excerpts:

Genesis 6:5 (NKJV) Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Introduction:

I’m sure that several people here today can remember the Apollo 13 Space mission in April of 1970 which was intended to make a moon landing but was aborted due to an oxygen tank explosion. There were many tense hours as scientists worked around the clock to help the crew and spaceship make it safely back to earth. When the explosion happened, one of the astronauts radioed back to headquarters in Houston and reported, “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” Many of us remember the crisis and the anxious hours until the craft and its crew made it safely back to earth.

Years later, when the movie was made about the Apollo 13 mission, the wording was changed to read, “Houston, we have a problem.” Since the movie came out the phrase has been used as an expression of speech to indicate that there is something seriously wrong.

I was recently reviewing some of the notes that I have from a pastor’s conference I attended in 2014. The speaker was Dr. John Oswalt, whom you have heard me refer to many times since then. The theme of his presentation was about the subject of holiness and sanctification as presented in the Bible. Near the beginning of his presentation he was using various references in Scripture to express the problem of sin we all have that prevents us from sharing the holy character of God.

As I was reviewing this material, I thought of the phrase I mentioned earlier that was used during the Apollo 13 mission, and I adapted it slightly to provide the title for today’s message: “Humans, we have a problem!” Take a look at the passage of Scripture that was read earlier – Genesis 6:5-18; especially v. 5. “… every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

We do not know for sure how old the human race was at this point, but regardless of how many years had passed since God created Adam and Eve, it still seems mind-boggling that the sinfulness would have so completely overwhelmed humanity that God describes them as having evil intents in their hearts continually.

The Bible provides overwhelming evidence that we humans have a problem that started with Adam and Eve and has affected everyone who has ever lived on earth. For the message today I will try to describe the problem we humans have, and then end up by touching on the remedy. We may continue the discussion of the remedy into next Sunday’s sermon.

I.           The Problem Identified

Listen to these three statements that Dr. Oswalt gave about our problem: There is something wrong at the core of the human personality. The heart is the control panel of the person. Something wrong at the center of our motivation.

He is summarizing several of the passages in the Bible that describe the condition of our spiritual heart; the center of our life motivation. Let us look at several references that speak about this problem. [Bullet points in italics are taken from Dr. Oswalt’s presentation.]

A.      In the Old Testament:

·    The way we form the mental constructs of the heart is only evil continuously. 

Genesis 6:5 ^(NKJV) Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  

As I stated earlier, it is amazing to realize that the entire human population at this stage in history was so corrupt that God describes them as only thinking evil continually. When left to our “own devices” we gravitate toward evil. The only thing that interrupts that movement toward evil is the grace of God.

In the next few verses we discover that there is only one person who had responded to God’s grace. Noah “found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

·    The human heart is “uncircumcised”; “divided.”

Deut. 10:16 ^(NKJV) Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. (see Hosea 10:2 ^(NKJV) Their heart is divided; Now they are held guilty. He will break down their altars; He will ruin their sacred pillars.)

Moses warns the people that they have a problem in their hearts that will adversely affect them when they go in to possess the land that God had promised them. Physical circumcision was a sign of the covenant the people of Israel had with God. But, Moses is pointing out to them that they need more than a physical procedure to remedy their perpetual problem – rebellion. They need something done to their hearts. A heart that is divided and unloyal will sabotage all attempts to live right and please God.

·     The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked.

Jeremiah 17:9 ^(NKJV) The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 

Jeremiah affirms that it is not really possible to understand the serious condition of a heart that is deceitful & wicked.

·     We have a spirit of prostitution

Hosea 4:12 ^(NKJV) My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, And their staff informs them. For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray, And they have played the harlot against their God. 

Hosea 5:4 ^(NKJV) They do not direct their deeds Toward turning to their God, For the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, And they do not know the LORD. 

·     They are stubborn and rebellious children; their hearts are not “established”; their spirits are not “true.”

Psalm 78:8 ^(NKJV) And may not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God. 

In the previous verses, the Psalmist is talking about teaching and training the children so that they will not have the same “heart trouble” of their forefathers.

B.       In the New Testament

NT Term for the Problem: “The Flesh”

·     The body – very good

1 John 4:2 ^(NKJV) By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 

There were teachers in the early years of the Christian church who were teaching heresy because they believed all physical matter was evil. Therefore, Jesus could not be the Son of God because he had a physical body and therefore partook of evil. John rebukes the teaching by affirming that Jesus did come in the flesh and anyone who says he didn’t is not of God. Therefore, since Jesus was in the flesh, then the physical flesh is good.

