Losing Weight and Running Races [28mb]

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This is a sermon based on Hebrew 12:1-3.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction: This letter was written primarily to Jewish Christians who were undergoing substantial persecution for their faith and they had been banished from the use of the temple in Jerusalem. Some believers were abandoning their Christian faith and returning to former Jewish beliefs so they could resume their worship at the temple with the tangible benefits.

The author is trying to show them how their faith and their privileges are better now than before. Some writers affirm that one of the key words in Hebrews is the word "better." They have a better sacrifice, a better high priest, better access to God, etc.

Now in this particular passage, the author is trying to encourage them to keep believing and not give up. I would propose that this passage of Scripture presents some incentives from the past and encouragement in the present for the task that is at hand.

I. Incentives from the Past

v. 1a - Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses...

These are individuals and groups mentioned in the previous chapter where we learn what their faith was able to do for them. They witness or testify of a living, vibrant and effective faith. A witness is one who testifies only of those things that he or she knows to be fact from first-hand knowledge or experience. Witnesses are not permitted to testify about hearsay, or opinions, or conjectures.

The witnesses mentioned in chapter 11 "obtained a good report" (v.39), which means they acquired a good reputation because of their faith and the results that they received by their faith. This report continues to live on centuries later and now inspire New Testament believers to keep their faith as well in the midst of opposition and persecution.

II. The Encouragement in the Present

vv. 2-3 - "Looking unto Jesus..."

This verb is in the present tense which denotes an ongoing, continuous action. Their source of encouragement for the present and for all time is to keep looking at the Lord and following Him, rather than getting their eyes on other people.

A. Jesus is the author and finisher of our salvation.
All that is necessary for our redemption has not only been started by Jesus, but has been completed as well. Nothing else is needed for our salvation to be complete and perfect. Our Lord Jesus Christ paid the full price to accomplish all of this for each of us.

B. Jesus endured rather than evaded.
In verse 2, we read that he endured the cross. In verse 3, we read that he endured opposition to his ministry. The Christian life is one that requires endurance; not just for a little while, but for our whole lives. The message in Scripture over and over is "he that endures to the end will be saved, and will receive the crown of life."

III. The Task at Hand

A. Part of the task includes getting rid of extra baggage.

"Let us lay aside every weight." Weight refers to superfluous flesh that slows down the runner in a race. This wording gives the idea that he is not necessarily talking about sinful behaviors, but perhaps things that might be considered legitimate, yet they have the potential to distract and weigh us down if we do not exercise temperance and restraint.

We see this principle applied in all kinds of athletics today. Athletes will exercise, train, and avoid certain foods, activities, etc. in order to get in shape and stay in shape so they can run a race or play the game. This same attitude should be evident in the lives of believers as they strive to run this Christian race.

B. Part of the task includes getting rid of our besetting sin.

"... and the sin that so easily besets us..."  This is referring to the area of temptation that we are most likely to yield to. Everyone of us knows what our weak areas are and so does Satan. He is most likely to keep attacking us at our weakest point, because he knows that is the temptation that we have yielded to so many times before.

Jesus used the analogy, "If your eye offends you (causes you to sin), pluck it out...." Whether or not you believe that he meant this literally, the least he was saying is that we must take whatever measures are necessary in order to avoid committing that sin, so that we will not end up losing our soul in hell.

C. Part of the task includes just running the race.

This race of faith involves daily living out the principles and teachings of Christ. It is a marathon; not a sprint. We must stay true to the Word of God and follow the teachings and example of our Lord. We must remember that only those who are faithful to the end that receive the crown of life.

Let us not give up, but just like those mentioned in the previous chapter, and just like our Lord Jesus Christ, let us also keep faithfully serving and trusting until our race is over. Then we too will be able to say with the Apostle Paul, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Now there is reserved for me a crown of life..."

Liberty Is God's Idea [28mb]

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This is a sermon that celebrates Independence Day and our nation's freedom as well as our spiritual freedom in Christ.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Tomorrow our nation will be celebrating Independence Day and the birth of our country. Many people have referred to the United States of America as the greatest experiment in human freedom in the history of the world. I have heard some who make the claim that the only reason America has become such a great nation is because of its great freedoms; not just political and religious, but also economic freedom. One popular radio host has repeatedly stated that if we truly desired to “export” the prosperity of our country to the other countries of the world, the first and foremost necessity is to “export” the same type of freedom we have enjoyed for all these years.

I have also read and heard many comments over the years that have made a direct link between the basic principles of freedom outlined in the Bible and the principles found in our founding documents. I concur with these comments and therefore I have developed a message with the title, “Liberty is God’s idea.”

We will be referring to different passages in Scripture as we talk about the various principles related to the topic of freedom.

I. Liberty was woven into the very fabric of creation.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

2:15 ¹⁵Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. ¹⁶And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; ¹⁷but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

In these passages we find the first indication of free will and free choice given to humanity in creation.

Chapter one describes the fact that man was created in the image of God. There are many things that can be defined as part of the image of God in each one of us. Free will and the freedom to make real choices is obviously one of the characteristics of the divine image. It is one of those qualities that make us like our Creator. This image of God and this type of freedom sets us apart from the animal kingdom God created.

