Christianity

Rock or Sand?

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“Not every one that saith unto Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?’   And then will I profess unto them, ‘I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.   And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
Matthew 7:21-27

Not every one who says they are a Christian is a Christian.  People who say the words “Lord Lord,” and do not do what He says are lost and dying in their sins.  Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?  Does He know you; and you know Him?

The one who hears  and does his will are like the wise man who built his house on the Rock.  Those who hear the words of Jesus and do not do them are like the foolish man who built his house on the sand.

Now, where do you fit in?  There is no  middle of the road answer here.  It is one or the other.  Your choice.  One way leads to Jesus  and heaven.  The other one leads to hell and eternal destruction.

The Equality of The Father and The Son

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But Jesus answered them,
“My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.  Then answered Jesus and said unto them,
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.  For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth: and He will shew Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.  For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will.  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:  that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent Him.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
John 5:17-24

After The Resurrection and The Ascension

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So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.  And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Mark 16:10-20

Jesus has risen from the dead after He had died for the sins of humanity, by becoming sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).  After He was raised up from the grave He walked with the disciples probably assuring them of their calling, and faith; encouraging them for their mission ahead of them.  Their God called mission, as well as those of us today who are called Christian.  That calling and ministry to to go and preach the Gospel to the whole world.

Jesus gave them and us the commission to go and “Make disciples” of all nations.  After the ascension of Jesus into the “Right hand of God”, the ones who were following Jesus had faith, and waited for the promise of the Holy Spirit, and in Acts 2:1-47, the Spirit of God comes upon a gathering of one hundred and twenty believers, and the presence, and power of God was definite, witnessed to by those who had not yet believed.  The most awesome event in this is not just the giving the Holy Spirit, who is our comforter, our guide, the One who shows us our sin, and causes us to judge ourselves, so we will not be judged; but also the number of people who were added to the Body of Christ, which is the Church.  About three thousand that one day was added.

God added to to the church daily those would be saved (Acts 2:40-47), and He is still adding to the church those who will be saved.  I must ask myself, How am I doing about the mission of telling others about the loving kindness, mercy, and grace God has given to us through His Son Jesus?  I must tell you, Not to well.  I have failed greatly at the mission.  God help me; there are too many who are perishing.  There is a pitiful, passing parade, of perishing people.

I say to myself, and to all who will hear, If you are a believer in Christ Jesus, you have confessed Jesus as Lord, and you believe that God has raise Him from the dead, then, we need to proclaim to those who are perishing, that Jesus died in our stead on the cross, He was buried, and He rose again.

When we begin to pray for the lost/those who are perishing, then God will move in such a fashion as in the early church.

Rest For the Weary

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“All things are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.”
“Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:27-30

Jesus has just announced a woe upon the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida, because they have rejected the words of Jesus, and His life.  There are many religious leaders that lay many burdens of the Law and ritual that is heavy for a man or woman to carry.  Jesus does not do that, back in A.D. 33 or 2025.  He even says, “It is My yoke,” and when we realize who Jesus truly is we will join Him in that yoke.

Now a yoke was for two, made of wood, and possibly some leather. There are those who labor to be good enough to get to heaven, and there are some care not whether there is a Heaven or Hell.  Those who are trying to be good enough need the Spirit of Jesus Christ ( the Holy Spirit) to get them to the point of coming unto Jesus.

Does your load of religious duties weigh you down?  If you do then you need to come to Jesus, and He will give you rest.  When we take up His yoke He is always by our side, He is in fact inside working out His good works, words,  and deeds through you (Ephesians 2:10)

The Fire That Cleanses

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“And think not to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham to our father:’ for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Matthew 3:9-2

The sins and need for the light of God to shine so that the people of Israel, and the Gentiles might know the true God.  That is what John the Baptizer is addressing.  To the Jew first, and then to the nations of the world.