·     The bodily desires – good

Genesis 3:6 ^(NKJV) So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 

Luke 22:15 ^(NKJV) Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;

God created Adam and Eve with natural spiritual, emotional, and physical desires that are not evil in themselves. Jesus says He had desires – natural, God-given, human desires. But…

·     When desires are in control (now becomes “lust” in the evil connotation of the word) – bad

Galatians 5:19-21 ^(NKJV) Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

1Jn. 2:16 – “lust of the flesh, pleasure; lust of eyes, possessions; pride of life, position/power”

·     The attitude that satisfying my desires is the only purpose in life – very bad.

·     The attitude that I have an absolute right to satisfy my desires just as far as my abilities will permit it – very, very bad 

II.           The Problem Remedied

We do not have the time to expound on the remedy that God has provided. The Lord willing, I will continue with that part of the message next Sunday.

However, let me just say before we leave today that even though the picture looks dark and grim, God has provided an adequate remedy. 

He didn’t abandon the human race to ruin and destruction. He had already planned for our redemption and our deliverance.

1 John 3:8 ^(NKJV) He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Conclusion:

In our bulletins today, I had Kris print a quote from Dr. Oswalt.

If the answer is the cross, what is the question? Of course, we all know: “How can my sins be forgiven, and I be assured of heaven?” No, the real question is: “How can a deeply corrupted human being ever share the character of a holy God?” – John Oswalt

Many people think of salvation as though it is just a “ticket to heaven.” They want to know how all the bad stuff they’ve said and done can be erased and they can be allowed into heaven at the end of life. Many professing Christians give the distinct impression that they are not very much interested in having a relationship with God in this life that will continue on into eternity. (If we don’t really desire a relationship with God now, then we won’t want a relationship with Him then.) I believe God wants us to have a deep, meaningful relationship with Him now that continues to get better and better until we move into eternity to live in His glorious presence forever.

However, the reason we can’t have a relationship with Him now is because our hearts and spirits have been deeply corrupted and we do not share God’s character, which we desperately need in order to have a relationship with Him. It’s not just because we have done some sinful things, it is also because our hearts led us down that path; we did what we desired.

So God has provided a remedy. Through the cross of Jesus Christ, He has made it possible not only for our sins to be forgiven but also for our character and life to be conformed to His image. 

I wonder if there is anyone here today who recognizes that you need the work of God’s Spirit in you own heart to transform your heart and life into one that is more compatible to God’s nature? If God has spoken to you today, why not come and pray for a genuine cleansing of your sins and your heart? If you realize that the human problem hasn’t been adequately dealt with in your life, then come and seek the Lord.

Closing Song: Just As I Am

A Family Blessing

(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 message was given on Mother's Day and it is based on the thought found in Proverbs 31:28, "her children rise up and bless her." The sermon discusses the various uses in Scripture for the word "bless," and then presents some practical ways that husbands and children can bless the wife/mother in the home.

Written Excerpts:

Proverbs 31:28 ^(NKJV) Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her: 

Introduction:

(Complete Book of Zingers) Mother's Day is when everybody waits on mother and she pretends she doesn't mind the extra work.

(Draper's Book of Quotations) The commonest fallacy among women is that simply having children makes one a mother—which is as absurd as believing that having a piano makes one a musician. – Sydney J. Harris

A CHILD'S PERSPECTIVE – A little boy was talking to the girl next door. "I wonder what my mother would like for Mother's Day." The girl answered, "Well, you could promise to keep your room clean and orderly. You could go to bed as soon as she calls you. You could brush your teeth after eating. You could quit fighting with your brothers and sisters, especially at the dinner table." The boy looked at her and said, "No, I mean something practical." (Illustrations Unlimited)

The message I want to share today is going to overlap some that I have given a few years ago. As I was reading and preparing for today’s message, it seemed very familiar, so after further investigation, I discovered that I gave a sermon for Mother’s Day 3 years ago on this same passage of Scripture.

However, the bulletin was already printed with the scripture and the sermon title, so I decided to proceed.

If anything I say today sounds like you’ve heard it from me before, well, congratulations on having a good memory. (It’s obviously, better than mine!)

Prov. 31:10-31 - The passage starts out, “Who can find a virtuous woman?” Some of the newer translations use different expressions for “virtuous woman.” For example, “wife of noble character,” “worthy woman,” “competent wife,” and “capable wife.”

So, the author is really stressing the rhetorical question, “Where do you find a wife that has such ideal character and qualities?”

Prov. 18:22 – Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favor of the Lord. (NLT, The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord.)

In Prov. 31:10, after the initial verse that raises the question, the rest of the chapter proceeds to describe the various qualities of such a woman (wife).

As you read down through these 22 verses, it becomes clear that there is probably no one single woman who exhibits every one of these traits. However, they are described to provide the ideals that God has placed within the heart, mind and conduct of godly women. 

In the original Hebrew OT, this section of chapter 31 was written as an acrostic – that is, each verse starts with a word that begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It was a unique way of emphasizing the message the author intended to convey in Hebrew “poetry.”

