Preaching

God’s Providence

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God’s Faithful Providence
Matthew 1:1-17

The Gospel of Matthew begins with a genealogy of the King of the Hebrews. Matthew’s Gospel was written to the Hebrew. It is written so they might know that Jesus is their King. At the time they were blinded by their own religious practices, and ceremonies, and self-righteousness as a nation, but Jesus was at that time their Messiah and King and to this day is their King.

The following is the outline Warren W. Wiersbe gives for the Gospel according to Matthew in THE BIBLE EXPOSITION COMMENTARY –

I. The Revelation Of The King – chapters 1-10;
II. The Rebellion Against The King – chapters 11-13;
III. The Retirement Of The King – chapters 14-20;
IV. The Rejection Of The King – chapters 21-27;
V. The Resurrection Of The King – chapter 28

The Gospel begins with Jesus, and His genealogy beginning with Abraham; not Adam. Abraham the father of the Hebrews and their relationship to God the Father. In the Gospel of Luke the genealogy is given backwards and ends with Adam, showing Jesus to be the Son of Man. The Gospel of Mark has no genealogy, nor does the Gospel of John. Servants have no genealogy as in Mark’s account, nor does God have genealogy as in the Gospel of John.

By way of introduction let me give some information concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The human penman for this Gospel is Matthew. He was called by Jesus while sitting at his place collecting taxes: “And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him” (Matthew 9:9). As a tax collector he would have been a reject to those who were religious rulers, they would have counted him a traitor, because he was collecting taxes from his people for the Roman government.

This Gospel was written to the Jews to declare and give evidence of Jesus’s royal lineage.

I. A LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCES IN THE FOUR GOSPELS.

A. First of all in Matthew; Jesus is seen as the King, and is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

1. John wrote in the Revelation chapter four verses six and seven, “And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle”.
2. “As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle” (Ezekiel 1:10).

B. In Mark’s Gospel; Jesus is seen as a Servant, and is the ox/calf – Jesus Himself said in the Gospel of Mark, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
C. Then in the Gospel of Luke we see Jesus as the Son of Man, and represented, of course by the “face of a man”.
D. Finally in the Gospel of John we see Him as the Son of God, and represented by the symbol of the eagle. The eagle above all, soaring in majesty, representing the All-Knowing power of God.
E. The Royal Lineage of Jesus is given by Matthew in verses 2 – 16, and with all its blemishes.
F. In this Gospel we see a gracious King. We also see the wondrous providence of our great God and King.

II. MATTHEW’S GOD-BREATHED DECLARATION OF JESUS’S JEWISH ROYALTY (vv. 1-2).

A. David is considered, by the Jews, and by many others, to be the greatest of Israel’s kings.
B. Abraham was the patriarch of Israel, and this identifies this gospel to the Jews, and to Jesus as being Jewish.
C. Jesus, of course, is who this Gospel is really about.
D. Jesus came and showed the people, and told the people who He was, but was despised by the Jewish religious establishment, and many of the people.

1. He is defended by Matthew, as their King.

III. EVIDENCE OF JEWISH ROYALTY IN AN ANCESTRY OF SINNERS (vv. 3-6).

A. This genealogy is evidence of divine lineage of Jesus, and succession of God’s establishment of a people.

1. It is given so that man may have proof of Jesus’s true identity.
2. You could call this Gospel ‘The Identity Papers of Jesus the King’.
3. It is proof positive that Jesus is the King of kings.

B. There are five people who are included in the genealogy of Jesus that most noble people would not want to claim, but here they are in the lineage of our Lord Jesus who is King of all kings, Lord of all lords, and He rules the Universe, and all that is within it.

1. Tamar who deceived her father in law and committed an act of harlotry (Matthew 1:3; Gen. 38:13-30).

a. Tamar is a representation of sin.

2. Rahab, and she was a prostitute in the city of Jericho who was delivered from Jericho’s destruction because of her faith in the God of Israel (Matthew 1:5; Joshua 2:1-21; 6:23);

a. Rahab is the representation of faith; she later married a Jew by the name of Salmon, and these were the proud parents of Boaz.

3. Ruth – a Moabitish woman who was forbidden by law to enter the congregation.

a. Ruth represents the principle of grace (Matthew 1:5; Deut. 23:3-6; Ruth 1:16; 3:19; 4:18-22).
b. These three women were Gentile women, and Tamar was a Canaanite (Gen 38:2) one of the peoples who were to be driven from the land of Promise and killed.

4. The next woman on the list is not even named; she is instead called, “of her that had been the wife of Uriah” (v.6).

a. We know her as Bathsheba – the partner in David’s great sin of adultery and murder, and she represents the principle of forgiveness.
b. It is possible that Bathsheba was also a Gentile woman.

5. The fifth and final woman mentioned in this kingly genealogy is Mary.

a. A woman loved, respected, and admired by many.
b. Jesus alone is worthy of our worship and we need no mediator to get to Jesus.

1) He is the Mediator for us to the Father.

c. Luke recorded, by the breath of God, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” O, that we had a heart like Mary.

IV. THE SON OF GOD; BORN OF A VIRGIN (vv. 7-16).

A. God protects His purity.
B. Matthew spares nothing to proclaim the virgin birth of Jesus.
C. Mary does have something in common with the other four women of this genealogy.

1. They are all guilty of , or accused of sexual immorality.
2. “Betrothed” in that culture was much more than engagement for our culture.

a. It would have taken Joseph to write a legal letter of divorcement for the marriage to cease, but he did not do that.
b. There must have been suspicious, gossiping tongues.

3. Mary, also was a sinner, in need of a Savior, and she gave birth to her own Savior and ours. Luke 1:47 states from Mary’s Song of Praise, “My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior”.

D. There is a man named Jechoniah and called “Coniah” in Jeremiah 22:24-30.

1. There was a curse placed on “Coniah”, thus this line was cursed by God.
2. Because Jesus’s Father is God and not Joseph, and Jesus has the lineage through Mary He is not acquainted with the curse.
3. By legal authority, because Joseph is the adoptive father, the curse does not apply to Jesus.

E. God’s grace is so amazing; so divine; when there seems to be no way of hope; no way of salvation; God provides; that is GOD’S FAITHFUL PROVIDENCE.

-Tim A. Blankenship

The Darkness of the Crucifixion

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The Darkness Of The Crucifixion

Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44

When Jesus went to the cross there was a period of three hours which is not given much notice in sermons that are preached. Of course, there is actually no way we can know all that went on in that three hours, unless it is by reading the twenty second Psalm, and hear the heart cry of our Savior as He was rejected by His Father, forsaken by His Father.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. Matt 27:45 (KJV)And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. Mark 15:33 (KJV)And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Luke 23:44 (KJV)

A few years ago I read a sermon by G. Campbell Morgan titled “THE DARKNESS OF GOLGOTHA” which really impressed me. Because of that message I developed this one using Brother Morgan’s main points, and quoting him often.

I. THE MEANING OF THE DARKNESS.

A. It was the hour of evil.
B. No matter how deep or dark the darkness the Light is always shining.
C. Satan wanted to extinguish the Light.

“From the very beginning of the shining of that Light, focused in history by the Incarnation, the one supreme purpose of the enemy was to….put it out. And in these three hours of darkness we are brought face to face with the time when all the force of evil was brouth to bear on the soul of the Son of God, and all the unutterable intent and purpose of evil wrapped Him about in darkness that is beyond our comprehension.” G. Campbell Morgan.

D. Darkness is a symbol of spiritual evil.

“The people which sat in darkness saw a great light:” (Matthew 4:16).

“But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.” (6:23). ASLO SEE Matthew 8:12 & 25:30.

E. Death and darkness express the ultimate in evil.

II. THE PASSING OF THE DARKNESS.

A. The four sayings after the passing of the darkness;

1. The cry of forsakenness (27:46);
2. The cry of human limitation and experience (John 19:28). [I thirst].
3. The cry of spiritual accomplishment (John 19:30) [It is finished]
4. The cry of confidence (Luke 23:46).

“…He died, not of a broken heart, not of human brutality, not of murder by human hands; but by His own volition He yielded up the Ghost, and His spirit, commended to God passed to God. The death that saves was not that physical dissolution, but the infinite spiritual mystery of the three hours and the darkness, which being passed, He Himself did say, ‘It is finished’”. IBID

B. It seems that during the three hours of darkness the crowds were silent.

“Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Ps.46:10).

1. Not a word is spoken until His cry of forsakenness.
2. Not a word of mockery, insolence, or hate is heard.

C. After the darkness, it was people who loved Him who took Him down, prepared His body and laid Him in the garden tomb.
D. The foes of Jesus seemed to have withdrawn.

1. Satan seems to be nowhere around.
2. Christ triumphed over him on the cross.

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Col 2:13-15 (KJV)

III. THE TRANSACTION WITHIN THE DARKNESS.

A. We cannot begin to understand all that took place during the darkness.

1. Much of what has been said by men is mere theory.
2. Only what the Scriptures reveal can be received and concluded to be fact.

B. God cannot be expressed in finite or human terms.

“God must pity any man who thinks he understands the cross completely.” IBID.

C. Every sort of darkness that has been mentioned in Scripture as a symbol of evil was experienced by Jesus.

“That does not answer the inquiry as to what happened. I have no answer for that. Only this I know, that in that hour of darkness He passed into the place of the ultimate wrestling of evil in actual experience. There is light as I hear the final word, ‘Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit’ (Luke 23:46), for the word is a word which declares that whatever the transaction was, it was accomplished; that whatever the dying indicated, it was done.” IBID.

D. “He saved others; Himself He cannot save” (Matthew 27:42).

1. Because He saves others; He cannot/could not save Himself.
2. Because He chose to go up to the cross; He could not come down. His heart was set on saving others.

E. WHY COULDN’T HE SAVE HIMSELF?

“Because He is God, and because God is love, and love is never satisfied with the destruction of a sinner, but with the saving of a sinner.” IBID.

“Someone may say to me, ‘Cannot God forgive out of pure love?’ I shall answer, ‘If He can, I cannot.’ If He could forgive me for the wrongs of which I am conscious, and that have left behind them their stain and pollution – If He could forgive my sins by simply saying, ‘Never mind them’, then I cannot so forgive myself. My conscience cries for a cleansing that is more than a sentiment of pity. Somehow, somewhere, in order that I may have forgiveness, there must be tragedy, something mightier than devilish sin.” IBID.

F. In the darkness He determined not to deliver Himself, rather He chose to deliver me.

1. Out of darkness has come a Light.
2. From the darkness had come the treasures of pardon, peace, power, and purity.

“I do not know what happened in the darkness, but this I know, that as I have come to the cross and received the suggestions of the material unveiling, I have found my heart, my spirit, my life brought into a realm of healing spices, to the consciousness of the forgiveness of sins. And there is no other gospel of forgiveness.” IBID.

G. In the darkness He chose not to save Himself; He chose to save the world.

NO MATTER WHAT MEN MAY SAY, SATAN WAS DEFEATED BY JESUS ON THE CROSS: THE RESURRECTION WAS CONFIRMATION OF THE VICTORY OF THE CROSS.

-Tim A. Blankenship

The Steward of God’s Stuff (3)

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Stewardship Of Repentance

Malachi 3:1:18

OUTLINE –

I. LOOKING FOR HIS COMING WITH UNREPENTANT SIN (vv. 1-2).
II. THE COMING OF THE LORD IS LIKE A DEVOURING FIRE, PURGING THE DROSS OF SIN FROM THE HEARTS OF HIS PEOPLE (vv. 3-4).
III. A LETHARGIC PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THEY HAVE DEPARTED FROM THE LIVING GOD (vv. 5-12).
IV. IN THE WRONG ATTITUDES OF THEIR HEARTS, THEY ARE ANGRY TOWARD GOD (vv. 13-15).
V. GOD WILL SANCTIFY HIS PEOPLE, AS PRECIOUS JEWELS (vv. 16-18).

Thus far we have saw the STEWARDSHIP which Malachi teaches in chapter 1 we saw THE STEWARDSHIP OF WORSHIP; in chapter 2 THE STEWARDSHIP OF RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP; and now in chapter 3 we will see THE STEWARDSHIP OF REPENTANCE.

Are these things really a matter of personal stewardship? This may be a whole new way of looking at the book of Malachi, and I do believe that God’s people are to be responsible stewards of what God has entrusted to our care. This message is as much, or more to me, as it is to others, and is much needed by all God’s people.

The stewardship of the people of Israel was not in good order. It is sad to say that the stewardship of the church today, is not in good order either. There are people who have their names on church rolls as members of that church, but rarely if ever attend services. If they do it might be on Easter Sunday, for a special program, or for the Christmas program. There are over 16,000,000 (sixteen million) names on the rolls of more than 40,000 Southern Baptist Convention churches, yet, we would be extremely blessed to have half of them in attendance on Sunday. There is certainly a need for repentance for the neglect of the worship of Jesus Christ. There is also a need for repentance for lacking in fellowship with fellow believers. How can you encourage your brother or sister in Christ when you are absent from worship? How can you be encouraged when you are absent?

I. ABIDING IN SIN AND LOOKING FOR THE COMING OF JESUS.

“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:“ Malachi 3:1-2 (KJV).

A. God’s messenger has come to prepare the way for the coming of Christ.

1. That messenger was sent to every believer following the ascension of Christ to the Father.
2. That messenger is God’s Spirit who will convict of sin, righteousness and judgment.

B. There are many Christians who will say they long for the coming of the Lord, yet abide in sin.

1. The coming of Jesus would not be the longing of their hearts – it would be more like that of Lot’s wife whose heart was still in Sodom, and she turned into a pillar of salt, due to her lack of faith and obedience, “Remember Lot’s wife” JESUS (Luke 17:32).
2. The Lord will come to His temple – how will He find His vessel?

C. “He is like a refiners fire, and like fullers soap…” When you are in the faith of the Lord Jesus you will stand, endure, and be cleansed in His sight.

II. THE COMING OF THE LORD IS LIKE A DEVOURING FIRE, PURGING AWAY THE FILTH, AND WASTEFULNESS OF SIN FROM THE HEARTS OF GOD’S PEOPLE.

“And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.“ Malachi 3:3-4 (KJV)

A. There must be a cleansing of Christian leadership, then, it will pass to rest of God’s people.

1. When the leadership is living as the world, it is no wonder the Church is worship less, weak, and weary.
2. When the leadership is clean, then, there will be a worthy offering unto the LORD in righteousness.

B. There will be pleasant offering unto the LORD, just as it was in the beginning.

III. A LETHARGIC PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THEY HAVE DEPARTED FROM THE LIVING GOD.

“And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.  For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’

‘Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?  Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.  Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 3:5-12 (KJV).

A. It is almost as though these religious leaders copied their behavior from the church of Sardis in Revelation 3:1, Jesus said, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” (NKJV).
B. The people had gone to trusting the word of sorcerers, adulterers, and had gone to oppressing the poor, the widow, the orphan, and turning strangers away.

1. This was all being done due to a lack of fear of the LORD.
2. They had changed, and forgotten that God is IMMUTABLE, ie., Unchanging.

C. God in His grace still calls for His wayward people to return to Him, and at His call to return, they wonder how, or why they need to return (v. 7).
D. His people have deserted the tithe, thus robbing God, and again wondering, “How have we robbed Thee?”

1. “In tithes and offerings” was God’s answer.