John is bold in addressing the sin of the religious leaders calling them a “…generation of vipers”, and asking them, “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”  These were the Sadducees and the Pharisees; and they did not care for John, who unrecognized by them, was God’s messenger sent by God to prepare the way for God’s Messiah.

Notice that John has great respect for the One he is declaring to the people who come out to  hear him that he is not worthy to loosen His shoes.  Of course he is speaking of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The prophet says, “He is mightier than I,” “He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire,”  then John takes to a threshing floor where the grain is separated from the chaff, and shows us what happens to the chaff after the threshing.  The chaff being good for nothing is cast into the fire, and burned up.

Fire is a destructive power when not used properly.  It can be used to destroy.  It can be used for purging the land.  The fire John is speaking of is completely under control and purges the hearts of God’s people so that we might live a righteous, and holy life for Him, and produce more fruit for His glory.

Jesus will separate the wheat from the chaff, and save the wheat, and burn the chaff to have a cleansed floor.  The invitation is “Call on Me and I answer you, and will show you great and mighty things which you do no know” (Jeremiah 33:3).  Will you call on Him.  Surrender your life to Him, and just watch Him work on you and in you.

The Right Hand Man

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Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.
Ephesians 1:20-23

O, what a wonderful way to end a prayer for the Church at Ephesus.  Reminding God, even though He needs no reminder; but we do.  It is easy for we the people of Adam’s kind, to forget how grand and glorious God in Jesus Christ really is.

That prayer that is prayed by the apostle Paul is a prayer that needs to be prayed for today’s churches – the churches that believe the word of God, and follow Jesus Christ.

Notice in the above verses what God has done in Christ Jesus, showing His mighty power when He raised Jesus from the dead.  He then set Him at His own right hand, the right hand Man.  I say that for this reason; the Bible says in 1 Timothy 2:5, “There is one God, and one  Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” He is the right hand Man in Heaven.

Because Jesus has risen, He has also ascended into Glory, and is seated with His Father pleading, interceding for all those who are His.  In the verses above we are told that the Father has put all things under His feet.  That means that Jesus has power and authority over all things.  What does that mean for the Church?  That since all things are under His feet  we too have power over these things, or those things which often beset us.  Fear, which many times comes from the realm of darkness.  Relationships; loving our neighbors as we do ourselves.  Obedience to His commandments; we now have the power and authority to keep His commandments, and when we fail to do so we will be grieved by it, and the Holy Spirit who abides in all who know Jesus, He will direct us back to Him.

The Body of Christ, the Church who are the redeemed, the forgiven, the cleansed, believers of Christ Jesus, are His  fullness, and it all comes to us from His grace.  Jesus Christ is the Right Hand Man.

Worshiping In Prison

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And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.  And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.  But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.”  Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”  And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.  And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.  And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
Acts 16:25-34

Paul and Silas found themselves to be prisoners in a Philippian jail.  While it happened that they were praying, they were also singing praises to the Lord, and it was midnight.What were they imprisoned for?  It wasn’t for murder.  It was not for thievery.  It was not even for jay walking. It was for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and for delivering a girl from demon and human bondage.

Look at what happened.  God sent an earthquake which unlocked the chains they were bound with; all the prisoners were released, and the doors opened, but they stayed put right where they were.  The jailer was about to take his own life  because he thought the prisoners had all escaped.  Paul calls out to him, saving his life.

The jailer, then asks for a light, and he goes into the cell, and asks the question, that many need to ask; “What must I do to be saved?”

The answer to the Philippian jailer, and to all who are called to ask the question is, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house.”  Why does it say, “…And  your house?”  It was because this jailer and his family believed on the Lord Jesus, because of the events of the early morning hours.  The family head is saved, generally speaking when the man of the house follows Jesus Christ the rest of the family will also.

This Philippian jailers life was not only saved from killing himself, he was saved unto eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ, the crucified, buried, and risen Savior of the world.

