The Benchmark of Faith [24mb]

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

This is a sermon that was preached on Easter Sunday 2011 and based on the Scripture passage found in 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

I certainly would not claim to be a carpenter or builder by any stretch of the imagination, but I have been taught a few basics about building. I’ve done many “honey-do” jobs around our house over the years; and I have some past employment experience working with contractors, as well as having contracted a few roofing jobs on my own. I’ve also “picked up” a few insights just by listening to others who were experts in the building trades.

I have learned what the term “bench mark” means, and learned how crucial a bench mark is for the construction of a building. “Benchmark” – has been defined as… a standard by which something can be measured or judged; a surveyor’s mark on a stone post or other permanent feature, at a point whose exact elevation and position is known: used as a reference point in surveying.

If we consider the term as it applies to the building of a new building, we understand how important it is to determine the proper measurements of elevation for the footers and foundations of any building. You would certainly want to have your bench mark on an object that is a permanent fixture. For example, you wouldn’t want to use an object that is subject to variation or change or you might end up with a foundation that has a different depth at one corner of the building than it does at another corner.

On this Easter Sunday morning, I would propose to you that the verses we read in our Scripture lesson earlier can teach us that the fact of the resurrection is the benchmark of the Christian faith and the Christian religion.

There are two main thoughts that I would like to leave with you today as we compare the fact of the resurrection to a builder’s benchmark.

1. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the benchmark of our corporate faith.

2. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the benchmark of our personal faith.

(Many of my thoughts in this message come from reading the works of many Christian apologists who have written numerous books defending the faith.)

1. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the benchmark of our corporate faith.

“If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain…”

The Apostle Paul is staking the very reason and purpose for preaching on the validity of the resurrection. Preaching or proclamation of the Gospel, whether it is one-on-one conversation or mass communication, has no basis if there is no resurrection.

Skeptics would have us believe that the reason the church got started was because of some over-zealous, yet misguided men decided to start promoting a myth that they desperately wished was true. They preached it over and over so much that they began to believe it themselves and they swayed others to “fall for it” as well.

The problem with that view is two fold:

a. During and after the crucifixion of Jesus the followers (including his closest disciples) were so forlorn, dejected and afraid that they basically went into hiding.

It seems as though they were so fearful and disappointed that I get the impression they wouldn’t have been emotionally capable of starting a sewing circle, let alone a world-changing, dynamic religious movement! They were apparently afraid of being arrested next, and we read that some even returned to their previous livelihoods. So, there is no evidence that they were brave enough and bold enough to go about proclaiming anything that might get themselves in trouble with the same authorities that had just killed their master and teacher.

b. They did not follow the usual pattern used by “myth promoters.”

In other words, they did not go to some far-away place to start teaching a myth where the listeners could not easily ask around or check out the facts of their stories, nor did they wait until enough years had passed so that their listeners would have little or no recollection of the events. As soon as they realized that Jesus was alive, they started immediately telling the news to anyone and everyone who would listen.

So, the resurrection was the early benchmark for the corporate church and body of believers. They understood that if there was no resurrection, then they had nothing to talk about. They understood that if there was no resurrection, they would have gone back to their previous employment and had nothing but pleasant memories of a time they met and heard a very unusual teacher. If the resurrection hadn’t really taken place, then the church would have never been started. If the church hadn’t been started, then we would not be meeting here today continuing the long chain of faith going as we celebrate and propagate the message – Jesus Lives!

2. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the benchmark of our personal faith.

“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”

Two things stand out here in this sentence:

a. “… your faith is vain” – i.e. worthless, good for nothing.

I’ll never forget hearing a recorded message by Josh McDowell, a popular speaker for many years on various college campuses around the country, and author of many books.

Josh talked about a college student who once told him after a lecture that he should not put so much emphasis on the evidences for the resurrection, but should just try to get people to seek a personal encounter with God; to have an experience that changes their life. He went on to say, “If people spend so much time studying about the resurrection, then learn someday that it really didn’t happen, then they will lose their reason for faith, if they haven’t had an encounter with God.”

McDowell responded with these words, “Good point!” “That’s exactly what the Apostle Paul said – ‘If Christ isn’t raised then your faith is vain.’”

Josh went on to explain, “If my faith isn’t based on the fact of the resurrection, then how do I know, when I’ve had this spiritual encounter you’re talking about, that it is the true God I have encountered and not just heartburn from something I had for dinner?”

I have had many moments of doubt and skepticism over the years in the past, but again and again my mind has come back to the things I have studied about the resurrection as well as other bedrock truths of our faith, and I am reassured once again that it is all real and true and trustworthy. Over and over the truth of the resurrection has proven to be the foundation or benchmark of my personal faith.

b. “… you are still in your sins.”

Not only do we have nothing to believe in that is solid and unwavering, but neither do we have any basis for deliverance or victory from sin. Christ’s victory over death and the grave is a victory for us all. It is not only a promise of victory over physical death, but a victory over spiritual death and bondage to sin. Cf. Romans 8:11.