Now some are going to say, “That was law. The law has been done away. We are not under law any longer, but under grace”. My answer to that is this; The law has not been “done away”, rather it has been fulfilled in Christ. If Christ fulfilled the law, then, we are to let it shine forth from our lives. That means that the tithe is only the place that the Christian is to begin. If the ‘tithe’ is of the law, should the ones who are the fulfillment of the law in Jesus Christ give less than the requirement of that law. The Christian should begin with the tithe which is ten percent (10%) of one’s income.

If we look into the lives of the patriarchs of the Old Testament, like Abraham, w see that he paid tithes unto Melchizedek, and Jacob vowed to give God a tithe of all his possessions. These were before the law.

2. God’s people have been cursed by over indebtedness, and that due, at least in part, to lack of faith in God, and putting trust in perishable, material goods, and gain.
3. God says, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse…” and that for God’s people today, is His local church.

a. The tithe does not go for missions offering, building fund, a television ministry, or the Red Cross, or any other charitable organization – it belongs to God and goes into the local congregations general fund, and to be distributed as God directs that congregation.
b. When someone “Gives” with stipulations, [as long as you have it where you can control it] it has not been given to God.

4. God will bless those who give to God as He directs, and as He says, “…That there shall not be room enough to receive it”.

E. When God’s people begin recognizing God’s ownership of all things, then, God will bless us in the eyes of others (vv. 11-12).

IV. WITH THE WRONG ATTITUDES IN THEIR HEARTS, THEY ARE ANGRY TOWARD GOD.

“Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?  Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?  And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.“ Malachi 3:13-15 (KJV)

A. The people of God have the attitude that it does no good to serve the Lord – “What profit is it…” accusing God of being unjust.
B. By declaring God unjust, they have the wrong attitude about holiness, righteousness, justice, peace, joy, and God.

1. How can the people of God get to the place where they question His faithfulness, His sustenance, His providence, His power, His presence, or His knowledge?
2. We can get in that way by becoming bored in our “Worship”, faithless in our work of ministry – losing our love for Jesus – and lacking repentance for our sins.

V. GOD WILL SANCTIFY – SET APART – HIS PEOPLE AS PRECIOUS JEWELLS.

“Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.  And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.“ Malachi 3:16-18 (KJV).

A. A book of remembrance is written for those that feared the LORD, and thought on His name.
B. God says, “They shall be Mine”.
C. There is coming a day when God will make Israel His precious jewels; His people are a treasured possession, and He will have all those who are His as such.
D. There is coming a day when He will spare His people and give discernment of the righteous and the wicked, and of those who serve the LORD, and those who do not.
E. You are called to be separate, apart from the world of sin and wickedness; you have the power of the Spirit of Christ to discern good from evil, godliness from wickedness.
F. God has set you apart as a precious Jewel

SUMMARY –

I. THE STEWARDSHIP OF REPENTANCE IS TO AWAKE FROM SINS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN REPENTED OF, AND REPENT.
II. THE STEWARDSHIP OF REPENTANCE IS TO BE PREPARED FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD, AND TO KNOW HE IS COMING LIKE A THEIF.
III. REMEMBER TO WORSHIP THE LORD IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH, AND TRUST THE LORD, LEAN ON HIM, AND LETHARGY WILL FLEE.
IV. TRUST YOUR FAITH; NOT YOUR FEELINGS, AND WRONG ATTITUDES, AND YOU WILL HAVE NO ANGER TOWARD GOD.
V. LET GOD SANCTIFY HIMSELF IN YOUR LIFE, AND BE HIS PRECIOUS JEWEL.

-Tim A. Blankenship

The Steward of God’s Stuff (2)

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The Stewardship Of The Priesthood

Malachi 2:1-17

When we began these messages on Stewardship back in January we looked at chapter one of Malachi – THE STEWARDSHIP OF WORSHIP. Worship is our stewardship of the way we lift up, magnify, and praise Him. We saw that we are to REMEMBER WHO WE ARE; THAT WE WERE CHOSEN BY GOD, that SINCE WE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY HIM AND PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GIVE ANYTHING, EXCEPT THE VERY BEST – would the government be happy if we sent less than expected of us? We went on and saw, and should see that BOREDOM IS THE BANE [poison] OF THE CHRISTIAN SOUL AND WORSHIP. If we desire to fight boredom in our worship we must be always REMEMBERING THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD, HIS NAME, AND HIS WORD WILL KEEP US FROM BOREDOM. Worship is not in any specific type of music it will be found in the individual’s heart.

Today we look at THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE PRIESTHOOD, which could be seen as the Stewardship of Leadership as well. Seeing how the Old Testament passage is speaking of the heirs of Levi as the priests, we can also see this as being to the Priesthood of each believer.

In looking at this Old Testament priesthood things do not look too well. They are mostly responsible for the deadness of the worship of the people. They, themselves have devalued the meaning of worship. They have been bored by their worship practices. They have counted it all contemptible.

The Bible teaches us that every believer since Christ is a Priest of Christ. First Peter 2:9 states, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” 1 Peter 2:9 (KJV). Let’s look not at the overall outline of the chapter.

Since the Priesthood is a responsibility these will be presented as that:

I. The Priests will have RESPONSIBILITY WITH GOD’S WORD (vv. 1-9; 2 Timothy 2:15).

II. The Priests will have RESPONSIBILITY OF A GENUINE AND A DEDICATED HEART (vv. 10-13) with no hypocrisy.

III. RESPONSIBILITY OF FAMILY RELATIONS (vv. 14-16; 1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-25; 8:1-5).

IV. RESPONSIBILITY OF ACCURATE EVALUATIONS (v. 17; John 7:24; 1 Cor. 11:31).

I. THE STEWARDSHIP OF GOD’S WORD (vv. 1-9).

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV).

A. The priesthood of the OT was dealing with spiritual leadership.
B. The priests to whom Malachi wrote were neglecting the Word of God
C. These priests also were not even hearing the Word themselves.

1. They were bringing a curse on themselves as well as the people they were supposed to be serving.
2. They had also caused ‘many to stumble’, they had corrupted the covenant of Levi.

D. As the priests of God today (All Christians) “ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” 1 Peter 2:9 (KJV); we all are to show forth the power of God’s Word.

1. We must make it an integral part of our lives – it must not be neglected, but read, studied, heard, and applied.
2. We must not be partial in presenting the word of God, but point out the “Whole counsel of God” no matter whom it applies to.
3. Our walk with God is based upon our treatment of God’s Word in life, and it is essential to our walk with Him.
4. As priests we are the messengers of the Word of the Lord.

II. THE STEWARDSHIP OF A GENUINE AND DEDICATED HEART (vv. 10-13).

A. With a genuine, dedicated heart there is no room for hypocrisy.

1. It is hypocrisy to deal with a person more favorably because she/he may have more worldly possessions, or have political power, or the position they may have in some organization or even a church.
2. Whether we like it or not the world takes notice of the hypocrisy within those who name the name of Christ.

B. When we tolerate the joining together of our children with the godless we give the world a hypocritical statement.
C. Feigned, sanctimonious, weeping for sin will not bring back God’s blessing.
D. God’s priests today must show forth the image of Jesus Christ in our lives.

1. Living with a dedicated heart and life to the Lord
2. Hating all forms of hypocrisy – especially when it is in ourselves – because the Lord hates hypocrisy.
3. Teaching our children and grandchildren the ways of God, His Word, and holiness.
4. Having genuine, sorrowful, repentance over our sin – remembering that God truly knows our hearts.

III. THE STEWARDSHIP OF FAMILY RELATIONS (vv. 14-16).

“Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.  And the priests’ custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;  And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.  Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.  And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.  Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD” 1 Samuel 2:12-17 (KJV).

“Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.  And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.  Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’S people to transgress.  If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them” 1 Samuel 2:22-25 (KJV).

“And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.  Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment” 1 Samuel 8:1-3 (KJV).

A. The family relationship is often hurting in Christian circles today – speaking mainly of the husband and wife.

1. Men are to be the chief priest of their home, and lead the wife in spiritual matters of holiness and godliness.
2. When we look at the marriage stats of our day we find that the divorce rate is equal among Christians as with those who do not know Christ.
3. That is a definite black mark against the truth and power of Christ in our lives.

B. The priests of the OT, to whom Malachi wrote were divorcing their wives and thinking nothing of it, yet wondering what’s happened to the blessing of God.

“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Peter 3:7).

1. This was for the bringing for of godly children.
2. The Messiah would come from these children.

C. As priests of God today, we bring children into the presence of God by our faith, and by always being faithful to God and His Word.

IV. THE STEWARDSHIP OF ACCURATE EVALUATIONS (v. 17).

“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” 1 Cor. 11”31 (KJV).

A. The OT priests of Malachi’s day were accusing God of delighting in wickedness.

1. They would even accuse God of favoring the wicked, and being unconcerned with the righteous.

B. Let’s be certain that we see God as being the benevolent Caretaker and Creator that He really is.
C. We must see ourselves as God sees us, and then we can see others as God sees them.

SUMMARY –

I. WE MUST BE FAITHFUL STEWARDS OF GOD’S WORD.
II. WE MUST BE GENUINE AND DEDICATED TO THE LORD’S TASK AT HAND.
III. WE MUST MAINTAIN GOOD AND GODLY FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS.
IV. WE MUST ALWAYS MAKE ACCURATE EVALUATIONS.

-Tim A. Blankenship

The Steward of God’s Stuff

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The Stewardship Of Worship

Malachi 1:1-14

PURPOSE – Learning to avoid boredom in the worship of our Lord.

Some time back a “Baptist” paper ran an article asking the question of boring churches. Something along the line of, “Are your church services boring?” If we look at the condition of the people of God – called Israel – at the time of Malachi we can find conditions of their heart which we can learn, that we do not want, nor need in our hearts or churches.

INTRODUCTORY OUTLINE –

I. GOD CHOSE JACOB, RATHER THAN ESAU, TO BE IN THE LINEAGE OF JESUS CHRIST (vv. 1-5).

They Had Questioned God’s Love.

II. THE PEOPLE OF GOD ARE CHOSEN AND CALLED UPON TO GIVE GOD THE BEST IN OFFERING AND SACRIFICE (vv. 6-11).

They Had Questioned God’s Character and Word.

III. DISRESPECT, BOREDOM, CONTEMPT IS NOT BECOMING FOR THE CHILD OF GOD (vv. 12-14).

They Had Questioned The Value of Worship.

I. REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE; THAT YOU WERE CHOSEN BY GOD (vv. 1-4).

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” 1 Peter 2:9.

A. There are many who are troubled by this phrase, “I loved Jacob and hated Esau”.

1. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” Luke 14:26.
2. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” Romans 9:13-16.

B. We should not be so amazed that He ‘hated’ Esau, but that He loved Jacob.

1. Jacob was chosen by God and Esau rejected before either one was born; “And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.  And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.  And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger” Gen. 25:21-23.

“ And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;  (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)   It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Rom. 9:10-13.
2. This in itself is a picture of grace – God’s unmerited favor.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit…” Titus 3:5ff.

II. SINCE WE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY HIM AND PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GIVE ANYTHING, EXCEPT THE BEST (vv. 6-11).

A. If we are to avoid boredom in worship then we must give Him our full attention in our worship – personal and corporate.
B. If God is our Father we ought to honor Him as Father.

1. If Jesus is our Master we are His servant.
2. You fear and obey your father, and master, or you are disciplined. “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons” Heb. 12:7-8.

C. When we cease to give our best, that is when we begin losing the fire [excitement, enthusiasm] of worship for God.

1. Worship begins to be ‘Contemptible’ to us.

a. It starts becoming something of lesser importance – other things become more important.

2. We begin looking for places to place blame for ‘Dull and boring’ worship services.
3. We attend ‘Worship services’ more out of habit or duty, rather than desire and love for Jesus.
4. If the spiritual leader(s) shows contempt toward these things; it will trickle down into the congregation.

a. These were calling the ‘Table of the Lord contemptible’ – basically referring to the total ministry.
b. These were also offering blemished, unholy offerings compromising the Word of God.
c. The spiritual leaders are to commit sound teachings to ‘Faithful men’ – that includes right worship.

“ And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2.

D. God will not, does not accept half-hearted worship (v. 10); “Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.”
E. God’s name will one day be great among the nations of the world.

III. BOREDOM IS THE POISON OF THE CHRISTIAN SOUL (vv. 12-14a).

A. To overcome ‘Boredom’ in your worship you must come giving yourself first of all.

1. If you come to worship corporately with brothers and sisters in Christ and offer nothing, then you will be bored and receive nothing.
2. No one ought to ever come to worship without giving, and expecting God’s presence, power and glory.
3. When you see the cross of Jesus, His death, burial, and resurrection you can give yourself and all you possess.

B. One of the biggest parts of worshipping our Lord is loving the Lord Jesus.

1. When you love Him nothing you commit to Him will be a waste of time nor will it be boring.
2. There is nothing more exciting than serving and worshipping our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

C. Overcoming boredom will come when we treat the Name of God and His Word with great awe and respect.

IV. REMEMBERING THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD, HIS NAME, AND HIS WORD WILL KEEP US FROM BOREDOM (v. 14b).

A. We will learn to show the utmost awe and respect for God and His Word by daily hearing it and applying it, by the power of the Spirit of God to our lives.
B. By God, His Word, and His creation we are constantly reminded of His greatness.
C. By calling on His name daily for fellowship, and directions for the day we can avoid becoming stale and bored.
D. If you experience boredom; get into God’s Word, get involved in someone else’s life for their good; develop an active sense of mission.
E. Be sure Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior.

SUMMARY –

I. REMEMBER YOU WERE CHOSEN BY GOD.
II. ALWAYS GIVE GOD THE VERY BEST OF YOU.
III. AVOID BOREDOM BY CARING, AND BEING INVOLVED IN GOD’S WORK – OTHER PEOPLE’S LIVES FOR THEIR GOOD.
IV. REMEMBER THE GREATNESS OF GOD, HIS NAME, AND HIS WORD.
V. IF YOU HAVE BACKSLIDEN; COME BACK TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU LEFT GOD: IF LOST – BE SAVED TODAY.

THE CURE FOR BOREDOM: 1.) Know the Lord Jesus Christ; 2) Study His Word and pray; 3) Have an active sense of mission; 4) Read regularly from Christian materials that are in keeping with Scripture, and glorifies Jesus, and builds your faith; 5) Be a part of other’s lives.

-Tim A. Blankenship

The Prophecy of Our Lord’s Birth

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THE BIRTH FORETOLD

Isaiah 7:1-14

OUTLINE –

I. JUDAH/JERUSALEM WAS UNDER SEIGE, AND GREAT THREAT FROM THE SYRIANS WITH SUPPORT FROM EPHRAIM/ISRAEL (vv. 1-2)

II. GOD SENT ISAIAH TO AHAZ, THE GRANDSON OF UZZIAH TO COMFORT AND ENCOURAGE HIM CONCERNING THE TERRORISM AT THEIR GATES (vv. 3-7).

III. GOD’S WORDS CONCERNING THOSE WHO RISE UP AGAINST THE RIGHTEOUS REMNANT (vv. 8-9).

IV. GOD GIVES A SIGN, DESPITE THE ARROGANCE AND UNWILLINGNESS TO OBEY FROM AHAZ; OF THE GOD-MAN WHO WOULD COME BY WAY OF A VIRGIN (vv. 10-16),

INTRODUCTION –

I. Living In An Affluent Society As We Do; We Often Do Not Realize The Fears and Battles Which Others In the World Are Going Through; Yet, There Are Many In Our Own Country Which Suffer Due To Hideous Things, Threats, Sickness, and Other Things.