The particular part of the chapter that I wanted to emphasize today is near the end – vv. 28, 30 & 31.

In these verses we read about the family members “blessing” and “praising” the woman/wife of noble character.

If you check back through several of the verses prior to verse 28, you will notice how often her husband and her household are mentioned. See: vv. 11, 21, 23, 27.

The phrase gives the idea that the children are pronouncing blessings upon her because of who she is and what she has done. Her husband is praising her for the noble character she has displayed.

I want to do two things in my message today. First, I want to just review the meaning of the words used here – “bless” and “praise.”

Secondly, I want to suggest some ways that we can offer blessings and praise for our wives, mothers, and women in general.

I.          I.  Meaning of Words used.

“bless her” – (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament) “There are two verbs in Hebrew meaning "to bless." One is bārak and the other ʾāshar. … bārak is used by God when he "blesses" somebody. But there is no instance where ʾāshar is ever on God's lips. When one "blesses" God the verb is bārak, never ʾāshar. One suggestion to explain this sharp distinction, i.e. that ʾāshar is reserved for man, is that ʾāshar is a word of envious desire, "to be envied with desire is the man who trusts in the Lord." God is not man and therefore there are no grounds for aspiring to his state even in a wishful way. Similarly God does not envy man, never desires something man is or has, which he does not have, but would like to have. Therefore God never pronounces man "blessed" (ʾashrê) (Janzen). 

[We do know of a couple of examples where a man is giving a blessing on other people and the word bārak is used, which seems to go against what I’ve just said. One case is Melchizedek blessing Abraham, and the other example is Jacob blessing the sons of Joseph. Yet, based on what we’ve learned about this word, the blessing was considered a blessing from God being passed to men through other men.]

“It should also be pointed out that when bārak is used the initiative comes from God. God can bestow his blessing even when man doesn't deserve it. On the other hand, to be blessed (ʾashrê), man has to do something. 

“Finally, bārak is a benediction, ʾāshar more of a congratulation.” 

So, when her children rise and bless her, they are expressing the thought, “she is to be congratulated. She is to be envied and praised for her accomplishments.”

“husband…praises her” – This is the same Hebrew root word that is used in the word “hallelujah.” In “hallelu-jah,” the ending of the word refers to God. But in Prov. 31:28, the word form has an ending that refers to the woman that is being discussed.

Interestingly, the root meaning of “halal” carries the idea of “giving off light” or “to shine.” It seems that it is meant to convey the idea of shining the spotlight on the admirable qualities of the object being praised. (TWOT & BDB)

When we give praise to God, we “shine” (put the spotlight on) His nature and His wonderful works.

When a husband praises his wife, he puts the spotlight on her qualities and accomplishments.

II.        Ways to bless and praise the women of noble character.

What I have to say here is not directly based on specific scripture references, but I believe it reflects the overall teaching in scripture regarding giving proper respect, honor and praise to those who deserve it.

1.            Fathers, men, if we want our children to bless, (congratulate), and praise their mothers, we need to set the example. 

We need to look for opportunities to praise and congratulate our wives and the mother of our children in front of them so they can learn by example.

Ills. – Years ago, Rev. Whitaker told a story about being a guest at someone’s house and the husband had repeatedly criticized his wife’s work/cooking, etc. At one dinner the man asked Rev. Whitaker, “How do you like that meat?” After Rev. Whitaker replied with a compliment, the husband said, “I picked it out!”

It is a fact. The kind of treatment a man gives to his wife is normally the kind of treatment his children will give her.

2.            Men, we must not only refrain from criticizing and denigrating our wives, especially in front of our children, and we must not tolerate it from our children.

Ills. – I know that things are different today, and this kind of reaction wouldn’t be condoned, but I know what it is like to get a backhand on the mouth from my dad. All it took was for me to sass my mother or say something disrespectful, when he was close enough to reach me at that moment. I’m not saying that slapping a child on the mouth is necessarily the right way to go about it. But, my parents did it to me when I deserved it. Maybe some people have a different opinion than I do, but I don’t think it ruined my character, personality or life as a result. I will say this, it definitely made me a little more careful about how I talked to my mother from then on. I didn’t require too many lessons to learn to be careful how I spoke to her.

3.            We need to focus on the positive more than the negative. Any person is much more willing to hear constructive / instructive criticism when criticism is not the norm. 

4.            Celebrate successes and accomplishments in a way that honors our wives/mothers.

I think it is especially important for children and husbands to bless, praise and honor their mom/wife in front of other people. It is one thing to do it at home, but I think it speaks volumes when we do it publicly.

Conclusion:

There is nothing more important and more powerful than when a child is able to express praise and appreciation for his mother’s faith or Christian conduct.