Conclusion:

Dear friends, let me remind you on this Easter Sunday morning, that Jesus Christ is the only person in the history of the planet that has predicted his own death and his own resurrection and then carried it out just as He proclaimed.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the benchmark of our corporate faith and gives us the reason and purpose for gathering to worship and for preaching the message we preach. Without the resurrection, all we have are nice memories and beautiful stories of a man that seem to care deeply about other people, but we have nothing more. The assurance of the resurrection helps bind all believers everywhere in a common faith.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the benchmark of our personal faith and gives us the basis for everything else that we believe. If the benchmark “moves” then the whole “building” of faith crumbles. Without the resurrection, we can still have a lot of emotional experiences and warm fuzzy feelings over the Bible stories we hear, but we have nothing that holds us steady when we are assaulted by the storms of doubt and skepticism.

I’m extremely glad today to know that Jesus Christ is alive!

Let us stand and close our service today by singing the well-known and loved chorus of the song written by the Gaithers: “Because He Lives”

Our Wounded Healer [36mb]

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

This is a sermon preached on Palm Sunday 2011 using the text in Isaiah 53:5.

Written Excerpts:

Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 

Introduction:

Today is Palm Sunday. We have been singing songs that emphasize the kind of praises that were offered to Jesus on His way to Jerusalem so many years ago. It was an exciting time. Many people undoubtedly recognized the similarities between the events unfolding before their eyes and the events prophesied centuries earlier by the O.T. prophets. As I have pointed out at other times, the crowd’s response apparently grew in intensity as more and more joined in the excited shouting and cheering.

But, as you know, crowds can be fickle. As the week wore on, the people apparently forgot about the excitement of that joyous day and eventually were swayed to the exact opposite sentiment as they cried out for Jesus to be crucified.

For the message today I wanted to move away from the scenes of that Palm Sunday to have us start thinking about the events later in the week. I want to focus for a little while on some of the words that were prophesied centuries before by Isaiah as he describes in vivid words the suffering of our Lord.

I do not want to take the time today to try an in-depth study of this marvelous passage that so eloquently depicts numerous pictures of our Lord Jesus Christ. To adequately do so, would require a detailed look at all the verses of this chapter as well as the last three verses of the previous chapter.

So, for the sake of time, I want to just share some brief observations of this single verse that I hope will vividly remind us of all that Christ has done in our behalf.

1.  The person referred to is the “Suffering Servant” that is first mentioned in 52:13.

There have been various theological debates about who this “servant” was. It is my understanding that some ancient Jewish scholars believed that it was a prophetic reference to the Messiah, but later scholars argued that the “servant” was a reference to Israel, (or a segment within Israel) who suffered greatly for their transgressions.

For us, there can be no doubt that the passage is speaking prophetically about the Messiah. Various references in the N.T. confirm that Jesus is the fulfillment of these verses. One of my professors in college pointed out that verse 8 clearly indicates that this is an individual person suffering for the transgressions of the collective group.

2.  His suffering was great and it was real.

"Wounded; Bruised; Chastisement; Stripes" - These words found in our text all have clear and direct meanings that speak of immense suffering. In one commentary the author says, “There were no stronger expressions to be found in the language, to denote a violent and painful death.” (Keil &Delitzsch)

Alexander MacLaren – “The intensity of the Servant’s sufferings is brought home to our hearts by the accumulation of [descriptions], to which reference has already been made. He was ‘wounded’ as one who is pierced by a sharp sword; ‘bruised’ as one who is stoned to death; beaten and with livid [welts] on His flesh.”

3.  His suffering was for us not for him but for us.

Look at the pronouns used here in this verse…

Our transgressions; Our iniquities; Our peace. There can be no misunderstanding in this verse. The anointed servant of God was not suffering for His own transgressions, iniquities and peace. It was all for us!

According to the very next verse (6), the LORD laid all of the guilt for all our iniquities upon Him.

Someone wrote a song that uses these words, “When He was on the cross, I was on His mind.”

This is the force of this truth here in verses 5 and 6. All of the sin, disobedience and rebellion against God in the whole world for all time was placed upon the Son of God as He died on the cross.

4.  His suffering was sufficient.

We are healed. The terrible suffering endured by the Son of God was adequate for the dilemma we were in.

The healing is primarily spiritual.

Is. 6:10 “   “Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed.”

1 Pet. 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

But it is also physical.

Matt. 8:16-17 “When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.”

All physical suffering in our world points back to the introduction of sin into our world in the Garden of Eden and the resulting curse upon humanity and upon the earth. Some have made the grave error of assuming that everyone who suffers is suffering because of some sin that they have committed. This is not biblical and is not always true.

Healing for the sickness and suffering in the flesh is certainly included in the atonement, but the healing for the sickness of the soul is far more important. Physical sickness will finally and permanently be eliminated in the glory of heaven, but the healing of the soul must be realized in this life in order to get to heaven.

Conclusion:

I usually do not read lengthy articles or stories from the pulpit, but I felt I wanted to share this story, "Want a Donut?" to close our service today. It circulated around by email a few years ago and I think it portrays in a limited way what this Scripture has been emphasizing.

Freedom from Fear and Dismay [31mb]

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

This is a sermon based on Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God..."

Written excerpts:

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 

The NASB reads: ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Introduction:

Isaiah was a prophet of the Lord. His ministry consisted of receiving immediate messages from the Lord and then communicating those messages to the people of Judah, whether they were kings or subjects. In ancient times a prophet was not only someone who predicted future events, but he was a person who spoke the word of God with authority and divine commission. Adam Clarke also refers to prophets as the “general preacher of the day.” The word for prophet in the O.T. was also understood to represent someone who engaged in prayer and supplication.