II. Some People Are Asking “Why Doesn’t God Intervene?”, and The Answer To That Is; He Has and Presently Is.

III. The Word Of God Gives Us The Way Of Life and the Way Of Faith, Comfort, Encouragement, and We All Need It In Our Lives.

IV. God Came Down and Dwelt Among Us, and He Is Still With Us.

Even though this is the Christmas season; the season, the time of the year when we remember our Lord’s birth. Those who are not suffering from delusion will readily admit that these are not pleasant times, but let’s not be disheartened, discouraged or downheartedd. Remember, Jesus, the one whose birth we celebrate is Lord over all.

Christmas is about God. It is about God sending His Son, born of a virgin, born to die for the sins of the world.

I. THESE MAY BE DAYS OF SEIGE FROM THE ENEMY AND DARK FORCES FROM EVERY SIDE, AND THESE CAN CAUSE GREAT FEAR (vv. 1-2).

A. Ahaz was surrounded by the trouble of his Sister Nation, and the Syrians, so we may be as well, surrounded by an enemy who is set to destroy us and our testimony for Christ.

B. When we are not right with God we will be fearful; if we are right with God, having our sins confessed and obeying His call and direction for our lives, then, we need not fear, nor will we be fearful.

Someone once said, “If we fear God; we need fear nothing else”.

II. GOD HAS SENT HIS MESSENGER TO GIVE US COMFORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR FACING THE ENEMY WHICH TRIES SO HARD TO DETRACT US AND GET US AWAY FROM GOD AND HIS PLAN FOR OUR LIVES (vv. 3-7).

A. Every time we are afraid God sends a messenger by way of the Holy Spirit; the message is found in God’s Word.

B. God’s messenger will speak a relevant message for the time and place.

1. Notice, that God sent ‘Shearjashub’ with Isaiah as a message of comfort – his name means, “A remnant shall return”.

2. The land of Judah would not be forgotten by God – that promise is true of all those who are in the faith of the Lord Jesus.

C. The greatest messenger of all is God’s Son Jesus Christ.

The Psalmist has written, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” (Ps. 56:3). And, in verse eleven he wrote, “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.”

D. Be assured; the enemy of our peace shall not prevail – Jesus Christ won the victory.

1. These “Smoking firebrands” may be hot, but they are going to burn out and burn up, and be nothing but ash.

III. GOD’S WORD IS HERE FOR OUR INSTRUCTION, REBUKE, CORRECTION, INSPIRATION, AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH TO MATURITY IN JESUS CHRIST (vv. 8-9).

A. God is in control of the matters of our lives; so let’s not let our troubles detract us from the will of God.

B. God’s Word is the means by which we can resist the lies, snares, pits, and deceit of the enemy.

1. The Word of God, with the Spirit of God gets us to the place God wants us when we hear and obey.

2. By the Word of God we know the afflictions are often, if not always, for our benefit.

“Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept Thy Word” (Ps. 119:67).

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn Thy statutes” (Ps. 119:71).

C. Those who will not take heed to God and His Word will certainly be without help (v. 9b).

IV. FOR US GOD HAS GIVEN US THE SIGN OF THE GOD-MAN WHO WAS BORN OF A VIRGIN IN THE STABLE OF BETHLEHEM (vv. 10 – 16).

A. Like Ahaz, some do not want a sign from God, because it would humble them, and cause them to realize their weaknesses, and God’s strength.

B. Despite the unwillingness of some to request a sign, God has given us one anyway.

1. That sign is the birth of the God-man Jesus Christ to the virgin mother who was willing to risk her reputation, and future marriage, and possibly her own life, to bring the Son of God to earth to pay the price for the sins of mankind, and redeem us unto God.

2. That sign, even now, causes controversy in the hearts of many who profess Christ as their Savior.

C. The unwillingness does not negate the fact, though, it strengthens it.

1. He was born of the woman – a virgin – who had no seed.

2. He could not have had a human father, the sinful seed comes from the man.

3. He was born of the seed of God, thus, having no sin, and fully qualified to die for mankind’s sin and bring reconciliation between God and mankind.

D. This prophecy was fulfilled in the following verses,

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS” Matthew 1:18-25

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:1-7.

SUMMARY –

I. LOOK TO THE MESSENGER OF GOD’S WORD – AS JEREMIAH SAID, ‘THERE IS A WORD FROM THE LORD”.

II. LOOK TO THE SIGN WHICH HAS BEEN GIVEN US – THE SIGN OF HIS VIRGIN BIRTH AND THE SIGN OF HIS CROSS.

III. TRUST GOD’S WORD WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD TO GUIDE YOU, SECURE YOU, GIVE YOU PEACE IN THE MIDST OF ATTACKS AND AFFLICTION.

IV. THERE ARE ACTUALLY THREE SIGNS GOD HAS GIVEN US FOR ASSURANCE AND PEACE – 1) THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF CHRIST; 2) CHRIST’S DEATH ON THE CROSS; 3) AND THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.

V. CAN YOU TRUST SUCH A ONE AS THIS JESUS? DEFFINITELY.

-Tim A. Blankenship

A Resurrection/Easter Sunday Sermon

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THE CALL OF THE RESURRECTION
Matthew 28:10

I do not know if anyone has ever thought of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a call or not, but I definitely see a call here following the resurrection of Jesus. The angels have simply said, “He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” (v. 6). The angel had said, “Go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you” (v. 7).

As the women were going to tell the disciples what the angels had said they met Jesus Himself. They probably would have about forgotten what the angel had said when they see Jesus. They bow at His feet and even held on to His feet, and worshipped Him (v. 9).

“Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me” Matthew 28:10

There are about four things I want us to notice from this verse of Scripture;

I. THERE IS A CALL TO HAVE ‘NO FEAR’;

II. THERE IS A CALL TO GO AND TELL THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS THAT HE IS RISEN;

III. THERE IS A CALL TO TELL THEM WHERE HE CAN BE SEEN – AS HE HAS SAID;

IV. THERE IS A CALL TO TELL THEM THAT HE IS TO BE SEEN.

THERE IS A CALL TO HAVE ‘NO FEAR’.

Many times as Jesus walked on the earth He spoke the words, “Be not afraid”, “Fear not”, etc. As the women see Him this is His opening statement to them. It just seems that the intent of Jesus is for those who know and love Him to walk with Him and be free of all fear.

There are many things in this world we could and do fear. Jesus tells us before He is crucified to “Be not afraid”, and He tells us following the crucifixion, all of this after He has faced the greatest challenge of His human existence. The darkness of the crucifixion was that time when the Father had turned His back on His Son, and judged Him with every pound, every sword of judgment He could meet out. He faced it without fear and with full confidence that the Father’s will was being done and the Father and Himself would be glorified forever.

THERE IS A CALL TO GO AND TELL THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS THAT HE IS RISEN.

The disciples were cringing in fear after the crucifixion of Jesus. They were most likely trembling, and wondering what are we going to do next. Whar are we going to do now? The hope of Jerusalem and of Israel is now dead. We thought Him to be the deliverer of Israel and Jerusalem, but He is dead. They had forgotten His promise to meet them in Galilee –

“Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee” Matthew 26:31-32 (KJV).

Jesus spelled it out clearly. “After I am risen again” please note that, “I will go before you into Galilee”. Did they not pay attention? Did they just not hear? Maybe not according to Jesus’s words He uses to the churches of the Revelation – “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith…” Their minds were full of expectation for the deliverance of the kingdom of Israel from Rome, and the setting up of His earthly kingdom.

This part of the call is to all who will follow Jesus. If there is to be trust, obedience, and true following of Jesus there must also be an abiding trust and faith that Jesus not only died for our sins, but that He rose again; bodily from the grave. The grace where they laid Jesus is empty, like the angel gave invitation to “Come, see the place where the Lord lay,” That means He had lain there previously to this, but was GONE. His body not stolen. It never fell into a crack in the ground at the earthquake. He rose up from that place where His body lay; laid the burial cloths in a place by themselves, and came OUT; just as He said He would.

If we are going to proclaim the resurrection Gospel of Jesus Christ we better believe it ourselves. Believe it ourselves before we go trying to tell the lost world about it.

THERE IS A CALL TO TELL THEM WHERE HE CAN BE SEEN – JUST AS HE SAID.

One disciple [Thomas] had said,

“Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe” John 20:25 (KJV).

Thomas has a nick name that has been given him because of his doubting, and it is “Doubting Thomas”. We know that Jesus was seen by the disciples before they ever went to Galilee. At Galilee was where the most significant number of people witnessed Him alive some days later, and by “Over five hundred brethren at once”.

Jesus had told them that He would go before them unto Galilee. There was the place where they disciples would and could receive their public authenticity. It was not only proof of the resurrection of Jesus, but it would be the public endorsement by Jesus of the disciples/apostles.

The place Jesus can be seen today is by revelation of God’s Spirit through the Holy Word of God. Thomas would not believe except he saw for himself the resurrected Christ, and it was at the point when Thomas saw Him that Jesus said, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” John 20:29. It took the physical appearance of Jesus to Thomas for him to believe Jesus was alive. You and I do not have that privilege. We have God’s written Word and the Gospels. They tell us Jesus is alive. Paul the apostle tells us Jesus is alive. Peter, James, and John tell us that Jesus is alive. The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is alive. Luke the physician tells us that Jesus is alive. The Holy Spirit of God reveals to you and I today that Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God is alive TODAY.

THE PLACE TO FIND THE LIVING CHRIST IS IN THE WORD AND REVELATION BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD.

THERE IS A CALL TO TELL THEM THAT JESUS IS TO BE SEEN.

When we start talking about seeing Jesus maybe the news of Oral Roberts vision or dream of a 600 foot tall Jesus comes to our mind. I want to tell you He was not nearly that tall; so that is not who Roberts seen.

John saw Jesus as He was penning down the Revelation of Jesus Christ. He saw Him on the isle of Patmos as he was a prisoner there for preaching the resurrected Christ, even though he was told to be silent. Paul saw Jesus as he travelled on the road to Damascus to capture Christian men, women, boys and girls to drag them back to Jerusalem for trial and prison and/or death. Paul was knocked out of his saddle by the presence of the Lord Jesus.

It is the call from God that gives us the right and privilege to see our resurrected Jesus. Have you seen Jesus?

We must see Him as having lived a life without sin; being perfect and without spot or blemish. We must see Him as the healer as He healed the lame, raised the dead, made the blind to see, and gave the leper back their right to be among others. We must see Jesus as He is lifted up between heaven and hell upon the earth, while hanging on the cross as our sin. We must see Him as sin being judged by the righteous Father. We must see Him as finishing the tasl; the work; that the Father gave Him to do. That work being finished; we must see Him as coming forth out of that grave showing the victory He gained by His death on the cross.

Sin could not hold Him, cannot hold Him, and never will hold Him. The victory is won, and the resurrection is the evidentiary proof of that victory on the cross. He is alive.

Christ the Lord is risen today. INDEED, HE IS RISEN.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Examples of Christian Living (2)

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Examples Of Christian Living (2)

This being part two of this message I thought you might like a link to go to the first part, so here it is.

I do want to point out that these are just study notes.  They are not a manuscript of my sermon.  I do not do manuscript sermons.

These notes are from March of 2007 while I was pastor of Carr Lane Baptist Church.

Colossians 4:11-18
OUTLINE –

I. TYCHICUS WAS A MAN WITH THE HEART OF A SERVANT (vv. 7-8).
II. ONESIMUS, WAS A MAN WITH A PAST THAT WAS SINFUL (v. 9).
III. ARISTARCHUS, WAS MAN WITH A SYMPATHETIC HEART (v. 10a).
IV. MARK WAS A MAN WITH A SURPRISING FUTURE (v. 10b).
V. JESUS JUSTICE WAS A MAN WITH A STRONG COMMITMENT (v. 11).
VI. EPAPHRAS WAS A MAN WITH A SINGLE PASSION (vv. 12-13).
VII. LUKE WAS A MAN WITH A SPECIALIZED TALENT (v. 14a).
VIII. DEMAS WAS A MAN WITH A SAD FUTURE (v. 14b, 2 Timothy 4:10).
IX. THE APOSTLE WHO HAS THE MINISTRY OF GOD’S WORD (vv. 15-18).

On news programs and so called documentaries we have recently heard of a casket being found with the name Jesus on it. Supposedly bones were found that belonged to a man named Jesus. Could it have been this one; Jesus Justice? Or could it have been another Jesus? I do know one thing for absolutely certain, the bones in that casket are not the bones of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.

We have looked at the first four of these men who were EXAMPLES OF CHRISTIAN LIVING. The following three are good examples of Christian living while the last of the eight is very questionable to say the least.

EVERY CHILD OF GOD NEEDS A STRONG COMMITMENT TO THE LORD (v. 11).

Jesus Justice was a man of commitment. We know that because he left his family, friends, and religion to follow Jesus the Christ, and stand alongside Paul for all those years. It is said of the three, ie., Aristarchus, Mark, and Jesus Justice that Paul writes, are of the circumcision [of course meaning they are Jewish].

There are professing Christians living today who have no strong commitment to anything. I say that because if something goes different from how they desire it they are quick to become angry, be offended, offend others, and sometimes even decide to leave the church they are attending.

In the MACARTHUR NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY is written these words,

“Nothing is known of Jesus who is called Justus apart from this verse. It is possible that he was one of the Roman Jews who believed Paul’s message (Acts 28:24). Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means ‘savior.’ That certainly was a difficult name to live up to, but his Latin surname, Justus (‘righteous’), indicates that he in some measure did.” pg. 196.

A thing we can learn from Justus; is that commitment means staying power even when there is no recognition, no appreciation, and that it just seems as though no one cares. Commitment will keep you in place even when the storms blow hard.

There must first be a real commitment to Jesus as personal Lord and Savior. When you are saved you need to find a local church where Jesus is loved, worshiped, served and proclaimed.

THERE IS MUCH NEED FOR CHRISTIANS TO HAVE A SINGLE PASSION (vv. 12-13).

What was the “Single passion” of Epaphras? First of all let’s remind ourselves of who Epaprhas is. He is most likely the current pastor of the church of Collosae. He is the one that saw the lurking dangers of heresy threatening the church, and had gone to Paul for support. He was also most likely the founding pastor of the Colossians church.

Epaphras carried this passion with him on the way to Rome, while he was in Rome, on the return to the Colossian people, and while he was among them. Notice his passion – “…always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (v. 12). There is a Greek word from which the word “laboring” is taken; that is the word ‘agonizomai’ from which our word ‘agonize’ comes. It is the same word that speaks of our Lord’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. This pastor was a man devoted to prayer, and agonized in prayer, because he knew he could not meet their needs, but God could.

The things for which he prayed are practical for our church today. He prayed that they would be complete in Christ [‘stand perfect’], growing in Christ, and mental and moral character. In the phrase, ‘Complete in all the will of God’ is the meaning of fully knowing the will of God. It is his prayer. It was his passion. It ought to be the passion of every pastor, of every Christian to be praying to that end for our brothers and sisters.

If we should begin praying this way it would certainly have a very positive effect on the church we worship in. There is one thing we must all realize and that is when God is moving seen or unseen, then the devil, the enemy of God and His people, will come in and attempt to divide, and cause harm to the local body of believers. That is where the heart of commitment and this single passion can so mightily work together.

