Dr. Timothy Mech, Evangelical Fellowship International

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This is a recording of a message presented by Dr. Timothy Mech concerning the ministries of a mission organization by the name of Evangelical Fellowship International. This presentation was given at Wayside Community Church on Sunday April 22, 2012. For more information about EVI, visit their website: http://www.evfi.org/

Laying a Firm Foundation - Heart Treasures [32 mb]

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This is a sermon based on Matthew 6:19-24 and is part of a series of messages exploring the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Today we are returning to our series of messages in which we have been exploring the Sermon on the Mount by Jesus. We are reviewing each of the topics that Jesus covers and trying to relate each of them to the point He made at the end of the discourse where He talked about the wise man and the foolish man. Jesus declared that we are wise if we listen and obey His words. We are foolish if we simply listen, but we do not obey His teachings. A wise man builds his house on solid rock that can withstand the storms of life, while the foolish man builds his house on sand that causes destruction when the storms of life come.

The topic that we are considering today concerns the treasures of our hearts. There is nothing more important to the security and safety of one’s spiritual house than to have one’s affections and values in harmony with God’s. As we will be noticing today, whatever you treasure and value in your heart of hearts will determine the decisions you make and directions you take in your life’s journey.

Transition:

As we discuss the passage before us today I want to talk about three subjects explained by Jesus that relate to heart treasures: Principles for Investing (vv. 19-21); The Soul of the Investor (vv. 22-23); and The Allegiance of the Investor (v. 24). With the help of the Holy Spirit I trust that our discussion of these subjects will help us adopt spiritual principles for investing in things that have eternal value.

I.          Principles for Investing (vv. 19-21)

The first subject we notice in this lesson has to do with investment principles. For the sake of logical sequence, I want to focus first of all on the principle found in verse 21.

A. Our investments become our treasures.

The things in which we invest become the things that we cherish. And… the things we cherish the most will be the things in which we invest the most of our selves, our time, our talents and our resources. This is an irreducible principle. Follow anyone around for an extended period of time and you will discover what they cherish. You will learn what is important to them and what has most value to them.

We inevitably invest our time, our talents, and our resources in the things that we think are the most important. (If that’s not true, then it is only because we have not even bothered to evaluate our lives or judge what has worth and value and we are simply stumbling lazily through life day by day doing whatever comes easiest at the moment.)

Because our investments become our treasures, we must choose wisely what we will invest in. We only have two choices: earthly investments or heavenly investments.

That brings me to the second principle of investing…

B. Earthly investments will ultimately fail. (v.19)

Earthly investments will ultimately fail, says Jesus, because they are susceptible to decay, destruction and theft. It is impossible to permanently preserve material possessions, because material substance, by definition, is prone to decay and deterioration. Material possessions are at risk for being stolen by others who desire to have what we have.

C. Heavenly investments will ultimately succeed. (v. 20)

 Heaven is the only place where nothing is threatened by decay, deterioration, destruction or by thieves.

Jesus is telling us that we have the opportunity to make the safest investments this world has ever heard of – in another world.

 “Sigmund Freud’s favorite story was about the sailor shipwrecked on one of the South Sea Islands. He was seized by the natives, hoisted to their shoulders, carried to the village, and set on a rude throne. Little by little, he learned that it was their custom once each year to make some man a king, king for a year. He liked it until he began to wonder what happened to all the former kings. Soon he discovered that every year when his kingship was ended, the king was banished to an island, where he starved to death. The sailor did not like that, but he was smart and he was king, king for a year. So he put his carpenters to work making boats, his farmers to work transplanting fruit trees to the island, farmers growing crops, masons building houses. So when his kingship was over, he was banished, not to a barren island, but to an island of abundance. It is a good parable of life: We’re all kings here, kings for a little while, able to choose what we shall do with the stuff of life.” (Illustrations Unlimited, James S. Hewett, Editor, Chap 90, #2)

We are only on this earth for a little while. The question is, are we making any preparations for the life after this one? Are we sending any treasures ahead on to heaven? What shall we send? Silver and gold? Stocks and bonds? No, No, NO! The only “thing” I see down here on earth that I will have the opportunity to see in heaven is “people; eternal souls!”

I know of no other way to invest treasures in heaven than to help others get saved and find God and become devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

The success of my life will not be determined by how much wealth or possessions I have accumulated, but by how many people find Christ and make it to heaven through some influence I have been able to have upon them. The success of any church will not be determined by the size of the attendance, the bank accounts, or the buildings. The success of any church will be determined by how many people it has helped get to heaven.

I’m not saying it is wrong for people to save and prepare for their later years in life. And it certainly isn’t wrong to provide for the physical / material needs of our families. (Although I do believe we should clearly distinguish between our needs and our wants!)

However, I don’t understand people who claim to love the Lord and have served God many years, but when their life has ended, it becomes evident that they made no provisions for their earthly possessions to have any eternal impact after they’re gone. In other words, they left all their earthly assets for family members to fight over but did not allocate anything to help godly organizations spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

II.        The Soul of the Investor (vv. 22-23)

The second subject that Jesus presents in connection to our heart treasures is related to the soul of the investor.