Will you call on the name of Jesus today?

The Judge Of Unbelievers

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Jesus cried and said,
“He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me. And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me.  I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness.  And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.  He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.  For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.  And I know that His commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak.”
John 12:44-50

Those who believe in Jesus for salvation, have believed His words, the things He has said and taught.  Those words are true.

Jesus said that He did not come into the world to judge the unbelieving of this world, but He came to save the world.  Which He did by laying down His own life for us.

In the judgment of the last days those who did not believe will face the judgment of the words Jesus spoke, and by the whole of the word of God.

For those who believe are trusting Him, His commandment is everlasting life.  He has paid our debt for sin, by His own death on the cross, being buried, and His resurrection from the grave and death.

If you have not yet believed Him, call out to Him today for salvation, believing every word He has spoken.  He will hear you and He will save.

The judge of unbelievers is the words Jesus has spoken.

In The Words Of The Baptist

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He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all. And what He hath seen and heard, that He testifieth; and no man receiveth His testimony.  He that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.  For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand.  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 3:31-36

John the Baptist or Baptizer is the last of the Old Testament prophets,  He was sent by God ahead of the Messiah to prepare the hearts of the people to receive their God and King.  Who was John speaking of?  The answer to that question is; Jesus is the anointed One or the Messiah (the Christ) of God.

John the Baptist calls Him the Son of God, “The Father loves the Son…”   He is the One whom God sent.

John also tells us that, “He that believes on the Son has everlasting life; and he that believes not on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Jesus Christ is the only way to have all your sins forgiven, and forgotten by God.  He stood in our place taking the wrath of His Father upon Himself, so that we might be delivered from Almighty God’s wrath.  So, the only way to get the wrath of God off of yourself is to trust in God through God’s only begotten Son, by believing in faith that He died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again from the dead on the third day.

In His resurrection He proved that everything He did, every word He spoke, every act of healing He did was true.  He is Truth.

They Should Have Known Better

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The Priests of Israel had just been completed, and the glory of God had been seen, and the people awed by His glory.  Now something tragic happens.  Two of God’s priests, two of the sons of Aaron do something that God did not tell them to do.

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He commanded them not.  And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.  Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying,
“I will be sanctified in them that come nigh Me, and before all the people I will be glorified.”
And Aaron held his peace.
Leviticus 10:1-3

Nadab and Abihu offered “Strange fire before the LORD.”  They had entered the tabernacle with this offering, with a fire they had not taken from the altar at gate, but from some other source. It was not consecrated fire.  It was of their own doing; and of their undoing.

There are things we are told to do; and their are things we are told not to do.  We generally do not want anyone telling us we cannot do something; or telling us to do something. God is faithful to Himself, and His word.  So we can be confident that He will be faithful to us as well.

The two sons of Aaron made a fire to take into the tabernacle, and they had not been told by God to do so.  Have we, as Christians done some things that on the outward appearance look like a good thing?  If it is practical it must be okay. “Right?” I am going to let the Holy Spirit and the word of God guide you into what those things might be.

“I will be sanctified in them that come nigh Me, and before all the people I will be glorified.”  The word from God after the death of the two die in the tabernacle.  God is His own defender of His Glory and His  holiness.  We must remember this as we worship God in our times of personal, and our churches times of worship.

We worship the God who has made the heavens and the earth, and everything in the universe.  The seen and the unseen were all made by Him through His Son Jesus who has been with Him through eternity.  Our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).  We must know that, and be obedient to Him, and very respective of His glory and holiness.

Nadab and Abihu should have known better than to offer something strange, unwanted by God; and so should every believer in Jesus Christ.

Able To Save Him From Death

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So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an High Priest; but He that said unto Him, “Thou art My Son, to day have I begotten Thee.”  As He saith also in another place, “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared; though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec.  Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Hebrews 5:5-11

I have heard people say, “God did not hear the prayer Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane.” O really. Have you read these verses. God heard, God answered. God delivered His Son from death.