THOSE WITH A SPECIALIZED TALENT SERVING IN THE CHURCH (v. 14a).

Luke was a physician. We know by that that he, like Paul was a very educated man. They both were intelligent men, and probably had very interesting conversations on their travels together. Luke wrote two of the New Testament books. The first was the Gospel of Luke, of course not Luke’s title, but given at a later date; and he wrote the Acts as well. In much of the book of Acts you can tell that Luke was present with Paul during much of these journeys. He probably served Paul as his physician. Bandaging him up after the times he was stoned for his faith, and the beatings he endured; as well as any other health need he may of had

Just as Luke had no theological training; so too are those who have no theology training needed in today’s church. There are medical missionaries who go to other places and minister by offering free health care to those who are without means. There is also need for people who are builders, diggers, witnesses, chainsaw handlers, and just cleanup work. There is a need for people of all kinds and sorts in local churches. There is no one who is not needed or wanted. Each of us have our place. All cannot be pastors, preachers, teachers, but all have a place to serve. Just because you have no college degree, does not mean you have no specialized talent or work that you do.

THERE IS ALSO SOME IN THE CHURCH WHO HAVE A SAD FUTURE (v. 14b)

Paul does not say much about Demas, just that he is sending greeting to the people of Colossae. Demas is the one we do know had a sad future. Demas was a deserter of the faith. Paul writes later to Timothy these sad words,

“Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica…” 2 Timothy 4:9-10 (KJV).

It is sad to note, but it is true that all those who enter the Gospel ministry will not remain in the ministry. Demas was one such man. Jesus had Judas who betrayed Him, and Paul had Demas who deserted him.

Demas had gone to Thessalonica, evidently seeking the worlds goods. He had grown discontent with being with a man who was constantly being beaten, imprisoned, and betrayed. His eyes strayed to the material things. The gold and silver sparkles blinded his eyes, and hardened his heart. Rather than seeking those things which are above he turned to seeking the temporary things of the material world.

What do our hearts long for today? The material things that glitter in the bright sunlight, or for Christ Jesus who is the beaming Son Light.

WITHIN THE CHURCH ARE THOSE, ALSO, WHO WILL PROMOTE THE SPREADING OF THE LETTERS OF GOD’S WORD (vv. 15-18).

The apostle Paul was certainly such a man. The letters Paul is speaking of is, of course, this one, and most likely the one we know as Ephesians. It is pretty commonly accepted that the book of Ephesians was a circular letter, written by Paul, to many different churches. It could be that it received the title Ephesus due to it being the final congregation receiving the letter.

This letter to Colossae, was sent specifically to the Colossian church, but then was to be passed on to the other churches. In a sense you could say that Galations, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians were circular because they were all received, and read by the others. They are, in fact, still being read by other churches.

People are not saved by promotion of circuses, shows, or any type of entertainment. People are saved by the preaching of the Word of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit moving into the hearts and lives of the hearers.

Pass this letter along Paul says. Read the one from Laodicea as well. If you want to know what Paul wrote to the Laodicean church you need to just turn back a few pages to Ephesians. That is the most likely candidate for that letter.

There is concern also for a young man who may have been entering into ministry of the Gospel. His name was Archippus. Paul’s words to him and any other for the ministry is, “Take heed to the ministry… that thou fulfill it”. Do not neglect the ministry of God’s Word. They are the words of life; eternal life.

The apostle signs this letter with his own hand. It is signed; not with a signature, but the closing greeting.

This study in Colossians has been of the Superiority of Christ, His Sufficiency, He being First Place. The letter confronts those who would deny the deity of Jesus, and ascribe to Him as being only spirit; but not flesh and blood. Christ Jesus is the Creator, Sustainer of all that is. He is the One who showed us how to live, and how to die, and how to live again. In the epistle of Colossians we learn how to pray for one another. Let’s be sure we are doing that. People you pray for are really hard to hate or despise.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Examples of Christian Living (1)

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EXAMPLES OF CHRISTIAN LIVING (Part 1)

Colossians 4:7-10

Proposed OUTLINE –

I. TYCHICUS WAS A MAN WITH THE HEART OF A SERVANT (vv. 7-8).

II. ONESIMUS, WAS A MAN WITH A PAST THAT WAS SINFUL (v. 9).

III. ARISTARCHUS, WAS MAN WITH A SYMPATHETIC HEART (v. 10a).

IV. MARK WAS A MAN WITH A SURPRISING FUTURE (v. 10b).

I borrowed the idea for the main points of this outline from  THE MACARTHUR NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY, Colossians & Philemon, pp. 192-199.

Paul has given much instruction on the dangers, and destruction of those who are Gnostics, and their teachings. Remember, they deny, the deity of Jesus Christ; because to their way of thinking Deity, and flesh cannot reside in the same body; as a matter of fact Deity cannot have a body of flesh. They supposedly believed that Jesus existed, but only as a spirit being; His “death” was only faked; thus there was only a ‘spiritual resurrection’. Do you know how silly that sounds?

Paul has encouraged us to pray for one another, and the Church; and shared with us how he was praying for us. He has lifted up the name of Jesus showing that He is Preeminent in all things, that He was the Creator of the Universe, and not only Creator, but He sustained it all.

Paul has warned us about the “Philosophy of men… And going after the ways of the world, and not after Christ”. He shared with us the sufficiency of Jesus Christ, and warned us of the death knell of legalism, and angel worship.

The apostle also encouraged us, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above…” Putting off the things of the flesh. Setting our affections on things of God – things above. Putting to death all sexual sins, and covetousness. Learning to deal with anger, wrath, malice, etc… To “Put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness.. Meekness, longsuffering, and forbearing one another, forgiving one another. Putting on God-like love. Having godly family relationships, work relationships.

Last time we looked at having a Christian Walk with the Lord; OUR DEPORTMENT.

In these final two messages we will be looking at examples of Christian deportment. There are seven that are good, and one that does not turn out so well. These are what needs to be exhibited in our church, and in life. We are each gifted by the Holy Spirit differently, so let’s be careful about using our gift effectively, and efficiently.

THERE ARE PEOPLE IN OUR CHURCH WHO HAVE THE HEART OF A SERVANT (vv. 7-8).

“ For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another…” Romans 12:3-10 (KJV).

The word ministry in the above Scripture is speaking of “Serving”, being a servant to others. It is the type of work that is needed in the church, and everyone should be serving; first the Lord, of course, then others. There are some who are just clearly gifted with SERVING others. They are usually the first to see a need, and address it, by doing something themselves, or if it is too big a project they call on others to help out.

The one’s with the gift of ministry/serving are also the type of people who do not desire recognition. They will serve even when no one notices. They prefer anonymity in the matter of ministry, without a lot of hooplah. In the our text for the day we see Tychicus, and he was most likely this way, but Paul goes ahead and makes sure the church at Colossae knows who he is anyway.

The gift of service offered was 1) Letting the people know of Paul’s state; 2) To find out the state of the church of Colossae, and return to Paul with that info; and 3) To be an encouragement to them:

1.  A servant will be one who is concerned enough to let others know the needs of those who are preaching elsewhere;
2.  A servant will also be one who informs those who are preaching, of the needs and growth, or lack thereof, of the congregation they are serving;
3.  A servant will be an encouraging part of the congregation.

We all need to have the attitude of the Servant. Not serving to be noticed, but serving because of calling, and desire to glorify the Lord.

EVERYONE IN THE CONGREGATION NEEDS TO REALIZE THAT WE ARE ALL PEOPLE WITH A SINFUL PAST (v.9).

Onesimus was the run away slave of Philemon. It is quite possible that, not only had he ran away, but he had stolen from Philemon. Paul says to Philemon, “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that to mine account” Philemon 1:18 (KJV). It is sure that he had a sinful past.

A lot of us might ask, “Well what is he doing going back?” He was delivering this letter with Tychicus, to Colossae. He was most likely taking another letter to his master Philemon, from the hand of Paul.

In Onesimus we see a great Christian principle. It was one which Paul taught and Onesimus was going to practice, as a matter of fact he was practicing. That that he was practicing was keeping the matter of the law of slavery. Deuteronomy says, “Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee” (23:15 KJV). The one to whom a slave had fled was to care for this bond-servant, shelter, food, etc., but for them to go back was entirely up to the slave. In the case of Onesimus it was the good and godly thing to do, especially since he had become a Christian, and Philemon was a brother in Christ.

Paul describes Onesimus as, ‘…a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you…’ The testimony of Onesimus was what every Christian testimony is. One of deliverance to new life. Change had taken place in him, and it does in all who come to Christ.

The ministry of service of both Tychicus and Onesimus was to inform the people at the Colossian church of the work, ministry and needs of Paul. Onesimus was almost undoubtedly carrying another letter addressed to Philemon, and to whom he would deliver this letter face to face with the man he had wronged. Philemon was a wealthy leader of the Colossian Church which met in his house.

I have no problem believing that Philemon completely forgave Onesimus and set him free. After reading Paul’s letter himself, and then, reading it to the congregation meeting ‘in his house’ how could he refuse.

THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH WHO HAVE A SYMPATHETIC HEART (v. 10a).

Aristarchus is mentioned in Acts 19:29; 20:4; 27:2. Aristarchus is a voluntary captive with Paul. He is most likely not an actual prisoner, but has chosen to stay with Paul and minister to him. Part of his ministry would have been as an encourager. There would have been days when Paul would have been about as low as a Christian man can get, and would need someone to lift him up. Aristarchus was that man.

Understanding the situation requires sympathy. What is sympathy? According to the MIRRIAM/WEBSTER DICTIONARY sympathy is – “a relationship between persons or things wherein whatever affects one similarly affects the others”. Suffering with the one who is suffering. It would also involve being blessed with the one who is blessed. Paul has said, “Weep with those who weep…” Romans 12:15. In that same verse he said, “Rejoice with those who rejoice”. There are those who can and do weep with you when you hurt. They are there for you when you need an encouraging word.

A word of caution. Not everyone has this kind of sympathy that puts them right in the place of suffering or rejoicing. We should all have some elements of sympathy, but not all to the extent that Aristarchus had. It is always a good thing to weep with the weeping, and unless you are jealous of someone else’s success rejoice with them in their rejoicing.

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH WHO HAVE A SURPRISING FUTURE (v. 10b).

Mark had been a failure on Paul’s first missionary journey. In Acts 13:5 we find “John” who is John Mark ministering with Paul and Barnabus. In the thirteenth verse we have John Mark departing and going back to Jerusalem. There is absolutely no explanation, but due to the conflict that arises between Paul and Barnabus over John Mark going with them on the second missionary journey, we assume that Mark could not take the heat, so he got out while he could.

Paul was probably furious about Mark’s departure, as well as feeling like Mark deserted him. Mark was still, most likely, an immature Christian, and was not use to see persecution because of the faith. Mark had seen a challenge from Satan himself through the sorcerer Elymas, and he had seen the persecution of Paul and Barnabus, and it was all he could take. There was much contention between the two; so much that they went separate ways, and that was something God used to further the kingdom (Acts 15:36-41). One thing we can learn from this is that at all times we must use discernment. That is what Paul was doing, and at this time did not see any fruit in the life of Mark as the defeated, discouraged young man he was when he ran back to Jerusalem. When Paul saw the growth in Mark that was needed he commends him to others.

Notice in this statement by Paul that he says of Mark, “Receive him”. He mentions Mark again in the letter to Philemon, verse 24, “Salute… Mark… my fellow laborers”. Mark had grown and had become a strong believer in the faith. He mentions Mark again in 2 Timothy 4:11, as being a “profitable [useful] to me for the ministry”.

Mark went on and wrote the second Gospel. That is right the Gospel according to Mark. According to some historians and theologians Mark is the oldest of the four Gospels.

One thing by looking at the man Mark is that just because you have failed does not mean that God is finished with you. When your faith is strengthened and renewed God will use you for His glory again. When you fear you have failed just look to the One who has saved you and He will pick you up.

-Tim A. Blankenship

The Christians Conduct

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Our Deportment

Colossians 4:5-6

The word “Walk” has to do with one’s conduct or deportment (behavior). On grade cards teachers use to grade their students on their “Deportment”. I wonder if that is still there? If it is I wonder how many would get a passing grade? When it comes to Christian deportment how many of us would get a passing grade?

When it comes to Christian conduct Paul likens it to a “Walk”. It has to do with the way we live. All of us have “Deportment”, but of what kind is it? He gives the church of Colossae some guidance and instruction concerning their deportment.

Proposed OUTLINE:

I. WALK IN WISDOM (v.5).
II. REMEMBER OTHERS WHO ARE NOT CHRISTIANS ARE WATCHING YOU (v. 5).
III. MAKING GOOD USE OF THE TIME GOD HAS GIVEN YOU (v. 5).
IV. SPEAK WITH GRACE FROM YOUR HEART (v. 6).
V. LET THERE BE SEASONED SALT IN YOUR WORDS (v. 6).
VI. KNOW HOW TO GIVE AN ANSWER TO EVERY ONE (v. 6).

WALK IN WISDOM (v. 5).

Far too many times those who profess Christ as their Lord and Savior walk as fools and not as those who have godly wisdom. There are several ways we can walk foolishly. One of those ways is by seeking financial gain feverishly, ie., as a main goal for living. Like material/financial gain was all there was to live for, rather than Christ, His glory, and His will. Greed, nor coveting are expressions of faith, but rather of unbelief.

Another way of walking foolishly is by living in legalism. Legalism is trusting in your good deeds, behavior, works as the means of gaining God’s favor, rather than trusting that you have already gained God’s favor. The Christian who is living legalistically also finds fault, very quickly, with those they see sins within. They will be quick to judge someone that is poor as being lazy. They will judge harshly anyone who does not live up to their standard, whether it is based on Biblical law or their own. Legalism requires that you live by this standard, this law, or you are not saved, and you will not make.

Jealousy and selfish ambition comes in when Christians are not walking wisely. Brothers or sisters in Christ are blessed, and jealousy creeps in. The desire to improve one’s job situation at the expense of someone else shows the foolishness as well.

According to John MacArthur’s New Testament Commentary for Colossians there are four sources for wisdom.

“First, worship: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding’ (Prov. 9:10). Second, prayer: ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him’ (James1:5). Third, Bible study: ‘Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, and with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another’ (Col. 3:16). Fourth, godly instruction: ‘And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ’ (Col. 1:28). It is only through walking in wisdom that believer’s words will mean anything…” pg. 186. THE MACARTHUR NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY of Colossians and Philemon.

REMEMBER THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING YOU (v. 5).

How we speak and how we live should match up with one another; and not be poles apart. That equals hypocrisy. When we mention the change Jesus Christ makes in one’s life it better show in you and me. Is there anything in your life that does and would cause others to question your testimony of Christ’s change of your life?

The “Walk of wisdom” which we walk better show godly wisdom and not foolishness. We all stumble, and when we are genuinely saved we get back up and go again. Others will see our faith in that as well as the other things we say and do.

MAKE GOOD USE OF THE TIME GOD HAS GIVEN US (v. 5).

One of the Psalms which Moses wrote says, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). We need to live as though today was our last day on earth. Not with fear, anxiety, or grasping for what the unredeemed would claim to be “Living”, but with peace, contentment, joy, love for others, seeking to tell all we can about the love of God in Christ Jesus, and the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus – the personification of that love of God.

How many hours do we waste doing television viewing, and waste the opportunities which God has given to witness, and possibly win a lost soul to Christ.