At the beginning of verse 22, Jesus makes a definitive statement, “The light of the body is the eye.”

A. The “eye” of the body is equivalent to the soul.

(A. Clarke) “…the eye is to the body what the sun is to the universe in the day time, or a lamp…to a [dark room].”

(Wm. Barclay) “The eye is regarded as the window by which the light gets into the whole body. The state of the “window” decides what light gets into a room.”

 It seems to me that both of these writers are speaking about the soul of a person that defines what kind of person he /she truly is. The soul determines one’s character and one’s perspective on life.

So…

B. When the eye is “single.”

(Clarke) “Single” – means simple, uncompounded.

(Barclay) “Single” – used many times in scripture to mean generous or generosity.

When the “window” (soul) of a man is generous, it certainly “colors” everything that he sees. It impacts every area of life because that is who he really is on the inside. When the soul is generous, the whole body (life) is generous.

But, on the other hand…

C. When the eye is “evil.”

(Clarke) “Evil” – means diseased or defective.

(Barclay) “Evil” – grudging, ungenerous. Used in Septuagint to translate passages in Deut. where God warns the Jews against being ungenerous (stingy) when lending to a fellow Jew just because it was getting close to the seventh year when debts were canceled. It also appears in Proverbs “Do not eat the bread of a man who has an evil eye.” (Prov. 23:6)

When the “window” (soul) of a man is stingy, that also affects the way he looks at every circumstance in life. When the eye is evil (stingy) the whole body (life) is stingy.

The soul of the investor, according to Jesus, will determine whether he/she is likely to invest in earthly treasure or heavenly treasure. The “generous eye” gives cheerfully because he / she gives to God and is laying up treasures in heaven. But, the “stingy eye” hoards and grabs for himself / herself because earthly possessions and earthly treasures have highest priority.

III.       The Allegiance of the Investor (v. 24)

We come now to the last verse of our lesson today and we discover that every one of us must decide who or what will become our master, owner, or God.

A. It’s impossible to be a slave to two owners.

In his commentary, Craig Keener states, “Two masters rarely shared slaves, but when they did it always led to divided interests.” (IVP Bible Background Commentary)

B. We must choose to be owned by God or by material possessions.

If we cannot serve, or be a slave to, two owners, then we must choose which one it is going to be; God or “mammon.”

“Mammon” – a word that basically means “material possessions” or “riches.” (Wm. Barclay; Adam Clarke)

 (Wm. Barclay) It comes from a root word that means to entrust for safe keeping and referred to the wealth that one would entrust to a banker or safe deposit of some kind.... However, the meaning evolved ‘til it came to mean that in which one puts his trust.

So, Jesus is telling us that it is impossible to share our trust between God and material wealth or possessions. We will inevitably cling to one and reject the other. We will eventually come to trust in one and not the other.

C. Our choice will determine who will be our (g)God.

“The story is told of Rose Greenhow, a Confederate spy during the Civil War, who tried to evade capture and the loss of her fortune by sewing the gold she had gained into the seams of her dress. But the ship she boarded sank, and the weight of the gold made it impossible for the life preserver to support her. She sank to the bottom with all her wealth. Dr. Pierce Harris, who told the story, pointed out that death did to her what it does to all of us, because we “cannot take it with us” when we die. But sometimes, we might add, it takes us with it!” (Illustrations Unlimited, James S. Hewett, Editor, Chap 90, #3)

In this brief little story the gold that Rose Greenhow hoped to take with her ended up taking her where it went – a watery grave.

Jesus said you cannot be a slave to two different owners, but if you try it, one owner will eventually win and you will come to despise the other. The more we serve God, the more we will grow to repudiate this world and its idols. And, the more we serve riches or possessions, the more we will despise God and the things that have eternal worth.

Conclusion:

As we bring this message to a close I remind you that the truths we have discussed in this message are very sobering. We’re talking about being a disciple of Jesus Christ. We’re talking about living a life that reflects the values and principles of our Lord and Master.

The way we act in response to the principles we’ve covered today will determine whether our lives on earth will end up having any eternal significance or not. Our personal response to the teachings of Christ will either produce eternal treasures in heaven, or it will provide the fuel for the fire that will renovate this world.

I want to close by singing a song that asks a very important question. “Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid? (p. 475)

Dear friends, it is not possible for any of us to properly understand the importance of heavenly investing until we have made a complete commitment of ourselves to the Lord. We must sacrifice our selves and dedicate ourselves to Him before we can follow His teaching on investing in heavenly treasures.

Raised for our Justification [20mb]

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This is a sermon based on Romans 4:25 and was preached for Easter Sunday 2012.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

We have come here today on this Easter Sunday of 2012 to honor the risen Savior who had died to take away our sins. Really, there is a sense in which every Sunday worship service is a celebration of the resurrection. The NT gives us information that shows the early disciples began meeting on the first day of the week as a way of celebrating and commemorating the resurrection of the Lord.