Some would argue that animals have liberty and freedom because they “can do anything they want to do.” Well, that is true to a certain extent. However, we must understand that is not genuine freedom as compared to the type of freedom that God granted to human beings.

Animals may “do anything they want to do,” but their “wants” are dictated by instincts; stimulus and response; and what we might call “basic animal passions.” In fact, sometimes we describe human beings as “living like animals” when they fail to practice self-discipline or self-restraint, but continually seek to satisfy every passion and desire of their fleshly or carnal nature.

Animals are so driven and “enslaved” by their natural instincts and passions, that it many times gets them into traps or even killed. An animal does not have the basic ability to analyze life situations and then restraint their habits and instincts for a longer better outcome and more enjoyable freedom.

Only people in God’s image have the ability to forfeit some immediate desire by intentional choice in order to gain a greater freedom in the long-term future. After all, true freedom is not the ability to do whatever one wants to do, but it is the ability and the strength to do what one ought to do.

The reference in Ch. 2 gives a hint regarding free will in the sense that God is giving a command, directive or instruction about something that He does not want the man and the woman to do – eat of the fruit that is in the middle of the garden. In spite of providing a mandate that they were expected to follow, God does not coerce or force them to obey; He allows them to make the choice whether to obey or not. With this fact, we observe that free will and freedom or liberty was part of God’s design.

This situation points out at least two interesting conclusions:

A. God could have guaranteed that they would obey Him by simply taking away their freedom to choose.

God could have simply eliminated the forbidden tree and its fruit from the garden. He could have provided a perfectly “sterile” environment with no possible choices to err or go astray. Then there would have been a perfect “obedience” or performance of every desire or plan of God. Or, God could have found some other method to force / coerce obedience. He was the Creator and Designer. He could have eliminated the free will aspect of their creation.

B. Since God did not eliminate their choice and “sterilize” their environment, and he gave the freedom to choose, it emphasizes the fact that freedom is a higher quality than perfect obedience.

We understand in all of Scripture that God wants us to obey Him. Yet, this scenario implies that obedience that comes by one’s free choice is much more desirable than obedience that comes as a result of coerced compliance. I believe that this is true because obedience by free choice speaks to the issue of love as a motive rather than just simple performance of a certain deed.

I’ve said many times that it seems rather obvious that the freedom to love someone or not means their love is of higher quality than love that is not free. I think this may shed some light on why God wanted us to have free will in the first place.

II. Liberty was woven into the fabric of national civic life.

Lev. 25 8-17 (NLT) “In addition, you must count off seven Sabbath years, seven years times seven, adding up to forty-nine years in all. ⁹Then on the Day of Atonement of the fiftieth year, blow the trumpets loud and long throughout the land. ¹⁰This year will be set apart as holy, a time to proclaim release for all who live there. It will be a jubilee year for you, when each of you returns to the lands that belonged to your ancestors and rejoins your clan. ¹¹Yes, the fiftieth year will be a jubilee for you. During that year, do not plant any seeds or store away any of the crops that grow naturally, and do not process the grapes that grow on your unpruned vines. ¹²It will be a jubilee year for you, and you must observe it as a special and holy time. You may, however, eat the produce that grows naturally in the fields that year. ¹³In the Year of Jubilee each of you must return to the lands that belonged to your ancestors.

¹⁴“When you make an agreement with a neighbor to buy or sell property, you must never take advantage of [oppress] each other. ¹⁵When you buy land from your neighbor, the price of the land should be based on the number of years since the last jubilee. The seller will charge you only for the crop years left until the next Year of Jubilee. ¹⁶The more the years, the higher the price; the fewer the years, the lower the price. After all, the person selling the land is actually selling you a certain number of harvests. ¹⁷Show your fear of God by not taking advantage of each other. I, the LORD, am your God.

(International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) - Thus there are three distinct factors constituting the essential features of the Jubilee Year: personal liberty, restitution of property, and what we might call the simple life.

Without going into a lot of details about the O.T. law, I simply observe that liberty and freedom was built into the fabric of national civic life among the people of God. There were specific rules and laws given so that no one could oppress his fellow countryman or even “oppress” the land that was so vital for the growing of crops and food. Even the O.T. laws regarding treatment of aliens were written in such a way to prevent oppression of liberties.

III. Liberty was woven into the whole scheme of redemption.

John 8:31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³²And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” ³³They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” ³⁴Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. ³⁶Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

It is truly ironic that the very freedom to choose may actually result in a type of slavery. While we celebrate the genius of God in granting free will to humanity in creation, we must understand that if man uses that freedom to choose disobedience and sin, it has the power to enslave him.

This truth is vividly described in the words of Jesus here in the Gospel of John. Jesus clearly proclaims that the commission of sin is evidence of the bondage of sin. Also see Romans 6:11-18; 7:19

The Apostle is echoing the same concept Jesus had taught – doing one’s own will and disobeying the will of God will bring about slavery to the sinful nature and we continually find ourselves yielding to temptation and powerless over the impulses of the carnal nature. This slavery and bondage to sin goes contrary to the very nature of God and His will for all mankind. God desires that we be free from sin. Deliverance from the bondage and victory over sin is God’s will for all of us.

Conclusion:

Liberty truly is God’s idea. I am convinced that the founding fathers of our nation understood this basic truth because of their understanding of the Holy Scriptures that was so much a part of the fabric of public and civic life back in those days. The seed of liberty is planted in the heart of every human being. Every human heart yearns to be free; except the ones who have squelched that desire through excessive pessimism and fatalism.