Now, because of His complete faithfulness to His Father is our High Priest not according to the first covenant, which is the law, but by the second covenant, in the death of Christ Jesus on the cross, His burial, and resurrection – His deliverance from death, and now the power of an endless life,  “after the order of Melchisedec,” who seems to be a man without a mother or father, beginning or end.

God, the Father was listening to the Son, and was quite able to raise His Son up from the dead, delivering Him from death, by resurrecting Him from the grave,  Now, because He is raised, we too (those who have confessed Him as Lord,  and believe our hearts that  God raised Him from the dead), have everlasting, that is eternal life.

Believe Him. He is able to save you from death. Not from dying in the flesh, but from an eternity without God.

The Good Works

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For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Titus 2:11-14

In the second chapter of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul, by the Holy Spirit tell us,

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.   Ephesians 2:8-10

So we receive grace to believe God, and we trust Him to justify us through faith in His finished work on the cross, where He took our place for the judgment we rightly deserve.

In our text for today from Titus we  see that as we wait for the blessed hope; which I believe is the rapture of the Church (the Body of Christ;) and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Savior Jesus Christ. The glorious appearing is the second coming of Jesus Christ when He returns to earth as the prophet  Zechariah says in chapter fourteen.

In the text of Paul’s writing to pastor Titus we are told how as those who are believers are waiting for these great events to take place we are to live soberly or sound mind, righteously, and godly in this present world we live  in. If it was so of Paul’s day; it seems to be even as so, or more so in this present evil world. Remember the light of Christ shines brighter in the darkness, and grace is greater than our sin.

Christ Jesus gave Himself for us that we might be redeemed from all our iniquities. When we are redeemed from all our iniquities, then we have a changed heart, and new desires. We have desires that honor and glorify Him and are zealous to do good works.

If you have never called on the name of the Lord Jesus for His redeeming grace, because of His death on the cross, His burial,  and resurrection.  I plead with you to do so today. Do not wait another minute, or it could be too late.

Another Jesus?

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What is this “Another Jesus” all about? What does the Apostle Paul mean by being jealous over these Christians in Corinth? Let’s look and see from our text and others.

Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
2 Corinthians 11:1-4

The Apostle Paul loved the Corinthians Christians with great love, and did not want them to be drawn away from the Christ that he preached of. The Jesus Paul preached, and the Jesus some preached were two different people.  For instance consider these…

  1.  The true Jesus is the Son of God – the Incarnation of God; the other Jesus is not;
  2.  The true Jesus was crucified on the cross dying for our sins was buried and rose again; the other Jesus died and was buried, but did not rise again.
  3.   The true gospel is that we are saved by grace alone, by faith alone; the other gospel you are saved by law and grace.

If the Jesus you worship, trust in, and is all love, and does not hate sin, neither condemns sin, that is not the Biblical Jesus. You are worshiping a god of your own minds doing..

Jesus Christ, born as a baby, became a flesh and blood man, who gave His life for us sinners. He is the Son of God, God the Son, and He was the perfect sacrifice for sin fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament. That same Jesus is returning, and I am praying, “Come Lord Jesus,” because I greatly desire to meet Him face to face.

How about you? Do you know the true Christ who died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again to life?

The Gospel Is Hidden

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Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;  but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:1-6

The gospel is many times rejected, because the god of this age; who is Satan; has blinded the eyes of those who are lost. Most of the time that is due to the fact of their ignorance of God, and of God’s word.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is Light in the darkness.  It shows us what is holy, righteous, just and true; and changes the lives of those who believe. The gospel is this – That Jesus Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again. To believe this and trust in this great work for our salvation, will lead you to Himself, and you will call on His name, and He will hear your cry, and He will deliver you from the darkness of death into His glorious light.