When I started thinking and meditating on this service and wondering what scripture I should use, it seemed that this phrase from Romans 4:25 came to mind almost immediately, “He was raised for our justification.”

We’ve sung a lot of songs today in celebration of His resurrection and we have felt the divine presence of the Holy Spirit. So, I plan to speak briefly today. (That’s always dangerous to say that!)

There are three main thoughts that I find in this last verse of Romans 4. I want to present them in a way that I hope will be easy to remember. He was delivered up. And He was raised up. So we could be cleaned up and cleared up.

I.          He was delivered up.

Because of our sins, crimes, offenses.

According to the Bible, particularly the passage read for our Scripture reading earlier, it was the Jews who delivered Him up to the Gentiles to be killed.

However, in reality, it was all planned and designed before the world was created. God delivered up His own Son to be put to death for our offenses. Jesus’ death and the shedding of His blood was part of the plan before Jesus ever came into this world. The Devil didn’t defeat Him; the Jews didn’t trick Him and trap Him; it was all purposely carried out according to God’s divine will.

And, make no mistake, it was because of our offenses. We delivered Him up.

The song writer says, “I should have been crucified. I should have suffered and died. I should have hung on the cross in disgrace, but Jesus God’s Son took my place.”

II.        And He was raised up.

The resurrection was a real event in history that was attested by the testimonies of hundreds.

The resurrection cannot be explained away as simply the wishful thinking or even hallucinations of hopeful, dedicated followers. There are names provided, locations identified, events described in detail. These are not the imaginations of devoted but deceived disciples.

The Apostle Paul states in Corinthians that Jesus was seen by more than 500 brethren at one time. He goes on to say that some of them have died, but the greater part of them remain alive at the time of his writing.

I read just recently a quote from the book, The Case for Christ, by Stroebel. The author says he asked a renowned psychiatrist once how likely it was for 500 people to all have the same hallucination about seeing someone that wasn’t really there. The doctor replied that if that were to happen, it would be a greater miracle than almost anything else we can think of.

The resurrection was necessary for our salvation and our justification because it validated every other claim made by our Lord. If Jesus Christ had not risen, after specifically predicting he would, then every other claim He made regarding forgiveness and salvation would not be trustworthy either.

III.       So we could be cleaned up and cleared up.

Being cleaned up relates to the term "righteousness."

It is interesting to notice that the word translated "justification" in this verse is the same word that is translated "righteousness" a few verses earlier. Righteousness is the condition of being just and right in accordance with the holy claims of a holy God. In both the OT and NT, righteousness is the state commanded by God and standing the test of His judgment (2 Cor. 3:9; 6:14; Eph. 4:24). It is conformity to all that He commands or appoints.

In ourselves, we have absolutely no ability nor hope of ever living up to the righteous requirements of God’s holy law or holy nature. Jesus was raised up in the power of the Holy Spirit to complete the work of righteousness in our behalf. Paul emphasizes in this passage that righteousness is credited to us on the basis of Jesus' death and resurrection. In other passages written by Paul he also emphasizes the fact that righteousness is truly imparted to us as well. God not only credits us with being righteous, but He works with us and in us to make us righteous.

Being cleared up relates to the term "justification."

Our record of offenses is long and horrible. We have no potential way to clear up our past and appropriately rectify it to satisfy an absolutely holy God. Our inability to live pleasing to God and live according to the holy principles of righteousness produces a record of wrongs that we have no power to erase.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ produces the result that we can be justified and cleared of all our offenses against a holy God. Because He lives, we can be free from condemnation.

Conclusion

Abraham’s experience of faith and resulting consequence was recorded for our benefit, according to verse 23, so we could understand how we too can receive righteousness through believing God’s word and God’s power. If God granted righteousness and justification to Abraham on account of his faith in the promises of God, then how much more will He grant the same to us who believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ?

The resurrection means that you and I need not walk in doubt, sin, and condemnation.

The resurrection means that we can know our past is forgiven, our present is clean and holy and our future is glorious.

Our closing hymn is a song that was written just a short time ago, In Christ Alone. The verses of this great song describe the life and work of Christ as they relate to our redemption.

King for a Day [36mb]

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This is a sermon based on Luke 19:28-40 and preached on Palm Sunday regarding the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Comparison is made with the return of the King as prophesied in Revelation 19:11-21.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Today we are commemorating the day known as Palm Sunday, according to our calendar, which focuses attention on the procession going into Jerusalem four days before Passover about 2,000 years ago. There are a number of interesting details about the setting and the events of this day that I will be sharing as we go along. But before I do that I want you to think with me about some of the special celebrations and recognitions that we might experience in our lives.

In our society we give honor and recognition to various individuals for special reasons or for special accomplishments. In our schools we might honor the “student of the month” or the “teacher of the year.” In our places of employment we might recognize special accomplishments of workers with the “employee of the month” or “associate of the week.” In most of these types of honor or special citations, there may be specific “perks” that go along with the title that has been earned. It might mean going to the head of the line in the cafeteria, or it might mean getting the privilege of driving the company Cadillac.