Isaiah’s ministry spanned a period of approximately 60 years and the reigns of four different kings. His writings can be distinctly divided into two parts; the first 39 chapters  speak primarily of judgment and condemnation, while the last 27 chapters talk more about hope and salvation. The chapter we are looking at today (41) is located in the early part of that second section dealing with messages of hope and consolation.

In verse 10, God tells His people that they are not to be afraid or anxious. This is a distinct contrast to the messages of judgment and pending doom that were prophesied in earlier chapters.

One author [W.E. Vine], says there are at least three reasons for them not to be fearful or anxious – His Presence with them; His Relationship with them; and His Assurances for them.

I.          His Presence with them – “I am with thee.”

The first assurance God gives as the basis for freedom from fear and dismay (anxiety) is that He is present with them at all times.

This may seem like a contradiction to earlier predictions of judgment and discipline for their idolatry and the many ways they have forsaken God. But, Isaiah, like many of the other prophets, always holds out hope in the midst of condemnation. It seems as though God is providing the assurance that basically says, “Even though I chastise you for your unfaithfulness to Me, I will not abandon you. I will always be with you.” [Always a remnant.]

This promise of His presence resembles similar statements in other biblical passages.

A.  God promised His presence in military conquests. See Deuteronomy 20:1 and 31:6, 8. 

The context of these verses is a discourse by Moses giving instructions to the nation of Israel concerning their conquest of Canaan and the pagan nations in that region.

The spiritual application of this truth can be related to the battles and conquests that the child of God must be involved in on the spiritual level. We too, can be assured that our God will be present in the heat of the battles that we often refer to as spiritual warfare.

B. God promised His presence in trials and burdens.  See Isaiah 43:2.

There is so much that can be said about this familiar text in chapter 43. In fact I have another sermon that I have preached on this chapter. But I just wanted to reference it here as it portrays God’s presence with us in raging floods and fiery trials.

God not only will be with us in those circumstances, but He knows exactly how to keep them from overcoming us and destroying us. He knows how high to let the waters rise without overflowing us. He knows how hot to let the fire get without burning or scorching us.

C. God promised His presence for those who are carrying out His commands.  See Matthew 28:20.

 In the context of fulfilling the Great Commission, God promises to be with His children as they faithfully make disciples and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ across the world.

God hasn’t abandoned you today. Whatever grief, whatever suffering, whatever trials you may be experiencing, remember that just as God promised His presence to the people of Judah, He will also be with every person that has been united with Him through faith in Jesus.

II.        His Relationship with them – “I am thy God.”

Not only did God promise His presence to dispel their fears and anxiety, but He also reminds them of His relationship to them.

A. There is an idea of ownership or possession.

God has stated that He is their God. The implication follows that they are His children. All He is and all He can do is at their disposal.

I would compare this to a young boy who finds himself in the middle of a fight and his daddy shows up. No matter how poorly the fight may have been going before that point, now all the authority and power of the boy’s father is at his disposal.

In the previous chapter Isaiah cites all the qualities of the Creator God who made the universe. Now, in this chapter he has just finished describing how God raises up nations and puts down nations. He establishes rulers to accomplish His divine purposes. There is nothing that goes on, but what He allows it. Nothing frustrates or derails God’s overall sovereign plan for His people. He is greater than the idols of the pagans as described in verse 7. He is the Almighty God. And, He belongs to them and they belong to Him.

There is no relationship more important than one’s relationship with God. In the context of N.T. gospel, anyone who is born again and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ is adopted into the family of God. We belong to Him. He is our Father. That relationship has all kinds of implications for us in terms of what God desires for us, how He delights in us, and what He is willing to do with us and for us.

B. This relationship is better and greater than any earthly one.

There are many similarities described in the Bible between our relationship with God and our earthly relationships. He is compared to father, mother and brother in various passages and biblical contexts. In all of these analogies and pictures, God is infinitely greater and better than any of the earthly relationships we can define or describe. God is the infinite, Supreme Being over the entire universe. He declares that He is God, but more than that, he is our God.

III. His Divine Assurances to them – “I will strengthen… help… and uphold you.”

Finally, God promises three different assurances to His people in order to dispel the fear and anxiety they might experience.

A. The assurance of His divine strength.

The idea that seems to be conveyed by this phrase is that God’s power is offered to those who find themselves in extreme moments of weakness. In those times and circumstances when they believed they could not go on, God provided divine strength to endure, to fulfill, to accomplish what they never thought was possible. Compare Isaiah 40:31.

B. The assurance of His divine assistance.

The word “help” is “a verb meaning to help, to aid. It means to support, to give material or non material encouragement to a person. God was the one who helped His people (Gen. 49:25). It is used mockingly of the inability of idols or pagan gods to aid their people (Deut. 32:38). It describes people helping each other to accomplish goals (Josh. 1:14; 10:4). (Complete Word Study Dictionary)

I get the picture of God coming alongside to give us encouragement and support and any type of guidance or assistance that we need to reach the desired goal and destination. This compares to the word “comforter” used for the Holy Spirit in John 16.