The Resurrection’s Promise

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The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not only truth, it is historical truth, and the evidence is in those who witnessed the Person of the resurrected Christ. There were, in all more than 500 witnesses.

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.  For since by man came death, by Man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.  Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.  For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet.  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.  For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him.  And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
1 Corinthians 15:20-28

The Apostle Paul was one of those witnesses. He met Jesus on the road to Damascus with orders from the high priest of Judaism, to capture and even to torture and kill any who professed faith in the risen Lord. However, when he  met Jesus he had his life completely turned around (Acts 9).

In these verses of Scripture is evidence also of a promise of God, of rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ. Paul gives us information that things are in order as it cannot be confusion. So here is the order of events that take place after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

  1.  Jesus Christ is raised first, and His ascension into the heavens;
  2.  Then those who are His at the time of His coming for the purpose of getting His own;
  3.  Then the end when He has delivered the kingdom of God, even the Father, and He puts down all rule, authority, and powers;
  4.  He must reign till all enemies are put under His feet; the last enemy being death.

The Father will put everything under His feet, except Himself. When all other things are under His feet the Son will be subject to the wholeness of the God head. That God may be all in all. Then there will be universal peace, and no disagreement that God is sovereign over all.

There is a resurrection in type that take place when you come to faith in Jesus Christ. You are dead in sin, then when you receive Christ as your Lord and Savior you are no longer dead, but alive to God, and your will, and selfish desires are no longer important to you.

In Christ Jesus we have the promise of the resurrection to come. In that resurrection we shall forever be with the Lord. If you have not received that promise, all you need to do is call on His name confessing your sin, turn from  it, believing in the work of Christ on the cross, His burial, and resurrection. You will receive salvation and have eternal life.

Bought and Paid For

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Sometimes we purchase things without paying for them, except on credit. That is probably not the best way to buy things, but sometimes necessary to get what one needs.

Our topic for today does not anything to do with finances. It does have to deal with our bodies. Here is our Scripture text for today –

Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.  What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20

This letter of First Corinthians was written to a wayward, thought they were loving congregation who closed their eyes to those who were sexually immoral. In chapter 5 Paul mentions one in the church, a young man, is having sex with his father’s wife. The Corinthian Church was doing nothing about it. It was evidently well known to all the congregation.

Paul tells them if a man joins himself with a harlot, then he becomes one with her. The Apostle, then speaks those words, “You were bought with a price.” He tells us that we are not our own.  Which means that as Christians this body we have is not ours to do with as we please. Being sexually immoral hurts your body and mind.

“What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own?” Quite clearly the apostle Paul is speaking to people he saw was Christians. So Christian, how is your life with the Lord? Are you living outside of God’s direction? Are you living with someone outside of marriage, the only place where sex is beautiful, and sanctified by God.

As a Christian we have been purchased by God with the shed blood of Jesus Christ. He gave his life that we might be freed from sin. He did not give us freedom to sin. Sexual immorality is harmful to all who participate in  it. You have no right to destroy your body, then your mind and soul.

Since we have been bought with the tremendous price of the blood of Jesus, then let us glorify God in our body and spirit which are God’s own possession.

The Revelation of the Mystery

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Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:  To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
Romans 16:25-27

These verses are a doxology to the Lord. Words of a hymn or praise to Him. What about the mystery? There is the revelation of the mystery, and that revelation is how the Gentiles can be saved by God, only partly, and mostly the whole counsel of God.

There is much in the Gospel of Jesus Christ that is revealed to us through the knowing of Christ such as the Incarnation of God – God became flesh and dwelt among us, The Trinity – the Holy Triune God. God becoming Man that He might die for His enemies, then to be buried, then to prove it all He is raised from the grave, which proves that all that He said, and taught is truth (Romans 1:4). It also proves all the words of Moses, the prophets, and the wisdom books of the Old Testament.

I am thankful that He has revealed Himself to me through His Spirit, by the Old and New Testaments.