In all of these situations, however, the individual that has been awarded the special title along with all the benefits knows that it is only temporary. In most cases, the school or business has a policy that no one can win the award consecutively, to help ensure that everyone gets an opportunity to be recognized. In other cases, it is temporary because someone else will soon accomplish some great achievements and the attention and honors will be focused on them.

For those who are familiar with this biblical story and the events that follow, we know that this celebration is similar to what we have been describing – only temporary fame and honor. We know from reading the account many times before that the cries of the crowds will turn drastically and radically different in a few days from what they had started out to be on Palm Sunday. That is the reason I chose the title I am using for this message today, “King for a Day.” All of the accolades and praises that they were giving Him were spectacular, but it only lasted for a day. But, at the end of the message today I intend to explain how it will be like that again someday – He will be King again for a day. However… it will be a new day, and it will be an unending day; an eternal day!

With the help of the Holy Spirit I want to compare and contrast the historic entrance of the King over 2,000 years ago with the prophetic entrance of the King that will occur sometime in the future when God decides that time is no more.

I.     Background Details

A. There was a huge crowd of travelers in the city for the upcoming Passover celebration.

(Wm. Barclay) According to records from 30 years later, a Roman census was taken to count the number of lambs slain for the annual Passover feast. In that year, the number of lambs was 250,000. The estimated crowd in the city for the feast would have been 2.5 million because it was a Passover regulation for there to be a minimum of ten people for every lamb.

This particular event, 30 years earlier, would have probably been very similar in size.

B. This day had prophetic significance in the fact that this would have been the 10^th day of the Jewish month. Passover would be celebrated in four days on the 14^th day of the month. According to the OT requirements (Ex. 12:3), the lamb that was to be slain for the Passover meal was to be selected on the 10^th day of the month and kept until the 14^th day to be slaughtered.

(Matthew Henry) “…on that day therefore Christ our Passover, who was to be sacrificed for us, was publicly showed. So that this was the prelude to his passion.”
 

II.    The Historic Entrance of the King

A. It was carefully planned.

1. The ride and route were planned. (The donkey and colt.)

As they approached the city from just a few miles away, Jesus tells the disciples to go find the colt (foal) of a donkey and bring it to Him.

(Barclay) Believes that all the arrangements were made beforehand and evidenced by the fact that He told them precisely where to find the colt and what “code words” to use with the owners so that they would know it was okay to let it go.

Other writers are prone to simply explain it as Jesus having the supernatural ability to know where it was as well as the supernatural ability to persuade the owners to allow it to be taken.

2. It was planned to simulate the actions of ancient prophets.

(Barclay) When the prophets needed to get their message across they would often act out their messages with dramatic action when they thought their words were ineffective.

Example: The prophet Ahijah met Jeroboam and tore a garment into 12 pieces to illustrate that the 12 tribes of Israel were going to be divided 10 in the Northern Kingdom and 2 in the Southern Kingdom.

Belief is that Jesus was purposely acting out this message to show the people He was the Messiah as predicted by the prophet Zechariah where the prophecy of this event appears in the OT. According to the parallel passage in Luke 19, Jesus had been in Jericho prior to coming to Jerusalem. He would have walked with His disciples most of the distance (17 miles) approaching the city, so it would not have been a special burden for Him to complete the journey on foot. But, He sends the disciples to go bring the donkey colt instead. This obviously was a deliberate plan to get the attention of the crowds and to demonstrate His connection to the prophecy of Zechariah.

B. It was courageously defiant.

The religious rulers of Jerusalem had been seeking a way that they could arrest this popular “prophet.” In spite of how the common people felt about Him, the authorities hated Him and they had sworn to eliminate Him. Does He sneak into the city under the cover of darkness and try to keep out of sight of those who might seek to harm Him? NO. He rides into the city onto “center stage,” so to speak, amid the shouts of people.

Even more than that, after He gets into the city, He goes immediately into the Temple and begins to drive out those who were using their spiritual and religious authority to seriously take advantage of the poor who had come into the city to offer sacrifices and to pay the annual Temple tax required of every male Jew.

Jesus strikes against the very core of the corruption that characterized the religious elite. He not only defies their quest for His demise by riding into the city amid cries of Hosanna, but He proceeds to destroy the corrupt merchandising which would have been a source of funding for their activities.

C. It was a claim of His kingship.

1. By fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah.

As stated earlier.

2. Portrayed as a spiritual King rather than a political king.

a. Because He is a loving King.

In Luke’s reporting of this event, he records the lament that Jesus expressed over the city prior to His arrival. He mourns the ignorance and rebellion of the people who did not recognize “their day of visitation.” He mourns the coming judgment that He predicts. He demonstrates the deep love and compassion He feels for those who have already rejected Him and those who will soon reject Him. He demonstrates what He had previously stated in John 3, “… God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

b. Because He is a peaceful King.  

Most scholars comment on the fact that Jesus is riding on a donkey rather than a horse, to represent His humility and His meekness. However, others have pointed out a couple of distinctions worth noting.

(Barclay) In eastern countries kings and nobles did ride on donkeys. But, when a king rode on a donkey it was a sign that He came in peace. The horse was a mount used for war. He seems to be demonstrating that He has come to help, save, and provide peace rather than to destroy.