C. The assurance of His divine support.

“Uphold” is “A verb meaning to grasp, to hold; to support. It means to grasp, seize something, to take hold of a person’s hand (Gen. 48:17); a person (Isa. 41:10); a scepter or a pole (Amos 1:5, 8). It refers to grasping and supporting a person’s hands and arms (Ex. 17:12).” (Complete Word Study Dictionary)

The indication of this word implies that when we have reached the point of collapse; the point when we know we can’t go on, either emotionally or physically, God will reach down and grasp us to hold us up and carry us through the difficult and overwhelming trial.

There is some sense that these three assurances are somewhat synonymous and convey the same kind of messages. Yet, the conjunction “yea” (NASB- “surely”) implies a cumulative heaping up of one upon the other. Each one is added on to the previous one. (Keil &Delitzsch)

Conclusion:

Dear friends, today I felt God wanted me to give this message of encouragement. We have experienced the death of a dear friend and member of this church. Her passing has left us with an emptiness and sadness. In addition to that, another one of our members has received more disturbing news from medical tests that were done this week, this is on top of all the medical problems he and his wife have already been going through the past few years.

There are others who have been faced with sickness and injuries (we have had six different people in five different hospitals in the last week), plus others who have had medical tests, and I know there is a weariness and a discouragement that would overtake us if we listen to the Devil and if we merely look at our circumstances.

Listen to the words of the chorus to a song Bob and Nancy sang a couple weeks ago,

God is still on the throne, and He will remember His own

Though trials may press us and burdens distress us He never will leave us alone.

God is still on the throne, He never forsaketh His own;

His promise is true, He will not forget you, God is still on the throne.

Holy Matrimony - Part 2 (24 mb)

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

This is the ninth sermon in a series on the Ten Commandments. This message discusses the seventh commandment regarding adultery. The sermon was given in two parts. This is part two.

Written Excerpts:

Exodus 20:14   Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Introduction:

If you were here last week you know that we didn’t finish our discussion on the seventh commandment regarding adultery. So, we are continuing that discussion today with the help of God’s Spirit. We mentioned the fact that the commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” really teaches us the principle that marriage is sacred and holy in the sight of God. That is the reason I chose the title that I did… Holy Matrimony.

Last week we were talking about the kinds of things that are an assault or an attack on the sacredness of marriage and thus would be a violation of the basic principle of this commandment. There were three ways that the sacredness of marriage is violated that we covered last Sunday:

1. Any sexual infidelity of a spouse.

2. All other sexual conduct outside the proper bounds of marriage, which is defined in the Bible as one man and one woman.

3. Emotional bonding and fantasies of the mind that do not include physical intimacy.

Let’s continue our look at the things that violate the sanctity or sacredness of marriage.

4. Divorce and remarriage, as defined in the Bible, violates the sacredness of marriage.

Now I can imagine many of you sending mental messages to me right about now to leave this topic alone and “don’t touch it with a ten-foot pole.” I certainly acknowledge that this has been a controversial topic in church life for years, and it probably will continue to be. However, I don’t believe that the appropriate response is to ignore the issue. If it was important enough for Jesus and the Apostle Paul to speak on, then it’s important enough for us to address it.

Divorce is another plague in America. For years now we have heard the statistic that 50% of marriages end in divorce. (Although I read very recently some encouraging facts about that statistic.) The rate of divorce for couples who regularly attend church is about 30%.

Our culture tells us that divorce is the answer to a host of marital problems. Just get out of the marriage and start over again. But, anyone who has ever had to go through a divorce can tell us that there is so much heartache and pain involved with divorce. In some respects, it can be worse than a death.

I know that I don’t have many answers to the questions people have raised about divorce and remarriage. But I know at least two things:

(1) Divorce isn’t the unpardonable sin. God’s grace is able to forgive all the sins of the past whether that includes divorce, adultery or any other transgression of God’s will.

(2) It is absolutely vital that we let our young people know that God intended marriage to be a life-long commitment between one woman and one man. In Matthew 19, when he was asked about the issue of divorce, Jesus replied with the words, “In the beginning it was not so.” He was simply explaining the fact that God’s original design and purpose for marriage was that it be permanent.

 

To all the young people who are here today, I would say to you, do not even approach marriage in the future with the idea that you can quit and start over again if you don’t get it right the first time.

Now, I recognize that fact that there are scores of people who are innocent victims of divorce. They not only entered their marriage with the intention of staying married for life, but they fought hard to keep their marriage intact. However, there were circumstances beyond their control, and their marriage ended against their own desires and efforts. Nevertheless, I re-emphasize my point to our youth. Marriage, as God designed it, is a life-long, permanent commitment. Don’t plan for failure!

This is where all the adults need to say, “Amen!”

D. God’s Remedy: A message of hope and healing.

One of the problems that has developed in the church today, is that far too many people have been so discouraged by the attitudes of others in the church that they just give up hope for a better future.

Let me tell you, dear friends, the church is supposed to be a place of hope and healing. This is supposed to be a “hospital for the spiritually sick and injured.” If we don’t have anything but condemnation to offer, then we might as well close our doors! 

What is the message of hope and healing?

1. God’s forgiving grace goes deeper than the stain of sin.

As I stated before, divorce is not the unpardonable sin, and neither is adultery, fornication or any other sexual sin. The Bible is clear about the grace of God and the forgiveness that is available to anyone and everyone who truly repents and seeks a new life in Christ.

Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

2. God’s delivering grace is stronger than any temptation or bondage.

1 Cor. 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

1 Cor. 6:11 And such were some of you, but you are washed, …sanctified, …justified.

3. God healing grace mends and restores the broken.

Isaiah 61:1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Isaiah 65:17-18 “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. ¹⁸But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

After describing judgment and suffering that would come because of their sin, God describes the new creation that would result in rejoicing and joy.

There are innumerable stories of individuals who had completely messed up their lives by their disobedience to God’s commands, but after turning their lives over to the Lord and growing in his grace day-by-day, they have experienced a wonderful rebirth of joy and happiness in life.

If God can create the original universe out of nothing, and create a new heavens and a new earth, then He is certainly able to create beauty from ashes. He is able to renew and restore lives that have been broken and scarred by the consequences of sinful choices.

Conclusion:

As we close this message, I urge all of us to have a renewed commitment to God’s law, and a renewed commitment to “holy matrimony.” I have tried to present a picture that realistically addresses a major problem in our society without being too negative. There are a lot of people in our world who are faithful and true to the Lord and their spouse. I even read a recent statistic in the news stating that the number of youth who are making the decision to save sexual intimacy until they are married has risen by a couple of percentage points in the last year or so.

There are signs for hope.

Let us close our service today by standing together and singing the hymn: "Trust and Obey."

You know, that is the best advice that I can give to anyone who has questions about how to live out this commandment in this modern age.

I know that the standards of the Bible and God’s will are considered “out-of-date” and irrelevant for these days. But I challenge you that if you will just TRUST GOD and OBEY His Word, you will never regret it.

 

 

Next sermon in this series is: What's Mine Is Mine (link available in blog archive on right)

Holy Matrimony - Part 1 (31mb)

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

This is the eighth sermon in a series on the Ten Commandments. The message discusses the seventh commandment regarding adultery. The entire sermon was given in two parts. This is part one.

Written Excerpts:

Exodus 20:14   Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Introduction:

Today we are resuming our discussion of the Ten Commandments, and will be taking a look at the seventh commandment, which reads: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

I think I might as well let you know right up front that we probably won’t have time to get through this entire message today, so I’ll have to conclude next week. In case I don’t get a chance to finish today, I should mention that the end of this message includes some vital words of hope and healing for all those caught up in various moral situations that are forbidden by this commandment. So, please be sure to come back for the good news if we don’t have time to get to it today.

In the NKJ translation that was read earlier from Proverbs 5, the woman is described as an “immoral woman.” In the KJV she is called a “strange woman.” In some other modern translations, she is called “an adulteress.” They all mean the same thing.

 

I believe that the breakdown of the home and the destruction of the sanctity of marriage has produced a host of moral and social disasters in our culture that we despair of ever being able to correct in this life. In fact, I am firmly convinced that there is no possible remedy without a major spiritual awakening followed by a revival of biblical values. 
 

A. Negative Meaning: Do not have physical relations with another person’s spouse.

The Hebrew word for adultery in this commandment applies to the physical relations between a man and another man’s wife or between a woman and another woman’s husband. The biblical understanding of this term included those who were “betrothed” (engaged), as well as those who were married, because eastern culture viewed betrothal just as binding as marriage.

B. Positive Principle: The marriage relationship is sacred.

The positive principle behind this commandment advocates the sanctity of marriage. God has ordained marriage as a sacred relationship between a husband and a wife. As such, it is to be honored and guarded from all enemies that would seek to destroy the sacredness of the union.

C. Exposition: How the sanctity of marriage is violated.

There are a number of ways that the sancitity of marriage is violated or assaulted. Let us look at some of those ways.

1. (Most obvious) Any sexual infidelity of a spouse is a direct violation of the sanctity of marriage.

We are living in a day when affairs and infidelity are glamorized and glorified in our godless and sensual society. I read in one book (Dr. Laura Schlessinger, The Ten Commandments) about a magazine article which appeared in the New York Times Magazine (10/12/97). The author of the article stated,

… we’ve grown much more tolerant of adultery, at least when it comes to women. Women’s magazines practically  recommend it to their readers as a fun and healthy activity, like buying a new shade of lipstick, or vacationing in the Caribbean….

Marital infidelity or unfaithfulness is a destructive force in our society. It may be difficult to estimate the number of lives that are spiritually, emotionally and even physically destroyed by this plague. Sadly, the most vulnerable victims from the “fallout” of adultery are our children.

2. All other sexual sins named in the OT or the NT are a violation of the sacredness of marriage.

This includes fornication (physical intimacy before marriage), and sexual perversions such as incest, homosexuality and bestiality.

Jesus stated that all the commandments can be summed up in two: loving God and loving our neighbor. We have stated before that loving God would include Commandments 1-4; and loving our neighbor would include Commandments 5-10. The seventh one is the only one that is related to sexual behavior. The point then is not only adultery, but all sexual sins are a direct assault on the sanctity of marriage.

There are many different Scripture references in the OT books of Exodus & Leviticus and numerous NT books regarding fornication, homosexuality and other sexual sins. According to the Bible, sexual conduct is considered holy and sacred when it is kept within the boundaries of a loving, faithful marriage. Any other sexual conduct is unholy and sinful. In direct contradiction to biblical boundaries, our society has basically promoted a “do as you please” policy.
 

For example, we are living in an age when many couples believe that cohabitating before marriage is the safest way to ensure that a marriage will work. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Researchers stated years ago that approximately 85% of couples who live together before marriage end up getting divorced after marriage. 