This liberty not only pertains to the human desire for freedom from tyranny and oppression in the political/national sense, but it also pertains to the desire to be free from the bondage of sinful deeds and desires.

There are many people in the world today that regularly got out and “live it up” in the pleasures of sin and immoral behavior. They boldly proclaim what a fun time they’re having; what happiness and joy they feel. Yet, when they get home and find themselves alone and quiet with some time to think, they are filled with remorse and regrets. They long for the strength to stop the cycle of “madness.” I’m glad that there is real freedom available through the blood of Jesus Christ and the wonderful grace of God.

Jesus said, “The truth shall make you free.”

Let us close our service today by singing an old patriotic favorite that emphasizes the role of God’s truth in our personal and national freedom. “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”

Is God for Real in Israel? [30mb]

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This is a sermon based on II Kings 1:3 that describes a confrontation between Elijah and the messengers from King Ahaziah who were sent to consult with Baalzebub, the god of Ekron.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:  The nation of Israel is in a state of decline both spiritually and politically. Their worship to God has been corrupted by mixing the practices of the pagans for many years. There have been brief periods of revival and renewal when certain kings and leaders were in power, but then the nation lapses back into idolatry and horrible immorality.

Samaria is the capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the King, Ahaziah, was severely injured after falling through the lattice work of a window or door on an upper story of the building.

The king sends his messengers off to the city of Ekron which originally was the northern-most city of the Philistines. The purpose of his trip is to find out from the god “Baalzebub” whether the king would recover from his injury or not. So the prophet of the true God is sent by an angel to interrupt the mission and give them a message from the Lord.

The message that Elijah had from God was framed in the form of a question that is somewhat difficult to grasp as written in the KJV because of the “double negative.” I believe that this question could be rephrased to read something like this, “Are you seeking answers from a pagan god because there is no God in Israel?” “Is the God of Israel no longer alive, so that you need to consult a pagan god of the Philistines?”

Or, as our title reads, “Is God for real in Israel?”

What about making the question a little more personal or up-to-date? “Is God no longer relevant in America (Grove City) so that you seek spiritual knowledge from alternative sources?”

With the Lord’s help, I would like to draw some parallels between the situation described in 2 Kings and the current conditions in our society and even our church world.

I.  Conditions that could suggest there is no God.

A.  Leaders seek answers from false prophets and false gods.

1.  In the Scripture that I read, Ahaziah had fallen and been injured, so he sends messengers to Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, in order to learn if he would recover from his injuries.

Scholars tell us that Baal-Zebub was a god of the fly(ies). Some suggest that its original “creation” was to ward off the flies that permeated the region. This particular cult had apparently become well known for being endowed with prophetic powers, hence the king’s commissioning of the servant to go receive a message regarding his own future health and healing. (Clarke, Keil & Delitzsch, Henry, and Jam. Fau. & Brown)

Adam Clarke points out that this “god” is the same one that was called the prince of devils in Matthew 10:25, which would have been a reference to Satan himself.

At this point in Israel’s history, the leaders and the people have forsaken God for so long by worshiping pagan deities that it doesn’t even occur to King Ahaziah to call on the Lord God of Israel. The reality of the prophet’s question is evident. The Lord has been out of their minds and hearts for so long that it seems like He does not even exist in the nation any longer.

2.  In comparison, it appears that alternative religions and practices are growing in America.

I tried to check out some research regarding the trends in religious faith in America. I read some articles put out by the Pew Forum on Religion as well as the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. Both sources provided a lot of statistics and analysis that was not very easy to understand.

Their studies did seem to show that membership in traditional Christian denominations is declining. One of the studies revealed that the number of people unaffiliated with any religion is greater than previous studies had shown.

I don’t know if I was reading the data accurately or not, but it seemed to me that there were three trends identified:

·        More people are becoming unaffiliated with any religion, i.e. walking away from the faith traditions of their childhood.  

·        Non Judeo or Christian-based religions such as Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are gaining membership in America, but it is unclear how much of this growth may simply be the result of immigration.

·        More and more Americans are integrating alternative faith practices into their existing religious beliefs.

These religious trends show similarities to this account in 2 Kings regarding the king of Israel who sought the counsel of a pagan deity rather than the counsel of the living God.

3. Additionally, some have pointed out that Ahaziah illustrates the common response of many people today who seek to know the outcome of some pending circumstance or peer into the future rather than simply taking life one-day-at-a-time. They simply don’t seem to like the idea of trusting God to work out His will for His glory.

There are a lot of people I have known over the years who would claim to be a Christians, but they still consult Ouija Boards, horoscopes, and many other occult-related practices in order to find out what the future holds for them.

For all those people seeking answers from other sources than from God I would echo the words of the prophet, “Is there no God in America any longer?” “Is God for real, or is He just a myth like all the other pagan gods?”

A second condition that could suggest that there is no God is…

B.  When God’s people are experiencing continual defeat. 

I want to point out another example in the O.T. that carries a very similar message or impact as the story in 2 kings. In the book of Judges, an angel appears to a man called Gideon and announces that God is with him.