(M. Henry) This author has an interesting point. “Yet some think that he had herein an eye to the custom in ancient Israel for the judges to ride upon white donkeys (Jdg. 5:10), and their sons on colts, Jdg. 12:14. And Christ would thus enter, not as a Conqueror, but as the Judge of Israel, who for judgment came into this world” (Jn. 9:39)

III.   The Prophetic Entrance of the King

So many of the events surrounding the historic entrance of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem held symbolic significance as we have noted. Those who are familiar with biblical prophecy regarding the end times know that there is another description given to us about the return of King Jesus. That reference is found in Revelation 19.

¹¹And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. ¹²His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. ¹³And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS….  ²¹And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.  (KJV)

A. It is precisely planned and predicted.

The events described in Revelation 19 can be compared to the events in Luke 19 in the sense that they too are precisely planned. These events described here, as well as all of the prophecy of Revelation, will certainly take place. They are just as certain as every event in history is certain.

Jesus Himself said that the Father knows when the end shall be. God the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle John to write all these prophecies regarding the events of the end times. No man knows the day nor the hour, Jesus said, but God knows and when He says it is time, then it’s time. God knows ahead of time exactly what will take place, when they will take place, and how they will take place.

B. It will be a magnificent display of kingship.

There will be a great contrast between the future entrance of King Jesus and His last entrance.

1. An animal of war, not of peace.

He will not be arriving the next time on a lowly donkey, but on a brilliant white horse. He is not coming this time to bring peace to earth. He is not here this to bring peace to the human heart. He has come to destroy the enemies of the cross; the enemies of God.

2. A demonstration of judgment, not compassion and love.

He will not be lamenting the plight and spiritual condition of His enemies, as before. Now He has arrived to conquer and destroy those who have rejected Him and fought against His righteousness. He speaks and His enemies are executed. This is the same Word that brought the world into existence (Gen. 1; Jn 1) and upheld the world through all the ages of time (Heb. 1:3).

3. He is not King for a day, He is King for eternity.

We can say He is going to be King for a day, but this is a new day. This is one infinite, eternal day. He is King for ever and ever.

Conclusion:

Wow! What a contrast! To think about these events and all the implications is both thrilling and frightening. How thrilling to think about the enemies of righteousness and true holiness finally being soundly defeated. How thrilling to think about the Devil finally meeting his eternal doom! How frightening to imagine all those who have rejected Christ now discovering His awful judgment and wrath.

Friends, Jesus Christ is still the King of kings and Lord of lords! He was back then, when all the people of Jerusalem didn’t recognize Him as such, and He will be in the future when “… God … has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Php. 2:9-11)

I tell you today, the only logical response for any of us to make is to humbly surrender and submit to His authority and rule in our lives and our hearts. We ought to submit to His sovereign power now rather than wait until we are forced to submit and confess then.

I want to close our service today by singing a song that is printed in our bulletins and has been sung by various gospel groups. (Some of us may have heard it sung by the Gaithers.) As we sing, I encourage every one of us to make sure that we have truly surrendered our hearts and lives to the kingship and lordship of Jesus Christ, so we can serve Him honorably now and reign with Him then.

If you haven’t yielded your life to King Jesus, I urge you to do it today.

“He’s Still the King of Kings.”

Laying a Firm Foundation - Authenticity [38 mb]

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This is a sermon based on Matthew 6:1-18, and is part IX in a series of messages on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

The famous Robert Redford was walking one day through a hotel lobby. A woman saw him and followed him to the elevator. “Are you the real Robert Redford?” she asked him with great excitement. As the doors of the elevator closed, he replied, “Only when I am alone!” (A Treasury of Bible Illustrations)

When you are building a foundation for your life and are seeking to make it solid enough to weather all the storms you will be facing in life, one ingredient that is extremely vital is authenticity. All pretense and “play acting” that we may do to gain the approval of others will ultimately lead us down a path of hypocrisy and away from the smile and approval of God.

In the brief illustration I shared just a moment ago, the actor essentially acknowledged that his life and career is one that only allows him to be “real” or genuinely himself when he is alone. Whenever he is with other people or out in the eye of the public he feels it is necessary to portray a different picture or image.

Authenticity in one’s life is the quality of character that enables one to be the same alone or in public; in good times and bad; in wealth or in poverty; or in any number of other situations. As I read and studied the scripture lesson for today, I was impressed that the real underlying issue Jesus addresses here is personal character and genuine authenticity in our everyday lives.

Transition: Today’s scripture lesson essentially shows us that it is possible to perform a spiritual activity or duty with a worldly motivation.

Proposition: I would like to speak to you today about three spiritual disciplines and the principles we will need to practice in order to be spiritually authentic in our attitudes and motivations.

I.          Three Spiritual Disciplines

There are plenty of spiritual disciplines that are mentioned in the Bible that facilitate spiritual life and vitality. Three of them are mentioned by Jesus here as He emphasizes true piety and authentic devotion to God. It is assumed that true disciples will engage in all three of these disciplines. “When you do alms…;” “When you pray…;” “When you fast…”

A. Charitable Deeds (Alms giving)

In this passage, the word for almsgiving is the same word that is also translated as righteousness.