If you will call on the name of Jesus through faith, believing that He died for your sins, was buried, and He rose from the dead you will be saved (Romans10:9-10).

Living Sacrifice

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This a call for Christians to give their lives for the cause of Jesus Christ,

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.   And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:1-2

The Christian is called to be dead to sin, but alive to righteousness and holiness; acceptable to God. The only way for us to be acceptable to God is through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. There is no other way.

This is not a call to martyrdom it is a call to living for Christ as a devoted, committed follower of the Christ who died for our sins. We cannot conform to the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, and that means, for myself at least, every day; maybe more than once a day, through the means of prayer, the reading and study of the word of God, by living as a true witness of the Lord Jesus. By the renewing of our minds and being a faithful witness of Jesus we prove what is that good and acceptable will of God. We will always accept the perfect will of God

Be a living sacrifice for Jesus Christ

Preaching Jesus To The Scriptural Illiterate

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Paul the apostle to the Gentiles is in Athens, Greece at the time of this message. He is standing and walking through an area where there were many altars to the gods that they worshiped there. When the people asked him what this new doctrine (teaching) he shared Jesus with them without the Scriptures, and spoke to them through the altar they had to “The Unknown God.”

“Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised him from the dead.”  And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, “We will hear thee again of this matter.”
So Paul departed from among them.  Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Acts 17:29-34

Paul’s sermon begins at verse 22, and continues through verse 31; a very short, yet powerful testimony of the good news of Jesus Christ. He uses their worship to the Unknown God, to point to the name of the One true God, whose Son Jesus Christ showing that through Him only will come judgment on the whole world. This was a different culture, and they were not knowing of the Jewish and Christian God, but they heard of it from Paul.

God calls for all people to repent of their sins. The time of God’s overlooking sins of the Gentiles is over. He tells then that God has given assurance to all that He has raised His Son from the dead. When Paul mentioned the resurrection of the dead we are told that some mocked, and others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.” There were also some who believed and went with him when he departed.

Maybe we a Christians need use the knowledge God has given us about Himself, and of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the times we live in, to point people to  Jesus. We must know the Scriptures. We must know Jesus most of all. There is no room for Biblical or Scriptural ignorance, or illiteracy.

Many of us are ignorant of a lot of things, some of which we do not need to be knowledgeable of. The Bible is one we need to be knowledgeable  of. You will never know the Scriptures if you never read it, and you cannot know God and His Son Jesus except through the word of God; the Scriptures.

The Power Of The Confession of Faith

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Confession of faith in Jesus Christ, and His finished work on the cross.

Then the Spirit said unto Philip, “Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.” And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, “Understandest thou what thou readest?”  And he said, “How can I, except some man should guide me?” And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the Scripture which he read was this,

“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened He not his mouth:  In His humiliation His judgment was taken away: and who shall declare His generation? for His life is taken from the earth.”

And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, “I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? Of himself, or of some other man?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, “See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” And Philip said, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Acts 8:29-38

The place where the eunuch was reading was Isaiah 53 and verse 7. He was probably reading the whole book, but at that moment chapter 53.

The man in the chariot was struggling with understanding what he was reading. Philip shows up, and the man asks him to join him in the chariot. Philip does and begins explaining that those Scriptures dealing with Jesus Christ. Most everything written in the Old Testament is about Jesus the Messiah who was going to come. Now He has come, and something happened that no one expected; He died on a cross for our sins. He was buried, and He rose up out of that grave alive forever more.

The eunuch sees a pool of water, and asks Philip, “What is there keeping me from being baptized?” Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart yo may.” He very quickly responded with, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” That is a powerful confession of faith in Christ Jesus, and Philip and the eunuch got out of the chariot, and both of then went into the water. Philip baptized the man.

In order for a soul, and individual to be delivered from sin and iniquity, and become a child of God, that must be one’s confession; Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  Peter’s confession in Matthew 16 and verse 16 was “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Is that your confession today?