Wasted opportunities where you were sitting on a bench resting from a walk and a man with a very troubled look on his face and in his eyes comes and sits near you. Do you start a conversation with him and tell him of God’s grace, God’s love? Do you just sit there, then, leave in a few minutes without a word of God? I do not think I can remember the opportunities I have walked away from without a word of God to them. There have been some I have been faithful in, never saw a change in that person, but God’s Word will not return to Him void.

SPEAK WITH GRACE SEASONED WITH SALT (v. 6).

One of my favorite topics to talk about is grace – God’s grace to be more specific. There is no other grace that compares to God’s. His grace is amazing. His grace is miraculous. His grace is marvelous. His grace is heavenly. His grace is graceful. His grace is abundant. His grace is overflowing. His grace is powerful. His grace is earth shattering. His grace is glorious. His grace is cleansing. His grace is righteous. His grace is awesome. His grace is beautiful. His grace is for all who believe. His grace is forgiving His grace breaks the bondage of hell.

Speaking with Grace also means being gracious in our speech toward others. Having a good attitude toward them. When we are addressing a condemned person we must speak with love in our hearts. The grace of God is bountiful, and every lost individual must see grace in our speech.

When we season food with salt we are adding flavor to the food. Salt added to an open sore will be painful, and it will sting, but it does a work of cleansing and healing. What is needed in our speech to the unredeemed people we speak to is to show the love of God in the way we speak to them. Not making ourselves better than they are, but helping them see, that we are “Better off” than they are. They must see, first of all, that we really believe what we are speaking to them. If they sense in us that we do not really believe it there is no way they will, unless it is purely a divine act of the Holy Spirit alone. Of course, salvation is by God alone, but He does use redeemed vessels to reach others. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has its own flavoring. It is quite pleasing to the spiritual senses.

Salt is not only a seasoning, but also a cleansing/healing agent, and when put on an open wound will cause great pain. Sometimes pain is needed to get someone to come to God by way of the cross of Jesus. The truth of God’s law will cut to the quick of the unbeliever, and when that is done the Holy Spirit can use that to open the eyes of the lost, and bring them to Jesus.

BE ABLE TO GIVE AN ANSWER TO ALL WHO ASK (v. 6).

In 1 Peter 3:15 Peter wrote by the Spirit of God, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear…”. How you respond when someone asks you, “Why do you believe in Jesus?” is as important as telling them about Jesus. You need an answer for that. How would you answer it?

It needs explained to these individuals that you believe because He is God, who became flesh, and gave His life as payment for our sin. He arose from the grave three days later proving beyond all doubt that He is the risen, glorified, Savior of mankind, and Son of God. That, everything this man Jesus said is true, beyond all doubt, and what has not yet been fulfilled; will be fulfilled in God’s own timing.

We ought always to speak the name of Jesus with awe, respect, and love. Why do I believe in Jesus? I believe because He died for me. He took my sins upon Himself, and was fully judged by God the Father in my place. He died carrying my sins away. He rose from death, and due to that victory I too will live eternally with Him. Why do I believe in Jesus – why do I trust Him completely? He is God, who became flesh, to die for me, and rise again. He is also returning for me, and for all who have trusted in Him.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Constant Praying

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Constant Prayer

Colossians 4:2-4

Paul writes about prayer. He encourages much concerning the matter of prayer. Prayer is an important part of a Christian’s life, growth, and living. The Word of God is our food source, and we need to pray for our understanding and enlightenment, and to know how to apply it to our lives. Prayer is our communication with God, while the study and reading of God’s Word is His communication with us.

Proposed OUTLINE –

I. THE TIME FOR PRAYER IS NEVER SET; IT IS FOR ALL PLACES, ALL TIMES AND FOR ALL CHRISTIANS (v. 2).
II. THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO BE ATTENTIVE IN PRAYER, AWAKE, WATCHFUL, AND AWARE (v. 2).
III. THE ATTITUDE OF PRAYER SHOULD BE THAT OF THANKFULNESS (v.2).
IV. PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABOUT THE TASK OF PRESENTING/PREACHING THE GOSPEL AND THE WORD (v. 3).
V. PRAYER FOR THE MINISTRY OF GOD’S WORD (vv. 3-4).

In Arabian folklore we have the story of Aladdin. Within the story is a Genie in a bottle. The one who finds the bottle and releases the Genie gets wishes. It should be a fearful thing for Christians to view the communication of prayer with God as something similar to the Genie in a bottle. We do not go to Him and request whatsoever is according to selfish human desire.

In the writing of this, and preparing to deliver it as a message makes me so aware of a lack of knowledge concerning prayer. I fall so short when it comes to prayer. There are times when in my private time with the Lord, I can hardly utter a word. Many times what I pray seems so trite, and unimportant when compared to God’s Word. Yet, in God’s Word we are told to pray. “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17); Pray, “For kings, and for all that are in authority…” (1 Timothy 2:2); Jesus said, “…Men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1); When Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane He said, “Pray that ye enter not into temptation” (Luke 22:40), and He also said, “Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation” (Luke 22:46). That is enough to let us know the importance of prayer and praying.

When it comes to praying; it is not about getting what we want, as much as it is about giving glory to the Lord, and knowing His will for our life and living. Jesus did say,

“What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:24).

What does the Christian, the follower of Jesus Christ desire? To know God, grow to be more like Jesus, for the glory of the Lord in our life. If you have seen prayer as a means of getting your feeble wishes granted then, you have fallen into the trap of “thorns and thistles”, and they will smother you out.

I. THE TIME FOR PRAYER IS NEVER SET; IT IS FOR ALL PLACES, ALL TIMES AND FOR ALL CHRISTIANS (v. 2).

There is no set time for prayer. You can pray at a planned time or event. You can pray when there is no planned event. You can pray when you feel like it, and when you do not feel like it. It seems that some of the best praying is done when we have fallen to our lowest level. When things seem to have fallen apart, then we get serious about praying. Is that what our Lord had in mind when He said, “Men ought always to pray…”. Is that what Paul meant when he wrote to the people of Thessolonica, “Pray without ceasing”?

II. THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO BE ATTENTIVE IN PRAYER, AWAKE, WATCHFUL, AND AWARE (v. 2).

As we look around at events and happenings in our world we see an urgent need, a cry of sorts, a pleading to be in earnest prayer. A thought just occurred to me that the word “Earnest” means a ‘down payment’ in the book of Ephesians,

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” Eph. 1:13-14.

The thought I am seeing is; Prayer that pays the price to see the requested thing accomplished. That simply means a sacrifice in time on the knees seeking God’s face and His will in all circumstances, and situations.

This prayer must be one asked for while fully aware, awake, and watching faithfully to protect, keep that very thing with which we have been blessed. It also means doing those same things for the souls of others. We have an enemy who wants, even desires ravenously to devour us. We are called to vigilant, diligent, earnest prayer. Prayer that sees God’s will is done, and He is gloriously magnified.

III. THE ATTITUDE OF PRAYER SHOULD BE THAT OF THANKFULNESS (v.2).

Christians should be the most happy and joyous people walking on this planet. Yet, far too many times there are hearts, and lips of complaint rather than thanksgiving. When we are praying we should be especially thankful to our Lord for the many blessings he has given us. One of the things we should thank Him for daily is life, because He can take it from us without a moments notice. Have you ever thanked God for each breath of air? What about each step you take?

Let’s look at this “Thanksgiving” thing from another angle. Do you thank Him for the answers to your prayers? And, even before they are answered, as far as you can tell? Can you, and will you thank Him when He gives no answer, at least immediately? Sometimes it is just plain tough to be thankful. What if God gives you the answer of “NO!”? Will you be thankful for a “NO!” answer? You could be if you knew that God had your best interests at the center of His heart, and that what you had requested might cause you irreparable harm, physically, spiritually, mentally, or whatever other way there is.

The apostle Paul wrote,

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” 1 Thes. 5:18.

IV. PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABOUT THE TASK OF PRESENTING/PREACHING THE GOSPEL AND THE WORD (v. 3).

Those who proclaim the Word of God and the Gospel are in constant need of the prayers of the people. That is because the adversary the devil is not pleased with the Gospel and the Word going forth as God has commanded. He does not want God’s Word accomplishing what He pleases, ie. what God pleases. God’s Word will not return to God void – without accomplishing God’s purposes. It must be presented though.

The devil can throw a kink into its presentation by questioning in the mind or minds of recipients of the Word. Remember Eve, and the serpents question to her. “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” The serpent is a real liar, deceiver, con-artist, and the father of all such.

Paul request prayer for his ministry of proclaiming the gospel to all who would hear, and as many as would hear. Notice the things for which he asks: 1) for open doors (opportunities) for preaching the Gospel; 2) to be able to proclaim the message of Christ which at one time was a mystery, but has now been revealed; and 3) that he would be able to explain it so as to have it revealed more readily by the power of the Spirit. We do not need to make the Gospel difficult, but make it as clear as possible that the Spirit would work in power without any baggage

V. PRAYER FOR THE MINISTRY OF GOD’S WORD (vv. 3-4).

There is power in the Word of God. When there is enlightenment by the Spirit of God the Word of God changes lives. We must pray for the ministry of the Word to have as much an impact on individual lives as there could possibly be. How big is God? He is bigger than all that is. The Lord asked Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Gen. 18:14).

Jesus, in His prayer for His disciples, prayed, “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth” John 17:17. When people are praying for the Word of God to go forth in power, there will be power in the pulpit, power in the pew, power in the home, power on the road, power in the homes of the neighbors where the Word is proclaimed, power in the schools, power in government – Local, State, and Federal, and around the world. Of course, that is the ideal situation.

Too many times we pray for a sign miracle, ie. healing, a need met immediately or almost immediately met, or money to fall into our laps. Pray for the ministry of God’s Word. Pray that it will first and foremost have an impact in your own life, then, in the lives of your family members, neighbors, work associates, friends, and such.

Do you have a backsliding or backslidden brother, sister, father, mother, aunt, uncle, cousin, neighbor, or enemy? Pray for their renewing. You know their problem, most likely, mention it when you pray to the Lord. Do you have a lost brother, sister, father, mother, aunt, uncle, cousin, neighbor, or enemy? Pray that God would convict them of sin, make them miserable in their sin, then, ask the Lord to show them Jesus dying for their sins on the cross.

Pray that your pastor, and all those who proclaim the Word of God may do it clearly with understanding, with power of the Spirit, and with boldness.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Christ in You

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Christ In You

Colossians 1:24-29

In the past few years and months I have heard of sermons having to do with growing in your suffering, rejoicing in your suffering and such as that. Paul was writing from a place of suffering, and he was suffering for the cause of Christ and the cross. Can we or should we rejoice in suffering?

If we are to rejoice in suffering; how is that possible? It does seem that while Paul was suffering from imprisonment in a Roman prison he was rejoicing in Jesus our Lord and Savior. He has voiced words of approval of the people of Colossae, so we see he was not bitter. He did not complain. You hear nothing but contentment, and peace in his words.

Just how is it we can rejoice in suffering? Does this rejoicing include all suffering, such as sickness, financial hardship, family problems – marriage or having to do with children? It seems that we can rejoice in suffering, and in all forms of suffering.

There is a “Mystery” revealed in this passage of Scripture which gives us reason to believe that we can suffer and rejoice in the suffering as well. It is the mystery of “Christ in you, the hope of glory”.

OUTLINE –

I. REJOICING IN THE SUFFERING OF AFFLICTIONS OF CHRIST (v. 24). See MacArthur
II. CALLED TO FULFILL THE WORD OF GOD (vv. 25-26).
III. THE MYSTERY REVEALED AS ‘CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY’ (v. 27).
IV. THE PREACHING, THE PRESENTATION, THE PERFECTION, AND THE POWER (vv. 28-29).

In verse 23 Paul states that he is a “Minister of Christ”, and in verse 24 “And now rejoice in my sufferings for you”. Paul was REJOICING IN THE SUFFERING OF AFFLICTIONS OF CHRIST (v. 24). How can Paul do this? The word for “Rejoice” here means “to be full of cheer”. Cheerful and suffering just do not even seem to belong in the same sentence little lone the same life together.

What would the word “Cheerful” mean if we had no suffering? Would the word or the condition even exist? That goes with the words of a song of several years ago which says, “If I never had a problem, how could I know that God could solve them?”

Here are some thoughts from John MacArthur on why suffering is a cause for joy,

“First, suffering brings believers closer to Christ.” (Philippians 3:10). “Second, suffering assures the believer that he belongs to Christ.” (John 15:18; Matthew 10:24; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:14). “Third, suffering brings a future reward.” (Rom. 8:17-18; 2 Cor. 4:17). “Fourth, suffering can result in the salvation of others.” “Fifth, suffering frustrates Satan. He wants suffering to harm us, but God brings good out of it.” The above quotes by John MacArthur are from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Colossians/Philemon pg. 75.

In suffering for Christ, Paul was fulfilling the will of God and Jesus Christ in his life. For every child of God that suffers for the faith, Christ is glorified and exalted above all. Thus, suffering for Jesus fulfills the suffering of Christ for the Church. This has no redemptive purpose, but is due to redemption.

Paul saw his ministry to the church as being one CALLED TO FULFILL THE WORD OF GOD (vv. 25-26). There were many things that had been hidden in mystery (a secret hidden in the past, but now revealed) concerning grace, salvation, and the church. These things were not even seen in the law, but were there. Such things as having a “Heart of stone” and it becoming “Heart of flesh”;

“And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:” Ezekiel 11:19.

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26 (KJV).

The only way this kind of change is possible in an individual’s life is through the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God is fulfilled when these wonderful things have been made plain. They are now revealed, and open for all to see, hear, and receive. To some, whose eyes may be darkened to the light of the Gospel, it will remain a mystery, and only by the power of God will they ever see. That is the only way it ever came to be in the first place.

There is a glorious thing about all of this, and that is THE MYSTERY REVEALED AS ‘CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY’ (v. 27). This is a wonderful, glorious thing. Our hearts should be full to overflowing to think, to know that Jesus Christ is in us. He is in us individually, and as a corporate body of believers when we are gathered together.

How can sinful people have the essence of holiness living within them? It is by the grace of God. How can we as the people of God – made so by grace – continue to live in our own power, and not rely on the One who lives, who abides within us?

The answer to the problem of the “Mystery” is “Christ in you”. You will not find that in the law, or in the Old Testament. Jesus Himself is “The Hope of Glory”. He is our hope of being with Him in glory ie., heaven. He is though, far more than just a hope. He is our salvation. He is our joy. He is our strength. He is our Savior. He is our Lord. He is our Master. He is the One in whom we trust. He is Creator, and our creator. He is Sovereign. He is All-present. He is All-powerful. He is All-knowing. He is God. He lives in those who confess Him as their personal Lord and Savior, whose lives He has changed.

Jesus did say to us, “Abide in Me…” (John 15:4). To abide in Him is to have Him abiding in us. The two go together “Abide in Me, and I in you.” O, the things we must give unto Him to make His life and presence revealed to this lost and dying world. Wherever we go do others see “Christ in you, the hope of glory”, or do they just see the ordinary? May God help me to have others see Christ in me, the hope of glory for others.

THE PREACHING, THE PRESENTATION, THE PERFECTION, AND THE POWER (vv. 28-29). Why did Paul suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ? Why did he rejoice in his suffering? He gives us the answer in these two verses.