Judges 6:13 “And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”

1.  Based on the past history of Israel, Gideon equated the presence of the living God with having miracles and experiencing victory.

He makes a logical point with the angel by essentially saying, “If God is with us, they why aren’t we seeing God’s miraculous intervention similar to the deliverance from Egypt and the dividing of the Red Sea?”

It seems like Gideon is really asking, “Is God really in this place?” Or, “Is God for real here?”

2.  Similarly, even today, when God’s people are not experiencing victory in their personal lives or corporate church life, and they are not witnessing any evidence of the miraculous power of God, then there is a legitimate reason to ask “Is God for real in this place?”

When Christians are repeatedly overcome by the temptations of the world and defeated in their spiritual progress, it is a testimony that God is not actively at work in their lives. It simply reveals “There is no God in this place.”

C.  When there is a general absence of morality and justice.

1.  As one reads the history of the nation of Israel in the O.T., we find that in certain times in Israel’s history when she plunged to the depths of her backslidden state, then all sorts of horrible injustices and immorality prevailed.  For example:

·        Most of the prophets denounce practices current in their times such as: injustices to the poor, the widows and the oppressed.

·        Immoral lifestyles (e.g., temple prostitution as a result of mingling pagan cultic practices in with the worship of God).

·        Child sacrifices. We’ve talked about this before, but it is an example of the depths to which a nation can fall when God’s truth is rejected.

2.  While there has always been religious diversity in America, there was a time when the overall moral climate was much better than it is today; especially following the Great Awakening and some of the other revival periods in our nation’s history.

However, in today’s society we witness all sorts of immoral, criminal and deviant behavior.  We are witnessing a time when moral perversions are passed off as alternative lifestyles. Things that were formerly viewed as morally offensive are now lauded as progressive, while former virtues are denounced as bigotry and prejudices. Sadly enough, some of the immoral conduct is practiced by those who call themselves Christian.

When anyone looks at the moral climate in America, they would certainly have the right to ask, “Is there no God in America?”

II. Conditions that would suggest that God is real today.

A.  When the Church experiences a genuine revival of its original mission and purpose in the world it would project a message that “God is for real.” 

We are not saved from our sins just so we can sit around and dream about heaven and “be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease.”  We are saved first of all because God loves each one of us, but also because God has a task and a mission for the church to perform.

In the NT book of Acts and even in the epistles, pagans “sat up and took notice” as the apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ “turned the world upside down” with their zeal and passion in fulfilling the mission they had been given.

No matter where they went, they projected a message that God was alive and real.

B.  When individual Christians and the collective church experience consistent victory over Satan and the world it will project a message that “God is for real.”

God intended for the church to be a victorious army, not an army of victims. 

cf. Matt. 16:18 “Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

I don’t remember if I have made this point here before or not, but this passage of Scripture does not mean what many people think it means. Many have interpreted this to mean that the church will be able to survive all the attacks that Satan and the forces of hell might bring against it.

But, remember, gates are not offensive weapons. They are defensive fortifications. So it is literally saying that the walls and gates of hell will not be able to stand up against the advancement of the church. The church, as God planned, will invade the very territory of the devil and advance the Kingdom of God.

CONCLUSION: 

We hear voices in our society today that tell us we are experiencing revival in various areas of the country.  I’m truly grateful for everything that is being done, and I certainly would not want to minimize anything that God is doing. 

However, if we were truly experiencing revival, then I propose that the overall moral climate in America would be in much better condition than it currently is. I have to confess that I do not see this happening. It may be happening in small pockets here and there, but not to the degree that we need it.

I am not one who believes that revival is impossible. I do not believe that the apparent nearness of the end time rules out the possibility of true revival, if the church meets the conditions which will certainly bring revival.

I want to end our service today by singing a hymn that boldly proclaims, “We are on the victory side!”

Let us sing this song with passion and with the conviction that God will indeed lead us in victory and help us demonstrate to a watching world that He is for real! Amen? Amen!

A Gift from the Lord [31 mb]

(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 Psalm 127:3-5 that discusses the value of children. It was preached on the occasion of Father's Day as well as the Dedication of an infant to the Lord.

Written Excerpts:

Psalms 127:3-5   Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Introduction:

Our Scripture reading from a few moments ago relates to both the child dedication we have had today and the celebration of Fathers’ Day today.

We are living in a cultural environment in our society that seems to devalue human life. There seems to be a strong emphasis on not letting children get in the way of personal and career goals. Children are the victims of abuse and neglect in alarming rates. This word from God, however, stresses that our children are a valuable heritage from the Lord.

In our society we have been told that the abortion-on-demand policies would cause "every child to be a wanted child" and it would theoretically end child abuse and neglect. Well, we have now experienced 38 years of abortion liberties, and the abuse and neglect of children still soars.

If you have a King James Bible, you will notice this psalm, along with 14 others (120-134), are designated with a heading/title that reads, “A Song of Degrees”. (More recent versions list each of them as a “Song of Ascents” or “Song of Steps.”)

Four different explanations of this title include:

1) A song that would have been sung by caravans of exiles returning from captivity as they wound their way towards the city of Jerusalem and hills of Palestine;

2) A song that Jewish pilgrims would sing as they journeyed toward Jerusalem;

3) A song that was sung on the steps of the temple court; or

4) A song that contained “steps” of progression in the content or thought.