This Book and Eternal Life

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And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.
John 20:30-31

John loved  the Lord Jesus. He believed the words Jesus spoke, the life He lived, and he believed in the death of Jesus, His burial, and in His resurrection. After the empty tomb was discovered by Mary Magdalene and the others that were with her, Peter and John raced to the tomb, where John beat Peter to the empty grave John stopped, and Peter went on in, finding the head covering wrapped in a place alone, but the linen burial clothes were like the body of Jesus disappeared within them.

John notes that many other signs and miracles were done by Jesus before His death, but they are not all written in this book. This book is written so that in the reading of it that the reader would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. All four of the Gospel accounts -Matthew, Mark, Luke,  and John – show His Deity, but none so clearly and powerfully as John.

This is the first one of the Gospels I suggest that a new believer read, study and hear. Do not begin in the Old Testament you will get bogged down, and lose interest. Read John’s Gospel account, and then read First, Second, and Third John. Then you can read the other three Gospel accounts, and the other New  Testament book of Acts, all the other Letters [Epistles], and the Revelation. Just a suggestion,  but whatever you do if you are new to the faith of Christ Jesus, read the word so you will be empowered and led by the Spirit of God. After this you can read the Old Testament,  and be greatly blessed reading Genesis through Malachi.

These words of John were written so that those who believe will have eternal life. Life in and through the Lord Jesus begins the moment you believe Him. Believe Him, and you will live forever with Him.

The Baptizers Testimony of Who Jesus Is

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John the Baptizer was the messenger who introduced the Lamb of God, and prepared the way for the Messiah ‘s coming.  The Jews and some of John’s disciples were asking John about purification, and then asking him about Jesus also baptizing people as if to cause a rift between John and Jesus.  John’s response was who God says He is.

He must increase, but I must decrease.  He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all.  And what He hath seen and heard, that He testifieth; and no man receiveth His testimony.  He that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.  For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.  The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand.  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 3:30-36

Notice, that John is not envious about Jesus baptizing others.  “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Then he says that Jesus has given testimony of what He has seen and heard, and no one receives His testimony, and that those who do receive Him seals the proof that God is true.

Jesus speaks the word of because He cannot do otherwise, because He Himself is Truth.

John testifies that Jesus is the Son of God, that the Father loves the Son, and has put all things in His hand. “All things were made by Him, and without Him was not everything made that is made.” John 1:3.

John gives us the testimony also that; the ones who believe on the Son has everlasting life, and that those who do not believe on the Son shall not see life. Those who do not believe on the Son have the wrath of God abiding on them.

When we believe the Father, we believe the Son; when we believe the Son we believe the Father (1 John 2:23-24). Jesus Himself tells us, “I and My Father are One” John 10:30.

Who do you say Jesus Christ is ? Your answer matters for where you will spend eternity.

A Tree For Each Of The Three

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And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on Him, saying, “If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us.”  But the other answering rebuked him, saying, “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this Man hath done nothing amiss.”  And he said unto Jesus, “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom.”  And Jesus said unto him, “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.”
Luke 23:39-43

Each of these three were hanging on their own cross, and each cross was made from the wood of a tree.  The man on the right of Jesus was guilty. The on the left of Jesus was guilty, but Jesus the Man in the middle not only innocent of the charges brought against Him, He was innocent in all His living. He never sinned.

It is evident that the Man in the middle was an innocent Man. How?  You may ask. He never, while being nailed to the tree cursed those who had accused Him, neither did He speak vile words to those who nailed His hands and feet to that tree.  Instead He said, “Father forgive them they know not what they do” Luke 23:34.  Another example is in our text for the day. One of the condemned men, who had previously mocked Jesus on the cross, had realized that He [Jesus] was not a sinner, but the Savior.  Now, he is calling on Him to save Him; not from the cross but for the kingdom’s sake, he said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom,.” How do you suppose he expected Jesus to do this since He was hanging on a tree? He recognized Jesus as the Messiah.