Various writers (e.g. Barclay, Clarke) attest to the Jewish idea that righteousness and giving of alms were synonymous. In the Jewish mind, the giving of alms did provide merit for salvation.

Charitable giving is one of the ways that we serve God, by helping provide the basic needs of people around us.

Ps. 112:9 describes the man who fears the Lord (v.1) in these words, “He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honor.”

Prov. 3:27 “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.”

James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

Almsgiving helps us and the recipient. It helps us remember that our blessings have come from Almighty God and we are stewards of what He has provided. It shows the recipient the grace and compassion of God through the kindness of His children. It is a small demonstration of the kind of giving that Christ has done for us.

See 2 Cor. 8:9 “… though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”

B. Prayer

(A. Clarke) Defines the word for prayer as follows: “prayer, is compounded of προς with, and ευχη a vow, because to pray right, a man binds himself to God, as by a vow, to live to his glory, if he will grant him his grace…. A proper idea of prayer is, a pouring out of the soul unto God, as a free-will offering, solemnly and eternally dedicated to him, accompanied with the most earnest desire that it may know, love, and serve him alone. He that comes thus to God will ever be heard and blessed. Prayer is the language of dependence; he who prays not, is endeavoring to live independently of God….”

The discipline of prayer accomplishes several things.

It is communion and communication with God. It is a means of talking to God and expressing our feelings, our hurts and our joys. It is not used to inform God about our lives, because he already knows everything about us. Rather, it give us the opportunity to become intimate with him as we open up our inner thoughts and feelings and acknowledge that he knows them already.

Prayer is an invitation by God for us to participate in spiritual warfare. We “wrestle not against flesh and blood…” “…the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (fleshly), but are spiritual…” Prayer is an opportunity to engage the spiritual forces of evil and petition Almighty God for the advancement of heavenly forces against demonic activity.

Prayer is recognition of our dependence upon God and seeking his favor and blessing for every area of life. See THE LORD’S PRAYER.

I already did a verse by verse study of The Lord’s Prayer in our Wednesday night Bible studies some time ago, so we will not take the time to go through it again here.

C. Fasting

The word for fast literally means not eat. (Clarke)

(Matthew Henry) “It is an act of self-denial, and mortification of the flesh, a holy revenge upon ourselves, and humiliation under the hand of God…. It is a means to curb the flesh and the desires of it, and to make us more lively in religious exercises…”

Fasting is presumed to be a part of every pious believer’s practice. Anna, the prophetess in the time of Jesus’ birth; Cornelius the devout centurion in Acts; and the early believers during the beginning years of the church in Acts all practiced the discipline of fasting along with prayer.

Fasting was often practiced as a way to emphasize the intensity of emotion that was felt by the one fasting. It apparently was viewed by various individuals as a means to verify the sobriety, humility and earnestness of the person praying. It is not a method for obligating God to do what we ask Him to do.

II.        Principles for Authentic Piety

As we read down through these verses we find several principles that Jesus has provided for helping us maintain genuine or authentic piety as we practice these disciplines. Some of the principles are presented negatively as practices we should avoid. Others are presented positively as practices we should follow or promote.

A. Avoid hypocrisy

See verses 2, 5, 16

The word that Jesus uses in this text for hypocrites is the same word that means actor. The idea expressed is that some people give, pray and fast as an act that is put on to impress an audience. In other words, the act was not done as a genuine expression of love to God or compassion to others, but for the promotion of self.

So Jesus is telling his disciples, those who truly wish to follow his pattern for living, to do any and all spiritual disciplines out of sincere devotion to God rather than out of a desire for the promotion of self.

B. Avoid seeking public recognition

Also verses 2, 5, 16

In close connection with the first prohibition, Jesus adds that they should not do their deeds in order to be “seen of men.” This is what made men out to be hypocrites. They did not seek the approval of God, but the approval of men. Their motives were not sincere and genuine, but they were ulterior for selfish reasons.

Seeking public opinion and approval of one’s spiritual deeds has its immediate reward – the approval of men. (See vv. 2, 5, 16 “they have their reward.”) However, this reward is fleeting and temporary.

C. Avoid copying the practices of unbelievers (heathen)

v. 7 - In the specific context of prayer, avoid needless repetitions like the heathen practice.

(Barclay) “The eastern peoples had a habit of hypnotizing themselves by the endless repetition of one phrase or even of one word.... Jewish prayers also used repetition in prayer by the piling up of every possible title and adjective in the address of God in their prayers.”

The practices forbidden by Jesus here seems to emphasize the satisfaction of self by some emotional frenzy worked up by endless repetitions or the repetitions of superlative words that were meant to impress themselves and any others who might be listening.

The idea some had was this: the more words I use, the more God will hear and respond.

D. Perform spiritual disciplines secretly

See verses 3, 4, 6, 18

In charitable giving, praying or fasting, Jesus exhorts us to do it all in a private and personal way that does not draw attention to self, but glorifies our Father in heaven.