POWERFUL EVIDENCE UNREFUTED – When Robert Ingersoll, the notorious skeptic, was in his heyday, two college students went to hear him lecture. As they walked down the street after the lecture, one said to the other, "Well, I guess he knocked the props out from under Christianity, didn't he?" The other said, "No, I don't think he did. Ingersoll did not explain my mother's life, and until he can explain my mother's life I will stand by my mother's God." (Illustrations Unlimited)

As we go from this service today, I trust that each one of us will purpose to honor our wives/mothers and women in our lives by giving them the praise they deserve.

Let us all stand together now and sing A Christian Home

We’ve tried to give honor to the moms in our lives this morning. However, I am aware that Mother’s Day is one of those days that always has the potential to bring a fresh sense of sadness and grief to some people for various reasons. 

Closing Prayer (I want to finish our service by reading a prayer that I came across several years ago that was written by a woman specifically for all those that have reasons to experience sadness and grief on Mother’s Day.)

A Permanent Victory

 (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 sermon, given on Easter Sunday, is based upon the phrase, "Death is swallowed up in victory," which is found in 1 Corinthians 15:54. The message emphasizes the fact that the resurrection is not merely a momentary victory, but it is a permanent victory because of the implications of the wording Paul uses in this verse.

Written Excerpts:

1 Cor. 15:54 ^(NKJV) So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

Introduction:

Who doesn’t love a good contest? Who doesn’t admire a truly worthy winner?

For some people, a good contest is any kind of sporting event, or perhaps only one particular sporting event. Other people love to follow academic kinds of contests such as: forensic speech competitions. From time to time I read articles in the Sharon Herald about students from area schools competing in speech competitions. Our own son, Andrew, competed in speech contests while in college.

I don’t know how many people are aware of it, but in vocational schools across the country competitions are held for various trade skills that students are learning and in which they may compete with other students around the region, state or nation.

When my twin brother was in high school he attended the Crawford County Vo-Tech School in Meadville his sophomore, junior and senior years and took the welding course. He excelled in the training and during his senior year he competed against welding students from other schools in the field of Heli arch welding working with aluminum and stainless steel.

The competition included blueprint reading and welding small pieces of stainless steel in horizontal, vertical and overhead positions, as well as pipe welds. If I remember correctly, the welds were judged not only on appearance, but they were x-rayed to make sure they were solid welds.

He won first place at the regional competition, then he also won first place at the state competition, which qualified him for nationals in San Antonio Texas. It seemed like a dream to even think of him winning at nationals against state winners from 40-some other states. So, you might imagine the time of great celebration it was when we learned that he also won first place at the national competition and had qualified for an international contest in Europe, which was later canceled. It was a thrilling victory that we relished for many years.

There are various reasons why people are motivated to root for their favorite team or individual contestant. Our family obviously rooted for my brother because of our close relationship with him. Others were hoping he would win because he was from their school, their town, or their state.

One thing about victories is they are always temporary or momentary. It really depends on what type of competition you are referring to, but in sports, for example, there may be only one victory before there is a loss, or at best, an entire undefeated season. But eventually the victory is interrupted by more losses. In this life, victory is never permanent.

Today, we are celebrating the resurrection of our Lord. In the passage of Scripture that was read earlier, there is a phrase in verse 54 that made me think of the title I chose for today’s message. That phrase is, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” For the next several minutes I want to talk to you about the permanent victory that Christ gained when He rose again from the grave.

I. The Element of the Victory

When we mention the “element” of the victory, we are talking about the fact of the resurrection and what it really means. Because of all the implications surrounding the resurrection, which we will talk about shortly, the devil has always orchestrated opposition to the idea of a literal resurrection.

There have been all kinds of arguments made against the resurrection by atheists and other completely secular sources. It is very sad that there are also some professing Christians, especially in the academic world, who argue against the resurrection. One such argument is that Jesus didn’t bodily rise from the dead, but He simply rose in the minds, hearts and ideas of the disciples so they could be motivated to go out and tell the good news of salvation. This kind of description makes the resurrection out to be nothing more than a spiritual experience.

So, it is very important to understand how the Apostle begins this chapter simply stating some of the obvious details surrounding the resurrection such as Christ appearing in His bodily form to various people. Then, the Apostle says that He also was “seen by over five hundred brethren at once.”

It might be possible to conceive of the close-knit group of disciples having such a spiritual experience as I described a moment ago, but think about how difficult it would be to get more than 500 brothers to all experience the same thing at the same time. And, not only to have the same experience, but to stick to the same story. Many of those same people would have still been living when Paul wrote these words, so any skeptic could have looked them up and verified Paul’s account.

This is only one example of the very intentional detail given by the eyewitnesses of the resurrection to refute any such alternative ideas. Paul wants to begin this whole discussion of resurrection by firmly defending the fact that it was a real event.