The response of the Man on the middle cross was given, and it was one of forgiveness. You could call the mans salvation, “A death bed confession and faith” because that is what it is.  Was that guilty man saved? Will he be in glory with the Lord Jesus Christ?  Most definitely He will. How do I know that?  Because of the  words of Jesus, the Man on the middle cross said to him, “Truly I say unto you, Today, you will be with Me in paradise.” That very day Jesus and that man went to paradise together.

One guilty man wanted Jesus to deliver them from the cross, one asked to be remembered in the kingdom that is coming, and one Man gave salvation to the who asked. It should have been me dying on that old cross, not Jesus the innocent One, who knew no sin. It should have been you who was hanged there, but just as Jesus took murderer, and insurrection leader’s place He took my place and yours.

Two men hanging on a tree on opposite sides of Jesus; one died in peace, knowing his eternal destination, the other died with darkness, and empty expectations, and is in eternal darkness, and burning flames. What made the difference?  The One on the tree in the middle.  His name is Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God. Yes He died on that tree for our sins. He was buried. He rose again and He lives eternally in a new body of flesh and bone (Luke 24:39).

Those Who Sit Down In The Kingdom of God

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And He said unto them,
“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.  When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open unto us;’ and He shall answer and say unto you, ‘I know you not whence ye are:’ then shall ye begin to say, ‘We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets,’ but He shall say, ‘I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.  And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.  And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
Luke 13:24-30

There are many who are seeking to enter the kingdom of God, however they are wanting to enter in their own way, by their merit, by their own works, goodness, kindness or mercy; and God has given us only one way into His kingdom.

That one way is God’s way. If your sin debt is not paid there is but one thing you need to do, and it is not doing good deeds. We cannot earn a spot in the kingdom of God it is a gift of God. Your sin debt was paid for by the Perfect Lamb of God who is Jesus Christ, so He is the only way to God and into the kingdom.

People from all over the world – from the east, the west, north and south will come and sit down in the kingdom of God. Will you be one of them?

Put your trust and your life into the hands of the Christ who gave His life a sacrifice for our sins, dying on a cross, then being buried, and was raised up from the grave. Because He lives we live to receiving eternal life with Him in His glory.

 

When Will Jesus Christ Come Again?

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This is not date setting question. It can mean that someone is questioning whether the promise; or the prophecy; is even true. It also could be that one wants to know what signs tells ahead of time when He is returning.  Our text for today…

“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: so ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.  Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.  Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away.”
Mark 13:28-31

We must understand that no one knows the day or the hour, however we can see signs that His second coming is near. There is a disappearance of all who are Christians, and there are no signs that happening, so we must remain ready to go at any time. That itself will be a sign that His return is very near.

Jesus says, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree” (Mark 11:12,) and the thoughts of the disciples must have brought to mind the fig tree Jesus pronounced death upon in Mark chapter 11 and verses 12 through 14 and 20 through 24. That fig tree had wilted immediately; it was not noticed by the writer of this Gospel until the next day, as they walked by.

The lesson of the fig tree is most likely the rising up of the Nation of Israel again, The fig tree in many instances of Scripture show the prophets and Jesus using the fig tree as an illustration of the nation – a leafed out fig tree with no fruit, and then found dead.

Just to remind the reader, the land of Israel was recognized as a nation by the United Nations on May 14, 1948. That is one of the first signs for this generation.

Jesus stands on His word. The word of God will stand forever. “Heaven and earth will pass away;but My word shall not pass away.” If He said it, and He did, then His word will come to pass. Not one word will fail.  The question now is are you ready to meet Him?

Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins, He was buried to take our sins away casting them as far away as the east is from the west – leaving them there, and then He rose up from the grave giving us eternal life and proving every word He had spoken.