3. Non-sexual relationships that include emotional bonding and sensual fantasies violate the sacredness of marriage.

God intended the bond between a husband and a wife to be so strong that they would be united in body, mind and spirit. Intellectual, emotional and spiritual intimacy all work together to enhance physical intimacy as well. The “three-strand cord” is impossible to break when it has been faithfully created and nurtured. Therefore, it is imperative that every husband and wife intentionally develop an emotional and spiritual intimacy together as well as physical intimacy.

Dear friends who are married, we all need to vigorously guard against the emotional attachments that would threaten our devotion and faithfulness to our spouses. I’m convinced that many people who end up in an adulterous affair, never intended to “go that far” but they were careless about the emotional attachments that had been developing over a period of time.

Fantasies can be defined as thoughts that one entertains and nurtures in the mind regarding conduct that he/she does not intend to engage in. Matt. 5:28 Jesus said, Any man who looks on a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

The point is that when one willfully chooses to entertain thoughts of infidelity or promiscuity, he is already guilty of the sin in the sight of God. THIS DOES NOT MEAN “if you think it, you might as well do it.” Certainly the consequences of “doing it” are far worse than not doing it.

Sensual fantasies are fueled by such things as pornography and all types of sexually suggestive media. I feel it is necessary to say something here about modesty in our attire. We must not forget the biological fact that most men are primarily visual rather than emotional or relational.

In speaking out against the immorality and promiscuity of our culture, I may come across as being angry or hard. I don't intend to give that impression; but I am passionate about the assaults on the sacredness of the marriage relationship designed by God.

We will have to continue this discussion next time, but I want to remind you that God has hope and healing available for all those who have been affected in any way by the various violations of this seventh commandment that we have discussed today.

 
Next sermon in this series is: Holy Matrimony - Part Two (link available in blog archive on right)

Image Is Everything (34mb)

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This is the seventh sermon in a series on the Ten Commandments. This message discusses the sixth commandment regarding murder.

Written Excerpts:

Exodus 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

Introduction:

Today we are moving on to consider the sixth commandment, which is very simply stated, “You shall not kill.” The intentional or negligent taking of a human life is condemned in the strongest terms by God.

Here are some statistics that I learned on the FBI’s crime statistics website: (http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/offenses/violent_crime/murder_homicide.html)

■An estimated 15,241 persons were murdered nationwide in 2009, which is a 7.3% decrease from the 2008 estimate, a 9.0% decrease from the 2005 figure, and a 2.2% decrease from the 2000 estimate.

■More than 44% (44.8) of murders were reported in the South, the most populous region, with 21.3% reported in the West, 20.0% reported in the Midwest, and 13.9% reported in the Northeast.

The good news in these statistics is that the rate is going down. The bad news is that it still represents a staggering loss of human life through the awful crime of murder.

I suppose that all of us are sitting here thinking that this is one sermon Pastor Les doesn’t really need to preach, because there isn’t anyone in our church that would think about killing someone. Well, I certainly hope that is true. However, I do believe that there are some important lessons we can still learn or take from this commandment that we might not have thought about before.

A.  Negative Meaning: Do not murder.

The sixth commandment simply says, do not kill. The meaning of the Hebrew word as defined and described by most OT scholars is the idea of murder. The command is a prohibition against the intentional and malicious destruction of another human life either through direct means or through negligence.

B.  Positive Meaning: Human life is sacred.

Several of the verses that we read earlier in our Scripture reading today related to the fact that God has created man in His image and therefore human life is sacred. That truth is expanded in many ways throughout the Bible. The simple fact is that everyone who has any desire at all to follow God’s Word and God’s will should have a high regard for the lives of our fellow human beings.

C.  Exposition:

Lessons that we learn from the proper understanding of this command include:

1.  Any violence or negligence that results in the loss of a human life is a violation of this command.

Death that resulted from a plot or plan that could be described as “lying in wait,” was definitely included in this command. (e.g., Cain and Abel)

In addition to deliberate actions taken to end someone’s life, we also learn from Exodus 21:29 and Deut. 22:8 that any death that results from negligence is also included in this command. In these passages, the examples include: someone who was killed by an ox, but the owner knew that the ox was prone to gore with its horns and didn’t take necessary precautions to have the animal confined; or someone who didn’t build a suitable barrier around the roof of his house to prevent another from accidentally falling to his death.

In all these cases which might be classified as some form of “homicide,” the punishment defined by God in the OT was death or “capital punishment.” Capital punishment emphasized the fact that anyone who negligently or deliberately destroys life, must suffer the destruction of his own life because “he has destroyed that which represents the image of God on earth.”

Passive inaction to defend life is prohibited. See Lev. 19:16 where “stand against the blood…” is interpreted by some as “stand aside while your fellow’s blood is shed.”

Suicide – (K&D) The omission of the object still remains to be noticed, as showing that the prohibition includes not only the killing of a fellow-man, but the destruction of one’s own life, or suicide.

2.  This command does not include certain cases of death.

a. Self-defense     Exodus 22:2 – This case speaks specifically about a thief that is breaking in at night and is struck so that he dies.

b. Accidental death      Deut. 19:4ff – Someone accidentally kills a man when ax head flies off. He can go to city of refuge to avoid the “avenger of blood.”

c. Capital Punishment    Gen. 9:6 – whoever sheds man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Also, Numbers 35 describes the task of the “avenger of blood.”  Romans 13: Talks about the civil authorities are ordained for the punishment of evil and “do not bear the sword in vain.”

d. War      Deut. 20 – talks about specific rules of engagement God gave for war. Also, Romans 13 could apply to the situation of war i.e. “punishment of evil.”