In reviewing these four explanations, it appears to me that each view is supported by content found in some of these psalms, but no one view seems to adequately explain all fifteen of the psalms. Therefore, I am inclined to think that it might be a combination of most if not all four views. That kind of sounds like a politician’s answer, doesn’t it?

It does seem possible that this particular Psalm could have been written around the time when the Israelite exiles were returning from captivity because of the writer's references to “building houses” (v.1a) and “guarding them from enemies” (v.1b) both of which would have been relevant topics during the rebuilding of the cities and walls after the captivity. Both Ezra and Nehemiah record instances of opposition that were experienced by the Israelites as they returned and tried to rebuild the city, temple and the walls.

I.     Children are a gift from the Lord.

The author of this psalm describes children as a valuable gift. In fact, he equates receiving a child the same as receiving an inheritance. In the normal structures of Hebrew Poetry, there is little or no emphasis on rhyme or rhythm, but the emphasis is usually on parallel concepts in the thoughts or ideas presented. Therefore, in this passage, “children” is a parallel thought equivalent to “fruit of the womb,” and “inheritance” is equivalent to “reward.”

In other passages of Scripture the Promised Land of Canaan was often referred to as the inheritance given to the Israelites by the Lord, which they received purely because of the benevolence of God.

Biologically and genetically, we understand that children are the result of loving intimacy shared by a husband and wife. Yet, we all know that the “fruit of the womb” is truly a blessing of God’s grace, because many loving relationships are not blessed with the children they so fervently desire.

Since children are an inheritance and gift from the Lord, what implications does that have?

A.  Childless couples are not loved less by God.

Some may hear this verse and understand it to mean that God must not love them as much as He does others since He did not bless them with children. That would be a misunderstanding or misreading of the text. This passage is not primarily teaching us a lesson about the ways that God chooses to demonstrate His love to people. Rather, the primary teaching of the text is to remind us of the value and importance of children. If you want to learn about all the ways God demonstrates how much He loves us, there are plenty of other texts throughout the Scriptures that describe the ways of God’s love.

B.  We should treat our children with value and respect.

Suppose God gave you or me a jewel of some kind. He just sent it down from the sky into the back yard accompanied by a booming voice from heaven proclaiming, “This is my gift to you.” How do you think any person would cherish and value that gift?

Dear friends, children are much more valuable than any jewel. They are human souls that not only have the image of their parents indelibly stamped into their physical and psychological being, but they have the image of their Creator stamped into them as well.

Because each child has the image of God molded into them, they all deserve to be treated with respect and with dignity and honor. Now, don’t get me wrong. Children still need to be corrected, disciplined and instructed in order to be guided in due time into a responsible, mature adult. But, no child deserves to be neglected, abused, or victimized.

I’ll be real honest with you to say that there is nothing else I know of that stirs up anger in me any more than when I read about or hear about a child being abused. Jesus Himself has some pretty harsh words to say against anyone who causes “one of these little ones to be offended.” (Matt 17:6)

C.  We should understand that our children are eternal souls.

Children are the only “earthly possessions” that we can take to heaven with us. Obviously, we do not “own” our children in the same way we do other material goods. But, out of all the “objects” that belong to us, our children are the only ones that we can also enjoy in heaven.

II.    Children provide an invaluable service to the Lord.

As I read and studied the remaining verses of this Psalm (4-5) it appeared to me that the Psalmist was emphasizing the practical benefits of having a house full of children. The wording seems to be emphasizing the aspect of safety and security comparable to a warrior defending his home and/or his country from enemies.

The author’s choice of words and the analogy implied would again coincide with the possibility we spoke of earlier regarding the attacks from enemies when the Israelites were rebuilding their homes, the temple and the city walls. The author compares children born to a young man as being like arrows in the hand of a mighty warrior.

(Keil &Delitzsch) This is a comparison which the circumstances of his time made natural to the poet, in which the sword was carried side by side with the trowel, and the work of national restoration had to be defended step by step against open enemies, envious neighbors, and false brethren.

I realize that there is a risk in over-spiritualizing some passages. Yet, I believe that there is a definite parallel between this “defense of the home” against enemies, and the defense that needs to be made in the church of God against spiritual enemies.

The application I see is this: I don’t believe there is any better defense against the demise of a church than to raise “an army” of children and youth who are committed to Christ and are grounded in the truth of His Word. There is no better defense against the spiritual attacks of the enemy upon the life and effectiveness of the church than “an army” of children and youth who will grow up having been taught the truth of God and filled with the Spirit of God and committed to the work of God.

Buildings, programs, and technology all have their proper place, but nothing matches the value of children growing up physically and spiritually to assume leadership roles in the Kingdom of God; becoming spiritual giants of faith in an unbelieving and godless world.

Conclusion:

As we come to a close, let me summarize the main theme of this message:

Our children are a rich and valuable gift or inheritance from God and deserve all our love, respect and investments of time and instruction.

Parenting, including the role of father, is an awesome responsibility, because it involves the molding and directing of a life that will ultimately live forever in either heaven or hell.

May the Lord grant every father the wisdom and the abilities necessary to raise our children for God’s glory.

Who Speaks for God? [33 mb]

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

This is the final sermon in a series of messages on the Ten Commandments. This message focuses on the ministry of God's prophets to proclaim the law of the Lord to the people.