I don’t believe that Jesus means to imply that there is never an appropriate time for public displays of piety or good works, because he did so himself. He simply emphasizes this principle here to contrast against the practice of seeking self-glory.

The point is that we should do what we do in order to glorify and please our heavenly Father without thinking of ourselves. When we do that, then our Father who knows the secret motives and intentions of our heart will reward us in the appropriate way and the appropriate time. His rewards will be far more satisfying and eternal than the rewards of man’s approval.

E. Perform spiritual disciplines in faith

v. 8 – “Your Father knows what you need before you ask.”

The underlying meaning here seems to be that you can trust God. Since He already knows what your needs are, then trust Him to provide. Although this point is specifically mentioned in reference to prayer, it applies to every spiritual exercise we do. Without faith, everything we do is useless and meaningless.

Conclusion:

In closing, I want to ask a couple of questions.

1. Are you practicing spiritual disciplines in your life of Christian faith?

2. If so, are you doing them for God’s glory or your own?

Are we living out the principles taught in God’s word in a genuine, authentic desire to know God better and to demonstrate His grace to others? Or, are we doing what we do so that others will notice us and think highly of us? Do we seek after the approval of men more than the approval of God?

These are questions that only we can answer for ourselves. No one else except God really knows the motives of our hearts.

We are going to close the service today with a hymn that expresses a desire to be drawn closer to the Lord. Let us sing it as a sincere prayer from our own hearts.

“I Am Thine, O Lord”

Cross of Calvary [42 mb]

(To listen to this message click on the title above.)

This is a message preached by Rev. Kenton Shaw during the absence of Pastor Les. There are no written notes available for this posting.

Laying a Firm Foundation - Divine Love [35 mb]

(To listen to this sermon, click on the title above or click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is the 8th sermon in a series of messages regarding the Sermon on the Mount. This message covers the passage found in Matthew 5:43-48 regarding "loving your enemies."

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

The passage we will be looking at today is found at the end of Matthew chapter 5. Here is another example of Jesus contrasting His message with the common understanding and beliefs that were present in His day.

The quote that Jesus cites in verse 43 does not come directly out of the OT, except for the 1^st half of it, “You shall love your neighbor,” does appear in the OT in Leviticus 19:18. The origin of the second part of the quote is uncertain. It could be a statement taken from the common teachings of prominent rabbis, or it could simply be the standard “view on the street” because of inferences from various scriptures.

For example: in the passage found in Lev. 19:18, the first part of the verse instructs the Israelites to not take vengeance against the “children of your people,” but they were to love their neighbor as themselves. One could draw the inference that the “neighbors” they were supposed to love only applied to their fellow countrymen – Israelites. There were plenty of other references in the OT that restricted Gentiles from being in the Tabernacle or Temple, and required the Jews to be separated from the pagans and Gentiles around them.

Consider Psalm 139:21-22, “Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

However, loving one’s enemies and doing good to them was not completely foreign to the OT.

In Exodus 23:4-5, the Israelites were commanded to return their enemy’s ox or donkey if they found it going astray. They were also instructed to help the enemy relieve his donkey if it had collapsed under its load.

In Proverbs 25:21-22 we read, “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink: For you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward you.”

Transition: The religious Jews in Jesus’ day are not the only ones who have ever distorted the Scriptures to their advantage, or at least misunderstood their message. We certainly have many professing Christians in our world today who are guilty of the same fault. Let us focus our thoughts for the next several minutes on these words of Jesus in order to understand more clearly what He commands His disciples to do.

Proposition: I believe that it is important for us to understand three things in His message here. We must understand the meaning of His command; we must understand the practice of His command; and we must understand the justification for His command.

I.          The Meaning of His Command

It surely sounds simple… the command simply says, “… love your enemies.”

“enemy” – Gk. ἐχθρός, hated one, enemy, adversary; adj. hostile, cf. hatred or enmity. Jesus says, “Rather than hate your enemy or adversary, love him.”

What is love? You have probably heard these definitions before, but let us review just for a moment what the Bible means by the word love. There are four Greek words that are translated “love.” Three of them appear in the NT, while the fourth one does not. Let’s talk about the one that does not appear in the NT first.

A. ἐραω (vb.); ἐρός (n.); the love between a man and woman which embraces longing, craving and desire. It includes the idea of beauty and sensual desire. (DNTT, C. Brown)

Greek playwrights knew the irresistible power of Eros, the god of love, which forgot all reason, will and discretion on the way to ecstasy. (Emphasis mine.) (DNTT)

In other words, this is the kind of “love” that makes a person lose their mind! How many know what that’s like?

(Barclay) … it always included the idea of passion and sexual love…. Eventually came to be tinged with the idea of lust rather than love.

Now, this word does not appear in the NT; only in the early classical Greek literature.

B. φιλέω (vb.); φίλος (m.n.); φιλία (f.n.) – to love; a friend; friendship.

This is the most general word for love or regard with affection. It mainly denotes the attraction of people to one another who are close together both inside and outside the family; it includes concern, care and hospitality…. (DNTT)

(Barclay) … [plileo and philia are the] warmest and best Greek words for love describing warm, tender affection.