He desired to present to Christ in that day a people who were complete in Christ. It is not a work to be left to the disciples own doing. The individual disciple of Christ is ultimately responsible for their own growth in Christ, but only after they have been taught the way; you might even say, after they have been taught to feed themselves.

All those who are in Christ will have presentations to make before Christ. The ones we have led to faith in Jesus will be there for that presentation. Do you desire that they be complete? That should be a strong burden for every Christian, ie., to see the newborn to faith in Christ grow from a babe to full grown adulthood.

The only way we can accomplish this, of course, is through the power of God – Christ in us, the hope of glory. We have no power, but His. We have no Word, but His. We have no spirit to accomplish this task, but His.

CONCLUSION –

I. THERE IS REJOICING WHEN WE SUFFER FOR THE NAME OF CHRIST, AND IN HIS NAME.
II. AS CHRISTIANS WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO FULFILL THE WILL OF CHRIST IN OUR LIVES.
III. LET THE TRUTH OF ‘CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY’ NO LONGER BE A MYSTERY.
IV. GROW IN LOVE AND BE BURDENED TO SEE OTHERS GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST; THAT YOU MIGHT PRESENT THEM COMPLETE BEFORE JESUS AT HIS COMING.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Presentation

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The Presentation

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Colossians 1:21-23

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,” Jude 24 (KJV).

There is coming a day where those who have trusted the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross – His death, burial and resurrection; when Jesus will come and gather His Bride to Himself, and make a glorious presentation to the Father. What a day that will be.

I. WE HAVE BEEN DELIVERED FROM WHAT WE ONCE WERE.

A. In truth we were active participants against God, godliness, holiness, righteousness.

1. We were enemies of God.
2. That actually means we were actively participating against the work of God.

B. We are not left without promise or hope here though.

1. Even with us in this wicked condition, because of the grace of Jesus and the Father there is reconciliation.
2. Reconciled, reconciliation one and the same – the rejoining of two who have been separated.

II. WE HAVE BEEN RECONCILED TO GOD BY THE BODY OF CHRIST AND HIS DEATH.

A. Some may ask, “What is the need of reconciliation?”

1. God and man has been separated by sin.
2. God in His grace and love seeks to unite us to Himself, but cannot leave us as we are.

B. The Scriptures Paul has written are clear that Jesus died in a real, physical, human body.

1. He suffered – The suffering was genuine and real.
2. He bled. He died. He did it to redeem fallen humanity and all creation.

C. Even though we were in our sins God came down to us in the form of human flesh, in the person of His Son.

1. His death and resurrection means life for all who will believe Him.
2. It also means a new mind and heart.

III. WE WILL BE PRESENTED HOLY, UNBLAMEABLE, UNREPROVEABLE, BEFORE THE VERY FACE OF JESUS.

A. Notice the way we are presented;

1. We are presented HOLY;
2. We are presented UNBLAMEABLE;
3. We are presented UNREPROVEABLE.

John MacArthur writes,

“God sees us now as we will be in heaven when we are glorified. He views us clothed with the very righteousness of Jesus Christ. The process of spiritual growth involves becoming in practice what we are in reality before God. We ‘have put on the new self’ and that new self ‘is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him’ (Col. 3:10). The Christian life involves ‘beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord [which covers us before God, and] being transformed into the image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18).
The MacArthur New Testament Commentary COLOSSIANS/PHILEMON pg. 65.

B. This is before His face, or in His presence.

1. Because of Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection God sees us now just as we will be in Heaven when we are glorified.

IV. WE HAVE A CONTINUING FAITH WHICH IS SURE EVIDENCE OF AN ABIDING FAITH IN CHRIST.

A. The sure evidence of faith is a continuing faith.
B. When there is a true confession of faith in Jesus there is also a desire to know Jesus better.

1. There is a desire to tell others of what He has done for you.
2. There is a hunger to hear His Word and apply that Word to daily living.
3. One sign of abiding faith is also, when trouble comes along you keep looking to the Lord; not turning away believing He has forsaken you.

Let me quote Dr. J. Vernon McGee on this verse,

“This is not a conditional clause that is based on the future. The if that Paul uses here is the if of argument. It does not mean that something shall be if something else is true; rather it means that something was if something else is true. We would say, ‘Since ye continue in the faith grounded and settled.’ Paul’s point is that we have been reconciled — it is an accomplished fact. So if you are a child of God today, you will continue in the faith grounded and settled. You will not be moved away from the hope of the gospel which you have heard.”
THRU THE BIBLE COMMENTARY series Phillipians and Colossians pp. 140.

C. Through the faith of Jesus Christ we will be presented before the Almighty Father without sin, and be glorified.

1. This presentation will be glorious.
2. The glorious thing about it all will be that Jesus Himself will be the very object of glory.
3. Jesus will be glorified over all.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Image of the Invisible

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Who Is The Image…

Colossians 1:15-18

I. JESUS IS THE VISIBLE OF THE INVISIBLE (v. 15a).

A. God, the Father desired to reveal Himself to the only part of creation which He made in His image and likeness, and lost it.

1. He wanted to do more than reveal Himself.
2. He also desired to have sweet fellowship with us, but there was something which had to be done first – RECONCILIATION.
3. The Father loved us, and sent His Son to pay our sin debt. When we see Jesus Christ we are looking at the Father.

B. Is anything too hard for the LORD?

1. Jesus said, “I and my Father are one.“ John 10:30 (KJV), and “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one” John 17:22 (KJV).
2. Jesus also said, “He that has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

C. He [Jesus] is the ‘exact representation’ (Heb. 1:3; NIV) of the Father.

II. JESUS IS THE IMAGE, THE ‘FIRSTBORN’, THE HEIR OF ALL THINGS (v. 15b).

A. As the ‘Firstborn’ in preeminence He receives all that is the Father’s.

1. He is heir of all things, because the Father has placed all things under His feet.
2. It is because He was completely obedient unto the Father as He walked in human flesh that He was accounted worthy.

B. As the heir of all things, by His death, burial and resurrection; by faith in Him we become joint heirs with Him;

1. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:16-17 KJV).

III. JESUS, OUR LORD, ALSO THE IMAGE OF THE CREATOR (v. 16).

A. Paul writes, “For by Him were all things created…”.

1. The very one who took on Himself the body of a created being was in fact the Creator Himself.
2. This should blow the mind of the Gnostic “Know-It-Alls”.

B. When we read back in Genesis 1, “In the beginning God created…” it does not appear quite clear that Jesus was there in the creation.

1. However, when we read the gospel of John and verses one through three,
2. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” we have confirmation that this same Word which is spoken of here is the same Word which went forth in the work of creation, creating, and is the same Word which John tells us ‘became flesh’; “And, the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14); it becomes very clear, to one’s who have sight to see.

C. All things were not only created ‘by Him’, but also, ‘for Him’.

1. We must understand that the Godhead is in need of nothing.
2. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are Self-sufficient, Self-sustaining, and Self-existent.
3. God does desire to be glorified in all that He has created.

D. You will notice that in this verse (16) that even kings and kingdoms, all authorities were created by Him.

IV. JESUS IS THE IMAGE OF THE ETERNAL (v. 17).

A. He is before all things.
B. Jesus is the One who holds all things together, “By Him all things consist”.

Here are the words of John Gill on this portion of the verse, “…and by him all things consist; he upholds all things by the word of his power; the heavens have their stability and continuance from him; the pillars of the earth are bore up by him, otherwise that and the inhabitants of it would be dissolved; the angels in heaven are confirmed in their estate by him, and have their standing and security in him; the elector God are in his hands, and are his peculiar care and charge, and therefore shall never perish; yea, all mankind live and move, and have their being in him; the whole frame of nature would burst asunder and break in pieces, was it not held together by him; every created being has its support from him, and its consistence in him; and all the affairs of Providence relating to all creatures are governed, directed, and managed by him, in conjunction with the Father and the blessed Spirit.”

V. JESUS IS THE IMAGE, THE HEAD, OF THE CHURCH (v. 18a).

A. When we say we are Christian and a member of a church; we are telling the world that we know its Head.

1. What does the Head of the Church look like.
2. To those outside the Church it will resemble the one we are supposed to be following.

B. We as followers of Jesus should be the light in this dark, condemned, crazy, lost, decaying, world of evil societies, and their rulers whose main goal in life is exalting themselves.
C. Exalt the image of Christ as the head of the Church, the body of Christ in the world.

VI. JESUS IS THE IMAGE OF ETERNAL LIFE (v. 18b).

John MacArthur writes concerning the word ‘Beginning’ in this present verse, “Arche (beginning) is used here in the twofold sense of source and primacy. The church has its origins in Jesus. God ‘chose us in Him before the foundation of the world’ (Eph. 1:4). It is He who gives life to His church. His sacrificial death and resurrection on our behalf provided our new life. As head of the Body, Jesus holds the chief position, or highest rank in the church. As the beginning, He is its originator.” pg. 51 of THE MACARTHUR NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY on Colossians and Philemon.

A. Jesus said to John the revelator, “ I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending” (Rev. 1:8; KJV).
B. As the ‘firstborn from the dead’ we see Him as having conquered death, hell, and the grave.

1. Since the resurrection proves the divinity, power, and victory on the cross of our Lord and Savior; He most definitely is the image of eternal life.
2. Eternal life is not just something you may or may not gain later; it is what you can have [present tense] now.
3. In Jesus’s own words of John 3:16 it is quite clear. “…Shall not perish, but have everlasting life”.
4. On that day we will be “Like Him”; “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3 (KJV).

VII. JESUS IS THE IMAGE OF FIRSTNESS (v. 18c).

A. Remember He is ‘firstborn’ in the promise of inheritance, and because of His work on the cross we become ‘joint heirs’ with Him.
B. The word ‘preeminence’ is used here, meaning, ‘first in rank’ and certainly Jesus fits this category.

1. There are no gods of men, if they could, even become like the creature of their creation.
2. There is no one; god or other wise, who would die for their created being.
3. There is no god or being anywhere that has risen from death and the grave after giving themselves for their created beings.

C. If you want to see an image of ‘Firstness’ you have to look no further than, to the living Son of God – Jesus Christ.

1. Firstborn in creation.
2. Firstborn in life
3. Firstborn in death.
4. Firstborn in eternal life.

D. He is the preeminent One.

1. All things rest on Him.
2. In Him alone is there consistency in life, death, and eternal life. He holds it all together.

SUMMARY –

I. WHEN YOU LOOK AT JESUS YOU SEE THE FATHER.
II. BEING PREEMINENT IN ALL THINGS, JESUS IS HEIR OF ALL THINGS.
III. JESUS, GOD INCARNATE, IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THAT IS.
IV. BEING BEFORE ALL THINGS JESUS IS THE IMAGE OF THE ETERNAL.
V. JESUS, AS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH, IS THE IMAGE FOR OTHERS TO SEE.
VI. JESUS IS THE PHYSICAL IMAGE OF ETERNAL LIFE.
VII. JESUS, AS THE IMAGE OF FIRSTNESS, IS PREEMINENT IN ALL THINGS.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Our Qualifying

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Our Qualification

Colossians 1:13-14

This makes the seventh message on this prayer which Paul prayed for the church of Colossae. The first part of the prayer has to do with having “Knowledge of the will of God…”. The second part, that we “Might walk worthy of the Lord…”. The third, “Being fruitful in every good work…”. The fourth, that we “Might be increasing in the knowledge of God”. Fifth, that we “Might be strengthened with all might…”. Sixth “Giving thanks…, and now the final one – OUR QUALIFICATION

There are four things to be noted about OUR QUALIFICATION in these two verses:

1.  We have been qualified, because we have been delivered, by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross;
2.  We have been qualified, because we have been translated into His kingdom;
3.  We have been qualified, because we have been redeemed;
4.  We have been qualified, because we have been forgiven, by the just and holy God of heaven.

I. OUR QUALIFICATION is due to the delivering work Jesus did for us on the cross.

A. The devil was defeated on the cross.
B. Darkness was defeated on the cross.

1. Jesus went through the deepest, darkest, dungeon of despair anyone could ever go through as the Father forsook Him.
2. When the battle on the cross was over the fellowship between the Father and the Son was restored, while He was still hanging on the cross – I know that because He prayed, “Father, into thy hands I commend My spirit” Luke 23:46 (KJV).
3. When Jesus had entered the battle with the devil and darkness, and as He came out of it He had prayed, “My God, My God…”. He had experienced the brokenness of the fellowship.

C. Because of this great battle we are qualified.

John Calvin concerning the phrase “Who hath delivered us…”; “Mark, here is the beginning of our salvation-when God delivers us from the depth of ruin into which we were plunged. For wherever His grace is not, there is darkness, as it is said in Isaiah 60:2, ‘Behold darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the nations; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.” ‘In the first place, we ourselves are called darkness, and afterwards the whole world, and Satan, the Prince of darkness, under whose tyranny we are held captive, until we are set free by Christ’s hand. From this you may gather that the whole world, with all its pretended wisdom and righteousness, is regarded as nothing but darkness in the sight of God, because, apart from the kingdom of Christ, there is no light.” CALVIN’S COMMENTARIES Vol. 21, pp. 147&148.

II. OUR QUALIFICATION is due to Jesus translating us into His kingdom.

A. We have been transferred by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ into His kingdom.

1. His kingdom is a present reality.

B. If you are not part of His present kingdom you will not be part of His coming kingdom when He rules and reigns on earth.

III. OUR QUALIFICATION is because we have been redeemed.

A. We have been bought with a price.

1. First Corinthians 6:20 tells us to glorify God in our bodies, since we have been bought with a price.
2. . Another verse in 1 Corinthians and chapter seven and verse 23 tells us not to be servants to men – that, of course, means not to become servants unto them by means of debt, or feeling we are obligated to them to the point of denying our faith.

B. A price has been paid in full, and it was paid in blood.

1. It was the life’s blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son that was shed on the cross that day so long ago, yet so close to home.
2. We are redeemed by shed blood of the Lamb of God who came to take away our sin.

IV. OUR QUALIFICATION is because we have forgiveness of sins.

A. We cannot have forgiveness without redemption.

“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission [forgiveness]” (Heb. 9:22).

1. All sins debt has been paid, by the blood of calvary’s Lamb.
2. The Lamb of God, whom John the Baptist proclaimed, “…Taketh away the sin of the world.”

B. Because of the redemption provided through the shed blood of Jesus Christ we have forgiveness, remission.

The Merriam/Webster Dictionary defines ‘Remission’ = ‘the act of remitting’ with the word ‘Remit’ = ‘forgive, pardon’. If you were a prisoner which would be better to be put on parole or pardoned? Myself, It would take the pardon. That means the sin has been forgiven, and with no conditions. If you are paroled then, you must check in to your parole officer or sheriff, or some other authority of law. Your sin is not forgiven.

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.” Psalm 32:1-6 (KJV).

John Calvin in his commentary said, “In the first place, he says that we have redemption, and immediately explains it as meaning the remission of sins; for these two things agree together by apposition. For questionably, when God remits our transgressions, He exempts us from condemnation to eternal death. This is our liberty, this our glorying in the face of death-that our sins are not imputed to us. He says that this redemption was procured through the blood of Christ, for by the sacrifice of His death all the sins of the world have been expiated.” CALVIN COMMENTARIES p. 148.