II. The Effect of the Victory

The effect of the victory pertains to the arguments that Paul makes throughout the chapter regarding the consequences of the resurrection.

He mentions such things as:

1 Corinthians 15:13ff ^(NKJV) But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. ¹⁴ And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty… ¹⁷ And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! ¹⁸ Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

Paul efficiently argues that all these things, and much more, would have no meaning or reality if Christ did not rise from the dead. 

III. The Extent of the Victory

As we get closer to the end of the chapter, Paul is answering the hypothetical question of what will the resurrection mean for us? What will it be like? What will we become?

In verses 35 – 58, he explains some of those answers. There is a lot to digest in the information he gives, but I want to focus mainly on the words in v. 54, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” This phrase is borrowed from the OT book of Isaiah.

Isaiah 25:8 ^(NKJV) He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.

So, Paul is saying that the resurrection is the fulfillment of this prophecy and therefore it really is true what he had said earlier in v. 26, “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” (Adapted from Verlyn Verbrugge, Expositor’s Bible Commentary)

(R.C.H. Lenski New Testament Commentary) – The [language] "swallow up" is drastic and expresses complete destruction. Luther: "The Scriptures announce how one death (Christ's) devoured the other (ours)."

Lenski goes on to explain that the words, “in victory” bring out the true meaning of the OT prophecy in the original Hebrew. Listen carefully to this quote:

Death is not merely destroyed so that it cannot do further harm while all of the harm which it has wrought on God's children remains. The tornado is not merely checked so that no additional homes are wrecked while those that were wrecked still lie in ruin. The destruction of death is far more intense: death and all of its apparent victories are undone for God's children. What looks like a victory for death and like a defeat for us when our bodies die and decay shall be utterly reversed so that death dies in absolute defeat, and our bodies live again in absolute victory.

Conclusion:

I want to close my message today by assuring each one of us in the strongest terms possible that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was a thorough and permanent victory over death. Jesus not only rose again from the grave, but His resurrection is the guarantee that we will be raised from the dead as well. As Paul asks in the closing verses, “O Death, where is your sting? O Grave, where is your victory?” The obvious answer is – there is no sting; there is no victory for death and the grave. All that death and the grave have accomplished or acquired has been permanently overturned by the resurrection of Jesus.

He Lives! Hallelujah!

Let us rejoice in this fact by standing together and singing the closing hymn: Rejoice, the Lord Is King

Till He Comes

(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 during a Palm Sunday service in which the sacrament of communion was celebrated. It focuses on the words found in 1 Cor. 15:26 where the Apostle states that we proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. The message speaks about how this phrase relates to the actual words of Jesus, which not only imply His return but also His resurrection.

Written Excerpts:

1 Corinthians 11:26 ^(NKJV) For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

Introduction:

On the first Sunday of March, when we last celebrated the Lord’s Supper, I spoke to you about this same verse in First Corinthians. If you were here, you might recall that we emphasized the phrase, “You proclaim the Lord’s death.” We talked about how communion can be a perpetual proclamation of our redemption through the blood of Christ.

Today we are revisiting this same verse, but I want to examine a different phrase than we did before. I want to speak to you about the phrase “till He comes.” The Apostle is saying we are to keep on proclaiming the suffering and death of the Lord through participation in communion until the time when He comes again. 

I think it is especially fitting for us to focus on this phrase at this particular time of the year because there truly is a resurrection theme in these words of the Apostle Paul.

I.      This phrase announces a return.

(Expositor's Bible Commentary, Revised) – There is also an eschatological [i.e. end times] element in this supper, for by it we testify to the truth that Jesus will return. This element is apparent in the original Last Supper, since Jesus said to his disciples: “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God. . . . I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes” (Lk 22:15-18).

The author of this commentary is reminding us that Paul’s statement is based upon the words uttered by Jesus when He celebrated the Passover and Last Supper with His disciples. In the comments of Jesus recorded in Luke 22:15-18, He explains that there will be no more occasions when they share the Passover celebration meal nor drink the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.

We have spoken in the past how that the gospels portray the kingdom of God as something that had already arrived, but was not yet fully here or completely here. Jesus spoke in some places as though the kingdom had come, but in other places He speaks about it still coming in the future. Knowing that Jesus was very near death, we can assume that He was simply telling them He would not eat or drink the Passover meal in this earthly life again. However, He states that He will share it again with them in the kingdom of God.

Many commentary authors believe that the Apostle Paul was thinking about these words of Jesus when he says we must keep on proclaiming the death of Jesus by partaking of the communion emblems, and we must do it until the Lord comes again.

(Lenski New Testament Commentary) – From the night in which Jesus was betrayed onward until his return in glory at the last day this proclamation is to be made. The aorist subjunctive ἔλθῃ [he comes] denotes a single future act and an actual coming.