Exodus 19:3; Deut. 34:10; Jer. 1:5; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Introduction:

We have been working our way through the Ten Commandments in a series of messages. I have tried to faithfully and accurately present to you the meaning of each commandment; not only in its original O.T. context, but in the N.T. context as well. Today I want to wrap up the series with a concluding message that I hope will remind each one of us about the importance of follow­ing God’s will in living out a life of holiness in a modern-day context.

Before I begin the main part of the message, I want to briefly review some of the points that I made at the very beginning of the series in the introductory message. It has been several months since I started the series. Some may not have been here and others may have forgotten these key points, so let us quickly review together. We said…

The purpose of the law is: to define what sin is, to reveal our helplessness/hopelessness, and to ultimately bring us to Christ.

The difference between law and grace is: the law is powerless to enable righteous attitudes and behaviors, but grace is the strength and power of God. The law teaches and condemns, but grace pardons, empowers and liberates.

Our method has been: to give the meaning of the command and the behaviors it either condemns or requires, followed by the positive principle underlying each command and how it applies to the life of holiness and Christian conduct today.

As I meditated on what approach I should use in this final message of this series, I felt impressed to focus on the role and ministry of the prophet as portrayed in the Bible. I am currently reading through the book of Jeremiah in my personal Bible reading and I have been impressed to use some of the material in Jeremiah as an appropriate illustration of how God uses His prophets to proclaim His law, along with its blessings and curses.

I remember reading and hearing long ago (although I cannot remember the sources) that a prophet is “one who speaks for God.” So I have chosen a question related to that description as the title for today’s message. “Who Speaks for God?” Who is willing to say, “Thus saith the Lord,” and courageously stand for the authority of God’s Word whether the listener feels good about it or not?

Vance Havner, a well-known Baptist preacher from the middle of the last century, once said something like this, “A true prophet of the Lord is not in a popularity contest. He doesn’t really care what people think about him, he only cares about delivering the message God has given him.”

The Bible has a great deal to say about prophets in both the O.T. and the N.T. I trust that we can learn some important truths today that will inspire us, awaken us and challenge us. Before we get into that, let me define the role of a prophet. There were two basic tasks of a prophet as illustrated throughout the Bible. One task was to proclaim the Word of God on any given issue or for any given circumstance. This was sometimes referred to as “forth-telling.” (i.e., telling forth the Word of the Lord.)

Another task of the prophet would include the prediction of coming events, which were usually the coming judgments of God for the disobedience and disregard for His commands.

In the N.T. we continue to see both roles utilized, but the role of proclamation (“forth-telling”) seems to more predominant than “fore-telling” or predicting the future.

There are two basic thoughts that I want to give you today regarding God’s use of prophets in conveying His Word to the people.

I. The Credentials of a Prophet and II. The Message of a Prophet.

Let us look first of all at …

I.          The Credentials of a Prophet

I believe that there are at least four qualifications that a prophet needed to have.

A. Discernment

If you look at the passage of Scripture in 1 Corinthians 12, you will find a list of spiritual gifts mentioned by the Apostle Paul. In that list, you will discover that the gift of discernment is mentioned immediately after the gift of prophecy. I believe that this was intentional by the Apostle because they are so closely related. It is hard for me to see how a prophet can truly be a prophet of the Lord without discernment.

There are two areas in which a prophet needs discernment. He needs discernment to understand God’s message. And, he needs discernment to detect the presence of evil or corruption and any disobedience to God’s will.

There were a number of examples in the Bible of false prophets who spoke their own words rather that the words of God. So the prophet who truly was the spokesman for the Lord had to be sure His message was, in fact, from God.

On the other hand, the prophet had to possess a level of discernment regarding what was going on around him. He had a God-given ability to “sniff out” any evil or corruption that was prevalent in his society and expose it. If you read through the O.T. prophets, you will find that they boldly confronted the evil practices that were prevalent in their culture; even if it meant confronting the king.

B. Connection to God

This is definitely related to the previous point. The ability to discern right from wrong and good from evil was primarily because the prophet maintained a close connection or intimacy with God.

C. Compassion

This trait did not stand out in all examples, but in many cases the prophet of God was a person that was truly heart-broken and burdened by the wickedness they saw and the coming judgment they saw. Jeremiah, for example, is often referred to as the weeping prophet.

Jer. 8:20-9:1 “²⁰The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!” ²¹For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning; astonishment has taken hold of me. ²²Is there no balm in Gilead, Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery for the health of the daughter of my people? ¹Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!”

A true man of God, who knows the law of God and knows the judgment of God, will certainly be heartbroken and burdened for the condition and the fate of the people.

D. Boldness and Courage

Possessing boldness and courage does not mean a total absence of fear or dread, but rather the ability to overcome it in order to be faithful to the call of God.

The prophet of the Lord undoubtedly experienced a normal fear or anxiety over what the consequences might be for going against the king or the popular attitudes and wishes of the public. But his fear of Almighty God was stronger. His concern for the welfare of the nation and the people was stronger. So he would muster the courage to boldly proclaim the word of God, and let the “chips fall where they will.” As I quoted earlier from Vance Havner, “A prophet isn’t too concerned about his popularity with the people; only his faithfulness to God.”