SUMMARY –

I. Because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ He has qualified us, fit us for His kingdom.
II. He has qualified us by delivering us from the deep, dark, dungeonness, of sin.
III. He has qualified us by translating from the kingdom of darkness, death, and destruction into His kingdom of love, light, and His limitless presence.
IV. He has qualified us by paying the price to redeem us from our sin debt; He paid the full price, not to the devil, but to the Father to whom the debt was owed.
V. Now that the debt has been paid in full the Father is truly forgiving all our sin, and seeing you and I in the garments of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Ministry Led By the Holy Spirit

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“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” Acts 6:4 (KJV)

In chapter six there was some contention over the neglect of some of the Grecians because their widows were not being cared for; at least the way the families thought they ought to be.

The Church in Jerusalem was growing.  People were being delivered from sin and condemnation.  The apostles were loaded with many responsibilities, thus the accusations of neglect.

The apostles were chosen by the Spirit of God to be preachers of the gospel; so in that they would, and should give themselves to the ministry of prayer, and the preaching of the word.  O that the preachers of God’s word today would get that burden; for if we are not in the word of God and prayer we will be powerless, and find ourselves struggling with emptiness of heart and soul, wondering about if we are doing what we are called to do or not.

It is not that the apostles, or the preacher today would be neglecting their duties of service, and ministry; they are rather giving themselves to the greater responsibility of calling people to Christ, and His work in and through them.

With every Christian gifted by the Spirit of God to serve one another, the Church is blessed and it grows as God blesses and leads.  See Romans 12:3-15;  1 Corinthians 12.

The Church chose seven men.  The most remembered one is Stephen.  These seven men were full of the Spirit of God, they did the work they were chosen to do, and the apostles were able to do the work they were called and chosen to do, and the Church was blessed…

“…Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.” Acts 6:6-7

You will note also, that, many priests of the Hebrews became believers as well.  Is God good, great, marvelous or what? He is.  He is indeed.

Jesus Christ – Our Sufficiency (2)

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment
Colossians 2:16-23

 OUTLINE –

I. JESUS IS SUFFICIENT OVER THOSE THINGS THAT WERE SHADOWS (vv. 16-17).

II. JESUS IS SUFFICIENT OVER THOSE WHO HAVE PUFFY MINDS (v. 18).

III. JESUS IS SUFFICIENT FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE TO GROW IN FAITH (v. 19).

IV. JESUS IS SUFFICIENT OVER THE LEGALISTS, THE MYSTICS, AND THE ASCETICS WHO PROJECT THEMSELVES AS BEING CLOSER TO GOD (vv. 20-23).

It seems as we get deeper into the teachings of the apostle Paul to the Church at Colossae that we find how relevant the teaching is for Christians and local churches in our day.

People can get hung up on “Days”, “Moons”, and “Sabbaths”, as though that were the thing to gain one’s favor with God. There can also be a problem with legalism among Christians of our day. There is a growing problem of the “Mysticism” within many of our modern churches which call themselves Christians, who put as great an emphasis; or greater; on their experience as upon the Scriptures. When will Christians learn that Jesus is enough? He is all we need. There is enough of Him to go around, and at the cross where He died the ground is level.

Then, there are those who want to “Do without” to appear holy. They will fast, and let everyone know they are doing so. They will speak lowly of themselves before other people, but yet are very full of themselves; priding themselves in their “Humility”. These have not come to the place of humbling themselves before the God of Heaven and earth. They have not met this personal, merciful, loving God. When one meets God you fall on your face before Him and you are humbled by His presence and glory.

In the church at Colossae, these who were “Holy” and above others, by their own behavior; were even worshipping angels. It was the apostle John who fell down on his face before an angel, and the angel demanded that John arise, “See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God” Rev. 22:9. They were or soon would be leading the church at Colossae, and Laodicea astray from the worship of God. Don’t you suppose that the reason Paul wrote to the Galations, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:8-9) was partly for this reason.

JESUS IS SUFFICIENT OVER THOSE THINGS THAT WERE SHADOWS (vv. 16-17). Jesus – the One who casts the shadows. This ought to be particularly meaningful for the time of year we are in. Our annual celebration of the Nativity – the Birth of Jesus Christ – or Christmas as we have all become accustomed to calling it.

It is almost a sin in some people’s eyes if you do not send out cards. It is a sin to not buy anyone Christmas gifts. God forbid if you do not spend enough on . Whose Birthday are we celebrating?, and who gets gifts at their birthday? It is Jesus’s Birthday, and He is the one who should get the gifts. Right or wrong?

In my thinking Easter is the most meaningful, because He died and rose again, and that is how we readily remember Him. Of course, some will say, “Well He had to be born, before He could die for our sins”, and I would agree with that. Why was He born? He was born to die. Die for the sins of mankind.

I am not saying that there is anything wrong with remembering the birth of our Savior. We do need to remember, that, we do not really know what day He was born, but it is my belief that it would have been Spring or Summer, maybe closer to the day of “Passover”. My reason for believing that is that the shepherds were in the fields watching their sheep. It is not likely that they would have been out on a Winter’s evening. It makes little to no difference as long as we give Him the worship and glory in this day; that we should every other day.

Paul tells the people, “Be satisfied in Jesus – He is your sufficiency”, and “Do not let these others judge you”. The days, the feast, the moons Paul speaks of were shadows of Christ Jesus. We do not need shadows any longer. We have the very substance.

JESUS IS SUFFICIENT OVER THOSE WHO HAVE PUFFY MINDS (v. 18). “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind…” We can see by this verse that the Gnostics who were the mystics, the “Righteous”, and “Closest to God” were really not righteous at all, were teaching lies to lead Christians away from true doctrine; especially the doctrine of Christ as God in flesh.

These “Know-It-Alls” prided themselves in their “Humility”. They made little of themselves; may have said things like, “O I am nothing”, yet exhibited great pride over their humility. It is surely a good saying, “Humility is a funny thing, when you think you have it; you don’t”. I do not remember where I first heard that, but it is true. We are not to make little of ourselves. We are to make much of our God and Savior. Look what Jesus has done for us. Think of the cross. Think of His burial. Think of His resurrection. Think of Him as who He is – our Creator. Before Him we all pail in comparison. We have no need of tearing ourselves down, but we do have need of building Him up.

I have heard Christians, both preachers and others who are speaking publicly say, “I am nothing. I do not deserve to be here”. My thoughts when I here that is, ‘No! You don’t, and I don’t either, but get on to the One you are here to talk about. He is worthy”. For some reason we spend too much time belittling ourselves, and not enough time lifting Him up. Could it be that in our ‘False humility’ we are seeking the approval of others? That was the goal of the Gnostic – mystics, and such.

Jesus is our sufficiency over puffed up minds.

JESUS IS SUFFICIENT FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE TO GROW IN FAITH (v. 19). “And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God”. There is a right way to grow in faith of the Lord Jesus. It is not through mystic experiences, public self humiliation, or in ‘legalism’ which is basically the use of the law to gain salvation, or for the keeping of one’s salvation.

It is God’s calling that every Christian grow in faith, and knowledge of Him in the right way. John MacArthur writes, “We, like the Colossians, must not be intimidated by those who would make something other than knowing Christ through His Word a requirement for spiritual maturity. Christ is all sufficient, ‘seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence’ (2 Peter 1:3)”. From The MacArthur New Testament Commentary on Colossians pg. 122.

JESUS IS SUFFICIENT OVER THE LEGALISTS, THE MYSTICS, AND THE ASCETICS WHO PROJECT THEMSELVES AS BEING CLOSER TO GOD (vv. 20-23). “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?  Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh”. The life of the Christian is free from the ordinances, and manmade rules that so quickly bind, and enslave those who practice them.

By the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross, all the things that were shadows of Jesus became meaningless. Jesus was/is the real thing. He is the reality of the photograph. Anyone who would honor the ordinances, laws, days, and Sabbaths over the fulfillment is floating in the wrong boat, without motor or paddle, headed over a waterfall to destruction. Those who are trusting their own experience over the truth of God’s Word is deceived, deceptive, and living toward destruction. Those who are dependent upon their own “Humility”, their asceticism, are beating themselves to death for no reason.

Jesus is sufficient – He fulfilled the Law. Jesus is sufficient – the Word of God tells us about Him, “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19:10b). How can there be any more? Jesus is sufficient – There is no need of false piety, false humility, and depriving one’s self to gain the honor of men. Jesus is the One who deserves all the honor, glory and praise.

Just as the Gnostics tried to lord over the churches by trying to appear more ‘spiritual’ so there are those in churches today who say they have ‘spiritual’ experiences which draw many people’s attention. Who is getting the attention? He or she is usually oooohed and aaaaahed and counted as being really spiritual. Who is getting the glory?

JESUS CHRIST IS OUR SUFFICIENCY. In Him we must glory. We must count our life’s gain but loss. We count Christ everything. Quoting the nineteenth century Scottish preacher Alexander McClaren, John MacArthur writes, “Any asceticism is a great deal more to men’s taste than abandoning self. They will rather stick hooks in their backs and do the ‘swinging poojah’ than give up their sins and yield up their wills. There is only one thing that will put the collar on the neck of the animal within us and that is the power of the indwelling Christ. Ascetic religion is godless, for its practitioners essentially worship themselves. As such, we are not to be intimidated by it.” IBID.

These things, are perversions of the truth. They replace Christ with self. JESUS CHRIST – OUR SUFFICIENCY.

Jesus Christ – Our Sufficiency

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

Colossians 2:10-15

OUTLINE –

I. SUFFICIENT IN THE ONE WHO IS SUPREME OVER ALL (v. 10).
II. SUFFICIENCY IN THE PUTTING AWAY OF THE FLESH BY JESUS CHRIST (vv.11-12).
III. SUFFICIENT IN FORGIVENESS, RESURRECTION LIFE, PUTTING AWAY THE ORDINANCES OF MEN, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM OPENLY (vv. 13-15).

The whole of the book of Colossians is about the first place, the preeminence of Jesus Christ. One of the greatest things about being a Christian is “Being in Christ” and He being in us. When we are in Him we have His assurance that He is Lord of all; and that does not mean only of ourselves, but of those who want to exalt themselves over Him. Those who hate Jesus and you and myself.

If there is one thing that Christians of our day need to see clearer than anything else is that Christ is SUFFICIENT to meet our every need. He is our every need.

HE IS SUFFICIENT – THE ONE WHO IS SUPREME OVER ALL (v. 10). In Jesus we are “filled full of God”. When we are walking in Jesus our Savior there is no more of Him that can be in us, than, who is in us. Even when we are not walking in Him; He is still filling us full of Himself; it is due to our sin that He is not being seen, and that we are not being victorious in Him.

Jesus is the Supreme One. He rules over all. Even when the rulers – kings, presidents, prime ministers, dictators, etc. – do not yield to God He is still supreme, and His will is carried through. God is not surprised by our decisions against Him, for Him, nor is He surprised by our indecisions.

In order for us – the Christian – to have Jesus seen in our lives and for you and I to have victory also, we must endeavor to walk in Him. We do that by maintaining our daily devotions, Bible reading, Prayer, and Planning to live for Him in love.

Jesus is sufficient to give us the power, grace, mercy and strength to live for Him. We were not saved in our own strength. We cannot maintain our faith, keep our faith or grow our faith in our strength. It is by His. In Him alone we must trust and obey.

HE IS SUFFICIENT IN THE PUTTING AWAY OF THE FLESH (vv. 11-12). In the Hebrew’s culture circumcision was a sign of one’s commitment to God. It showed in symbol the cutting away of sin from the life. It of itself, was a bloody act, and we know that because Moses’s wife Zipporah told him, “Surely a bloody husband you are to me”. Moses had been forty years in the wilderness taking care of his father-in-laws herds and flocks, and evidently had forgotten about the circumcision part of his commitment. On the way to Egypt, while they stopped at an “Inn” to spend the night; God “Sought to kill” Moses, and somehow it occurred to Zipporah to circumcise their son. Thus was God’s anger toward Moses stayed.

Sin is a serious matter. We all sometimes make silly little jokes concerning sinful matters, but sin is a serious matter. With God there is no joking about sin. It must be cut away and it must be put away. Christ’s death was the cutting away of sin, His burial was the putting away of sin, and His resurrection is the cancellation of all sin’s power. In Leviticus 16 there is a picture of the putting away, or carrying away of sin. There were two goats brought to the door of the tabernacle. Aaron would ‘cast lots’ to determine which goat would be for the sacrifice to the LORD, and which would be the scapegoat. These goats represent the cutting away of sin, and the putting away of sin. The one offered as a sacrifice was the cutting away of sin, and the scapegoat was the putting away of sin. They both represent the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and His burial. The picture of these goats as representative of the work of Christ shows Him as a sin bearer – sin that was not His, but ours.

The ‘scapegoat’ was led into the wilderness, after the sins were pictorially placed on the goat, and some tell us was cast over the edge of a cliff, or something like that, and that goat was never seen again. Thus, once again there is the picture of sins being put away. How far has our sin been put away from us? “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” Ps. 103:12 (KJV). How deep are our sins buried to never surface again? “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” Micah 7:19 (KJV). In the burial of Jesus our sins were carried away and Jesus arose bodily from the grave. We are buried with Him in His burial, and risen with Him in His resurrection. It is certain. It is sure. By the resurrection of Jesus He showed the conquering of sin’s power which is death.

HE IS SUFFICIENT IN FORGIVENESS, RESURRECTION LIFE, PUTTING AWAY THE ORDINANCES OF MEN, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM OPENLY (vv. 13-15). Having been dead in ‘trespasses and sin’ we have been made alive in Jesus Christ, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” Eph. 2:4-6. The word ‘quickened’ means to “make alive”.

Verse 13 tells us three things which happen upon one’s conversion through Christ Jesus; having been dead – 1) We are made alive; 2) We are with Him; and 3) We have been forgiven ‘all trespasses’. Because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross, all our sins are washed away; never to be held against us. That is, considering that the sinner has sought repentance, and has received forgiveness and cleansing in the first place.

In verse 14 Paul writes of ‘blotting out the handwriting of ordinances…’, and that they ‘was against us’. These laws did condemn us. Verse 17 reveals to us that these things were or ‘are’ ‘a shadow of things to come’. All the written laws, the sacrificial laws, ceremonial laws were pictures, shadows, types of the coming of the Lord Jesus. He fulfilled all of these, by His death on the cross. By His death on the cross these ordinances are forever powerless to cause guilt, fear, or condemnation. The work these portrayed has been done. It is finished. They were nailed to the cross with Jesus.

In verse 15 it speaks of spoiling the ‘principalities and powers’ and that ‘He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.’. The Scribes, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees all used the law to try and condemn Jesus. By the abuse of their laws they did condemn Him to death, but He arose victorious over death, doing so openly, and being also victorious over the powers that be.

Philosophy or Christ

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Colossians 2:1-9

Philosophy is defined in The Mirriam/Webster Dictionary [Pocket edit] as, “A critical study of fundamental beliefs and the grounds for them”. Here is the definition from the old Webster Dictionary, “PHILOS’OPHY, n. [L. philosophia; Gr. love, to love, and wisdom.]

1. Literally, the love of wisdom. But in modern acceptation, philosophy is a general term denoting an explanation of the reasons of things; or an investigation of the causes of all phenomena both of mind and of matter. When applied to any particular department of knowledge, it denotes the collection of general laws or principles under which all the subordinate phenomena or facts relating to that subject, are comprehended. Thus, that branch of philosophy which treats of God, &c. is called theology; that which treats of nature, is called physics or natural philosophy; that which treats of man is called logic and ethics, or moral philosophy; that which treats of the mind is called intellectual or mental philosophy, or metaphysics. The objects of philosophy are to ascertain facts or truth, and the causes of things or their phenomena; to enlarge our views of God and his works, and to render our knowledge of both practically useful and subservient to human happiness. True religion and true philosophy must ultimately arrive at the same principle.” To put the meaning into a shorter definition, mine, it would be the study of ideas concerning God, morality, man, and nature.