This author (Lenski), confirms that the sentence and word usage of the Apostle Paul clearly requires a future return of the Lord. So Paul’s emphasis, based on the words of Jesus, is that communion is not only a remembrance of Jesus’ suffering, but it is also a reminder of His future coming.

II.    This phrase assumes a resurrection.

Not only did Jesus imply that He was going to return, so that he could drink it anew with them, but His words also imply a resurrection. A “dead man” cannot return unless there is a resurrection first! He wasn’t talking about His Spirit drinking wine in the kingdom of God, because spirits can’t eat and drink. That is why it is a significant point that Jesus asked the disciples for something to eat after His resurrection. They may have imagined that they were just seeing a spirit, but when He asked for food, it was to show that He really was “flesh and blood.”)

On the night when Jesus instituted the communion, He states that He will someday drink anew with them in the kingdom of God, which could not be possible if He is still dead. Jesus’ promise to drink the fruit of the vine with them again in the kingdom of God presumes that there will be a resurrection, which He had already told the disciples many times.

He had repeatedly told them that He was going to be put to death but would rise again. Luke records one such occasion at the beginning of chapter 22. Then during the supper (v. 21) He told them that one of them would betray Him. In spite of the fact He is going to be betrayed, and in spite of the fact He had predicted His own crucifixion, Jesus still talks about drinking the wine with them in the kingdom of God. This could not be possible without His resurrection from the dead.

So, it seems that the Apostle Paul states his words on the basis of these very same conclusions. We keep on proclaiming the death of the Lord through sharing of communion until He comes back again, which He is sure to do because He is alive and well! On this Palm Sunday as we share the elements of communion, let us do so with the renewed understanding that Jesus is alive and coming again!

Conclusion:

(The IVP Bible Background Commentary) – [Old Testament] Passover celebrations looked forward to the future redemption of Israel as well as backward to how God had redeemed them in the exodus of Moses’ day.

The original Passover event was looking forward to the coming deliverance or redemption of Israel from bondage. Each subsequent Passover celebration would look back on the miraculous deliverance God has provided. In a similar way the elements of the Lord’s Supper remind us to look back at Calvary and the deliverance Christ provided from sin, but to also look forward to the future and final deliverance from this sin-cursed world and our entrance into the eternal kingdom of God.

Before we share the communion sacrament together, let us sing this great hymn, Wounded for Me.

He's Been There, Done That

(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 sermon is based on Hebrews 12:2-3 and explores the reasons why Christians are urged to keep their focus on Jesus while going through life. We receive encouragement by remembering three main things about Jesus: what He went through, who He is, and He is always with us.

Written Excerpts:

Hebrews 12:3 ^(NKJV) For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

Introduction:
Imagine that you are being prepared for an extensive surgery that will require a lengthy rehabilitation process following surgery. There is a close friend with you trying to encourage you for the long process ahead. They tell you that you’ll be able to get through it; the pain won’t really be that bad; and you will eventually be back to normal functions of daily life.

You look at them and ask, “Have you been through this before?”

They suddenly get a blank look on their face and reply, “No, but I read a book about it!”

How would that make you feel? How much encouragement would that provide for you?

Wouldn’t you rather hear from someone who had been through the exact same experience and “lived to tell about it?”

Last Sunday we discussed a phrase found in Heb. 12:2 – “looking unto Jesus.” We talked about four different qualities that were evident in the life of Jesus from His birth until His resurrection. I mentioned how we can look at those qualities exhibited in the life of Christ and use them as a model or pattern for our own walk of faith.

Today, I would like to draw your attention to verse 3. Those early Christians were instructed to think about Jesus who had endured severe hostility from His peers. Obviously, they would have understood that the writer was not only speaking about the verbal opposition Jesus received during His ministry, but even more, the physical suffering they put Him through with the crucifixion. We mentioned before that they were urged in v. 1 to “run the race with patience” or endurance. I had mentioned then and at other times that this patience or endurance is not the kind we describe by the phrase, “grin and bear it.” Nor is it some kind of light, frivolous emotion that pretends things aren’t really as bad as they are.

I came across a quote by William Barclay that I wanted to share regarding endurance. He writes, “… [it] does not mean the patience which sits down and accepts things but the patience which masters them. It is not some romantic thing which lends us wings to fly over the difficulties and the hard places. It is a determination, unhurrying and yet undenying, which goes steadily on and refuses to be deflected.”

Last week we already mentioned that we need to keep our eyes focused on Jesus. In that message we talked about some of the general aspects of His life and the qualities He exhibited. Today, I want to further explore how “looking to Jesus” can be of any help to us when we are traveling through this life and dealing with all its obstacles and challenges.