C. stergō; - less frequent verb, means to love, feel affection, especially of the mutual love of parents and children. (DNTT) However, it also describes the love of a people for their ruler… and even of dogs for their master.

This word only appears in the NT in compound forms with other words that affect the meaning.

For example, in Romans 1:31 and 2 Timothy 3:3 it appears with the prefix “a” [meaning anti / against] to indicate people who are “without natural affection.”

In Romans 12:10 it appears with the prefix “philos” (Gk for friend) and it is translated “kindly affectionate.” (DNTT)

D. ἀγάπη (n); ἀγαπάω (vb); - are used in nearly every case in the NT to speak of God’s relationship with man….

This kind of love is emphasized by Paul to describe God’s love as the basis for choosing Israel.

(Barclay) “These words indicate unconquerable benevolence, invincible goodwill. If we regard a person with agape, it means that no matter what that person does to us, no matter how he treats us, no matter if he insults us or injures us or grieves us, we will never allow any bitterness against him to invade our hearts, but will regard him with that unconquerable benevolence and goodwill which will seek nothing but his highest good.”

The emphasis of this word is not so much feeling as it is commitment. It focuses on the sacrificial commitment of the one loving rather than on the qualities of the one loved.

(Barclay) This kind of love is not a feeling of the heart… but it is a determination of the mind… it is the power to love those whom we do not like and who may not like us.

In order for a Christian to exhibit this kind of love we must realize that…

1. Loving someone in this way is not the same as having fondness for someone (or liking them).

2. Love is very often an attitude / action before it is a feeling.

3. This kind of love focuses on who the person is, not what he / she has or hasn’t done.

In other words, we love them because they are human beings created in the image of God and even though that image has been severely marred, it is still there.

II.        The Practice of His Command

Bless, do good and pray.

These commands stand in stark contrast to the “normal” attitudes of our culture and society. They did in Jesus’ day and they still do today. These commands illustrate exactly what Jesus was saying in the previous paragraph that we looked at last week. Rather than retaliating against the ones who behave as though they are our enemies, we should demonstrate love for them.

Bless – Rather than curse them, like they have done to us, we should pronounce blessings on them.

Do good – means just what it sounds like it means! J It means to treat them better than they deserve to be treated. We do this by following the admonition of Proverbs 25:21-22 that we read earlier and is quoted in Romans 12:20… Give him bread, water, etc. Then in the very next verse Paul says, “Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Pray – Various speakers and writers have talked about how hard it is to hate someone that you’re praying for. To sincerely pray for someone else is to identify the needs in his life and sincerely petition God to satisfy every need according to His divine will and purpose. This is hard enough to practice in cases where people have mistreated us in the petty offenses that we often suffer. But, just imagine how hard it would be to practice this command toward those who persecute you.

III.       The Justification of the Command

What is the reason behind the command? Why should a disciple of Jesus Christ desire to obey this command? There are 2 reasons.

A. “That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.” (v. 45a)

By following this command of our Lord, we demonstrate our relationship with Him. We identify ourselves as His children and He is our Father.

How many of us have ever heard the words, “You’re acting just like your father!”?

If we want to be like God, this is what it will look like.

God provides the sun and sends the rain on both the just and the unjust. He bestows benefits and blessings on every one of us regardless of how we have treated Him.

Romans 5:8 “God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

God loved every one of us while we were His enemies! That’s why we should also love our enemies. If we only love those who love us or act friendly toward those who do the same to us, then we are not like God; we are just acting like everyone else in the secular world without God in their hearts. This kind of attitude and behavior will identify us as the true children of God.

B. Therefore, be perfect because your Father in heaven is perfect. (v. 48)

The word perfect carries the ideas of: fully grown or fully developed; mature; functionally fulfilling the purpose for which it was created. It does not mean “error-free,” “without flaws or mistakes;” but it means that we have fully developed into the kind of disciples that are fulfilling the purpose for which we were created – and that is to imitate the Father.

Jesus seems to be saying that by living out this command we will become perfect like our Father in the sense that we will be living up to or functionally performing up to our created purpose and design. We will act like we have grown up rather than behaving like immature children who must retaliate and get even.

Conclusion:

I want to close this message today with a comment similar to what I made last week. There is no possible way for you or me or anyone to live up to the requirements of this command unless the Spirit of Christ lives in us and the grace of God is working through us. None of us can live up to this standard in our own strength or ability. That’s why I chose the sub-title for this message that I chose: “Divine Love.” This kind of love that Jesus is talking about is the kind of love that only God has.

And, this is the kind of love that only comes from God. It doesn’t originate within the human heart; it originates in the heart of God and is bestowed to us by grace. That means we must humbly admit our need of His grace and we must seek Him to let His love flow into us and through us so we can exhibit it toward others.

We are going to sing a closing hymn about God’s love. As we sing, let us truly open our hearts to allow His Spirit to move upon us as He desires.