While taking a class on Philosophy at Boyce Bible School in Louisville, Kentucky in 1977 I quickly learned that not all people, and supposedly christian professors, believed the Bible. The teacher I had relegated the teaching of Genesis to allegorical hodge podge. There was no seven day creation, there was no Adam and Eve, they were only allegorical; having only a ‘spiritual’ meaning. That was back in the days when liberalism was running the Southern Baptist seminaries. It is not philosophy that declares these things to be true. It is God’s Word that declares an actual Adam, and a living Eve – made from the rib of Adam – walked with God in the garden of Eden. The philosophies of men will almost always deny the truths of God’s Word, or relegate them to allegorical meaning. The use of allegory itself can be good and helpful in understanding a thought or idea. Jesus used allegory in His teaching, such as, “A sower went forth to sow” (Matthew 13:3). As a matter of fact He used many of them.

The apostle Paul “Struggled” much with what was going on in the Colossians church and the church at Laodicea. The word used here is the word “agony”; “agōn

ag-one’

From G71; properly a place of assembly (as if led), that is, (by implication) a contest (held there); figuratively an effort or anxiety: – conflict, contention, fight, race.”

OUTLINE –

I. STRUGGLING OVER THE ISSUES FACING THE CHURCHES OF THE COLOSSIANS AND LAODICEA (vv. 1-3).
II. ENCOURAGING WORDS AGAINST ENTICING WORDS OF MEN (vv. 4-5).
III. WALKING, ROOTED, BUILT UP, AND STABLISHED WITH THANKSGIVING (vv.6-7).
IV. BEWARE OF BEING LED AWAY FROM BIBLICAL TEACHINGS AND FROM CHRIST (v. 8).
V. JESUS IS ALL WE NEED (v. 9).

STRUGGLING OVER THE ISSUES FACING THE CHURCHES (vv. 1-3) Paul agonizes in prayer. We have looked at the prayer pretty extensively in verses 9 – 14. He is concerned for them. These Gnostic “Know-It-Alls” coming in denying the only Lord and Savior.

Some would argue that statement, “Denying the only Lord and Savior”, but by declaring the heresies they declare, such as; God and flesh cannot dwell together; that God created a little god, who created a littler god; who, thus created an even littler god; and created an even littler teeny god, who created all that we see. This final one being the Jesus who created and sustains all things; is out and out heresy, and it is not the Jesus Paul preaches, nor the One Whom I know.

To his letter to the Galation church Paul warned of “another gospel”, which would be ‘another Jesus’ (Gal. 1:6-10). The Jesus I know and the One whom Paul writes of is truly the divine Son of God. He has been with the Father always. Is just as much God as is the Father, and He became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).

Is it important that we declare the Jesus of Paul and warn about the teachings of some who deny the Lord Christ Jesus by saying He was and is not the incarnate God? If people are to know the one true God who is the sovereign Lord of all creation, who rules in the hearts of men, who sustains all things by the word of His power, who died for our sins, was buried and rose again, and is returning for His Bride; then YES! That is the Jesus we must preach. The people of the world will not perish as in some future fire, they are currently perishing, and will continue to perish in that future fire, unless they come to this glorious Savior.

Words of comfort are extended to the church. Their hearts knit together in love for Christ Jesus and for one another. Dr. J. Vernon McGee writes,

“Unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding.’ ‘Full assurance is an interesting expression; it literally means ‘to be under full sail.’ It means that believers should be moving along spiritually – they should be moving along for God.”
FROM pg. 150 of THRU THE BIBLE COMMENTARY SERIES The Epistles Philippians and Colossians.

As far as the mystery spoken of here it would make perfect sense to say that Jesus Christ is the Revelation of this ‘Mystery’. In Christ are the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and the Church is the Body of Christ where that wisdom and knowledge abides.

ENCOURAGING WORDS AGAINST ENTICING WORDS OF MEN (vv. 4-5). Would to God that all that professes to be the church would be holding steadfastly to the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

Sadly, there are many people who are in religious cults and even within legitimate religious organizations and like churches who believe they have an inside connection with God and all things spiritual. The thing that makes them in error is that they believe their experience with “God” overrules what Scripture says. Every believer in Jesus Christ has an “inside connection” with God. It is called faith in Jesus Christ, prayer, the reading and study of God’s Word the Bible. Anyone who declares themselves to have a better or stronger connection to God apart from the written Word of God should be placed on your “BEWARE” list. Such as anyone who says they have been to Heaven, and what they say is more than the Bible says, and not what the Bible says, thus placing more authority on their “vision” or “dream” than upon God’s Word.

These are the “Philosophies of men” and should be open to scrutiny from every child of God. This letter from Paul says to the Christians at Colossae, and to the Christians of Laodicea that they have a great “stedfastness of … faith in Christ”. There is no hope in mysticism and that is what those special “Connections” with God really are. All Christians have a special connection with God. You can talk to Him. You have power with Him when you pray. You can know His will for your life by reading and studying His Word; you cannot leave all the study and reading up to the pastor, or to just one day a week, or month, or year. Get in the Word. Get in prayer. Get in the Spirit of God through Jesus Christ.

Have you noticed how gullible some professing Christians are to such stories as, “I Saw Heaven”, or “I Was In Hell”, or “How I Journeyed To Israel Without Leaving Home” – as far as I know these are all made up titles [Mine]. If I wrote anything on these telling you these had happened to me I could probably entice many people, but it would not be true.

Paul could not be with the people to whom he is writing, but he was with them in spirit, and he was serious about that. The testimony of Epaphras was what Paul was speaking from. He was encouraged by what he heard of them.

WALKING, ROOTED, BUILT UP, AND STABLISHED WITH THANKSGIVING (vv.6-7). Walking is an average exercise. It is not real strenuous, nor real tiring. The average, fairly healthy individual can walk all day long, with occasional rest stops, of course. If you doubt that just go to a mall and watch the people walking around; as a matter of fact; just look at yourself. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him” (v. 6).

You can walk longer than you can run. Do you not imagine that is why the picture of walking is used in Scripture of a life that continues with the Lord. It is said of Enoch that he “Walked with God”. It is also said of Noah. As far as I have been able to see no other character of the Bible has that said of them. However, it is mentioned many times in the New Testament, and in this present verse, “Walk ye in Him”. We are told to be “Filled with the Spirit”. These are all speaking of the same thought. If you are walking with God you are filled with the Spirit. If you are filled with the Spirit you are walking with God. If you are filled with the Spirit and walking with God you are walking in Christ Jesus. “Walking” has for it the matter of endurance. Walk in Christ. Walk with God. Be filled with the Spirit. One more, Walk in the Spirit. It does not involve mysticism.

“Rooted” has to do with stability. When something is rooted it is planted to stay. When we are “In Christ” it is to stay. We must root ourselves in the practice of daily Bible reading and study, prayer, and all the things Christians ought to do. As the Psalmist says in the first Psalm, “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Ps. 1:3). This tree the Psalmist speaks of is rooted in good soil, next to a good water supply. The foundation of a building is its ‘root’, firmly planted.

For the Church; Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone which sets the size and shape of the building. The foundation is then the apostles and prophets, “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Eph. 2:20). The Church and the individual Christian is built up by walking with Jesus, and is in the process of being built up. Jesus alone determines the numbers and direction of the Church. There will be one final “living stone” placed to complete it. SEE 1 PETER 2:4-6.

To be “Stablished in the faith” you are rooted and built up accomplishing the Lord’s purposes for your life and walk with Him. It is a life of “super abundance” ie., abundance of the Lord’s presence, power, glory, with wisdom and knowledge, and especially a life of thanksgiving. Be thankful for the many abundant blessings of our God and Savior.

BEWARE OF BEING LED AWAY FROM BIBLICAL TEACHINGS AND FROM CHRIST (v. 8). The “Philosophy” spoken of here is “Reasoning that is sound in appearance only”. It may sound good, but is really full of holes. The reasoning of the Gnostics may have made sense, but it does not fit with the teachings of God, godliness, and truth of God’s Word.

Philosophy itself is to find the answers to questions we as the human being asks. Questions such as, “Who am I?”, “Where did I come from?”, “Why am I here?”, “Where am I going?”, and “How do I get there?”. Those questions are answered through thinking and philosophy gives an answer. It is actually an attempt to answer. Mankind offers many philosophies. Probably as many as there are people.

There is, however, only one correct answer, and God gives us the answer. The philosophy of the evolutionist to the first question above, is “You are the product of chance. You are nothing more than an animal with a little intellect.” God’s answer to that question is, “You are the special creation of God’s created order, made in My image and likeness”. Which of those answers fit with the Word of God? Of course, the latter of the two.

The way we are to guard our lives, our hearts, our minds is what was said in the previous point; “Walk in Christ” – study His Word, hide it in your heart, live by it; pray fervently, diligently; be a vibrant witness for Christ. Live, as you grow in Christ, live like Jesus.

JESUS IS ALL WE NEED (v. 9). In Christ Jesus is “Housed permanently” the fullness of God. There is a absolutely nothing lacking. Because there is nothing lacking in the person of Jesus of the Godhead He is all we need.

The philosophies of men may deny it. They can teach and preach against it. The false science of the day may even have “evidence” against it, but the Word of the Lord is the test. The Word of the Lord says to us clearly and without exception Jesus is “The fullness of the Godhead bodily”. When you trust Jesus you trust the Father. When you call on Jesus you are calling on the Father. When you pray in Jesus’s name you are calling on the Father’s will to be done. When we walk, live in the Spirit we are walking in Jesus.

Jesus is all I need. Jesus is all you need. Jesus is all this world needs. The “traditions” and “rudiments” of men are not trustworthy and certainly cannot show one the way of eternal life. Only Jesus can. PHILOSOPHY OR CHRIST. That is really your choice. Jesus Christ is FIRST PLACE

LAWLESSNESS

/ Tim A. / 1 Comment

Jack Woodard's avatarJack Woodard's Blog

rapture

TITLE: LAWLESSNESS
TEXT: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he…

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Some Sermon Thoughts on 2 Chronicles 16:7-10

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A Perfect Heart with GOD

  1.  Does not seek alternatives to GOD.
  2.  Recognizes that GOD is Supreme, Sovereign and Almighty.
  3.  Trust in the LORD alone for help.
  4.   Believes the Word of GOD, and practices it ( John 17:17;  Hebrews 4:12).

Some Sermon Thoughts from 2 Chronicles 17:1-19

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When We Walk in the LORD

  1.  Hearts will trust the LORD and not in the supposed power of man and politics (vv. 1-6).
  2.   The Word of God will be proclaimed in life and land (vv. 7-9).
  3.   The People around will fear God and respect you (vv. 10-11).  See Proverbs 16:7
  4.   Your land and life is blessed by God (vv. 12-19).

From a sermon preached on May 15, 2016

Liberty at Risk

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These are notes,  the main points of a sermon I preached February 14, 2016 at Shiloah Baptist Church of Jenkins, MO.

Liberty At Risk

Galations 3:1-18

Ref  – 2 Corinthians 3:13;  Galations 5:4

  1.  The liberty we have in Jesus Christ through His death, burial and bodily resurrection is denied by those who would add works to grace – it is a bewitched thing.
  2.  The Holy Spirit is given by grace through faith , not by the Law.
  3.   No one has ever been justified by the Law, but we are all condemned by the Law.
  4.   Faith and grace were before the Law (John 3:18).

-Tim A. Blankenship

A Matter of Liberty

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These are thoughts from a sermon I preached on February 07, 2016 at Shiloah Baptist Church of Jenkins, Missouri.

Galations 1:1-2:10

Explain the true Gospel of Jesus Christ as given by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

On the matter of “…or an angel” (1:8) Mohammed – saw an angel he called “Gabriel”, and he spoke of perverted scripture  570 A.D. at the age of 40.

Joseph Smith saw an angel (Moroni), was shown some “golden plates” and wrote from those plates “The Book of Mormon”

Both of those angels taught another gospel, another Jesus, and speak ill, evil of the cross of Jesus Christ the Son of God and God the Son.

Any religion which adds a work – baptism [sacraments], communion, circumcision, keeping the Sabbath day, any of the holy days, etc. – in order to be saved perverts the grace of God.  It is legalism not grace.

This freedom, this liberty we have in Jesus Christ is unbound.  We have no freedom or license to sin; we do have freedom from sins bondage.  We are free to live for God apart from sin.  There is no living for God in sin.

-Tim A. Blankenship

 

The Proud Look

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The Proud Look

This is the first in a seven part series I call “SEVEN ABOMINATIONS WHICH GOD HATES. It is taken from Proverbs 6:16-19 as the text. I began this series on Sunday morning July 09, 2006, and I believe it covers the sins that are the cause of all the ills of the earth. Of course, sin is the cause of all the ills on earth. I pray all who read this will learn to serve and glorify the Lord Jesus for His abundant grace and mercy He has provided for us all upon the cross of Calvary.

“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,   An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,   A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Proverbs 6:16-19

A PROUD LOOK equals “Haughty eyes” or arrogant ambition.

IT IS THE LOOK THAT DEFIES GOD. “But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.” Numbers15:30. Note the condemnation of one who sins defiantly/presumptuously. Also look at the words of Isaiah to the king of Assyria because of his “High looks”. A man in the New Testament who would fit into this category could be the one who tore down his old barns to build new ones. Isaiah also says in 2:11, “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.”

C. S. Lewis said, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

THIS PRIDE WILL CAUSE THE FALL OF THE ONE WHO PRACTICES IT. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18.

King Nebuchadnezzar was brought low by the arrogance he had against God, and in the end He glorified the Lord God (YHWH). So will it be with all who exalt themselves over the will of God.

Look at this verse which reminds us of the peril of a Proud look. ” An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.” Proverbs 21:4

In the Beatitudes of Matthew 5 we find a great contrast to this PROUD LOOK. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (v. 3).

THE ‘PROUD LOOK’ IS THE LOOK WHICH SAYS, ‘I KNOW BETTER THAN GOD’. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:21, “Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.” It is the PROUD LOOK of the man which says, ‘I will not love my wife as Christ loved the Church…”, or just plainly refuses to do so. It is the PROUD LOOK of the woman who refuses to ’submit’ to her husband ‘as to the Lord’. It is the PROUD LOOK of the rebellious child or teenager who will not honor and obey their parents; or the adult who shuns and will not honor their parents; or the husband and/or wife who are not submissive one to another; nor fulfilling their godly duties to the other.

THE ANSWER IS FOUND IN A HUMBLE HEART TOWARD GOD. ” The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17. Someone once said, “Humility is a funny thing; when you think you have it, you don’t”.

Some Christians beat themselves up verbally in an attempt at “Humility”. That is really a lot of pride manifesting itself in the person to draw others attention toward themselves. How do I know that? How can I say that? Because I have been there. I have been guilty of doing it.

Humility is not trying to make yourself lower than others – true humility is not thinking of yourself at all. The humble person rest in Christ Jesus, and lives for Him and serves others without thought of reward or recognition.

Thank the Lord for those humble people of Christ’s who serve and are not seen.

-Tim A. Blankenship