I.      We can remember what He went through.

“He endured the cross” – As I read earlier the quote from Wm. Barclay, this phrase reminds us that Jesus didn’t evade the cross; He endured it. He accepted it and faced it “head on” and went through the whole ordeal.

“Despised the shame” – The death of crucifixion was shameful. It was the death reserved for “criminals.” There was a huge social stigma associated with it. But Jesus despised all of that – He didn’t allow those facts to deter Him from fulfilling the Father’s plan.

“endured contradiction of sinners” – Boldly and confidently faced the opposition directed to Him by sinners.

These sinners included the socially respected, religious leaders.

“resisted unto blood” (v. 4) – He went through it all including the point of shedding blood. He gave His very life, which has not yet been the experience of the readers. Writer may have also been thinking of others who were included in the examples given in chapter 11, who also died (shed their blood) because of their faith in God. (Barclay)

II.    We can remember who He is.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I think we can begin to reason – well, Jesus was God after all, so He had supernatural powers and He was better fitted for these situations than I am.

Let’s look at a few of the verses that was read earlier in the service.

Hebrews 2:17 ^(NKJV) Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Hebrews 4:15 ^(NKJV) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

The writer goes to great lengths to show us that Jesus is human just like us. He did have the supernatural power of God in those situations where He was demonstrating God’s grace and love to people, and for confirming His own deity. However, the Bible clearly states that He laid aside His divine power in order to submit to the Father’s will for the plan of redemption. When it came to benefiting himself, He willfully chose not to use divine powers so that He could fully experience our humanness in suffering and in representing us in His death.

He literally and truly has “been there and done that.”

III.   We can remember that He is with us all the way.

Finally, I want to remind us that the hope and good news goes further than simply instructing us to keep Jesus in mind as we endure opposition, persecution, or adversity. We need to remember that His presence is actually with us and in us.

Wm. Barclay – “He is at once goal of our journey and the companion of our way; at once the one whom we go to meet and the one with whom we travel…. forever in the company of him who has already made the journey and reached the goal, and who waits to welcome us when we reach the end.”

Conclusion:

Life is full of obstacles, opposition and suffering, especially when we purpose to be completely devoted to the Lord and do His will. Let us remember that Jesus has gone through the same experiences. “He was tempted (tested) in all points, or all kinds of ways, such as we are.” Let us remember that He was fully and completely human, just like us. He didn’t use His divine prerogatives for His own benefit. Let us remember that He is always with us, whether we can sense it or not; He is there.

Therefore, let us keep on trusting Him. Trust Him for direction and guidance in tough decisions. Trust Him for comfort in grief and sorrow. Trust Him for relief in suffering and pain. Trust Him for power to overcome temptations and trials.

Our closing hymn is a song about trusting Jesus. Let us stand and sing it together, Trusting Jesus

Look at Jesus

(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 based on Hebrews 12:2 in which the author urges believers to look unto Jesus for encouragement in running the race that is set before them. The message includes four different qualities found in the life of Christ and urges hearers to seek to imitate Jesus in their lives.

Written Excerpts:

Hebrews 12:2 ^(NKJV) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Introduction:

In this second verse, the readers are being admonished to “look unto Jesus.” Or, today we might say it like, “take a look at Jesus.” I want to use this phrase to introduce my message to you today about some of the qualities of Jesus’ life. Perhaps we will use the next few weeks to return to this passage and explore it in closer detail.

Have you ever been encouraged to really get to know someone? Maybe you already knew them in a casual way, but you were challenged to really get to know them more intimately. Have you ever been surprised, once you did get a more intimate knowledge of someone, to find out that they were much different than you previously thought?

In our Scripture passage today we have read in verse 1 that believers are urged to “run a race.” This race is obviously a spiritual race, not literal. But, it is a race that has many parallels to a literal race. The rigors of the race can be compared to the life of faith. For example, many people have compared our life of faith to be much more like a marathon than a sprint or dash. It has been described more like an endurance race than one that focuses on who’s in first place. Just being able to make it to the finish line is the primary goal.

In the admonition given here, the writer offers two different sources of inspiration to the runners. One source would include the saints of faith described in chapter 11 who have “witnessed” or testified by their actions that they have been overcomers, or should we say “winners.” The other source of inspiration to these “racers” is mentioned in verse 2 – Jesus. There are specific reasons they are urged to consider Him as a source of inspiration, which we will probably explore in future sermons, but none-the-less, they have been encouraged to use Jesus as a source of knowledge, strength and inspiration as they daily run the race of life in faith.

Today I would like to direct your thoughts toward Jesus and some specific qualities that the Bible tells us about Him. In doing this, I hope it will inspire and challenge us to be more like Him.

There are a number of different Bible passages that urge readers (or listeners) to strive to be like Jesus.