In all of these specific situations the slayer was viewed differently because the death was either accidental or it was within God-given guidelines for the destruction of evil in the world.

3. This command emphasizes the value of human life.

(K&D) Life is placed at the head of these [last 5] commandments… because it is the basis of human existence, and [by attacking] the life the personality is attacked, and in that the image of God (Gen 9:6).

Before one gets very far in the first book of the Bible, we find the basis for the severity of punishment God ordained for those who violated this commandment. In Genesis 9:6 we are informed that whoever sheds innocent blood is to be put to death himself. Why? Because man is made in the image of God and any attack on the life of a human being is an attack on the image of God in this world.

Human beings are the only creatures in this world that have been described as being made in the image of God. There is no other creature on earth as valuable and precious in the sight of God as a human life. So you see, as I have stated in the title of this message, “Image IS Everything!” Without that image of God within each one of us, we are nothing more than an animal.

The Bible clearly teaches that God is the author of human life, so therefore only God has the ultimate right to take human life. We have emphasized this point at other special church services, but this inherent value in the life of a human being speaks to the issues of abortion, euthanasia and other important human rights issues of our world and society.

4.  This command applies to words and attitudes that violate human dignity and value.

For the Christian who is not only trying to follow the Ten Commandments, but to also follow the principles and teachings of our Lord and the Apostles in the NT, we must realize the ways in which Jesus and the Apostles applied this commandment.

Abusive and derogatory talk directed toward one another is addressed by Jesus, Paul and John. However, it is not just a New Testament addition to this commandment. These applications show up first in the OT book of Leviticus. See Leviticus 19:14-18.

a. Malicious slander and gossip.

b. Verbal attacks that reveal inner anger and hatred.

In Matthew 5:21ff, Jesus informs us that anger within one’s heart that finds expression in abusive language towards another person is the seed of murder. The actual definitions and complete explanation of Jesus’ words here can be examined at another time, but the point in His statement is this…

Anger and hatred within our hearts toward another person that finds expression in verbal outbursts that attack the worth and dignity of that person is equivalent to what I would call “verbal homicide.” (Including slander and gossip.) The reason I have classified it as “verbal homicide” is because these kinds of words have the power to kill the very spirit and self dignity within a person that convinces them or others that they have no worth or value in the eyes of God. This is especially true when it involves a child. These kinds of verbal abuse or outbursts can have the power to convince the victim that their life is worthless in the eyes of God, especially when those words come from a parent.

1 John 3:14-17, the Apostle John talks about the evidence of spiritual life in the believer and that evidence is a genuine love for our “brother.” John adamantly states that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer. He then goes on to describe conduct that would, by its very connection in the context here, help define what kinds of behavior constitutes hatred toward one’s brother. That includes, having the ability to help someone in dire need, but not doing anything about it.

Conclusion:

As I stated at the outset of this message, probably most of us feel like this message doesn’t really apply to me, because I have never killed anyone, nor ever thought about killing anyone. Yet, as we have pointed out here in the last few minutes, the commandment as applied by Jesus and the Apostle John does include more than literal murder.

We must be careful about our heart attitudes and our verbal communication towards one another and about one another. According to these principles, we can be guilty of murder in our hearts if there is hatred and bitter anger towards another human being.

Next sermon in this series is: Holy Matrimony - Part One (link available in blog archive on right)

How Heavy Is Your Dad? (33mb)

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

This is the sixth message in a series of sermons on the Ten Commandments. This message covers the fifth commandment about honoring one's parents.

Written Excerpts:

Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. (NKJV)

Introduction:

Would you agree that we are living in a culture where there has been a great loss of respect and honor for parents and for authority in general? Would you also agree that our society seems to flaunt rebellion against authority and the breakdown of meaningful relationships?

Our message today continues the series of messages on the Ten Commandments which all contain important principles God has provided in order for us to experience a life that is filled with joy and true happiness. Why? Because we are living them the way He designed.

V.        Honor your father and your mother.

A.        Negative Meaning: Do not disrespect your parents.

As we have been doing with the previous commandments, we want to take a look at some of the key words in the Scripture passages in order to get a better understanding of the meaning God intended.

“Honor” – The O.T. Hebrew word here carries the basic meaning of “to be heavy, or weighty,” a meaning which is only rarely used literally, the figurative use is more common. It implies the idea of a person that is a “weighty” person in society; honorable; impressive; or worthy of respect. (Theological Wordbook of the OT)

In the Ephesians 6 passage (verse 2), the Greek word that is translated “honor” is a word that literally means: “set a price on,” “estimate,” or “value.” (Wuest)

B.        Positive Principle: Family structures are sacred.

I believe that the primary positive principle that is taught with this command is that God has specifically designed the appropriate structures for families and therefore, they are sacred, or holy.

I also believe there are at least two more subordinate principles that this command covers. First, because family structures are sacred, we understand that relationships are of highest value. Second, because family structures are sacred, we understand that chain-of-command, or authority structures are also very important.

I add these “subordinate principles” because I don’t believe any of the other Commandments address these issues that are certainly emphasized elsewhere in God’s Word.