Jeremiah 20:7-9 ⁷ O Lord, You induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I am in derision daily; everyone mocks me. ⁸ For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, “Violence and plunder!” Because the word of the Lord was made to me a reproach and a derision daily. ⁹ Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.

It is not only important to understand the credentials of a prophet, but we must also understand …

II.        The Message of the Prophet

In speaking for God, the prophet was obligated to proclaim at least three categories of truth. In all three categories I will share examples from Jeremiah, but keep in mind that the other biblical prophets also shared truths in these categories as well.

The first category of truth proclaimed was...

A. God’s Nature  

The prophet always, in one way or another, conveys a message about God’s nature or character. He feels compelled to inform the people about God’s holiness and judgment and anger. At the same time, he proclaims the mercy and forgiveness of God who will save, forgive and redeem anyone who turns to Him in repentance.

Jer. 23:23-24 “Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord, “And not a God afar off? ²⁴ Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the Lord; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.

Here in this example, the prophet is reminding the people that they cannot hide anything from God. He is intimately aware of everything they are and everything they do.

The second category of truth proclaimed was...

B. God’s Law

Jer. 17:19ff – The prophet proclaims God’s law regarding Sabbath observance.

Jer. 21:12; 22:3ff – He admonishes them about how they are to treat the ones that are oppressed and victimized in society.

These are just two examples of how the prophet is clarifying what God’s law requires in terms of their behavior and conduct.

The third category of truth proclaimed was...

C. God’s Response

1. With mercy and forgiveness to the penitent.

Jer. 18:7-8 The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, ⁸if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. 

2. With wrath and judgment to the unrepentant.

Jer. 18:9-10 ⁹And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, ¹⁰if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.

Many people today seem to think that judgment was the predominant O.T. theme and mercy is the predominant N.T. theme. But, let me remind you that both themes can be found abundantly in the O.T. and the N.T. The N.T. doesn’t talk as much about imminent judgment, but focuses more on the future judgment that will come. Yet, it will certainly come. Contrary to the pop theology of today, the N.T. doesn’t deny or do away with the concept of judgment. The New Testament still has plenty of warnings about taking God’s grace for granted and using it as a license to fulfill the desires of the flesh and our own selfish will.

Conclusion:

So how does all this relate to our series on the Ten Commandments?

Well, I believe that every minister has a prophetic duty to show that God’s commands, especially the principles they teach us, are still relevant and required for everyone who professes to know God and wants to live a holy life. As the pastor of this congregation, it is my solemn duty to faithfully teach the Word of God, and to warn against any attitudes or behaviors that are contrary to His commands. I must from time to time fulfill the role of a prophet, if I am to faithfully discharge my responsibilities as pastor.

In reading the prophet Jeremiah I discovered a prevailing complaint by God against the false prophets that existed in Jeremiah’s day.

The false prophets were guilty of two things:

1) Encouraging and even enabling wickedness (Jer. 23:13-14)

2) Promising God’s blessing regardless of wicked behavior. (Jer. 23:16-17)

Dear friends, I do not want to be guilty of either of these practices. I certainly do not want to give anyone the impression that you can violate God’s law and still be okay on the Day of Judgment just because you made a profession of faith in Jesus at some earlier point in your life.

The purpose of the law is not to make you feel good about yourself. The purpose of the law is to alert you to any area where you have become lax and careless in following God’s commands and God’s will.

I don’t know whether you are aware of this fact or not … the purpose of grace is not to make you feel good about sinning either. The purpose of grace is to pardon, forgive and liberate from the guilt and power of sin.

If you are not currently walking in obedience to the will of God in any area of your life, I urge you to make the necessary adjustments in order to be in harmony with God’s Word. Seek God’s forgive­ness and the power of His Spirit to live a holy life.

Written Excerpts:

For All Intents and Purposes [31mb]

(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 twelfth sermon in a series of messages on the Ten Commandments. This message deals with the tenth commandment, "Thou Shalt Not Covet."

Written Excerpts:

Exodus 20:17   Thou shalt not covet... anything that is thy neighbor’s.

Introduction:

As I pondered what might be an appropriate title for today’s message, I was thinking how this command addresses the intentions and motives of our hearts rather than mere actions or behaviors. The common phrase that we have heard and perhaps used a good bit in personal conversations came to my mind: “For all intents and purposes.”

What is the meaning of the phrase? I looked it up online and discovered that the most common meaning expressed is, “In all practical situations” or “in every practical sense.” “The first recorded use was in an Act of Parliament under Henry VIII, in 1546: "to all intents, constructions, and purposes." http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/all-intents-and-purposes.html

My obvious intent and purpose for using this title was not because of its actual meaning, but because of the play on words and how these words relate to the meaning of the tenth commandment. As you might notice, the tenth commandment does not pertain to any wrong behavior or conduct. Instead, it speaks about the initial desires and plotting that take place before the wrong behavior.

Walter Kaiser, Jr. in his book, Toward O.T. Ethics, has pointed out that the O.T. is as concerned with the internal response to morality as it is with outward acts. He also references the work of another author by the name of Gemser when he states that there are 36 occurrences in the OT where the Hebrew words for “thought,” “plan,” “counsel,” “intent,” or “deliberation” are linked with ethical judgments or behaviors.