For example: 

1 Peter 2:21 ^(NKJV) For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

Philippians 2:5 ^(NKJV) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

John 13:34 ^(NKJV) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

If we are admonished to look at Jesus and to imitate Jesus, then it is important to review some important qualities of His life. I want to express just four of those qualities for you today.

I.      In His birth, He demonstrated His humility.

There are at least two ways that Jesus demonstrated humility in His birth.

A.    Humility is demonstrated in His voluntary condescension from heaven to earth.

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

“no reputation” – lit. to make empty or void (Thayer); does not selfishly exploit His divine form but lays it aside… (TDNT).

“form of bondservant” – took on the characteristics of a slave (A.T. Robertson).

B.     Humility is demonstrated in the humble circumstances surrounding His birth and life.

Poor virgin; stable; lowly carpenter’s home…

In a spiritual race, humility is an important characteristic to possess.

Benjamin Franklin – Pride is the hardest trait to erase from one’s life. If I should succeed in removing all pride from my life, I may then be strongly tempted to be proud of my humility. (Not an exact quote.)

Humility is a most strange thing. The moment that you think you have acquired it is just the moment you have lost it. – Bernard Meltzer (Draper’s Quotations)

I recently read this quip: A humble man never blows his "knows" in public!

Matthew 20:26-28 ^(NKJV) … whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. ²⁷ And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-- ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

II.    In His life, He demonstrated His compassion.

As we read through the four gospels and review the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, it is very possible the one thing that would stand out the most about Him would be His consistent compassion for people.

While preaching, Peter summarizes the life of Jesus by saying, “He went about doing good.”

Acts 10:38 ^(NKJV) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

There are at least 10 different places in the gospels where it mentions “Jesus had compassion.” Sometimes the object of His compassion was described as multitude(s) and other times it was a single individual. Everywhere Jesus went, He was moved by the conditions of humanity, whether it was pain and suffering, poverty, or other conditions, He saw their deepest needs and was moved to the point of action.

May God help us to see that trait so clearly in Christ, that we seek to pattern our own lives after Him.

Jesus – “As the Father has sent me, so send I you.”

III.   In His passion, He demonstrated His obedience.

Philippians 2:8 ^(NKJV) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Paul’s point here seems to be that once the Son humbled Himself and took the characteristics of humanity, even as a “slave/servant,” then in that status of humanity He continued being obedient to His Father to the very point of death.

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – His obedience is a sure token of his deity and authority for, as Lohmeyer says in a brilliant insight, only a divine being can accept death as obedience; for ordinary people it is a necessity.

And, it wasn’t just a natural death, or a hero’s death on the battlefield, but it was the cursed death on a cross, as if He was a criminal.

Hebrews 5:8 ^(NKJV) though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

Learning is related to the word knowledge, and the word know in Greek almost always included the idea of knowing by experience. Luke 2:52 tells us that Jesus as a child and youth “grew in wisdom and stature.” That is, as a human being, even one that was without sin, He continued to increase in wisdom. So, Jesus didn’t “learn obedience” as if He had not known what obedience was, but He learned it in the sense of experiencing more and more what obedience involved.

Last Sunday I spoke on the subject of obedience to God as it was emphasized by the prophet Samuel to King Saul. Ever since the Garden of Eden, the Devil has constantly lured people into disobedience against God. It will always be his scheme to defy God by convincing His creatures that they do not need to obey their Creator.

Look at Jesus and emulate His obedience to the Father!

IV.   In His resurrection, He demonstrated His Power.

You’ve heard me say this many times, but whenever the OT wants to express the great power of God, the writers often refer back to the Exodus from Egypt and the victory at the Red Sea.

The NT writers also referred to the Exodus, but whenever they wanted to express the epitome of power, they usually spoke of the resurrection of Christ.

Ephesians 1:18-20 ^(NKJV) the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰ which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

Believers that are running an endurance race, trying to make it to the finish line in the midst of all kinds of opposition, trials, and suffering, need the reassurance that God’s power is able to carry them through to the end. It’s the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. You and I can make it to the end of life, through all the trial, temptations and tribulations because Christ’s resurrection power is available to us.

Conclusion:

I mentioned at the beginning of the message today that the writer is encouraging his readers to faithfully and successfully run the spiritual race that we all must run. As we run the race, there are plenty of opportunities for us to become discouraged and to give up.

Knowing this, the author offered two different sources of encouragement: the people who have lived before us, and most of all, our Lord Jesus Christ. If we keep our eyes focused on Him, and not on those around us, then we can successfully finish the race and receive the “winner’s reward.”

We have taken a look at four different qualities in the life of Jesus. As we remember them, let us use His example as a model for our own lives of faith as we run this spiritual race.

As we do that, our greatest desire should be the desire to be like Jesus. So, let’s sing that as our prayer for the closing hymn this morning.

I Want to Be Like Jesus