C.        Exposition:

There are at least three lessons that I think we need to learn as we talk about the proper exposition of this commandment

1.  This command requires that we value our parents and increase the influence of our parents.

If we go back for a moment to review what we said about the definition of the Hebrew word, it carried the idea of making someone a “weighty” person. The idea expressed is that in everything a child does the respect of their parents is at stake, and God says do everything you can to make your parents “heavy” or “weighty.”  Conversely, do not do anything or say anything, etc., to reduce your parents’ “weight” or respect in the community.

With this understanding of what it means to honor someone, then our responsibility and our ability to perform the requirements of this command do not end when we become adults ourselves. We still bring either respect and honor or shame and disgrace whether we are children, young adults, middle-aged adults or even senior citizens. Actually, this aspect of honor continues even after our parents are dead and gone.

If we properly understand the impact of this emphasis, then we will understand that it not only has to do with how I behave toward my parents when I am around them and at home with them, but it also applies (and perhaps we could say it especially applies) to my behavior when I am away from them with my friends and going about my business in the community.

I remember one time I got in trouble in high school (maybe I should say one of the times I got in trouble! L). I can still remember the principal asking me, “What would your parents think if I called them and told them what you did?” Believe you me, I instantly sent up a prayer that thankfully was answered! In reality, what he was really asking was this: “What kind of parents do you have anyway?” In the eyes of that principal at that moment, my behavior had reflected very badly on the reputation of my parents.

We have just covered the O.T. emphasis. The N.T. word for “honor” adds the concept of giving an evaluation or appraisal of someone or something and giving them the proper esteem, respect and value that God says we should.

(Wuest) “To honor someone therefore is to evaluate that person accurately and honestly, and treat him with the deference, respect, reverence, kindness, courtesy, and obedience which his station in life or his character demands.”

Now, I recognize that some people have real problems right here, because they have had parents that really didn’t deserve respect and honor no matter how you “slice it.” So, that brings me to the second lesson from this command.

2.  This command emphasizes the importance of relationships in all facets of life.

I’m convinced that the Bible is very clear about one thing: God is not merely interested in conformity to rules. God is infinitely concerned with motives and attitudes and other aspects of life that accompany the rules. I don’t believe you can read through the Bible and cover all the references that pertain to parent and child issues without coming to the conclusion that people are more important than rules.

Look at Ephesians chapters 5 & 6. Verses 1-2 of chapter 6 deals with how children are to respond to parents and parents to children, but if you look at the whole context beginning with 521, the whole passage talks about submission, respect, honor and service that should govern the lives of parents, wives, husbands, children, slaves (workers) and masters (employers).

The emphasis comes out very clearly that we must remember that these individuals are not just parents, but they are brothers and sisters in Christ. These are not just my children, but they are my brothers and sisters in Christ. And so with masters and slaves. Why? Because even though positions are important, they aren’t as important as the people in those positions.

The reason children need to honor and respect their parents, is because it fosters wholesome and godly relationships. The reason parents (fathers) are instructed, “Do not provoke your children to anger,” is because it will nurture and develop a wholesome relationship that can remain beautiful and valuable for a lifetime.

The reason employers and workers are to give the proper respect to each other is because they are both valuable and equal in the sight of God. To do otherwise destroys any potential for a wholesome and beautiful example of how God can bond people together in godly relationships.

Because of this, we agree with the common truth that “respect isn’t something that can be merely demanded or required, but true respect and honor must be earned.” You can force someone to obey you, but that doesn’t mean that they will respect you.

The third and final lesson I believe we can learn from this command is…

3.  This command emphasizes the need for and the importance of authority structures.

I’ve already stated that the primary principle here has to do with family structures. However, if you read through the Bible in both the O.T. and the N.T. you will find that God has a lot to say about authority structures in every area of life. Someone has identified four different authority structures that are taught in Scripture: family, government, church, and business (employment).

Where would our society or any society be today if there were no authority structures and chain-of-command to follow? God designed it all for a reason and a purpose in order to produce an orderly and productive society and world. Without some type of structure that includes authority, we would have chaos in every strata or level of our society and culture.

So this fifth commandment addresses that need by pointing out the first and most basic authority structure – the family. Someone has to have the final word. Someone has to have the final responsibility. And, in order to have this work properly, all those in the chain-of-command under the head must recognize the importance of harmonious cooperation based on proper honor and respect of those who are over us. When authority and respect breaks down in the home, it breaks down in every other level of society.

Conclusion:

As we bring this message to a close, I know that there are those here today who have experienced the pain of abuse from those who were in authority, whether in the home, the school, at work, etc. The horrible actions of some of them in no way can be justified, no matter how you look at it.

Because of that you still struggle today with being able to properly show honor and respect to that person or persons. If you were honest, you would admit that you have no desire to improve their reputation or their “weight” in the community. They don’t deserve it. I know I can’t take the time today to address all of those concerns, except to say that if you struggle with those issues, God cares and He offers healing for you.

On the other hand, the actions of some very bad people doesn’t destroy or do away with the original plan and intent that God has for our lives. His plan is still the best. Sin, disobedience and rebellion against God has always marred relationships that God intended to be beautiful and harmonious.

If you’re struggling with issues, listen to the words of this closing hymn: Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us.

Next sermon in this series is: Image Is Everything (link available in blog archive on right)