Let us examine the last commandment to see what lessons we can learn that will benefit our quest for living a life of holiness before God.

X.        Thou Shalt Not Covet…

A. The Negative Meaning: Do not even desire anything that belongs to another person.

The word “covet” in Ex. 20:17 means “to desire earnestly, to long after, or covet” while the parallel passage in Deut. 5:21 uses a different Hebrew word that has a similar meaning, “to set one’s desire on something.” (Kaiser, Toward O.T. Ethics)

Some have concluded that there is a distinction between the two words. They insist that the word found in Exodus emphasizes the plotting and scheming that must go on in the heart before the actual deed is carried out, while the word in Deuteronomy emphasizes the desire that comes even before the plotting or scheming. (See Laura Schlessinger, The Ten Commandments, p.300.)

Others do not really see a distinction, but simply view the two words as synonyms,—the only difference between them being, that “the former denotes the desire as founded upon the perception of beauty, and therefore excited from without, the latter, desire originating at the very outset in the person himself, and arising from his own want or inclination” (Schultz in O.T. Commentary by Keil & Delitzsch).

In any case, the prohibition is against the desire and plotting within one’s heart that leads to overt action against one’s neighbor.

B. The Positive Principle: Motives and passions are sacred.

During our study of the Ten Commandments I have been providing a positive principle for each commandment to guide us while we live out a life of holiness.

 (By the way, I need to mention that the idea of finding a positive principle behind each of the commandments is borrowed from the author that I mentioned a moment ago, Walter C. Kaiser, Jr. in his book, Toward Old Testament Ethics. However, I have slightly modified the wording of each principle for the purposes of our study.)

It would appear that the positive principle behind the Tenth Commandment has to do with the motives, desires and passions of our heart.

C. Exposition: How does this commandment relate to life?

1. This commandment emphasizes the root problem of sin.

Jer. 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

Matt. 12:35 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.”

Matt. 15:18-19 “¹⁸But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. ¹⁹For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”

James 1:14-15 “¹⁴But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

All of these passages I have quoted, and many others we could have referenced, instruct us about the problem of sin in our lives that originates in the heart. We are born into this world with the problem of a heart that is tainted with sin. We are born with an inclination toward evil and away from God. Our sinful, wicked, deceitful hearts lead us to want that which is forbidden.

The lesson we need to learn early and thoroughly is that our real problem is not environment, not poverty, not lack of education or any of those things that we tend to use as excuses for our wrong behaviors. OUR REAL PROBLEM IS A WICKED, SINFUL, DECEPTIVE, SCHEMING, SELFISH HEART!

2. This commandment emphasizes the need for heart purity.

If the root problem of sinful and wicked conduct is a wicked, sinful heart, then the solution is for us to let God do His purifying work in our hearts; to cleanse our motives and desires, so that we want what He wants.

Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; ²⁴and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Acts 15:8-9 “So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, ⁹and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”

James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

These passages of scripture provide hope and good news to the person who seeks a remedy for the wickedness of his heart. God’s wonderful plan of redemption is as complete and thorough as necessary to remedy the problem brought upon us by sin. There are no defects with God’s plan of redemption. It has done and will do all that God intended.

We just recently finished a series of Bible studies on Wednesday nights regarding the topic of redemption. One of the segments in that study was about the different actions that God does for us once we make a decision to accept His provisions. We talked about how God forgives us, and pardons us by removing the condemnation that we deserve. He expunges our record and adopts us into His family and makes us one of His children. We also talked about the language used in Scripture that describes God’s action in our lives and our hearts to cleanse us from all impurity and sanctify us for His purposes.

That sanctifying/cleansing work of God’s grace is the solution to the problem we described a moment ago – a wicked, deceptive, and sinful heart that seeks to satisfy its own passions and desires.

3. This commandment emphasizes the need to guard one’s heart.

Finally, dear friends, I’m convinced that even after we allow God to perform His cleansing work in our hearts, there continues to be a need for diligence on our part to protect our hearts from illicit desires and passions.

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”

If the desires, passions and affections of our hearts determine what our actions will be, then it is vitally important to guard our hearts and protect them from ungodly and spiritually detrimental influences.

James 4:4 “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

Romans 8:5-7 “⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. ⁸So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

This conflict between the flesh and the spirit, or the spirit and the world that James and Paul are talking about is a vivid reminder of why we need to carefully guard what we feed our minds on and what we consume for entertainment. I don’t think there would be any dispute to the fact that whatever we watch, read, and participate in generally affects the direction of our ambitions, desires and motivations.

The reason some people are not very spiritually motivated is because they have done very little to feed the spiritual appetite within the soul. On the other hand, they have regularly fed the fleshly appetites by the entertainment activities and media that they consume.

I trust that all of us can understand the importance of protecting our minds and hearts from evil influences in order to avoid violating the tenth commandment.

Colossians 3:1-2 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ²Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Conclusion:

By giving us the tenth commandment, God has reminded each of us that the motives, desires and passions within our hearts are just as important as any behaviors or actions we might perform.

Let us remember that:

·        Our real problem is a heart that is inclined toward sin; that

·        God offers cleansing and purity as a remedy; and

·        The life of faith includes guarding our minds and hearts against all evil influences that would eventually lead us back into sinful behaviors.

Next sermon in this series is: Who Speaks for God? (link available in blog archive on right)